brief outline for FAQ. willl be constantly updating as i figure out what i actually did last week :P
Logic behind my RHD;
1. EJ20 requires mad wiring - i suck at wiring but good at mechanical such.
****Took me about 13 hours for the mechanical conversion VS 45+ for wiring by people smarter than me****
2. if you need to hydro pedal box conversion for turbo clutch, the RHD pedal box is included. LHD hydro pedal box is hard to find.
3. Sti RHD quick steer rack is 2.7 turn lock instead of 3.0
4. GC8 Electronic AC is cool looking and neat - no need to work wiring.
5. RHD brake booster, MC and Prop valve are well matched to STi brakes. USDM single stage BB, 15/16ths MC and stock L pvalve are not idea (blow through 1/2 travel, lock rear brakes easily)
6. LHD AC condensor will NOT clear EJ20 radiator. i like having AC (live in texas)
7. JDM cars most came with non-airbag. Non airbag wheel middle is ideal for use with aftermarket steering wheels (easy to make horn work)
8. Use of RHD complete harness allows easy use of EJ20 radiator fans and other such - the EJ20 radiator bundle runs under the apron instead of on top. differnt plugs etc-
9. RHD JDM sti seats will have the proper adjusters for RHD (i need to buy some still)
Downsides to RHD:
1. You have to be comfortable with adjusing to RHD. not hard, but if u already drive like a suck - no dice. must be coordinated with left hand, and be able to force brain to swap sides. ITS FREAKIN WEIRD.
2. you have to fabricate mad brackets. basically, you remove all LHD brackets, all RHD brackets, and fit the RHD brackets in the proper areas. this requires having a drill with an awesome drill bit- i used a 3/16ths Cobalt bit - hasnt broken yet, and corresponding 3/16ths pop riviter. i dont have a welder, would enjoy welding everything but ill take care of it when i have the other bugs sorted out.
3. power windows dont match up. havnt figured out the wiring yet - just got tailights working, should update when i figure this out.
4. your interior probably wont match. o well, not that bad - my USDM interior is tired as hell anyway.
5. a complete JDM carpet is hard to find. i have one though, but its somting to think about
6. you dont need to remove your interior stuffs, leave AC charged if you are using undersized USA radiator and wussy melt-able plastic fans.
what to buy:
1. 1 complte impreza L. ideally with great body and dead drivetrain
2. Complete JDM RHD EJ20 front clip - unmolested, unmodified is much ideal - the whole car if u can baller it.
3. rear Xmember if possible with rear diff and suches
How to do.
1. Remove EVERYTHING USDM LHD interior. EVERYTHING.
- front interior, carpet, center trim bits, dash, pedal box, AC box / Heater box, blower. Steering collum - just remove plugs and unbolt at u joint and the 2 bolts holding the steering shaft to the support member - pull out entire thing with wheel attached!
2. strip the engine bay;
- motor, gearbox, airbox stuff, Brake MC, Clutch MC(if u have one - u probably dont if its a L), Brake lines, Brake pvalve, hill holder thingbob, heater lines, radiator, fans, AC condensor, AC bits
3. remove complete wiring harness. EVERYTHING
- inside bulkhead bundle, ECU, fender harnesses, front radiator harness, Fusebox, Everything. just put back the little bolts in the holes, that way you dont loose them all.
4. pull EJ20 from clip. either pull up, or drop entire crossmember with gearbox attached. thats the best way if u have the space to do it, just drop the whole drivetrain, control arms and everything attached. Leave ignitor and boost solinoids attached to vacume lines, just zip tie it on the intake manifold so you dont get the lines confuzzled later.
5. Set EJ20 aside, pull small engine bay stuffs - airbox, IC water spray, Radiator overflow, radiator and AC if u havnt pulled it yet-
6. transfer the small bits one by one to your USDM engine bay one by one so you dont loose the place.
7. strip out LHD interior, put pieces in a logical order so u can refer to them at reassembly
8. get drill with awesum sharp drill bit and start drilling. compare brackets taht are spot welded and drill out hte spot welds, youll have to do a bit of prying and tapping and such. dont worry too much, you can always bend them back into shape with a metal bodywork hammer.
9. drill out all associated LHD brackets, then fit in RHD ones. steering hole needs to get cut, clutch mount, brake booster mount, throttle cable hole, etc etc. ecu bracket etc-.
10. refit everything.
11. Put in your drivetrain - self x-planitory. fill fluids, bleed brakes, clutch, etc.
12. plug everything in
13. wire in rear wiring harness SMJ to fuel. Plug R1 in the JDM goes from the main harness bundle to the body (controls tailights, fuel pump, etc). you need to hook up fuel pump wires - they are almost the same, and then just find the signal wires and hook those up. took me about 1.5 hours with no diagrams and a test light - EASY)
fire it up. Mine is quite quite quick.
RHD is crazy. the sensation is neat, im getting used to shifting and such now, the 2.7 lock rack is a bit touchy, so i was all over the road. besides not having ever driven a RHD car in my life, the first one i come in contact with is my own . DOUBLE THE POWER, wrong hand drive, crazy short gears, almonst no lag. its a beast of a car
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
how to be a JDM bandwagon junkie
RHD GC8 conversion FAQ
Logic behind my RHD;
1. EJ20 requires mad wiring - i suck at wiring but good at mechanical such.
****Took me about 13 hours for the mechanical conversion VS 45+ for wiring by people smarter than me****
2. if you need to hydro pedal box conversion for turbo clutch, the RHD pedal box is included. LHD hydro pedal box is hard to find.
3. Sti RHD quick steer rack is 2.7 turn lock instead of 3.0
4. GC8 Electronic AC is cool looking and neat - no need to work wiring.
5. RHD brake booster, MC and Prop valve are well matched to STi brakes. USDM single stage BB, 15/16ths MC and stock L pvalve are not idea (blow through 1/2 travel, lock rear brakes easily)
6. LHD AC condensor will NOT clear EJ20 radiator. i like having AC (live in texas)
7. JDM cars most came with non-airbag. Non airbag wheel middle is ideal for use with aftermarket steering wheels (easy to make horn work)
8. Use of RHD complete harness allows easy use of EJ20 radiator fans and other such - the EJ20 radiator bundle runs under the apron instead of on top. differnt plugs etc-
9. RHD JDM sti seats will have the proper adjusters for RHD (i need to buy some still)
Downsides to RHD:
1. You have to be comfortable with adjusing to RHD. not hard, but if u already drive like a suck - no dice. must be coordinated with left hand, and be able to force brain to swap sides. ITS FREAKIN WEIRD.
2. you have to fabricate mad brackets. basically, you remove all LHD brackets, all RHD brackets, and fit the RHD brackets in the proper areas. this requires having a drill with an awesome drill bit- i used a 3/16ths Cobalt bit - hasnt broken yet, and corresponding 3/16ths pop riviter. i dont have a welder, would enjoy welding everything but ill take care of it when i have the other bugs sorted out.
3. power windows dont match up. havnt figured out the wiring yet - just got tailights working, should update when i figure this out.
4. your interior probably wont match. o well, not that bad - my USDM interior is tired as hell anyway.
5. a complete JDM carpet is hard to find. i have one though, but its somting to think about
6. you dont need to remove your interior stuffs, leave AC charged if you are using undersized USA radiator and wussy melt-able plastic fans.
what to buy:
1. 1 complte impreza L. ideally with great body and dead drivetrain
2. Complete JDM RHD EJ20 front clip - unmolested, unmodified is much ideal - the whole car if u can baller it.
3. rear Xmember if possible with rear diff and suches
How to do.
