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I am using IGN-1A on mine and drew up a custom bracket and had sendcutsend laser it out. Puts all 4 coils back near the clutch/brake master cylinder. All the relays that used to live there are long gone so its unused space. The pic isn't the best, but there is plenty of space for plug wires (using 90 degree boots) and still plenty of room to access the clutch master cyl. Also note - that is a NB miata brake booster/master cylinder which takes up less space than the FB parts - but I believe this would still work with the stock booster. You are using different coils, but I imagine they are the same size, or smaller than the IGN-1A
Worth noting - the Rx8 speedometer gets it's signals from the ABS/wheel speed sensors, there is no VSS on the transmission itself. To run my speedometer I use a speedhut speedbox - specifically the one with the Ford clip on style connection. A bit of trimming is needed, but it fits the SA/FB/FC speedometer perfectly.
Worth noting - the Rx8 speedometer gets it's signals from the ABS/wheel speed sensors, there is no VSS on the transmission itself. To run my speedometer I use a speedhut speedbox - specifically the one with the Ford clip on style connection. A bit of trimming is needed, but it fits the SA/FB/FC speedometer perfectly.
Ooh! I need that too and didn't even know it yet. Thanks.
Neat thing though, and with it driving the speedometer mechanically, you'll also get an accurate odometer. It says no calibration necessary so I wonder how it adjusts to different scenarios. It knows the speed and distance by GPS, but how does it actually understand how many revolutions should be supplied to the back of the speedo?
If you read the directions it has a pretty neat way to recalibrate it for instance when tire or wheel size are not stock etc. Its worth the $500.00 price tag. It can use GPS and/or a digital tooth wheel pulse too.
Yeah the instructions go into more detail, but basically the stock speedo is calibrated to be XXX rotations per mile per hour and this is a (mostly) standardized thing so that is what the speedhut defaults to. You can easily calibrate it if your speedo isn't 100% right - and it works very well.
$500 is a lot, but compared to the $3000+ worth of Haltech gear in the car it's not that bad lol
Also, if you guys haven't seen need-a-t2's thread about Rene swapping an FC I will link it below - lots of great info and this is where I found that the Speedhut speedbox with Ford clip would work. He is also running the Rx8 ECU so that is an option if someone were inclined to do it that way.
I'm too far down the rabbit hole to revert back to the SA or FB transmission. The biggest challenge will be the clearance or height of the Renesis intake system. Chip was planning to fabricate some sort of elbow on his CNC machine. Unfortunately that was one of the custom parts that was not completed.
IMO it would make sense to go with 3D printing for the adapter. Consumer printers from Bambu can print in high temp, carbon fiber reinforced nylon, which is what modern intake manifolds and fuel rails are made from. Depending on how complex a part you need, I might be able to help. LMK.
IMO it would make sense to go with 3D printing for the adapter. Consumer printers from Bambu can print in high temp, carbon fiber reinforced nylon, which is what modern intake manifolds and fuel rails are made from. Depending on how complex a part you need, I might be able to help. LMK.
I'm not that great at CAD, Fusion360, but I do have a BambuLab X1C so if anyone needs something printed let me know.
Project Update | Custom Side Mount Alternator Bracket
I have a sample template for my custom side mount alternator bracket. Interesting to note that the bolt thread pitch for the RX7 front iron is different than the thead pitch for the RX8 front iron. I will have to source some dress-up bolts to match.
Next step will be to fabricate this bracket out of aluminum.
Are you doing the template in mild steel and the final part in aluminum? Wouldn't it make more sense to do the template from a material that's easier to machine?
A new challenge .. or as they say in today's work environment, a new opportunity.
I temporarily installed the side mount alternator bracket (shout out to Franklin Motorsports for their support) and noticed that the factory V-Belt makes contact with the crank angle sensor. It is close to the oil cooler line but does not touch. I'm open to any ideas or suggestions.
** Stock 13B Renesis with GSL-SE front cover for mounting **
The only reasonable suggestion that comes to me would be to mount your alternator lower, so the belt clears both the sensor and the oil cooler line. An idler pulley would not help you much.
Or go back to using a non ribbed OEM vbelt which is skinnier and should be very adequate for driving the AC compressor. Another thought is to shim the pulleys out a bit but not sure how that would workout.
Thank you both for your suggestions. I went through the box of spare parts that Chip (Chips Motorsports) had included, and I'm almost wondering if he had the same idea as what GySgtFrank suggested.
By mounting the alternator lower and feeding the oil cooler line through the upper and lower path of the alternator belt, there might be just enough room to clear without any interference. This will require another revision to the side mount alternator bracket.
Thank you both for your suggestions. I went through the box of spare parts that Chip (Chips Motorsports) had included, and I'm almost wondering if he had the same idea as what GySgtFrank suggested.
By mounting the alternator lower and feeding the oil cooler line through the upper and lower path of the alternator belt, there might be just enough room to clear without any interference. This will require another revision to the side mount alternator bracket.
If you do that then every time that belt needs changed, the oil line would have to be disturbed. It is a solution though.
For the oil cooler line could you go up with a 90 and then back and run behind the alternator, the dive under it toward the front? It's a longer line and kind of goofy but you wouldn't have to pull it off in order to change a belt.
For the crank angle sensor can you make a bracket to raise the sensor and then adjust the rotation of the teeth?
The alternator pulley now lines up with the main crank pulley. I need to relocate the upper bracket forward just a few millimetres to line up with the RX8 alternator before I reproduce the bracket in aluminum.
This is physically as low as the alternator bracket can be mounted. I will shave a bit off the bottom of the alternator mount to help clear the engine front mount hockey puck.
The alternator belt still rubs against the crank angle sensor mount.
I'm going to look into reorienting the crank angle sensor to more of a horizontal vs. angled mount, similar to this 3-rotor engine.
Project Update | Custom Side Mount Alternator Bracket
