Turbo SVX

[bazza]

So I bought an SVX last week :)

This is it in the flesh upon arriving home from picking it up
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4252.jpg

Later that weekend everything came out to swap out the heater core replaced, give it good clean and install the clutch pedal. I was hoping I could simply swap the STI RA EG33 turbo setup straight in but turns out the SVX towers are closer together so it won't fit. Most likely will put battery in the boot and install turbo in it's location.

This weekend hopefully I can get the DCCD 6MT with DCCD Pro, plated rear R160 diff in :) It was very interesting to drive the STI RA with the 272 cam'd EG33 (turbo not plumbed up so in NA mode) vs the SVX with stock cams and the difference is amazing, 272 engine just wants to rev so crisply where the stock engine doesn't. I'll get the 272 cam'd engine into the SVX soon and see how it goes.

Clutch during install (dummy fitment shown in pic) - drilled a hole below it (not shown) and moved the wiring down. Had to reweld up the original electrics hole to suit clutch pedal. Will add finished product picture later.
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4287.jpg

Dash almost out...
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4277.jpg

GC8 WRX STI RA turbo location....
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4251.jpg

No room to stick turbo like it is in the STI....
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4250.jpg

[icingdeath88]

Sub'ed. Grey is a color we didn't get here in the US, and it's one I really like. Very cool. What made you decide to pick it up?

[bazza]

Sub'ed. Grey is a color we didn't get here in the US, and it's one I really like. Very cool. What made you decide to pick it up?

I'd wanted one for a while at a budget price and this came up. I must say it turns far better than I expected and I haven't even touched the suspension.... yet :)

[icingdeath88]

Just wait till you drop the 6-speed in, drop some weight (and shift toward the rear), and stiffen up the suspension. Even without upping the power, it becomes a much more satisfying car to drive.

I guess you're the guy to ask: what do you think would be a good pair of small turbos for my ~10psi build? Think two WRX TD04s would do the trick?

[bazza]

Just wait till you drop the 6-speed in, drop some weight (and shift toward the rear), and stiffen up the suspension. Even without upping the power, it becomes a much more satisfying car to drive.

I guess you're the guy to ask: what do you think would be a good pair of small turbos for my ~10psi build? Think two WRX TD04s would do the trick?

Yeah TD04's a great option or a VF8 or even the early Forester turbos. Twin TD04's will make around 320 kw atw max which is huge so even running twin TD04's could be a touch big.

[Tapani]

Wow,

Looks great.

Tapani

[bazza]

Wow,

Looks great.

Tapani

Thank you.

Today 6MT finally running, took far longer than it should've but it's all done and running now. DCCD and 2 way plated rear diff... lolz, almost spun it on first corner. Need to get the DCCD Pro in tomorrow. Thinking about the turbo next weekend but we'll see.

Few pics from the build thus far.

Out of the racecar Sat morning, into the SVX Sat arvo:
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/fc1382ec-5779-4a0a-9c04-ee08449902bf.jpg

Stock.. amazing how this engine made 170 kw stock with this (lol, that's my STI undertray and diffuser that it's all sitting on - nice wash bench):
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4332.jpg

I need a hoist!! Padding to save bruised hips and back when under car!
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4331.jpg

Car doesn't start until you jump pin 11 and 12 in the 12 pin trans plug. Thanks Tony for the help.
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4318.jpg
DCCD plug also hanging down.. begging for the DCCD Pro haha
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4317.jpg

The amazing thing was that the stock 2 way plated diff center as found in WRX STI RA's bolted straight into the STOCK SVX rear driveshafts, WIN:
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4310.jpg

Old 4EAT - not a bad little unit:
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4307.jpg

[SVXRide]

Yeah TD04's a great option or a VF8 or even the early Forester turbos. Twin TD04's will make around 320 kw atw max which is huge so even running twin TD04's could be a touch big.

Bazza

Okay, best of luck on the build. Looking forward to seeing the results. Will you be implementing all of the various "lessons learned" from the work you and Tony have been doing?

Cheers,
Bill

['E']

Hey Bazza

Awesome work, what you doing with the auto box?

[bazza]

Bit more progress, interior back in, chucked on my 17 x 10 (275's) to see how they fit. I thought they looked pretty mad - might investigate legalities of running flares... although can probably fit 275's in with better offset rims and less profile.

Wideband also installed... all ready for turbo.

Suspension clearance with my 17x10s (rear I think):
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4362.jpg

Fat tyres rear:
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4358.jpg

Suspension clearance front:
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4352.jpg

Fat looking front:
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4349.jpg

Freshly cleaned carpet - was removed from car then hit with a 6hp high pressure cleaner:
http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4343.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4341.jpg

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4342.jpg

[SVXRide]

Bazza,

Yep, looks like you're running a similar offset to the TSW rims I was running 275s on (they were only 9" wide). Going to coilovers will provide even more clearance. Go to coilovers and camber/caster plates with your tire/rim set up and start playing! :D

Looking forward to your impressions of how the car tracks. It will be interesting to see what you think about running with and without the sway bars, given the right coilover/damper set up.

