I was wondering what the best and cheapest swap would be. I'll be hopefully getting a 2000 2.5RS in the next year. And i was wondering what the best route to go would be. I would like to do somthing that would be relativly quick and isnt going to break or have to be serviced alot. I'm sure that would depend on who does the job and how good they do it. Just wondering on a rough estimate and how much time this would take.
And somthing that wouldnt be a pain to mod or find parts for.

I wanted to maybe try to swap in the 2.5L 04 STi motor, tranny and drivetrain, but I know that that would be way to expensive. I think my thoughts are way to high.

Any input would be great! Thanks in advance.

Originally posted by m477m4n
.

I wanted to maybe try to swap in the 2.5L 04 STi motor, tranny and drivetrain, but I know that that would be way to expensive. I think my thoughts are way to high.



Stupid expencive. You can get the same power much much cheeper.

A wrx swap is the cheepest you are going to get. Around 5 to $8k.

yeah nothing about a swap is either fast or cheep...

cool... thanks :)

If you want factory reliablilty and fun power levels, get a USDM EJ205 swap with a catless uppipe, turboback exhaust and a Cobb Accessport ECU reflash. As was mentioned, the swap will run $5-8k installed. The upgrades will be another $2k and you will have arond 275hp at the crank on pump gas. And being 300lbs lighter than comparibly setup WRX's, with proper suspension and brakes, you can take them on the street and at the auto-x...

Why would a swap cost so much? I thought you could get the motors for about 3k and another 1k in misc. parts and equipment.

Where do you guys get the motors from? I plan on making this a summer project, and have browsed the forum for information and so far its been very benefical.



Matt

because the wireing is a nightmare.

mechanically 10-15 hrs max wireing 50-60 hrs min (i made those numebrs up btw i used an aftermarcket ecu.. but wished i hadn't)

yeah with a mechanic and I doing mine it took roughly 55 hours for everything...mechanical took us 8 and wiring about 45-50...

Originally posted by arcadian
Why would a swap cost so much? I thought you could get the motors for about 3k and another 1k in misc. parts and equipment.

Where do you guys get the motors from? I plan on making this a summer project, and have browsed the forum for information and so far its been very benefical.



Matt


since when is $4000 not a lot of money? $1000 sounds low to me for misc. what about fluids, mounts, guages, tools, trannies, brakes, aftermarkeettttttttt etc.

Yup, plus why go with a 2.5RS if you're planning to swap anyways? I just got the cheapest/lightest model I could find without rust (which is amazing in Wisconsin, even with a '97). My hope is to find a rolled or just rear-end hit US STi, then swap EVERYTHING in during this summer as I have my motorcycle to cruise around on. I figure if I can get a complete car for $10-$14K I'd be happy. Essentially I think of it as getting a new STi without having to pay the insurance, and it's a cheaper sleeper. I have a girlfriend of 4 years, so I don't need a babe magnet, I need something that goes under radar like you wouldn't believe. Hopefully, this will be the car to do it. Plus, it will be fun as hell on track days and auto crosses. I'm in college right now, and I plan to start a business when I graduate, so a couple bucks for an essentially brand new dreamcar for me (I commute) would be damned nice. Oh, BTW, if anybody knows of a rolled or rear hit STi that could be bought from insurance, with brakes and everything, I would greatly appreciate it if you could PM me. Thanks. And good luck with your swap, it's good that you're planning ahead and getting your prices right.

Ozaukee:huh:

FYI a USDM STI swap into a older impreza has never been done. i guess the throttle by wire scares most people away. but 300 factory hp, on pump gas sounds like sweet.

Originally posted by RS_to_WRX_swap
FYI a USDM STI swap into a older impreza has never been done. i guess the throttle by wire scares most people away. but 300 factory hp, on pump gas sounds like sweet.

Not so much the wires... as the stupid expencive parts. A full long block going for over $8k. And you can have the same power from a 2.2 or 2.0. Hell you can get a full jdm front clip for the price of the bare long block.

