Need some advice on a motor build....

[xise]

Hi, let me just start by saying I am new to this forum, I am a regular on the impreza forums though so I know about subarus and the different motors etc...I decided I wanted to get an SS and after about a year of looking for one i found one and am going to go pick it up tomorrow. It has ro knock but I am also buying a spare motor from the same guy (EJ22T) So what I am hoping to do is when I pull this motor is to:

recondition the cylinder walls if there is any damage and rebuild it
dump the sohc heads for some wrx heads (worried about possible problems with compression)
use a different crank and rods to stroke the motor to just above 2.3L
change out turbo, add intercooler...the essentials.....

I just am completely in the dark about what exact rods/bearings to use, i assume I use the pistons made for the 2.2L but rods and crank from 257?? I am just a little confused and I really don't want to buy incorrect parts as that is quite and expensive mistake...


goal here is to be a bit over 300whp/torque i am sure that will be possible with forged guts....if anyone can shed some light here it would be much appreciated!!

[kimokalihi]

How will you be hitting that 300whp goal? You'll need some spendy mods to do it. Large turbo, bigger injectors, engine management, probably FMIC or meth with TMIC. STIs don't even come close to 300whp and that's with a 2.5l block and matching heads.

[PhyrraM]

Due to ECU incompatibilities, USDM WRX/STI heads are out unless you are willing to do a complete WRX/STI swap.

Also, for the money don't stroke the EJ22T. It's old school, from a time before the EJ255/257 existed. If you want displacement, build a EJ255/257 shortblock. If you want revs, build an EJ20/22 shortblock with a stock 75mm stroke.

Do the research (it's all here in various threads), but what you want is an EJ257 shortblock with either EJ20G or EJ20K heads. You want an early EJ20G intake manifold and a 90degree turbo. Then you want some kind of engine management--there are a few options.

If you wish to eventually go past your stated goal of 300WHP, just do a EJ257 STI swap from the get-go and work up from there as if it was a STI.

[Legacy777]

I'll echo some of the above comments....depending on what you want to do with the car, you're almost better starting with the STi motor. If I ever need to redo the motor or decide to go with more power, that's what I'll be doing. The ej22t is a good solid motor, but technology and design has improved greatly over the years. To get to the same point as the STi motor, you've got to spend a bit of money and modification to piece everything together.

Engine management is another key piece. There's not much out there other than a stand alone for big power. With the STi motor, you can run the stock ECU and there's the ability for open source tuning or pro tuner, etc.

Just some things to think about before diving head first. There's a lot of good info on here, so I'd definitely suggest searching.

[xise]

thanks for all the info guys, I figured standalone engine management was unspoken for a build like this (dohc heads). Also i figured stroking the motor was just a way o add some meat and potatoes to the mix.....mainly I can get cheap forged internals with a crank was the reason I was going to stroke it. Not really overly concerned with displacement 2.2L is fine with me but why not have more if you could?? i am going to be ripping the motor apart and getting forged guts anyway.

I have done a bit of research here but I couldn't find any threads on how to properly tap the heads for the coolant/oil lines maybe some with pictures....

but needless to say this is going to require a standalone emanage with a protune....so in the end it will probably be really costly but if I do it right, this motor could probably handle quite a bit of boost,and some abuse as well!

[mike-tracy]

Here's a pic that shows what needs to be drilled/tapped:

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic. ... &start=100

[xise]

thanks man!! really appreciate that!

[xise]

ok my SS and motor should be getting towed up here mid next week, I have done a bit of research and from what I d gathered is that only the 06/07 wrx tmic fits under the hood. The motor I am building is going in an 04 RS so that's a non issue. I wanted to get some parts for the 93 SS itself, just some small upgrades that it probably could use replacing anyway due to it's age and mileage (over 200k on shell, replacement motor has 159k) So before I swap motors to revive this SS I am going to do a few things while the motor is out;

timing belt and tensioners/idlers and auto tensioner
water pump (USDM WRX)
oil pump (USDM WRX)
valve cover gasket
oil pan gasket

WRX TMIC 06/07
TD05 16g (w/ silicone 90 degree elbow)
walbro 255 (or used STi pump)
STi injectors (not sure what fits the EJ22T IM yet)
WRX headers (already bought years ago)
catless upipe
turboback exhaust w/cat (from what I understand the catback needs an extension somewhere)e mak

does anyone make an EBCS for the SS? Also I have a short ram air intake for 02-07 WRX, will it fit ? It is MAF, I am guessing I would only have trouble finding a place to mount it.

