Okay...a quick question. The turbo in our 1988 subaru rx is leaking oil. There is no local junkyard/turbo for sale for the 88 anywhere close to where I live, with the exception of ones that need to be rebuilt. So, I asked around, and the most apt decision seems to be to replace it with a WRX turbo. I hear it requires installing a different downpipe, but what all goes into the job, and what turbo should I look into using? I searched the forums, but couldn't find specifically my issue, so any advice is welcome.

 

Thanks!

 

Will

wrx turbo may be the way to go.. anything in a junkyard is gonna have some miles on it anyways and you run the risk of running into the same problem you have now, even the old legacy turbo's..

 

wrx turbos will typically have lower miles and most likely more life left in them..

 

the uppipe flange is different but little modification can solve that.. downpipe is also different, ebay has a ton for cheap (100.00) and your good to go there.. other wise your left with routing coolant and oil lines, turbo intake and turbo to throttle body.. use a wrx intercooler for best results

 

caboobaroo has done this, as well as a few others...

 

 

 

 

rllywgn

Is there a faq/guide on replacing these, or can someone link to someone who has done it, including the steps taken? I would really like to see how much work goes into it, if I and my dad can do it myself or if we need a mechanic. From the sound of it, I'm pretty sure we can do it, but if anyone has any more details that would be wonderful.

 

Thanks!

Is there a faq/guide on replacing these, or can someone link to someone who has done it, including the steps taken? I would really like to see how much work goes into it, if I and my dad can do it myself or if we need a mechanic. From the sound of it, I'm pretty sure we can do it, but if anyone has any more details that would be wonderful.

 

Thanks!

 

Your gonna need at least a welder or $300 for a TWE manifold.

Your gonna need at least a welder or $300 for a TWE manifold.

 

Or $10 and a local exhaust shop.

So are there any detailed steps I can find anywhere to go about doing this?

I'm currently in the process of doing it I have my TD04 right now and the motor is out of the car I don't know exactly what I'm gonna have to do as far as coolant lines but I know I'm gonna have to do something. As far as I know this is what you need

 

#TD04 turbo (duh)

#A way of bolting the turbo up to your up pipe and down pipe so flanges, custom manifold/down pipe, it will NOT bolt up to your stock ones so don't #even think about that

#a way of hooking up all the coolant lines

#a way to plum it in with your intake system I don't think it will bolt up to the stock intake (again I THINK it wont) plus you should be running an intercooler at this point if your already not so just plum it in with that.

 

is that about right guys ?

From personal research and public opinon, the td04 seems to be the popular choice, so I was going to go with that. From what I understood, you need the WRX intercooler, uppipes/downpipes, as for plumbing everything in, I'm fairly clueless on that. So any advice would help

 

I was also afterwards going to ask about the best suspension parts to put in for local autocross? Or should I go get a miata Personally, I prefer the subaru.

Custom IC plumbing. Pretty cheap if you have an imaginitive exhaust shop handy. The silicone fittings were arder to find and more $$ than the pipe.

 

Where did you find the fittings at? And, to be honest, I'm not sure I have an "exhaust shop" nearby. I've actually never heard of that except when people talk about it online. I do know a couple good mechanics, if that would be of any help.

 

What else did you have to do to use the td04? Or did you just add in the wrx intercooler?

Where did you find the fittings at? And, to be honest, I'm not sure I have an "exhaust shop" nearby. I've actually never heard of that except when people talk about it online. I do know a couple good mechanics, if that would be of any help.

 

What else did you have to do to use the td04? Or did you just add in the wrx intercooler?

 

you don't have to put in a WRX intercooler but because this turbo flows more cfms then the original IHI RHB5, it helps for performance and prevents dentonation. Plus, the WRX intercooler is easier to plumb in now that it matches the turbo, and also will make it easier to plumb into the TB. I used a spyder intake for mine but I have seen people use the stock nonspyder intake with a TD04 and WRX intercooler like Calebz.

 

Oh, and a good place to find silicone fittings for a reasonable price, check out http://www.ebay.com

Where did you find the fittings at? And, to be honest, I'm not sure I have an "exhaust shop" nearby. I've actually never heard of that except when people talk about it online. I do know a couple good mechanics, if that would be of any help.

 

 

The fittings are a from various things. That big blue one on the front of the IC came from a ford turbodeisel. Theres a stock WRX piece in there somewhere, along with some industrial massively high pressure coolant hose (like 350psi)

 

No exhaust shops? where does one go in your neck of the woods if one needs a muffler>?

you don't have to put in a WRX intercooler but because this turbo flows more cfms then the original IHI RHB5, it helps for performance and prevents dentonation. Plus, the WRX intercooler is easier to plumb in now that it matches the turbo, and also will make it easier to plumb into the TB. I used a spyder intake for mine but I have seen people use the stock nonspyder intake with a TD04 and WRX intercooler like Calebz.

 

Oh, and a good place to find silicone fittings for a reasonable price, check out http://www.ebay.com

 

did you use the Spyder fuel rail ? the spider intake I got didn't come with a fuel rail and I know I can make one out of fuel line I saw a picture of WJM's engine bay where he did it I'm just trying to figure out How to do it. As in what needs to get hooked up to what and in what order.