1. Remove EVERYTHING USDM LHD interior. EVERYTHING.
- front interior, carpet, center trim bits, dash, pedal box, AC box / Heater box, blower. Steering collum - just remove plugs and unbolt at u joint and the 2 bolts holding the steering shaft to the support member - pull out entire thing with wheel attached!
2. strip the engine bay;
- motor, gearbox, airbox stuff, Brake MC, Clutch MC(if u have one - u probably dont if its a L), Brake lines, Brake pvalve, hill holder thingbob, heater lines, radiator, fans, AC condensor, AC bits
3. remove complete wiring harness. EVERYTHING
- inside bulkhead bundle, ECU, fender harnesses, front radiator harness, Fusebox, Everything. just put back the little bolts in the holes, that way you dont loose them all.
4. pull EJ20 from clip. either pull up, or drop entire crossmember with gearbox attached. thats the best way if u have the space to do it, just drop the whole drivetrain, control arms and everything attached. Leave ignitor and boost solinoids attached to vacume lines, just zip tie it on the intake manifold so you dont get the lines confuzzled later.
5. Set EJ20 aside, pull small engine bay stuffs - airbox, IC water spray, Radiator overflow, radiator and AC if u havnt pulled it yet-
6. transfer the small bits one by one to your USDM engine bay one by one so you dont loose the place.
7. strip out LHD interior, put pieces in a logical order so u can refer to them at reassembly
8. get drill with awesum sharp drill bit and start drilling. compare brackets taht are spot welded and drill out hte spot welds, youll have to do a bit of prying and tapping and such. dont worry too much, you can always bend them back into shape with a metal bodywork hammer.
9. drill out all associated LHD brackets, then fit in RHD ones. steering hole needs to get cut, clutch mount, brake booster mount, throttle cable hole, etc etc. ecu bracket etc-.
10. refit everything.
11. Put in your drivetrain - self x-planitory. fill fluids, bleed brakes, clutch, etc.
12. plug everything in
13. wire in rear wiring harness SMJ to fuel. Plug R1 in the JDM goes from the main harness bundle to the body (controls tailights, fuel pump, etc). you need to hook up fuel pump wires - they are almost the same, and then just find the signal wires and hook those up. took me about 1.5 hours with no diagrams and a test light - EASY)
fire it up. Mine is quite quite quick.
RHD is crazy. the sensation is neat, im getting used to shifting and such now, the 2.7 lock rack is a bit touchy, so i was all over the road. besides not having ever driven a RHD car in my life, the first one i come in contact with is my own . DOUBLE THE POWER, wrong hand drive, crazy short gears, almonst no lag. its a beast of a car
Logic behind my RHD;
1. EJ20 requires mad wiring - i suck at wiring but good at mechanical such.
****Took me about 13 hours for the mechanical conversion VS 45+ for wiring by people smarter than me****
2. if you need to hydro pedal box conversion for turbo clutch, the RHD pedal box is included. LHD hydro pedal box is hard to find.
3. Sti RHD quick steer rack is 2.7 turn lock instead of 3.0
4. GC8 Electronic AC is cool looking and neat - no need to work wiring.
5. RHD brake booster, MC and Prop valve are well matched to STi brakes. USDM single stage BB, 15/16ths MC and stock L pvalve are not idea (blow through 1/2 travel, lock rear brakes easily)
6. LHD AC condensor will NOT clear EJ20 radiator. i like having AC (live in texas)
7. JDM cars most came with non-airbag. Non airbag wheel middle is ideal for use with aftermarket steering wheels (easy to make horn work)
8. Use of RHD complete harness allows easy use of EJ20 radiator fans and other such - the EJ20 radiator bundle runs under the apron instead of on top. differnt plugs etc-
9. RHD JDM sti seats will have the proper adjusters for RHD (i need to buy some still)
Downsides to RHD:
1. You have to be comfortable with adjusing to RHD. not hard, but if u already drive like a suck - no dice. must be coordinated with left hand, and be able to force brain to swap sides. ITS FREAKIN WEIRD.
2. you have to fabricate mad brackets. basically, you remove all LHD brackets, all RHD brackets, and fit the RHD brackets in the proper areas. this requires having a drill with an awesome drill bit- i used a 3/16ths Cobalt bit - hasnt broken yet, and corresponding 3/16ths pop riviter. i dont have a welder, would enjoy welding everything but ill take care of it when i have the other bugs sorted out.
3. power windows dont match up. havnt figured out the wiring yet - just got tailights working, should update when i figure this out.
4. your interior probably wont match. o well, not that bad - my USDM interior is tired as hell anyway.
5. a complete JDM carpet is hard to find. i have one though, but its somting to think about
6. you dont need to remove your interior stuffs, leave AC charged if you are using undersized USA radiator and wussy melt-able plastic fans.
what to buy:
1. 1 complte impreza L. ideally with great body and dead drivetrain
2. Complete JDM RHD EJ20 front clip - unmolested, unmodified is much ideal - the whole car if u can baller it.
3. rear Xmember if possible with rear diff and suches
How to do.
1. Remove EVERYTHING USDM LHD interior. EVERYTHING.
- front interior, carpet, center trim bits, dash, pedal box, AC box / Heater box, blower. Steering collum - just remove plugs and unbolt at u joint and the 2 bolts holding the steering shaft to the support member - pull out entire thing with wheel attached!
2. strip the engine bay;
- motor, gearbox, airbox stuff, Brake MC, Clutch MC(if u have one - u probably dont if its a L), Brake lines, Brake pvalve, hill holder thingbob, heater lines, radiator, fans, AC condensor, AC bits
3. remove complete wiring harness. EVERYTHING
- inside bulkhead bundle, ECU, fender harnesses, front radiator harness, Fusebox, Everything. just put back the little bolts in the holes, that way you dont loose them all.
4. pull EJ20 from clip. either pull up, or drop entire crossmember with gearbox attached. thats the best way if u have the space to do it, just drop the whole drivetrain, control arms and everything attached. Leave ignitor and boost solinoids attached to vacume lines, just zip tie it on the intake manifold so you dont get the lines confuzzled later.
5. Set EJ20 aside, pull small engine bay stuffs - airbox, IC water spray, Radiator overflow, radiator and AC if u havnt pulled it yet-
6. transfer the small bits one by one to your USDM engine bay one by one so you dont loose the place.
7. strip out LHD interior, put pieces in a logical order so u can refer to them at reassembly
8. get drill with awesum sharp drill bit and start drilling. compare brackets taht are spot welded and drill out hte spot welds, youll have to do a bit of prying and tapping and such. dont worry too much, you can always bend them back into shape with a metal bodywork hammer.
9. drill out all associated LHD brackets, then fit in RHD ones. steering hole needs to get cut, clutch mount, brake booster mount, throttle cable hole, etc etc. ecu bracket etc-.
10. refit everything.
11. Put in your drivetrain - self x-planitory. fill fluids, bleed brakes, clutch, etc.
12. plug everything in
13. wire in rear wiring harness SMJ to fuel. Plug R1 in the JDM goes from the main harness bundle to the body (controls tailights, fuel pump, etc). you need to hook up fuel pump wires - they are almost the same, and then just find the signal wires and hook those up. took me about 1.5 hours with no diagrams and a test light - EASY)
fire it up. Mine is quite quite quick.
