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Who has a JDM ej20t?


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I have done some searching on this board about JDM ej20t's. I can't seem to find any hard data. I'd like to know what the horsepower rating is. I've seen them listed at NipponMotors for $650. has anyone out there actually used one? What kind of fuel economy do you get? What do you do for an ECU? I am the guy with the MB 4x4 wagon. I have sort of given up on finding a pre 1976 Subaru so am now looking to make a pre 76 Volvo wagon AWD using Subaru stuff/keeping the Volvo rear axle. The stock Volvo only has 115 hp so I'm pretty sure I can exceed that. I'll be driving the car almost 100 miles a day as I do with the MB 4x4 (21 mpg, turbo diesel) now so I'd like to know what kind of mileage to expect.

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EJ20s were all across the board as far as HP numbers go...

 

heres an informative link about them and the different versions that were offered: http://www.importcarparts.co.uk/tech/model_codes.htm

 

JDM EJ20 engines go way back into the first gen legacys then found thier way into the impreza line up when it was introduced in the early 90s.

 

youre looking at 220-300hp depending upon which version you find...i think corky is selling a version 4 front clip, try to PM him about it.

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Yes, I have two right now, one is just the engine, that one is out of a JDM Legacy and has either 200 or 220 hp, I need to could the blades on the turbo. The other is a 94 WRX STi front clip (version II), that includes the complete front wiring harness, the ECU, the front suspension engine and tranny. I have an ECU for a JDM EJ20G (that is want they are known as by Subaru, the 'T' is something engine importers put on the engine to show it is a turbo).

 

Dennis, I believe the highest horse power of an EJ20G is 260hp, starting with the version IV, it is a different EJ20 series and that is rated at 280hp, other of the EJ20 series were rated up to 300 hp.

 

You can either try to figure out the wiring of a stock ECU or purchase an aftermarket ECU, like a HalTec, at around $1400. Most people who install these are not the least concerned about fuel economy, so I doubt anyone with have any figures for you. I applaud your idea, but wonder how you are going to setup the front wheel drive part of this AWD Volvo?

 

PS: I think I need to shot you for you Porsche conversion, how could you even think about putting a Ford engine into a Porsche. :lol:

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So if i buy one of these ej20"t" 's for $650 it is going to have at least 200 hp? That sounds pretty good. I would guess this assumes I am using a comparable intercooler. Where is the turbo on these engines? How does the exhaust cross over? Can an American spec ECU be made to work? Have you never checked your mileage with any of your cars? I guess I would expect mileage similar to what a WRX gets, right? Do these things always have to be run on 91 octane?

 

Sorry to offend you with the Ford powered Porsche. Keep in mind that old 914's aren't worth that much. Many Porsche enthusiasts reject them as not being really Porsches since they were a joint venture with VW and were sold in other countries as a VW. Of course those are perhaps are people who don't realize that Ferdinand Porsche designed the Beetle and his son used a Beetle chassis to make the first 356. Not to mention that 914's have more in common with the original Porsches than the front engined 924's, 944's and 928's. The Ford engine choice met 4 criteria: More hp than any stock 914 including the 914-6 (190 hp vs. 115), the ability to run cool enough to run an AC compressor on a hot day, cheap and easy to get parts, fuel economy equal to or better than a 4 cyl 914. Also, consider that Ford engines have powered some pretty exotic cars such as the Pantera and Cobra, not to mention being involved in building the winningest Formula one engine of all time, the Ford Cosworth DFV. BTW, this 914 is a runner and it rocks, if I do say so myself. It has 16" 5 lug Fuchs alloys, front and rear sway bars, intercooler, the coolant runs through the roll cage, etc.

 

I have considered using a Ford 2.3t for this project but the Ranger transfer case I would need would necessitate lifting the car by 4 inches, not what I want.

 

Putting the Subaru stuff in the Volvo doesn't look too bad compared to other things I've done. I would have to cut into the area where the cross member goes on the Volvo body. That area would need to be about 6 inches higher. The top strut mounts are 1.5" closer on the Volvo. I plan to use the subaru struts and the subaru cross member and correct for the camber where the struts bolt to the upright.

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Dennis, thanks for that link. Another question, will any Impreza or Legacy trans work with these trannies? I definitely want a 5 speed. A thought just occurred to me: maybe the top mounts of an Impreza are closer together than a Legacy? If anyone has an impreza near by could you measure the distance between the centers of the top strut mounts on an Impreza? I think the Legacy ones are 41" apart and the Volvos are 39.5" apart.

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Another question. I have been doing some volvo research and it seems that there is quite a bit of axle ratio compatibility. Volvo axles I could use include 3.31, 3.54, 3.73, 3.91, 4.1, 4.3 and 4.56. I have seen Subaru ratios of 3.9, 4.11, 4.44, 3,545 and 3.7. It seems I'll have the best chance of getting a 5 speed from an Impreza. What is the common ratio for a 1.8 Impreza 5 speed's rear dif?

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no problem man, good luck and keep me posted.

 

as for the trans Q...i seem to think that theyre all going to be able to interchange with eachother. i have eyed up what im pretty sure was a version 6 RA trans and it looked to me like the bolt pattern was the same as all EJ (legacy, forester, impreza) series bellhousing...looked like it used less bolts?

 

i know there were quite a few versions of them with lockable center diffs and some were adjustable, so maybe keep an eye out for something like that?

