alright i want some real info on this, i have an idea. my subaru is having some running problems. i think the computer might be shot. my friend is nuts and had an idea, he said if i wanted to i could take his 383 which is just a 350 with a longer stroke and put it in. right now its in his truck and he wants to put a different motor in. so my question is do you think that this is even possible. if not tell me why, if it is tell me why too. oh yeah, it would be with a five speed he has and it would be permanetly RWD, which would make an insane car which would probably kill me, but it would be fun?

Lots of fabwork. Have to deal with the large increase in weight. I am not sure if there is enough engine bay length to accomodate the v8.

Aww, cmon, don't be like everyone else and stuff a small block chevy in something. At least use a small block Chrysler, or a twin turbo SVX engine, but small block Chevy? Be original :-P

if i had any other option readily available i would but since my friends just has this engine laying around its easy. i was also thinking of a buick v6 or even a buick turbo v6. i just want to make a fast car but i want it to be very inexpensive.

As they say:

 

Cheap, Fast, Reliable, choose any two.

 

Unless you are a master at fabrication, stuffing any non-Subaru engine in there is going to be just as spendy as putting a Subaru engine in, and a lot more work. You'll have to deal with a lot of welding, accomidating the extra weight, fitting the transmission in, a custom driveshaft, figuring out the rear diff, and custom rear axles, or a solid rear axle. Not to mention, you'll have to do a 5-lug conversion so you have decent brake options, plus a lot of spendy suspension work to be able to keep up with all the added power and not be dangerous. You're looking at A LOT of work.

 

I would think that finding yourself a decent EJ block and building it could be done for the same money and you'd wind up with just as fast with far less work. I'm not saying it can't be done, but unless you're building a dragracer, there's no great reason to put a V8 in there.

It's more than an engine swap you propose. It's a whole power train swap. Engine and Tranny will have to be put in. That's custom motor mounts to a crossmember that bolts in. Custom tranny mounts to a crossmember that bolts in. Slide it back into the 'tunnel' as far as possible so you can actually have a radiator; now that's gonna be tricky with the crossmembers and mounts. Custom drive shaft to your rear diff. HOpefully it holds upto the 383ci power. Custom exhuast from the headers back. Wire up the ignition system to your ignition switch. Need the fuel pump for that carb setup. Take apart your font axles and leave in the outer stuble axle to hold your front hub assembly together..... that's about all I can think of. I'm sure there's more to be done! You got a welder, chop saw, and drill press right?

 

 

Possible? Certainly.... now get to work

a 383 is totally overkill. find a v6, thatll be something the rear end can deal with. With either one its going to be a tire roaster, there's very little weight in the back, and with an open diff and 13" tires you wont be winning any drag races. You'll need to put stiffer springs in the front end too, a castiron v6 or v8 with an appropriate tranny is going be double the weight of the sube drivetrain or maybe more.

a 383 is totally overkill. find a v6, thatll be something the rear end can deal with...

An R180 is a direct swap in, available under any Datsun/Nissan "Z". R200 might also me a direct bolt-in, but I haven't tried... yet.

i have a welder chop saw and all the welding stuff, and plenty of people to help i thought i might be a fun idea, what about a ej arent those a straight bolt in?

i have a welder chop saw and all the welding stuff, and plenty of people to help i thought i might be a fun idea, what about a ej arent those a straight bolt in?

 

EJ is a much better idea.

 

You need a 12mm adapter plate, machine the EA82 fly wheel, donor engine, engine wire harness... that's the jist of it. Plenty of threads that go into further detail.

what about a ej arent those a straight bolt in?

 

MUCH better idea, IMO. Not that a V8 Loyale wouldn't be cool (hell, I've always wanted a turbodiesel offroader, and that's just as wild), but an EJ will handle plenty of power and go like hell, and be a whole lot easier.

besides an ej what other motors have you seen or heard of in anykind of subaru.

I don't want to steal this guys thread but I will anyhow...

 

I have a buick v6 3.8 RWD motor here at home that is days away (saturday maybe) from the scrap heap. if anyone wants to do this on the east coast speak up now.

 

Cost is free but if you are a giving person I would enjoy a 6 pack and even help you load it...

 

speak now or forever....

 

Offer stands to the west coast too but you would be nuts to take it....

