[Thead]

I'm finding that for a "reliable" turbo kit system, I'm going to be looking at anywhere from 5 to 7 thousand dollars with proper engine management, injectors, gauges, clutch, and exhaust. I'm beggining to think, why not save a little more and buy a wrx? I like my body style... and theres just something cooler about a Turbo RS.

SO, what I'm asking is... how much did the whole swap cost you, installation included? Where'd you get it from... and if you did the swap yourself, was it difficult? I should have a very wide array of tools (high school here has a shop that's open to anyone.. has everything from what I hear, including a hydraulic lift). Just looking for ideas. Thanks for any input

David

 

[Thead]

up

 

[WRC STYL]

hey, i am getting ready to swap a 96wrx motor into my 99 2.5rs. The swap is a lot easier than i first thought. I bought my front clip off of ebay for 2000.00, but visit venus-auot.com, when i worked at a shop this is who we went through to buy all our clips. When doing the swap you can use your 2.5 harness or the one out of the clip, you will need the wrx ecu, tranny has a few options.
1.wrx tranny with wrx motor.(will need a rear diff out of a turbo legacy. 3.90 gear ratio)
2.wrx with 2.5rs tranny. can use 2.5rs rear diff

crossmember out of a turbo legacy or the clip will work.

why not get a motor that is already turbo.

working at a shop has its advantages when it comes to labor!!!

good luck

 

[Thead]

Anyone have any ideas on the cost of a low mileage US wrx ej20 and drivetrain? Also, any trade in value of an ej25 and drivetrain or should I expect very little?

 

[yamarocket630]

A 2.5 harness won't fit a WRX motor, and a USDM WRX harness won't fit a pre-02 RS. The only harness that will fit and be a straight plug-and-play is a left hand drive GC8, and good luck finding one of those. I am in the process of doing a WRX engine only swap right now, the engine is not big deal, it bolts right in... but the wiring is going to take me 40-50 hours... and I've been a mechanic for 10 years... all together this swap will cost me around 800-1200 dollars after I sell off my RS engine and aftermarket parts.

 

[Jaxx]

i actually saw a usdm wrx motor/harness/ecu go for 2400 the other day on nasicio (whatever)

i paid 650 for my long block and about 4 times that on stuff to make it run
clip is prolly a better deal

 

[Thead]

A 2.5 harness won't fit a WRX motor, and a USDM WRX harness won't fit a pre-02 RS. The only harness that will fit and be a straight plug-and-play is a left hand drive GC8, and good luck finding one of those. I am in the process of doing a WRX engine only swap right now, the engine is not big deal, it bolts right in... but the wiring is going to take me 40-50 hours... and I've been a mechanic for 10 years... all together this swap will cost me around 800-1200 dollars after I sell off my RS engine and aftermarket parts.

Could i get you to estimate how much $$$ that would cost just for the install?

 

[yamarocket630]

Well, I guess it depends on who you talk to, I've heard estimates of anywhere from $2k to $4.5k for installation. I'm seriously considering having harnesses made, and doing installs on the side with a firend helping, but that won't be for quite some time, if ever.

 

[Thead]

Ahh i see, a bit steeper than I thought. I keep leaning back and forth between turbo 2.5 and swap...making mad. Appreciate the info, thanks.

 

[mykrrrr]

Email Mark @ Lachute Subaru in Canada. They've got plenty of clips and do very good swap work. I talked to him about a motor/ecu only swap into my GC6 and he quoted me $7k CDN.

That's pretty comparable to an AVO or Ludespeed Stage II turbo kit.

 

[Thead]

i actually emailed lachute a few days ago with no reply. I think if i were to do wrx swap i'd want the transmission, too. That price sounds good to me, but i don't think driving up there would be an option. I need to find a good tuner near me, and a salvage yard with what i need.

 

[imprezadan]

Would it be possible to simply swap in the WRX turbo motor and use the existing wiring harness along with some other stuff like a SAFC and a wahlbro fuel pump? What would the compatability of things like sensors and what not be..................

 

[Bratmantlz]

im also planning this conversion bc the 2.5 we get is wrong.. we should be ej20 boosted already. but nooo.
im waiting on details for my jdm engine ecu and wiring harness uncut. then im getting the crossmember and having a shop north of hear put it in. i am with him and would like to know how many of us have it bc i know theyre out their. and what all did you go through for it to be done start finish...

 

[yamarocket630]

Would it be possible to simply swap in the WRX turbo motor and use the existing wiring harness along with some other stuff like a SAFC and a wahlbro fuel pump? What would the compatability of things like sensors and what not be..................

No... the 2.5 ECU won't support the WRX engine, even with "add-ons" like an S-AFC, and the WRX ecu won't plug into the RS harness... and the routing is different...Most of the sensors are the same, but not enough to make it run. I'm doing a swap right now... follow along here if you like, I'm trying to document this as best as I can.

 

[imprezadan]

If it can support the 2.5 w/ an aftermarket turbo kit why wouldn't it be able to support an ej20? At least one person has swapped in a 22t block (yes, w/2.5 heads) and had it work. While you might have to get creative with some certain hardware and/or sensors, why wouldn't the comp support the 2.0?

 

[yamarocket630]

As far as fooling the computer into supplying enough fuel it probably could be made to work... but the WRX engine has outputs that the RS does not (tumble generators and coil on plug ignition for example) that the RS ECU will be completely unable to control. Besides, why would you spend $2000 or more for a good 2.0l motor and then run half-assed management when it isn't that much harder to just do it right the first time?

By the way, the wiring is going well, and the engine is going in tomorrow.

 

[imprezadan]

true, I didn't think about the coil thing.