v3 STi swap, 95 impreza coupe - Here goes nothing

[elislider]

Taking this project fairly slowly, one step at a time.
i will start a member journal later but for now i want to get feedback and input on my swap

car: 1993 Impreza L 1.8L FWD Purple
- 1pot front brakes, rear drums, 4door, power windows/locks

elements done:
- JDM v3 STi (jhot), 4.44 FD 5mt, ecu, wiring, tmic, driveshaft
- AWD conversion (4.44 rear LSD, xmember, axles, hubs)
- black JDM 4pot front brakes
- v3 STi "manufacturer champions" seats
- wrx front rotors
- AWD gas tank w/legacy turbo fuel pump (thx adema)
- kyb agx w/eibach springs
- ss brake lines
- notched stock NA front xmember
- wrx pedal box
- hydraulic clutch setup
- invidia catless downpipe, ebay axle back, custom midpipe
- engine in and running on jdm 6S ecu and 92 octane
- custom stuff here and there

need:
- power steering lines

i originally planned on a shop doing the work for me but realized i could probably just do it myself since ive learned so much about subarus in the last 6 months. im a full time student working 3 part time jobs (dont ask) so im pretty busy and dont have a lot of time, but i'm getting it done!


Progress as of 10/01/08
- found a 93 impreza with power windows/locks (my 95 coupe has neither) for $600 so im changing cars for the swap.
- 93 impreza is gutted inside partly
- swapped gas tank over
- huge fiasco figuring out correct axles to use... *sigh*. rear end assembled now, just need agx suspension to get it bolted up and rolling again

Progress as of 10/09/08
- $400 kyb agx adjustables w/eibach springs
- $20 rear diff tbrace
- awd conversion done, rear agxs on

Progress as of 10/18/08
- old engine is OUT. silly 1.8L
- got the sti engine back at the house
- began looking at wiring. *headache*

Progress as of 10/22/08
- wiring going smoothly. gotta get tools to start soldering
- ss brake lines on
- group n engine mounts in the mail

Progress as of 11/8/08
- fixed the broken cam pulley and timing cover, timing belt back on
- got the clutch master cylinder and a catless bellmouth downpipe too

Progress as of 01/13/09
- front xmember notched
- uppipe shield and insulation removed. catless yo!
- engine in! after much headaching
- need custom power steering lines or something. thats 1 more headache
- need custom throttle cable or something. that the 2nd extra headache
- some stuff reconnected, like radiator and wiring

Progress as of 01/25/09
- uppipe on, turbo/up/downpipe gaskets replaced
- reconnected lines (except power steering)
- replaced all fluids. valvoline 10w40 (to help ej20k bearing spinning...?), redline trans 75w90, brake, hydro clutch, coolant
- using existing spark plugs and new coil wires
- threw dash back in (not secured) and gauge cluster
- started right up! even with old gas. will get premium 92 soon
- still need custom power steering lines and a special throttle cable like 02 wrx

Progress as of 01/31/09
- changed rear diff fluid
- did stainless brake lines in the rear and *tried* to bleed it myself
- forced the power steering lines on and then unknowingly overfilled it. it comes foaming out...
- put a couple gallons of VPower in the car
- jammed the throttle cable into the mount. still need a wrx one
- drove it! (barely)

Progress as of 02/03/09
- bumper, fenders, rs hood, rs headlights, rs grill -- all back on
- wrx throttle cable not any different! need to custom fab a bracket

Progress as of 02/13/09
- engine broke, siezed, timing belt ripped apart
- negotiated a replacement block from jhot

Progress as of 03/18/09
- got replacement block. its a v3 r/ra
- both engines apart (broken one and replacement)
- replaced some stuff on the new block (gaskets, pumps etc)

Progress as of 04/11/09
- got the replacement engine back together, back in, and fired up!
- no exhaust, barely runs

Progress as of 04/15/09
- got the replacement engine back together, back in, and fired up!
- at first didnt have an exhaust (loud) but got that fixed, and misc other things

Progress as of 04/17/09
- fixed the coolant gauge wiring
- did rear brake pads and bled the lines. have brakes that work now!

Progress as of 02/22/10 (yeah, big gap in me updating this)
- replaced all the wheel hubs [new bearings] and it drives like a new car!
- got the PowerFC with a base map so i can log data
- hood has rusted over

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A CURRENT PICTURE

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[Jaxx]

call aarons for the cross member/clutch/hubs/axles

you might look on jhots web page (not ebay) and see if they have a tt crosmember ...

the amount of metal to be moved is significant

[Jaxx]

something else .. i have found that its cheaper to buy a basket case AWD car vs do the swap
i have seen 95 coupes for less than $500 w/ a dead engine ...

[elislider]

Originally Posted by Jaxx

something else .. i have found that its cheaper to buy a basket case AWD car vs do the swap
i have seen 95 coupes for less than $500 w/ a dead engine ...

that was my original plan but i havent been able to find one yet. if you see anything within 100 miles of portland, oregon, let me know! just so long as it doesnt have a tan interior

and i wanted to modify the existing front crossmember because i was told if i change the crossmember it puts me in XP autox class but if i keep the stock on i can remain in SM class

[Jaxx]

this is true

i ran illegaly for 2 years then switched to prepaired

FWIW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/JDM-S...mZ130250664299

[elislider]

ya theres a guy locally on craigslist that has one, plus the shop thats gonna do the swap has one as well. thanks for the help

[Rallyx38]

You can try Silverline Automotive in Portland. I don't know what all they do as far as parts but I just bought an 05 flywheel back STI package from them with only 40,000 miles. And good luck!

