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Old 02-15-2009, 02:10 AM   #1
Restomage
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Default New here; sti motor into baja?

Hi everyone I'm new here, and long story short I'm a big-time fisherman/outdoorsman and I own an RSX-S, so I'm sure you can see the problem between the two already. I've been thinking of selling it and buying a Baja because its more practical for what I'm looking for. It's AWD, has somewhat of a bed, and its small enough where I'll still actually have fun driving it. However I was just wondering if anyone has done an STI motor swap into one. I don't know much about Subies, so I don't even know if its possible, but I'm assuming you need at least the motor, transmission, and the ECU, am I forgetting anything else? How much would run me to buy all of this with approx 50k miles on it with installation?
Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks .

(BTW I did a search, couldn't find anything, hell I can barely even find anything on the Baja since no one owns one.)
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Old 02-15-2009, 02:40 AM   #2
Restomage
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After doing a little more research, it seems as though doing a full swap wouldn't be worth it, considering from what I understand the baja/STI motors are quite similar. The differences I found between the two are the turbo itself, intercooler, up-pipe and ECU. It might be just worth my time just to do simple upgrades such as these. Still open for advice and opinions though.

Last edited by Restomage; 02-15-2009 at 02:46 AM.
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Old 02-15-2009, 08:41 AM   #3
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There is a STI converted Baja up for sale check the car sales personal. I think it would be a good conversion if you are looking at the 08 STi engine.
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Old 02-16-2009, 12:45 AM   #4
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why dont you just buy a Turbo baja. they come factory turboed. if you want sti power out of it, then buy a downpipe, full 3" exhaust, and a access port and get a good tuned map. you should be damn close to STi power. even converting to a td04 would be a good improvment over the vf40. but a vf39 you would be set.

other wise, if you insist on swaping, its a bolt in swap. and very easy to do. (to me anyways)

motor swaps would cost you 4k even. Plus other parts that are always needed (small things)

and then if you had to do labor as well.. well count on 90 bucks an hour and a 40 hour minimum. wayy to much money would not be worth it at all.

then you can add in another 5k plus more parts and more labor if you wanted to convert to a STi 6spd tranny. and thats only if the axles work. you might have to do a axle and hubs swap. which means you have to do a brake swap as well. So theres anotehr 3 grand out the window. and with the brake swap requires STi wheels, or wheels with the same specs as STi wheels. so theres another 1000 bucks minimum out the door in new wheels and tires.

I just bought my turbo baja 2 days ago... got it for 14,900. has 50k miles on it. and of course its turboed. factory pushes 210 hp. on the small little vf40 turbo.

Convert to a vf39 (500 bucks)
Bigger injectors (150 bucks)
Fuel pump (20-100 bucks)
Down pipe (100 bucks)
Up pipe (100 bucks)
Cab back exhaust (500ish bucks)
Larger intercooler (200 bucks)
access port (600 bucks)
Solid dyno tune (250 bucks)

and your going to be pushing a conciderable ammount more horsepower than a stock STi... and thats only 2400 bucks out the window.
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Old 02-16-2009, 02:47 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SubarusRmyThing View Post
why dont you just buy a Turbo baja. they come factory turboed. if you want sti power out of it, then buy a downpipe, full 3" exhaust, and a access port and get a good tuned map. you should be damn close to STi power. even converting to a td04 would be a good improvment over the vf40. but a vf39 you would be set.

other wise, if you insist on swaping, its a bolt in swap. and very easy to do. (to me anyways)

motor swaps would cost you 4k even. Plus other parts that are always needed (small things)

and then if you had to do labor as well.. well count on 90 bucks an hour and a 40 hour minimum. wayy to much money would not be worth it at all.

then you can add in another 5k plus more parts and more labor if you wanted to convert to a STi 6spd tranny. and thats only if the axles work. you might have to do a axle and hubs swap. which means you have to do a brake swap as well. So theres anotehr 3 grand out the window. and with the brake swap requires STi wheels, or wheels with the same specs as STi wheels. so theres another 1000 bucks minimum out the door in new wheels and tires.

I just bought my turbo baja 2 days ago... got it for 14,900. has 50k miles on it. and of course its turboed. factory pushes 210 hp. on the small little vf40 turbo.