Originally posted by totoherbs
Not so much the wires... as the stupid expencive parts. A full long block going for over $8k. And you can have the same power from a 2.2 or 2.0. Hell you can get a full jdm front clip for the price of the bare long block.

your talking about a new usdm sti long block being 8k, right?

Yeah, I'm more concerned with full US legal in every state as I might end up in California at any time and don't want to risk losing a nicely swapped car. The novelty of 300hp on pump gas is appealing isn't it?;) I know I could have more power for less, but really day to day I think this is what I'd like to do. I'd like to avoid any possible hassle, it just makes me fuzzy inside knowing I'm not doing anything wrong. Plus, the 2.5 will have nice mods soon enough, it's not like I'll have the dough immediately after the swap to start "needing" more power.:huh: Good lord no! I think between 300-375 would do nicely for the next 3-4 years. Plus, I'd buy a new STi and scrounge to make payments and insurance, but why bother? I'd just as soon make payments on the swap, get it paid off like a nice little Honda, and be plenty quick enough to get to school on time, driving the posted limits mind you :p

Ozaukee

Totoherbs, my biggest deal is simplicity and ease to use everyday, and I trust that by the time I need big power, I will have the scratch to get it. Plus, I just want to put nearly everything from the STi into my car, so I figure it would be best to just go with a wrecked US car that still has everything on it and begin switching parts.

Doing a wrx swap and putting in a 2.5 sti short block will always be cheeper. Because of all the extra time its going to take to wire the sti motor in. You can pass a wrx swap by CARB, you can even pass a JDM swap by CARB.

If you swap a sti block in your car and get it registered and CARB approved your car will say RS-sti or L- STi. Just like the honda civics with gs-r motors, its says civic GS-r. And the insurance will reflect this change. So dont think insurance is going to be any cheeper. ;)

I will be putting in my 2.5 motor in my 03. I will have available a complete 2.0. Including turbo, IC, injectors, up pipe and TB exhaust. 16,500 miles on it. Hell radiator and hoses if you want. You may have a need, I may have on soon..........


Probably closer to $2,500.

I agree with Toto... A set of USDM WRX heads mated up to an STi 2.5 shortblock has the potential for 400Whp... and, yes it has been done before.

-STi shortblock: $1500
-WRX heads (used): approx $500-700
-Misc (turbo/hoses/intercooler/exhaust/ECU, etc.): $2000-$4000

Of course, this is all relative and add $1000-2000 for installation from a mechanic. I actually wish I would have gone this route because I would have had MORE power LEGALLY for LESSSSS....

Oh, well...

Do you have any examples of this you could point us to? Sounds too good to be true...

Ozaukee

No Swap is cheap unless you have a Wiring Guru....:huh:

Ron

Originally posted by Ozaukee
Do you have any examples of this you could point us to? Sounds too good to be true...

Ozaukee

The part when I said "yes it has been done before" is about the 400WHP from a STi shortblock using WRX heads... That is just the potential with that setup if you want to mod the hell out of it. Here is a link to a car that has the STi shortblock and STi version 8 heads (similar to WRX heads but with AVCS and more agressive cams):

http://www.pdxtuning.com/featuredcars/jeffs.htm

His name is Jeff Sponaugle and I think he is pushing over 450 WHP... of course with ALOT of other mods.

If you do the WRX swap it will be better for putting a higher stage turbo, because of the low compression it feeds off turbos, whereas the STi shortblock 2.5 can run a turbo, but I wouldn't recommend running more than 9psi without getting internals, which would be like 40whp! So keep that in mind!!!!!!!!!!

www.cardomain.com/id/hoxypad
(my project vehicle - engine swap soon!)

Originally posted by hoxypad
If you do the WRX swap it will be better for putting a higher stage turbo, because of the low compression it feeds off turbos, whereas the STi shortblock 2.5 can run a turbo, but I wouldn't recommend running more than 9psi without getting internals, which would be like 40whp! So keep that in mind!!!!!

