Motor swap..

[$ gest24 $]

This is sounding a lot like the VW Guys swapping in 1.8Ts or VR6s in MK2s... They've over come tons of obsticles and maybe this swap will start a trend like the 5mt swaps did.

[immortal_suby]

Originally Posted by LiquidForce

This car used to be Porter's on this board. The car already has a very nice suspension and brake setup. This frees up the money for the engine since everything else is covered. It also helps that I have access to a blown WRX motor so I can go ahead and use that for a test fit.

Hah! I put new front halfshafts in that car in my driveway! Porter drives like a maniac. Good to see the car fell into good hands.

I'm actually surprised, I thought all you guys would be against this idea.

Since aquiring my own SVX, a few guys around here have suggested that we do this very swap. Apparently, they feel that the full MY04 STi w/4k miles on it lying our shop floor for the past 1.5 years should go to some good use. It has been slated for my MY98 Forester from the begining, but then the SVX came around, but I thought everyone would be against it, so I scrapped the idea

Oddly enough, I don't worry about the wiring, guess you could say it's my forte', it's making everything else fit properly that would concern me. Though I think it is possible with plenty of work ahead. Unfortunately, I can't dedicate the time it requires to take that kind of project on, our shop is small and busy. Same reason the Forester is still stock, well as for the engine anyways.

Good Luck,
-Adam

[LiquidForce]

Ok. I almost have the engine out. Only the top bolt from the tranny to the engine remains. When you pull one of these where do you hook the chains? I know one goes on the ac bracket but where else should I lift it by?

[TomsSVX]

There should be a lift hook on the rear pass side of the engine

Tom

[LiquidForce]

That's what I thought but someone must have removed it. Looks like the car has had some transmission work in the past and they didn't put it back on.

[TomsSVX]

Then use some cloth straps around the intake runners

Tom

[LiquidForce]

The engine is out. It's too late today today to try to get the block to test fit with. That will have to wait til next weekend. I did some measuring and the heads for the wrx/sti are 5.5 inches shorter than the eg33 heads. This should leave plenty of room up front for a turbo if there are issues with keeping the turbo in the stock wrx location.

[svxcuseme]

Nice meeting you at the yard today. Good luck with the conversion. This will be very cool if completed. I don't think the wiring will be an issue at all, especially if you can pull the harness from and existing WRX. Ah yeah! I remember you saying "I wish they had not cut the wiring harness." Now I see why. I hate how people hack the cars apart there!

P.S. I pulled the MAF from a 93' legacy and it looks identical. Hopes this fixes my stall issue. Pretty confident after reading all the posts.

[TomsSVX]

There are 3 letters/numbers at the end of the serial #. Make sure those 3 are the same and you should be alright

Tom

[AppStateSVX]

wow, this is going to be pretty cool. Make sure you get a huge STi sticker for the SVX after you are done though...........

seriously though, congrats on actually stepping up and doing something rather than just talk about it. Please take pics!!!

[GreenMarine]

Originally Posted by LiquidForce

This car used to be Porter's on this board. The car already has a very nice suspension and brake setup. This frees up the money for the engine since everything else is covered. It also helps that I have access to a blown WRX motor so I can go ahead and use that for a test fit.

Dude!!! YOu bought Porter's car?!?!?! You lucky bastage Porter's car was the first SVX to have the Koni/GC suspension on it (as far as I know it is still on there)... I met him the day after he did the swap and rode in the car then ... It was a blast... I told him that I'd help him with a tranny swap to a 5 speed, but he is in college now and just doesn't have the time ....

Anyway, that is awesome that ya want to do a WRX motor swap... I think it will be awesome!! I almost did the same thing when I was in an accident over a year ago... Decided against it because I just didn't want to give up the lovely EG33 sound... And I didn't want to have to design and custom make an exhaust... I have the Stebro now and Love it to death... Nothing (to me) beats the sound of the Flat-6 under hard acceleration .... But I do wish you luck man... And let me tell you, that car is a ***** Everyone on NASIOC knows it VERY well .... Shoot me a message sometime... May beable to stop by as my friend is getting stationed in GA with the Air Force... (Moody AFB...) Not sure exactly where it is though

Good Luck!!!

** Oh, and if he still has the headunit and component speakers in there and ya want to get rid of them, LET ME KNOW!!! **

[GreenMarine]

Alright.... it's the 12th......... How bout an update

[LiquidForce]

Originally Posted by GreenMarineSVX

I almost did the same thing when I was in an accident over a year ago... Decided against it because I just didn't want to give up the lovely EG33 sound...

I was there when you wrecked the SVX at the Dragon. That was a very sad day indeed. It was your car that helped me get Porters. My wife remembered how nice your car was and now is again. You may remember me. My name is Mike and I was the one with the RV at the campground.

As for an update:
Today I went back to the junk yard to get a pedal box and clutch master cylinder for the tranny swap and a wiring harness for the engine. I get to the car and there is another guy looking it over. We get to talking and I complain that the last time I was there the parts were on the car and now there not. Turns out the guy I am talking to (svxcuseme in the post above) took the parts for his 5spd swap. What are the odds of that happening?

I still need to pick up a block for test fitting. Hopefully that will be this weekend.

[mbtoloczko]

Originally Posted by GreenMarineSVX

Dude!!! YOu bought Porter's car?!?!?! You lucky bastage Porter's car was the first SVX to have the Koni/GC suspension on it...

Nah, Porter wasn't the first. There were several other people running around with the Koni/GC years before Porter. Porter did popularize the upgrade though.