2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
- Nathan Atkins
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2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
I can find a rolled 2011 mustang with this engine/trans combo to use as a donor for $1200, but apparently this swap isnt legal in MD. Anyone have any ideas to make this happen? can i register it in another state? I'm more interested in the legal side rather than the technical side. how long could i get away with it before i have to drag the car in for an inspection? It only gets inspected when i sell it, so really no one needs to know as far as i can tell, and as long as i don't intend to sell it, which i dont.
Also I'm pretty keen on this combination, I know an LS swap would probably be easier to fab for. but i think that with the cheapness of the v6 donor car and the ultimate goal of having a more fuel efficient, but not overtly more powerful rx8, points to this as being a pretty straightforward affair. I'll have all the electronics i need with the donor car, its just a matter of dropping it in (easy...mostly) and wiring everything together(PITA).
Let me know if you have any sage advice or if you're interested in beer and pizza fueled engine swap weekend wrenching sessions.
Also I'm pretty keen on this combination, I know an LS swap would probably be easier to fab for. but i think that with the cheapness of the v6 donor car and the ultimate goal of having a more fuel efficient, but not overtly more powerful rx8, points to this as being a pretty straightforward affair. I'll have all the electronics i need with the donor car, its just a matter of dropping it in (easy...mostly) and wiring everything together(PITA).
Let me know if you have any sage advice or if you're interested in beer and pizza fueled engine swap weekend wrenching sessions.
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
You can always register in a state that doesn't have inspection (like Florida) however then you need to prove residence in Florida somehow. I thought there was a way you could tell VA that the car was garaged in a county without inspections and get around it like that. Not sure what Maryland's rules are like.
I support this idea. Therefore, I'd be down for some wrenching sessions. We going to have to do this in your driveway?
I support this idea. Therefore, I'd be down for some wrenching sessions. We going to have to do this in your driveway?
--Nick D
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
Id be more worried about how to pass emissions testing. I don't think you'll have a problem with inspection unless you plan on selling it.
What's wrong with your current engine?
What's wrong with your current engine?
- Areddi
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
I am in on wrenching
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- Nathan Atkins
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
I wont have problem with the sniff test since this engine will be considerably better on emissions than the renny.yardy8301 wrote:Id be more worried about how to pass emissions testing. I don't think you'll have a problem with inspection unless you plan on selling it.
As long as the swap goes well and I can get at least one of the ecu's to be cooperative then i should have any ETCs which for now is all they check for on my car, and with this swap I'll basically have the car Mazda should have made in the first place, so I dont intend to sell it
let me put it this way, with the amount of miles I drive, if I can manage the same fuel economy as the V6 'stang, then this will save me about $450 dollars a month in fuel meaning that my most optimistic estimate of the swap is paid for in 10 months to a year.yardy8301 wrote: What's wrong with your current engine?
My current engine has straight-6 power and smoothness, 4-cylinder torque and V8 thirst, that and it has 100k miles on it and is argueably a ticking bomb.
the new engine gets 31mpg in a car weighing 600# more than mine, has over 300hp and 280#ft of torque, plus I think the swap will be fun to do since I like doing things like pulling my hair out
sort of, it will be between my garage and my friend down the streets garage, but the first order of business would be stripping the mustang of all it's parts, setting aside what we'll need and logging what I can sell. I'd like to get the engineering of parts to be fabbed and such knocked out without having to give up the rx as a daily driver until its absolutely necessary.v10climber wrote:I support this idea. Therefore, I'd be down for some wrenching sessions. We going to have to do this in your driveway?
There are a ton of things to think about first though, so I'm looking into it casually for now, but once the trigger is pulled on it I want to get it done prety quickly.
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
This would ceratinly be interesting. I hope you go for it. Do you already know what parts would need to be fabbed?
I am also in to help.
I am also in to help.
- Nathan Atkins
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
Thanks!yardy8301 wrote:This would ceratinly be interesting. I hope you go for it. Do you already know what parts would need to be fabbed?
I am also in to help.
As far as fab work, there's motor and xmsn mounts, rear diff brackets, mod driveshaft and half shafts, transmission tunnel modification, oil pan reshaping, custom intake plenum, fuel lines, cultch hydraulic lines, brake booster modification, comprehensive wiring reconfiguration and electronics fiddling, and if there's time, money, and desire air conditioning!
That's the short list, naturally it grows exponentially from there, most of the hardware will come from the donor car but I'm looking into a rear diff solution now as the v6pp 'stang uses a 3.31 diff an my rx8 diff is 4.44 much too high,
bottom line is there's a lot of planning to do before I get started. I want to have a comprehensive plan in place before I start cause I don't suspect my wife will have much tolerance for downtime
- Areddi
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
Don't forget rear-wing calibration to account for the increased need of downforceNathan Atkins wrote:As far as fab work, there's motor and xmsn mounts, rear diff brackets, mod driveshaft and half shafts, transmission tunnel modification, oil pan reshaping, custom intake plenum, fuel lines, cultch hydraulic lines, brake booster modification, comprehensive wiring reconfiguration and electronics fiddling, and if there's time, money, and desire air conditioning!
