What would you do?

[DLC]

Ok, the EJ25 has something cracked somewhere in it. At a minumum, i'm going to have to replace one head, which is in the $1000 range. Both heads at the dealer is over $2000.

It's time to get back on boost. There are 4 engines and setups i'm looking at, ranked by how well i think they'd work.

1: USDM EJ257 from a Baja Turbo. My model shares the same hood, so the intercooler will do fine with a replacement bonnet. It's only rated at 210HP, but that's easily changed. It's the only turbo motor the US model BE/BH ever had. ECU and wiring may be very easy to moderately hard.

2: JDM EJ205/7 from a B4 RSK. These are another engine whose intercooler should work well with the smaller Legacy scoop. Many of them are going to be BD/BG pulls, but 250-280BHP from the factory. A single turbo setup with WRX exhaust parts should be easy. Not sure about ECU stuff, probably on the moderately hard side.

3: EZ30 from USDM Outback. The non-R makes 220BHP and was available a year after my car. Wiring could be pretty simple, if it needs to be changed at all. These motors are expensive and uncommon.

4: EJ20G from a JDM Legacy GT. Closed-deck and about 200BHP. These are pretty cheap, very strong and can use a lot of parts from newer models. Wiring is going to be interesting because they're OBD-I era.

5: EJ22T from USDM Legacy Turbo. I know, it's WAY down here, but there are just a few things that drive me nuts that i would have to replace. Another OBD-I engine, wiring and management could be crazy.

My current ECU is MAP based, but most of these will run from a MAF unless there's some way around it.

Which would you go for? How would you order them?

[THAWA]

First things, I'm pretty sure only the STi is an EJ257 the others are EJ255's I believe. And the RSK engines are EJ20R's I think, that or EJ20H I can't remember when they switched. Also the Baja is a BT and not a BE or BH . I knew what you meant but it could cause confusion down the line.

That said I would put the EZ30 far down the list. It's a leaky bastard. Real leaky. You don't want to have to deal with that. Aside from that the hp number isn't as appealing as it sounds. The power is very linear and not very much fun to drive.

EJ22T, I personally wouldn't swap it in. Although it's a great engine there's a lot more choices that will probably be less worn and needing minor things replaced, not to mention the extra adaptation of certain things.

EJ20G, I'd have to consider this before the EJ22T. There's minor details between these two that would make me want to choose this one.

EJ207, A great choice. I'd have to opt for a twinscroll setup though. A question I have for you though, if you're going to go with a 2.0 why go with a JDM one? I'm almost certain a USDM 2.0 could be found cheaper. Sure it doesn't make as much power stock but I'm sure you could figure something out. I guess if you were getting a207 it would be worth it. But I dunno about the R or H

EJ255, This would be my choice, you've got big displacement and you can bolt on any STi or aftermarket STi parts like silcone intakes and stuff and not have to worry about fitment issues. Slap on the AVCS heads and the STi ECU and have some fun

I'm not sure where you're going to find an EJ255 though as far as the JDM engines there's quite a few importers. Gr8Wheels just had an EJ20R from an RSK they were trying to sell.

A question for you though. What about just getting some used heads and plopping them on?

[azn2nr]

either the 257 or the 20g. both thoes motors have the most potential. just that if you go 20g get the one from a ver2 sti/ 95 wrx. is rated a little higher than 220 or something like that.

as far as all considerations made the 257 is the most reasonable just because of ease and potential

[THAWA]

Wouldn't a 207 have more potential than a 20G?

[azn2nr]

not sure. my nomeculture is real rusty. from what ive seen done localy thought the 20g specfied has outlasted most all engines when pushed to the limits

[DLC]

Thanks for the input guys.

I might be able to get a 207/205 local, a JDM pull, in the same price range as a WRX pull. I know the US EJ20 has proven it's reliable with a lot more power, but i like the out-of-the-box strength of the 207.

Prices and time will tell.

There's always the option of just fixing what i have, but what fun is that?

[greg donovan]

Thanks for the input guys.

I might be able to get a 207/205 local, a JDM pull, in the same price range as a WRX pull. I know the US EJ20 has proven it's reliable with a lot more power, but i like the out-of-the-box strength of the 207.

Prices and time will tell.

There's always the option of just fixing what i have, but what fun is that?

no fun at all thats what.

[evolutionmovement]

There was an EZ30 on Ebay yesterday. Going through an EJ22T is an easy, cheap job, but wiring may be the suck. How easy would JDM wiring be, though? I'd try to go EJ255 personally. No problem with reselling it due to an illegal swap, either.

