£1000 RX8 sprint/track-car project

[confucuis]

I've half thinking of getting one of these for some drifting as well. The prices over here are now around 1000 due to the engine issues and insurance being so high.

[seiben]

Well, we made it home!

20170701_183145 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

So, what does £999.50 of RX8 buy you, exactly? Let's see what we have here...

20170701_192012 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_192501 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_192620 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_192608 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_192644 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_192911 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_194335 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_194344 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

Pretty grim really. What these pictures don't convey is the vile smell coming from the boot. It looks clean, but something has definitely died in there.

Still, it drives well enough. Pulls well, handles OK (those stupid wheels aren't doing it any favours), but it is very loud. Gearbox seems fine, if a little whiny in second.

First things first, lets give it a clean!

20170701_204329 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_204631 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_210034 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_210000 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_205951 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

20170701_205929 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

That's better!

Also found this little chap:

20170701_192335 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

And a MYSTERY SWITCH

20170701_192438 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

So, plans? We have a growing list for next weekend when i'll be making the maiden voyage down to Kent - mostly servicing, but the exhaust manifold gasket needs sorting and it'll get a service as well. I'm also in danger of getting a bit attached to it, so it'll be getting some racing-orientated decoration

In the meantime, I'll drive it for the coming week and see what else I come across

[otolith]

If I remember rightly, DSC comes back on if you trigger the ABS. Press and hold for several seconds for no means no.

[Funk]

Christ; looks like these are £535/yr in VED...! fk that...

[otolith]

Cheaper pre-2006

[seiben]

otolith said:

If I remember rightly, DSC comes back on if you trigger the ABS. Press and hold for several seconds for no means no.

Yep. Found that

Funk said:

Christ; looks like these are £535/yr in VED...! fk that...

£300-odd for this one. We were careful to go pre -06.

[RoadRunner220]

Funk said:

Christ; looks like these are £535/yr in VED...! fk that...

Which is one of the reasons these are so cheap.

I figured that it was worth paying a couple of hundred quid extra a year when the purchase price was so cheap when I bought mine. Man maths very much at work I suspect.

Looking forward to hearing how you get on OP, looks so much better after you cleaned it.

[toastyhamster]

Hells bells, there's one on autotrader for 550 quid!!

<seals wallet>

[seiben]

Well, things are slowly starting to happen in preparation for the weekend. I've managed to secure two sets of standard wheels - one with some decent branded rubber which we'll use as road wheels, and a ropey set of bare wheels which will get sprayed a silly colour and shod in a set of R888Rs.

We also have a full set of service gear to go on (plugs, coils, leads, oil & filter, EBC Yellows) as well as a new exhaust manifold gasket. Chatting to a couple of specialists revealed a few things we should probably know by now:

1) Apex Rotary (who did the engine rebuild) don't really seem to have the best reputation....
2) the stainless manifold (most likely a Japspeed) is almost certainly junk, and is in fact blowing because they have a habit of warping
3) Mazda want a hundred bloody quid for a new exhaust manifold gasket
4) oil choice is a very emotive subject amongst RX8 owners

Well, 1) we can't do anything about, so let's just see how long it lasts

2) and 3) are a bit easier - we'll pilfer a standard manifold off a breaker, and Pete (my partner in ill-advised carfoolery) managed to get hold of another gasket from a local specialist. We opted for some 10 40 semi-synthetic oil after chatting to the guys at Opie Oils and doing lots (and lots) of reading on the subject.

I'm using it as a daily driver this week to get to know it. So far I've had one startup out of about 20 that was a bit smokey, but I'm hoping it's down to a bit of oil overfill rather than anything more sinister. It also pops and bangs when changing up at 9k rpm, which would have been fun for anyone along my drive to the station at 7.00 this morning

2017-07-04_10-08-20 by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

[seiben]

Last bit of tinkering last night - find out what the mystery switch does! I had an inkling that it was going to be a fan override switch, and sure enough...

Mystery wire by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

...which leads through to...

Engine bay by Ben Edwards, on Flickr


And, under that (very sharp!) engine cover lurks this little piece of ghetto engineering

Redneck fan by Ben Edwards, on Flickr

Yep, it's a fan switch. Useful for track work I suppose, but it's on a permanent live so we'd best remember to switch it off again.

Oh well, at least I know what it's for before I sit in traffic for many hours tomorrow evening

[AWG]

Of the after market wheels I've seen on RX 8's I think these are ok and go with the colour of the car!

Great thread.

[seiben]

Thanks - yes, I rather like the look of them too but would rather go for standard wheels on track. Those massive rears probably won't help the handling much

[Gary C]

If you going to track it, I would certainly get the adapter and tank that allows the engine oil injection pump to use different oil from the sump oil.

The dexellia oil is a compromise and there are a number of cars with main bearing failures.

[GrantD5]

I really fancy one of these! Just something about them

[Gary C]

seiben said:

otolith said:

If I remember rightly, DSC comes back on if you trigger the ABS. Press and hold for several seconds for no means no.

Yep. Found that

Funk said:

Christ; looks like these are £535/yr in VED...! fk that...

£300-odd for this one. We were careful to go pre -06.

And another reason mine went. Paying more on road tax than insurance is a piss take

[exgtt]

Could the previous owner have premixed allowing for the odd smokey start?

[seiben]

exgtt said:

Could the previous owner have premixed allowing for the odd smokey start?

Possibly, I suppose. Would premixing potentially cause that? It's been good as gold since (touch wood, etc.)

Road trip to Kent this evening. Give me a wave if you see me on the hard shoulder of the M25 :hehe

[Caveman]

Interesting idea so subscribing - that is a shedload of car for the money!

[Mr Tidy]

Great post OP.

This is more like what a SOTW should be.

Good luck - I'm looking forward to the updates!

[Gary C]

Sohn adapter is the bit you want.

Then you can use really good synthetics in the sump and ash less two stroke to inject into the combustion which will reduce seal wear and sticking.

Also, sea foam actually has a use on a rotary that's badly gummed up.