What would be the best donar car for a EJ255 swap?

I have a 2000 Legacy L Wagon, M/T, EJ25. I would like to swap in a EJ255 as far as I know these came in the later years of the second generation (2000-2007) Impreza WRX 2006-2007, and the later years of the second generation (2003-2008) Forester XT 2004-2008.

 

I'm looking at buying a crashed complete car so I have everything I need for the conversion. So far I'm having an easier time finding Forester XT models than Impreza WRX. I was wondering if CAN Bus was an issue and I've also ready about drive by wire, I'm not sure when this started.

 

I would plan to "de-pin" my Legacy harness to take all the engine related wires out, and add in all the donor car wires. Hopefully I would have to do a complete removal of the dash and harness in my car.

 

I'm looking specific swap and donor information, and links etc. are appreciated.

LGT, OBXT, Baja, 9-2x Aero also had them. Expand your parameters.

 

I will say that it'll be a huge PITA and by the time you add up time, parts, and labor costs for help with stuff you can't do it'll be cheaper to buy a car with the motor already.

LGT, OBXT, Baja, 9-2x Aero also had them. Expand your parameters.

 

I will say that it'll be a huge PITA and by the time you add up time, parts, and labor costs for help with stuff you can't do it'll be cheaper to buy a car with the motor already.

I agree it will be a challenge, it has been done before with success!

 

The car I have is in decent shape and I've already put money into it I won't get back. What are the chance of finding a 2003-2009 Legacy Wagon with a turbo AND a manual transmission? It doesn't exist does it?

Of Course they exist! Keep your eyes peeled in the classifieds and be ready to pounce with cash in hand when you see a good one!

I agree it will be a challenge, it has been done before with success!

 

The car I have is in decent shape and I've already put money into it I won't get back. What are the chance of finding a 2003-2009 Legacy Wagon with a turbo AND a manual transmission? It doesn't exist does it?

 

Not sure about 2003-2004. But the Legacy Turbo wagons with 5mt were only available in 2005. If you want a wagon body - OBXTs were available in 5mt from 2005-2009.

FXT and Baja turbo are great candidates. No immobilizer in the Baja ever (but not many of them) and it came pretty late with the FXT (06 or 07?? dunno).

 

You also get an engine/intercooler arrangement that's very friendly to STi hand-me-downs. . . so you can be at 300 engine HP without much more than a used STI intercooler, turbo, and downpipe.

 

salvage FXT's are also a damn sight cheaper than WRX. I bought an 04 FXT 5MT hit in the rear for about $1500. 150k on it but still hard to beat. Also bought an 07 WRX with 105k hit down the right side, that one set me back nearly $4k. Really nothing different about the drivelines between those two, just that one of them is in a popular boy racer car, the other is in a toaster station wagon.

 

Any EJ255 in the USDM will be DBW. It'll also be single AVCS which you don't get (as far as I know) if you go with something craptastic and DBC like a very early WRX 2.0.. . . so don't fear the electric gas pedal. It's just one extra thing to hook up.

 

05+ Legacy/Outback turbos will be less desireable because they've got a lot more crap integrated onto the canbus. . . and a crappier intercooler setup. Stick with WRX/FXT/Baja turbo for easy wire swappyness.

 

I buy salvage from Copart. It sucks to get setup to buy there and you can get stuck with a turd very easy if you don't know what you're doing but it's a great source for driveline donors.

I agree it will be a challenge, it has been done before with success!

 

The car I have is in decent shape and I've already put money into it I won't get back. What are the chance of finding a 2003-2009 Legacy Wagon with a turbo AND a manual transmission? It doesn't exist does it?

 

If you are in North America 2005 is your only option unless you are willing to get an Outback.

Thanks everyone for the good information.

 

FXT and Baja turbo are great candidates. No immobilizer in the Baja ever (but not many of them) and it came pretty late with the FXT (06 or 07?? dunno).

 

You also get an engine/intercooler arrangement that's very friendly to STi hand-me-downs. . . so you can be at 300 engine HP without much more than a used STI intercooler, turbo, and downpipe.

 

salvage FXT's are also a damn sight cheaper than WRX. I bought an 04 FXT 5MT hit in the rear for about $1500. 150k on it but still hard to beat. Also bought an 07 WRX with 105k hit down the right side, that one set me back nearly $4k. Really nothing different about the drivelines between those two, just that one of them is in a popular boy racer car, the other is in a toaster station wagon.

 

Any EJ255 in the USDM will be DBW. It'll also be single AVCS which you don't get (as far as I know) if you go with something craptastic and DBC like a very early WRX 2.0.. . . so don't fear the electric gas pedal. It's just one extra thing to hook up.

 

05+ Legacy/Outback turbos will be less desireable because they've got a lot more crap integrated onto the canbus. . . and a crappier intercooler setup. Stick with WRX/FXT/Baja turbo for easy wire swappyness.

 

I buy salvage from Copart. It sucks to get setup to buy there and you can get stuck with a turd very easy if you don't know what you're doing but it's a great source for driveline donors.

 

A few questions, I know what the AVCS is and I would try to retain functionality. I also agree a FXT seems to be the economic donor car. I'm not worried about installing the electronic gas pedal. That is why I plan to get a donor car instead of just a engine/harness/ecu/drivetrain. Then in theory with a complete donor I have everything I need to swap.

