Project Slowbaru
 

Well here goes nothing. Fellas, there’s other way to say it…

I bought a Subaru.


Here’s the skinny skinny. It's a '98 Legacy GT.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...37942643_o.jpg

The motor has been swapped with a hybrid consisting of an EJ22T shortblock (Subaru’s only closed deck block to date.) This block comes out of a 90's turbo Legacy. The rotating assembly consists of stock EJ22T pistons, STi rods (Nearly identical in size, just beefier than the EJ22T rods), and an EJ22T crank to keep the stroke (75mm) the same. Up top…I mean, on each side are stock rebuilt DOHC N/A EJ25 heads. These are a huge upgrade from the SOHC 2.2 heads that came from the factory. They're not going to net me HUGE hp gains, but they should help low end torque and top end flow. Intake manifold and TB is off a WRX.

For a turbo I'll be using a JDM twin scroll VF37 that comes stock on the JDM STi. I really don't know too much about these to be honest. From the people I've talked to, it'll spool quicker, and hold top end power better than a 16g. I've read through multiple build threads with people making around 300awhp with these. Perfect for my current power goals.

For fuel, I am planning using stock STi injectors, an adjustable rising rate FPR, with a 255 in the tank. Nothing serious, because at this point it doesn't need to be. They've been sitting in my garage since last year, and I'm sure the nozzles have collected dust inside them. So before I use them I think I'm going to have them cleaned, and flow tested. Flow should be right around 560cc at stock fuel pressure. (Self note: Rising rate FPR inceases at a rate of 1:1)

I’ll be tuning with Opensource on an ’03 WRX ECU. This will allow me to tune, and flash my ECU via laptop. No real reason for using this other than it seemed like the most cost-effective option, and many people have had great success with it.

It’s a 5-speed, but it’s a trans from an Outback. Shifting involves more searching and hoping, rather than rowing through the gears. That coupled with eco-gears and no aftermarket support means I’m working on sourcing a late model WRX 5-Speed. Ultimately meaning I’ll have to change from a cable to hydraulic clutch setup, but it will open up more aftermarket support. To give you a sense of how tall my gearing is, my final drive is 4.11. Redwood tall gearing FTL! Once I find a transmission it will get upgraded (Maybe even with a few PPG gears) to handle future modifications.

In the future, I think I want to build this in to something I could potentially road race (Gutted, relocated fuel cell etc..). There's definitely another motor in store for this thing. But, I haven't thought much about what that build will entail. Most likely something around double the power of my current goal of 250awhp.

Having the ability to use 02-03 WRX suspension components I have tons of choices for suspension. Haven't decided on what, since the stock WRX suspension installed works just fine. It gives the car a pretty good stance for stock components. I'm using WRX hubs as well, giving me the same brake upgrade choices as any WRX owner. I think it's pretty sweet to be able to use late model parts on a car 15 years old! The car needs brake attention badly. The pedal is very soft. So once spring time rolls around I'll throw on SS lines, and possibly upgrade to STi calipers with an aftermarket street pad.


Current setup as of 4/1/2013
-EJ22T block
-EJ22T crank
-STi rods
-EJ22T pistons
-EJ22E head gaskets
-EJ205 heads
-EJ205 cams and valvetrain
-EJ205 intake manifold
-Side feed TGV deletes
-EJ205 throttle body
-STi yellow side feed injectors
-Walboro 255
-VF37 twin scroll setup
-'06 WRX TMIC
-TiAL bov
-Catless twin scroll up pipe
-Catless downpipe
-3" exhaust
-Grimmspeed 3-port BCS
-AEM UEGO wideband
-Rom Raider tune
-'03 WRX ECU

-'03 WRX gauge cluster with '04 WRX bezel
-WRX power steering pump/lines/reservoir
-WRX alternator
-Battery relocated to trunk

-'01 Outback 5-Speed transmission
-4.11 rear differential
-Short shifter
-WRX flywheel (Possibly going with a lightened flywheel)
-Clutch undecided
-WRX clutch and brake pedal assembly

-WRX front subframe
-WRX crossmember
-WRX hubs
-WRX axles
-WRX suspension
-WRX control arms

-JDM 1-piece projector headlights
-Rusty green body
-Stock Legacy GT wheels
-3 flat snow tires




Now, for what’s going on below.

For me to be able to tune with Opensource I need to run a WRX ECU. What I have to do is remove the engine related wiring of the WRX harness and merge it with the rest of my Legacy harness. It sounds like a mess, and honestly it can be. But I don’t see why people refuse to try it. Once you isolate the different parts of the harness you need you remove everything else. The pictures vaguely show how I did it. They’re not very interesting, I know. I threw them up here as more of a central reference point for me down the road.



