legacycentral bbs

Hi guys
Excellent forum. I have been looking for good information for a while now, and looks like I have found it.
Anyway, I am in the UK and found the above car at a good price. It has been imported fron Japan, and is a '96 model.
My problem is, that everybody knows the 2.0 GTB Twin Turbo, but I have never heard of the 2.2 GTV Twin Turbo. Does it have as much grunt in as the 2.0 (which has 280 bhp standard), or will it be 'detuned'?
I can't find any info on a standard 2.2 GTV TT.
I am not interested in modifying it as I wouldn't be able to insure it - and if it has 280 bhp then I shouldn't need to.
Anyway - thanks in advance.
Huw

Have you seen (or bought) the car? I've never heard of any GTV other than the inevitable Alfa Romeo! A search on Google shows up no results (almost unheard of). Are you positive it's not just a misprint?

GTV is what is written on the cars document, but I am off to see the car this saturday.
I thought it could be a typo - maybe the details were read out over the phone - V sounds like B (ish!)
Did Subaru do a 2.2 GTB Twin Turbo then? I doubt they could have messed up twice in the same sentance!?!

Cheers

As far as I know, the only factory 2.2-liter Subaru turbos are the North American 91-94 Legacy Turbos and the Impreza 22B-STi special edition sold in 1998.

Either this is a mistake or a special custom engine.

Thanks for the replies.
How do I find out for sure?
Do I have to check the engine number and chassis number (I have asked for these).
When I get them - where do I cross reference to find out exactly what the car is?

I don't know where you'd cross-reference it... When you get the info post it up here and also on NASIOC's forums and maybe someone will know something.

See if you can find out more about what's in the engine bay, maybe... like, does it have an air-air or air-water intercooler? If it's air-air, is it slanted or straight? If it's air-water, is it black or silver? Check that it is in fact twin turbo and not single turbo or anything. Does it have coil-on-plug ignition, or is there a coil pack? Stuff like that... I don't know if it's all relevant but more info can't hurt.

See if you can get the vehicle identification number, then call up Subaru UK and ask them if they can tell you anything about the car.

Like I said, I'm pretty sure it's either a mistake or a custom job. Subaru never put twin turbos on a 2.2-liter from the factory.

there is a gtb legacy. japanese model legacy. it had an ej20 tt.

Yeah - I think it might be the 2.0 GTB and someone got all confused at registration/import.

I'll get the VIN and Engine no - I know the VIN should be on a plate under the bonnet, but where else will it be located? And where will I find the engine number?

Thanks

OK - I've found out the numbers of the vehicle.

Chassis - BG5-130685
Engine - EJ20HDWAJE

Can anyone tell me what this vehicle is?

The vehicle documents state GTV LT 2200 Twin Turbo - but I don't think that is correct.

Many thanks

Sounds like a 1996 Legacy GTB 2.0 TT to me. That engine code is definitely an EJ20...I don't remember the PS rating on the twin scroll EJ20's, but it is substantially less than 280ps. I will go look it up and post back, unless someone beats me to it...

I agree; the engine code is for an EJ20H, which is a 2.0-liter engine used in twin-turbo Legacies in early BD/BG chassis. I think after that they went to the EJ20R. I'm not positive about that though.

This isn't a twin scroll turbo, I don't think... it's a twin turbo. I believe the EJ20H produced 260ps. Some people complain of a "valley of death" with all the Subaru twin turbos -- basically the in-between period when neither turbo is producing good boost.

Nice one. Thanks for the replies.

I thought it was a standard GTB Twin Turbo.
As stated, it is not a twin scroll, but a sequential tubo system. I believe it to be 260bhp for auto box, and 280 bhp for manual box - this is a manual box.

Is there something I could do about the 'valley of death'? Or is it only a minor irritation?
What are they like to drive on a regular basis - I will test it saturday, but it would be useful to know how to test it out.

Also, are there any other issues with this car that i need to be aware of or look out for.

Thanks for the info guys - much appreciated.