RHD is crazy. the sensation is neat, im getting used to shifting and such now, the 2.7 lock rack is a bit touchy, so i was all over the road. besides not having ever driven a RHD car in my life, the first one i come in contact with is my own . DOUBLE THE POWER, wrong hand drive, crazy short gears, almonst no lag. its a beast of a car
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Cali smog BS.
cali smog BS. explained :)
2 splits - OB1 car and OBD2 car.
if your car is OBD1 - 1992-1995 mid, your life is easy.
california smog checks only a few things:
#1. no CEL
#2 no loose crap in the engine bay- everythign is OEM looking and such
#3. sniffer. have a proper cat and if its healthy, it will pass. AWD means no dyno, just 2 speed idle
if you pass all those, AND your smog tec dosnt know you have a JDM ej20 in your engine bay you are A-OK.
id your car is OBD2 1996+ you have to deal with a pain in the ass.
#1. bribe smog guy and get illegal smog. easiest way to do it, going rate in SJ was ~ 300 or so.
#2. usdm EJ205/Ej257 swap. stuff in the full motor and electronics - its really the electronics that pass OBD2, the JDM and usdm mechnicals are almost identical.
#3. JDM ej207 or Ej205 AVCS + usdm wrx ej205 wiring and ecu and intake manifold for TGV's to pass smog. once you pass, remove the weak usdm TGV manifold and swap ecu's to JDM. then you have it.
obviously the obvious needs to be done.
- proper wiring - done up right, no cel's and weird stuff.
- no loose crap, no riceboy BOV or you wont pass visual, engine bay has to look OEM
- you have to run cats and not have exhaust leak or sniffer may be hard. many people pass without cats, but if u going to do it, do it once and do it well.
2 splits - OB1 car and OBD2 car.
if your car is OBD1 - 1992-1995 mid, your life is easy.
california smog checks only a few things:
#1. no CEL
#2 no loose crap in the engine bay- everythign is OEM looking and such
#3. sniffer. have a proper cat and if its healthy, it will pass. AWD means no dyno, just 2 speed idle
if you pass all those, AND your smog tec dosnt know you have a JDM ej20 in your engine bay you are A-OK.
id your car is OBD2 1996+ you have to deal with a pain in the ass.
#1. bribe smog guy and get illegal smog. easiest way to do it, going rate in SJ was ~ 300 or so.
#2. usdm EJ205/Ej257 swap. stuff in the full motor and electronics - its really the electronics that pass OBD2, the JDM and usdm mechnicals are almost identical.
#3. JDM ej207 or Ej205 AVCS + usdm wrx ej205 wiring and ecu and intake manifold for TGV's to pass smog. once you pass, remove the weak usdm TGV manifold and swap ecu's to JDM. then you have it.
obviously the obvious needs to be done.
- proper wiring - done up right, no cel's and weird stuff.
- no loose crap, no riceboy BOV or you wont pass visual, engine bay has to look OEM
- you have to run cats and not have exhaust leak or sniffer may be hard. many people pass without cats, but if u going to do it, do it once and do it well.
Friday, September 08, 2006
pedalbox whatnots
swapstar productions
clutch pedal box specifics:
a pedal box includes the brake/clutch pedal and the gas pedal. u dont need the gas pedal, thers no differance. u dotn even need to remove the cable to install hte other 2.
u can get one at the dealer for a huge amount of money brand new or a J-yard like the one i listed above.
shoudl cost liek $100 or so.
what will work is listed above in the post too. u can read rite?
same with the line business.
if u get the USA GC8 2.5RS, u can use oem everything, pedalbox, clutch MC, hardline, bracket to firewall, soft line, etc.
no matter what, a turbo clutch needs a turbo slave cylinder, so it would be up to u to find a slave cylinder from a hydro clutch turbo car.
*******************************
assuming the convertor is driving either
A: FWD with cable clutchimpreza, AWD impreza with cable clutch, or AWD impreza with hydro clutch and NA transmission
there are:
LHD/RHD cable clutch cars
LHD/RHD NA hydro clutch cars
LHD/RHD Turbo hydro clutch cars.
for a turbo trans:
***pedal box can use: ***
LHD hydro clutch cars
LHD hydro AND turbo clutch cars.
***clutch MC can use:***
LHD Hydro NA
LHD hydro turbo
RHD Hydro turbo - with modification to shaft
***clutch line use:***
LHD GC8 hardline/bracket/softline
LHD GDA hardline/bracket/softline --MAY NOT WORK forsure (however i think it can work - ill check it on my friends car)
RHD GC8 hardline (custom bend) LHD GC8 2.5rs bracket + soft line
OR the easiest solution. custom stainless steel line with adapter to bipass usage of hard line and 90 deg. bend at MC
***clutch slave cylinder use:***
LHD or RHD GDA WRX USDM /not USDM
LHD or RHD GC8 JDM EDM UK TDM ADM WRX (basically everywhere but USDM)
USDM Legacy turbo 91-94 EJ22
clutch pedal box specifics:
a pedal box includes the brake/clutch pedal and the gas pedal. u dont need the gas pedal, thers no differance. u dotn even need to remove the cable to install hte other 2.
u can get one at the dealer for a huge amount of money brand new or a J-yard like the one i listed above.
shoudl cost liek $100 or so.
what will work is listed above in the post too. u can read rite?
same with the line business.
if u get the USA GC8 2.5RS, u can use oem everything, pedalbox, clutch MC, hardline, bracket to firewall, soft line, etc.
no matter what, a turbo clutch needs a turbo slave cylinder, so it would be up to u to find a slave cylinder from a hydro clutch turbo car.
*******************************
assuming the convertor is driving either
A: FWD with cable clutchimpreza, AWD impreza with cable clutch, or AWD impreza with hydro clutch and NA transmission
there are:
LHD/RHD cable clutch cars
LHD/RHD NA hydro clutch cars
LHD/RHD Turbo hydro clutch cars.
for a turbo trans:
***pedal box can use: ***
LHD hydro clutch cars
LHD hydro AND turbo clutch cars.
***clutch MC can use:***
LHD Hydro NA
LHD hydro turbo
RHD Hydro turbo - with modification to shaft
***clutch line use:***
LHD GC8 hardline/bracket/softline
LHD GDA hardline/bracket/softline --MAY NOT WORK forsure (however i think it can work - ill check it on my friends car)
RHD GC8 hardline (custom bend) LHD GC8 2.5rs bracket + soft line
OR the easiest solution. custom stainless steel line with adapter to bipass usage of hard line and 90 deg. bend at MC
***clutch slave cylinder use:***
LHD or RHD GDA WRX USDM /not USDM
LHD or RHD GC8 JDM EDM UK TDM ADM WRX (basically everywhere but USDM)
USDM Legacy turbo 91-94 EJ22
FWD to AWD conversion info
swapstar productions
FWD->AWD converison how to:
the car:
93 FWD impreza L. cable actulated clutch, FWD axels, FWD small diameter clutch/friction disc, flyhweel
what went in:
94 WRX-STI 4.11 turbo trans, hydro pull style clutch,
GDA USDM WRX exedy clutch and light flywheel,
springs and clips and misc hardware from 94 legacy turbo
97 JDM 4.11 rear LSD diff, axels,
94 JDM driveshaft,
02-03 USDM GDA sti transmission mount,
94 JDM trans H-member(centre/front brace)
01 RS trans h-member rear brace
94 JDM WRX-STI shift linkage
99 USDM 2.5 RS hydro pedalbox, modifitted JDM Clutch MC (shaft should be shortened 2.25 inches) with silly RHD heat shield
stainless steel custom clutch line (fabbed locally)
95 impreza L AWD diff x-member and braces/brackets
1 front axel from 96 legacy 2.2L
1 front axel from JDM 94 WRX
parts already in the car from previous AWD rear end conversion:
98 outback hubs, rear x-member, lateral links,
96 impreza outback e-brake cables,
94 impreza AWD gas tank,
whiteline endlinks, fram mount pads
20mm STI rear sway bar
STI v6 struts/springs
yeha. thats my crazy parts list. not to mention the vented 1 pot rear brake upgrade (JDM WRX or USDM legacy turbo) that went on at the same time, and the frantic business what not.
okay, so u have a FWD. u want AWD. on top of it u want a JDM gearbox from a turbo car.
