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Friend gave me her Legacy


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I am stoked. My friend upgraded to an Outback and gave me her '92 Legacy. It is aesthetically challenged but it runs great. The steering and suspension are worn out and I am sure the T-belts and bearings need replaced, but it idles, accelerates, and shifts (auto) great. 197K.

 

I was hoping to EJ my Hatch with an OBDII set-up, but this will do. I have to wait a year or two to get started, but I think I am back on to the idea of swapping the entire Legacy suspension, steering, engine and trans. onto the Hatch. Actually I will probably try for a Forester trans and rear diff for the gearing unless I can figure a way to use my D/R.

 

IMG_1560_zps7be1a4b1.jpg

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It is aesthetically challenged but it runs great.
that is about how the 90-94 Legacy's go. they can rack up some serious miles, though they've mostly rusted away in the rust belt.

 

I was hoping to EJ my Hatch with an OBDII set-up, but this will do.
you could still go OBDII, wouldn't be that hard compared to the scope of the project to begin with. all you need is an OBDII intake manifold, wiring harness (or just engine side and ECU side connector and make your own), and ECU. the OBDII EJ22 intakes bolt right up to the older ones.
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that is about how the 90-94 Legacy's go. they can rack up some serious miles, though they've mostly rusted away in the rust belt.

Yeah, I would be inclined to say they were aesthetically challenged straight from the factory but I used to think that about the ea81s and now I like the looks of them. The '90-'94s are battle-wagons and this one looks like it's seen actual battle but no rust.

 

you could still go OBDII, wouldn't be that hard compared to the scope of the project to begin with. all you need is an OBDII intake manifold, wiring harness (or just engine side and ECU side connector and make your own), and ECU. the OBDII EJ22 intakes bolt right up to the older ones.

 

Hmmm, that's good to know. The scope of this project is pretty significant, so the OBDII would probably be worthy. There's no shortage of Legacy's in the yards these days.

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I wish I had known about this when I did my '93 harness;) So, you don't have to pull the dash and HVAC stuff to strip out an OBD II harness? Any preferred years to watch for or avoid?

 

 

30 minutes to pull an OBD-II harness..... About 3 hours to pull an OBD-I. Also a LOT more work to strip and prep one. Add the ability to interface with the ECU easily... OBD-II wins every time.

 

GD

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I wish I had known about this when I did my '93 harness;) So, you don't have to pull the dash and HVAC stuff to strip out an OBD II harness? Any preferred years to watch for or avoid?

 

You still have to pull the dash.....just not the fender.

 

The OBD II strip is a little easier.

 

I'm not sure the difference is so drastic as GD thinks but........

 

OBD I Impreza harness is the easiest of all....but I digress.

 

 

OBD II has a downside though.

 

More sensitive to codes.....Will rev limit for certain codes like VSS. Also Rev limited to 6k rpms even with no codes. I am looking for a way to reflash the ECU to get rid of that.

 

My EJ22E w/ JDM 2.0 heads + cams, ported and polished........comes ALIVE at 4500, and then starts to REALLY make power at 5500, but it's so close to the limiter that it sometimes stumbles before I can shift.

 

Know what you want, and the differences between systems.

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30 minutes to pull an OBD-II harness..... About 3 hours to pull an OBD-I. Also a LOT more work to strip and prep one. Add the ability to interface with the ECU easily... OBD-II wins every time.

 

GD

 

All good. Thanks

 

 

More sensitive to codes.....Will rev limit for certain codes like VSS. Also Rev limited to 6k rpms even with no codes. I am looking for a way to reflash the ECU to get rid of that.

 

My EJ22E w/ JDM 2.0 heads + cams, ported and polished........comes ALIVE at 4500, and then starts to REALLY make power at 5500, but it's so close to the limiter that it sometimes stumbles before I can shift.

 

Know what you want, and the differences between systems.

 

Good info., thanks. I think OBDII will work best for me. Part of why I want the OBDII is to read codes more easily. I tend to over-maintain my vehicles, so sensitivity to codes isn't necessarily a bad thing for me; however, I can see how rev limiting could be a problem. I am not going to be doing anything over the stock 2.2 and plan on mostly driving normal, so the 6k limit shouldn't be an issue for me. This retrofit will widen the wheelbase a little bit, so on the short wheelbase of the Hatch it might steer a little weird, especially at 6k or high speed.

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You still have to pull the dash.....just not the fender.

 

The OBD II strip is a little easier.

 

I'm not sure the difference is so drastic as GD thinks but........

 

OBD I Impreza harness is the easiest of all....but I digress.

 

 

OBD II has a downside though.

 

More sensitive to codes.....Will rev limit for certain codes like VSS. Also Rev limited to 6k rpms even with no codes. I am looking for a way to reflash the ECU to get rid of that.

 

My EJ22E w/ JDM 2.0 heads + cams, ported and polished........comes ALIVE at 4500, and then starts to REALLY make power at 5500, but it's so close to the limiter that it sometimes stumbles before I can shift.

 

Know what you want, and the differences between systems.

 

use a 2.5 ecu. they rev limit at 6500. My wife's legacy lsi with 2.2 swap HATES anything above 6000 but will go all the way to 6500. Also, her swapped 2.2 legacy with leather and 4 doors whoops the pants off my 2.2 impreza base coupe. Both are auto.

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Gear ratio?

 

 

The 2.5 ECU is a good thought. Might try that.

 

I dunno but we "raced" up a slight incline where I would think she had the disadvantage based on curb weight. There was no traffic and we both exited the cloverleaf at the same time and she walked me like a puppy to 75mph, which she went from behind me to about 3 car lenghts up. Once again, empty 4 lane road. no turn ins for 2 miles. I have a single port ej22 with 155k, she has a single port ej22 block with dual port heads and fresh headgaskets and living room head rework. nothing more. Maybe I need to seafoam the coupe!

 

and i was going slow enough that i was able to get second gear and not get trapped in third in that dead zone around 55-60

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