Bro, you are DEAD wrong. Actually, there are people runnin 23 psi on a STi shortblock. It is the WRX block that is weak past 16psi. Do some research and then respond.

I meant the 2.5L out of the RS, I didn't mean the Sti, that was my fault, I am way too tired to be doing this ****....

I have done research, as far as the shortblock, yes it can be ran actually up to 29psi, not just 23, take care man!

Originally posted by grnlantern1
No Swap is cheap unless you have a Wiring Guru....:huh:

Ron

how much would be the wrx swap w/o labor?

i am a EE major, so i think i can do that wiring job.

Wiring gets boring as hell, but if I could curl up with the wiring for a few nights when I've got nothing better to do, I'd actually be up for it. I just re-did a lot of wiring on my motorcycle (my first real wiring project) and I really liked it, but I wish I had used a comfortable chair and not mounted myself on a spare cooler in the garage doing it while on the bike. I think I'll go for a jdm V7 STi set-up, should be more than good enough for me for a while, atleast until 2007. Thanks for all the help guys! And good luck to others!

Ozaukee

Originally posted by RS_to_WRX_swap
since when is $4000 not a lot of money?
When you dont have $4000

I personally have seen a 2002 WRX with a 2.0 running around 30psi. They hold up well. I myself will be swapping a 2.0 into my 2004 Forester X. All said and done it will cost about $6K with the crate engine I have already got.

Originally posted by Ozaukee
Yup, plus why go with a 2.5RS if you're planning to swap anyways? I just got the cheapest/lightest model I could find without rust

I did the same thing...bought a 94 L w/ awd, abs (4 wheel disc), power everything, 4 door, that weighed only 2650...got the car for 3k and then spent 4k doing the engine swap...
I would suggest just getting the WRX engine in and running fine, then you can start to mod it. You will have a 13 second car with 227 bhp :d then just do the typical WRX mods and upgrades...
Take it easy, Micah
I have since invested more though...wish I had done the uppipe before the engine was ine:rolleyes:

Originally posted by impreya
how much would be the wrx swap w/o labor?

i am a EE major, so i think i can do that wiring job.

If you look earlier in the thread one is for sale for $2500. That is pretty average for base USDM swaps or front clips from an older standard JDM WRX...

if you are a EE major the schematics should be childs play for you. I got my motor with clutch, flywheel, wiring harness, ECU, all the turbo stuff, and only 11k on the motor for 2400 shipped...
Take it easy, Micah

Originally posted by benrock05201
I personally have seen a 2002 WRX with a 2.0 running around 30psi. They hold up well. I myself will be swapping a 2.0 into my 2004 Forester X. All said and done it will cost about $6K with the crate engine I have already got.

Unless that guy has O-ringed heads, I would tell him to have another shortblock on standby for when it blows.... and tell him to wear a flack jacket for the shrapnel. :lol:

^^^^^yeah, what he said. Cars that are running 30psi on USDM EJ205's are blowing up left and right. It is just too much for that engine. The "they hold up quite well" part is what is wrong. They hold up for 20-25K and then they fry rings or crack pistons or any other number of bad things. For me, 25k is not holding up well. I believe in build it right, once. And that means my high powered build had better last me 75-100k mi!!!

Originally posted by Matt Monson
^^^^^yeah, what he said. Cars that are running 30psi on USDM EJ205's are blowing up left and right. It is just too much for that engine. The "they hold up quite well" part is what is wrong. They hold up for 20-25K and then they fry rings or crack pistons or any other number of bad things. For me, 25k is not holding up well. I believe in build it right, once. And that means my high powered build had better last me 75-100k mi!!!

Yup.


Originally posted by hoxypad
I meant the 2.5L out of the RS, I didn't mean the Sti, that was my fault, I am way too tired to be doing this ****....

I have done research, as far as the shortblock, yes it can be ran actually up to 29psi, not just 23, take care man!

What short block the 2.5? Maybe for a few k, but many builders have said the safe(more then 20k miles) limit is 23-24. On the ej257. This isnt D.E.T. we are talking about here...