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Equinox's RBP V8 EJ207 STi Swapped RSTi - Twinscroll Braps Inside

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#1 · (Edited)
------Most Recent Picture------



So, this is my second RS. Not much else to say. All of the info from my first RS can be found here:


So. On with it.

This is my 1998 Impreza RS in Rally Blue Pearl. Look at the table of contents for everything, and each link will bring you to that specific post. I've tried to keep this tidy for my own recollection, and hopefully it helps others too.


------Table of Contents------

-V8 EJ207 STi Swap

1. Version 8 JDM STi EJ207 Swap
2. Wrapping up some wiring and IACV fail
3. IACV Fix + Headlight fix and more tape

-Mods

1. RS25 Sticker Added
2. Full Amber Corners
3. Front Aeroguards
4. WRX Pedals
5. JDM Smooth Rear Bumper + beam and Spats
6. V6 Lip
7. HKS Carbon Ti
8. JDM STi Carbon Fiber Strut Brace
9. Version 6 STi Trunk and Spoiler
10. 05 WRX 11/16 Clutch MC
11. Prodrive P7 Wheels w/ Nitto Neo Gen Tires
12. Grimmspeed Antenna Delete
13. 06 STi Brake MC/Booster
14. STi Fender Badges
15. JDM V5 STi Gunmetal Radio Surround, Shifter Trim and Cig Lighter Light
16. 2002 USDM WRX Gas tank and 05-07 STi Fuel Sender + Surge Box
17. "OEM" Keyless Entry
18. Version 4 STi Seats + Rear Type R Door Cards
19. Version 4 STi Momo Steering Wheel
20. V5/6 STi Grille
21. S201 Shift Knob
22. Zero/Sports Radiator Shroud
23. Volk Racing Rays Lug Nuts
24. JDM Hazard Switch
25. Fozzy Double Cup Holder
26. JDM STi Gunmetal Cluster Bezel
27. V7 STi Leather Red Stitch Handbrake
28. 04 STi Steering Rack/Whiteline bushings/L&E Fab U Joint
29. JDM STi Multicolor Foglights
30. JDM Rear Aeroguards
31. Flat Fuel Door
32. JDM Tails + type R Trim
33. Polk DB651 Front Speakers
34. STi 1.3bar Radiator Cap
35. V5/6 JDM STi Cluster with Full Internal KPH to MPH Conversion
36. Roof Swap + Sunroof Delete + New Windshield
37. JDM GC8 Roof Vent
38. JDM STi type R "WRX" Trunk Sticker
39. OEM 22b Vents + S-Craft Backing Plates
40. JDM STi type R Front Door Cards
41. OEM Head Unit w/ Bluetooth
42. JDM V3 STi Sun Visors
43. Trunk Light
44.. V5/6 JDM GC8 STi Seats
45. Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Specs
46. Ohlins PCV Coilovers
47. Defi Link 52mm Boost Gauge + Controller
48. V4 STi Momo Steering Wheel - Take 2
49. 22b / STi Option Door Sills
50. GD Rear Subframe, STi Pink Pillowball Lateral link + Solid endlinks, Red 4/2pots + rear hubs, Hawk DTC-30 pads + Centric rotors
51. Group N Trans Mount
52. CNC'd Aluminum Roof Vent Latch
53. Polk DB561 Rear Speakers
54. STi Pink Pillowball Trailing Arms
55. Quarter Panel Swap + Lots More
56. Color Matched Sideskirts/Spats
57. Defi DIN Gauge Pack
58. Spec C Oil Cooler + Timing Belt + More
59. Type R + More Stickers
60. JDM Rear Wiper
61. Zero/Sports Downpipe
62. 23mm Zero/Sports Hollow Rear Sway Bar
63. Koyo VH090302 Hyper V Aluminum Radiator
64. STi Stainless Clutch Line
65. Endless Stainless Brake Lines
66. 23mm Zero/Sports Hollow Front Sway Bar
67. SG9 Forester STi 6 Speed Swap
68. Samco Sport Silicone Radiator Hoses + Coolant temp sensor and fix
69. Endless MX72 Plus Brake Pads
70. Walbro 255 Fuel Pump
71. Ohlins DFV (Road and Track) Coilovers + Mooresport Camber Plates F/R
72. 04 STi Rear Diff
73. Oil Cooler AN Fitting Conversion + Phase 1 AC Condenser
74. iWire GC/GD IC Cowl
75. VF42 + Maintenance
76. New OEM Center Console
77. V6 STi Trunk Springs
78. Continental TR7412UB Bluetooth Radio
79. V3 STi Nardi + Custom Adapter
80. Aluminum Roof Vent Latch

