Legacy Turbo Swap? Or After-Market Turbo?

ejicon · 05-03-2002, 12:14 PM

I did a search and couldn't really find the answers I was looking for. I still have my Legacy Turbo that I got into an accident with back in December. It has 150,000 miles on it and the engine is still good. I am considering purchasing another Subie in the near future. It's between a GT and a RS. (Still unsure) Well, my question is, would it be Worth it/cheaper/more appropriate to just keep my old legacy and swap the engine when I get my new car, or just buy an after-market turbo? Or would it better better to just take the parts needed from my turbo Legacy and just add them to the car? Let me know.
-Ells

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pleiades · 05-03-2002, 01:52 PM

Use the 2.5L heads on your 2.2L turbo motor. Find some fool who is selling their stock WRX turbo for cheap and slap it on. Then you will have FUN!

ejicon · 05-07-2002, 12:05 PM

Any other suggestions? Should I just sell my Legacy Turbo and invest in a better turbo kit for my RS once I get it? I know it's up to me, but I just wanna hear what you guys would do?
-Ells

eastbaysubaru · 05-07-2002, 07:49 PM

AFAIK, the Legacy Turbo block is one of the strongest the US has ever gotten. There are quite a few people who have taken the Legacy Turbo block/tranny/drivetrain and plopped it into a relatively cheap impreza 1.8L or 2.2L. The guys that I've known that have done this usually use a different turbo and add an intercooler. If you go this route, you wouldn't need to spend a whole lot of money on the car because you could use a cheaper model impreza, or GT for that matter. These cars are VERY fast and the one that I got a ride in was one of the fastest cars I've ever ridden in...oh, and it was a wagon.

-Brian

ejicon · 05-08-2002, 02:24 AM

This sounds awesome, the only thing is that I know my tranny is dying out on me, would I neccessarily need to swap along the legacy's tranny along with the block and also it's an auto and I would like my next car to be a manny??

pleiades · 05-08-2002, 08:54 AM

Just buy a 97-99 legacy gt with a manual (can be found for 6k-12k), put the heads from the 2.5 on your engine and bolt it up to the 5spd. I have been seriously considering this, if I only had the $ for the motor. You would also want to look for someone selling a wrx turbo and intercooler.

< Big Grins.

MY99 2.5GT · 05-08-2002, 09:52 AM

Heres a thought pull your Legacy turbo motor out and junk the rest. Over time save up money to rebuild that worn out 150,000 mile engine. After its bored and stroked to 2.5 litres, that closed deck block will be ready for some good boost. Once you get everything done pop it in your new vehicle and have a blast.

I don't know which would be a better option. I think it would be less work to just buy a JDM EJ20 turbo closed deck Legacy motor for $2000 and swap it in. Thats 230hp from an engine that is highly upgradable for only $2000.

05-03-2002, 12:14 PM	#1
ejicon Scooby Guru Member#: 2452 Join Date: Sep 2000 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Burbank,California, USA Vehicle: 08 2.5 WRX WRB Mica	Legacy Turbo Swap? Or After-Market Turbo? I did a search and couldn't really find the answers I was looking for. I still have my Legacy Turbo that I got into an accident with back in December. It has 150,000 miles on it and the engine is still good. I am considering purchasing another Subie in the near future. It's between a GT and a RS. (Still unsure) Well, my question is, would it be Worth it/cheaper/more appropriate to just keep my old legacy and swap the engine when I get my new car, or just buy an after-market turbo? Or would it better better to just take the parts needed from my turbo Legacy and just add them to the car? Let me know. -Ells * Registered users of the site do not see these ads. Last edited by ejicon; 05-03-2002 at 04:50 PM.

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05-03-2002, 01:52 PM	#2
pleiades Scooby Specialist Member#: 2491 Join Date: Sep 2000 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Charlotte, NC Vehicle: 06 Miata 81 Fiat Spider	Use the 2.5L heads on your 2.2L turbo motor. Find some fool who is selling their stock WRX turbo for cheap and slap it on. Then you will have FUN!

05-07-2002, 12:05 PM	#3
ejicon Scooby Guru Member#: 2452 Join Date: Sep 2000 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Burbank,California, USA Vehicle: 08 2.5 WRX WRB Mica	Any other suggestions? Should I just sell my Legacy Turbo and invest in a better turbo kit for my RS once I get it? I know it's up to me, but I just wanna hear what you guys would do? -Ells

05-07-2002, 07:49 PM	#4
eastbaysubaru Scooby Specialist Member#: 4110 Join Date: Feb 2001 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: No. So. Co. Vehicle: 04 FXT PSM	AFAIK, the Legacy Turbo block is one of the strongest the US has ever gotten. There are quite a few people who have taken the Legacy Turbo block/tranny/drivetrain and plopped it into a relatively cheap impreza 1.8L or 2.2L. The guys that I've known that have done this usually use a different turbo and add an intercooler. If you go this route, you wouldn't need to spend a whole lot of money on the car because you could use a cheaper model impreza, or GT for that matter. These cars are VERY fast and the one that I got a ride in was one of the fastest cars I've ever ridden in...oh, and it was a wagon. -Brian

05-08-2002, 02:24 AM	#5
ejicon Scooby Guru Member#: 2452 Join Date: Sep 2000 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Burbank,California, USA Vehicle: 08 2.5 WRX WRB Mica	This sounds awesome, the only thing is that I know my tranny is dying out on me, would I neccessarily need to swap along the legacy's tranny along with the block and also it's an auto and I would like my next car to be a manny??

05-08-2002, 08:54 AM	#6
pleiades Scooby Specialist Member#: 2491 Join Date: Sep 2000 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Charlotte, NC Vehicle: 06 Miata 81 Fiat Spider	Just buy a 97-99 legacy gt with a manual (can be found for 6k-12k), put the heads from the 2.5 on your engine and bolt it up to the 5spd. I have been seriously considering this, if I only had the $ for the motor. You would also want to look for someone selling a wrx turbo and intercooler. < Big Grins.

05-08-2002, 09:52 AM	#7
MY99 2.5GT Scooby Specialist Member#: 5030 Join Date: Mar 2001 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Martinsburg, WV, USA Vehicle: 1999 Legacy 2.5GT 05 Legacy GT 06 Armada	Heres a thought pull your Legacy turbo motor out and junk the rest. Over time save up money to rebuild that worn out 150,000 mile engine. After its bored and stroked to 2.5 litres, that closed deck block will be ready for some good boost. Once you get everything done pop it in your new vehicle and have a blast. I don't know which would be a better option. I think it would be less work to just buy a JDM EJ20 turbo closed deck Legacy motor for $2000 and swap it in. Thats 230hp from an engine that is highly upgradable for only $2000.