engine swap

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BadBenjamin
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engine swap

Post by BadBenjamin »

hey guys. i have a few 02 and up subies but im new to the older ones. i came into a 91 legacy ss ej22t auto tranny but the tranny is shot. i also have a 95 impreza 5spd. i was thinking of swapping the ej22t into the impreza. would it be a direct swap in? will it work with that tranny? and what else would i need to do this? any help/advice is greatly appreciated. thanks guys
91 lss. 02 wrx wagon. 04 sti
Legacy777
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Re: engine swap

Post by Legacy777 »

Welcome to the BBS.

The biggest challenge you will have is the wiring. I believe most of the Impreza engine wiring harness goes into the firewall behind the engine. The turbo Legacy engine harness goes behind the battery and in the fender. To swap the engine, you would have to merge the two harnesses together to make everything work. Also, the ECU location & connectors are different between the two cars (up under the driver's side dash for the Legacy, and in the passenger footwell for the Impreza).

The engine will physically fit and bolt up, but like I said, the wiring will be the most daunting task. If you wanted to keep the Legacy, you'd be better off swapping the 5spd from the Impreza into the Legacy.
Josh

surrealmirage.com/subaru
1990 Legacy (AWD, 6MT, & EJ22T Swap)
2020 Outback Limted XT

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BadBenjamin
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Re: engine swap

Post by BadBenjamin »

I didn't really want to keep the legacy I don't theink. The impreza is in better condition and the legacy is an automatic and I like 5 spds.
91 lss. 02 wrx wagon. 04 sti
BadBenjamin
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Re: engine swap

Post by BadBenjamin »

Wouldn't I be using the ecu from the 22 and not the impreza? So I wouldn't have to wire it up? And the 22 will work with the impreza tranny no problem? Would I need new motor mounts or anything else?
91 lss. 02 wrx wagon. 04 sti
vrg3
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Re: engine swap

Post by vrg3 »

The ECU connectors are completely different -- from the ECU wiring perspective, this swap is almost as much work as it would be to swap the EJ22T into a Nissan Sentra.

Like Josh says, wIring the EJ22T ECU into the Impreza is a significant amount of work -- you'd either have to adapt the harness at the ECU connectors (and run a few additional wires), or rip the harness out of the Legacy and add it to the Impreza. If you search on this forum and on the RS25 forums you can find more info.

If I were in your position, I'd cut the ECU connectors off of the Legacy harness and wire them in place of the Impreza's ECU connectors. The big things you'd have to add would be the pressure sensing equipment, but you can install that near the ECU and just run a vacuum hose through the firewall for it. You could use that vacuum hose for a boost gauge too.

You wouldn't need new motor mounts, but you would need to swap the engine crossmember over. The exhaust, too. Again, many details are available in writeups if you spend some time browsnig the forums.

Sounds like a fun project.
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ruffmill
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Re: engine swap

Post by ruffmill »

I'm doing a similar swap. I've got a ej22t I'm swapping into a '95 coupe with an obs front end. I've got a turbo upgrade aswell as a tmic that need to get installed.

_ruffmill
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