-Maintenance

1. Heater Core Replacement - Part 1
2. Fuel Filter
3. Fuel Pump Sender Gasket
4. ATE Type 200 DOT4 Brake Fluid
5. Clutch and Timing Belt + little bits
6. Driver's Side Inner Tie Rod
7. Rear Wheel Bearings + FL Ball Joint
8. OEM Shifter U-Joint + Return Spring
9. Passenger Side Valve Cover Gasket
10. KNS/DBA Gravel Rear Rotors + New Parking Brake Shoes
11. NGK BKR8EIX Spark Plugs
12. Fuel Send Line
13. Parking Brake Cables

-Pictures
1. Random Pictures
2. Photo Set #1: Michigan Weather
3. Photo Set #2: SNOW!
4. Photo Set #3: Car Wash
5. Photo Set #4: Trees!
6. Photo Set #5: Backroads
7. Photo Set #6: Thanksgiving Day Pics
8. Photo Set #7: Out of Business K-Mart
9. Photo Set #8: 2012 Snow Pics
10. Photo Set #9: New Years
11. Photo Set #10: At School
12. Photo Set #11: Kalamazoo Subaru Cruise - September 29, 2013
13. Photo Set #12: Fall 2013

-Racing-
1. First Auto X: SCCA Belle Isle, July 22, 2012
2. MSCC Belle Isle, July 28, 2013
3. SCCA Pontiac Silverdome Auto-X, June 8 2014
4. PCA 131 Motorsports Park, August 23, 2015
5. Furrin Group AutoX - 131 Motorsports Park - 10/25/2015
6. Furrin Group AutoX - 131 Motorsports Park #2 - 11/7/2015
7. Furrin Group AutoX - 131 Motorsports Park - 11/6/2016
8. GRIDLIFE Midwest - Gingerman Raceway - June 8-11 2017
9. GRIDLIFE Round #5 - Gingerman Raceway - October 7-8 2017
10. GRIDLIFE Midwest - Gingerman Raceway June 7-10 2018
11. Track Day to Pave the Way- Waterford Hills - 8-31-2018
12. GRIDLIFE Midwest - Gingerman Raceway May 30 - June 2, 2019
13. Detroit SCCA Summer Heat Solo AutoX - Schoolcraft College - June 30, 2019
14. The Speed Ring - M1 Concourse - September 21,2019
15. GRIDLIFE Fall Special - Gingerman Raceway - October 5-6, 2019

There are more pages than listed here full of information and documentation, so feel free to scroll through and search for anything specific.

------Mod List------

Engine/Intake/Exhaust:

-V8 STi EJ207
-VF42 Turbo
-JDM STi ECU w/ self tune
-Zero/Sports 3in catted downpipe
-3in HKS Carbon Ti
-07 STi Fuel Pump
-WRX Power steering lines
-V4 JDM STi STi Radiator
-STi 1.3bar Radiator Cap
-Samco Sport Silicone Radiator Hoses
-Spec C Oil Cooler w/ Fuji Racing AN Adapter and custom made lines
-Koyo VH090302 Hyper V Aluminum Radiator
-Walbro 255 Fuel Pump
-iWire GC/GD Intercooler Cowl


Interior:
-99-01 Leather shift boot
-WRX Pedals
-Defi Link 52mm white/green boost gauge
-Defi white/green DIN Gauge Pack
-DIN pocket in place of factory CD player
-V5 STi Gunmetal Radio Surround
-V5 STi Gunmetal Shifter Trim
-JDM Cig Lighter Surround Light
-Version 5/6 STi F/R Seats
-STi type R Door Cards
-Version 3 STi Nardi Wheel + customer turn signal adapter
-STi Aluminum option knob + STi 6 speed pattern plaque
-Fozzy rubber trunk mat
-JDM Hazard Switch
-Fozzy Double Cup Holder
-JDM STi Cluster Bezel
-V5/6 JDM STi Cluster with Full internal KPH to MPH Conversion
-JDM V3 STi Sun Visors
-22b / STi Option Door Sills
-CNC'd Aluminum Roof Vent Latch

Exterior:
-Ver 6 Bumper
-Ver 6 Fog lights
-RS25 RS Coupe Sticker
-Full Amber Depo Corners
-Genuine Front Painted Aeroguards
-JDM smooth bumper
-JDM Painted Spats
-Painted Sideskirts
-RSTi Badge
-Version 6 Genuine lip
-Genuine Green I Badge
-Genuine Ver 6 STi Spoiler and Trunk lid
-Grimmspeed Antenna Delete Plate
-Genuine STi Fender Badges
-Version 5/6 STi Front Grille
-JDM STi Multicolor Foglights
-JDM Tails
-type R Taillight trim
-L Roofskin + support bars
-JDM GC8 Roof Vent
-OEM 22b Vents
-Molding holes deleted
-STi trunk sticker
-STi type R QP stickers
-STi Quick Steering sticker
-JDM rear wiper

