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Brightons Money Pit


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It's about time I got around to making a thread of the day to day going on's, since all the cool people already have them.

 

Info about the car

-1996 Subaru Legacy Brighton Wagon with 2.2L and 4EAT slushbox with 180k ish on it.

-It started life in NJ and I am now the 7th owner of it

-It's comprised of parts from at least 25 other cars up to 4th gen legacys and 4th gen Imprezas

-I got it from a military guy for $1300 who neglected the hell out of it

 

What's been done/current configuration (excluding maintenance things)

-Transmission was rebuilt

-Motor was partially rebuilt with new heads

-Both front and rear diffs have been rebuilt

-Front 10.9in rotor and dual piston caliper upgrade

-Hybrid intake set up with K&N panel filter

-JDM protector headlights

-Custom made cat-back exhaust with resonator, flowmaster 40 muffler and borla tip

-Kenwood headunit with Kenwood speakers and tweeters (front only)

-White door handles, mirrors, white wrapped door trim and white spoiler

-NGK Wires and iridium plugs

-Grimmspeed lightweight crank pulley

-GT Snowflake rims with generic tires

-Paranoid fab grounding kit

-Royal purple synthetic Power steering fluid, motor oil, and trans fluid

-Mechanical lifter to HLA conversion

-Black interior swap (was awful greyish pink color)

-Dynamat knock off sound deadening all throughout the car

-Lots of engine bay stuff got power coated black

-Vinyl wrapped the roof black

-Passport JDM battery tie down

-Various parts 3M Carbonfiber wrapped and stickerbombed

-Blue Dash and Instrument panel LED conversion

-LED Brakelights, Reverse Lights and marker lights

-Leather Steeringwheel

-6500k LED Projector fog lights

-Sunvisors with the mirrors and lights

-20% tint all the way around except for the trunk side windows which are vinyl wrapped on the inside so you can't see through it.

-Raised wood trunk floor with spare tire lid from Outback

-Front strut tower brace

-20mm GT front sway bar

-STI Group N Pitch Stop

-Optima Redtop Battery

-EBC Redstuff pads and rotors on the front

-Inferno Fab UEL and 2nd Cat Delete

-Whiteline front and rear sway bar links

-Grimmspeed Brake brace

-TruHart Coilovers

-Weapon R Coolant/Washer Fluid tank

-Walboro 255 Fuel Pump

-Kein Firewall/Fender braces

 

Future Modification Plans

-5MT Manual and RWD conversion

-Delta reground cams

-Dark gray headliner and matching door cards

-Complete Kenwood stereo

-EGR Delete

-Full aluminum radiator and replacement fans

 

I have also made a few short How-To threads for stuff I do. They aren't usually all that helpful because I don't measure stuff and usually forget to take pictures but here are the ones so far.

LED Footwell lights

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/diy-guide-foot-well-led-lights-253431.html?t=253431

 

Underhood LED Light

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/diy-guide-underhood-light-259451.html?t=259451

 

HVAC LED Color Change

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/diy-hvac-color-change-251981.html?t=251981

 

LED Ashtray Light

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/mini-diy-ashtray-storage-tray-light-251906.html?t=251906

Motor Build Thread

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/brightons-2-2-engine-rebuild-258768.html

 

Current Exhaust Sound

Edited by Brighton96
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Here is how it looked after the first wash and wax. I barely made it home and I almost rear ended my dad driving my truck in front of me on more than one occasion. It didn't idle, it didn't stop well, it cooked the brakes almost immediately, it rattled and shook, most of the electronics didn't work, the AC was shot, and the tires were bald and sticky so they randomly grabbed sections of road which made it randomly try to change lanes. The PO put junkyard shocks on it since he had it lowered on coilovers on GTB wheels. So the wheels got sold to someone on this forum and that funded new struts.

 

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/Subie%205_zpsqsi5ln1q.jpg

 

This was how it sat after about 6 months of ownership, new wheels, suspension and a few other things but overall the same cosmetically

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/Subie%204_zpswqfjbwtn.jpg

 

After about a year and a half of owning it. Much more mechanical work was done and more cosmetics were added which included the wrapped roof and door trim, fog lights and lots of paint repair.

Edited by Brighton96
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Open heart surgery just this past winter as well as a fresh transmission

 

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/DSC_0536_zpsctzrthua.jpg

 

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/DSC_0530_zpsoclivtqc.jpg

 

How it sits currently, I haven't gotten a lot of pictures of it's current set up yet, since it's middle of winter here. But a new camera and warm weather means lots of pictures soon!

 

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/DSC_0539_zpsdidqeg23.jpg

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First current update, I got a roll of darker gray headliner material from the local fabric place today. It's somewhere between the current light gray headliner and the black interior so I think it'll look good, I may also make door cards to match Edited by Brighton96
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Car looks great! I need to see pics of the interior. When you say black interior are you referring to the darker charcoal of the '99s or did you use paint?

 

I need to step up my engine bay game! Your's is looking like new! I plan on doing the white door handles/mirrors and two tone on the door trim. Did you take the trim off to sand and paint or was it left on the car?