Complete '03 WRX bulkhead wiring harness
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_003412.jpg

Everything through that grommet I need.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_010444.jpg

To transmission
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_005959.jpg


http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_010817.jpg

Seperate SMJ from main loom
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_012657.jpg

Seperated
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_014845.jpg

Leave length
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_015022.jpg

Complete front harness
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_015446.jpg

SMJ was the only thing I needed off front harness
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_015621.jpg

Complete bulkhead wiring harness/Other half of SMJ harness
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_022021.jpg

Plastic shield removed (remember the 2 grounds)
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_022526.jpg

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_051003.jpg

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

I had NO idea you were on here. Lol. This is gonna be a fun car man!

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Just more notes. Sorry guys, I've been working all day on this and am going to grab the VF37 setup in about an hour. I'll create a true project thread tonight...If I don't get distracted by more wiring.


-FPC harness okay. Solder in length.
Signal 1 (A13) LgR Signal 2 (C15) VW [Take off main harness. + to length]
Grounds from FPC?? + to length, check schematic, reference pinout sheet.

-TPS Signal 1 (B7) Lg (Fully closed 0.2-1.0/Fully open 4.2-4.7) + to length

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

LMFAO! Never put 2 and 2 together?! That's funny shit right there.

I'm excited! I feel like things are coming together. Now that I'm waist deep, the wiring doesn't scare me anymore. I know I don't need to outsource the job.

Car will be very fun for a DD. Just need to get a better trans and rear diff.

I'll have some good stuff coming up later. Hopefully I can have the entire WRX harness done, and start tearing in to the Legacy harness tonight.

Freshly loomed wiring harness...Yummmm.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

That looks like a horrible time to me! Wiring ftl.

Need to post up more info y0!

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

What the hell are you building

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

BUMMER FOR YOU!!! i just sold my 6speed swap for hella cheap..

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

I've seen a few good 6-Speed swaps get sold recently. It's okay. A 6-speed swap isn't in the budget this year :(

Updated OP a bit. More pictures coming later tonight.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Picked up the VF setup I'll be using. Can't say no to a setup with less than 30K.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...319_165916.jpg
This should be a fun street turbo. The VF37 is a twin scroll, so I'll get nice quick spool, and hopefully a nice wide powerband. From what I've deducted I'll have slightly quicker spool up than a 16g. I'm a little worried the power will drop off up top, but I've never ran a twin scroll turbo before so I can't compare the difference (if any) in top end power. However, what I want to use it for, lots of usable low/mid range is the ticket.

The downpipe that came with what I bought has a cat. Thought about gutting it....Oh wait, no I didn't. The downpipe currently on the car matches the rest of the exhaust, and will flow much better. Of course using the catless DP will help reduce spool up time too.

The single scroll downpipe flange I have is slightly different than the twin scroll. They use the same mounting points, but are internally cut out different. So, to save some money I'm going to take the grinder to the single scroll downpipe, and match it to the twin scroll gasket so exhaust flow isn't affected. There's barely any difference between the two. I found a picture showing how little you have to take off to make it match.

*The gasket is sitting on the flange. It look me a minute to realize what was going on*
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...difference.jpg

Well, I have a few Monster's in the fridge, an Australian V8 Supercar race on the boob tube and a harness to make. Later!

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Don't forget ARP head studs and OEM head gaskets :)

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Oh yeah, I forgot about those! :P

Sad that the PO remembers more about a car I've had for almost a year. Lol!

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

picture of the actual car and engine mayne? Load em up!

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

^^What he said. Are you going to do an up-pipe as well? Now would be the time to do it, they are a whore to do with everything in the car.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

You are more of a Man that I am. When I swapped ecu's in my 98 Leggy I had Iwire do my harness. lol.

Cant wait to see more of this. I love the BD style cars. I really want another one.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Haha! I'm so focused on the wiring merge I forgot about the actual car. I'll get some up soon. No current engine shots. But I'll take some tomorrow when it's light out.

Definitely doing an catless up-pipe. I think I'm going to put a few resonators in to quiet it down. I don't want to get hassled by the man in blue about my exhaust.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

There's something special about BD's. Even today, I don't think they look outdated. I really like the 2.5RS front end on the Legacy too. The swap really beefs the look of the front end up.

I can't puff my chest out too much. Originally I was going to ship them out to a guy CA. lol But I don't learn anything by outsourcing the work, and I could use $500 for other things.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

I got some pics of mine on Photobucket. It was pretty nice. JDM projector headlights and side markers. And my turbo setup was pretty much stock wrx. Even had a TMIC than cut a hole in the Leggy hood for a wrx scoop. Lol. Was a pain, but learned alot on that build.

Glad to see ya working on one. Can't wait to see how far you take it.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

I love the JDM projectors. I have a set on the car now. But they're so grimy it's embarrassing. I have to bring them inside and clean them out.

