Storm

Just east of Cleveland, but I get out that way on occasion. This thread sparks alot of interest as a friend currently has a similar transplant underway in our shop. Non Subie donor or destination, but nonetheless similar in the end result. Should draw alot of "WTF....you did WHAT?" comments. I'll Pm when we'll be headed out your way....we can grab a beer or 3 and talk fab work! Jay

I just realized you're located in Toledo, Bill....that makes this project 10x cooler!

I made mine from a 32oz RC airplane fueltank. Cut one end just big enough to fit over the pump and pickup make a few holes and zip tie it to the strut that holds the pump. Then run the return line directly into the tank. Finally add a couple small holes near the halfway point to help it fill even more. Works well enough for the investment.....and saves money for more ....which leads to more ideas.....:-\ Jay Storm

The EJ25D intake manifold won't bolt up to the EJ22 heads, but a EJ253 (SOHC type) will bolt to it. The exhaust manifold is different as well (singleport on the EJ22). You can transfer the engine harness to the EJ22 and get away with changing a few sensor plugs to match newer stuff or rig up slightly different mounting methods (mainly the coil, TPS, IAC) and you might have to extend the cam sensor wires a little since the SOHC puts it in a different spot. Check the crank timing gear for the same number of teeth, as phase I and II can be different depending on the year.....use the one that goes with your ECU. Take care of those little things and know that you'll have an EGR code....it'll run just fine. Jay Storm

What did the turbo come off of? If the displacement was similar, it's more than likely suitably sized for your motor. Start welding up an up pipe and flange assembly. If you got the book by corky bell, you're on your way to understanding how they work, what they need to be reliable and what things you want to keep an eye on. Most of the cautions that get thrown around on nasioc are meant for people who expect the solution to come from the box. The general feeling I get from this community, is that y'all can basically make anything work well enough for your needs. You will learn alot about the differences between tuning forced induction versus naturally aspirated motors. Go for it and build up the boost levels slowly, while keeping an eye on temps, plugs, A/F ratios, etc..... Jay Storm

The O rings should be available from the dealer. The torque specs on that 96 EJ25D are different based on position. The bolts closest to the cam gears have a lower spec than the others because they are smaller. That said, the 96 uses shouldered bolts, which are very prone to stretching and breaking. If you're re using these, check each one for deformed threads. I would replace them myself....but only because I've had more than 3 with stretched threads. Also, double check that the specs are in ft/lbs and not in/lbs. The Haynes manual has some listed in each spec, so it's easy to break one trying to get _ft/lbs instead of in/lbs. Good luck, Jay Storm

Any numbers to back up the flow differences?

That just might work!!! Thanks! Jay

Looks like I got PM'd with a set of OEM type. Once I get a PN for these "hybrid" gaskets...I'll post it up!!! BTW...here's a link to a franken-wagon having too much fun in the dirt with his phase II EJ25 and 98 EJ22E heads..... http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=124045791458671801 Thanks all, Jay

Bumping this back up to let y'all know that I'm working with Cometic Gasket to develop a custom headgasket for the EJ25/EJ22 hybrid. I need to get them an EJ22 gasket to confirm the coolant passages are different and have them apply that pattern to the EJ25 gasket so folks don't have to modify theirs. If any of you have old OEM EJ22 gaskets, please PM or email me. I threw all of mine out already. Thanks, Jay Storm

Couple pics of our Imprezas with wide rubber.... DSP 2.5RS with 285-30-18 on 18x10.5" wheels DSP 2.5RS with 265-45-16 on 16x9" wheels FSP Brighton with 235-45-13 on 13x8" wheels

I'm keeping the drums on my Brighton as well.....Discs are over rated when you're so close to lockup anyway and no ABS..... Anyone ever do a direct weight comparison between the drum and disc setups? Way back in my FWD mopar days, the drums were lighter but a disc swap meant more rear bias for trailbraking (if you kept the disc/drum proportion valve). I'd go with an early base model Impreza, although the gen I Legacy is reported to be better balanced. Hard to find a good early Legacy as most are either too far gone, too option-laden to stay light or too far tucked away for safe keeping. At least an Impreza can be cosmetically upgraded to RS panels if that's your thing when not throwing roostertails of dirt around cones. Jay Storm