Cheers,
Bill

['E']

Bit more progress, interior back in, chucked on my 17 x 10 (275's) to see how they fit. I thought they looked pretty mad - might investigate legalities of running flares... although can probably fit 275's in with better offset rims

Hey Bazza have you read the offset I'm running in my signature?

[BackWoodsBob]

Cam profiles... I want them!

Also, how do those 272 cams perform while NA, before boost.

['E']

Bazza I think you might need a set of my 6 pot brembos :lol:

[BRZCory]

Yep, I'm subscribing to this thread for updates!

Also, what coils are those on the motor? (goes to search for any other threads)

[Tireiron]

Those are WRX/STi coil packs. Mounted to a custom bracket with spark plug wires to the plugs. It's easy to wire them into the car, just have to find somewhere to mount them and a spark plug wire set for them because they DO NOT fit on the head over the spark plugs where the OEM are. The mounting holes on the head are in different locations for the coil pack bolt (ask me how I know).

[bazza]

Cam profiles... I want them!

Also, how do those 272 cams perform while NA, before boost.

The engine is currently stock. I'm hoping to take it to the drags and get a time before I swap the good 272 cam'd engine in.

Bazza I think you might need a set of my 6 pot brembos :lol:

I tend to agree :)

Those are WRX/STi coil packs. Mounted to a custom bracket with spark plug wires to the plugs. It's easy to wire them into the car, just have to find somewhere to mount them and a spark plug wire set for them because they DO NOT fit on the head over the spark plugs where the OEM are. The mounting holes on the head are in different locations for the coil pack bolt (ask me how I know).

That's correct. However I think they can be fitted to the head - guys with the RS Liberty (same era as SVX) often drill a hole in the other side of those coils and make them work somehow. Something I found with the stock coils is they won't go above 2-3 psi and when we tested the spark gap they'd jump it was only about 3-4 mm. The GDB STI coils jumped 25 mm and then we gave up testing... they work :)


A few issues I've stumbled across. The stock ecu runs the air con and I like the air con so I'm hesitant to remove it. I was going to create an adapter loom so I could connect my LinkPlus G3 ecu (the Link is currently running my turbo EG33 in racecar) but this air con issue stops me.

I am thinking that I may just have to splice into the loom and control simply fuel and ignition as the stock ecu does a good job with idle and air con and thermo fans at present - although ideas are good - anyone got any? For interest sake, my car is idling rather well thus far... no niggles as of yet.

Also one other thing, I cooked my speedo sensor as I got the wiring wrong. Here is the correct wiring. This is 02 STI but same for 02-06 STI 3 pin plugs.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/02STIspeedosensorwiring.png

[BackWoodsBob]

Would you recommend that standalone for a tuning newb?

[bazza]

Would you recommend that standalone for a tuning newb?

Yes, I have the LinkPlus G3 - the new G4 is available. Very easy to use and I can setup a base map for anyone to get going.

I'll also document what needs to be done to get it into the car nice and easily in this thread. The goal is minimal wire cutting / splicing, ease of installation and we must ensure all the original functions still work.

[BackWoodsBob]

Yes, I have the LinkPlus G3 - the new G4 is available. Very easy to use and I can setup a base map for anyone to get going.

I'll also document what needs to be done to get it into the car nice and easily in this thread. The goal is minimal wire cutting / splicing, ease of installation and we must ensure all the original functions still work.

I would seriously love you for all eternity. I've been re-considering goign with LANs chip, for the 555 sti side feed injectors. But want to be able to tweak things, or even the AEM FIC8, but Im unsure it will work due to our multiple crank sensors.

Please make a how-to, or short explination so that others can follow in your footsteps to a 350+whp EG33 powered monster.

[svxfiles]

The engine is currently stock. I'm hoping to take it to the drags and get a time before I swap the good 272 cam'd engine in.



I tend to agree :)



That's correct. However I think they can be fitted to the head - guys with the RS Liberty (same era as SVX) often drill a hole in the other side of those coils and make them work somehow. Something I found with the stock coils is they won't go above 2-3 psi and when we tested the spark gap they'd jump it was only about 3-4 mm. The GDB STI coils jumped 25 mm and then we gave up testing... they work :)


A few issues I've stumbled across. The stock ecu runs the air con and I like the air con so I'm hesitant to remove it. I was going to create an adapter loom so I could connect my LinkPlus G3 ecu (the Link is currently running my turbo EG33 in racecar) but this air con issue stops me.

I am thinking that I may just have to splice into the loom and control simply fuel and ignition as the stock ecu does a good job with idle and air con and thermo fans at present - although ideas are good - anyone got any? For interest sake, my car is idling rather well thus far... no niggles as of yet.

Also one other thing, I cooked my speedo sensor as I got the wiring wrong. Here is the correct wiring. This is 02 STI but same for 02-06 STI 3 pin plugs.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/02STIspeedosensorwiring.png

:confused:
My stock coils are good at 11psi!?!

[bazza]

:confused:
My stock coils are good at 11psi!?!