[ScoobKing]

This is probably a dumb question but....does the car absolutely have to be swapped over to AWD in order to put the turbo motor in?

[TVA]

Originally Posted by ScoobKing

This is probably a dumb question but....does the car absolutely have to be swapped over to AWD in order to put the turbo motor in?

No it doesn't absolutely have to be swapped to AWD for the motor swap. Technically any subaru motor will bolt up to any subaru tranny.

[elislider]

Originally Posted by ScoobKing

This is probably a dumb question but....does the car absolutely have to be swapped over to AWD in order to put the turbo motor in?

it doesnt HAVE to be. but im not gonna waste time and money trying to get my FWD clutch and transmission to work. fyi the clutch on my FWD is 7" diameter instead of most subarus that are 8" so i dont even know if the FWD clutch/trans would mate properly. anyways i already have most of the stuff for the AWD comversion so im just going to do it all at once

in other news i spun out and hit a curb this last friday and screwed up my front end. the front left hub and bearing are bad and the tie rod is bent. i have front JDM 4pots that i want to put on. i know i will at least need rotors, adaptor brackets, and lines, however i dont know what rotors i need (usdm wrx?) and can my stock hubs work with them or do i have to change out the hubs as well? fyi my car is non-ABS

i figure my parts list would be:

- replace tie rod, hub, and bearing with parts from a yard (cheap to replace the stock ones)
- get rotors, perhaps from a yard if i can find decent ones
- 4pot adaptor brackets (where to get these? anyone have any?)
- SS lines

is this the most time/cost efficient method? i would rather not have to buy the whole knuckle/hub/rotor from a WRX if i dont need to

thanks guys

[Jaxx]

you don't need adapters for 4 pots

you need adapters for 2 pots (rear)

you need wrx rotors ... post a wanted in th nw forum if your on a budget

[elislider]

ah ok got it now, dont need adapters. thanks

pretty sure my control arm is bent/twisted as well, so i found a 92 impreza knuckle minus brakes/rotors for $85. good enough for me! ill go pick up the WRX rotors later if this fixes it enough to be drivable for now

[bluesubby]

i have jdm ver3 wiring book.
let me know what you need.
i swaped ver2 into 94 fwd impreza.
start with brakes first,rear diff with gas tank second,trans third then engine last with wiring.

[elislider]

ya im gonna do the brakes as soon as i get some ss lines, before next weekend hopefully. if im feeling ambition then maybe try the gas tank and rear diff and all that too. hopefully i can get the rear end swapped over and rolling then take it to the subie shop for the rest of the swap. PM me about the wiring book?

thanks to Jaxx to for the help!

in other news i fixed the front end. 1 used knuckle, 1 used steering rod, 1 used axle (stripped threads). good as new!

[elislider]

i picked up 93 FWD impreza L yesterday for $600, its purple too! body is in decent enough shape and its got a clean title, and it drives perfectly fine! cant beat that for $600. ill start tearing it apart soon

[bluesubby]

Originally Posted by elislider

ya im gonna do the brakes as soon as i get some ss lines, before next weekend hopefully. if im feeling ambition then maybe try the gas tank and rear diff and all that too. hopefully i can get the rear end swapped over and rolling then take it to the subie shop for the rest of the swap. PM me about the wiring book?

thanks to Jaxx to for the help!

in other news i fixed the front end. 1 used knuckle, 1 used steering rod, 1 used axle (stripped threads). good as new!

you could install everything for rear to make awd and not install drive shaft for trans to rear diff and drive the car until you install awd trans.

[elislider]

ya thats what im planning on doing. im pretty sure i have everything i need.
-awd gas tank
-rear disc knuckles, hubs, mounting arms/brackets
-rear subframe
-rear 4.44 diff
-rear axles (not sure of compatibility)

we shall find out how it goes. any tips? i know some of the guys around here have done the fwd->awd

[bluesubby]

make sure you get awd rear sturts.
i replaced all bushings.
do you have r160 or r180?

[elislider]

oh yeah i forgot about that, i need new suspension. idk what size my rear diff is, its LSD 4.44 from an 01 Legacy GT automatic

[bluesubby]

Originally Posted by elislider

oh yeah i forgot about that, i need new suspension. idk what size my rear diff is, its LSD 4.44 from an 01 Legacy GT automatic

you got r160 rear diff.legacy axle should work.

[Jaxx]

Originally Posted by bluesubby

you got r160 rear diff.legacy axle should work.

except there are at least 5 types of r160 axels

[bluesubby]

Originally Posted by Jaxx

except there are at least 5 types of r160 axels

stock legacy rear diff with v-lsd.
car came with abs.....must use abs rear knuckls.
use all from one car.
rear diff,axles and knuckles

[elislider]

ah yea i dont have the ABS rear knuckles and my car doesnt have ABS anyways. the rear knuckles i have for are discs from an impreza L...

[bluesubby]

Originally Posted by elislider

ah yea i dont have the ABS rear knuckles and my car doesnt have ABS anyways. the rear knuckles i have for are discs from an impreza L...

make sure you get same axles from same knuckles(it makes everything easy)

[Jaxx]

thats not really the issue ... but i think you shoule be able to use the abs legacy axels with the non abs hubs

the size and spline of the rear hub is constant when mated to ANY r160
the inner splines are where the problem is

the only other issue is the length they switched to equal length axles some where around '00 but its close enough that you may be able to get away with it