Would an aftermarket EMS or Ignition unit do much for my normally aspirated engine?

 

you have a few questions, huh.


I have never owned an NA, but I don't see much use in an aftermarket EMS for one.

I run an MSD6AL on one of my cars, and it definitely made a difference in how smooth the engine revved up.

From what I have read the best way to get power from an NA is porting, which you might consider if you rebuild the engine. Although expensive, a full racing beat exhaust would be nice and net a few extra ponies.

At the end of the day, I feel the best thing for a NA car is a turbo swap.

 

[QUOTE=ITSWILL;8785924]you have a few questions, huh.

Yeah I just bought the car Dec. 5th. And started researching RX7s Dec. 3rd haha. It came with K&N filtercharger and header back Racing Beat exhaust, so Im just wondering where to go from there without spending over about $700. Thoughts on flywheels?

 

Tune it with an AFC Neo and lean it out, no need for a real ems if you aren't rebuilding the motor and porting it.

 

I have am aluminum racing beat flywheel I think 12 pounds with the counterweight.

It revs up faster but there is a lot less "punch" when changing gears.

I don't think I would do it on an NA. Just stick with the stocker.

Maybe a sprung 6 puck clutch and a set of solid aluminum motor mounts if you are into that sort of thing.

I would focus on brakes and suspension if I were you, I think that is where you will be most rewarded with an NA.

 

full exhaust and Rtek 2.1 if properly tuned, especially on the s5's which will let you adjust the VDI and 6 port actuator rpm.

 

Good Advice. The Neo SAFC is another good idea. The Neo is easier, cheaper and slightly less capable. It lets you pretty much just tune fuel, not timing. The Rtek is more complicated and has the ability to change fuel and timing.

As in most of life, one thing leads to another. To get the most out of the Rtek, you really need a wideband. Now you are over your budget and you cannot afford the Ignition box.

With a Neo and a wideband, you can stay under budget and get really good results. You can also afford a CD ignition box. Personally, I would use the Crane HI-6S.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

Good Luck!

 

Yes, assuming that it is tuned by somebody who is competent. There will not be much of a peak horsepower increase, but the power band will be widened and the throttle response will be better. Also, you will see better gas mileage. A speed-density EMS will allow for better idle control than the glorified hole in the stock system. I drove an NA RX-7 with a Wolf3D EMS around a parking lot in all 5 gears without ever touching the gas pedal. Try that with your stock EMS.

A well-tuned piggyback fuel computer like an S-AFC would allow for some power band increase and better gas mileage, but the crummy 1980's vintage computer would still be running the engine. While this makes a decent band-aid for a moderately modified turbocharged engine, I am not sure if it would be worth the money and trouble on an NA engine.

If you are not an experienced engine tuner and you do not wish to pay a professional for tuning, then I recommend just leaving the EMS stock or installing an Rtek Stage 1 chip and calling it good.

 

newbs

Used car lot maybe? If that's your budget, sell or stay stock. BONE stock

Newbs
WINNAR!!!!!!

That is REALLY impressive actually

Or just sell the car. Playing = paying

 

The guy who tuned it has been tuning engines since he was a kid, plus he has a degree in aviation tech. The car was just a gutted RX-7 Sport with a stock block NA 13B and Bonez exhaust, and despite several tries I couldn't out-accelerate his car with my 88 TII that had an HKS intake and straight-through catback exhaust. He is a much better driver, but still, dang. I have the feeling that those who say an NA engine doesn't benefit from an EMS have never experienced one. There is a reason why I rag on the stock EMS.

Addictive, eh?

My financial recommendations based on the assumption that $700 is your total savings and will not significantly increase each month:
- Keep the money in a savings or money market account and use it for repairs that crop up. It sucks to have a really fun sports car on blocks because you can't afford repairs due to blowing all of your savings on something you didn't need.
- A light flywheel may be a good upgrade when you replace the clutch or rebuild the engine. I wouldn't bother with that modification alone though. See the Mazdatrix FAQ on flywheels:
http://www.mazdatrix.com/f-writng.htm
- A good EMS is in the $1,000 to $4,000 range just for the parts, plus about $500-$2,000 for installation and tuning.
- As suggested previously in this thread, consider upgrading the suspension. If money is a factor, then just keep it stock until the parts wear out. Don't forget to replace the bushings when you replace the hard parts or the worn bushings may damage your new parts.
- Unlike a Honda, your car is just fine in stock form.

 

True That.

 

Dang is right. Not knowing much about the rtek and only played with it once or twice and having never seen the wolf software, I'm curious as to how the rtek compares to the other real ems's (Haltek, Motec etc) in terms of adjustabiltity. O godd buddy of mine has one on is S5 N/A and compared to my old N/A with just an SAFC and the timing advanced to the high holly heavens, there was quite a difference in the width of the powerband.


Addictive, eh?

Yeah, if $700 is your total budget, don't do anything but repairs.

Although, this is coming from two guys that have probably spent in total the GDP of a small 3rd world county in the combined 35 years of FC ownership soooooooo take that as you will.1

 

Megasquirt? about $250 for everything, and another $200 for an Innovate LC-1 wideband to tune it with. However thats assuming you want to take on the tuning portion of it yourself, and are handy with a soldering iron, following directions, reading circuit diagrams, and willing to learn how your car really works.

 

rebuild port and aluminum rotors

 

not really

 

Problem with the Rtek for SAFC is the damn use of the stock AFM. That's where the standalones shine.

However, there's still a bunch to be gained by tuning the timing on a stock block with the Rtek. Done right, you wonder where the car found a lot of the power that it was missing before.

 

I payed about $400 total for everything, including the stimulator wiring harness and 2nd vr circuit. I got an MS2 V3 though, that could be a difference, and I also bought everything through DIY autotune with the exception of the dual vr board. If you do decide to go standalone and are willing to be challenged in order to save some money, I would look into a MS.

 

Let me specify guys. Im willing to spend $700 on my next part which i plan on being EMS and/or ignition. I also plan on getting a shine body kit and flush mount headlights. I will end up rebuilding and porting on down the road. Also the car already has a full exhaust. From what people are saying so far Im leaning towards the Apexi Neo.

 

 

I had a pretty well-built n/a s4 car making 172rwhp.

I am not of the opinion that the stock AFM is a big restriction on an n/a car. There are turbo cars with Rtek's doing mid 300's. In my own experience I did not notice anything more than a negligible increase in power from a properly tuned SAFC (with CAS turned for crude timing adjustment) to a tuned megasquirt.

Although a standalone has more features, you really can't beat the capability-per-dollar of the Rtek 2.1 and I think it's fine for the average street car.

 

It's not so much a restriction as a not so optimally way to tune

The tuned MS, well, that would depend on the tuning. I could give a retard my car with an $8000 EMS to tune and give someone else a weaker setup with an Rtek and the Rtek tuned car could make more power and be a better driving car.

Yeah, I agree 100% - especially when talking N/A

 

700 ems
300 flush mount headlights
1200 full rebuild and port (doing it yourself w/tools)

Sounds like a running japan2la or atkins jspec t2 engine in the car to me.

Re evaluate your "plans".

John NY