kimokalihi's 91 SS EJ20 Swap

[AWD_addict]

[quote="kimokalihi"]What a ridiculous process too...[/quote]

Not as ridiculous as having to tighten the head bolts after the engine had run. Imagine that with DOHC heads!

[kimokalihi]

Yeah no thanks.

[kimokalihi]

Oh no it was a great deal. lol Not dissapointed at all.

[mike-tracy]

[quote="kimokalihi"]Oh no it was a great deal. lol Not dissapointed at all.[/quote]

Well alright then. Yeah, I used all the sensors and the oil pump off that motor. Would have used the water pump, but it was the 91 turbo style, with the extra inlet, and I plan to use an aftermarket oil cooler instead.

[beatersubi]

Be sure to use anti-seize on bolts that you don't want to break upon removal. Other than head bolts, of course.

[kimokalihi]

Thanks I use it all the time! I take it the extra step further and put all bolts into a vice and clean the heads and the threads with a wire brush. Gotta get me a wheel one of these days so It doesn't take so long. Plus the wire wheels on the bench grinder get it even cleaner than the brush.

I made some more progress tonight but I'll have to update later when I have time.

[kimokalihi]

Wow. I just woke up for the second time tonight. 6:45am. The first time I think was around 4:30am and I was on my bedroom floor by the door fully clothed in my fleece jacket. HAHA! I remember drinking a bunch of blue moon at 3 different bars and then puking at an abandoned convenience store and then many more times when we got home. I don't remember passing out on the floor though and I can't wait to hear why my GF left me there. lol Crazy night.

Anyways I pulled the oil pan earlier today (yesterday) and it looks good. Was about to seal it back up but had to stop because we were going out and I had to go home and shower before we left.








I also got the oil pump on after going to the dealership for the O Ring and a cam bolt and oil filter. Then I put the idlers on the front along with the timing tensioner and bracket. Got the timing gears on but didn't torque them them.

[kimokalihi]

I went to the junkyard to get a new bolt for the coolant crossover pipe and found out that the pipes on the NA motors are much taller than my turbo engine. So the bolts are way too long. I'm thinking I'll have to chop one down to the right length and put the threads on myself. That is, if the unthreaded part is the same exact width of the threaded section...

Got the cam cap back from the machine shop. Looks nice. Now I need to shorten the bolts for it a touch. Unless subaru left some extra room in those bolt holes.

[Florin1]

Haha, I'm rooting for you Kimo. I want you to beat Mike so I can point and laugh at him like that Simpsons character, Haahaaa

[kimokalihi]

Nelson? I have no idea where he's at with his since he doesn't have a build thread but I'm trucking along pretty quickly and if I wasn't blacked out drunk last night I was planning on working on it last night but things got out of hand and I woke up at 4:30 in the morning on my bedroom floor in front of the door fully clothed wearing a jacket and I couldn't remember how I got there. Crazy shit. Now I'm hung over and called in to work so I'll probably go work on it later tonight. Gotta bolt that cam cap on and torque the cam gear bolts. Do the timing belt and put the covers on. Then make a custom bolt to replace the broken one in the coolant bypass pipe and after that I can put the turbo on and the intake manifold and be pretty much done with it.

[beatersubi]

You should have a 'bolt bin' by now with various size and length nuts, bolts, and washers. For the cam cap, use the same bolt with a washer under the head.

[mike-tracy]

Sniff sniff, you two are meaners...;)

I'm waiting on the egr-less jdm ej25d intake manifold to make progress, it'll be here on Monday. Got the manual seatbelts in as well but I don't want to put the trim and roof liner in till I get my roof resealed.

Watching the kids today, and I go back to work full time tomorrow.
So yep, you'll beat me, again.

[kimokalihi]

Nice, you got a job! Congrats. Almost time for us to meet up.

Stephen - I should have a bolt bin by now. What the hell is wrong with me. Been driving subarus for 5 years now. The washer idea is good. I don't know why I don't think of these seemingly simple things sometimes.

[kimokalihi]

Lots of progress made tonight! Whilst the world was slumbering away I wrenched all through the night. Bout six and a half hours worth. And I'm pleased to say I finished the engine. All that's left to do is drop it in the car, install the injectors and spark plugs, install the intercooler and rewire my knock sensor harness.

These hand warmers made tonight's work possible.








I decided to remove those cheap stainless steel zip ties that were holding the header wrap on and replace them with some hose clamps I had laying around. While using a pry bar to break them off one of them shot off and nailed me in the eyeball. It was too fast for my eyelid to close. Hurt like hell! Brought me to my hands and knees on the garage floor instantly and my eye started watering like crazy. No, I wasn't crying.








I came back out and promptly put these on and finished the task.







Cam cap bolted in. Used a washer like Stephen suggested and it worked well. Just had to file the washer down on one side to get it to fit.







Engine is ready to rock.









I think I threw away my clutch alignment tool so I just eyeballed it (thank God my eye still works) and I think I got it spot on in the center.






The garage is a wreck.

[beatersubi]

[quote="kimokalihi"]

I think I threw away my clutch alignment tool so I just eyeballed it (thank God my eye still works) and I think I got it spot on in the center.
[/quote]

I've got a spare, if you need it.
Garage looks pretty normal to me. Is that a pearl white n/a hood in the background? I didn't think those existed.

[kimokalihi]

Thanks. I think it's good to go though. Looked like it was pefectly centered in there. I found one in a honda clutch kit and another one left over from changing my friend's Audi A4 clutch but they were both way to big to fit in the bearing.

Believe it or not, that's a pearl white NA hood! It's just patiently waiting for a FMIC project. One of these days... I can just see it now. It will look glorious! I'm thinking a nice black intercooler in my bumper with the nice clean smooth NA hood. Hell I might even go rotated manifold. Maybe even rotated turbo...now I'm gettin crazy with it.

[madmallard]

go~kimo~go

[evolutionmovement]

You can use a socket adaptor as a clutch alignment tool. I think I used a Craftsman 1/2-3/8 adaptor, but I'm not sure. At any rate, it was a pretty standard thing whatever it was.

[cj91legss]

START IT NOW!!!!!!

[kimokalihi]

How? I just woke up and I have to go to work in an hour. I have to go back when during the day some time so someone will be awake to help me push the car into the garage. Preferably 2 or 3 people. It's so close I can almost hear it running.

[beatersubi]

How does it sound?

[kimokalihi]

From what I remember it should sound very nice. If you want to come down after I get off at 4am you can help me put it in the car and we'll find out.

[cj91legss]

you start it yet?

[kimokalihi]

Haven't touched it since the other night when I nearly lost my eye. But I just got up early to work on it now. Super tired and I want to go back to bed.

[kimokalihi]

Not running yet but it's in. That was a workout too. Jesus. Took me about 2 hours of wrestling with the engine and lowering it and raising it and jacking up the transmission and lowering it back down. Just didn't want to mate. But I don't give up that easily so it's finally in the car and insertion is completed. Unfortunately I didn't have time to hook anything up and do a compression test or start the car. Still need to put the battery in, starter, bolt up downpipe, rewire knock sensor, install radiator, intercooler, etc etc etc.

I think my sunroof is still leaking. The seats are moldy and the steering wheel and door panels are moldy. Smells like mold in the car. Not happy about this. Looks like shit. I also have to finish up my gauge pod install and stereo. That's a mess.