#1. find about $2K or so
start collecting parts, MAD MAD MAD parts.
the break down*********
trans- the JDM 4.11 trans i got outa a front clip, it came with shift linkage, incomplete trans mount brace, worn out trans mount, slave cylinder with cut flex line, JDM RHD pedal box, RHD clutch MC with shaft too long and funny heat shield and wrong side metal line
what u need:
RHD JDM pedalbox DONT Work. the clutch MC is on the wrong side. u can reuse the clutch MC, but u need to shorten the shaft about 2.25 inches. or get a MC from a USA car. $45 is what they cost used
USA hydrolic pedalbox assembly. u need clutch/brake pedals
canidates to pillage in order of un-obtainum:
usa turbo legacy 5 speed
outback/legacy 2.5 manual
98-01 GC8 2.5 RS
GDA WRX - stimpy says it dosnt fit, ive seen it fit in a 98 2.5RS
dealer. about $350 AND u gota order a million little parts and put it all togeather. bad deal
i got mine for $100+$25 for overnight outa a 99 RS from a j-yard. 1.800.248.yard -brickyard in indiana
MC: if u use the USDM (GC8 ideal) part, get the hardline, the soft line and just plug and play it. if u use the JDM, screw the hardline adn get a custom stainless steel line. about 16" is good, cheaper than buying a hardline $15?, a bracket $15, and a soft line $27.
trans mount- FWD and AWD are completely differnt, by the time u think about doing this u should have a giant box of bolts in all sorts and sizes -HOPEFULLY,or a j-yard that u can grab everyhing at. otherwise u WILL PAY. DEARLY for thses little things.
the AWD trans has a front brace (r-L), a middle bar (F-R), and a rear brace (R-L). the trans mount hang out on the middle bar, 14mm/17mm hardware required. forgot the specs bc i have a giant box o screws/nuts. u need little cusions between the pieces and special plate things (2) one has spaces welded on it, one has 2 studs for it. go to your parts dep. and get a diagram for a 99 2.5RS or somthing. any AWD impreza should work. the pieces new are $$$. paid $75 for the rear brace and about $45 for misc crap ineeded related to it. get it form your J-yard if at all possible.
shift linkage:
im guessing the parts from a GC8 2.5RS or any AWD will work, i dont know for sure. i got my misc nuts/bolts. spacer thing at the dealer from a 94 legacy turbo. also $$$, get it intack if possible, again do the diagram thingy.
clutch:
the trans has a few things attached to it:
slave cylinder -specific to turbo car, NA wont work
giant round shaft thingy that the clutch fork pivots on
end bolt/slug that keeps the shaft in
clutch fork
spacer thingy and tab for spring guy to clip on to on the outside of the shift fork
spring to keep the clutch fork pulled forward
rubber boot - i got one from a 94 legacy turbo -$17
throwout bearing -any turbo car(legacy, usa WRX) will work
pilot bearing- all subaru is the same
flywheel- JDM GC8 turbo is same as USA wrx and legacy turbo, im using a 14# exedy USA wrx part
clutch cover - usa wrx and JDM gc8 wrx is the same. im using EXedy part for USA wrx
friction disc. same as the previous 2 things.
starter - all manual trans subaru is the same. im using OEM 1.8L FWD 5 speed one from 1993.
so the trans is taken care of.
driveshaft:
several styles of driveshaft exist. theres a kind wiht small holes and a slot on one side, theres a kind with big holes and spacer/cusions on each end, etc.
find out waht driveshaft u have and get the parts required for it. i hadthe slotted kind, supposedly all 5 speed driveshaft from impreza should work.
rear diff. if u have a 4.11, a 98-01 GC8 RS is 4.11, 00-01 is LSD, if u get LSD u need the LSD axels too. USDM AT wrx is 4.11 LSD, most likely the wagon axels are what u need, sedan may have widetrack and are longer??
u need also a rear diff Xmember, any AWD impreza will work. its got the 4 studs to bolt the diff into, the cover plate for the front, the rear mounting bolt / plate
okay. thats what i had to do
IF u havnt convered your rear end yet........
u need a AWD gas tank, AWD (disc brake) hubs lines .knuckles. calipers. rotors. the whole shabang, AWD lateral links, AWD disc e-brake cables, AWD struts/springs, might as well do the rear sway bar swap as well, get the links, the frame mounts, endlinks, the bar, etc.
yeah
that is my write up on my FWD--->awd converison. it was pretty nuts.
FWD->AWD converison how to:
the car:
93 FWD impreza L. cable actulated clutch, FWD axels, FWD small diameter clutch/friction disc, flyhweel
what went in:
94 WRX-STI 4.11 turbo trans, hydro pull style clutch,
GDA USDM WRX exedy clutch and light flywheel,
springs and clips and misc hardware from 94 legacy turbo
97 JDM 4.11 rear LSD diff, axels,
94 JDM driveshaft,
02-03 USDM GDA sti transmission mount,
94 JDM trans H-member(centre/front brace)
01 RS trans h-member rear brace
94 JDM WRX-STI shift linkage
99 USDM 2.5 RS hydro pedalbox, modifitted JDM Clutch MC (shaft should be shortened 2.25 inches) with silly RHD heat shield
stainless steel custom clutch line (fabbed locally)
95 impreza L AWD diff x-member and braces/brackets
1 front axel from 96 legacy 2.2L
1 front axel from JDM 94 WRX
parts already in the car from previous AWD rear end conversion:
98 outback hubs, rear x-member, lateral links,
96 impreza outback e-brake cables,
94 impreza AWD gas tank,
whiteline endlinks, fram mount pads
20mm STI rear sway bar
STI v6 struts/springs
yeha. thats my crazy parts list. not to mention the vented 1 pot rear brake upgrade (JDM WRX or USDM legacy turbo) that went on at the same time, and the frantic business what not.
okay, so u have a FWD. u want AWD. on top of it u want a JDM gearbox from a turbo car.
#1. find about $2K or so
start collecting parts, MAD MAD MAD parts.
the break down*********
trans- the JDM 4.11 trans i got outa a front clip, it came with shift linkage, incomplete trans mount brace, worn out trans mount, slave cylinder with cut flex line, JDM RHD pedal box, RHD clutch MC with shaft too long and funny heat shield and wrong side metal line
what u need:
RHD JDM pedalbox DONT Work. the clutch MC is on the wrong side. u can reuse the clutch MC, but u need to shorten the shaft about 2.25 inches. or get a MC from a USA car. $45 is what they cost used
USA hydrolic pedalbox assembly. u need clutch/brake pedals
canidates to pillage in order of un-obtainum:
usa turbo legacy 5 speed
outback/legacy 2.5 manual
98-01 GC8 2.5 RS
GDA WRX - stimpy says it dosnt fit, ive seen it fit in a 98 2.5RS
dealer. about $350 AND u gota order a million little parts and put it all togeather. bad deal
i got mine for $100+$25 for overnight outa a 99 RS from a j-yard. 1.800.248.yard -brickyard in indiana
MC: if u use the USDM (GC8 ideal) part, get the hardline, the soft line and just plug and play it. if u use the JDM, screw the hardline adn get a custom stainless steel line. about 16" is good, cheaper than buying a hardline $15?, a bracket $15, and a soft line $27.
