RX-8 with Mazdaspeed3/6 Motor Swap plan
 

For quite a few years I've had this plan to swap a Mazdaspeed3/Mazdaspeed6 engine into a RX-8. I've been researching the idea more lately as my next project car. I Thought the RX-8 was a fun car with more than enough interior room, but its lack of power, gas mileage worse than a half ton V8 pickup truck, and some issues with the engine's reliability made me now want to buy one. I found it interesting that most of the RX-8's I've seen at track days had reliability issues with the seals or gaskets inside the engine. Coolant in your oil and oil in your coolant were the typical end result. Also the car will probably get better gas mileage with the 2.3 turbo and Miata gearing than the RX-8 ever could.

The newer MX-5 Miatas and RX-8 share quite a few components. The subframe from the front of the MC miata might even bolt up to the RX-8. If it doesn't, that's nothing a little welding or custom brackets can't fix. The transmission from the NC Miata also fits in the RX-8 and they share the same rear differential.

I've looked on several Mazda and RX-8 related forums to see if anyone tried the swap and most of the threads asking about the possible swap resulted in the original posted being called a troll or replies stating that youa re better off swapping in an LS motor. Apparently the Rotary fanatics don't like the idea of a non rotory in an RX-8. As for the LS swap, I'd rather buy a Corvette than do an LS swap in an RX-8.

Most of the extra weight will be over the front wheels or behind the front wheels, so handling shouldn't be affected that much. The main issue I've thought of is the clearance for the hood. I think the 2.3 will stick up further toward the front of the car than the stock rotary motor does. Any of our Mazda experts have any other ideas about possible issues with the swap.

no idea if your plan will work. but anything can be done with the right planning & motivation. i say go for it!

Youd get more support for throwing a 2.3 in a miata.


I wanna see it done in the rx-8

At DGRR and Sevenstock, swapped engines get boo'ed. In my personal opinion, don't waste a perfectly good car because someone cannot figure out how the engine works. A lot of us think it is a bitch move and we see a lot of the people with V8 swaps as outsiders. Just keeping it real...

If you do a motor swap you can get a nice running rx-8 with a different motor. If you drive a regular rx-8 you will be doing a motor swap when you have to rebuild the garbage stock motor. It's really all up to you in the end. I do agree that I really like them minus their engine drivetrain issues. They handle well, I like their looks, and they are imo a good car for their money overall.

Yea.. um. No.

I'll never give up my oil drinking, no torque, weedwacker sounding, will probably need to be replaced next month RENESIS.

If you feel the need to get rid of it, you just don't "get it". Sell the car to someone who does.

It's his money and his car,he can do whatever he wants.


I really want to see it done for the simple fact that the rx-8 nut swingers will get pisssssssed

purists in mass produced vehicles are mostly stupid, especially when it comes to rotary purists who have something against reliability it seems.

do what you want with YOUR car. Not a fan of the 2.3DISI motor, it's another sketch motor by Mazda, but I'd take it over the rotary any day

What people do not get is Rotorheads are in a league all their own. That is why we really do not bring our rotaries to other events, we just hold our own where rotaries are pushed to their limits without the idiots telling us to put LS1s in our car. People that say rotaries suck, well, I bet if you ride in a modded FD with 500WHP, you will change your point of view quick and will make your ears bleed. And yes, rotaries are like overbearing women at times. My car can attest to that.

Anyone with an engine swap get shunned and on the forums they get torn apart pretty bad. If you have any problems, do not expect the forums to help you out at all. All they will do is bash on your engine swap. We are a bunch of bullies, LOL.

Rotary pushed to the limit. 500 hp


LSx pushed a wee bit. 500 hp.

Chris B will do the swap. The purist nazis that circle jerk each other will laugh. Chris B will go home to his significant other and continue to live a life that doesn't revolve around the internet and men who dress like they are 15 years old...

http://imagemacros.files.wordpress.c...01/2gugmyu.jpg

Well, it is pretty clear where the rotards stand and where everyone else stands. We do love our rotaries and everyone else will bash them. That is why we never really bring our cars to events and we just hold our own.

And 500whp is not the limit for a 13b. ErnieT made 850WHP in his.

I've come across quite a few RX-8's with bad motors for really cheap and totaled Mazdaspeed3's and Mazdaspeed6's aren't that hard to find in salavge yards. The cost of the RX-8 andthe cost of the parts for the swap could cost me less than finding a low mileage well maintained RX-8.

I agree with both statements, both about purist and about my project/my car.

Exactly!

Davin, your so excited to let everyone know that you are part of a "small group" of "enthusiasts"... Nobody cares what your favorite engine is, or anybody elses for that matter. But the thing is, YOU GUYS DO, and that is why nobody agrees with you and you proudly wear the name "rotard". Its just an inanimate object buddy.

Exactly! LOL!

Anyways, doing an engine swap in an RX8 is a lot of work. The whole engine wiring system ties in with the rest of the car. It will be a real bitch and a half.

If you are willing to go through all that work, just get an A-Series 20B, make it N/A, have Roger Mandeville balance it and you will have yourself a pretty reliable engine that nothing can touch.

DO IT. I love unique engine swaps. There was an LSX swapped MKIV Supra with twin 67s and not one person bashed him... We applauded the fact that now hes got low end grunt that our little 2Js just can't do.

I don't really know too much about rotaries. People either love them or hate them, personally I have no real opinion on them. I think they are different and unique, but have a legacy of being unreliable. I have also seen some insane builds that make outrageous numbers.

I can see why Rotary fans would get mad at engine swapping. You are essentially taking what makes the RX-7/RX-8 special out of the car, and turning it into just another RWD car. What's the point of buying a rotary, if you are going to LS swap it? Just get a 240 or a MX-5, or an old Datsun and do that.

As I said I do not know much about rotary engines, so I have no idea how much it costs to rebuild one, or how much it costs to build one to hold power and to be reliable. Everyone's answer these days to everything though seems to be "LS swap it". Again, there is nothing wrong with that, and a few years ago, it was really cool and unique to see LS motors in cars you wouldn't normally see them in. It's still pretty damn cool honestly, but nowhere near as unique and different anymore.

You have a rotary powered car, I say keep it that way. You want to swap something, then find a S13 shell and go nuts, but I wouldn't want to ruin one of the most unique cars out on the road today (and I have no particular love for the Rx-8s). Grant it, a swapped RX-8 would be different and unique, but not in a good way in my opinion.

Not going to lie, I read the first few posts, then skipped to the bottom to reply.

I agree with what some above have said, go for it! I love seeing things that are different being done. I take it you'll keep it RWD? The MS6 was AWD, that's why I asked, I know you were referring to the 2.3T motor, but I was just curious. Either way, def. do it, get those rotary kids mad (always fun) and do something that you most likely won't see anyone else in your lifetime with! Oh and keep us up to date with the project on here... curious to watch it go down and see what it takes.

Buy an fd
Tear out rotary
Install mazda3 motor
Piss people off even more

opinions incoming
A. unique is expensive
B. those motors aren't known for power so i don't really see the upgrade beside gas mileage and reliability. (isn't it supposed to be racecar?)
C. wiring is going to suck
D. i feel like after its all said and done you will be real underwhelmed.

does that miata trans mate to the 2.3? i doubt this is going to be legos and the shafts will just pop in and line up as expected here.

note- im all about sticking it to rotary fanatics, but you really cant beat the LSX swap. There's no argument here against doing the LSX swap beside uniqueness and any other factor your worse off anyway. also for track use a LSX rx8 will probably be a better performer then a c5.