I bought the RS-RA motor... PICTURES!!

[Aerotech]

Well, I took the plunge today.

Drove up to Springfield, and dropped off the car at ECS. Great folks, and nice, clean shop. Loads of VERY interesting Subies lurking in the corners...
The RA motor looks like it's brand new. I believe the mileage... sceptics not withstanding, the thing looks like it just rolled out of the factory, and they did originally have the whole clip, with the odo reading 12,000 Km. Unbelievable, I wonder what caused it to be broken up.
It has a AWIC setup, but I'm ditching that for now, and re-installing my early WRX IC, the water IC has issues with the clutch cylinder living in it's space on a LHD car. Re-using my downpipe, but using all the engine's stock manifolds & uppipe. I'll stick with the VF-24 for now, until I feel out what it's capable of vs the 16G I have on the car now.
Also having them put in an RS steering rack (a bit quicker ratio), and taking care of a few other items that need attention. SHould be ready in about 3 weeks, I'll post with results.

Old timers here will know this car as Shik's ride (Matt Sciccitano... his pics of the car {Matt's '91} are still in the gallery at Legacy Central) from the late 90's, I purchased it in 2001, and continued his work, modding with WRX and STI parts as things wore out, broke, or I got good deals on the parts. I came close to scrapping the car a few times, but it always turned out easy to fix. As one of the early cars to be modified, it has a certain provenance....if anyone gives a hoot, that is... I don't think it'll net me any more cash if I sell it! Anyway, installing this motor from a JDM Legacy seemed like the right thing to do, keeping the faith sort of...I am looking forward to seeing what kind of power it makes; no one can find any factory output specs on it. I might have it dyno'd....

The original motor took a lot of abuse, including overheating a few times from burst hoses related to a cracked oil cooler that contaminated the coolant and ruined 2 complete sets of hoses before I tracked down the source of the oil. Ran 11psi all day long on regular pump gas, never detonated. Something finally gave out at 189K. Nothing major, but oil consumption skyrocketed, and I get a tapping from the left cyl bank on boost. I think I lost a ring. No metal in the sump.
I'm bringing the old lump back home with me for teardown, it will probably end up in the Vanagon at some point, in place of the EJ22 currently struggling to push it up the hills.

Opposing viewpoints welcome!

[dropdfocus]

Wow! You must take pics once the car is finished!

[Aerotech]

Ya, I'm asking them to take lots of pics during the process. Not that much to the engine swap, actually, only adding a few wires, from what Adrian told me.

[BXSS]

Legacy RS-RAs had 220ps.
http://www.decal-co.com/out-flat/variation-e.html

[Aerotech]

That's a great web site! Thanks for the heads up...
Wonderfully mangled syntax, translated from Japanese.
That guy has a serious Legacy fetish... check out his replica Rothmans rally car, and his model building skills are top notch. (hit "top page" button at bottom, takes you to the home page)

For more amusement, click on some of the Japanese text pages, and copy the URL into Google's Language translator.... try to keep a straight face wading through the result.

220ps for the RA motor? Not sure, from what I could make out, that was the figure for the RS car, not the RS-RA. Looks like they were selling it as basically a turn-key rally car. Japanese companies in that era were also notoriously conservative with output ratings, to avoid huge tax penalties on high performance engines.

What's keeping me up at night now is what kind of motor would result mating those RA heads with a EJ22T block.....

[BXSS]

Some folks say avoid the old style DOHC heads as they are hard to find parts for, but those RS-RA's should definately flow much better than ej22t SOHC heads.

You may also want to hold onto the AWIC as livestrong14 has had good results going from a TMIC to the AWIC.
http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic. ... c&start=50

I got the 220ps # from my Impreza book which highlights models & changes from the FHI rabbit scooter to the GD WRX.

The link above does not clearly give #'s on the RS-RA motor, but does outline some its features & give you an idea of its purpose.

[Arctic Assassian]

The question here is not which car was faster, or had more power, but which was built to be stronger for longer. The motor in the legacy turbos is special. It's special in three ways.

It was sand cast, making it physically stronger. It was a fairly low compression motor allowing less abuse on the rings, and allowing in high performance situations, to use high amounts of boost, and it was designed to be fully-closed block, with sleeves, and piston oil squirters. The stock 2.2T can handle 22psi. easily.
It was meant to compete for the same distance record that the RS-RA was designed for, 100000k. I don't know what any of the technical specs of the RS-RA motor are, but maybe matt will chime in here, because I remember he does.

[dropdfocus]

Matt is Mr. EJ22T specs man... Kinda sad really.

