New: Project 22T

[ScottyS]

Update 2/25/13:

Well, as we all know, this is no longer a budget car, but at least it's still here!

Swapped the Revtronix-chipped EJ22T ECU to a Robtune-chipped EJ20G ECU (JDM Yo!) programmed by Rob from NASIOC over the weekend. It's a ~6-wire harness edit, with the addition of Rob's spark convertor module to run the Legacy ignition. When using a 92-94 N/A Legacy ECU case, it fits right into the stock location. The install took about an hour and was totally painless. It started right up and ran amazing from the get-go.

The Revtronix tune was never fully developed, and had some inconsistencies transitioning from part to full throttle. Rob's been monkeying with OBD1 Subaru code for so long with tuned 20G's that he really has his tunes dialed, and it shows. The car is OEM smooth in all gears and power ranges, I can only imagine what a TD05 and 550's must be like.

This was the last serious flaw with the car for DD status, and it's nice to have it figured out. At this point, I will probably go back to the stock 3.9 gearbox, clutch, and rear end.

Here are some recent photos (no, the car was not clean).














The mod list as it currently stands:

Engine

EJ22T long block refreshed with rings/bearings/hone (thanks Cory!)
JDM 440 injectors (tested 440cc and 444cc by Witchhunter) in stock rails
JECS MAF
Robtune EJ20G ECU and spark adapter
Cheap ball/spring MBC @ 16psi
Custom in-fender cone filter intake (made out of two AEM/generic intake parts)
'02 WRX TD-04 turbo
'06 WRX TMIC with stock BPV
STi coolant tank
Diamond Coil Pack
6ga ground wires to coil, alt, MAF, batt, and both strut tower points
New and re-routed hoses all around
STi engine mounts
Kartboy battery tie-down
3" catless bellmouth DP
OEM '05 STi catback, length and hangers modified


Suspension/Steering/Brakes

STi steering rack modified for GC chassis
Poly steering rack bushings
V.5 STi front hubs (ABS disabled)
GC8 suspension assembly, KYB AGX and Prodrive P1 springs
Poly RSB link bushings
'03 WRX wagon FSB
'03 WRX front brakes/brackets/rotors
'01 RS 16x7 six-spokes
225/45/16 Hankook Ventus


Drivetrain

'95 Impreza 1.8 5MT 4.11 transmission
Redline Lightweight Shockproof gear oil
OEM Cable clutch, pressure plate, flywheel
4.11 rear diff with LSD carrier swap


Interior

'03 WRX front seats
Canadian manual seat belts
JDM Momo early Legacy wheel
Momo shift knob
Rear poly shifter bushing
LC-1 Wideband AFR
Boost/Vac gauge
35% tint all-around
Lowered seat brackets
New windshield

Originally Posted by Original Post

Feel free to add advice or comments on this.

Well, this week I came across a 1991 Legacy Sport Sedan that seems to have a good motor and needs some TLC. So, I'm going to start the project as see where it goes, goal being a reliable, sporty daily driver. On a budget of course.

The car as-is: 22T motor, 5MT transmission that sounds like a hand grenade when you add torque, LSD rear, stock interior, 6-spoke RS wheels.

I'm going to attack it on 3 fronts: Transmission; Exhaust; Upgrades.

Transmission: I really can't afford a 6mt swap or built RA tranny, especially not into a $1500 car. So, I think I will stick with another 5MT and not drive it into the ground. Since I'm not going to power this thing up too far, and I drive pretty conservatively, I think I can get away with an N/A tranny. Not sure on what models I am limited to yet or sources, still researching this one. Might even stick with a stockish clutch to protect the tranny as much as possible. I'm not a launcher.

Exhaust: simply due to age, I want to replace everything from the motor back. I will probably use: stock WRX manifold, stock WRX up-pipe, 3" downpipe, simple 3" straight all the way back, stock WRX, STi, or similar muffler. I figure this will be the lowest cost and also the most effective.