 

WRXs trannys are said to be made of glass as well as previous USDM impreza gear boxes, ive witnessed one implode personally on an RS - not pretty. if you score a front clip, youll get a trans too...JDMs were built to accomodate the increase in power, ours were not.

 

try to contact scoobie steve on the board, or through email. he swapped v.6 type R drivetrain into an impreza L and would probably prvide good insight.

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300td4X4, no offense taken, but you don't have to tell me about the 914, I purchased one new in 1975 (probably the best body shape of all the years), I was also a memeber of PCA (Porsche Club of America) for many years and know how the Porschephiles thumbed their noses at the 914, but then I'd asked them to look at the first Porsche, a mid-engine using barrowed parts from the Volkwagon (which by the way was designed by Porsche, so technically it too is a Porsche), it is amazing how many of them changed their tune. I kind of wish that I hadn't sold it, because I think putting a WRX engine into a 914 would be a natural, since the EJ20G looks alot like the 2 liter quad cam that Porsche had.

 

As for the tranny's, yes any EJ engined seires car tranny would work, but the EJ20Gs all used hydraulic clutches, in the USA only the EJ22T and some of the EJ25s (RSs and GTs) used them. You will have to match the rear diff ratio to the ratio of the tranny. The JDM Legacy EJ20Gs had tranny ratios of 4.111. I agree with Dennis, buying a front clip is the way to go, because you'll get just about everything you need, but is also more then twice the cost you stated for an engine.

 

BTW, where is Pollock Pines??

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Pollock Pines is in the Sierra Nevadas at 4000' elevation halfway between Sacramento and Tahoe in California. We get up to 3 or 4 ft of snow accumulation some years.

 

How about the strength of the Impreza trannies vs. the Legacy trannies? The thing is that you can easily find Impreza manuals here at JY's for $100 or less while the Legacy's at these yards are almost all autos. From what I've seen the ej20t gets about the worst fuel mileage of all ej's. Is that correct? I guess it would make sense since it makes the most power, right? Or is there a ej25t. I was thinking I could do this pretty cheaply if I bought a JDM ej20t or a ej25t or ej22t if I could find one. Then use an Impreza 5 speed and either Impreza or Legacy shafts and suspension. Then the only thing I'd have to get at a non selve serve JY would be the engine and ECU. I'd definitely consider the front clip route for the right price. How much do they go for? A wrecker around here quoted me $3K for a 2.5 Legacy front clip. More than I want to spend.

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I'll bet that 2.5 Legacy front clip is a N/A engine and not a turbo. Please use the correct engine code, I have copied the following from another post.

 

6) Engine designations:

EJ20D: closed deck and open deck non-turbo DOHC engines

EJ20E: open deck SOHC engines

EJ20G: closed deck and open deck single turbo DOHC engines MY90-MY96

EJ20H: open deck twin turbo DOHC engines MY93-98

EJ20K: open deck single turbo DOHC engines MY97-98

EJ20R: open deck twin turbo DOHC engines MY96-98

EJ205: open deck single turbo DOHC engines MY99 on

EJ207: semi-closed deck single DOHC turbo engines MY01 on

EJ209: open deck twin turbo engine MY99-03

EJ22E: open deck SOHC engine

EJ22G: closed deck engine (22B: DOHC, Legacy Turbo: SOHC)

EJ25D: open deck DOHC engine MY96-98

EJ251: open deck SOHC engine MY99 on

EJ257: semi-closed deck DOHC single turbo engie MY03 on

 

As you can see, there are many EJ20s that are turbo charged, so using the code EJ20T could be any one of those.

 

I asked about where Pollock Pines was because my 94 WRX STi front clip is for sale, the asking price is $2000 plus shipping, I didn't want to mention that if you lived on the east coast. It has the engine and tranny, the complete front suspension, the complete front wiring harness and the ECU.

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Junkyard, unless you are putting them in something other then a right hand drive Subaru, these will not fit in a LHD Subaru because the to left side turbo location and the location of the brake booster. But these might work for the application mentioned in this posting.

 

I have to laugh at the item on the link, it says that it is a WRX twin turbo, well Subaru never made a twin turbo WRX, the twin turbos are from a Legacy B4. Looking at the picture, this engine is at least a 97 because of the air intake. Shipping from Florida to central California would be spendy.

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This Nippon motors, http://www.nippon-motors.com/subaru.htm, just says ej20t. They do break it down into sohc and dohc, however. obviously that is not enough info. I guess I'll email them to see what they are. What would be the designation of your WRX motor from the front clip? ej20what? What would be the hp rating? It would include the ECU, right? What would be the gear ratio i'd need to have for the rear end?

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300TD4X4, I don't know of any of the engine importers that use the correct codes for Subarus, most of them are use to the codes used for the Hondas, Toyotas and Nissans, I believe one of them uses 'T' to designate turbo, so they use it. Besides, if you look at the block, you will only see EJ20, so they probably just add the "T" after that and think that they are correct.

 

My clip is a EJ20G, but being out of a WRX, it is probably an open deck engine, it is rated at 250hp. The 5 speed tranny has a 4.111 ratio. And yep it does include the ECU.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Junkyardgabe, the engine shown in the picture of that eBay link is not a WRX engine as stated, and it does not have 230hp +. See that black tank behind the engine, the is a water tank for the water to air intercooler, those were only on Legacys. Which the exception of the twin turbo Legacys, these engine had either 200hp or 220hp. This is another example of these engine importers not knowing what it is that they are selling. By the way, I have sent this person several feedbacks on exactly what type of Subaru engine he is selling, but it never seems to soak in.

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