3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002) 1993-2002 Discussion including performance modifications and Technical Support Sections.
Sponsored by:

Renesis engine swap

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 10:19 PM
  #1  
tonys's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 20 Years
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Northern California
Renesis engine swap

I am loking at purchasing my next Rx-7, and am interested to know if the new Renesis will mount into a 3rd generation without to much modification.
Also interested to know if there are any Turbo's to fit onto the engine.
Any links or information would be appreciated.

tony
Reply
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 10:25 PM
  #2  
Fd3BOOST's Avatar
Recovering Milkaholic
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 8,206
Likes: 0
From: Budds Creek, Maryland
Why the hell would would you want that POS? Not sure about the motor mounts but I assume they are the same. You would have to swap ECU and harness at the very least. Even then you could only run N/A. You might get a TII trans TO bolt up but why bother?
If you are looking for an upgrade get a 20b.
Reply
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 10:53 PM
  #3  
tonys's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 20 Years
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Northern California
I am interested in the newer engine because of it's advances in reducing emissions and improved power, even naturally asperated 238 hp.
I would hope in time that turbo's would be available.
Reply
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 11:20 PM
  #4  
vrmmmpshhh's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 392
Likes: 0
From: Australia
ive seen pics of turbocharged renesis engines in rx8's but still why would you bother.. With the money you spent on the conversion imagine what you could do with the original engine.
Reply
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 11:29 PM
  #5  
jimlab's Avatar
Super Snuggles
Tenured Member 20 Years
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 10,091
Likes: 34
From: Redmond, WA
Here's all you need to know...

Reply
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 11:30 PM
  #6  
RX7 RAGE's Avatar
Bann3d. I got OWNED!!!
Tenured Member: 25 Years
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (22)
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 5,015
Likes: 67
From: San Diego, CA
the graph speaks for itself...u really wanan throw in that pos renesis?
Reply
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 11:31 PM
  #7  
BigIslandSevens's Avatar
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,531
Likes: 0
From: Denver, NC
if you are talking about turbocharging a rx8 engine then why is the advancement in emissions a benefit for you? As all the others have said, why do this? There are NO advantages to this.( Other than being the first fool to downgrade the engine in a swap )

And not to burst your Rx8 bubble, but,.... you may want to recheck those HP #'s.

THANK YOU JIM!!!! My point made graphic!
Reply
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 11:33 PM
  #8  
ZeroBanger's Avatar
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 1
From: Buckhead
Originally Posted by tonys
I am loking at purchasing my next Rx-7, and am interested to know if the new Renesis will mount into a 3rd generation without to much modification.
Also interested to know if there are any Turbo's to fit onto the engine.
Any links or information would be appreciated.

tony
I would love to have a FD with a renesis in it. I think it would take alot of work because of the ECU. If you put the rx8 tranny and engine in the FD with the weight savings and better gear ratios you would have a car that is just about as fast as a stock FD, but without all the headaches.

The renesis sounds 100 times better too.

I like both.
Reply
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 11:41 PM
  #9  
jimlab's Avatar
Super Snuggles
Tenured Member 20 Years
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 10,091
Likes: 34
From: Redmond, WA
Originally Posted by ZeroBanger
If you put the rx8 tranny and engine in the FD with the weight savings and better gear ratios you would have a car that is just about as fast as a stock FD
Better gear ratios? If you used the RX-8 transmission, the only gear ratio you'd be using is the FD's 4.10 differential... which is taller than the 4.44 in the RX-8. You'd be reducing what little torque at the axles you already had, so no, you wouldn't have a car just about as fast as a stock FD.
Reply
Old Aug 11, 2004 | 11:54 PM
  #10  
New West Capital
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: Southern Cali, Diamond Bar
Talking

Originally Posted by tonys
I am loking at purchasing my next Rx-7, and am interested to know if the new Renesis will mount into a 3rd generation without to much modification.
Also interested to know if there are any Turbo's to fit onto the engine.
Any links or information would be appreciated.

tony
C'mon guys, it looks like he really is interested in doing the swap. Let's just give him whatever info there is out there and let HIM decide whether or not it's a good idea.
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 12:22 AM
  #11  
John Magnuson's Avatar
Rotary Enthusiast
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA
The Renesis is a better design for performance... racing rotaries have been using side ports for a while since you get more power. Of course the FD makes more power than the RX8 because it is turbocharged. You'd have to compare the RX8 to the non turbo 2nd Gen to be fair. Just wait and see if Mazda does a turbo renesis in a future RX8 or RX7. It should be more powerful than the current engine in the FD.
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 12:37 AM
  #12  
jimlab's Avatar
Super Snuggles
Tenured Member 20 Years
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 10,091
Likes: 34
From: Redmond, WA
Originally Posted by John Magnuson
Of course the FD makes more power than the RX8 because it is turbocharged.
To be accurate, the 13B-REW has more area under the curve than the Renesis because it's turbocharged.

You'd have to compare the RX8 to the non turbo 2nd Gen to be fair.
Fair? We're talking about a Renesis swap in an FD here, not what artificial set of circumstances we can dream up with that would favor the Renesis engine. The "fair" comparison is with the 13B-REW that came in the FD. The only comparison is with the 13B-REW that came in the FD.
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 12:38 AM
  #13  
Duncan's Avatar
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles
Originally Posted by John Magnuson
. Just wait and see if Mazda does a turbo renesis in a future RX8 or RX7. It should be more powerful than the current engine in the FD.
I heard Mazda was working on a RX-8 with an electrically asisted turbo. Anybody else heard about that?
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 03:49 AM
  #14  
RX7WEEE's Avatar
Need a 20b FD.
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (16)
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,946
Likes: 1
From: Bellingham Wa
yeah i heard about that also, it was a little tid bit in some mag (cant rember name)
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 06:45 AM
  #15  
Herblenny's Avatar
DGRR 2017 4/26-4/30, 2017
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (13)
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 13,597
Likes: 6
From: Alabama
tonys,

I've seen this couple of times on the forum before.. Like Jim and others have said.. its pointless for you to convert an fd with rx8 engine.. the amount of time and money you have to spend on doing this conversion, you might be better off waiting and seeing what Mazda will do with either current rx8 or possible rx7 replacement.. Also go check out rx8 forum.. Just because renesis engine is new, it doesn't mean its better, more reliable, or potentials are higher.. So, far its too early to tell..