An R180 is a direct swap in, available under any Datsun/Nissan "Z". R200 might also me a direct bolt-in, but I haven't tried... yet.

 

Sure, but it isnt really the diff itself thats the problem its the hollow stubs and puny cvs. Which would be much harder to swap over from a z.

i think a v8 would pull it apart at the seams. my 2.7 has stressed my body enough offroading.

 

an na 2.2 would make that thing fly. the v8 would only melt the tires.

i have been thinking of something along the same general lines, except im looking more into a complete frame and drivetrain swap. havent done much research into it yet but i was thinking something along the lines of a s10 blazer 4wd chassis. im still up in the air about motor but im leaning more toward a 4.3 than a 350.

 

i would say if you have the extra money and imaginaton then go for it, and if you break and of your remaining suby drivetrain then you probably need to replace it with something stronger!!!

forget FR or 4x4 drivelines.... turn that puppy into a MR beast. you'll have to do a lot of fabrication anyway, and with the engine between the axles, you won't have the weight problems. biggest issue i can see is with shifter linkage and sealing off the engine bay from the passenger compartment. that and converting the front end.....

 

 

new idea, the v8 pushing the back wheels and the ea82 pushing the front! 2 engines, 2 trannies (have to go auto unless you want that much of a tranny nightmare)

hmm...was thinking of mid engine but yeah it would take a lot, just thinking about trying to find an rx and put and old ej in it. my wagon is going down hill.

hmm...was thinking of mid engine but yeah it would take a lot, just thinking about trying to find an rx and put and old ej in it. my wagon is going down hill.

 

then, you should just put a lift on it, and make it a real beast

i mean my engine is on its last leg, until i find a doner car for parts im stuck. now im not getting power to my injector, even in the fuse box? maybe computer i just want a car that wont strand me every were i go, i had to walk like 2 miles down a hill just to get home after it died.

What would be slick is if you could use a front-driver tranny in a rear-engine. Just take the entire front end out of something and drop it in the Subie. I'm just trying to think what that something is. I know there were some longitudinal engine, front drive, Cadillac 500s, but I don't think that tranny would bolt up to the 350 block. Was there a front-driver, longitudinal engined, 350 car??? Kinda like the Sho-Gun, but with a bigger car and a bigger engine.

 

But that prolly means buying things... not your goal, but a thought. That way you could keep the subie engine in until you get it running again, then you can pull the rear boat-anchor out!

Cadillac 500s, but I don't think that tranny would bolt up to the 350 block.

 

I had a caddy 472ci mated to a TH350 tranny in an '81 Regal. Pretty sure there was no adapter plate; just had to find the right bell housings to match.

If i recall, there was some cat who put a V8 into an XT. Final Verdict: It handled miserably and it wasnt safe above 30mph. Mid engine in a wagon would be rad.

Some guy in Homer put a 350 in a loyale wagon, but the engine fell apart before it could twist the car in half.

if youre looking for more power and reliability, i would go with a EJ18 swap over the EJ22, higher redline and better gas mileage, a V8 in a 2300 lb car, that is made more for offroad than on-road, you are crazy. my EJ22 can burn rubber almost into 3rd gear on the dry, in the wet its a nightmare to try to take off fast, too much wheelspin, have to use 4wd sometimes. as far as weight in the front with a V8 under the hood, can we say custom made springs with double the spring rate and more travel, with longer struts, and the whole custom motor and tranny mounts, you would also have to remote-mount a radiator that could cool a V8, under the hood maybe, witha custom hood scoop the size of a basketball court. you would also probably twist the unibody sometime soon anyway, after you utterly liquify the reaer end, unless you made it RWD and used a chevy or ford or what ever rear-end, which means more suspension fab work, even a V6 would be hard, and with small 21'' diameter tires, keep dreaming of good mileage, it just isnt viable, unless you had gearing for days and a set of balls to drive the thing around corners at anywhere near the speed you can now. hate to break it to you the hard way, throw a EJ18 in there, cant go wrong, 110 horse is enough for that car, plus you have aftermarket you can have access to now, instead of g.i. joes you can go online and get headers, 2.25'' exhaust, high-flo cat.....if oyu even keep the cats. see the picture im painting.....anyway...good luck man......."you must choose wisely, for the true grail will grant eternal life, the false grail will take it from you"

 

 

 

 

~Josh~