quick question for you subie guys about swaps

[ghostrida3]

how easy is it to swap an awd drive train into a fwd 99 impreza? what about an 04 sti drivetrain into an 99 impreza rs? does the engine and trans bolt in? obviously the wire harnesses would probably need to be modded but is any fab work needed?
i am considering purchasng a 99rs but also have the option of getting a cheaper fwd same generetion impreza. i plan on swapping engines anyway so if i can save on the initial cost of the car that would be a bonus. i just dont wanna get somethin that i woudl have to take to a shop to get butloads of fabwork done. preferably i would like to buy a front clip and bolt everything on.

[Deke]

I have no clue how "easy" it is, but I mean, people have done it. You'll have much better luck with this on WRXAtlanta, IWSTI, or NASIOC. There are some suby people on here that would know, but this area of the forum doesn't get a whole lot of activity.

[calmnothing]

Save yourself the the time and money, get the 99RS unless you buy the ENTIRE wrecked car to swap in.

[ghostrida3]

whats the benefit in the rs vs buying the a 95 or older w/ the obd1(easier to pass cobb county emissions w/ obd1 imo)

[calmnothing]

AWD, the rear suspension won't have a sway bar (which you will need to swap out anyways if you're doing the AWD swap), and it'll be cheaper because of the above mentioned things. The AWD swap is like 20 hours of work. Literally everything has to be changed.

The only way it'd be worthwhile to get the FWD car is if you got a complete wrecked WRX/STI.

Or if you don't mind doing the work and paying for the parts, get the FWD car and do a JDM swap. It's easier to pass emissions. But if you're doing a USDM wrx swap then you'll pass emissions anyway.

The JDM swaps aren't worth the money in my opinion. They make equivalent power but you can't tune it unless you spend $900 for a PowerFC. Also it's harder to upgrade because some of them have a 90degree turbo inlet.

[calmnothing]

A front clip isn't going to work if you're buying the FWD car. You'd need atleast 7-800 more for the parts needed for the AWD swap. Not to mention converting the rear drum brakes to disk brakes.

[ghostrida3]

thanks for your answers. i see what your saying. basically if i get a 99 or 00rs than i can just drop a newer sti drivetrain in w/out having to pretty much rebuild the entire car due to the awd setup that already is in the newer rs.

how are these boxer engines w/ boost? how much psi can they take w/ outneeding to be built? given all of the diff drive trains available what swap would be the best bang for the buck?

[calmnothing]

These boxers are built from boost. It's all about budget. There are a lot of people making 3-400 or more on the stock engines.

The limiting factor is the transmission. They generally hold 3-350 depending on the driver and clutch setup. Subarus do NOT like the clutch dumped. Heavy drag racing will break your car.

What are your goals and what is your budget? Those are the real questions.

[ghostrida3]

my budget for mods wll be around 4-5k, i am lookin to get high 200s to low 300s in horsepower. i am not trackin this the main reason i am pickin it up is to get a daily driver w/ a back seat. something manuevarable that can get me around and has some nice low end tourque for the street. i have my mr2 turbo for kicks and giggles. the 1st gen impreza is relatively light compared to the newer gen chassis has always been favorite out of all the gens. unfornately the american versions seem to be underpowered. this is why i was considering the swap.

[calmnothing]

That swap will eat your budget really quickly. Will you be doing the work yourself? Are you going to merge the harnesses together?

High 200's will need intercooler, injectors, turbo, downpipe. exhaust, and uppipe upgrades. So that's maybe another $1500 on top of your budget NOT including tuning.

There are RS's with wrx swaps for sale in the 9k range on rs25.com that'll save you a lot of work/money.

[ghostrida3]

great site, thanks man. yeah i dont think i am gonna go w/ an sti swap anyway. i think i will lean more towards the the older japanese 22b engine it seams alot cheaper.

[Z33_kid]

if you have the $$$ its possible

[yerrow]

the torque of the 2.5 is so much better though

[ghostrida3]

ok so what about the impreza L awd coupe? i can find one of those for alot cheaper than the rs and its awd along w/ obd1.

[yerrow]

L coupe with a 2.5 swap....awesome!

[ghostrida3]

^great cuz i just put a deposit on one and will pick it up in a couple of weeks.

[calmnothing]

Also check out wrxatlanta.com. There's someone selling an awd coupe in savannah for cheap. You can pick up an engine/harness from Nadauto for around $1200 for a nice quick swap.

[ghostrida3]

what engine^ ? i am leaning strongly toward the ej20 as i want a turbo. adn i dont wanna spend wrx sti money. thanks again man you have been a great help.
ok i checked there site they have no prices listed.

[calmnothing]

You have to give them a call or swing by. They don't update their site much.

[ghostrida3]

another question for you. if i was to get a jdm sti gen3 clip or anyother clip i am reading that the ecu is tuned for like 100 octane. wouldnt i have to get a power fc or some standalone to run this? is there a swap that i can do that will run on pump gas and is turbocharged other than the newer usdm stis?

[calmnothing]

All JDM swaps are that way. You need the powerFC. That's why a USDM wrx swap is probably your best option.