Convert to a vf39 (500 bucks)
Bigger injectors (150 bucks)
Fuel pump (20-100 bucks)
Down pipe (100 bucks)
Up pipe (100 bucks)
Cab back exhaust (500ish bucks)
Larger intercooler (200 bucks)
access port (600 bucks)
Solid dyno tune (250 bucks)

and your going to be pushing a conciderable ammount more horsepower than a stock STi... and thats only 2400 bucks out the window.
Thanks for the info. My plan as of now is to hopefully buy a Baja Turbo and do all those mods you just mentioned. I'm hoping to sell my '04 RSX-S for ~$15k and pick up a baja with around 60-70k miles for around $12-13k. Is the vf39 turbo the one on the current generation STIs?
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Old 02-16-2009, 03:24 AM   #6
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no its not in the current sti's but its the one to have. quick spool up with almost identical boost.. kinda want a vf39 in mine
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Old 02-16-2009, 03:33 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 801_STi View Post
no its not in the current sti's but its the one to have. quick spool up with almost identical boost.. kinda want a vf39 in mine
Ok sounds good. Excuse my noobishness, I'm new to the whole subie scene, but which year does the vf39 turbo come from?
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Old 02-16-2009, 06:32 AM   #8
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ive always wanted to do one of these, how much could a cheap conversion, only for power, not so much looks. just throw somthin in and drive
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Old 02-16-2009, 12:51 PM   #9
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the only way your going to find a baja for 12-13k is buying a non turbo one.

cheapest ive ever seen a turbo one, is 15k and that was mine. most sell for 17-20k.

the Vf39 came in the 04-06 STi's. the VF34 came in the 07 STi's. if you can get your hands on a vf34, thats the one to have. but they are really expensive and hard to find. the 39 will serve you just fine. im not sure what they put on the 08 sti's.
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Old 02-16-2009, 01:56 PM   #10
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I picked up a wrecked '05 STI for 8K. 50K miles and no drivetrain damage. If you're going to do this swap, I recommend finding and buying a wreck so, you have something to pick all the little parts off of. There's alot more to an STI than the motor and trans. You should shoot for the whole package.
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Old 02-16-2009, 02:20 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 801_STi View Post
no its not in the current sti's but its the one to have. quick spool up with almost identical boost.. kinda want a vf39 in mine
That's a new one. You have a vf43 and WANT a 39? I'm sure you could make that happen very quickly.

OP: The reason they are saying vf39 is because it the most availiable. It was on 04-06 STIs. The 07s have a 43 which has a larger wastegate opening. ie: WAY better for the 2.5l with almost no chance for creep.
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Old 02-16-2009, 04:18 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SubarusRmyThing View Post
why dont you just buy a Turbo baja. they come factory turboed. if you want sti power out of it, then buy a downpipe, full 3" exhaust, and a access port and get a good tuned map.
Last time I checked there wasn't a Baja Accessport. Doing what you suggest requires purchasing an '04 STi ECU and then an STi Accessport. If he just wants STi power then he can just install the turbo, ECU and intercooler (intercooler is optional IMO). If he wants more and wants to put on a TBE, then he needs an AP.
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Old 02-17-2009, 12:08 AM   #13
SubarusRmyThing
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i thought i remember seeing a access port on a baja before... but i could be mistaken. i havnt looked into it yet. Then again.. that baja very well could have had a different ecu..
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Old 02-18-2009, 02:02 PM   #14
madmax718
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04 baja, if similiar to the 04 forester, may be able to use a direct ECU swap. But the baja is legacy chassie, so...
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Old 02-24-2009, 05:36 AM   #15
Restomage
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Another question to bug you guys with. My first plan is to put in a Vf39 turbo, STI TMIC, STI ecu, and maybe an up-pipe if I can afford it. Do all these parts just go straight on into the stock baja turbo engine or are there other components I need to buy? Am I forgetting anything? Also after getting these installed I need a tune right? ~ How much will that run me? Thanks in advance.
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Old 02-24-2009, 09:55 AM   #16
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if it's a turbo baja. bypass the sti ecu. just tune what you have. either an ots cobb stage two map, or a rom raider drop in. or custom tune. price depends on who does it (dyno/street tune, cobb/open source). the baja is essentially the sti engine, minus forged rods. everything else is interchangeable. dont forget catless up-pipe.
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Old 02-24-2009, 01:29 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oldskoolWRX View Post
if it's a turbo baja. bypass the sti ecu. just tune what you have. either an ots cobb stage two map, or a rom raider drop in. or custom tune. price depends on who does it (dyno/street tune, cobb/open source). the baja is essentially the sti engine, minus forged rods. everything else is interchangeable. dont forget catless up-pipe.
Pretty much what I'm trying to do (to start off with) is make as much horsepower as a stock STI. So won't I need the STI ecu in addition to the turbo, intercooler, and up-pipe to make about the same amount? Granted, there are other ways to make this HP but aren't these 4 components my easiest method?

Last edited by Restomage; 02-24-2009 at 04:26 PM.
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