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Here's pictures of the interior. I don't have pictures of the old seats but trust me they were horrible, the current seats are out of a 98 outback.

 

Dash and steering wheel before

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/DSCN3234_zpstqo3b48m.jpg

 

And After

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/DSCN3237_zpspjnxtspl.jpg

 

Rear door before any changes

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/IMAG0978_zpstqx691t1.jpg

 

And after with the newly wrapped door car

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/IMAG0979_zpsbfqhbxyr.jpg

 

And here are some pictures of the dynamat stuff

http://i1317.photobucket.com/albums/t637/96Brighton/DSCN2513_zpsql5ztbnq.jpg

Edited by Brighton96
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Car looks great! I need to see pics of the interior. When you say black interior are you referring to the darker charcoal of the '99s or did you use paint?

 

I need to step up my engine bay game! Your's is looking like new! I plan on doing the white door handles/mirrors and two tone on the door trim. Did you take the trim off to sand and paint or was it left on the car?

 

Most of the interior is the black interior out of an L and some of the mismatched interior is the dark charcoal out of outbacks. I also didn't remove the trim to wrap it, I just cleaned it as best as I could and then tucked the wrap up around the edges and so far it's held up well for nearly 2 years now. The smart thing to do would have been remove it and paint it but I didn't want to buy that much 3M tape :/

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That sound mat you are using, how much difference did it make before and after? Has it and its glue held up over time? If it's all solid I'd consider doing some of this.

Thanks.

 

I did notice a good bit of noise reduction, my exhaust is pretty loud and before this, I could hear my fuel pump and it was hard to have a conversation at a normal volume but with it now, it's about as quiet in the cabin as a normal modern subaru. When I do the headliner I'm going to line the roof with this stuff too. It already has adhesive applied to it so you just clean the surface of the car and lay it on. So far it's been on there about a year and I haven't found any places were the adhesive has come loose. I even have a spare tire in the spare tire tub and the tire is too large for the tub so it constantly rubs against the mat, and even with that said, the mat hasn't been destroyed nor come free of the cars surface.

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How hard was it to pull the engine. I need to get mine out and I have never done it before. Is it hard?

 

Honestly it's not too bad, I've heard people being able to pull them in 45 minutes but it took me a while, it's not easy to get the engine mount studs free of the cross member while simultaneously getting the studs out of the bell housing. Both of which are 90 degrees from each other so you will have to mess with the angle of the motor and trans a lot to get it to come free. Luckily the motor is light and with one person standing in the engine bay, you can manhandle it out. Installation is worse though, reverse process but more angle adjustments :/ Get at least one floor jack, an engine hoist and at least 2 strong guys, one to operate the hoist, and the other to pull the motor out. It was easier with 3 guys. Also remove the radiator before engine removal and don't install the radiator until the motor is reinstalled. I used a long section of 2x4 to angle/pry up on the engine and since I laid it on the bumper support, it went through the area where the radiator would normally be.

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Hard to say. Compared to what?

I don't think it's hard. Couple fuel lines, couple coolant lines, take out radiator, disconnect exhaust, move A/C to the side without opening, undo wiring at bell housing, undo bell housing, undo engine mounts, lift.

 

I've done it three times. Had some help the first time to get me over the learning curve hump. Showed the process to a friend on his once to do the clutch. On his we pulled it, took a lunch, drove 40 minutes back to my place to use my press, drove 40 minutes back with a stop to pick up a few bits at Napa, put it back together, got it tested, cleaned up, all in time for supper.

 

(I always start by taking off the hood. Forgot to mention that.)

 

There are finer details to each of these steps that I'd be happy to talk about if you want. Things that will get you through in a way that is efficient. Like use a sharpie to draw on the hood around the hinges so when you go to put it back you can get the alignment right first try. Use paint pens to mark items that could connect in more than one place so you get them right....

Edited by doublechaz
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I haven't been able to get E85 yet, all the places around here don't sell it, but almost every gas station back home sells it so once I'm back home I'm going to start testing it. I just replaced all of the fuel lines with stuff made for E85 so not really a conversion, more of just adaption to handle it.
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Gotcha, we've got it around here, kinda curious to know if the stock ecu will adapt to it or if a new brain is needed. Did you swap injectors too or just lines?

 

I didn't do anything but rebuild the stock injectors, to do a proper conversion I've heard you have to map the ecu for it, and install a flex fuel sensor. But I've heard e85 can be upwards of 100 octane rating so old school science, higher octane = more bang = more power. So we'll have to wait and see haha

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  • 1 month later...

I have official confirmation, my car is faster since the motor rebuild. I got pulled over for the first time since I bought the car in 2013 haha. The cop was kind of a moody but he knocked the ticket down to a failure to read signs or something and then bitched to me about my "modified muffler" exhaust and license plate covers.

 

Also, I've put about 1k on the car since the motor build and have no fluid consumption or leaks and it hasn't blown up yet so that's good. And guess what, the starter is the only part of the motor that not been touched since I bought the car and guess what part is now failing haha. So a new starter is on the way!

