Dr. RX

It's 25 years Ed.

This is where I buy Subaru parts online, http://1stsubaruparts.com/ , it is Auburn Subaru and they seem to have the best prices.

Well, now that the cat is out of the bag, look at what I did to my 1996 1.8 Brighton, http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=17638

Alot depends on if it was starved of oil, if so, then most load bearing oiled surface might have been damaged. If not, the there are several internal component that might be salvageable, like crank, rods, cams, .... On the cams, it really depends upon the year of the engine, there was a change to the profile in 87 that gave them better performance, so pre 87 would be less desireable. Now for some imaginative ideas, the whole engine could be used as a boat anchor, the heads could be cleaned and polished and used as door stops or paper weights, or you could clean and polish the entire engine, build a stand and add a thick clear or smoked lexan sheet on top for a novelty livingroom coffee table.

Thanks for the head up on the PM, I never look up there to see if I have any PMs. I see that I have two of them, I'll have to check them.

The other 1.8s that you guys keep bringing up are very different then the Subaru 1.8s. I'll bet those engines that are turning 180hp stock have strong girtled lower ends, forged pistons, and a lot freer flowing head, plus a newer fuel injection management computer. The last EA82T left the factory over 10 years ago, a lot has happened to engine management technology since then. The lowest hp rating on an EJ20G (turbocharged early 2.0 liter, in the JDM Legacys) was 200hp, and 220hp, the lowest WRX sedan version of that engine was 240hp and the highest 275hp (1996 special WRX STi Type RA). For all the money that you'll be sinking into an EA82T, you could be installing an EJ20G with 240 to 260hp, and have a very reliable engine.

Gee Shean, then maybe you should have worded it so you said that like, " I want to replace my stock EA82T turbocharger with one from a Turbo Legacy." OK, now that I know what you are asking then, you'll need to either get the Turbo Legacy downpipe or modify your downpipe since there are 5 bolts that hold on the downpipe on the Legacy turbocharger. Tex put a WRX turbocharger on his engine, everything he needed to do for that is what you would have to do for yours. It is not the same turbocharger, but it bolts up the same. But I guess I should ask, why do you want to do this, because the Legacy turbocharger is bigger?? Bigger is not always better. Bigger will give you more turbo lag, more spinning mass to over come, in other words it takes longer to spool up under boost. Also the one from the Legacy is tuned for a 2.2 liter engine, not a 1.8. The 1.8 may not produce enough exhaust gas pressure to efficiently spin that turbocharger.

I'm in complete agreement with Bushbasher on this one. I also get the feeling that no one here has done any serious performance racing. I used to race F Production Alfa Romeos (1300cc 108 hp). After every weekend of racing we would pull the engine a rebuild it, new bearings, rings, seals and gaskets. Still with all that preparation I managed to spin a bearing and throw a rod right through the side of the block in one race. This was a non-turbo engine, so the heat was much lower and the pressure on the engine was less. I'm sure that anyone who put that much money and effort into making such an engine isn't going to baby it to get the longevity out of the engine. A stock EA82T engine with proper maintenance could easily exceed 200,000 miles, I doubt the you would ever see 20,000 miles (and I'm being VERY optimistic here) on such an engine without a rebuild.

Someone here on the board has one in a trike I believe.

First thing that you need is a donor Turbo Legacy. From that pull the engine tranny and rear diff, pull the complete front wiring harness plus the ECU, you'll need the trottle pedal (a separate unit on the Legacy), and the pedal assy plus the hydraulic clutch setup. I believe Aaron's has a Legacy Turbo there, no motor though, but I know the tranny is there. A lot of the front has been cut away so I don't know how much of the front wiring harness is still there. The pedals are still there, but the hydraulic clutch setup isn't. Once you get all those things, let me know.

Well that depends upon how long you want it to last. I really don't think an EA82T would be very reliable with that kind of horse power.

Either will work, VLSD really works better at higher rpms, the LSD works at any rpm. The difference is that the friction material in a VLSD is the viscous fluid, and in the LSD it is clutch discs.

