2.5i to 3.0R swap.

I've been toying with the idea of swapping to a 3.0 in my 09 2.5i sedan. I love how smooth they are, and they don't sound half bad either. I can get one relatively cheaply, I just have no idea what all else I would have to swap over. I'm sure harnesses and such, but not entirely sure of specifics... Anyone know if the 5mt from my 2.5 will work?

 

I'm not sure if I'll end up doing this swap, but I REALLY want to. I don't care at all about going stupid fast; I have friends with nicer cars for my leadfoot tendencies. I'm all about that low and slow life anyways. Just clean, classy, and done (mostly...) right. I'm working on getting a second car, a beater, so I can do something like this and have my legacy down for a while.

 

Any help, insight, and/or "you stupid SOB"s are welcome.

Most will tell you that you are better off trading the car.

 

How much time, money, research, and effort do you want to spend/waste?

 

May I suggest a 2010 3.6R?

I don't know yet, honestly. All I know is that I'm not the biggest fan of the 2010-14 body style. The 08-09 is my absolute favorite Subaru body style of all time. I really want to keep my car, and just do something that not many people do.

 

I would love the flat-6 in my body style. I can't find one anywhere near me that's a stick. It would probably be my #1 attainable setup that's in reach for me.

This would be a sweet swap, especially with the 6 speed.

 

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=171730195189

Ah that would be sick! Gotta get the pennies together and I think I'm going to maybe start something along those lines as my next winter project!

Swap the MT into the 3.0R body or swap the H6 into the 2.5i body?

 

The easier path is the latter the more rewarding path is the former. Both would about the same amount of work as one would require more tune specific attention the other mechanical attention.

 

I would go the former route for a few reasons:

-3.0R Limiteds have Bilstein Suspension

-All the nice creature comforts

-Those sexy stock 18" wheels

-Attractive price tags

 

Since you own your Legacy i would explore the H6 into your car route. Engine mates up to your transmission no problem but the ratios for that engine may not be optimal a 3.54 6MT would work well for cruising. Your stock trans is fine too the gears are shorter 1-4 then the long jump in 5th why all that "get up and go" is lost once you shift to 5th currently

 

From the donor H6 you would genreally need:

-Front harness, engine cradle, fuel pump, ECU, H6 Boxer(as complete as possible take EVERYTHING ), Suspension (esp if its a limited Legacy)

 

You might want to explore the cluster swap or figure out best way to accurately display RPM as your SOHC Tach wont be able to interpret the DOHC Quad cam outputs. If you have the front harness this could be a wiring change as Im not sure if there is a difference btwn the two except I/O

 

Upgrade your stock clutch to a Exedy stage 1 for (EJ253 clutch) it will hold the power the H6 puts out.

 

Now on the harness topic the rear/body harness may be 100% the same as the H6 if you have a Limited 2.5i if not you will need to identify the voids and merge as needed. Here you will be wanting essential I/O if you dont care about power passenger seat you can leave that out the ECU doesnt have a DTC for missing seat but youll want all the ABS/Speed/Body Dynamic I/O to be present to make the H6 ECU happy and your car function properly.

 

Of course if you have $3K to spare you can pay ECS to do all that for you and you will need to swap in the mechanical bits prior to giving them your car.

 

It isn't impossible and there are many more "little" things that will need to be changed but getting the H6 in and running is no different that swapping in any other engine. If you can do most of the work yourself (physical swapping) you can save yourself a lot of money and time.

 

I would love to swap a MT into a 08-09 3.0R Legacy

I currently have an 09 2.5i special edition, with the upgraded audio and moon roof and whatever else made it a special edition... All I know is that I really want to mess with this car and do something that you don't see often. I don't see many subarus with a 3.0 anywhere near here.

 

I love how smooth they are, and they sound great! I can do most of the swap myself, I'm decently mechanically inclined. I did most of the work on putting the new clutch in, and the timing belt/wp job. Did all of the work by myself on the ground for my exhaust, struts and lowering springs, .

 

I'm not the best with electrical stuff, but I can figure it out. I just have to start saving my pennies for this swap, because I'm 90% sure it's going to happen. I've got a friend willing to sacrifice some garage space, and I'm pretty sure I can get my hands on a spare car for the time mine is down.

Space, tools and a plan the keys pillars of any swap

 

Start searching for wrecked Tribecas, OBs and Legacys. So the EZ30 range is larger than the EJ range year wise but more scarce per model pre-04 H6 Outbacks are common but aging but cheap and easy to find intact and in good shape. ideally you would want the newest H6 BL revision so 08-09 but that would be tough as they are rare and if wrecked not sought like a LGT/B.

 

I would do a broad search and see what hits you get for H6 based Subarus then drill down. You may find some EZ36Ds in the mix

 

A complete donor vehcile may not be a bad idea but it would cost more than an engine. I would say get a complete vehicle vehicle b/c its easy to miss bits in a "u pick" lot but you may find a "U pick" lot near by and you can visit it as needed to pick parts and bits that you find you need.

 

I love the Brown BL besides the RRP it is my third favorite BL color with Seafoam Green No.2

You won't find an 08-09 3.0R in the states with a manual. SOA never brought an H6 car with a manual here. It was available elsewhere with a 6 speed manual.

You won't find an 08-09 3.0R in the states with a manual. SOA never brought an H6 car with a manual here. It was available elsewhere with a 6 speed manual.

 

Which is why this thread exists

curious to see if it all works out. Lot of the sohc 2.5is want a little more out of their cars and the h6 engine would be better than most of the minor performance improvements for our cars. Manual trans would be ideal but since it's posted U.S. never got manual, shipping might be a high unwanted expense to the total cost. Hoping for a simple solution to all this

Which is why this thread exists

 

Yup. I would love to see a definitive answer to what all is needed to swap a 3.0R to a manual. Preferably a 6 speed.

Yup. I would love to see a definitive answer to what all is needed to swap a 3.0R to a manual. Preferably a 6 speed.

 

Well you could look at the parts list for a JDM/AUS Legacy Spec.B 6MT, mimic that and address the 5EAT vs 6MT in the tune along with the speed sensors and other I/O the VDC system handles.

For anyone looking for a complete car. http://www.copart.com/us/Lot/18362335?searchId=1981096956

For anyone looking for a complete car. http://www.copart.com/us/Lot/18362335?searchId=1981096956

 

Pretty good donor car, you could get everything i bet it goes for under $5K.

And you could sell of parts not needed.

Okay, so the 3.0 is gonna wait a little... I stumbled across a 1984 Nissan 200SX turbo project that needs an engine. I'm thinking SR20 drift machine for relatively cheap. It's one of my buddies' projects that his wife is making him get rid of. I figured I'd help him by keeping it close by. He's had it for 9 years and he bought it because the 200 was his first car, but never had a chance to get to it. (This was his 7th project car, he only got to the third...) SO, the 3.0 in my car is going to hit the back burner for a bit. This is what I'm aiming for in this little drift rocket: http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/04/22/c3e7d228d8eff8ae48bef0118fc7f07e.jpg

Also, it's got the digital dash, and I just can't pass that up.

Here, this is good:

 

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/4990635190.html

 

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ctd/4989950455.html

 

Hella Rare OB30R:

http://portland.craigslist.org/grg/cto/4990741175.html

 

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ctd/4986814058.html

 

Oh, look, it's totalled:

 

http://kpr.craigslist.org/cto/4987909062.html

 

 

 

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