im sorry, im really not an ******* or anything, but i must ask you've how you come to have over 900 posts, but type things like whats quoted above??

 

The ONLY 20B RX-8 so far did have a very big turbo on it.

 

Red,

Not disclosing actual dyno figures...I will see if I can dig up the in-car video.

 

Out here in New Zealand, there are a number of 20B engines for sale, straight pulls from running Cosmo cars. Usually sell for $2500-3000 USD. Some people here can ship to the US.

 

take an FD and add->
$3000 for hte engine
$2100 for a pettit subframe/spindle kit
$400 radiator (if you dont already have one that will suffice... i just got a koyo, but we'll see if it can cool enough)
$1400 intercooler (if you dont already have one that will suffice)
$250 fuel pump
$225 flywheel
$500 clutch
make some intake pipes, and a DP, and get some motor mounts.... thats it if you use the stock ECU (figuring out all the wiring is a nightmare).......later you can upgrade the ECU/turbos/fuel system etc... but basically $8K in parts alone (add $1K for all the little things) if you do all the work

 

Make that $2,100 for the subframe only. When I was looking to swap a 20B into my car, there were no spindles involved and the cradle was $2,100 on their "Banzai" price list. Not sure where the "drop spindle" rumor got started, but let's stop it right here, unless someone knows something I don't... like Pettit suddenly got a conscience and realized that $2,100 was way too much to charge people for a subframe that only involves welding new crosspieces into a stock engine cradle...

AFAIK, Pettit only offers a bump steer correction kit for the tie rod ends, just like Hinson Supercars.

 

I paid 2800.00 for mine.

I SOLD my subframe and spindles brand new for 2100.00. IronMdx purchased it from me. He advertised that price, in which I think some people may think that is for both.

 

Thanks for the clarification. You wouldn't happen to have any pictures of the spindles, would you? You're the first person I've ever heard of having a pair.

In 1998, Pettit claimed the bump steer issue resulting from moving the steering rack was not a problem. Later, they offered a bump steer correction kit (spacers for the tie rod ends), I believe. They must have only recently (in the last two or three years) come up with the spindles, because they were never on any Banzai parts list that I've ever seen.

 

nope, i just called pettit for mine.... 2100 + shipping for both subframe and spindles (and no core/core charge)

 

nope again, they most definatly have spindles!! and they are now included for 2100, the subframe is now completely constructed from scratch therefore no core charge.

 

now wait i spoke to cam and he told me to correct for bumpsteer i should "shim" my steering rack does this make sence cause i am a bit lost here

 

Wow... they must have figured out that the $2,100 engine cradles weren't moving, or the availability of other 20B cradles gave them the competition they finally needed to get their prices in line with reality...

Here's the only picture I have of a Pettit 20B cradle (which I believe was Red-Rx7's), which obviously uses the stock FD cradle for the suspension mounting points. Are you telling me that they're now fabricating those areas of the cradle too? That's a little hard to believe, especially for that price.

 

I don't see how you could "shim" the steering rack, since it has to be lowered to clear the oil pan of the 20B.

The only solution to the bump steer problem which results is to either space the tie rod ends down an equal amount (the cheapest and easisest method) to maintain correct suspension geometry, or fabricate new spindles that have the tie rod arm lowered, which does the same thing.

I'd very much like to see a picture of these new "spindles". It makes no sense to have to remove the wheel bearings and swap them over to new spindles when you can add a longer tie rod end link and spacer to accomplish the same thing (shown in the Hinson kit below).

 

While I'm posting pictures of engine cradles, I might as well post a picture of Dragon's, too...

 

Note that all three versions above use the stock FD cradle's suspension mounting points and weld in new center sections. I'm the only one that I know of who has a 100% made from scratch cradle which uses no part of the original, and I don't even charge $2,100 for mine.

In fact, I only charged the first buyer $900 + shipping, and ate the extra costs when we overran the original estimate I was given by the fabricator. The second is getting his for the actual cost of fabrication only, and I'm machining his steering rack brackets free of charge...

 

so bump steer can be "cured" with longer tie rods and shiming the tie-rods (so they`ll be lower)????

 

Yes. The tie-rods need to be moved down an equal amount to how far the steering rack was lowered.

For example, if the rack was lowered 3/4", the tie rod ends need to go down by 3/4" also. If they don't, when the suspension cycles, they will move in an arc which differs from the rest of the suspension, either pulling or pushing the front tires out of alignment. This is called bump steer because it "steers" the car (in an unintended direction) without moving the steering wheel when the suspension cycles after hitting a bump.

In the picture below, notice that the tie rods are parallel to the lower control arms. Lowering the steering rack would change that relationship, and in order to make the tie rods parallel once again, the tie rod end must be lowered by a corresponding amount.



A "bump steer elimination kit" accomplishes that by replacing the tie rod end with one with a longer shaft (like the ones shown in the picture of the Hinson kit above), and then using spacer(s) between it and the tie rod arm on the spindle to set the correct height.

Here are a couple articles on the subject of bump steer...
http://www.longacreracing.com/articles/art.asp?ARTID=13
http://www.bakerprecision.com/longacr17a.htm

 

you know something jimlab ,youre not such a bad guy after all ,to bad you like piston engines so much ,well i guess to each his own
thanx for the info man ,very helpfull stuff , i am doing my whole conversion with pics ,as soon as the damn thing starts i`ll post some of the pics on a thread i`ll let you know when i do , again thanx!!

 

yes jimlab is a cool guy... potent at times, but i have come to expect nothing less

ok jimlab, about the pettit stuff... i know that they have no core charge anymore, im almost positive they now make the entire thing from scratch...its now grey, and the spindles have an extention arm welded to them.... there were pictures posted in the 20b forum at some point... i searched but couldnt seem to find them. however im a packrat and saved them to my computer... if i can find them on my computer i will post. -heath

 

i have the current pettit frame in my car , but i didnt get any spindles
and yes its grey powdercoated

 

i have the current pettit frame in my car , but i didnt get any spindles
and yes its grey powdercoated

 

Would the rewiring process be easier with with a Power FC ECU?

 

zzzuuuuhhh??? i thought they said that the spindles were included.... damn i wish i saw this earlier... i will have to call tomorow cause there closed now

 

no, the power fc cant run the 20b. the power fc has 3 ignition outputs, but you cant change the firing order which you would need to do to run the 20b.

 

Is there an aftermarket ECU that would work better, or should I stick with the stock ECU? Also. is there anyone in this thread who would feel comfortable performing labor for a 20B engine swap? I'm looking for a cheap way around these high-priced conversion shops.