What's up everyone. I have not posted about my RX-8's in a while. Have had the blue one over 10yrs now. I just finished an "upgrade" to the Blue RX-8 and thought I'd post that up and all the future plans I have for it in one place.

I just completed installing the larger Canadian Windshield Washer Fluid Tank. I had to plug up a hole about 1" on the bottom and a smaller hole to the side of the tank. Those were there because the Canadians have Headlight Sprayers and who knows what else. In total there are 3 holes where we have only 1.

If you are wondering what the purpose of the larger tank is.... it is for more fluid capacity. I want to be safe and make sure I have enough fluid for the Water Injection kit and for my windshield. I tapped the old tank so both would work and I have done the same with the new one. I used a Tank Tap from Devil's Own this second time around. I believe this new tank can hold at least a gallon of fluid were the old tank would hold a little more than 1/4 gallon.

I used some Fiberglass cloth and JB plastic weld to close up the holes.





Here is a comparison shot of what the tanks look like next to each other. There is a huge difference in capacity.





Here is a shot after I Plasti Dipped the tank and left a strip so I could see the fluid level easily. and also the tank installed. No leaks!

My next upgrades to the car will be as follows in no particular order.

• Install new Double Din Stereo. Someone broke in last year and stole my other one. I waited till the newer more advanced models came out this spring.

• Install new PLX ODII Gauge to replace my Aeroforce Scan Gauge.

• Re-tune the car. I always end up tuning in late fall. I have a feeling that this gives me issues in the summer heat so I figured it'd be best to tune when in the summer.

• Some interior upgrades..... I'm going to repair my Gauge Pod I made and have it hydro dipped so it is a black wood grain. I am going to go from that center dash piece, to the stereo face plate, to the ashtray.

• I'll probably do the same black wood grain on the door locks/handle surrounds, Trim piece that goes across the center console, and the steering wheel button surround.

My hope is that this will give the car a newer, more modern look to the interior. It still looks great for a 10yr old design but I want something a little different and a bit "classier". I think this will bring the interior to a more current state.

If you guys have not heard of Hydro Dipping do a google search. It is amazing. People do their wheels, Bikes, Helmets, guns..... You can hydro dip anything. I learned about it from wanting to mod my Xbox and PS controllers.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3heucaUjlDw"]www.youtube.com/watch?v=3heucaUjlDw[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5wWPDPDKQQ"]www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5wWPDPDKQQ[/ame]

A couple of my friends have hydrodipped thier guns and itis a bit hit or miss

Update

- I will be building a custom kit with Dave (Chiclenwafer) this fall.
- Move current turbo setup to the grey 8 after said kit is done. Low boost in the grey car. 5-8psi. Something to give it more pep and a substantial gain in torque.
- Eventually re-do the interior in the blue 8.
- Re do the door panels in both cars as soon as possible.

I often wondered, but never asked: Why do you have two of them? Was one purchased with the intention of DD and the other to mod as you will or did you get a sick 2-fer-1 special?

Just curious.

I think the gray one was an accident/insurance buyback from another member here. Fixed up and used as a daily, while he played with the turbo on the blue one. Unless he's sold it, he should still have the 4th RX8 Cobb AP made. Mine was serial number 4.

Tim is right.

Shadowden wrote:I often wondered, but never asked: Why do you have two of them? Was one purchased with the intention of DD and the other to mod as you will or did you get a sick 2-fer-1 special?

Just curious.

Tim is correct. The second was an insurance buy back. My original intention was to keep the Motor and Trans for the Blue 8 and part the rest out. I decided to fix it. Airbags for $70 at the junkyard $30 for the Airbag control module, a strut, a couple control arms and it was good to drive. Body work I had done last year. The damage did not, to me, call for a total loss of the vehicle. But the side curtain airbags did blow.

And yes miT, I still have the Accessport, #4. Looking for a deal on a second one for the grey one.

RX-7 Chris wrote:Tim is right.

GR-8 wrote:Tim is correct..

Tim is rarely wrong.

Just an update FYI......

The new WWF tank holds about 1.5 gallons. The old US OEM one held about half a gallon!

that's a huge difference. What was behind the old tank taking up that space under?

Was wondering that as well.

RX-7 Chris wrote:that's a huge difference. What was behind the old tank taking up that space under?

Absolutely nothing but air! I don't know why they didn't just manufacturer the larger tank for all the cars. Just one part instead of 2. Just don't cut out the sections for the headlight sprayers.

well that is strange. On my RX, that is exactly what they did, one tank option.

GR-8 wrote:Absolutely nothing but air! I don't know why they didn't just manufacturer the larger tank for all the cars. Just one part instead of 2. Just don't cut out the sections for the headlight sprayers.

I don't feel like researching the part numbers right now to definitively find out, but I'm guessing that the small tank was already designed and used for another vehicle, so re-using it for the RX-8 was basically "free" where as designing the tooling and everything for a version of the large tank that didn't have the headlight sprayers would constitute an increased cost. Reusing parts between models is nothing new for Mazda.