legacycentral bbs

Today I picked up a 1990 Legacy Sedan 5-speed AWD for $200 with a blown engine, the car has 260,000miles on it and the tranny was replaced at 150,000miles. The car is overal in good shape and the body is streight.

I have allways wanted to find an older legacy and do a performance build.

My question is, which engine swaps could I do and what would it take to do them?

I'm mainly interested in an EJ20T (JDM or USDM WRX) Engine Swap.

The car will be a daily driver but I still want to get it up to around 250-300hp (crank)

I'm new to the older legacys so I dont know much about them, I know allot about the Loyale's and WRX's, I'm a subaru tech as well so I can do all of my own fab and labor.

I can't wait to build this baby!

if that transmission was put in at 150,000, and the car now has 260,000, do some math.
- The original transmission only lasted 150,000
-I would assume they put a used transmission in it then, with who knows how many miles.
-the car has been driven 110,000 on that tranny for sure, plus whatever it already had.
-you are probably due for another tranny again.

so my advice is:

Get a jdm motor w/transmission swap. and make sure you get the proper rear diff ratio for the tranny you put in.

I have all the records with the car since 1991 and I just checked it and it says they put a *NEW* transmission in it for $2180 So I guess this tranny will be ok hopfully, but if not its ok.

Which JDM Motor/Tranny Combo's work?

And how hard is it to do?

The car is a Non-Turbo.

Alright for suby techs! lol, from what i've herd you can drop any subaru engine/tranny into any other subaru its mostly wireing thats the pain. Oh and yea make sure you have the right differential for your trans. Sport Compact Car Mag had a good suby swap article about a year ago I think too.

Ok here's what I found today.


I have a guy who is willing to sell me a JDM EJ20H Twin Turbo Engine for $500 and its local so I pick it up.

No harness or ECU.

I know from reading the Twin Turbo wont fit in a USDM car because of the Steering, so I was woundering if I could just swap the exhaust manifold from a Single Turbo EJ20 Engine to my EJ20H engine and use a Single Turbo like a VF-39 (USDM STI)

I also heard I will need to convert from Coil On Plug to Wasted Spark and I will have to use a EJ22T ECU.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Why don't you wait and locate a jdm single turbo EJ20G from a BF or BC , that includes tranny, ecu, wiring harness etc. "Jhot" on ebay usually have them pretty reasonable, and they usually include top mount intercooler, axles, ecu, everything you need. just make sure you get it froma 90-93 car, nothing newer.