This is pretty much all that is going to be done to this car motor-wise as it's going to be a DD for my wife, so just bolt ons

[PhyrraM]

Water pump> If you have an oil cooler the WRX pump is good. If you don't have the oil cooler a '92-'94 Legacy turbo pump.

Oil pump> The Legacy turbo runs a slightly higher relief pressure, but otherwise the same.

STI injectors> don't fit stock Legacy turbo rails, but will fit N/A Legacy rails. The N/A Legacy rails are a bolt-in to the turbo ones.

[xise]

Good info here, thank you. thats strange though, the part #s on rock auto are the same for all the wrx oil pumps and the legacy turbos...I am sure you are correct as far as OEM parts from subaru....looks like they are all the same from after market parts sites lol, I heard about the NA rails thing, any specific years of STi injectors I have to use??

[PhyrraM]

The sidefeeds.

[xise]

The sidefeeds.

copy that thanks man, I think I am going to start collecting parts, already have 06 WRX intercooler on it's way! for $40 too!!

[xise]

does anyone know if any of the aftermarket STi fuel rails fit?

[Legacy777]

You need to get 92-94 n/a Legacy fuel rails to work with the STI yellow side feeds. I do not believe STi fuel rails will fit.

[xise]

yeah I figured as much, not going to spend $$ on something that ill maybe fit....NA fuel rails it is then!! STi yellows are 440 right??

One more question, if I were to do these few simple mods to get the SS running again, between the fuel pump, injectors and a TD05 will the stock ECU be able to handle that or will it go nuts with those big injectors and extra fuel being sent through?? I just don't want to get a tune or spend $$ on emanage right away if I don't have to

[CFK]

The Yellowtop STI's are 550cc, the JDM greytop's are 440cc.

I believe you need the NA rails for the Yellowtop's , but can get away with using spacers for the greytop's in the EJ22T rails.

The stock ECU can not run anything but the stock 370cc. Many people run the TD04, 440cc & a Jecs MAF with the stock ECU, but I have heard a few people complaining about there's leaning out. That makes the TD05 & 550cc even more oversized for the ECU, if you go that route it's either a "Robtune" ECU, standalone or some sort of piggyback. A few people with that combo were running Revtronix stage2 but now that's out the window.

So many thread's, search and you will find. I got my SS almost 5 month's ago and thats all I have been doing, searching, reading, & modifying it. Therefore I am in the same dilemma and did not want to mess with an ECU either and that's why I decided just to stick with a TD04. Right now I am leaving the 370cc and will be adding a RRFPR with the Walbro to try and raise the base fuel pressure and try and fine tune the A/F's with that ( if I can figure out how to properly install it ).

If that doesn't work I have some 440's and Jecs MAF standing by, but either way I think EM will be a must before even gettin up & around 15 psi. Hopefully by then there will be a RobTune EJ22T ECU option. With all the $$$$ I have spent resurecting this beater an extra few hundred on somesort of EM not blow it up wouldn't be the end of the world. Blowing it up would be .

Good Luck.

[xise]

yeah man I hear that, considering it will have a fresh timing belt, water pump and oil pump I want everything to be running smoothly, I know of someone that tunes stock subaru ECUs to take different mods and such. Bren tuning does this, although I am not sure if they have done a leggy sport yet. I'll have to ask. As far as max psi before fuel cut on factory ecu is 13 psi from what I have seen.

Those few things will probably be it, this is going to be my wife's daily driver so anything more and I would fear for the life of the AT trans