What best to build a 'sleeper' Legacy wagon (95)?

MikeC5 · Post by **MikeC5** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 2:42 am

As the title suggests, I'm thinking of swapping a hot engine into my plain-jane 95 Legacy wagon. Any thoughts on what would be the best compromise between power and ease of install? I know it would most likely require the ECU from the donor car.

ScottyS · Post by **ScottyS** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 6:10 am

I'm kinda curious about this too. I don't know if if would be te same amount of work to swap in a newer WRX wiring harness or just splice in a Turbo Legacy ECU and motor.

Obviously a newer setup would allow for easy DIY tuning, whereas the older legacy stuff would be a heck of a lot cheaper.

I have a N/A 95 LSi wagon that would love some power.

BXSS · Post by **BXSS** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 6:21 am

EJ20G's are cheap & share most of the wiring with SS's.

555BCTurbo · Post by **555BCTurbo** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 6:32 am

Put a 350 in it

MikeC5 · Post by **MikeC5** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 3:13 am

After doing a little searching, it appears the EJ20G is a turbo motor. I'm not clear on what years/models this engine was originally installed in (so I know what to ask for in the used part yards).

gijonas · Post by **gijonas** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 3:19 am

I have an eg33 you can stuff in there,someone needs to buy it before i decide to actually start another project with it.

asc_up · Post by **asc_up** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 3:32 am

Hmmm the only problem I can see with putting an EJ20G in there (which is an excellent choice) is that it is OBDI. If your car is OBDII, and I'm pretty sure it is, you might run into some trouble when you go in for an emissions test.

93forestpearl · Post by **93forestpearl** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 5:58 am

Step 1: Swap in newer 2.5L turbo motor
Step 2: Perform some wiring magic
Step 3: ???????
Step 4: SLEEPER!!!!!!

MikeC5 · Post by **MikeC5** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 5:40 pm

It is OBD II...

ScottyS · Post by **ScottyS** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 10:13 pm

gijonas wrote:I have an eg33 you can stuff in there,someone needs to buy it before i decide to actually start another project with it.

Those are awesome and bulletproof. I imagine a 6 is in my project future, but I'm trying to hold it off until a sweet SVX materializes at the same time as the funds.....

asc_up · Post by **asc_up** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 12:36 am

MikeC5 wrote:It is OBD II...

Sounds like your only stock turbo option is going to be a WRX or STi swap, unless you can find a way to get by using an OBDI engine.

There's also the option of boosting a non-turbo engine. My friend boosted his 2.5RS with a Garrett T3/04 on 7 PSI and made ~270 WHP. It's been reliable and running just fine for the past 2 years. Just throwing the idea out there...

SILINC3R · Post by **SILINC3R** » Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:29 am

asc_up wrote:
MikeC5 wrote:It is OBD II...
Sounds like your only stock turbo option is going to be a WRX or STi swap, unless you can find a way to get by using an OBDI engine.

There's also the option of boosting a non-turbo engine. My friend boosted his 2.5RS with a Garrett T3/04 on 7 PSI and made ~270 WHP. It's been reliable and running just fine for the past 2 years. Just throwing the idea out there...

the only thing with this is that a N/A is a high compression engine so it isnt good for using a turbo. however if you use low boost like asc_up's friend is it will hold on but you cant do more than that

jp233 · Post by **jp233** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 1:53 am

true, but you can always lower the compression via various methods and then run a crazier boost if you want to.

(i dont know how easy it is on these motors, to run extra thick head gaskets etc etc)

But of course this whole thread has me thinking about when I get around to wanting to do something with my 94 wagon. I would not give one half-a-tenth-a-sheet about OBD 1 or 2 but a simple WRX swap sounds pretty easy compared to most...

asc_up · Post by **asc_up** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:22 pm

Haha I'd probably do a WRX swap to if my car was stock N/A.

Going from OBDI to OBDII is not a problem, because they don't bother trying to plug anything into the diagnostics plug, because they'll think your car is OBDI. The problem occurs when you have an OBDII car with an OBDI engine and they ask to plug their scanner into the diagnostics plug and you don't have one/it doesn't work.

impreza_GC8 · Post by **impreza_GC8** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:22 am

I have a '97 Outback with 2.5L block, EJ22T crank and rods, EJ20G VF8 turbo and EJ20G intake manifold. It is run off an OBD1 EJ22T ECU. It is a fantastic sleeper.

asc_up wrote: My friend boosted his 2.5RS with a Garrett T3/04 on 7 PSI and made ~270 WHP. It's been reliable and running just fine for the past 2 years. Just throwing the idea out there...

What was your friend using for engine management?

asc_up · Post by **asc_up** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:05 pm

He was using an Apex'i S-AFC. Nothing fancy, but it got the job done.

impreza_GC8 · Post by **impreza_GC8** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:38 am

asc_up wrote:He was using an Apex'i S-AFC. Nothing fancy, but it got the job done.

That is great news! I have been on the fence about using one but seeing those numbers you put up made me decide that it could be beneficial to me.

TammyB · Post by **TammyB** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 6:18 pm

I have a 90's JDM RS RA motor that i need to sell please let me know if you need more info

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What best to build a 'sleeper' Legacy wagon (95)?

What best to build a 'sleeper' Legacy wagon (95)?