Prolly more back pressure due to driving the turbine - not sure. We weren't interested in making something unknown work after they failed so early on - dyno time isn't cheap so we stuck with what we knew would run a lot of power with no issues. Made 580 bhp that day - dead stock engine lol, so it worked.

[svxfiles]

Prolly more back pressure due to driving the turbine - not sure. We weren't interested in making something unknown work after they failed so early on - dyno time isn't cheap so we stuck with what we knew would run a lot of power with no issues. Made 580 bhp that day - dead stock engine lol, so it worked.

Could be.
I'm running a way too big true dual (at 2.5" each) untill a single 3" after the rear end.

[BackWoodsBob]

What the hell. How do electrical ignition parts have a pressure value...am I missing something here lol

[svxfiles]

What the hell. How do electrical ignition parts have a pressure value...am I missing something here lol

The higher the combustion pressure the harder it is for the arc to jump the gap.

[BackWoodsBob]

I've never heard of air pressure affecting electrical ark before... Interesting.

[Tireiron]

I can't tell from this pic obviously due to the angle, but what did you use for spark plug wires from the STi coil packs to the plugs? I don't know of any wires off hand that would connect to the coil pack, and seeing as I have 8 of these coil packs floating around and 6 brand new connectors, I am interested in the last few details needed to make this work.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii209/bazzasti/IMG_4251.jpg

[oab_au]

I've never heard of air pressure affecting electrical ark before... Interesting.

The higher the compression, and the leaner the mixture, the higher the resistance, for the spark to overcome.
It is the lean mixtures that we have today with Emissions, that demand the wide plug gap, and the much higher voltages that we have to use now. If we use normal mixtures, we can use normal small gaps, and normal voltages.

Harvey.

[bazza]

What the hell. How do electrical ignition parts have a pressure value...am I missing something here lol

Could be.
I'm running a way too big true dual (at 2.5" each) untill a single 3" after the rear end.

Could also be due to running E85, adds 30% more fuel and burns faster than octane and is harder to light (burn rate as proven by about 50 SAE studies, EPA etc) - you do certainly find more misses with E85 than normal fuel.

We also find that the richer you go the more likely you are to have a miss due to spark and we run mine rather rich as it's stock pistons. The leaner you go the engine just stumbles as there isn't enough fuel to turn it over etc.

With the coils - I simply removed the original rubber boot, inserted the original spring (which falls out when you removed the rubber boot), add any $5 lead from auto shop and cable tie the lead on with spring connecting the lead to the screw in top of coil. I haven't really liked this method and always wanted to improve it but it never let me down so I've never got around to making it better.

[BackWoodsBob]

Thanks for the explanation guys!

[Tireiron]

With the coils - I simply removed the original rubber boot, inserted the original spring (which falls out when you removed the rubber boot), add any $5 lead from auto shop and cable tie the lead on with spring connecting the lead to the screw in top of coil. I haven't really liked this method and always wanted to improve it but it never let me down so I've never got around to making it better.

Thats the thought I was having. With the shorter spring from the grey STi coils and zip tieing the plug wire on it should work pretty well. As long as the zip tie keeps the plug wire from being pushed off, which it should with the large lip on the coil pack if it is zip tied in the right place well enough. Time to fab up a pair of brackets and get the right wire sets. The better spark will be welcome in my supercharged car to avoid the stumbles.

[bazza]

Little bit of an update. Wideband installed with new bung. Both power windows died and the boot gas lifters were a bit tired so replaced them.

So many times on the SVX I think, wow - that's impressive engineering like with the air con system, the original auto gearbox or the suspension setup or the engine and drive-ability the stock unit provides. The seat and steering position also - brilliant and the chassis strength.

However, so many many times I'm also looking at bits and pieces thinking, WTF did Subaru do that for. The little plastic window clips that enable the power window cable system to work are a disaster - no idea how they lasted this long, the dash weighs about 17 tonnes and I also replaced the gas lifters thinking the boot would be nice and light .... fail lol. Dam windows are designed in a such a way that you cannot use the windscreen washer with them open (unless you want a shower) and the steering wheel is like driving a bus, "got anything a little smaller". So I think it's a love / hate relationship haha. I guess the best thing is being a Subaru all the STI bits fit... Subaru SVX STI... WIN.

"E" has given me some nice ideas though which I'll most likely have a look at, he has an STI gearboot surround which looks brilliant and some 8 pot brakes which would really make the car look nice and tough.

Not sure if I'll turbo it, maybe the 272 cam'd engine will be enough for a ****load of fun, well more fun. The car is already great fun - certainly has the X factor about it.

[SVXRide]

Bazza,

True enough!! It would be interesting to see how a "Bazza-preped" SVX with a NA EG33 would do on the track.:cool:

Cheers,
Bill

[flamestone]

However, so many many times I'm also looking at bits and pieces thinking, WTF did Subaru do that for.

Exactly. I've only just started stripping mine for resto, and I've said the same a dozen times already.

Funny (or not!) how it can be over engineered and fragile at the same time.

['E']

Exactly. I've only just started stripping mine for resto, and I've said the same a dozen times already.

Funny (or not!) how it can be over engineered and fragile at the same time.

Perfect time for a 6 speed conversion