Last edited by Herblenny; Aug 12, 2004 at 06:48 AM.
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 08:44 AM
  #16  
XSTransAm's Avatar
Ee / Cpe
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,843
Likes: 2
From: Gaithersburg, MD / WVU
well that and isnt the renesis exhaust side port?

This would kill the exhaust gas velocity, making spooling a turbo like a gt35 next to impossable.

right?
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 08:51 AM
  #17  
DaleClark's Avatar
RX-7 Bad Ass
Tenured Member: 20 Years
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (56)
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 15,622
Likes: 2,723
From: Pensacola, FL
The Renesis uses TOTALLY different engine mounts from the FD. They're in the center of the engine, instead of the back, and the passenger side mount actually attaches to the side of the engine through and around the exhaust manifold. This makes building a turbo manifold (or headers) mighty tricky.

Could it be done? Very likely. Would you get the benefit of the SERIOUS engineering effort required to do so? Probably not.

Dale
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 08:57 AM
  #18  
Herblenny's Avatar
DGRR 2017 4/26-4/30, 2017
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (13)
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 13,597
Likes: 6
From: Alabama
why go renesis, custom make subframe, possible problem with tranny bolt up, maybe custom drive shaft... when you know you could put 20B and make more power and torque.. I would think its easier to but 20B since more people have done that mod to an FD.. Renesis in my mind pointless conversion to an FD.
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 02:01 PM
  #19  
ZeroBanger's Avatar
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,323
Likes: 1
From: Buckhead
Originally Posted by jimlab
Better gear ratios? If you used the RX-8 transmission, the only gear ratio you'd be using is the FD's 4.10 differential... which is taller than the 4.44 in the RX-8. You'd be reducing what little torque at the axles you already had, so no, you wouldn't have a car just about as fast as a stock FD.

I'd go with the diff, tranny and engine.

If Judge ITO can get a 14.3 stock from an Rx8 that weighs more, I would guess high 13's are possible from an Rx-7 with a renesis. The tranny and engine weigh alot less. Not to mention the weight savings from the custom exhaust.

yes it will be more difficult to reach those times in the Rx8 than in the rx-7.
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 02:55 PM
  #20  
seanfd3s's Avatar
airplane apex seals
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: either sunnyvale or san jose
smog friendly = not fast
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 10:46 PM
  #21  
tonys's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 20 Years
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Northern California
Thanks for the information and opinions.

I would be purchasing a theft recovery which needs a new engine, ECU and wiring harness (at least), thus the reason to consider the newest engine type.

Thanks for the comparative graph of Horsepower and Torque. I thought Turbo’s would have been available for the Renensis by this point, or the near future, but you are right without one I may as well continue to drive my Subaru (not WRX).

I was interested in finding out if the swap were a reasonable alternative i.e. not an engineering project.
Without enough information at had, I knew this was a good place to get started.
Thanks for the assistance.

tony
Reply
Old Aug 12, 2004 | 11:15 PM
  #22  
FDreaming's Avatar
S4 now S6 soon...
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 427
Likes: 0
From: Bonney lake, WA
Damn, you all need to get off the Renesis' back. Look at those graphs. It delivers solid torque all the way through. None of that peaky Honda powerband crap. Yes, more power can be useful in some situations but in an autocross that mid-range torque is what's going to make you smile. Besides, Blitz will be releasing their SC kit for the Renesis soon, and Mazdaspeed will probably follow suit right after that. Why do you think both of those highly renown manufacturer's chose the SC over turbo? To enhance the Renesis' smooth powerband. It's not how much torque you make for 500rpm it's space underneath the torque curve that moves cars. For a street driven auto-X car that be a deadly combination. Like everything in motorsports it's all aplication specific.
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2004 | 02:27 PM
  #23  
seanfd3s's Avatar
airplane apex seals
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: either sunnyvale or san jose
true, BTW arnt superchargers only really for 1/4mi
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2004 | 03:05 PM
  #24  
scotty305's Avatar
~17 MPG
Tenured Member: 20 Years
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,473
Likes: 326
From: Bend, OR
I like the idea of using the newer rotary technology in our chassis. Drive-by-wire would also be nice, if you could implement it properly. The Renesis motor has less overlap and better side seals. XSTransAm, how would peripheral ports kill exhaust velocity? Please explain that to me, because from the renesis info I've seen, it seems the peripheral port should work better.

-s-
Reply
Old Aug 15, 2004 | 03:29 PM
  #25  
XSTransAm's Avatar
Ee / Cpe
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,843
Likes: 2
From: Gaithersburg, MD / WVU
the only reason blitz or mazdaspeed would supercharge the renesis is because its INSANELY easier to do.


the exhaust gas velocity is killed because it needs to make a 90degree turn to get out of the ports on the renesis, on the 13brew its a straight shot from the port to the turbo.

why do you think our rotarys can spool huge turbos and piston engines with equal displacement could never get one spinnin.
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:02 PM.