I like the way you're thinking and agree that it is the right way to go. Did I miss the sizes of the swaybars? We ran a couple seasons with 500/500 & 22/24mm bars (F/R) on 245s. It was a great setup. Then we went to 600/600 & 26/26mm bars and 265s. The jump in performance was again as big as when we came from little 225s years back. The same setup with 285-30-18 is just, well...thank god for race seats and harnesses! Too bad that Heartland park is still so slick. We didn't take that into account and the setup was way too stiff for the surface. Awesome on concrete...scary loose on sandy asphalt. My co-driver (and owner) pretty much veto'd the idea of taking the bars off to try get some traction...so I screwed us out of a national trophy by not taking the time to test for super slick courses. On my little FSP Brighton I tried a 22/__mm bar with the 600/450 springs and didn't like it. No bars seems to be what this car wants, so I'm gonna keep fiddling with springs and shock settings until I'm satisfied. I plan to try out some 215-40-16 as well as the 245-45-16s. I'd love to try a set of the 275-40-15s if I can find a donor (sponsor)..... I don't know what car I'll be in come time for Topeka...but I'll be there in something! See you there? Jay Storm

The replies you've gotten over on nasioc describe what I have also learned. Personally, I think the better option would be WRX heads on the EJ22T block or new pistons. With such low compression and a huge turbo, you'll be needing to stay in boost much more often for a daily driver. Just my opinion though...YMMV. Jay Storm

From my reading...there is a clearance issue using an OEM up pipe with EJ25 SOHC heads. No issue with DOHC heads...but if you have them (SOHC) already, no sense in buying more parts. Do the clearancing you need and go. The low compression is going to mean slow spooling. That's pretty low, even for a turbo motor....A thinner HG isn't going to bring it up by much and decking the heads plus the thing gasket might bring you more problems with cam timing than the compression will help. I can't be absolutely sure on the oil tapping point on the block but I know of others who have Tee'd off the pressure sender or used another port on the other end of the block. A simple drainback into the pan is sufficient although I can't believe people try and sell banjo bolts to double as a return line/oil drain plug.... Any particular reason why you want to go with the EJ25 heads on the EJ22 block? Jay Storm

If you go back to 750/500...are you still going to run bars? I thought the RX was lighter than an Impreza.....although...with the grip of 245s...you may just roll that piggy onto the tires yet! We found that running slightly higher ride height with the stiffy springs and wide (well, wider than 245) tires worked pretty well. Keep up the good work! I love my D2s at 600F/450R with no bars. I'm actually running them at or close to full soft all around. Just got done with the FHI LSD install and get to try it out in a couple weeks with fresh 215-50-13s (yes, on an Impreza....Brighton that is). If you actually get to talk to people from D2's distributor...please let me know who you deal with. I can't get an answer to save my life.....:-\ Jay Storm

^^^ That's awesome! They should get some kumho colored smoke tires to match the wagon!

The difference is barely noticable at all. The intake manifolds are plug and play, although the EJ18 doesn't have a knock sensor. Leave it on the block if you want, or think you'll eventually put an '95 EJ22 ECU in (I happen to have a spare). If you do eventually go with the EJ22 ECU, you will notice it go a little flat as it pulls timing without a knock sensor signal (CEL will be thrown) until you put that pin into the plug and run a wire out to the sensor. Once you do that, it runs like it came that way to begin with. The EJ22 on the EJ18 ECU is noticably more peppy (than the EJ18). Expect around 25-27mpg and learn to live with the 6k revlimit.....it comes up quicker with the EJ22! (but not as quick as with an EJ25) The PP6 from Rallitek isn't worth the price (imho). PM me with any specific questions. Jay Storm

