And so it begins....
 

Well guys, right now, resting on my garage floor is a 1998 Subaru EJ25 engine.
I picked it up last night for cheap.

I'll start collecting parts this winter, and hopefully somewhere next year it will be purring away in my 1970 Standard.

I'll post pictures of the process in this thread, and will also try to put it in a tech article.

I'm hoping to have it done next year so I can race a certain 'slo74' at the track :D :D :D

Wish me luck...

Rob.

You're on to me ! :hehehe:

Let me know if you need any help installing the thing. I'd like to see how it goes.

Sandeep

good luck with it. it should be a fun conversion. please do keep us posted with pics and a tech article.

Ok, for those of you who are interested, a little progress report.

http://www.vanbran.com/engine.jpg

Not a lot has happened, I've been working very, very slowly on taking the EJ25 apart so I can replace the head gaskets.
I needed some new tools and some McGyver engineering which slowed the process down:
http://www.vanbran.com/103_0392.jpg

I now need a 12-pt 14MM socket to remove the head.

I've removed the intake (complete with TB, injectors and all the wiring), the timing belt and crank pulley (killed a strap wrench in the process), the valve cover, cam sprockets and cams (from one side)

On the wiring front I have only one advise to anybody who wants to do a similar project: get all the wiring with the engine !!
It's been an absolute b!tch trying to find a wiring harness.
So far I bought one piece I already had (DOH!) and one piece that is partly cut up. I'm getting a very uncomfortable feeling that in the end it might have been cheaper to buy the $600 dealer harness.

I'm trying to get a hold of a guy who has a used engine adapter for sale. But so far no luck...

Anyway, at least I stay in my tradition of buying stuff too quickly without enough research (like I did with the wheels) :D

I'll keep you posted...

Rob.

Quote:

I now need a 12-pt 14MM socket to remove the head.

I got one, you can come over and borrow it if you want.

I don't mind borrowing yours, but that would mean I'd pass up on a prefectly good reason to buy another tool :D :D

Where did you get it ?

Rob.

There is a sand rail company in I think California that does the scooby conversions. www.sandstallion.com They sell the Link engine manegment computer systems. They are a little on the expensive side but there are so many options that you can do with the computer. I was going to do the EJ-20det swap but decided to go air cooled because I hate wiring.:silly:

Got one of the heads off:

http://www.vanbran.com/EJ25-1.jpg

Rob.

Are those square pistons ? :eek:

Sandeep

Hehehe, nope, they are round, but have a square recess in them.
I guess it's either for valve clearance or to improve valve travel over the piston.

Rob.

Rob,
Why are you taking the engine apart ?
Have you come with a solution for the enormous deep sump? If so, how much less deep is it?
Thanks,
Walter

Hey Wally,

The headgasket was blown. These engines are known for it.
So I am replacing both headgaskets, cam seals and valve cover seals.
I'm also putting in a new timing belt, to be safe since this is an interference motor (I think that's what it's called if it is possible that the valves hit the piston).

As to the sump, there is a lower profile sump available that is used by the Vanagon guys who use Sube engines a lot.
I'm going to drop it in first and see how it sits, but since I am running 15" rims with low profiles, I'm pretty sure I need the custom sump.

Rob.

It would be worth your time to check the homebuilt aircraft people for a new wiring harness. When I checked (several years ago) I found two two people, one in upstate NY and one in Calgary or Winnipeg if I recall correctly, who made harnesses for the different sooby motors. They're a good deal because already cut right and avoid all the extra wiring Subaru uses to get to the ECU in the passenger compartment. It's a heck of a lot cleaner than trying to pull the stock harnesses apart and trim them, and they were less than half the dealer price.

What are you going to do for the ECU?

Oh, and while you're in there be sure to replace the water pump and front crank seal. You don't want to do all this again anytime soon.

Paul, thanks for the tip, but I just scored a complete wiring harness from a wrecking yard in NC.

I have the original ECU from the engine, so I should be ok there.
This week I also picked up all the gaskets and seals I need (including cam seal). I think I'll take my chances with the waterpump. IF it does brake it will be relatively easy to pull the engine since I have a removable rear apron.

