Subaru Retired?

[Tim_M]

Hopefully, just re-powered.

187,151 miles of turbo fun...finally pulled the trigger on the engine swap.







Having two folks really assists in the actual hoist operation...even if the helper is a young'n.

I'd hoped the car would only be down a week with a month for break-in and tune, but likely a couple of months before it returns...if ever!

Did get a drag strip visit in the day before, 12.73 @ 106 mph. Little disappointing...77 degrees, 90%, and 10 mph head wind weren't kind that night.

New propulsion:

[Loren]

Exciting! Hope your progress is swift.

[twistedwankel]

That car is just so clean!! Awesome.
Any car that runs 12's with a tight motor, cornering alignment and fat tires that doesn't excite MUST be driven by a Nova drag car owner:)

[Tim_M]

Thanks folks!

If it ran 11's, then I would be duly impressed. Surprising, turbo cars are inexpensive to modify to 'Stage II' level (ie bolt ons). After that the costs rise dramatically, along with my expectations.

For comparison, I staged next to a stock appearing/sounding 2012 Mustang on drag radials...stock everything except a VMP twin screw supercharger ($6000). 650 WHP and 10.30 quarter-mile drag times...amazing. The car was scienced out as he visits the drags weekly. $6000 won't get me very far on this Subaru...

Nonetheless, the Subaru fits our lifestyle and does pretty well 'off-road'. Don't see getting rid of it any time soon...

Fun pic:

[Native]

Did I miss the details on the replacement, other than it's new and clean?

[Tim_M]

Steve: car has gotten too fast...so a stocker replacement going in. Although some of the parts have Cosworth written on them...

[Tim_M]

Coaters delivered on time! Combating heat is big issue with a turbo and top mounted intercooler:



Cleaned up exhaust...single 3 inch doesn't seem big enough with 450 CHP:



No chrome tip for this car:



Even the intake was refinished...matches the original finish quite well (and now the valve covers):



Install/start target date is Saturday...

[twistedwankel]

Steve: car has gotten too fast...so a stocker replacement going in. Although some of the parts have Cosworth written on them...

Girls?

His car is too fast?
Eat your hearts out on wet pavement:)

We need an M&M class where it melts in your hand and not your mouth.

Girls? Do I have to move to Tim's class with my slow car? I will write "you suck" on your parts to make them faster.

The Mayor

[Tim_M]

More progress today...

Old engine stripped (187,000 miles of usage!):



New engine prepped for the intake manifold...hope there aren't any leaks:



New engine on the hook:



Merry Christmas!

[Native]

So did the old engine finally give up the ghost, or did you just get tired of waiting, or ... ??

[Tim_M]

Old engine will be kept as a spare...it did leak oil and the head gaskets were failing under Daytona/Sebring long boost runs (fill the coolant overflow), but ran like a top every other area. Nil oil burning even...like half a quart in 3000 miles.

This is preemptive and taking advantage of the holiday to wrench on the car-project has been in the works for ~15 months.

[twistedwankel]

Lucky for us that Tim doesn't ever talk to that "other" guy with mad mechanical skills from "up north". blacksheep-1, Rob.

I've never had the skills of these guys. Maybe some day they will sort out a car for me? Or I will win the lotto and hire them to do it for me? Nah. They cannot be bought!!!

My current tuner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMwJ817-ido

The mayor

[nathanwilliams617]

Looks like an interesting project. I hope it goes back together/in without major issues and is leak free! Keep the updates coming.

[Tim_M]

Nathan: Thanks! Leaks and Subaru's seem to be synonymous...parting line down the middle and horizontal valve covers and all.

Doug: skills? No stupidity for spending all the time in the 88 degree garage sweating instead of inside sipping hot chocolate watching 'A Christmas Story'... I find my knowledge is really just 'youtube.'

Besides...I couldn't afford to pay someone else for this stuff.

********************
It's alive!

Few issues to tend to...hopefully none terminal. Won't drive it to work tomorrow...put 8 miles on it doing some ring seating though.

Interesting seeing a machine start for the first time...one that you assembled. Some anxiety there!

[dbeng]

Congrats Tim,

It must be a great feeling to fire up & drive a car after transplanting the engine yourself.

I haven't done an engine yet, but the closest I got was replacing the clutch, slave cyl & flywheel on my truck a couple of years ago. It sure was a great sense of accomplishment / relief when it popped right into gear & pulled out of the garage first time after about 11hrs of hard work!

Dan

[twistedwankel]

Subaru must have really over designed those engines!! Impressive!!

You apparently were running very high boost levels (or much larger turbo) to get that Hp. Those factory head gaskets must have been awesome without O-rings to back them up. Once I put a 50% larger turbo on a car, new head, metal head gasket, ARP studs/nuts torqued to twice factory specs and it still lifted the head at 15psi pushing water out into the overflow bottle. So I ran 14psi:) Also never used OD ever again.

I know what you mean about YouTube. Really glad some guys take all that time to make those videos. Most local garages want over a grand just to swap out the stock motor here. Ouch.

Again. Thanks for sharing all this. Hope you get another 178k out of this engine. So you're sending your old unit to Cobb to get it tweaked to 600HP right? Then put it into one of those new 818 boxer powered rwd kit cars like Grassroots built for your next project? http://www.factoryfive.com/kits/project-818/

Doug

[lddavis91]

Congrats on the first start, it is a great feeling to have it running again. I've had house guests and been busy the past week, but I'm gonna start back in earnest this afternoon and will hopefully be starting the Vee up again later this week!

No Vee video yet, but this was from the vette about 4 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGncjC39ZGQ

[Native]

Well done Tim!

[Tim_M]

Thanks guys.

I won't claim success until it does 8000 rpm on the dyno...could be an exciting visit!

Factory rating is 300 HP with 14.5 psi. I've stepped up the turbo 3 sizes (definitely on the small side) and 20 psi to make 410 HP. It was probably at the limit...especially for the miles.

The new engine is internally stronger and will take ~25 psi boost...along with the ported heads, ought to produce another 50 CHP is the hope.

Point of reference...this turbo is a "1.5 XTR," they make a 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, and 5.0 and a few more larger probably. Shifting the power band to the right accordingly...not so good for autocross.

Saying that...the Mitsubishi Evolution is a much better platform to work with according to the tuner.

I think I'm done with projects after this money pit...a kit car would be great fun though!

[Loren]

I think I'm done with projects

Bwaaaaaaahahahaha!