But yeah I definitely am in to assist, have wanted to be a part of something like this for awhile. Also, I figure If I help you out now when I am ready to sway a 302 into my Ranger I can call in the return favor
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
Whoa now. That's not a small amount of fabrication. The driveshaft and halfshafts aren't exactly something you can just weld together yourself. You'll have to take them to a shop to do that or buy custom built axles/driveshaft. Do the half-shafts even fit in the RX-8 knuckles or do you have to use the entire mustang rear end and some sort of black magic to get the solid rear axle to work in a car that was originally IRS? What do people do for headers? That's typically a big issue in motor swaps because stuff like the steering shaft/brake booster is always in the way.Nathan Atkins wrote:As far as fab work, there's motor and xmsn mounts, rear diff brackets, mod driveshaft and half shafts, transmission tunnel modification, oil pan reshaping, custom intake plenum, fuel lines, cultch hydraulic lines, brake booster modification, comprehensive wiring reconfiguration and electronics fiddling, and if there's time, money, and desire air conditioning!
--Nick D
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
I think he could get away with just getting a custom driveshaft and using the rx8 diff/axles. Thats the way I would go. But even that can't really be done until the motor and trans are in place so you can get a good measurement.
If its going to be the daily, I would highly recommend making a/c a priority.
If its going to be the daily, I would highly recommend making a/c a priority.
- Nathan Atkins
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
I think that swapping the stock rear diff gearing for one of the longer ratios and just using OEM half shafts would be best, the mustang uses a 3.31 vs. the rx8 4.44, so I'll have to look at the ring and pinions that fit my diff. The diff is used in many applications so there's a lot of browsing around to do. But this method requires less fab work.
I certainly want ac, if nothing else just so I can defog the windshield.
The Mustang's stock exhaust manifold is very compact, so I'm hoping that it just fits, (so such luxury as the GM 3.6 which has them cast into the cylinder head)
Because the renesis sits so far aft in the engine bay, many of the components that would normally be in the way, like brake booster and such are a bit less so, nobody has done this swap before so there is a lot to investigate and plan. Id like to get some comprehensive dimensioning done of both the incoming engine and the rx8 chassis. Lots to think about but it's currently a back burner project.
I certainly want ac, if nothing else just so I can defog the windshield.
The Mustang's stock exhaust manifold is very compact, so I'm hoping that it just fits, (so such luxury as the GM 3.6 which has them cast into the cylinder head)
Because the renesis sits so far aft in the engine bay, many of the components that would normally be in the way, like brake booster and such are a bit less so, nobody has done this swap before so there is a lot to investigate and plan. Id like to get some comprehensive dimensioning done of both the incoming engine and the rx8 chassis. Lots to think about but it's currently a back burner project.
- Areddi
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
Sounds to me like it would be more fun to just start throwing parts on and fab as we go. Measure once and cut twice!Nathan Atkins wrote:nobody has done this swap before so there is a lot to investigate and plan
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- Rock Star
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
The FD Rx-7 and Rx-8 Ring and pinions are interchangeable. I know because I am running a FD diff with a Rx-8 4.44 in my car. I still have the 3.9 Ring & Pinion out of my diff if that is long enough gearing for you, I'd be willing to trade straight up for the 4.44 out of yours.Nathan Atkins wrote:I think that swapping the stock rear diff gearing for one of the longer ratios and just using OEM half shafts would be best, the mustang uses a 3.31 vs. the rx8 4.44, so I'll have to look at the ring and pinions that fit my diff. The diff is used in many applications so there's a lot of browsing around to do. But this method requires less fab work.
- Nathan Atkins
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
I don't know Rock, that's 17% stouter than the engine and trans were made for, but yeah I'll keep it in mind if I can't find one closer to 3.31
- Rock Star
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Re: 2011 Ford Mustang 3.7 V6 with 6sp manual into 2005 RX8
I'm not sure that there is much else available that is an easy swap in to that diff. Most of the rotary guys want more mechanical advantage as opposed to less. You should scour the V8 forums for more info, they have a plethora of torque and less rpms to work with so they often want to slow down their shifting by swapping diff ratios. Most switch to a Cobra 8.8" to keep the independent rear or just go full solid axle, neither of which help you if you are planning to keep the same diff carrier. I have heard rumor that there is a 3.73 in a hard to find MPV gearset that will work, but it still requires some custom parts and is not a straightforward swap.
Anyway, I disagree with the project seeing as it is your daily and far too exotic of a swap to go quick/easy/cheap, but good-luck I hope it goes well.
Anyway, I disagree with the project seeing as it is your daily and far too exotic of a swap to go quick/easy/cheap, but good-luck I hope it goes well.