Edited by Brighton96
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After 168k the original starter started to show signs of failing soon, so I ordered an OEM Denso one from Advance auto for $90, and got it installed today. I wish all cars were this simple to replace starters on, took me about 15 minutes to do it on a hot engine while trying not to get burned.

In case anyone wants it, for a phase I 2.2 with an automatic, your OEM starter part number is 280-0301 and you only need a 12mm and 14mm ratchet or open end wrench to swap it out.

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Honestly it's not too bad, I've heard people being able to pull them in 45 minutes but it took me a while, it's not easy to get the engine mount studs free of the cross member while simultaneously getting the studs out of the bell housing. Both of which are 90 degrees from each other so you will have to mess with the angle of the motor and trans a lot to get it to come free. Luckily the motor is light and with one person standing in the engine bay, you can manhandle it out. Installation is worse though, reverse process but more angle adjustments :/ Get at least one floor jack, an engine hoist and at least 2 strong guys, one to operate the hoist, and the other to pull the motor out. It was easier with 3 guys. Also remove the radiator before engine removal and don't install the radiator until the motor is reinstalled. I used a long section of 2x4 to angle/pry up on the engine and since I laid it on the bumper support, it went through the area where the radiator would normally be.

 

Brighton did it the hard and dirty way (That's what she said). I've done it the hard and dirty way before (That's what she said).

 

The easier way to do it will blow your mind and it literally took me 5 extra minutes to do it. Unbolt the torque mount on the top of the transmission, crawl underneath the car to the transmission, unbolt the three bolts that mount the transmission to the crossmember, unbolt the hanger for the cats and free the cats from the hook and lay the whole exhaust on the ground. Put a jack under the front diff with a 2x4 and jack it up until the motor mount studs are clear of the subframe. That's it! You literally can get another 6 inches of clearance by doing it that way.

 

Engine removal in 12 easy steps:

1.) Remove airbox, tube, torque box, and battery

2.) Drain Radiator, disconnect upper and lower hoses, fan connections, and transmission cooler lines (if auto). You don't need to unbolt the fans and coolant bottle from the radiator. Remove everything as an assembly.

3.) Remove accessory belts and unbolt the power steering pump and line bolts on the right valve cover and unbolt ac compressor (if your system is still charged) and move to the side. Power steering pump will move where the airbox was, ac compressor will move to where the battery was.

4.) Remove harness from alternator and remove alternator.

5.) Unbolt throttle cable, cruise cable, and clutch cable (if manual).

6.) Label and remove the fuel lines (very important to label them or take a picture of them) and heater core hoses.

7a.) If manual trans, skip to 7b. If its an auto trans, remove the intake manifold paying close attention to where the hoses and connectors go. It's not hard to remember because the connectors are in the general area of the sensor. There is only 6 connectors that need to be disconnected (Crank sensor, cam sensor, oil pressure sensor, temp sensor 1 and 2, and knock sensor). There are 3 hoses that need to be removed (2 coolant lines and the large PCV hose). Unbolt the 4 bolts for the torque converter using the access hole on the right side of the block. You'll need to rotate the crank to get to all 4 bolts.

7b.) Unhook the 3 wiring blocks on the right side of the motor that connect the intake to the ECU.

8.) Depending on if Phase 1 or 2, there will be 2 or 6 bolts and 2 nuts on the bellhousing. Remove those bolts and remove the starter. Remove the transmission torque mount.

9.) Crawl underneath unbolt the exhaust manifold (4 bolts if single outlet 6 if dual outlet). Unbolt the two motor mount nuts, remove the 3 bolts for the transmission on its crossmember, remove the hanger bolt for the cats and release from its hanger and lay it on the ground. Lift the transmission by the front diff with a 2x4 and a jack

10.) Attach your lift chain to the hole in the AC bracket and the other to the lift hole next to where you disconnected the wiring harness.

11.) Use your trusty engine crane with a leveling bar to lift and pull forwards. If you have an auto trans, the torque converter is known to get stuck in the pilot hole of the flexplate. When you have enough room between the block and bellhousing, take a screwdriver or prybar and separate the torque converter. Make sure the torque converter is all the way back in the pump housing before reassembly or else you risk cracking the pump housing.

12.) Congrats, your engine is out.

 

Assembly is the reverse. On the auto, never use the mounting bolts to bring the engine towards the transmission. If the converter isn't aligned and seated correctly, you'll know because the converter will not spin freely of the flex plate.

 

I've removed and installed both an EJ22 and EJ25 about a dozen times now. On a manual transmission car, I can do it in about 45 minutes to an hour. On an auto car, it takes me about an hour to hour and a half. By lifting the transmission and using a leveler bar on your hoist, you don't need to worry about the alignment of the engine. A leveling bar allows you to pivot the engine at the correct angle. I fought for almost an hour and a half one time because I didn't lift the transmission. This last time, I did the dirty work and lifted the transmission and it went right in. I kid you not from engine stand to mounted in the engine bay took me 10 minutes and of that 10 minutes, 5 of it was taking the engine off it's mount on the stand and lifting it into place.

Edited by Setnev
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