[Aerotech]

Hell yeah, it's a great motor...which is why I'm dragging the 22T corpse back with me in the trunk. Planning on a teardown and full performance rebuild in the future. Outside of a 911 engine, you don't see these specs in a mass market car.
I went with the RA because it was:
1. Relatively cheap, for a 9500 mile motor with a performance pedigree. I couldn't stomach paying $5K for a STI motor for a 16 yr old car.
2. Close to me
3. ECS has "the knowing", right? No dicking around or experiments, they put it in and it runs, period.
4. Something Completely Different... this is somehow important to me, and it's one of the things that keeps me fixing this car instead of going out and buying a new Volvo or something else common. I should probably see a doctor about this...The van is another symptom. Breaks the ice at parties, yeah?
I need the car quick for my daily slog, and my driveway is clogged with Vanagon, I have no room or time to work on another vehicle myself.

By the way, does anyone know if the 2.5l crank can be used to stroke the 22T? What results?... a 2.35?

Cheers!

[BXSS]

Did you get your car back yet?

[Dynamic Entry]

I love the spirit of this build. New cars suck!!! Way to keep it real Aero.

BXSS - Hachi Roku for life.

[Aerotech]

Still in work...

They ran into major wiring issues. Instead of adding a couple of sensor wires, like a regular EJ20G swap, they ended up having to split open the wiring harness and do a complete merge. Looks like the RS-RA really is something completely different!

I don't begrudge the extra time, 'cause they're sticking to their original cost estimate, despite probably doubling their time input...
and the wiring tech was out in Vegas at SEMA manning their booth for a week.

I'm really itching to get my paws on it, & see what it'll do. In the mean time, I've gone on a spree, bought Whiteline ALK, rear lat.link set, front 20mm swaybar, rear HD bar mounts, front strut tie bar, STI strut mounts F&R, Sustec lower brace, a set of 17" Prodrive P1s, a set of heated seat kits, JDM power fold mirrors, .... I've got enough parts to keep me busy for a while. All justified, of course, by fixing the old car and not having gone out and bought a new one. Still ends up costing the same

[BXSS]

Hopefully you'll have your car back soon.

[smh0101]

What are you driving in the mean time?

[Aerotech]

What are you driving in the mean time?

Borrowing the woman's Jetta, and taking the subway & bus to work (Newark Airport). The van is currently driveway art...

ECS just called tonight to update: Car has been fired up, started on the first try, sounds healthy. They must now wrap up the wiring harness, and re-install the dash hopefully ready for next week. I'm not holding my breath, with the holiday schedule looming close.

Sounds like they opened quite a can o' worms with this install.... Hard to believe that the wiring is so different from the everyday EJ20G. Wiring is the one area Subaru really went nuts with between different markets, trim levels, car colors etc... I see a lot of folks get into trouble with the Vanagon swaps when they source the engines separately from the wiring harness.

[Arctic Assassian]

I want a full photoshoot. All of it. Including the dirtying process...(It is a rally car )

[Aerotech]

Well, here we go.

Two weeks ago. In a galaxy far, far away...

Car is all ready, I fly up to BDL to pick it up. My palms are itching. Adrian is driving the car down to the airport to pick me up.
15 mins later, a call comes; some problem with the car, stalled out, they're sending another guy to get me. Seth collects me, and we head back up to Springfield, stopping at BK to snag a burger. As we get to the shop, here comes the car on a flatbed. We get it rolled into the shop, and try to start it. Very slow cranking... Battery gone bad? Jump with a spare battery, still cranks slowly. Now I'm starting to sweat. Finally get it turning fast enough to fire...a deep, hollow knocking clatters out...like banging on a crypt door at midnight. Death knock...
My super-low-mileage, ultra-rare EJ20 RS-RA has just eaten #4 bearing. We all just stared at it for a few minutes. No one said a thing. I felt like the Indian in that old commercial, standing there w/ a single tear tracking down his cheek...
"Well," I said, "Can you give me a lift to the nearest BMW dealership?"


Anyway, tragi-comedy aside, they are now building a STI 2.5L factory short-block, with RS-RA heads and accesories.
I almost went with the 2.35 build, but I sorta need my car back, and this will save some time. Costs more, but at this point, F**K IT, let's build a goddamn superfreak motor... Fortunately, I already have a PerfectPower 6 laying about, as well as some 850cc injectors. After some negotiations, ECS is building the motor, and installing an armload of parts I brought up with me. They're keeping the EJ20 block, which should rebuild nicely..mmmm, forged pistons....I'm still carrying the EJ22T home, which, it turns out, probably only needs a new headgasket. Which makes for a cheap rebuild

cue music Always look on the briiiight siiide of life

Damn, it looked SOOO good, too. Tasty clean install. They drove it for several days, absolutely no problems, said it was an absolute ball to drive... I just thank Dog that THEY were driving it when it let go... not me halfway back to NY!

