Kyle Mohan’s LS-Swapped RX-8 WDS Drift Car

As drifting moves from a niche hobby to a global motorsport epidemic, several obstacles must be overcome to broaden the appeal of the sport.

While machine shops, high-octane race gas, and high-tech alignment tools are commonplace in the United States and many parts of Europe, these luxuries are nearly unobtainable in Mainland China. As the World Drift Series has grown in China over the past several years to become a nationally-televised series, the drivers have struggled to build competitive chassis that can be maintained with the restriction of resources that are available. Kyle Mohan is known for driving rotary-powered Mazda race cars, but given these restrictions, Mohan decided to look for another option under the hood.

The influx of V8-powered cars in Formula Drift has been undeniable over the past several years. Kyle Mohan’s competition car in the series is a rotary-powered RX-8, originally powered by a 2-rotor 13B motor but currently expanded to a 900 hp 3-rotor 20B setup. Both the 2-rotor and 3-rotor setups take 100+ octane race gas, and routinely need to be pulled apart and inspected.

As a competitor in the WDS, Mohan routinely flies into town for an extended weekend a day before practice is set to begin, leaving narrowly enough time to perform routine maintenance such as oil changes and tire mounting. Although he competed in a rotary-powered FC RX7 previously, inconsistent gas kept him down on power one too many times, and Mohan knew he had to find a better option.

After discussions among his competitors, it was decided that a Chevy LS engine swap would be a good balance of power and maintainability. During the East Coast swing of 2013 where Mohan’s Formula Drift competition car would be away from the shop for 7 consecutive weeks, work began on the new chassis for WDS competition.

The Unfamiliar Powerplant

First up in the fabrication process was engine placement. The Kyle Mohan Racing crew, headed by Matt Hill and Mohan, created the mounting setup for the LS1 motor. KMR mocked up motor mounts, keeping in mind all the accessory clearances. Custom aluminum brackets were mocked for the alternator and power steering accessories.

The engine itself was hot-rodded up with a slew of other LS-series parts including an LS9 cam, LS6 oil pan, LS3 timing cover and cam sensor, a Chevy performance oil pump, and GM MLS head gaskets. Before dropping the motor in for the final time, engine assembly was handled by TJ Hanrihar of from Taylor Made Performance. Intake and exhaust valve seats had the bowls cut and the valve hand blended, and the head, block, and valves were all lapped. Mohan also hand-ported the throttle body to ensure the air entered the engine as smoothly as possible. 

Left: Custom alternator and power steering brackets were needed to fit the chassis. Middle and Right: Rear mount Mishimoto oil coolers and radiator keep the LS fluids in check.

While the LS-series engines are known for great horsepower for the money, they are also known for having oiling issues especially under the extreme forces caused while drifting. Mohan chose to upgrade to a Moroso dry-sump setup to help with the oiling under load. 

Both the oil and power steering fluids are run through Mishimoto oil coolers to help keep the fluid temperatures in check, while the engine cooling is handled through a large aluminum Mishimoto double-pass radiator mounted in the trunk of the car, and fed through a custom aluminum roof scoop. Hard pipes run between the firewall and the radiator, while Mishimoto cooling hoses connect the hard pipes to the actual engine.

A Tex 101 4-speed NASCAR dog box with custom gearing would work best. Backing the transmission is an Exedy twin disc clutch and lightweight flywheel.

Getting all the power to the ground was the next feat on the list. Being that Mohan now was utilizing a common engine configuration, sourcing a lightly used Tex 101 4-speed NASCAR dog box that would fit the engine was relatively easy. Mohan went with some custom gearing that he felt would work best, mating an Exedy twin disc clutch and lightweight flywheel between the transmission and the engine to get the power transferred.

Mohan’s day job employer Mazdatrix created the driveshaft to get the power to the rear end, where an RX-8 rear differential was rebuilt and prepped for the car. In an effort to reduce friction and improve durability, the ring and pinion was sent to WPC for treatment. 4.1, 4.44, and 4.7 rear end ratios were also sourced to allow for some adjustability at various tracks.