What year of WRX did you get your TMIC off of? I got a good deal on one off an 06, but isn't very tall, and has this weird plastic shroud over the top. Even though I don't think it'll make a difference in my numbers, I've been debating on selling the one I have and getting a different one. I think I have to be mindful of size. It seems pretty cramped between the TB and firewall.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

If i Remember right the 06 is the one you want. I had the older one. The tall one. And I had to do some slight metal work to get it to fit. I had to dent the hood support in the back, and relocate the ignitor so ti would clear. Let me find a pic of how it was on the car.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

To get this one to fit I had to move some things underneath and than also trim the neck down on the Throttle body just so it would clear everything. It was not fun. But it was cheap, and at the time I couldn't get the newer style one.

But, I was working with a Ej22E intake manifold. It might be different for the EJ22T intake manifold.

http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/v...0314001721.jpg

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

I knew it would be tight with a TMIC, but I didn't think it would be THAT close.

My core measures 20" wide and 10" from the top of the core to the edge of the outlet.

That's a clean engine bay too!

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Yeah. You probably have the newer style if it has plastic ends on it. Its smaller than the all metal one I had.

I got alot of info over at sl-i.net when boosting my car. There is a couple guys on there that have done it.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

I'll check sl-i.net out. Can't hurt to have another resource.

That's good to know that mine's smaller than the one you ran. I believe my motor has a wrx intake manifold and throttle body. I don't know if it'll change the over distance between the TB and firewall compared to the 22E IM/TB combo. But I can't imagine it's very significant if there is any change at all.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Can you maybe edit your first post and include just some basic info about what the overall plan is here? Is this a focus w/ STi swap? LS1 WRX? I have no idea what any of the wiring changes are for or what the turbo swap will get you...pretend this is not a subaru board and fill in us guys with fast cars on what you're ultimately up to!

:)

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Edited just for you Scheides!

Added some more details and cleaned some stuff up.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

i got a 02 wrx tmic if you want it, im actually parting out my wrx so if theres anything you might need lmk..

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Ryan?! It's Jason. I picked up that harness from you yesterday! lol I thought I recognized the avatar.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i thought maybe it was you but wasnt 100% sure! haha have fun!

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

First setback. Looking through the Legacy harness I bought last year, there are cut wires and missing connections. I'm going to have to pull the wiring out of the Legacy to make sure I have a known good harness. This makes TWO bad harness I've bought.

Which means I have to wait until the snow melts so my Dad can get the g-d boat out of the garage. FML.

Never in my life have I seen so many different answers for the same stupid question. There are a lot of big forum talkers, and a lot of morons on the Subaru forums. Makes getting a legitimate answer tough.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

there are a TON of subaru guys who dont know wtf they are talking about.. i would only trust 2 people, nuke and fuji..

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

That's what I'm beginning to learn. That and there more Ken Block leg humpers than I can count.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Oh man researching Subaru stuff sucks. Each website am every post is different information. You have to pick bit and pieces out of each post and put it all together yourself. Just a random thought I had but if you ever need an oil filter gimme a call ill hook you up. I have about 20 of them and have no use for them anymore. Def glad this car when to someone who is going to make it even better then I thought it was.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

It does! I couldn't believe how much bs you have sift through. Even t00ners isn't as bad most Subaru forums.

I will definitely take you up on some oil filters this year!

I hope I can make it better. I'm still a little weary of the WRX harness I did, but I think once I get a full, good, legacy harness to compare, it'll all make sense.

Come on snow, go away!

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Well, instead of being a bitch and whining about the shoddy Legacy harness I bought, I turned those lemons in to mother f-in lemonade.
I cut the ECU connections off from the harness, went through each wire and labeled it's use and pin location.
Once I start soldering, my little cheat harness will save me tons of time.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...321_011518.jpg

I know it's just wiring, but I feel like I have a whole new understanding of cars. Yes, wiring can be a headache, but I am learning TONS of new things, and have a much better grasp of automotive electrical systems.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Engine bay shot, as requested.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...320_191506.jpg

So THAT'S why I can't make any boost.
http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/...320_191533.jpg

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

its a n/a turbo!

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Good for around 600awhp on 89 if tuned with Sunpro A/F gauge and S-AFC. :seeya:

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

Lol, you like that? Straight custom! Put on so I could put the crossmember exhaust Manu an down pipe on and then just toss in the turbo when the time was right.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

LOL Yup! You should check out EvoMN some time too then :lol:

There are a handful of guys on there. Bullwinkle is a good shit, The site ownewr WRX1 is cool ( I just about bought his old bugeye a few years ago) and Fobia is pretty cool. Readymix is such a massive tool though that it ruins the whole rest of the forum.

Re: Project Slowbaru
 

I got banned from EvoMN a number of years back. lol! I forgot why though.

The guys I've met so far are stand-up people. I've only exchanged PM's with Fuji and Nuke at this point. Readmix seems okay, but I've never met him in person so I can't comment on his personality.

I will assume NASIOC is to Subaru as EvoMN is to Mitsubishi?