So, once again, Our Hero is taking the bus to work. Will he ever get to drive the SS again???

Stay tuned!

This is where I start having dark dreams about finally getting it back, pulling out of the lot, and getting clobbered by a semi....

[Aerotech]

'91 Legacy SS for sale.

*sigh*

[AWD_addict]

After all that you're selling it?

[Aerotech]

Pfff...Everything is for sale, dude. I like the car, but I'm not married to it.

Hell, by the time I get the Lego back, it'll be a whole new car.

On delivery, it will have had:

2.5L STI motor, td05-16G, PP-6 EM tuned for street use, probably approx. 300whp.
All 4 STI strut mounts
Group-N Engine & Trans mounts
2.5RS Steering rack & Whiteline bushings
Koyo AL radiator
Whiteline adjustable rear lateral links
Perrin rear swaybar links
Whiteline H.D. rear swaybar mounts
WL Anti-lift kit
WL 20mm front swaybar w/ Perrin endlinks
WL STI-style upper strut brace(reversed crossbar)
Sustec lower brace

This is all on top of what's already on the car; (in no particular order)
STI shifter assy. w/ red-stitch knob
Forged AL front control arms
KYB GR-2s, stock springs
Goodridge SS brake flex lines
WRX brakes
WRX front seats
EDM glass headlights
Hella FF90 driving lights
JDM MOMO wheel (FOR SALE)
WRX rims
3" turbo-back exhaust w/ hi-flo cat
Black interior (mostly, I didn't do the dash)
WRX hood scoop
20% window tint
'02 WRX 6-disc stereo, & 4 Infinity drivers, Panasonic front tweeters

And the stuff yet to be implemented;
Black WRX leather seat upholstery set
22B Nardi red-stitch wheel
WRX red-stitch e-brake handle
17" OZ Prodrive P-1s with BFG KDW2
JDM power folding mirrors

They're gonna frickin' bury me in this car...I'm WAAAAYYY past the point that I should have gotten rid of it.
That said, add up all that shit in the above columns, add $500 for the car, throw in a few bucks for labor, pain, and suffering, and make me an offer. My only other way out of this is to part it out.

Vanagon Syncro Camper for sale, too! Requires assembly, batteries not included.

[dropdfocus]

This is all truely sad to read. A super killer motor build down the drain & yet another SS being parted out vs. staying on the road. I know what it's like to have a goal & it keeps getting stepped on. I have yet to drive my '92 LSS because of many contributing factors (lack of money & a want of good parts is the first and biggest!).

I'm sure after keeping our eyes peeled on this build for so long that we all had hopes of this coming to life. I know I sure did. Best of luck in whatever you do with the car...

[BXSS]

Sorry to hear about the motor, I was looking forward to the completion of your car.

Technically the motor died in thier hands so you should not have to pay anything extra to get a swapped, running, closed deck/forged pistoned car (you did pay top $ for all of this stuff after all).

Anything less is not what you payed for & a stock STi shortblock (that was probably blown once & slapped back together with a new piston) is less in my opinion.

[evolutionmovement]

That's too bad, but I think there comes a point where you just get worn out. If someone would buy my car and all the parts, I'd let it go as I just lack the interest anymore, especially as I want to build my own car. Something nobody builds. The only thing really holding me to it is that I wrote it into my books.

A friend of mine has owned almost 40 cars, most of them interesting semi-exotics, more than a few of them that he built or restored from junk. I never understood why he would put all that in and get rid of it shortly after, but now I do - he likes the creating and saving part more than driving them to shows and polishing them. In the end, it's a car and when the aggravation quotient exceeds the fun quotient and it isn't there just for the basic task of getting you around, then it's time for it to go. Just look at all the project cars in any local paper or ebay - they were all someone's dream at one time.

Good luck with the sale.

[Aerotech]

Whoa, whoa... hold up. I didn't say it's gonna get parted out! That's just the only way I'd ever recoup the money put into the car...
The build is going forward. With a NEW, (hence, Factory...) STI shortblock, right out of the crate. ECS is stepping up and taking care of all the labor, etc. I decided to purchase the new block to shorten the process a bit, and to gain some displacement. Also, as I said, they are installing all of the components I brought to them, gratis. I still think they are a great shop, and recommend them to anyone in the area.

Good money after bad? Perhaps...we'll see, when I finally get behind the wheel.

[Arctic Assassian]

Word. I still wanna see pictures of all of it... including the blowed up motor... and the dirtying process.