Ej Swap

[hmong337]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

Ok, Fair enough. Looking forward to your build if you ever get to it.

There's a few current 86's cars north of 300 whp and thousands of mile on them, but its besides the point. You get points too for trying to be different. I respect that.

I'm not looking to chuck in a ej205. If ever. Just exploring what options are out there. In worst case, if my FA20 were to ever kick the bucket outside of warranty, why not replace it with something that makes power cheaper and easier? I can see the ej being used successfully just like the car posted earlier in this thread. Ultimately it mainly depends on how easily it swaps into the frs/brz/86 and if swap kits are available and aggressively priced.

Either way, I like the FA20 and will 90% stick with it. It just needs a costly low compression build to get any sort of decent power out of it

Just curious about the ej into our cars and how it could be an option.

[jamesm]

Originally Posted by hmong337

I'm not looking to chuck in a ej205. If ever. Just exploring what options are out there. In worst case, if my FA20 were to ever kick the bucket outside of warranty, why not replace it with something that makes power cheaper and easier? I can see the ej being used successfully just like the car posted earlier in this thread. Ultimately it mainly depends on how easily it swaps into the frs/brz/86 and if swap kits are available and aggressively priced.

Either way, I like the FA20 and will 90% stick with it. It just needs a costly low compression build to get any sort of decent power out of it

Just curious about the ej into our cars and how it could be an option.

it will almost certainly be cheaper to buy a full blown shortblock and throw it in than to swap in anything.

[hmong337]

Originally Posted by jamesm

it will almost certainly be cheaper to buy a full blown shortblock and throw it in than to swap in anything.

I didn't realize Full Blown's shortblocks are reg. price $3400. I always referred to Crawford and their's are a good $5k!

A used ej205 runs for about $1500 with turbo and all. That's a good 250whp right outta the box and more if you're gonna swap turbos and all the stuff associated to making more power. If you're ambitious, got the time, and are crafty you can probably make it work for less than the price of a built shortblock. But I don't think I've seen our 86 gearbox mated to an EJ so who knows if this swap could even work and be worth the money. Also like posted ealier, the electronics would be a nightmare!

Either way, with my local laws, the stock ECU must be retained in order to pass smog. The EJ would not work for me. But would be cool to see if others are going this path.

[Ranatsu]

The EJ series motors are bigger in every dimension. The EJ205 is also a fully open deck with no avcs(USDM) Not sure if the JDM had AVCS or not.

The money you would spend buying the ej205 you could just invest in some low compression pistons for the fa20.

[SirBrass]

Just look up "ringland failure" on IWSTI. Now, going ELH in a subie is just overkill, but the numbers folks should stay under to keep reliability is pretty close to accurate (more like don't go over 350 whp) and for good reason (such as ringlands).

Also, supporting mods for going that route DO get expensive on the STI: fuel rails, injectors, pump, fpr, proper bracing for the motor and trans, the turbo itself, ewg if necessary if you're going high boost, conversion from MAF to MAP if going above 24psi (iirc), etc. Cost can easily climb to $5k or higher before the pro-tune and your fuel economy (already crappy) just goes farther down into the tank.

Compared to upgrading the turbo on an EJ (depends on which EJ... it's a tad cheaper on an STI than on a WRX), these bolt-on FI kits for the twins are downright simple and put together. Think about it, you get the headers with the turbo, and the downpipe, etc. That's added value to the cost and you get a basemap to run as well.

Cost-wise, I think it's easier in the twins. Granted, an EJ can have significant power gains just from putting on an aftermarket DP, but that's b/c the stock DP is constricted with introduced turbulent flow from the blocking plate put right in front of the wastegate exit. So, not considering that, tune and upgraded FI is the only way to make significant power gains outside of E85.... same as with the twins, and the EJ cars weigh quite a bit more and stock have worse power/weight ratios than the twins.

[Calum]

Originally Posted by hmong337

Okay great. But that still doesn't hide the fact that you're getting a turbo engine right outta gate. The JDM motors EJ205 seems like the bulletproof one from what I've searched. The EJ257 STi engines seem to be the ones with issues. But I've got a buddy with an 05 STi with a gt30r and another with an 04 Forester with an STi swap w/ gt30r all running great for the last few years on stock motors both making north of 350whp and both cars see hard use... still fine.

The DI seals just need a good tune to keep them safe from what I gather.

Yup, I'll personally guarantee that with a good tune an ej will never suffer a DI seal failure.

[reardrv]

Originally Posted by SirBrass

Just look up "ringland failure" on IWSTI. Now, going ELH in a subie is just overkill, but the numbers folks should stay under to keep reliability is pretty close to accurate (more like don't go over 350 whp) and for good reason (such as ringlands).

I was about to bring that up. I'd rather my D/I seals crap out due to knock as opposed to my pistons.

[Hawaiian]

Originally Posted by reardrv

I was about to bring that up. I'd rather my D/I seals crap out due to too knock as opposed to my pistons.

when your seals go bad, your engine goes lean,, engine blows up.

[Team STILLEN]

Originally Posted by Calum

Yup, I'll personally guarantee that with a good tune an ej will never suffer a DI seal failure.

LOL...this guy

[hmong337]

Originally Posted by Ranatsu

The EJ series motors are bigger in every dimension. The EJ205 is also a fully open deck with no avcs(USDM) Not sure if the JDM had AVCS or not.

The money you would spend buying the ej205 you could just invest in some low compression pistons for the fa20.

Just saying, because these guys did it with their race car.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t60Rxr5sF14"]Subaru BRZ Race Car (GT300) - YouTube[/ame]

Here's a drift car
http://www.fr-sforum.com/forums/fr-s...r-s-build.html

Just like the crowd who swap in 2jz, lsx, lexus v8, etc. They get those parts to play with. 1200hp Toyota GT86!

Though, I have hope in the FA20. The engine needs some higher lifting cam offerings like HKS to wake the beast up. Our aftermarket parts bin has only began building. Hell, we've finally been offered something like the OpenFlash Tablet to start full end-user tuning with.

But what I'm really hoping for is more development towards the heads.

Some HKS cams

[SirBrass]

Originally Posted by reardrv

I was about to bring that up. I'd rather my D/I seals crap out due to knock as opposed to my pistons.

To play devil's advocate, though, that was mainly with the EJ257 (STI) motor. I hadn't heard much about it with the EJ255 (WRX) or EJ205 (the 2.0L EJ motor in pre-2005 Subarus). But that may be more due to when I came on the WRX/STI forum scene than b/c of problems.

I know nothing about DI, so this whole seals thing is a mystery to me, just as the ringland failure issue was to me at first.

Originally Posted by Hawaiian

when your seals go bad, your engine goes lean,, engine blows up.

If you invest in a good AFR guage, then you may get some warning prior to complete engine lean-out and give you a chance to unload the engine, limp off the road and shut down, or if you've got the electronics set up send the ecu into emergency limp mode and save the engine. I honestly think this is probably the first thing someone should do, either in NA or FI setups if they fear a potential lean-out condition due to failure of an engine component.

A leaned out engine doesn't blow up immediately, just very quickly, so you've got some time between when the lean condition happens and when your engine suffers unrepairable (or just too expensive to warrant a repair over block replacement) damage.

[Jive Turkey]

why anyone would swap in a decade old motor that is being phased out by subaru is beyond me.

can the ej make decent power, yes.

will any of this be worth the headache. hell no.

[s2d4]

Just get an lsx miata already.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Holy shit 1.5 year bump.

Ichi, BAN now!