Fueling Control

Just above the rear end sits the JAZ 8-gallon fuel cell, which houses an in-tank Walbro fuel pump. A Radium Engineering surge tank helps aerate the fuel, while a Bosch filter and Radium Engineering fuel pressure regulator keep everything running smoothly. Back up front, 52 pound fuel injectors are controlled by a Haltech ECU to keep all eight cylinders firing. Tuning was handled by Nelson Siverio, the resident tuner at Mazdatrix. Having to deal with eight cylinders instead of three rotors was a change in routine for the KMR team, but not one that was difficult to overcome.

On the Inside

Inside the main cabin of the car is a simple, business-first setup. Mohan sits in a pair of Sparco Corsa seats, which utilize R.J.S. Racing harnesses to keep Mohan in place. An Autometer tachometer replaces the gauge cluster, while an Autometer oil pressure and water temperature (modified to monitor oil temperature) gauges sit alongside an AEM water temperature gauge that is actually monitoring the water temps.

All gauges were sourced from around the KMR shop, showcasing the limited budget and focus on essentials that highlighted this build overall. Several other switches were used in the fabricated center console, all easily within reach for Mohan when strapped in. The one unique feature in the cabin which made us take a double take was the custom Kevlar-wrapped dashboard, a service that Mohan explains can be offered for others upon request. 

While WDS doesn’t maintain as strict of a rulebook as Formula D, all suspension modifications were made with Formula D’s rulebook in mind to ensure maximum compatibility in case the car needs to be used for other competitions in Asia. The rear A-arm / multi-link setup was modified by Matt Hill Performance Solutions to the KMR specifications, to improve overall geometry and traction.

Suspension

All of the adjustable portions of the control arms were sourced from either Megan Racing or Hillco Fasteners. Adjustments can be made quickly due to the ‘quick access’ notches that were cut out of the rear lexan window, a thoughtful modification that reminds us of the ‘NASCAR-style’ rear window cranks. We tried asking for more details on exactly how the rear suspension was setup and modified, but Mohan gave us a quick laugh and told us that he would have to kill us if he told us those details.

Up front, a Racing Beat sway bar keeps the car planted, while a slew of KMR / Mazdatrix custom arms, tie rods, spindles, and steering rack adjustments take care of the suspension movement. Drifters tend to guard their suspension setup secrets tighter than a kid guards his first lost tooth until the tooth fairy comes, so we didn’t pry too much for details. 

Exterior Upgrades

Walking around the car, there’s a very unique and intimidating look. Mazdatrix worked closely with body kit manufacturer, AIT Racing, to develop the widebody flares, while AIT front and rear bumpers complete the look. An AIT carbon trunk (which was modified for the roof scoop that feeds the rear radiator), carbon doors, carbon trunk, and carbon hood all contribute to both the intimidating look and overall weight savings.

Mark Tora stepped in with the panel alignment and body work prep before a custom red and black graphic scheme was applied to the car. The high-polished XXR 531 wheels in 18×9.5-inch and 18×11-inch sizing finish out the look of the car, providing a nice contrast to the carbon and graphical livery. Although the wheels were wrapped in Nexen N3000 tires for the shoot, the car has since been converted to GT Radial Champiro SX2 265/35/18 for competition. Conclusion

I think my Formula Drift chassis is much smoother with the power delivery, but I’ve heard that the LS engines really open up after you get above 550 hp. – Kyle Mohan

 Overall, Mohan tells us that the power delivery was a pleasant surprise once he took the car out for it’s inaugural test. “I think my Formula Drift chassis is much smoother with the power delivery, but I’ve heard that the LS engines really open up after you get above 550 hp.”

The car put out just over 450 hp before it was packed up in a shipping container and sent off to China last October for its debut in the World Drifting Series. Unfortunately, shipping delays kept the RX-8 from debuting at the Luoyang round last year.

Mohan piloted his trusty FC RX7 one last time to a top qualifier position against the likes of Vaughn Gittin Jr, Matt Powers, Ryan Litteral, and several top Asian drivers. Mohan is planning to reunite with this car later this year, and possibly bring a few more power upgrades over from the main land before turning it loose on the Chinese competitors.

About the author

Jacob Leveton

Jacob Leveton is a Southern California-based photographer who has been shooting professionally since 2002. What started as a hobby evolved into a profession after an internship with the Import Performance Group at Primed. He now provides professional content to Power Automedia as a freelance writer and photographer.
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