trans mount- FWD and AWD are completely differnt, by the time u think about doing this u should have a giant box of bolts in all sorts and sizes -HOPEFULLY,or a j-yard that u can grab everyhing at. otherwise u WILL PAY. DEARLY for thses little things.
the AWD trans has a front brace (r-L), a middle bar (F-R), and a rear brace (R-L). the trans mount hang out on the middle bar, 14mm/17mm hardware required. forgot the specs bc i have a giant box o screws/nuts. u need little cusions between the pieces and special plate things (2) one has spaces welded on it, one has 2 studs for it. go to your parts dep. and get a diagram for a 99 2.5RS or somthing. any AWD impreza should work. the pieces new are $$$. paid $75 for the rear brace and about $45 for misc crap ineeded related to it. get it form your J-yard if at all possible.
shift linkage:
im guessing the parts from a GC8 2.5RS or any AWD will work, i dont know for sure. i got my misc nuts/bolts. spacer thing at the dealer from a 94 legacy turbo. also $$$, get it intack if possible, again do the diagram thingy.
clutch:
the trans has a few things attached to it:
slave cylinder -specific to turbo car, NA wont work
giant round shaft thingy that the clutch fork pivots on
end bolt/slug that keeps the shaft in
clutch fork
spacer thingy and tab for spring guy to clip on to on the outside of the shift fork
spring to keep the clutch fork pulled forward
rubber boot - i got one from a 94 legacy turbo -$17
throwout bearing -any turbo car(legacy, usa WRX) will work
pilot bearing- all subaru is the same
flywheel- JDM GC8 turbo is same as USA wrx and legacy turbo, im using a 14# exedy USA wrx part
clutch cover - usa wrx and JDM gc8 wrx is the same. im using EXedy part for USA wrx
friction disc. same as the previous 2 things.
starter - all manual trans subaru is the same. im using OEM 1.8L FWD 5 speed one from 1993.
so the trans is taken care of.
driveshaft:
several styles of driveshaft exist. theres a kind wiht small holes and a slot on one side, theres a kind with big holes and spacer/cusions on each end, etc.
find out waht driveshaft u have and get the parts required for it. i hadthe slotted kind, supposedly all 5 speed driveshaft from impreza should work.
rear diff. if u have a 4.11, a 98-01 GC8 RS is 4.11, 00-01 is LSD, if u get LSD u need the LSD axels too. USDM AT wrx is 4.11 LSD, most likely the wagon axels are what u need, sedan may have widetrack and are longer??
u need also a rear diff Xmember, any AWD impreza will work. its got the 4 studs to bolt the diff into, the cover plate for the front, the rear mounting bolt / plate
okay. thats what i had to do
IF u havnt convered your rear end yet........
u need a AWD gas tank, AWD (disc brake) hubs lines .knuckles. calipers. rotors. the whole shabang, AWD lateral links, AWD disc e-brake cables, AWD struts/springs, might as well do the rear sway bar swap as well, get the links, the frame mounts, endlinks, the bar, etc.
yeah
that is my write up on my FWD--->awd converison. it was pretty nuts.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Diffs. - for What is a diff, please go to howstuffworks.com
Front LSD:
Q: I want a front lsd -
why? unless you are on the gravel (i.e. you own a rally car, not a fanboy car), you need not apply. There are circumstances (SCCA prosolo contenders, 500 awhp), that justify a front LSD, but for the most part its an extra expense that you would be better allocating to your food budget, girlfriend budget, etc.
Q: how much does a front LSD cost:
- $800 or so depending on the diff, then the labor to a transmission shop to pull the gearbox, break it open, and install it. I would budget $1500 or so.
Q: which JDM gearboxes had front LSD / How much will it cost me for one:
version 5/6 sti-RA only, version 7/8 RA, usdm sti as well. budget $3000 for starters for the 5mt JDM gearboxes. quite rare and tought to come by.
Centre LSD -
Q: I want a DCCD, Do i need a dccd?:
no. DCCD only comes in STi-RA models from version 2+. if you are going for the DCCD Look, you can buy the dccd button alone for $45 new. that completes the look. DCCD is not really that useful, many people are slower with DCCD than without it.
If you are looking to make your AWD driveline more rear torque biased, then we can talk. STi 15kg and 20KG centre diff does just that, so do the Cusco and KAAZ centre diff products. I have a dccd in my car, i leave it default rear biased 65/35. its really the same as if i had an aftermarket, but am hampered with an annoying little turny wheel that riceboys like to drool over :P
the car is easier to drive with the stock 50:50 centre diff. if you are overpowering the centre diff, or desire a more rear biased driveline for competition purposes, then the aftermarket parts are good to consider.
rear LSD -
How to fit a rear LSD on my car:
Rear LSD is the one of the 3 diffs that is arguably useful. on a Low power NA car - ej25/22/18, you may have more fun with an open rear diff, unless you are planning on loosing time in corners by sliding the car too much. Sliding is fun.
you can AWD lift-off drift a Ej18 with open diffs at 80mph. Just turn in hot and lift off to unweigh the rear end, then WOT to exit.
rear LSD will make your car want to go straight. On snow or dirt its quite useful, same for rain. Dry traction with good tires, you quite possibly might not notice it at all.
Q: Viscous LSD: worth the trouble?
If i was in a snowstorm, I'd rather have a VLSD than no lsd. If given the choice however, VLSD is almost a waste of time to instal. unless bought for very very cheap, I'd pass and wait it out for a JDM Mechanical R160 unit.
Q: Mechanical R160- which cars had it?
JDM sti's tend to come with Mechanical R160's. Subaru and part spec is quite a random game though, so JDM WRX's have been known to come with them somtimes as well.
Q: What parts do I need to fit a rear Mechanical LSD?
- R160 LSD unit - ideally complete pumpkin with proper Final drive ring and pinion to fit your gearbox.
- R160 LSD axels for mechanical LSD - differnt from open and viscous
- all AWD R160 rear hubs are compatable with R160 axels. you will NOT have an r180 in your car unless you have a 2004+ GDB sti, or a JDM GC8-STi RA v3+ complete car.
* some of the early impreza L models came with tiny diffs smaller than R160, and a dogbone style mounting X member like the legacy and GDA wrx. Just swap the studs over from the diff cover and it goes right in.
R160, R180, R200-
what do these things mean?
r160- all subaru diffs are R160 - for the most part, all usdm subaru's came with R160 diffs. Dating back to the datsun 510, its about the oldest thing on the block. Very simple dissasembly, a beginner can swap ring and pinion gears in about an hour or so.
R180 - the same diff as some of the datsun Z cars and the S12 200sx, the R180 rear diff in subarus has a 180mm (or so) diameter ring gear. Very creative name, the R180 is a direct fit onto any AWD subaru X member, just need to have the proper axels and driveshaft (or custom drill small pattern R160 driveshaft bolt pattern into the R180 flange- easy to do).
R200 - rear diff from a nissan Silvia, Skyline, 300ZX. its big, dosnt fit in your subaru without a guy+welder+metal fab shop. Useful for drifting, and people who like to destroy things, we do not put R200's in subarus.
Front LSD:
Q: I want a front lsd -
why? unless you are on the gravel (i.e. you own a rally car, not a fanboy car), you need not apply. There are circumstances (SCCA prosolo contenders, 500 awhp), that justify a front LSD, but for the most part its an extra expense that you would be better allocating to your food budget, girlfriend budget, etc.
Q: how much does a front LSD cost:
- $800 or so depending on the diff, then the labor to a transmission shop to pull the gearbox, break it open, and install it. I would budget $1500 or so.