Steve

[THAWA]

Seriously you dont want an EZ30, I've seen maybe 2-3 that were not leaking and we usually get a couple every week. But yes definately 255 swap!

[DLC]

After talking to a few people, the drive-by-wire stuff doesn't seem that terribly difficult to do, so an EJ255 wouldn't be as crazy as i'd thought.

I've been talked more towards a USDM EJ20 though. The ECU is very, very well knows. The power it can make is well known, and i can't really see myself wanting anything over 300 at the crank anyways. These are the most common ones available and seem to be very affordable.

Maybe i should look into hoods again, because i'm going to need a scoop.

[legacy92ej22t]

*cough, cough* front mount, sleeper*cough, cough*

[THAWA]

Front mount and sleeper? Isn't that an oxymoron?

[legacy92ej22t]

How so? When you line up next someone they can see your hoodscoop but they can't see your FMIC. Plus if you throw a little black mesh, rock gaurd in the front you can barely tell a FMIC is there in the first place.

[THAWA]

oh street racing.

[Matt Monson]

Dave,
I can get you a set of working EJ25 SOHC heads for $500 if you decide to repair your car. Those, along with a set of Delta cams for $140 and with all the bolt ons you will break 150 whp...

As for all the options you have listed, I would do the Ej255 from a Baja on a car as new as yours. The Ej255 and EJ257 engines are identical, with the turbo and the tune being the only difference between the two.

But is sounds like you are going with an EJ205. Decent little engines, but you are really going to miss your torque.

[legacy92ej22t]

oh street racing.

There you go again.

You don't have to be street racing to line up next to somebody.

Doesn't sleeper entail that the car doesn't look as fast as it really is when looked at and doesn't draw attention? A hoodscoop screams performance where as a solid hood doesn't so much.

[THAWA]

There who goes? I wasn't trying to be rude. How could you line up next to someone, not see the fmic and not be street racing?

Well I've never seen a turbo 3rd gen legacy, but if I saw one with a hood scoop I'd just assume the person swapped on a baja hood.

[legacy92ej22t]

I didn't think you were being rude Hardy. It was just the way you said (typed) "oh, street racing". I really did think it was funny. I know where you stand on street racing and it's all good.

How do you line up next to someone and not be street racing? Well, for one at a drag strip. At the Shootout if I was to line up against a '00 GT and it proceeded to spank my ass I'd be giggling all the way down the track. On the other hand, if I saw the same car line up next to me with a custom hood scoop I'd suspect an engine swap or F/I conversion and wouldn't be taken by suprise. Thus, no giggling and I for one like to giggle damn it!

[THAWA]

well if you're a the strip isnt there a period where noone is racing? Wouldnt you take that time to check out the competition, see who you're lining up against, make friends, etc.

[legacy92ej22t]

NO, you must race at all times and friends will only hurt you in the end. No friends for you!

Of course there is but that doesn't mean that you'll notice every car or have time to inspect every car for a FMIC.

I'm just saying in general that a FMIC is less noticeable then a hood scoop. Especially if you have rock guard or the I/C itself isn't bright silver.

Do you truelly disagree with that?

Oh and sorry for the highjack Dave.

[THAWA]

I'm not disagreeing that the scoop is more noticable, but when comparing the two in the situation a scoop on a 3rd gen leg would look more sleeperish than a fmic on the same leg.

[DLC]

Matt: I'm not completely writing this engine off. In fact, i even went back over to the Yahoo group to see if Larry Witherspoon had sold his worked-over set of SOHC heads (which he had).

I will let you know pretty soon about whether or not i'd like to get them from you.

[Matt Monson]

Just let me know. I am pretty sure they are still available from a local seller. If you decide you want them, I will check with the seller for you...

[DLC]

My biggest problem with sticking to the existing engine is that i can't say whether it's the block or the heads, because the heads were never flux'd.

I'm having my mechanic look into a sub-50K engine as a full replacement, eliminating any problems this one has, and cutting the accumulated mileage in half. If the price is respectable, i'll probably go that route and spend half as much.

If that's the case, i'll probably get a set of Street cams from Cobb, a light flywheel and better clutch.

As much fun as a swap is, i have grown fond of the torque this engine has. There's always the future possibility of adding a turbo to the mix, so it's not as if i'm turning my back on forced induction entirely.