Transmission/Drivetrain:
-SG9 Forester STi 6 Speed TY856WL4CC
-04 STi 3.90 Plated Clutch LSD
-04 STi Neutral Position Sensor
-V5/6 STi red 4/2 Pots (JDM raised text)
-R180 Rear hubs
-KNS/DBA Gravel Spec Rear Rotors
-Endless MX72 Brake Pads
-Endless Stainless Brake Lines
-06 STi 11/16" Clutch Master Cylinder
-06 STi 1 1/16" Brake MC + Booster
-ATE Type 200 DOT4 Brake Fluid
-STi STi Stainless clutch line

Suspension:
-23mm Zero/Sports hollow rear sway bar
-GC8 STi Aluminum Control Arms
-GC8 STi Front Subframe
-23mm Zero/Sports Hollow Front Sway Bar
-Solid STi Front pillowball end links
-JDM STi Carbon Fiber Front Strut Bar
-Ohlins DFV (Road and Track) coilovers for GC8
-Mooresport Street front camber plates
-Mooresport rear camber plates
-Cusco Carbon Fiber Rear Strut Brace
-04 STi Steering Rack
-L&E Fab Steering U Joint
-Whiteline Steering Bushings
-GD Rear subframe
-STi pink pillowball lateral links
-STi solid pillowball rear endlinks
-STi Pink Pillowball Trailing Arms

Wheels/Tires
-Summer:Rays RS Zeros with Conti Extreme Contact Sports
-Winter: Stock 5 spoke Goldies with Hankook Winter I*Pike tires

Other:
-Tweeters
-Stock Subwoofer
-Polk DB651 Front/Rear Speakers
-2002 WRX Gas Tank
-05-07 STi Sender + Surge Box
-Deleted OBD2 Emissions
-Crutchfield Window Antenna
-OEM Keyless Entry
-Zero/Sports Radiator Shroud
-Volk Racing Black Rays Lug Nuts
-S-Craft Hood Backing Plates
-Continental TR7412UB Bluetooth Radio
-OEM Trunk Light Kit
-V6 STi Trunk Springs

------Archives------

-Initial Build - N/A EJ251

1. Acquiring the Impreza
2. Rewiring/Converting

-V4 STi Full Swap-
1. Acquiring the Clip
2. Phase 1 Complete: Drivetrain Separated From Clip
3. Rear End Goes In
4. Phase 2 Complete: Transmission and Turbo Crossmember Go In
5. Jake Saves My Ass (exhaust troubles fixed!)
6. Wiring Begins
7. EJ251 Comes Out
8. Wiring about done
9. EJ20K in and running!
10. EJ20K Debug
11. First Drive and Power Steering
12. EGT
13. Exhaust Video

-Out of Date Mods
1. Exhaust + Video (Now not relevant, as car is swapped now)
2. Goldies
3. WRX/STi Keyhole Light
4. V6 STi CF Strut Bar (No longer on car)
5. Leather Shift Boot
6. RSTi Badge
7. TiC Shifter U-Joint
8. Pink I Badge
9. CD Player Delete
10. Stoptech Brake Pads and SS Lines
11. Prodrive IC Coupler
12. Version 6 STi type R Struts/Springs
13. GC STi Intercooler Cowl
14. Cusco Carbon Fiber Rear Strut Brace
15. GReddy Boost Gauge
16. Ohlins Fixed Perch Struts/Bestex Lowering Springs
17. STi Tarmac/Gymkhana Springs
18. STi Showa Height Adjustable Suspension w/ STi Pink Springs + Group N Tophats
19. STi Intercooler Coupler
20. Defi Link 52mm white/green Oil Temperature Gauge

-Out of Date Maintenance
1. Toe In Issue Addressed
2. Bumper Paint
3. EJ20k Knock Sensor Replacement
4. EJ20k Valve Cover Gasket Replacement
5. EJ20k Oil Sender Gasket (plus bonus RX-7 content!)
6. Sunroof Motor/Relay Fix
7. Throw out bearing, pilot bearing, valve cover gasket, coolant flush Fix
8. Turbo Inlet + Engine Harness Refreshing
9. Intercooler Y Pipe Gaskets
10. Front Brake Replacement - Project Mu B-Spec
11. OEM Yazaki Spark Plug Wires + Coil Pack
 

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#2,195 ·
The car looks great! I'm sure you're the one who appreciates it most, but those pictures are incredible. Do you have additional plans for the car then, or is it pretty much a finished project? 'Finished project' being an oxymoron for me apparently haha
 
#2,197 ·
Thanks everyone!!



