Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

EJ22 Turbo in my 1988 Vanagon GL


Recommended Posts

Well.........................new to this forum but just thought I'd post about the project I've just started this past weekend.

1988 VW Vanagon GL, fully loaded 7 passenger, A/C, Automatic. 450 000 km's. The tires 2.1 has about 120 000 km's on a rebuild and it is a bit tired.I have put 2" spring spacers in the rear and 1984 front springs from a westy. 16x7.5 Momo Idea wheels bring the ground clearance almost to synchro height.

 

Last weekend I picked up a 1992 AWD Turbo Legacy sedan with plans to install the EJ into my van. Pulled the dash and the wiring harness and have, as of this afternoon, got all the needed wires,plugs,relays and turbo solenoids isolated and pulled out of the Subie loom. Holy crap what a job.Time consuming but rewarding at the same time.Every wire I pull and id is one less to pull and identify........I plan to install the ECU under the rear seat so by next weekend I should have everything lengthened, soldered and wrapped waiting the next step.

 

Next step is to order my adapter kit from Smallcar. The stainless turbo header looks beautiful, can't wait to start getting it all together.

 

I also think I'll modify the shift governor to bring up the rpm's for better shifting.

 

To go from an anemic 90- HP to over 130+ should make my pending summer road trip from Van. BC to Disneyland with the kids a blaaast!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Well.........................new to this forum but just thought I'd post about the project I've just started this past weekend.

1988 VW Vanagon GL, fully loaded 7 passenger, A/C, Automatic. 450 000 km's. The tires 2.1 has about 120 000 km's on a rebuild and it is a bit tired.I have put 2" spring spacers in the rear and 1984 front springs from a westy. 16x7.5 Momo Idea wheels bring the ground clearance almost to synchro height.

 

Last weekend I picked up a 1992 AWD Turbo Legacy sedan with plans to install the EJ into my van. Pulled the dash and the wiring harness and have, as of this afternoon, got all the needed wires,plugs,relays and turbo solenoids isolated and pulled out of the Subie loom. Holy crap what a job.Time consuming but rewarding at the same time.Every wire I pull and id is one less to pull and identify........I plan to install the ECU under the rear seat so by next weekend I should have everything lengthened, soldered and wrapped waiting the next step.

 

Next step is to order my adapter kit from Smallcar. The stainless turbo header looks beautiful, can't wait to start getting it all together.

 

I also think I'll modify the shift governor to bring up the rpm's for better shifting.

 

To go from an anemic 90- HP to over 130+ should make my pending summer road trip from Van. BC to Disneyland with the kids a blaaast!

 

 

Hey Dude,

 

How's the conversion going ? As for horsepower.... the EJ22t puts out 180 horsepower......the EJ22 n/a (normally aspirated) puts out around 135 horsepower.

 

 

- Chester

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Dude,

 

How's the conversion going ? As for horsepower.... the EJ22t puts out 180 horsepower......the EJ22 n/a (normally aspirated) puts out around 135 horsepower.

 

 

- Chester

 

You running a Subie too????

 

 

It's actually coming along quite well, thx for asking.................after too many hours to count, my harness is ready to wrap up.I'll wait until the engine is in and running before final tape. What a job double and triple checking all the ECU pin-outs and connections.

I must say Brent Weide's site was a really big help.

Gotta lay it in the van to see if everything is a good length. I'm running the harness through the passenger side since with a turbo there'll be a bit of heat on the driver's side, and I'm not doing a reverse coolant manifold set-up.

 

Got a nice parcel from Smallcar last week. A nice shiny turbo header, coolant pipes, and related hoses, engine mount, and Smallcar supplied KEP bellhousing adapter. Played a bit yesterday put the header on, a bit of a *************** to fit the engine mount side arms though. Tight fit between a coolant fitting by the oil filter.Pretty tight squeeze but it sure looks nice. Figured out all my vacuum related hoses to the Charcoal Can and turbo related solenoids.

 

 

Next step is to fab up a down pipe to mate the turbo to the Bugpack connector pipe/cat/ stainless magnaflow muffler set-up already on my GL. Also plan to fab some sort of heat shield for the turbo.nothing fancy just a home brew thing.

 

Getting pretty jazzed about the whole dealio...........just waiting for some shop time at my buddies place to dump the 90 horse and move into the fast-lane. Plan is to be running by the end of the month.

 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm........................180 horses.............

 

So far so good.......right on track.............

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...