[calmnothing]

there is a nonrunning impreza for $1000 and an 06 wrx engine/harness/dash for $3200 for sale on wrxatlanta. pretty cheap swap

[ghostrida3]

i already bought the impreza i pick it up in about 3wks, as for the swap, your saying all i need to get a 06 sti engine into a 95awd l is an engine, harness, and dash? i was under the impression that i would need alot more than that, hence why most people just buy an entire wrecked wrx. the reason i was considering the jdm swap is because they are cheaper even w/ the stand alone. most people are spending over 7gs for the 06wrx swaps. you obviously no more about this than i do so correct me if am wrong.

[calmnothing]

The reason why you have to do so much more when doing the swap is because of wiring. If you use the 06 wrx engine/wiring/dash then you just pull out your old harness and install the new one right one. You'll need the crossmember too (which will probably come with the engine).

I'm saying it's cheaper this way (assuming you do your own work). A lot of a swap's cost comes with labor.

[ghostrida3]

i will definately do my own work.
what i am confused about is what is required for the newer sti swaps. wouldnt i need everything in the engine bay to get it to run in my 95l?

[calmnothing]

Basiclly you'll need the engine, dash, and wiring as a minimum.

Reason you would buy a whole car is because you also get the cross member(fits easier), transmission (stronger), brakes (better), seats, carpet, and everything else. Then you could also part out the rest to make some of your money back.

WRX and STI are two different engines. Depending which years they all have differences in the engines too. Cheapest new age swap would be a 02-05 wrx 2.0L engine.

[ghostrida3]

^ but the 2.0 wrx usdm engine isnt turbo charged right? only the stis are turbo charged.

[yerrow]

all wrx's are turbo'd

imprezza's are not

[calmnothing]

You haven't done much research into this swap have you?

[ghostrida3]

its been hard to find a comprehensive guide on all the different engines and swaps. i guess because these cars are like legos and there are so many options it gets confusing. its very overwhelming to someone who is new to subarus all together. i am startin to get the picture though.

[ghostrida3]

i got the car last week. i gots the notorios shifter wobble, the bolts holding the center part of the exhaust together have snapped off giving it a really raggedy exhaust note, one of the bumper bolts have snapped so the bumper hangs off in the rear a little bit, the clutch must be pretty worn cause you have to almost let completely off the pedal before it engages. minor rust that should be an easy fix. front passenger side fender is jacked up. and the side gaurds were taken off but i would have done that anyway.the body shop will fill in the holes when i get it painted. most of the stuff thats wrong will be replaced when i do the engine swap. i gotta get rid of these crappy brakes, i might tackle that 1st. i plan on converting it to all wheel disc and getting these sorry drums outa here. wanna convert the exterior to the ver6 look so not really concerned about that stuff either. i have been driving it alot. the lack of power sucks but its raining really bad today and i feel alot more comfortable driving this w/ its awd than my mr2. any suggestion on brakes or other things would be appreciated. i dont wanna spend more than 500 total on the brake conversion. also who the heck as an awd emissions tester so i can get the tag.

[calmnothing]

You don't need to do awd emissions. Aslong as there are no codes it will pass.

[ghostrida3]

naw man.... for real? even though its obd1? dont play w/ my emotions...

[ghostrida3]

what are your thoughts on the brake upgrade. i was thinkin maybe i can track down a rs brake setup for under 500, do you think thats doable? i would love to get the brembos but i think they are overkill for what i am tryin to do. just a quick streetable car. i can always update pads and fluid on the rs's. what do you drive calm? what kind of setup are you workin w/?

[XanRules]

You haven't done any research into this swap have you?

fixed

what are your thoughts on the brake upgrade. i was thinkin maybe i can track down a rs brake setup for under 500, do you think thats doable? i would love to get the brembos but i think they are overkill for what i am tryin to do. just a quick streetable car. i can always update pads and fluid on the rs's. what do you drive calm? what kind of setup are you workin w/?

RS brakes with an STi drivetrain will kill you and your family. Possibly your dog.
There is a reason those things come with Brembos.
A WRX will still need better than RS brakes.

He drives a 99RS with an 04 WRX motor.

[TougeGTR-33]

Save yourself the the time and money, get the 99RS unless you buy the ENTIRE wrecked car to swap in.

x2

[calmnothing]

Stock wrx front brakes and a "h6" rear brake setup is cheap and will cost you under $500 with new lines, pads, and fluids if you shop correctly. It would be more than adequate. Those brakes stop a car 600 pounds heavier than yours and is a very economical upgrade.

[ghostrida3]

failed emmisions today. they did tested it by reving the rpms on idle and at 2500 w/ a sniffer in the tank. hc and co was high.

[ghostrida3]

^^^and for what its worth buying the price of the rs was too high to justify buying one. after all i am pretty much gonna throw half the crap that make it an rs away anyway. the awd l coupe was the way to go for me. the only thing i really want from the rs is the front bumper and hood which i can convert for under 500. if your gonna do an engine swap anyway and can find an awd coupe the rs seems to be a ripoff.