Upgrades: I want to make a bit more power and not stress anything. So, that means intercooler, modern turbo, and maybe a fuel pump or something. I will probably go with an '06 WRX TMIC and associated bits to make it fit. Not sure on the turbo yet, but I want the spool to be quick, I don't care too much about top end, probably just the ol' TD04. This in combo with the rest of the setup will hopefully be reliable and quick.

Misc. mods: As I go through the Legacy Central archives, I will probably do some little mods as I go.
I already took out the snorkel, it had a rodent hole in it anyhow.
It came with a red top Optima, so I'm good there.
It came with 6-spoke RS wheels, so I'm good there.
I added a little vacuum/boost gauge on the pillar.
I deleted a couple of heat shields, because they were broken and annoying. When things get serious I will wrap the downpipe.
Looking at the "coffee cup" mod (turbo silencer delete).
Will eventually put my spare set of WRX seats in.
Suspension will be upgraded as required and possible.

So, basically, I will start with the tranny and go from there. I will likely be asking some tech questions in regards to this.....

Yes, the thought of swapping the drivetrain into one of my much-better-looking wagons (cough cough) has occurred. At the same time, my LSi is really old and tired, and would need a full suspension/steering rebuild to be worthy, plus it is the newer, longer chassis and does not respond like an Impreza or 1st gen Legacy. The '98 Impreza is just too clean and smooth to take apart - it is the vehicle I want to delay wear and tear on, and I really like where it is right now, except for suspension.

Essentially, this project will give me some good mechanicin' experience, and offers fun rewards. I am purposefully leaving the body/interior alone in case a swap of some sort becomes attractive after I do the important stuff.

[bign]

I think I saw a full stock wrx exhaust for sale in reno craigslist. Check it out if that is what you are looking for.

[Kevin M]

You'll probably be fine with an NA gearbox since you won't be beating on the car. I think (but I'm not positive) the Leg has a 3.90 ratio, so basically any 1.8 or 2.2 gearbox will match except for '93 and '94. I would either go all-stock WRX/STi on exhaust, or all 3" from the turbo back. If you're going to use a stock catback you're not going to get much benefit from a non-stock downpipe.

[ScottyS]

Originally Posted by Kevin M

You'll probably be fine with an NA gearbox since you won't be beating on the car. I think (but I'm not positive) the Leg has a 3.90 ratio, so basically any 1.8 or 2.2 gearbox will match except for '93 and '94. I would either go all-stock WRX/STi on exhaust, or all 3" from the turbo back. If you're going to use a stock catback you're not going to get much benefit from a non-stock downpipe.

Yeah, the 3.9 ratio is correct. I remember you saying that the 1.8's had a closer ratio or something, and I imagine that they are on par with the 2.2's for durability. I just don't want to run into an electrical or mechanical non-compatibility.

On the exhaust, I just want a stock look on the muffler, maybe I can have the 3" pipe fitted to the muffler by the shop that does it? Aren't the WRX and STi stock mufflers pretty high-flow? I definitely don't want loud.

[Kevin M]

If you want it to look stock, just make a custom 3" catback with a Magnaflow and get the least blingy tip you can find put on it. Better yet, get a dual 2.5" outlet and you can stick stock STi tips on it.

[Joeyy]

Add some pictures to this thread for the fun of it please.

[sti deede]

Originally Posted by ScottyS

Yeah, the 3.9 ratio is correct. I remember you saying that the 1.8's had a closer ratio or something, and I imagine that they are on par with the 2.2's for durability. I just don't want to run into an electrical or mechanical non-compatibility.

On the exhaust, I just want a stock look on the muffler, maybe I can have the 3" pipe fitted to the muffler by the shop that does it? Aren't the WRX and STi stock mufflers pretty high-flow? I definitely don't want loud.

Josh has a Legacy Sport. Nothing done yet for power just suspension, but we did replace the old exhaust. It has an sti exhaust. Sounds good I would guess it would be plenty sufficent for an upgrade in turbo since it was design to operate the sti. You have to get the exhaust lengthen about 3" iirc, because the front to rear dimension is longer than the Imprezas.

