Project Time! ej22t into an Impreza Brighton

[Matt Monson]

As Kelly mentioned, the WRX ECU plugs right into the Legacy harness and with a minimum of changes you can run it in the car. That also opens you up to tuning it with the PowerFC as a full standalon ECU replacement that doesn't break the bank...

Where can you find the power FC for the early WRXes?

Everywhere I look doesn't list anything for JDM cars, and says that there is no application for our cars.

I would really prefer a plug-n-play tuneable solution, so this is a really good choice.

Fleabay is loaded with them. You will want the datlogit to go with it to make it much more easily tuneable...

[IronMonkeyL255]

Ah....

Is the part # 414AF001?

That is a damn low price, considering I was looking at $1500+ for the AEM wire-in dealie.

[Matt Monson]

Ah....

Is the part # 414AF001?

That is a damn low price, considering I was looking at $1500+ for the AEM wire-in dealie.

I just noticed your signature. That's awesome. For a couple of years, my signature here was, "I don't care who's right or wrong, I just want to know the right answer"...

[IronMonkeyL255]

Nice one.

[mr soul]

[
A 94-96 EJ20G from a manual tranny WRX sedan is 260hp to start with, and comes with an TDO5 turbo that can put out much more than that with proper tuning
OR
A 97-98 EJ20K from a manual tranny WRX sedan is 276hp to start with and come with a VF22 turbo, that also can put out much more.

Minor correction, the STi versions have these numbers, not standard WRX's of these vintage.

Actually, not true. An Ej20G STI variant for 94-96 is 275ps, and on the 97-98 Ej20K's the STI is rated at the same 280ps (aka 276hp) as the non-STI manual sedans, though the STi got a vf23 instead of the VF22.

Please note, I SPECIFICALLY said manual transmission WRX sedan in both instances and with respect to the HP numbers I was quoting. If one were to get any auto tranny variant or any GF wagon variant that is not an STI or RA, then you will see significantly lower numbers in the 220-240ps range depending on exact vehicle. To get the power numbers I quoted, one must shop smart and get either the vin or the applied chassis code or applied engine code of the swap they are buying. The ECU type number is also a good tell, but unscrupulous vendors have been known to swap ECU's to make their product look to be one of the more powerful versions. Also, getting the part number and all castings from the turbo are a pretty good way to ensure that you are getting the correct JDM engine. Did I mention, the above numbers are only for JDM cars? Export market cars have always gotten lower powered engines...

Huh, I don't doubt you are right, and I really don't know for sure, but it seems wrong that subaru would have a WRX rated at 276 along side the STi rated at 276. Is that just the gentlemens agreement thing on posted HP numbers?

[Matt Monson]

It is the gentleman's agreement. By '97, most people generally agree that the EJ20k based STI's were over 300hp. But '97-98 was actually kind of a sticky year range for Subaru in Japan. Because the standard manual WRX sedan came with a vf22 turbo, it was really just a retune or boost controller away from being faster and more powerful than the vf23 powered STi's. It was quite the insult to the sensibilities of Japanese gnetleman who had purchased an STI for it's prestige and power to get burned off by just a plain old WRX!!!

It was this that prompted Subaru to start using the export market engines in all base model WRX's in Japan starting in '99. That's where you see the change to applied engine codes using numbers in the 5th postion where the "5" stands for MPFI turbo charged, whereas the "7" High Performance (STi) MPFI turbo charged engine. At that point, the export engine which had been rated at 218-227hp elsewhere was put into production in Japan including the TD04 turbo. That export market engine had smaller ports in the heads, and a few subtle differences that made it not so stout. The Ej207 STi engines were the first of what people call the "big port head" engines, though up until v7 the v5 and v6 STi heads really aren't more than 1mm bigger than any of the '94-98 heads. This is part of why I am such a strong proponent about getting early engines of the non-STI strain. The engines are the same, but they are far less likely to have been beat on as hard. Who really cares if you need to upgrade the turbo or get a PowerFC to tune it? Done properly, these old engines will totally hold their own with a modern STi.

Prior to '99, from '94-98, the actually differences between the engines themselves were very small. In general, the only difference was soild lifters and forged pistons. Otherwise something like a v2 STi engine is no different than a standard WRX engine aside from the tune. I have verified this on a couple of occasions by tearing down both types of engines. And in fact, on a v2 STi, not only does it still have HLA's but it is open deck and unported heads.

The only early engines that were massaged by STI were the STi-RA variants. These are the engines with closed decks, solid lifters, and hand ported heads, in addition to forged pistons and dynamically balanced cranks. For the longest time, the internet rumours were that all STi's through v2 were closed deck and ported. This is not the case. It's only the STi-RA's.

Standard Non-STi RA engines are a bit fo crap shoot. This is because these engines could be special ordered with the components of choice OR they were torn apart and rebuilt for racing immediately upon reciept. When you are buying an standard RA engine, you really never know what you are getting or even really know who built it. Many people I know who have purchased RA swaps even get ECU's that carry the tags of major tuners from Japan who have replaced the motherboards with totally retuned set ups.