I also picked up an alternator.

Next on the list are the adapter, radiator and fuel pump.

Rob.

Alright guys, time for an update.
The engine is back together, new headgaskets are in. I'm just waiting for the dealer to compress the timing belt tensioner so I can install the timing belt and covers again.

The adapter is ordered, but I'm still waiting for it (it's been over 3 weeks now :( ).

I also started with mounting the radiator. I took out the rear quarter windows and attacked the parcel tray area with my drill and wirebrush.
I then (badly) welded some brackets to the flat area to mount the rad.
http://www.vanbran.com/bug/images/conversion/rad1_l.jpg
http://www.vanbran.com/bug/images/conversion/rad2_l.jpg
http://www.vanbran.com/bug/images/co...admount1_l.jpg
http://www.vanbran.com/bug/images/co...admount2_l.jpg

I still need to weld a bracket to mount the top of the radiator, and then I can start hacking the firewall to make sure the air can get out.

Rob.

I was going to mount my radiator in the front laying down with air intakes in the front tire well area. Then I was going to cut exhaust vents in the hood to let the hot pass through air out. It would also help to keep my windshield defrosted in the winter. :laugh: You could also use the radiator for a heat source up font in the winter. :)

That thing is HUGE ! Does it have to be that big ?

Sandeep

Well, it's an original RS rad, and I figure I should at least have the same
capacity.
It actually looks kinda cool, it has 2 fans in the back.

Too bad I need to cover it completely with a fibreglass box or something.....

Rob.

I just love to see somebody else convertin'... :D all the time I've spent staring at my bus and scratchin' my head, it feels good to see another trying to sort everything out. :agree:

Hey Panel,

Unfortunately mine won't be as nearly as detailed as yours. Just checked out the pics again, awesome !
Did you do the bodywork (like the vents) yourself ?

Rob.

Rob,
I did the cut and weld but figured out quick that the detail work was beyond me... I shipped it to a buddy up north for the final finessing. I can do simple flat panel work (like door dings) but working the area right around the vents got me frustrated.

Jeff.

Im freaking..
 

Im doing the same thing your doing with a wrx engine.. pretty much have everything cept a tranny, hi torque starter, fuel pump and right now frying my brain on the radiator thing, I see you put it in your firewall which I was toying with but think I might just go up front with it.. I dunno, so many places and ideas, lol.. your stuff looks awesome though! are you going to try some kind of ducts from the sides? I seen a guy over in Europe put the radiator where the fuel tank sits.. it looked really trick but he put his tank up high and behind it and that kinda killed it for me, lol.. anyhow sorry for the long post and Ill get some pics of my mess soon, lol.. laterz!

Hey AzMadMax,

Yeah, rear quarter windows will be replaced with lexan windows with a Naca duct in it.
I will cover the rad with some kind of shroud and the hoses from the ducts will feed the air in the shroud.

I still need to cut air-exit holes in the firewall or somewhere in that area, but I want to wait until I have the engine in before I do that. Don't want to be feeding the intake hot air from the rad :D

Keep us posted of your project, what are you using for a tranny ?


Rob.

thats cool.. hmm.. gonna have some huge *** ducts huh??
say, Rob have you figured out anything for the extra engine cradle for the Subaru motor?? Wonder if the bus "kep" cradle can be adapted?
as far as what im using for a tranny, not sure, would be nice to go to a bus 091 trans but think Im going to go with a "built" very tall geared 4 speed.. like a "freeway flier" or something.. gonna need axles too and probably the 930 c.v.'s..
the list grows, lol.. gonna need the Kafer Cup bracing kit too!.. yeesh, lol :D

Smallcar (www.smallcar.com) makes a rear engine mount for the suby engine
for vanagon buses.
I think I'll do something like that, using the bumperbracket mounting points.

I also want to tie it into the rollcage, but since it's going to be a while before
I can even start thinking about that cage, I'd need a temporary solution first.