It would be good to upgrade to an engine/ecu that excepts some kind of add on engine management. Josh hasn't done anything to his for power because he'd need a stand alone engine management. Also the engine in these cars is a closed deck model, so it can handle a decent amount of power if you can find a way to manage it.
When Josh wakes up I'll see if he can put some input in on the tread.

[ScottyS]

Originally Posted by Joeyy

Add some pictures to this thread for the fun of it please.

Done.

Nothing done yet for power just suspension, but we did replace the old exhaust. It has an sti exhaust. Sounds good I would guess it would be plenty sufficent for an upgrade in turbo since it was design to operate the sti. You have to get the exhaust lengthen about 3" iirc, because the front to rear dimension is longer than the Imprezas.

10-4, I take it that the STi exhaust sounds much better than stock. The only reason I am thinking 3" all the way, is that I want to do as much to make it efficient and add power that isn't taxing on the motor or requiring extra management and stuff.

If you want it to look stock, just make a custom 3" catback with a Magnaflow and get the least blingy tip you can find put on it. Better yet, get a dual 2.5" outlet and you can stick stock STi tips on it.

OK, I take it the STi muffler is not free-flow enough for a 3" pipe.

I think I saw a full stock wrx exhaust for sale in reno craigslist. Check it out if that is what you are looking for.

Thanks for the tip, I asked him and he said it's catback. Did not get to a price, as I am more interested in WRX headers and up-pipe and 3" turbo back right now I think. Good to meet you at the meet!

[cody]

Borla Hush almost looks stock and is quiet while still being 3 inches all the way...not cheap but the Borla Hush can is available for pretty cheap. Have a shop add it and a 3" resonator maybe if it isn't available in your fitment .

IIRC the STi CBE narrows to 2.5 or 2.25 and has baffles (not straight through). On a "stage II" 2L WRX an STi CBE would probably hold back 10HP while the WRX CBE holds back about 15 or so. But a 2.5 straight through would be plenty good at that power level. 3" is overkill but if you may ever upgrade to a medium or big turbo, you'll be ready.

[ScottyS]

Alright, I am tearing into this sooner than expected. It started raining oil yesterday, so I said screw it and slapped it on stands and started taking things apart.

I have the up-pipe, the turbo, and the downpipe off. The starter is off and I am clearing the decks for transaxle action.

The oil was coming from the turbo outlet hose, easy fix after taking it all apart.

The turbo itself was actually loose, with the exhaust housing rotating on the compressor side. There was enough play to almost touch the blade tips on the inner housing wall once I got it off the car. So, that turbo is not going back on. That means operation TD04+TMIC is a go.

Some questions:

1) On the hydraulic clutch (same as WRX), I was told there is some procedure for fixing the fork in place prior to pulling the tranny, otherwise PITA results upon reassembly. Anybody done this before? I might have to talk to Cory about this.

2) The WRX up-pipe has a cat in it, plus a sensor - is this an EGT sensor or something, and would I want to use it?

3) Will the catted WRX up-pipe provide less airflow and generate more heat than the open stock up-pipe? If so, I may just pull the trashed heat-shields on the stock one, wrap it in that heat-tape, and put it back on. Comments?

4) There seems to be a lot of oil blow-by in the various vacuum/crankcase hoses coming back to the intake side, is that bad?

[MPREZIV]

You actually need to remove the fork before you pull the trans. If it's the same as a WRX, there will be a 10mm hex cap on the driver's side of the trans, near the slave cylinder. You remove this cap, and there's a big pin inside of it that the clutch fork pivots on. If I recall correctly, a 6mm bolt screws into the end of this pin, which allows you to pull the pin out, removing it from it's bore in the middle of the clutch fork. Then you just grab the top of the fork and pull it up out of the throw-out bearing. You'll know when it's free 'cause it'll just flop around in the hole there, but you won't be able to remove it completely. Just be sure it's out of the throw-out bearing, and let it rest in the top of the trans.

When you go to put the tranny back in, I'll tell you the ancient Japanese secret for putting it back!