[Kelly]

Nice Matt. Youaughtta sticky that.

[Matt Monson]

If we are looking to make this sticky worthy, how about a really solid tech link?
http://www.catherineandken.co.uk/sti/wrx.html

This contains applied engine and model codes for everything up through v6. It also has tranny codes, and on another page, part numbers for the various turbos. There are some minor mistakes (like the part about closed deck on standard early STi's) but it's still a very useful set of charts, especially if one is clip or swap shopping...

[Soarer]

That link will be very, very useful when I buy an engine off eGay.

You guys are right, it's not worth hacking up this beautiful example of a rare car just for the motor. I'd rather pass it on to an appreciative owner and buy an ej20 to drop in the Impreza Brighton.

[555BCTurbo]

That link will be very, very useful when I buy an engine off eGay.

You guys are right, it's not worth hacking up this beautiful example of a rare car just for the motor. I'd rather pass it on to an appreciative owner and buy an ej20 to drop in the Impreza Brighton.

Glad to hear it!

[FuJi K]

FYI, the only LIGHT Imprezas were the FWD models. All other AWD Impreza models like the sedan will be at 2600ish lbs+. The '93 AWD L Wagon listed weight at around 2700. My '99 L Wagon is listed at 2795 w/ the standard options that it has. I have reduced that weight by about 40lbs.

[Legacy777]

He's talking about 93-96 WRX. Modern USDM uses a totally different array of plugs...

So....could I run an early WRX ECU with my ej22t setup....I know I will have to deal with the ignitors, but whatever. Short of that....would it work....and if it worked, what sort of engine management solutions are there available for it?

It is OBD2 correct?

[555BCTurbo]

OBD2 didn't begin until like 96 for most cars...so it really depends on which ECU you get...

[206er]

FYI, the only LIGHT Imprezas were the FWD models. All other AWD Impreza models like the sedan will be at 2600ish lbs+. The '93 AWD L Wagon listed weight at around 2700. My '99 L Wagon is listed at 2795 w/ the standard options that it has. I have reduced that weight by about 40lbs.

but something like a super strippo L coupe can easily be gutted below 2500lbs. superrallyroo on here used to have a 1995 impreza that was such a strippo model it didnt have a tach, sun visors or a right side mirror. IMHO even 2600 is light for an awd car. what other USDM awd cars with any kind of performance potential come close? DSM's are what, around 3000? maybe a cut up audi coupe quattro would be 2500 or so. And I bet if you really got crazy with the cutoff wheel, taking stuff out and light parts you could get an impreza to the high 2200's. lighter still if you would start taking out stuff like the heater, dash and glass. fwiw dashless cars are the shit.

[IronMonkeyL255]

I'd be surprised if you could get an Audi that light. Most of their weight is in the structual metal......

[Soarer]

Check out this link: http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks. ... reza-4.htm

This says that the base 2 door coupe or Brighton weighed 2400 lbs. Is this an error?

[rallysam]

I trust this nasioc compendium more than most websites:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=915025

It doesn't list any AWD Impreza trims for under 2500 lbs

[mr soul]

[quote="206er"]what other USDM awd cars with any kind of performance potential come close? DSM's are what, around 3000? maybe a cut up audi coupe quattro would be 2500 or so.[quote]

WOOT, the 323 GTX....I think it is around that curb weight and great performance potential. Now tha mine is pushing 18psi, yeah, pretty fun power to weight ratio

Matt, that is good info, Thanks. On that link, on the engine code breakdown, do you know how to translate the turbo #'s into VF22, VF23 language we are all more familiar with?

[Matt Monson]

I will have to double check some other documents I have on my home computer (which is not linked to the intraweb) but IIRC, it goes as follows, based upon Subaru part #'s:

14412 AA130 = Vf22 1997
14412 AA131 = Vf22 1998
14412 AA133 = vf24 1998
14412 AA220 = vf23 1997

Some STi owners have reported getting the vf24 in '98 and others say they still had the vf23 on their cars. It's a pretty mute point as the turbos are very similar. Then for '99 they got the vf28 and for '00 the vf29, which are still essentially the same turbos, though the vf29 did get a minor charge with the use of a titanium compressor wheel.

It's not shown there, but if memory serves the vf28 is 14412 AA290 and then the vf29 would be 14412 AA300

I will see what I can come u p with to definitively confirm that...

[legacymax]

94 L AWD sdn M 2500

That's me and i have my rear trunk carpet and things out, turbo legacy wheels(quite a bit lighter than steelies), and a Sparco EVO seat, that sets me probably at about 2460lbs. Other than that, interior is still in there. I don't think it is that hard to under 2500lbs, in a 4 door.
-Max

[Matt Monson]

Soarer,
Check your PM's on NASIOC. Don't you cut up that exhaust. Sell it to someone who can use it, like me!!!