| The last week or so has been very interesting. Nate Wade Subaru in Salt Lake City had the car for almost a week, but couldn’t figure out what was causing the car to get hot, even after two sets of head gaskets and a new radiator. I’ve had many discussions about engine swaps, from a USDM EJ20 to an EZ30 H6, with everything inbetween. Wiring up a turbo engine is a daunting task, something i’m not sure if i feel confident enough to pull off. There are plenty of people out there who’ve done it to the Impreza, and a handful of Legacies as well. The time involved, plus the price, has made me hesitate to go that direction. The mechanic who did my transmission swap has sourced a Phase II EJ25 SOHC from a 2000 Legacy with 42k miles on it. This is the same year as mine, same engine, with less than half the miles on it. The price is better than right, it’s a downright steal for a complete engine. I’m probably going to add some Cobb Street cams, lightweight crank pulley, flywheel and Street clutch to the mix, while the engine is out and everything is accessible. I’d love to have the versatility of a turbo engine, the ability to add components and turn up boost, but the price is at least twice that of my current build. 200-220 crank horsepower should be within my grasp, when i get a high-flow cat installed. That’s a healthy increase over the 165 from the factory. |