Rob.

so I seen on another site
 

that a couple guys were saying they spoke to Kennedy at Kennedy adapters and he was saying we can just throw these sub engines in there and let em hang without the extra cradle.. of course not in a race environment though.. but I did see one guy saying he did hang the sub off of the bumper mounts.. either way I do think the kafer cup brace and the mid mount tranny brace would be helpful.. at least thats what Ill go with, guess I better start learning to tig weld! lol.. anyhoo how goes the progress?
:)

I'm still waiting for the adapter :(

I put the rad in, but I have to put the engine in first to see where I can cut the firewall to let the air out....
Plus the sube dealer gave me the wrong timing belt, cover gaskets etc, so I'm waiting for that too....

Stay tuned........

Rob.

Welcome to my nightmare! Always waiting on parts!

This is how I handled my rear support...The rear apron piece can't be used, crank is too close, so I used those mounting points. Re-enforced everything and made it height adjustable. The rod ends are poly so they have a little isolation.
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL267/...5/46642954.jpg
http://pic9.picturetrail.com/VOL267/...5/46642946.jpg

Panel, that is cool !
I saw the bar before, but not up close.
What type of joints are those and where did you get them ?

Did you bend the bar yourself ?

Rob.

Thanks! I had a simpler design at first but it was just too half-assed looking. Now I've got this set-up and it looks kinda like I over thought it this time :D .
The joints came from Art Morrison, they're stainless with a poly insert and a whopping $32.50 each! I bought them to use on the suspension way back before I had a complete grasp of what I really needed...been starin' at them for months trying to find a place to use these high dollar suckers.
Ahhh... did I bend the bar myself? Well it took about a month to get that done. Only racecar chassis shop around with a bender (that would even talk to me) completely forgot about me right after I dropped it off. Then they didn't have the right die for such a small tube, but hey! I got nothin' but time, right? :rolleyes:

Space
 

i AM GETTING THE SAME DONE FOR ME BY A COMPANY I AM WONDERING WHAT THE SPACE IS LIKE DOES IT TAKE UP MUCH OF THE PARCEL SHELF???

Cormac,

I assume you are talking about putting the rad in the back of the bug ?

I guess it depends on the size of the rad. In my case there will be no space left. (My webserver went for a dump so you can't see the pics right now).

The radiator reaches all the way up to the rear windshield.

HTH

Rob.

Time for another update.
I received my engine adaptor ! Yay ! :agree:

I also have now finally finished the engine. I had to go back to the dealer 3 times to get the right rocker cover gasket.

Now for some bad news. Since I now have the adapter I can finally see where the engine is going to sit...and guess what.... IT'S TOO WIDE !!!

The timing belt covers will hit de sides of the engine compartment where the bumper mounts are.... So it looks like I'll be building a removable rear end as well :(

Rob.

Removable rear end is not a bad thing. This conversion is making you do something you will be sooo grateful for later on...
I've got a lot of mine worked out. Most of the plumbing done, half of the fuel lines made, half of the wiring done (all these halves are because I need the specific parts for the other half, which I don't have...) If I could get the rest of the parts, I could try a test fire within a week...but it may be a month to get the rest of the parts.

Engine is in !!
 

I've got the engine mounted.
Turns out I needed to cut the tranny mounts because it interfered with 2 of the bolts of the adapter.

Take a look. Also check out my websire for more details (http://www.vanbran.com/bug)
http://www.vanbran.com/bug/images/co...gine_in1_l.jpg http://www.vanbran.com/bug/images/co...gine_in2_l.jpg

Rob.

If you had read through my web site you would have seen that ;-)

I *did* go through your website....
Guess I didn't look close enough :o

Did you also have to cut the tranny mount itself (where the rubber mounts are attached to ?).
Looks like my website it on the Fritz again, but check it later for pics of the clearance I made.

Rob.

No, just rubber. I used a big soldering iron to 'carve' chunks of rubber out...
Nice to see another Scooby swap site too :)
Not sure about the urethane engine mounts, I have been warned against them in the past but have no personal experience...

Rich

Made some progress, see http://www.vanbran.com/bug/conversion2.htm

I had to do the same mods on the tranny mount for the Eco...