Q: which JDM gearboxes had front LSD / How much will it cost me for one:
version 5/6 sti-RA only, version 7/8 RA, usdm sti as well. budget $3000 for starters for the 5mt JDM gearboxes. quite rare and tought to come by.
Centre LSD -
Q: I want a DCCD, Do i need a dccd?:
no. DCCD only comes in STi-RA models from version 2+. if you are going for the DCCD Look, you can buy the dccd button alone for $45 new. that completes the look. DCCD is not really that useful, many people are slower with DCCD than without it.
If you are looking to make your AWD driveline more rear torque biased, then we can talk. STi 15kg and 20KG centre diff does just that, so do the Cusco and KAAZ centre diff products. I have a dccd in my car, i leave it default rear biased 65/35. its really the same as if i had an aftermarket, but am hampered with an annoying little turny wheel that riceboys like to drool over :P
the car is easier to drive with the stock 50:50 centre diff. if you are overpowering the centre diff, or desire a more rear biased driveline for competition purposes, then the aftermarket parts are good to consider.
rear LSD -
How to fit a rear LSD on my car:
Rear LSD is the one of the 3 diffs that is arguably useful. on a Low power NA car - ej25/22/18, you may have more fun with an open rear diff, unless you are planning on loosing time in corners by sliding the car too much. Sliding is fun.
you can AWD lift-off drift a Ej18 with open diffs at 80mph. Just turn in hot and lift off to unweigh the rear end, then WOT to exit.
rear LSD will make your car want to go straight. On snow or dirt its quite useful, same for rain. Dry traction with good tires, you quite possibly might not notice it at all.
Q: Viscous LSD: worth the trouble?
If i was in a snowstorm, I'd rather have a VLSD than no lsd. If given the choice however, VLSD is almost a waste of time to instal. unless bought for very very cheap, I'd pass and wait it out for a JDM Mechanical R160 unit.
Q: Mechanical R160- which cars had it?
JDM sti's tend to come with Mechanical R160's. Subaru and part spec is quite a random game though, so JDM WRX's have been known to come with them somtimes as well.
Q: What parts do I need to fit a rear Mechanical LSD?
- R160 LSD unit - ideally complete pumpkin with proper Final drive ring and pinion to fit your gearbox.
- R160 LSD axels for mechanical LSD - differnt from open and viscous
- all AWD R160 rear hubs are compatable with R160 axels. you will NOT have an r180 in your car unless you have a 2004+ GDB sti, or a JDM GC8-STi RA v3+ complete car.
* some of the early impreza L models came with tiny diffs smaller than R160, and a dogbone style mounting X member like the legacy and GDA wrx. Just swap the studs over from the diff cover and it goes right in.
R160, R180, R200-
what do these things mean?
r160- all subaru diffs are R160 - for the most part, all usdm subaru's came with R160 diffs. Dating back to the datsun 510, its about the oldest thing on the block. Very simple dissasembly, a beginner can swap ring and pinion gears in about an hour or so.
R180 - the same diff as some of the datsun Z cars and the S12 200sx, the R180 rear diff in subarus has a 180mm (or so) diameter ring gear. Very creative name, the R180 is a direct fit onto any AWD subaru X member, just need to have the proper axels and driveshaft (or custom drill small pattern R160 driveshaft bolt pattern into the R180 flange- easy to do).
R200 - rear diff from a nissan Silvia, Skyline, 300ZX. its big, dosnt fit in your subaru without a guy+welder+metal fab shop. Useful for drifting, and people who like to destroy things, we do not put R200's in subarus.
Gearbox FAQ.
5 speed:
everyone asks about 6mt conversion. if you have a spare $7000 that you're dying to throw away, stop reading and go directly to the 6mt section.
JDM vs USDM.
USDM WRX gearbox is not weak. its just geared terrible to pass emissions stateside, and make the 0-60mph test a 1 shift deal. 100 mph capable 3rd gear is nobody's friend unless you've watched wangan midnight too many times, or live in houston texas - the land of the everyday wangan commute.
many people come to us for our JDM 4.11 5mt gearboxes. similar to a usdm NA 2.5RS gearbox, they are geared for ej20 turbo engine powerband, and are short ratio. 1 and 2 are longer, 3/4/5 closely spaced to keep you in turbo powerband. it is niice. many 12 second cars that run these with GDB ej207 setups.
for the average human being, you will want a plane jane WRX 4.11 5mt. Easy on the wallet at the gas pump, good ratios to keep you happy in turboland on the track or mountain pass.
4.44 vs 4.11 vs 3.9.
in the 5mt world (refering to REAL gearboxes), there is only 1 3.9 fd gearbox. 1995 sti-RA version 2. very rare - it is my very most favorite gearbox, but extremely expensive and very hard to come by.
4.44 vs 4.11
in the 2.5RS fanboy world, everyone wants a 4.44. why? because the number is impressive. the shortest geared subaru gearbox is a 4.11. 1993-1995 WRX-RA (non-sti) for gravel competition is utterly short. to run on tarmac, you better have a 9,000 rpm motor or be running on a low speed track. not useful for streetcars, it causes all the poseur fanboys to run out of gas money quickly.
the later version 5/6 cars and sti version 3-6 had 4.44 final drives. gearing was slightly LONGER than the 4.11 cars (version 1-2) in some circumstances. shorter final drive + longer gears = longer final drive + shorter gears. No differance.
the 95 3.9 FD sti-ra box I drive personally is shorter than the version 5/6 4.44 sti-ra box. Again, the differance is in the overal gearing, not just the final drive.
if you would like to build a version 5/6 clone car, perhaps think about making it RHD first. There are no LHD JDM cars.
We are all about the best bang for the buck, if you want a 4.44 box for the bragging rights we're happy to take your money, but the same results can be hand with a 4.11 box for half the price.
6MT swap.
6mt+cheap = NO.
lets break down a 6mt conversion price matrix;
ghetto style 6mt conversion:
most inexpensive 6mt gearbox - $3000
use 5mt clutch - $0
automatic R160 driveshaft - $100
3.9 FD r160 rear diff - no lsd (assuming you already have one) - $0
shiping $200, misc fluids $50, labor is free (DIY)
$3350 bux.
proper 6mt conversion -
DCCD 6mt gearbox - $4500
6mt clutch and light flywheel $750
R180 6mt driveshaft - $200
R180 rear diff- suretrack LSD - $600
R180 rear axels $300
R180 brembo big hubs $400
brembo rear brakes $350
shiping $200, misc fluids $50, labor is free (DIY)
$7350 - Properly done.
the differance is in the good parts, the best part of the 6MT parts is not the ability to brag about having 1 more gear, or the ability to stupidly do awd clutch kicks (untill your axels break). The best part of the 6mt conversion is the R180 suretrack LSD, the big strong hubs and axels, and the 12.8" rear brembos that make you stop good. Those parts are so nice that we run them with JDM 5MT's on our own cars.
5 speed:
everyone asks about 6mt conversion. if you have a spare $7000 that you're dying to throw away, stop reading and go directly to the 6mt section.
JDM vs USDM.
USDM WRX gearbox is not weak. its just geared terrible to pass emissions stateside, and make the 0-60mph test a 1 shift deal. 100 mph capable 3rd gear is nobody's friend unless you've watched wangan midnight too many times, or live in houston texas - the land of the everyday wangan commute.
many people come to us for our JDM 4.11 5mt gearboxes. similar to a usdm NA 2.5RS gearbox, they are geared for ej20 turbo engine powerband, and are short ratio. 1 and 2 are longer, 3/4/5 closely spaced to keep you in turbo powerband. it is niice. many 12 second cars that run these with GDB ej207 setups.
for the average human being, you will want a plane jane WRX 4.11 5mt. Easy on the wallet at the gas pump, good ratios to keep you happy in turboland on the track or mountain pass.