Gee Hondasucks, look at his signature block, it will tell you it is a 92 Legacy Turbo. And the rear diff in the 91 was a VLSD, not a LSD. Brian, yes it will work, all of the 3.90 LSD conversions that I have made were for EA81 cars and the 3.90 came from thoses cars. Yes, that rear diff will fit in your Legacy Turbo. By WCSS I should have a 3.90 VLSD available, but it won't be cheap, next to the fabled 3.90 LSDs, these are rare, only available one year.

It is XT6, there was no RX6. I'm a little confused here, you seem to be implying the EA82 turbos cars are not reliable, I have two of those type vehicles and they are very reliable. What makes them unreliable is some peoples minds it the same thing that makes any car unreliable, and that is poor maintenance. You can replace the air suspension of the XT6 AWD with the front struts and rear shocks from a 2WD XT6. From what I hear, the worst part of the XT6 is the electronic power steering, not so much for performance, but for replacement costs.

Sorry to be a wet blanket here, but the suspension on a stock EA82 series car is not capable of the same lateral G's of a RS, let along a STi. The geometry just isn't there. Another thing, projects like this take money, lots of money, in fact money would be the driving force, far more then time would be. The only advantage that going 5 lug gives you is a wider choice of wheels and tires, the that would help a little, but still not anywhere near what you are looking for. I would say that number 1, 4 and 5 are easy to achieve. As for #3, you could make a great rallyX car, but an autocrosser would be average at best. And as I stated above, #2 without total redoing the suspension will never happen. I think your goals are admirable, but your means are good enough to get the job done. Please don't consider this a flame in any way, I just want you to understand what you are up against before you start down the road.

Too bad you are so far away, I get leads on these front clips all the time. I just sold one to a guy in Portland, and there was another that I knew about down in Tacoma. Prices range from $2000 to $3000. For another $300, I'd do the electrical conversion for you. Like I said, the EJ18 pwoered cars are the easiest to convert, I'd charge $500 for converting an EJ22 powered car. Yes, I know, for a lot of people, that is alot of money, but to get a car with 240 to 280 hp and only spend approximately $3000 to do it, that's really pretty cheap. Do what Leagcy777 said, that should help get what you are looking for.

I run 89 octane in my turbos all the time, no problems.

To be more correct, the engine is an EJ20G, not an EJ20T. And yes it is possible to install one of these from a Japanese front clip, it is not a bolt on mod like I think you are asking for. There is not much difference between the EJ18 and the EJ22 that was also available in the early Imprezas, so some of the perfomance enhancements that work for those should work with yours. For some reason Subaru choose to make the wires harnesses on the 1.8 different then the 2.2 and 2.5 models, so converting to either of those engine would not be easy. In fact even the fuel delivery system is different, it is much more complicated on a 1.8 then on the 2.2. Legacy777 gave you about the best advice so far. SubaruBrat gave you the other end of the scale. One thing to note about the WRX conversion, because you are staring with a car the has the EJ18 setup, the conversion is actually simpler then if you had one with an EJ22 setup, there are fewer wires to splice with the EJ18 setup. Also, on a courtesy note, if you don't want suggestions, maybe you shouldn't ask, or be more specific about what you are asking.

Well, it sounds like you only looked at the Legacy GT, it actually has better performance then the WRX. Sorry Tim, but comparing the RS to the WRX or the GT isn't far, thet are like night and day.

Look Freak, I know that Wesco has the stuff, so why don't you go there, it is closer.

I don't think the EJ22 was available in an Impreza until 94, the EJ18 was the base engine, at least up to 96. I think the EJ25 came along in 98 as the RS, but the base engine was still the EJ22.

OK, to answer your question, try Wesco Auto Paint Supply, there is one in Totem Lake and one in Renton, I'm not sure if there is one in Bellevue or not.

And the VIN is?????

Nope, the RX never came with air suspension. It would be a pain to install and very expensive to purchase, for the price of one shock/strut you can buy all four normal ones. Most people that I know want to get rid of their air suspension. I did on my GL-10.

About the only difference that I can remember is a DL dash versus a GL dash, the two are different looking, but should be interchangeable. What year is the dash coming from, maybe I have the FSM for that year and can scan a copy of the dash wiring diagram, then you can check it against your FSM. Either way, buy the dash, someone here will need it if you can't make it work.