BD/BG LEGACY

93/10 96/05
RS BD5A48D - BD5A48P
GT BD5A49P
GT BG5A59D - BG5A59P
GT-V Limited BG5A59D - BG5A59P
GT B-spec BG5A59D - BG5A59P
GT B-spec Ⅱ BG5A59D - BG5A59P
GT E-spec BG5A59P

96/06 97/07
RS BD5B48D -BD5B48P
GT BD5B49P
GT BG5B59D -BG5B59P
GT-V Limited BG5B59D -BG5B59P
GT-B BG5B5CD -BG5B5CP

97/08 98/05
RS BD5C48D -BD5C48P
GT BD5C49P
GT BG5C59D -BG5C59P
GT-B BG5C59D -BG5C59P
GT-B LTD BG5C5ED -BG5C5EP

I found this list of chassis codes for the Legacies. You should get some more info on the vin# because it could be any number of cars based on the info you have. But it does turn out there was in fact a GT-V limited edition...

Wow - Thanks Matt
What more info could I get. I understood from the guy I was speaking to that that was the whole chassis number - seemed short to me.

Is there a place on the car that the full number is listed - under the hood, or by the drivers seat?
How would I get some more info on the GT-V spec - if that is what this car turns out to be? I shouldn't have a problem with the insurance provided it is no more than 280bhp.

Many thanks again - you guys have a lot of information.

You learn something new every day!

I've got a contact with a GTB tt estate and he's certainly never complained about a lack of performance... It's all relative anyway - another friend went from a single-turbo Legacy to a 4.2litre V8 Audi and said it felt slow in comparison because there was no 'boost' when the turbo cut in. Trying to keep up with him in my turbo was quite challenging though because his car is FASSSST!! It's all perception at the end of the day...

There's 2 numbers that are going to be different. There is the VIN# and there it the applied model code. They start the same, but change after 5 digits.
They can both be found on the plate inside the engine bay. This is where he pulled the engine code from. While you are at it get the trim code and the transmission code. Post them here and I will do some legwork and find out exactly what you are looking at...

From what I've heard the TT setup on the EJ20TT is more a sequential type, in which only one turbo is boosting from idle upward, and then about 4-5 grand, the second turbo kicks in... I would think this would avoid gobs of turbo lag from two lazy turbos at 2000 rpm...

However, I live in the USA, where the best Legacy we ever got was the 160hp Turbo... Why Subaru don't intercool???

[quote="subyluvr2212"
However, I live in the USA, where the best Legacy we ever got was the 160hp Turbo... Why Subaru don't intercool??? [/quote]

If you really want one of them EJ20-TT's you can get them here for $1150...
http://www.nippon-motors.com/Performance%20Engines.htm

Thanks for your help Matt
I will get every number I can off the car on Saturday.
Much appreciated.

Matt Monson wrote:If you really want one of them EJ20-TT's you can get them here for $1150...
http://www.nippon-motors.com/Performance%20Engines.htm

I'd love to have the EJ20TT, but there is one big problem that's been discussed here before: On an LHD car, the secondary turbo and brake MC would attempt to occupy the same space....

However, some people have tried to get ahold of some Legacy postal wagons that are RHD for one sick-ass EJ20TT conversion

But thanks for the tip anyway, Matt...

Just use parts from this

THAWA wrote:Just use parts from this

From the looks of it that is an older export WRX that only makes 218ps. For that price you can find a much newer USDM EJ205 swap that makes a little more power and will be nearly 10 years newer...

Actually, we over all other ground should recognize it... it's a Legacy... Either a GT or RS (depending on whether it's a BF or a BC).

Are their legacy GT sedans? My EJ20g might have actually come from one....I'm not sure, but I thought the legacy sedan EJ20G with 4EAT was called the GT and the more powerful turbo with manual was the RS. Maybe I'm confusing this with later generation legacys or something though.
As for a US wrx with an EJ20G, I think you'll have a hard time finding one...unless someone decided to swap in a 6 year old (or older) import engine...but I'm just being a jerk again...I can't even remember the US engines code, is it EJ20K? or is that an older (but not too old) sti engine...its not actually EJ20T, right?
Micum

You may be right about the Legacies, but I thought wagons were GTs and sedans were RSes. I think the engines were the same.

I thought GD-chassis WRXes had EJ205 engines...