I've got a bunch of stuff to do yet, oil cooler, wiper, and some other little things and a POSSIBLE 6 speed in the not so distant future.... so... as you'd imagine it's still an everlasting project.

Main things in the menu right now are getting the engine calibration all set and installing the oil cooler so I can go do some racing. I wish I had a better way to document engine tuning, but because I have no idea what I am doing and am only pretending, it's hard for me to write stuff out about it.
 
#2,196 ·
Color Matched Sideskirts/Spats

Got them on. Car is much better looking! Missing the rear aerogaurds, mostly because I didn't have any that were painted, but I don't hate the look. I'll prolly get some that are color matched and toss em on eventually. Simple as that.

Here's some pictures.









And then I went out and tried some more light painting with the proper camera. Pretty happy with how the picture turned out, but I need to some more for some better shots.



That is all!
 
#2,204 · (Edited)
Defi DIN Gauge Pack

So I had originally planned for some wild intricate gauge pack in the center of the car and reality sort of hit that I needed some gauges to go racing and didn't have time to make everything work right, and make it look clean so I caved in an bought a set of (used) Defi DIN gauges.

I bought them for a RHD car to the tune of about $200 less than brand new for a LHD car assuming I could do what I thought I could do: tear the thing apart and just flip the gauges over. I was planning on opening the pack up to put a custom screen in anyways in the future so I wasn't really worried about popping it open and breaking it, or finding out what I wanted wouldn't work.

So I got it in the mail and immediately opened it up.



The good news was that I could just flip everything over and have it work... for sake of the exterior piece.. that will now forever say "Defi" backwards and upside down.




While I was at it, I roughly measured out how bad it would be to put a screen in one of the slots.. and with my smallest screen it doesn't look impossible.. though I will need to get a smaller one.

I'll end up putting some ECU parameters on this as I don't really need coolant temp and oil temp/pressure is what I am after anyways.




Anyways, for the time being they are going in car as it is and luckily enough, all I had to do was add in the pressure sender and reuse my oil temp sender with the new style Defi controller plugs.

I decided to add in the pressure sender in place of the factory oil pressure switch. I kind of didn't want to do this as it's nice to have an extra "hey idiot" light, but I have an idea of how to make this light work as a settable warm light on the cluster. More on that later... I already have too many ideas and projects..




The rest was your simple run wires and bolt things up situation. I used a brand new OEM pod kit and the unit bolted right up to the DIN bracket. There are a few gaps that I'm not super excited about, but they don't seem to be that big of a deal. I have a few ideas if I decide I don't like the gaps in the future.







Right now the rightmost temp gauge isn't hooked up and sorta just bounces back and forth.. but.. that's fine because the pressure and temp work perfectly and I'll end up removing the other temp in the near future.

I already sort of miss the pocket.. but I should be able to adapt. I think also in the future I am going to paint the needle white pieces black to match the cluster, but that would be too OCD for trying to get the car to the racetrack at the start of June.

That's all for now :)

UPDATE: Swapped the upside down Defi bezel for an STi one: Equinox's RBP V8 EJ207 STi Swapped RSTi -...
 
#2,209 · (Edited)
Spec C Oil Cooler + Timing Belt + More

Woo! More mods! Let's get this story started, because it's a decent one.

So I started out with with an S202 oil cooler kit, as well as a Spec C thermostat adapter and my thought process was that whichever one made sense to use, I'd use. The S202 had the advantage of being bigger, and would have more mounting freedom in the GC that wasn't made for either kit. The Spec C adapter had the fact that it would clear the twinscroll headers easier, but I was missing pieces.

Regardless, before I added in the business, I needed to swap over the water pump to one with 2 ports and not 3, pull out the OEM oil warmer, and plug the galley plug that sends coolant to the warmer. To do this I bought a new 08 WRX pump and while I was at it I grabbed a Gates Timing Belt kit, with the OEM bearings of course. Standard job, pulled everything apart and got going.




Pulled the bumper off so I could easily mount and play with the cooler. When i opened up the covers I found something interesting...




Nope that's pretty standard.




As is this..



Yep that all makes sense.




Huh. That makes a little less sense.

Timing was a tooth off. No idea for how long, if it happened back in Japan, or while I've been driving, who knows. Both exhaust cam gears were off and so I just decided to put em back to where they were meant to be.