[cody]

Lube it with soy sauce?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by ScottyS

Some questions:

1) On the hydraulic clutch (same as WRX), I was told there is some procedure for fixing the fork in place prior to pulling the tranny, otherwise PITA results upon reassembly. Anybody done this before? I might have to talk to Cory about this.

What Cory said. The fork gets disengaged from the throw-out bearing and the motor/tranny can get separated.

Originally Posted by ScottyS

2) The WRX up-pipe has a cat in it, plus a sensor - is this an EGT sensor or something, and would I want to use it?

The sensor in the WRX up-pipe is an EGT sensor. You don't want to use it unless the Leggy ECU has an input for it that it needs. Even then, you can ditch that EGT and replace it with some resistors to prevent a CEL (at least on a WRX) as the EGT is only used for emissions to know when the up-pipe cat is at temperature.

Originally Posted by ScottyS

3) Will the catted WRX up-pipe provide less airflow and generate more heat than the open stock up-pipe? If so, I may just pull the trashed heat-shields on the stock one, wrap it in that heat-tape, and put it back on. Comments?

As long as the stock up-pipe is of similar size, and is in decent condition, I'd use it rather than a catted WRX pipe. Or you could go all banzai on the WRX UP and drill out the cat... just try to avoid getting cancer while doing so. Either way, the less restriction and the less chance of something blowing through the turbo, the better.

Originally Posted by ScottyS

4) There seems to be a lot of oil blow-by in the various vacuum/crankcase hoses coming back to the intake side, is that bad?

Sounds like the compression on the motor may be down. If you've got the time and money, it might be prudent to pull the motor apart, hone the cylinders, slap on some new rings, and do the head gaskets while you're at it. The 22T block is a terrific block, but even it wears out with mileage. Get the compression and leak-down checked to at least see where you're at.

Or alternatively, a proper pair of catch cans will help keep the intake clean even with the blow-by of loose rings... allowing you to run the motor cleanly without spending the cash on a rebuild.

[ScottyS]

Originally Posted by sperry

As long as the stock up-pipe is of similar size, and is in decent condition, I'd use it rather than a catted WRX pipe.

I think I will do this, the ID is identical.

Originally Posted by sperry

Sounds like the compression on the motor may be down. If you've got the time and money, it might be prudent to pull the motor apart, hone the cylinders, slap on some new rings, and do the head gaskets while you're at it. The 22T block is a terrific block, but even it wears out with mileage. Get the compression and leak-down checked to at least see where you're at.

Or alternatively, a proper pair of catch cans will help keep the intake clean even with the blow-by of loose rings... allowing you to run the motor cleanly without spending the cash on a rebuild.

I was planning on turning my attention to the motor after getting the immediate problems rectified. The timing covers need replacement anyway. It seemed to run well enough to commute with for a while, so as long as the oil in the intake does not harm anything (turbo, TMIC ?) I will run as-is for a bit.

If there is a danger with the blow-by, then I will look into the catch can thing.

[ScottyS]

OK, I will post the techie stuff over in the right place.

As for current news, the car is on stands, the transaxle, turbo, and exhaust are out, and I will be sourcing clutch and related parts this week. I have almost all the other stuff that I want to do ready:

Stock WRX headers
Catless WRX up-pipe
WRX TD04 turbo
2006 WRX TMIC
Stock 2005 STi exhaust turbo-back
1993 Impreza 5MT and diff

If I slap it all back together and the scary noises are not all gone, then engine rebuild time (no, no not yet please!).

[ScottyS]

Clutch swap to cable from hydro is underway.

[Kevin M]

Why are you switching to cable? I'm pretty sure that a nonturbo slave cylinder and clutch fork wil work just fine, unless there's just no way to mount the slave.

[ScottyS]

Well, I'm not familiar with another hydro setup, you are saying that the non-turbo hydro would not have the large cross-pin like Cory described removing (that the cable transmission is not machined for)? My books only showed the one hydro design.