4.44 vs 4.11 vs 3.9.
in the 5mt world (refering to REAL gearboxes), there is only 1 3.9 fd gearbox. 1995 sti-RA version 2. very rare - it is my very most favorite gearbox, but extremely expensive and very hard to come by.
4.44 vs 4.11
in the 2.5RS fanboy world, everyone wants a 4.44. why? because the number is impressive. the shortest geared subaru gearbox is a 4.11. 1993-1995 WRX-RA (non-sti) for gravel competition is utterly short. to run on tarmac, you better have a 9,000 rpm motor or be running on a low speed track. not useful for streetcars, it causes all the poseur fanboys to run out of gas money quickly.
the later version 5/6 cars and sti version 3-6 had 4.44 final drives. gearing was slightly LONGER than the 4.11 cars (version 1-2) in some circumstances. shorter final drive + longer gears = longer final drive + shorter gears. No differance.
the 95 3.9 FD sti-ra box I drive personally is shorter than the version 5/6 4.44 sti-ra box. Again, the differance is in the overal gearing, not just the final drive.
if you would like to build a version 5/6 clone car, perhaps think about making it RHD first. There are no LHD JDM cars.
We are all about the best bang for the buck, if you want a 4.44 box for the bragging rights we're happy to take your money, but the same results can be hand with a 4.11 box for half the price.
6MT swap.
6mt+cheap = NO.
lets break down a 6mt conversion price matrix;
ghetto style 6mt conversion:
most inexpensive 6mt gearbox - $3000
use 5mt clutch - $0
automatic R160 driveshaft - $100
3.9 FD r160 rear diff - no lsd (assuming you already have one) - $0
shiping $200, misc fluids $50, labor is free (DIY)
$3350 bux.
proper 6mt conversion -
DCCD 6mt gearbox - $4500
6mt clutch and light flywheel $750
R180 6mt driveshaft - $200
R180 rear diff- suretrack LSD - $600
R180 rear axels $300
R180 brembo big hubs $400
brembo rear brakes $350
shiping $200, misc fluids $50, labor is free (DIY)
$7350 - Properly done.
the differance is in the good parts, the best part of the 6MT parts is not the ability to brag about having 1 more gear, or the ability to stupidly do awd clutch kicks (untill your axels break). The best part of the 6mt conversion is the R180 suretrack LSD, the big strong hubs and axels, and the 12.8" rear brembos that make you stop good. Those parts are so nice that we run them with JDM 5MT's on our own cars.
2.5RS vs impreza L
2.5RS is garbage. Yes, your beloved 2.5RS is only worth having for the shell. the only part of the exterior worth keeping is the headlights, fenders, doors and trunklid, the only part interior is the dash it self. In some senarios, its worth the cost spent to have a nice clean shiny shell :). Othertimes, its a waste of money.
Many people with 2.5RS's end up modding them up to stop and sell it to buy an impreza L - Why? lets discuss.
Impreza L - buy in ~ $2500 bux for a good clean one
impreza RS - $9000 for a decent one
L - avail in OBD1, easier to pass emissions
RS - OBD2 only
L - i want the 2.5Rs look - spend $1200 on JDM lightweight bumper/aluminum sti hood/headlights/sideskirts conversion and you are there. Direct EASY bolt on.
RS - it looks good, but the hood is a brick and the bumper is heavy. $500 bux to spend
L- my rear bumper has an ugly stripe, so im buying the JDM version 3/4/5/6 bumper - $300
RS - my bumper has the ugly stripe, its just painted - $300 for the good looking bumper
L- EJ18 dosnt make any power, so im going to JDM ej20 swap. - $1500-4500
RS- my EJ25 has bad head gaskets and dosnt make any power either - $2500+ because i have to do OBD2, if no need for smog its same as an L
L- i want a real gearbox - $1050 + $150 for hydro pedal box conversion
RS - my NA gearbox isnt that great either - $1050
L- i have no LSD - $350
RS- my VLSD is same as no LSD (i just paid extra for it with the price of the car) - $350
l- i need suspension - $800
RS - i need suspension too - $800.
L- convert to rear disc brakes - $350 for rear hubs + JDM vented rear brake setup
RS - change rear brakes to JDM vented rear -$150
L - my seats suck - $800 for some RECARO SRD's or JDM sti seats
RS- my seats arnt that great either - $800 for the same
When all is said and done, the L owner has spent ~$1500 or so more on modifications than the RS owner, but spent $6500 LESS on buying the car. Saved money on insurance is also significant, Which route seems better to you?
2.5RS is garbage. Yes, your beloved 2.5RS is only worth having for the shell. the only part of the exterior worth keeping is the headlights, fenders, doors and trunklid, the only part interior is the dash it self. In some senarios, its worth the cost spent to have a nice clean shiny shell :). Othertimes, its a waste of money.
Many people with 2.5RS's end up modding them up to stop and sell it to buy an impreza L - Why? lets discuss.
Impreza L - buy in ~ $2500 bux for a good clean one
impreza RS - $9000 for a decent one
L - avail in OBD1, easier to pass emissions
RS - OBD2 only
L - i want the 2.5Rs look - spend $1200 on JDM lightweight bumper/aluminum sti hood/headlights/sideskirts conversion and you are there. Direct EASY bolt on.
RS - it looks good, but the hood is a brick and the bumper is heavy. $500 bux to spend
L- my rear bumper has an ugly stripe, so im buying the JDM version 3/4/5/6 bumper - $300
RS - my bumper has the ugly stripe, its just painted - $300 for the good looking bumper
L- EJ18 dosnt make any power, so im going to JDM ej20 swap. - $1500-4500
RS- my EJ25 has bad head gaskets and dosnt make any power either - $2500+ because i have to do OBD2, if no need for smog its same as an L
L- i want a real gearbox - $1050 + $150 for hydro pedal box conversion
RS - my NA gearbox isnt that great either - $1050
L- i have no LSD - $350
RS- my VLSD is same as no LSD (i just paid extra for it with the price of the car) - $350
l- i need suspension - $800
RS - i need suspension too - $800.
L- convert to rear disc brakes - $350 for rear hubs + JDM vented rear brake setup
RS - change rear brakes to JDM vented rear -$150
L - my seats suck - $800 for some RECARO SRD's or JDM sti seats
RS- my seats arnt that great either - $800 for the same
When all is said and done, the L owner has spent ~$1500 or so more on modifications than the RS owner, but spent $6500 LESS on buying the car. Saved money on insurance is also significant, Which route seems better to you?
my notes on ej20 wrx transplants.-
ej257 (usdm 2.5L sti). long-block is good to 530 awhp, probably would live all day at 400 chp. i dont like it because it dosnt rev high and isn't constructed to the level of the JDM 2.0L blocks. heads are crappier too. if you want to build your own torque beasty, just get the short-block ($1400 new) and throw some 2.0 l heads on it and make custom frankenstein. works very well. kinda pricey for me
USDM ej205. i wouldn't bother with it, but if you goal is 300 chp and a max usable power rpm of 6500 or so, its easy to find for cheap. wiring is a bizzle, but the parts are plentiful. full motor conversion ranges from $1500 on the dirt to $4K installed. Toys are always extra, so you probably looking at an up pipe and a full turbo back exhaust with a upgraded ECU (accesport,ecutek etc). 300 chp is be easy with stock ecu td04, td04 and IC. its not bad, but JDM is better. the EJ205 is hampered with stupid things like TGV, low compression, and a terrible gearbox.