The tensioner looked like it may have had a weird moment, but hard to say really.





Comparison between new/old pump..






Oil warmer out and old coolant nipple out..






Didn't have the right size allen bit, so I finally found a use for the torx plus bits I have.





So cool, timing done, new hardware in, old hardware out, time to try to check fitment of both...


... but to save you all the pictures I took it came down to this: The S202 adapter fit okay, but routing the AN lines was a pain in the ass. The Spec C adapter fit flawlessly, but was super close to the firewall. Not the biggest deal.

The story gets good when a buddy who lives across the state and I were in the opposite prediciments. We both were trying to install oil cooler kits on our cars (his is a V7 STi swapped bugeye) and were both having fitment problems. I had the S202 kit, he had the entire Spec C kit. Neither fit either car, so we decided to trade. I gave him a buzz and a few hours later and some beer and conversation later, I had a full Spec C kit, and he had a full S202 kit. Things work out super well sometimes.

Went to bed for the night and started up the Mini to drive to work for the first time in weeks.


Immediately got to work upon getting home on Monday, and once again I'll save you a ton of pictures and struggle, but I basically took 4 hours to bend/fit/mount and generally fit the Spec C kit on to the GC. I did the same thing on Tuesday afternoon and made some brackets for mounting. It took me a while, because I'm mostly spatially challenged (this is why I am a software engineer), but what I ended up with is something I am super satisfied with.

I had to notch the bumper mount a tiny bit, and cut some pieces on the lines themselves, but it's attached to the body, adapter, and the core. Woo!






Used a little bit of sliced rubber line to make a bit of a padding around the headlight metal.







While I was in there I also notched a PS reservoir mount (from said buddy) to work with the beam bolt.




not the prettiest, but it's sturdy and mounts the PS reservoir that's been hanging there for months. Still have good access to the headlight plug and everything else too!

I also had to trim the bumper about an inch or so to clear the core. I had drilled two small holes into the front rad frame to mount it as well. Shouls also note, I painted over all my bare metal. Prolly won't do a lick of good, but.. at least I tried.








While everything was off I also replaced the destroyed fog brackets and added in the orange bumper vents on the bumper.



Ended the night with just needing to grab fluids and screw together a few things.

Tonight I added oil (put in some 5w50 Castrol Synthetic, bit thicker than what I've used before), put in coolant and buttoned everything up.


Started her up and already idled much better with timing on point. Went for a short drive and got the oil nice and warm. Looks like the t stat opens around 85 *C and temps drop around 15 degrees C with normal driving. Dunno, will have a better report as I drive more.




Gave the car a quick wash before final assembly.




Super happy with the work done. Super happy with being able to drive a fun car to work (the Mini) and come home and work slowly on a car I love. I feel more confident in the car and myself after having done this, and now I just need to play with the timing/boost maps a bit after actually having timing on point now... hahaha... all in due time though. VERY CLOSE TO PERFECT and race day is 3 weeks out!
 
#2,214 ·
Looks great! I didn't know there was a difference in the s202 vs spec C Kit's. That would make sense for the EL vs UEL headers though. Super cool you were able to trade parts with your friend! Those OEM cooler kits are rare and $$$.

I need to get off my ass and install my MFactory oil cooler kit I have had sitting BNIB since 2012...

Is the core gonna clear your A/C condenser where you have it mounted?

Speaking of which not having the condenser in there makes easy access for the timing belt! I'm sure you are aware of this but the JDM motors have a 60k miles timing belt change interval ca the USDM 105k miles. Probably due to the higher redline.
 
#2,216 ·
Gingerman for Gridlife Midwest

Looks great! I didn't know there was a difference in the s202 vs spec C Kit's. That would make sense for the EL vs UEL headers though. Super cool you were able to trade parts with your friend! Those OEM cooler kits are rare and $$$.

I need to get off my ass and install my MFactory oil cooler kit I have had sitting BNIB since 2012...

Is the core gonna clear your A/C condenser where you have it mounted?

Speaking of which not having the condenser in there makes easy access for the timing belt! I'm sure you are aware of this but the JDM motors have a 60k miles timing belt change interval ca the USDM 105k miles. Probably due to the higher redline.
Yeah the condenser fits in just fine, i checked before final assembly.. it's just a clusterrrrrr of a mess with the condenser because it's a phase 2 condenser with a phase 1 radiator. It needs to be addressed.

T belt maintenance periods are just different because of the "intended drive cycle/use" between the US and Japan. Parts are functionally the same and redline shouldn't REALLY matter, but maybe.
 
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