In any case, the hydro system could use a refresh, as it was not exactly performing like new. I also have cables on all the other Subies I've gotten for the family, so I feel more comfortable with them. Plus, except for getting the hydro pedal box out, the conversion has been a snap, and cost less than $15 for the pedals and cable.

[Kevin M]

Cable <<< hydro for clutch setup. All you have to switch from where you are now is to go back to the hydro pedal box and change the slave cylinder, and possibly the clutch fork. It would then be the easy setup for pulling/installing the gearbox in the future.

[ScottyS]

Originally Posted by Kevin M

Cable <<< hydro for clutch setup. All you have to switch from where you are now is to go back to the hydro pedal box and change the slave cylinder, and possibly the clutch fork. It would then be the easy setup for pulling/installing the gearbox in the future.

In order for hydro system to work with the transmission I got from you, the slave cylinder would need to be reversed in direction from the old setup. Because I literally have no idea if that type of setup exists, I don't know if the brackets, cylinder travel, alignment, forces, etc would even work with the setup. Perhaps it does exist, but I don't have a diagram or layout showing all the small parts needed.

I want this to be factory reliable first, the exact system used does not matter since it ain't a race car. I'm planning on retaining the hydro bits, in case I get ambitious down the road and need the extra heavy duty capacity.

At this point, because I don't even know if just changing the tranny, exhaust, and turbo will solve the problems, I would prefer just to get it to the point where I can drive the sucker. This is taking so long because I am getting the complete education on the procedure and small parts as I go. If I had all the pieces in place, this would have been done days ago and I could go on with evaluating the motor condition.

Really, pulling the tranny was a pretty simple deal, it's the unfamiliarity and small pieces that's killing me now......doing a tranny swap with no system modifications or changes would be super simple in the future. I say this of course before knowing if it runs once bolted together....

[Kevin M]

All NA hydro clutches (mainly the RS, Forester and some Legacys) use the reversed slave cylinder. What I can't tell you without looking is if your motor has the threaded bosses where it would mount, or if it's on the motor or transmission in the NA hydro setups.

I'm just recommending trying to keep the hydro because in my experience, it's better. Not that the cable system doesn't work at all. The hydro system would meet your goal of factory reliability plus simple future repairs or replacements.

[ScottyS]

Well then, I might rebuild the hydro seals and swap it back when I get bored....

[BOO]

Sweet Legacy!! I was Torn between this and the 91 GVR-4 back in the day. Even now I rant and rave about this model. Good Luck.. I remember when I was kinda looking for one they were all Auto and not the 5sp.

[ScottyS]

OK, got her running today.

Mainly, I got tired of fooling around with several issues at once and decided to put all the stock bits back on and see if the new diff and tranny worked. They do, with a little bit of noise, but nothing like what was going on before.

The turbo, exhaust, and TMIC all have little fitment issues that I will be able to address piecemeal rather than leave it all torn apart.

What I did find out with all this is that a nice tranny jack and tall stands make all the difference. The actual fitting up of the new tranny took all of 15min with no blood or sweat. Being able to adjust everything makes all the difference. In the future, I anticipate JUST tranny swaps to go easy, the annoying part is bolting all the little stuff back on....you know, axles, exhaust, and stuff.

I think I might have the clutch adjusted a little too tight, IE the first half of the pedal stroke does the full disengagement. Wouldn't it be better if I allowed a little more pedal freeplay?

[ScottyS]

NO WAY.

So, after getting my car running last night with the new trans and diff I drove it around for a few miles and everything seemed OK.

Today, I drove it about 20 miles and upon reaching my destination found oil dripping fast....I checked the level, put some more in, and proceeded towards the nearest store....I got maybe 500 feet and then the racket started. Basically that same sound it had before only under driveline load, only this time with no load added.

It took about 0.3 secs to realize the motor was toast. Just got it towed home (thanks AAA Plus). So, the motor was going after all.....

If I do a rebuild, I will not be going for power and mods, I would want to get it back to factory spec, or at least spec with updated components if available. Not really interested in messing with hybrid motor stuff.

All I have right now are images of Scott's WRX flashing through my head.....