This is a great low-buck build up. I dunno why the water passages don't line up on the gaskets, but it's a small inconvenience for the boost in performance. The injectors will drop in. You'd know if they were side feed or top feed. Top feed came on the EJ25 in 99 and would need the entire rail plus an adapter for the manifold bungs. Nissan uses some compatable side feed injectors if you wanna look at other options. The DOHC EJ25 manifold won't fit the EJ22 heads because of the bolt pattern. The SOHC EJ25 might have the same pattern but the port spacing from the deck is different, I doubt it'll fit either. SOHC has top feed injectors anyway. Depending on the year of those EJ22 heads, you might need a single port exhaust manifold. If they are dual port, the EJ25 stuff will bolt right on. The setup likes a high flow cat or trackpipe. You can expect to be putting down around 140-145HP to the wheels:headbang: with even more torque. Jay Storm

Got it setup finally. I shopped around the maintenance room and found shim washers that are perfect for setting bearings up. I added a shim under the pinion bearing and through trial and error, got my backlash down to .025". It's slightly on the tight side of FSM specs but feels fine. Mesh pattern is about spot on as well. I may break it down one more time to change the shim but I think I'll wait to see how it drives first. I've had this sucker apart and back together so many times this week it's almost as quick as changing my oil.... Hopefully I'll be able to get it into the car here soon and take advantage of some LSD action before this snow melts! Jay Storm

Thanks for the replies. I checked the pattern with grease just to see if I could get an idea of where I was at. It's running more toward the tail of the drive side and just about centered on the coast side. My backlash is too loose. I didn't put an indicator on it but it's probably in the neighborhood of 1.0mm instead of < 0.3mm.... I pulled the pinion bearing off both shafts I had, to measure both adjusting washers and pinion heights and they're both the same. Preload sleeves are the same but the washer for the sleeve is different by about .2-.3mm I'm getting good preload so I'm not worried about that right now. I'm going to bring one of the pinion adjustment washers to a local dealer and see if they have anything in stock. I've got a good enough rapport with the service manager that he'll work with me on this oddball stuff. Maybe I can talk him into a handful of washers and buying what I end up needing while renting me the dummy shaft and special gauge for an evening.... The kicker for me is....I'm doin this at work during breaks (generously loooong breaks;) ) and I wanna keep this stuff in my shop where it's warm and out of the lady's sight..... Once this is done and in...I have to figure out how to do the front LSD next! Jay Storm

I'm using a T type case from another LSD swap but I have to change the ratio. I sourced a 3.90 R&P to match my front final drive ratio and have a question about the pinion depth. I don't have the dummy shaft or the special gauge to measure the depth and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one to do this without the special tools. Can anyone tell me what the depth should be from the machined end of the case? The special gauge looks to reference from there. I kept the pinion bearing and washers from the new pinion on the new shaft, with the adjusting washer in place and used the preload washer from that pinion as well. Would I be better off using the washers and sleeve from the pinion I pulled out? I have the preload correct but I can't verify the depth being correct to allow the carrier to go inplace with minimal shim relocation. Any insight is helpful! Jay Storm

Small update to this as now I know that the 96 Impreza uses the "VA" type R160 while others use the "T" type. The VA carrier bearings are smaller than the T type and won't go onto a diff for the T type. I had a spare T type case from another LSD swap but it's got the 3.70 ratio. I sourced a 3.90 R&P to match my front final drive ratio and made the swap but have a question about the pinion depth. I don't have the dummy shaft or the special gauge to measure the depth and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one to do this without the special tools. Can anyone tell me what the depth should be from the machined end of the case? The special gauge looks to reference from there. I kept the pinion bearing and washers from the new pinion on the new shaft, with the adjusting washer in place and used the preload washer from that pinion as well. Would I be better off using the washers and sleeve from the pinion I pulled out? I have the preload correct but I can't verify the depth being correct to allow the carrier to go inplace with minimal shim relocation. Any insight is helpful! Jay Storm

There are a couple EZ30R's going into Imprezas now with varying levels of success. All of them gave been bolted to 5 and 6 speed trannies. If you can get a deal on the motor, it's probably worth it. It's alot of work to make it run in another car though. Standalone engine mangagement will be your easiest route due to the immobilizer system in the OE wiring/ECU. Jay Storm

^^^With a long drill! Nice pics! I've been meaning to make it up to Saginaw Bay, MI. for some ice racing. Just haven't been able to yet. Jay