Another engine swap topic! - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

PRORICAN · 08-07-2012, 11:32 AM

I'm new to Subaru and boxer engines and recently found out the 3.6R motor from the outback is also a boxer. Has anyone modded that engine and how is the aftermarket for it? It seems like a good potential swap for us if it's worth it...

ahausheer · 08-07-2012, 12:10 PM

FYI: All Subaru motors are boxers. That engine probably would simply not fit in the engine compartment and if it could it would add a lot of weight. Some Subaru's respond very well to aftermarket parts/tuning but I dont know about that Outback motor.

jimbobrand · 08-07-2012, 12:57 PM

Well, we already know that the EJ series engines aren't a direct bolt-in and the EZ36R has the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the EJ. The FA in the BRZ/FR-S is a physically smaller motor than the EJ, too. I'd love to have a 6cyl BRZ but I just don't think that's going to happen without major modifications.

Tainen · 08-07-2012, 01:09 PM

yep, as Jimbo said, the tranny's don't fit. All the other Subaru transmissions are AWD units with different designs.

bullitt@uamotorsports · 08-07-2012, 01:25 PM

I personally would like to see an LFA motor swap... just wish I won the lottery then I would do it haha!

empower-auto · 08-07-2012, 02:12 PM

I personally would like to see people quit trying to swap this motor out - and try making the best of it.

It's a good engine from what we've seen and it responds very well to bolt-ons. I am sure there is a ton of potential here.

thermobox · 08-07-2012, 02:14 PM

Fisked.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahausheer

FYI: All Current USDM Subaru motors are boxers. That engine probably would simply not fit in the engine compartment and if it could it would add a lot of weight. Some Subaru's respond very well to aftermarket parts/tuning but I dont know about that Outback motor.

All the kei cars were inline engines. The other Subyota - Dex, Sambar, Justy, R1, R2 all used inline engines.

WolfsFang · 08-07-2012, 02:24 PM

my dream engine swap is EE20 engine, i can smell it now.

PRORICAN · 08-07-2012, 08:02 PM

Don't get me wrong I have no intentions of swapping the motor but I grew up in the Honda scene so swapping motors was very common. A 6cyl BRZ would be very cool and the boxer 3.6r would keep the center of gravity low in theory. I have high hopes for the FA20 and plan on keeping it but it doesn't hurt to explore other options. Coming from an Evo X I'm missing the power and torque, lol. And yes I knew this car would lack the power and don't regret my decision.

JP · 08-07-2012, 09:51 PM

the EZ30R is a bit stronger due to the conventional rod design, you'd use an EJ 5 or 6 speed box with RWD spool installed. EZ's have been converted into old foresters and impreza's so there's no reason someone couldn't give it a shot in an 86. They go quite nicely when turbocharged.

Custom exhaust, custom radiator, custom tailshaft, custom shift linkages, custom loom etc. Anyone who has experience with real conversions shouldn't have much trouble with it.

dabocx · 08-07-2012, 09:55 PM

I think by the time your done swaping your stock used 6cylmotor into the car it will end up cost more than just boosting the FA20

PRORICAN · 08-07-2012, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dabocx

I think by the time your done swaping your stock used 6cylmotor into the car it will end up cost more than just boosting the FA20

True but you still have more displacement and the potential for more power with a much broader power band. It doesn't matter anyways, chances are it won't happen. I just wanted to see what peoples experience and opinions with that motor were since I have zero.

xwd · 08-07-2012, 10:34 PM

People have swapped the 3.6R into various Subaru vehicles already although not many. Outfront Motorsports (used to be Outback) who build sand rails with Subaru engines turbo'd a 3.6R and found the crank to be the weak part of the engine. At around 10PSI of boost the cranks had a tendency to fail. The 3.0R is more sorted, plenty of folks have built turbo Imprezas with them, including Perrin. The wiring is always the nightmare.

Have you seen the powerband on the new FA20 DIT motor Subaru just came out with? Or the Accelerated turbo kit thread?

Definitely a better and likely cheaper option, even if you had to build the bottom end of the FA20 to handle more boost.

PRORICAN · 08-07-2012, 10:43 PM

Well I guess that's a nightmare I'll avoid. I'll be definitely going turbo but I'll wait and see what more R&D gives us.

08-07-2012, 11:32 AM	#1
PRORICAN Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: BRZ Location: Cape Cod Posts: 804 Thanks: 872 Thanked 560 Times in 258 Posts Mentioned: 26 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Another engine swap topic! I'm new to Subaru and boxer engines and recently found out the 3.6R motor from the outback is also a boxer. Has anyone modded that engine and how is the aftermarket for it? It seems like a good potential swap for us if it's worth it...

08-07-2012, 12:10 PM	#2
ahausheer Re-member Join Date: Nov 2011 Drives: Toyota camry Location: S. Cali Posts: 1,001 Thanks: 98 Thanked 292 Times in 152 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	FYI: All Subaru motors are boxers. That engine probably would simply not fit in the engine compartment and if it could it would add a lot of weight. Some Subaru's respond very well to aftermarket parts/tuning but I dont know about that Outback motor. __________________ Nothing decays like progress, and nothing preserves like neglect.

