2.1 to Subaru 2.5, this weekend !

[syncroandy]

Right its finally happening, after several months of planning and prep work, the swap is on for this weekend ! I'm driving it to a mates workshop tomorrow morning, and if all goes according to plan, driving it home on Monday with the 2.5 fitted. Pics will be posted. Fingers crossed...

[toomanytoys]

Nice one Andy.....

good luck

plenty of pics and a report back please

[Pepperami]

Lots of pics please.

[syncroandy]

Well it's in and running ! Started on the button, no messing about. I'd already pretty much completed the wiring before the weekend. Still to do is complete the coolant system, throttle cable, fit exhaust. Looking forward to driving it ! Pics to follow.

[syncroandy]

Whew ! Well I'm home again after a marathon session today to get the thing finished and on the road. No major problems just a long slog. Some quite fiddly time consuming tasks like fitting all the coolant hoses, exhaust, throttle cable and so on. It didn't want to take more than about 8l of coolant, so resorted to forcing it in by blowing onto the tank, followed by careful use of an airline. That seemed to clear an airlock and it started pumping properly, then just completed filling as you would a wasserboxer. We monitored the rad as it came up to temperature, after sitting at 2000rpm for about five minutes then a bit of a drive the thermostat finally opened, and we knew it would be OK. Another anxious moment was when I found the clutch pedal went to the floor, but that was quickly fixed by bleeding the slave cylinder.

Driving the van its like a completely different vehicle. The extra power and torque is immediately apparent. Overtaking is very quick, and hills are taken easily. The new engine is very quiet and smooth at low revs, but when booted it emits a surprising howl, which is quite addictive

[Andy syncro-nutz]

Driving the van its like a completely different vehicle. The extra power and torque is immediately apparent. Overtaking is very quick, and hills are taken easily. The new engine is very quiet and smooth at low revs, but when booted it emits a surprising howl, which is quite addictive

Good job sir! Goes like "pooh" of a shovel then? Hooooowwwwwweeeeellllll

[ringo]

Ooooh - sounds awesome!

Nice work to get it completed in the weekend..

Ringo

[syncroandy]

Hi Doug,

Yes I'm planning on going to DF, any excuse to take the Kombi for a run !

[Pepperami]

Can you bring it to the camping area?

[ringo]

Can you bring it to the camping area?

Are you planning an ambush?

Ringo

[syncroandy]

The Kombi is still running fine, and still giving me a big grin every time I turn the key. I have to try hard to resist driving like a hooligan.. All I've done since the weekend is top up the coolant, as all the bubbles have now worked their way out, and checked there's no leaks or anything come loose.

Here's a batch of pics of the work so far. As you can imagine I was working flat out at the weekend, so didn't have time to take lots of photo's, and as it was dark when I finished, no chance yet to get any decent movies but I'll have a go this weekend.

There are still several bits that need more work:

Locate and fit a better inlet duct (the late 2.0l one I used fouls the bulkhead) - anyone got an early 2.2l one spare ?
Fit and commission the cruise-control system
Complete fitting and commission the LPG system
Get and fit a better sump, planning to get one of the new Smallcar alloy ones

The pics, first off a couple showing the engine as I was prepping it. You can just see the LPG injectors at each side of the manfold. I have some clearer pictures of this somewhere which I'll put up:



From the side:



Next, a couple of pics of the wiring cabinet I'd completed prior to the engine installation. I didn't have any problems at all with the wiring, as I found a copy of the factory manual on a Russian website. The engine fired first turn of the key, which was very satisfying ! I'm using an ignition relay switched from the VW key, I can start the van from the VW key or the Subaru key. For normal use, I just leave the Subaru key in the 'run' position, and use the vehicle as normal, or I can remove the Subaru key, and the vehicle is immobilised. For the hot and switched power, I've maintained the same grouping of the various parts of the system as they were in the Legacy, and the same fuses. They are labelled, so for troubleshooting it should be possible to follow the Subaru factory manual.





Next, a couple showing the engine built up, mounted onto the Smallcar adapter bracket, and attached to my spare AAN gearbox:





Out with the trusty old Wasserboxer:



Finally a shot from underneath after the new engine was bolted in, showing the Smallcar engine bracket and exhaust header:

[Pepperami]

Did you have no problems with smallcar stuff? We found it quite difficult to fit. I went with a KEP inlet fits just nice and has just enough clearance to rotate when want to get to the clutch slave cylinder. The S/C sump isnt too good welds are rough and and have had problems with mating to the engine. Just noticed alloy sump i need to go and have a look at S/C sight again.

PS i have quite a few scooby conversion parts left over.

[KarlT]

That is such a neat, well planned job. Well done.

I love the idea of a subi conversion but alittle daunting.....no, alot daunting for me with my limited knowledge.

Could you give me an idea of costs & hours involved?

[syncroandy]

Costs I've not added up, but it's not cheap. I got the bellhousing second hand for £300 (saving £200), then imported the exhaust header, engine bracket and some other bits from the States, total bill around £500. I bought a running 53k 1999 Legacy to get the engine, and I'm parting it out at the moment. I've shifted a fair bit already, the engine will probably end up costing me around £400. I got a coolant kit from RJES for around £100, and a speed sender for £40. Silencer and tailpipe would be around £120. I did save by doing my own harness, and installation. There's other bits and pieces besides, like a new sequential LPG injection kit. I reckon the total is just over £2k. I should get a few hundred back for the 2.1.

Time is hard to estimate. Pulling the engine took less than two hours, but removing the harness intact took the best part of a day. There was time spent pulling apart the Legacy before weighing in the shell. I probably spent 3-4 days working on the harness to adapt it to the T25. There was some time spent cleaning and prepping the engine, maybe a day. Then the actual swap was three days.

For me the project was a lot of fun, which offsets the time and money put in.