JDM EJ207 (v7/8/9). the best thing money can buy. but it costs alot of money to buy. power is all in the heads, open deck (technically semi-closed) but it'll handle 30 psi ++ no problem. problem is the price tag. whole drivetrain will cost you about 8K, just motor a nasty $4500 or so. Varients like Spec-C, RA are pricy. very very good though. with the proper setup you can make 400 AWHP daily on a stock motor. the heads are where the power is. Also it benefits from interchangability for sensors with usdm wrx ej205.
- subaru dosnt have a problem with open deck motor breaking, the idiots in the US just tune it bad and crack piston ring-lands. even a EJ205 is good for a reasonably reliable 400 chp if tuned very well on a bigger turbine. longevity is a different story.
JDM ej207 (v5/6) almost a 7/8 motor, but with smaller valves than v8 and no AVCS heads. obviously a good motor, but pretty expensive. $2500 or so just for the motor, $3200+ for a sti-RA engine only. $6500-7500 for the front clip. spendy and not good deal in my opion. obviously the sti-RA models will be faster than hell. trick stuff like sodium filled valves. my buddy has one in his 98, its not any faster than my 95 ej20G sti-RA.
EJ20K. v3/4. a good deal. clip will cost you 4.5-5.5kK with everything complete , the plane jane WRX is a better deal than the STi. wrx comes with a VF22 turbine, STi has a faster spooling but smaller vf23. pick up the normal WRX and give it an exhaust, then go walk sti's all day... u can run high 11's with a VF22. no joke.
EJ20G. the OG of the crew. 1992-1995, they are all the same. Td04 and Td05 turbines flow more CFM's than any of the other GC8 OEM turbines, older design could use a revamp (aka centre baller bearing conversion like EVO td05). if you want to be able to brag that you have a closed deck, EJ20G is the only closed deck. EJ20g also has the most spare parts support of any of the GC8 drivelines. Swapstar productions stocks all standard replacement parts, all sensors, coilpacks, ignitors, maf's. You will be hard pressed to find replacement spares for all other JDM GC8 drivelines stateside. there are "240ps", "260ps", and "275ps". Same size valves from EJ20g to GDB ver7 early. all EJ20G motor internals are identical. Plane jane WRX and WRX sti and WRX sti-RA will all make the same power on the same ecu. the differance is the ECU and turbine, but theres always power FC's to take care of ecu side and turbine upgrades are easy. easily the best bang for the buck, any WRX EJ20G will rev to 8K all day and do 300 crank on 91 octane. my personal one in bone stock setup did 238 awhp on 91 octane. stock turbine, stock ecu, stock intercooler, stock boost, and an aftermarket exhaust. the Td04 small turbine will spool quite a bit faster, so if you're building an autoX monster, or togue pass king car, you might want to do that instead. TD04 will do 300 CHP as well, there are lots of usdm WRX's as thus. High end power or lower end power, you pick.
any turbine and exhaust from ANY ej motor is compatible. you can fit a twin scroll on a EJ20G, or a TD05 single scroll setup on a GDB EJ207 2005. up pipe, downpipe, header, its all compatible.
ej257 (usdm 2.5L sti). long-block is good to 530 awhp, probably would live all day at 400 chp. i dont like it because it dosnt rev high and isn't constructed to the level of the JDM 2.0L blocks. heads are crappier too. if you want to build your own torque beasty, just get the short-block ($1400 new) and throw some 2.0 l heads on it and make custom frankenstein. works very well. kinda pricey for me
USDM ej205. i wouldn't bother with it, but if you goal is 300 chp and a max usable power rpm of 6500 or so, its easy to find for cheap. wiring is a bizzle, but the parts are plentiful. full motor conversion ranges from $1500 on the dirt to $4K installed. Toys are always extra, so you probably looking at an up pipe and a full turbo back exhaust with a upgraded ECU (accesport,ecutek etc). 300 chp is be easy with stock ecu td04, td04 and IC. its not bad, but JDM is better. the EJ205 is hampered with stupid things like TGV, low compression, and a terrible gearbox.
JDM EJ207 (v7/8/9). the best thing money can buy. but it costs alot of money to buy. power is all in the heads, open deck (technically semi-closed) but it'll handle 30 psi ++ no problem. problem is the price tag. whole drivetrain will cost you about 8K, just motor a nasty $4500 or so. Varients like Spec-C, RA are pricy. very very good though. with the proper setup you can make 400 AWHP daily on a stock motor. the heads are where the power is. Also it benefits from interchangability for sensors with usdm wrx ej205.
- subaru dosnt have a problem with open deck motor breaking, the idiots in the US just tune it bad and crack piston ring-lands. even a EJ205 is good for a reasonably reliable 400 chp if tuned very well on a bigger turbine. longevity is a different story.
JDM ej207 (v5/6) almost a 7/8 motor, but with smaller valves than v8 and no AVCS heads. obviously a good motor, but pretty expensive. $2500 or so just for the motor, $3200+ for a sti-RA engine only. $6500-7500 for the front clip. spendy and not good deal in my opion. obviously the sti-RA models will be faster than hell. trick stuff like sodium filled valves. my buddy has one in his 98, its not any faster than my 95 ej20G sti-RA.
EJ20K. v3/4. a good deal. clip will cost you 4.5-5.5kK with everything complete , the plane jane WRX is a better deal than the STi. wrx comes with a VF22 turbine, STi has a faster spooling but smaller vf23. pick up the normal WRX and give it an exhaust, then go walk sti's all day... u can run high 11's with a VF22. no joke.
EJ20G. the OG of the crew. 1992-1995, they are all the same. Td04 and Td05 turbines flow more CFM's than any of the other GC8 OEM turbines, older design could use a revamp (aka centre baller bearing conversion like EVO td05). if you want to be able to brag that you have a closed deck, EJ20G is the only closed deck. EJ20g also has the most spare parts support of any of the GC8 drivelines. Swapstar productions stocks all standard replacement parts, all sensors, coilpacks, ignitors, maf's. You will be hard pressed to find replacement spares for all other JDM GC8 drivelines stateside. there are "240ps", "260ps", and "275ps". Same size valves from EJ20g to GDB ver7 early. all EJ20G motor internals are identical. Plane jane WRX and WRX sti and WRX sti-RA will all make the same power on the same ecu. the differance is the ECU and turbine, but theres always power FC's to take care of ecu side and turbine upgrades are easy. easily the best bang for the buck, any WRX EJ20G will rev to 8K all day and do 300 crank on 91 octane. my personal one in bone stock setup did 238 awhp on 91 octane. stock turbine, stock ecu, stock intercooler, stock boost, and an aftermarket exhaust. the Td04 small turbine will spool quite a bit faster, so if you're building an autoX monster, or togue pass king car, you might want to do that instead. TD04 will do 300 CHP as well, there are lots of usdm WRX's as thus. High end power or lower end power, you pick.
any turbine and exhaust from ANY ej motor is compatible. you can fit a twin scroll on a EJ20G, or a TD05 single scroll setup on a GDB EJ207 2005. up pipe, downpipe, header, its all compatible.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Thursday, March 23, 2006
we're live and running.
http://www.swapstarproductions.com/
also have a FC for farting abouts in. rotor+boxxer = friends.
also have a FC for farting abouts in. rotor+boxxer = friends.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Welcome to swapstar productions.
dedicated to chronical-ing the most aggressively built, tuned, and supplied GC8 body impreza pair for dedicated uphill and downhill time attack, This site will also serve as launchpad for the OEM Left hand drive WRX specification conversion and supply.
keep tuned for the latest and the greatest.
keep tuned for the latest and the greatest.
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