turbo a 2.2 or EJ20T swap?

[RaceCarRiot]

i'm looking at doing a swap sometime in the future, and since we all know i research things to death before hand...

turbo a 2.2, or swap in a JDM/US EJ20T...which one, and why?

haltech or tec II engine management is given no matter what i decide...i'm not going to turn my car into an electrical/reliability nightmare to save some bucks...

if i go with a 2.2, i can swap it in now and get some kind of slight immediate 25hp gratification, and then build from there.

with the 2.0, there aren't any 'suprises'...and i can take advantage of greater US aftermarket support.

just looking to get some opinions here...

-adam-

ps--reliability and maximum driveability are of paramount concern...i'm keeping things firmly in the grip of reality, say around the output of a stock wrx, say 220~240hp. a 2.2 should be within that realm with less boost than a 2.0, no?

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[tcs007]

Keep the 2.2 litre, and down the road, get a Rigoli 2.4 stroker kit!:

[RaceCarRiot]

wow...i didn't know there were stroker kits for subarus...that takes me back to my aircooled VW days...

is it a longer stroke, with the same size bore so i won't have thin cylinder walls? if so...homer drooling comences. and where might i find one of these kits?

[Gerry]

Well it actually uses a 86mm custom crank. You will also need 4 grand for just the rods, pistons, and the crank. I would also suggest that you get a losed deck block for this specific kit..Gerry

[Portly]

If you're going to all the trouble of doing an engine swap anyway, I'd go the 2.0 route. Nothing against 2.2's, in fact I intend to turbo mine "someday". But it's already in the engine bay. If you're pulling and installing another engine, I'd seriously consider the 2.0 route. You get the higher redline, lower compression (which is good/bad, depending on how much boost you want...) and likely better heads.

Just my 2 cents.

Jeff

[DoinkMobb]

RaceCarRiot - 240 HP in a 2400 lb car? Sounds good to me. I wouldn't mind throwing an EJ20T or an EJ22T in my car. But aren't we all considering an engine swap in the "near future"?

I'd like a 240 HP FWD sleeper. 13" steelies with hubcaps, scratches and dents, caked in dirt at all times, broken passenger side door handle...my car is beautiful. I think it'd be pretty funny blowing the doors off a pretty little Civic in a dirty boring Impreza...with only a monstrous FMIC to give it away.

[wac]

if i go with a 2.2, i can swap it in now and get some kind of slight immediate 25hp gratification, and then build from there.

(SNIP)

ps--reliability and maximum driveability are of paramount concern...i'm keeping things firmly in the grip of reality, say around the output of a stock wrx, say 220~240hp. a 2.2 should be within that realm with less boost than a 2.0, no?

2.2L with 7 psi is about equivalent to the WRX' stock motor, which is easily done with a well-tuned motor. The high compression is very useful when driving around town (parking lots, especially) - there's actually torque below 3000 rpm!

If you do go with the 2.2L, please do a little preventive maintenance and get the heads o-ringed before you drop the motor in. Copper gaskets and aftermarket head bolts optional.

-WaC
Wayne

[RaceCarRiot]

i think i'm leaning towards the 2.2...since i can do it now, and then if i chicken out, or whatever...at least i'll have 400 more cc's of displacement than when i started.

and of course once i put that in, while i've got the engine out it'll be time for STi mounts, and an upgraded clutch/lightened flywheel.

so i'll have a little more to play with right off the bat, and then get a better idea of where i'm going to need improvements to make the thing bulletproof while i've got the car apart.

DoinkMobb--of course...near future means "eventually, when i get around to it, maybe..."

i don't think i'd want to go front mount with a lower boost application, but it would retain the sleeper look ...i don't think i can run a top mount without changing over my hood.

[Graham]

Adam, you know Alan dropped in a N/A 2.2 Motor into his car right? You should also go up to the shop and check out his newest addition, the monster we've all been waitng for, the STi Legacy B4 Twin Turbo is there. He's had it for about three weeks and hopes to get it in in about a month.

As for your project, I personally think that you should go with the 2.2-Turbo engine. It can very reliably run boost, since its a turbo engine. The price of them isn't too bad either. Talk to the guys over in the Legacy forum, one guy gave me a web site listing all the possible 2.2-T engines around the United States. Prices ranged from $500-$1500, for the full engine. I think you should look into this, but I'm not sure if you want to buy a used engine.
The EJ20-T is a good route to go, I think, IF you have the cash. Ask Alan, he'll tell you ALL about it, as his project might cost him quite a bit of money to complete.

Graham

[RaceCarRiot]

Graham -- alan's got a 2.2 short block, utilizing the 1.8 heads, intake, ecu, etc. which removes the need for any kind of engine management and wiring dilemma...the ecu goes "hey, i need more air and fuel in here," and takes care of it, although you do give up a little HP due to the less efficient heads. so i was looking at that as a starting point once we know how to keep the thing from running super rich. then once i have the $$$ for a tec II, etc. finish building up the engine. but first we have to figure out how to get my STi 4 pots to stop screeeeeeeching like crazy mofos.

i just wanted to get a few opinions and see if my idea to start with a 2.2 was better...EJ20T's are getting cheaper all the time. someone was selling a low mileage JDM legacy 2.0T for $1400 on here this week, about what it would cost to assemble a turbo system. so figuring on turbo-ing a 2.2 or getting an EJ20 for about that price, plus the cost of standalone management is about the same. this doesn't count the cost of things that break, and finding someone to set the engine management up so it runs, but that would be the same regardless of whichever you go with. and none of this still addresses the huge wheelspin issues i'll have when it's all said and done.

and yes, i saw the B4 engine on saturday...it is a thing of beauty.

-adam-