08-07-2012, 12:57 PM	#3
jimbobrand Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Premium Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 240 Thanks: 29 Thanked 73 Times in 51 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Well, we already know that the EJ series engines aren't a direct bolt-in and the EZ36R has the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the EJ. The FA in the BRZ/FR-S is a physically smaller motor than the EJ, too. I'd love to have a 6cyl BRZ but I just don't think that's going to happen without major modifications. __________________ Jim Brand 2013 Subaru BRZ Premium 6MT WRBP Oklahoma Subaru Crew-OKSC.org TXIC San Antonio

08-07-2012, 01:09 PM	#4
Tainen Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Drives: First SWP BRZ-L Location: Washington Posts: 809 Thanks: 154 Thanked 350 Times in 174 Posts Mentioned: 11 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	yep, as Jimbo said, the tranny's don't fit. All the other Subaru transmissions are AWD units with different designs. __________________ First white BRZ in the country Limited SWP BRZ, 35% tint, clear bra, Nameless Performance downpipe, axelback, headers

08-07-2012, 01:25 PM	#5
bullitt@uamotorsports Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: 1500hp 450zTT Location: ATL Posts: 32 Thanks: 0 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I personally would like to see an LFA motor swap... just wish I won the lottery then I would do it haha! __________________

08-07-2012, 02:12 PM	#6
empower-auto Kouki-Monster Join Date: May 2012 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S Location: Saskatoon, SK Posts: 1,137 Thanks: 11 Thanked 562 Times in 261 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I personally would like to see people quit trying to swap this motor out - and try making the best of it. It's a good engine from what we've seen and it responds very well to bolt-ons. I am sure there is a ton of potential here. __________________ Rich Anderson EMPOWER AUTO

08-07-2012, 02:24 PM	#8
WolfsFang Scrape Master Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: Goal: Oldest FRS State Side Location: North NJ Posts: 1,161 Thanks: 238 Thanked 412 Times in 238 Posts Mentioned: 10 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	my dream engine swap is EE20 engine, i can smell it now. __________________ You do realize comparing the BRZ to the FR-S is like comparing which hand you love masterbating too right?

08-07-2012, 08:02 PM	#9
PRORICAN Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: BRZ Location: Cape Cod Posts: 804 Thanks: 872 Thanked 560 Times in 258 Posts Mentioned: 26 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Don't get me wrong I have no intentions of swapping the motor but I grew up in the Honda scene so swapping motors was very common. A 6cyl BRZ would be very cool and the boxer 3.6r would keep the center of gravity low in theory. I have high hopes for the FA20 and plan on keeping it but it doesn't hurt to explore other options. Coming from an Evo X I'm missing the power and torque, lol. And yes I knew this car would lack the power and don't regret my decision.

08-07-2012, 09:51 PM	#10
JP Backyard Fabricator Join Date: May 2012 Drives: JZX83, SF5 GT, ZZE82 turbo Location: Australia Posts: 303 Thanks: 47 Thanked 166 Times in 83 Posts Mentioned: 40 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	the EZ30R is a bit stronger due to the conventional rod design, you'd use an EJ 5 or 6 speed box with RWD spool installed. EZ's have been converted into old foresters and impreza's so there's no reason someone couldn't give it a shot in an 86. They go quite nicely when turbocharged. Custom exhaust, custom radiator, custom tailshaft, custom shift linkages, custom loom etc. Anyone who has experience with real conversions shouldn't have much trouble with it.

08-07-2012, 09:55 PM	#11
dabocx Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Drives: Scion FRS Location: United States Posts: 1,267 Thanks: 564 Thanked 261 Times in 191 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I think by the time your done swaping your *stock used* 6cylmotor into the car it will end up cost more than just boosting the FA20

08-07-2012, 10:34 PM	#13
xwd Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: 2013 DGM Subaru BRZ (Subie #9) Location: ATL, US Posts: 2,667 Thanks: 123 Thanked 860 Times in 552 Posts Mentioned: 32 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	People have swapped the 3.6R into various Subaru vehicles already although not many. Outfront Motorsports (used to be Outback) who build sand rails with Subaru engines turbo'd a 3.6R and found the crank to be the weak part of the engine. At around 10PSI of boost the cranks had a tendency to fail. The 3.0R is more sorted, plenty of folks have built turbo Imprezas with them, including Perrin. The wiring is always the nightmare. Have you seen the powerband on the new FA20 DIT motor Subaru just came out with? Or the Accelerated turbo kit thread? Definitely a better and likely cheaper option, even if you had to build the bottom end of the FA20 to handle more boost.

08-07-2012, 10:43 PM	#14
PRORICAN Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: BRZ Location: Cape Cod Posts: 804 Thanks: 872 Thanked 560 Times in 258 Posts Mentioned: 26 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Well I guess that's a nightmare I'll avoid. I'll be definitely going turbo but I'll wait and see what more R&D gives us.

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