 

I've been looking on iaai, I will also try what you suggested. That is my goal, same as yours FXT for $1,500. Then down the road do like you said and swap STi intercooler, turbo, and downpipe. I like the fact I can "upgrade" down the road. I can do all this as I can afford it and the car and parts are all paid for.

 

What is DBW and DBC?

 

Thank you very much!

I figured in out!!!

 

DBW = Drive By Wire

 

DBC = Drive By Cable

Keep in mind that IAA and Copart both charge some pretty hefty fees on top of the sale price so if you're watching live auctions and thinking "gee that guy stole that FXT for $1100!" after sale fee, gate fee, internet bid fee, and if you're paying by CC "non secure payment fee", it'll be more like $1500, and that doesn't include brokerage (if your state doesn't permit non-dealers to buy salvage at auction) or tax (if it does). Brokers will typically charge you another $2-300 on top AND collect tax.

 

and no take-backsies if you don't like it. So I'd strongly suggest buying only at yards that are local to you at first so you can inspect the cars before bidding.

 

Don't get emotional either. Set an upper limit and stick with it. I wasn't even trying to win that foz when I placed the bid, I just got lucky and got it on a day when nobody else wanted it either. . . and it was a pure sale (absolute auction so whatever it brings is what it sells for, no negotiating after if it doesn't meet reserve). I'll use the driveline as swap fodder in an RS coupe (I have 2 awaiting some turbo goodness to make those hood scoops functional).

 

Bottom line is it's a pretty big hassle for a one-time buy, but it's still one of the best ways to find those cars. If they're wrecked and owner-retained and parted most guys want a premium for good stuff. I PM'd a guy on NASIOC about an 06/07 WRX driveline he had for sale after doing an STi upgrade. . . yeah i could have it for the bargain basement price of $7k. He's had it for sale for about 4 years now. . . no price listed in the thread, gotta PM him to get it.

Yeah, "donor cars" are outrageous. People want 3k for just a motor sans turbo and intercooler, and that's with 1xx,xxx questionable miles on them.

This one was for sale as a complete car (in the same town) for about $1700 a while back. I think it's an auto.

 

http://knoxville.craigslist.org/pts/5322917869.html

 

Looks like someone bought it with the intent to part it. I hate it when they do one-line "call with needs" bs like that tho.

 

NIGGA AT LEAST WRITE DOWN WHAT'S BROKEN/ALREADY SOLD AND WHAT YOU WANT FOR THE BIG SHIT!

That is funny!

 

Do I have to be concerned if the donor car is a M/T or A/T?

It would be a lot easier to get everything from a car with the same trans you have (or want) as it's not as simple as grounding a pin on the ECU and wiring up a clutch safety switch/relay like the old gen 1/2/3 stuff.

 

So if you buy an auto FXT/WRX/Saabaru/Bajahahah, you'll probably need to source a wire harness and ECU separately even if you plan on using your trans. You can flash the ECU to MT and wire around it, it's just added hassle.

I'm actually surprised there are quite a few Baja Turbo M/T donors out there. Not really any with a decent hood.

 

What would be the better donor a FXT M/T or a Baja Turbo M/T. I will have to look up gear ratios vs. tire sizes and see if Baja Turbo had a LSD.

 

I would like to get the Impreza STi hood scoop anyway, looks tougher and it will flow the correct amount of air when I upgrade to the STi intercooler.

I'm actually surprised there are quite a few Baja Turbo M/T donors out there. Not really any with a decent hood.

 

What would be the better donor a FXT M/T or a Baja Turbo M/T. I will have to look up gear ratios vs. tire sizes and see if Baja Turbo had a LSD.

 

I would like to get the Impreza STi hood scoop anyway, looks tougher and it will flow the correct amount of air when I upgrade to the STi intercooler.

 

Baja Turbos and FXTs have identical drivetrains including the axles. Manual trans cars are all 4.444, all Bajas (turbo or not) have viscous rear LSD.

Thanks for the info.

Good used Baja turbo hoods simply do not exist.

 

You can cut an STi scoop into a regular flat Legacy hood. In fact if you're gonna run an STi top mount that works a lot better anyway as the Baja/FXT intercooler is pretty small, and the scoop/duct arrangement is sized for it. I did a how-to thread about it a while back.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/adding-sti-scoop-3rd-gen-hood-pics-221149.html?t=221149&highlight=scoop+baja

 

It's what I did on my Baja.

 

For swappyness into a 3rd gen chassis the Baja turbo would be preferable as you won't have to do a wire merge if you can get a complete car. They're the same chassis from the B-pillar forward.

Lockmedic: As I read through this thread, I'm becoming increasingly more envious of just your project cars let alone your completed ones!

I drank the kool aid. A lot of it.

 

I justify it by telling myself it's cheaper than a cocaine addiction. . . but not by much

I haven't been able to find many donar M/T cars in my area. I would spend $800 to $1200 to have it shipped.

 

If I knew that a 2007 and newer FXT with can bus would work that would help. I haven't been able to get that question answered yet. I'm willing to swap everything over from the donor, so DBC to DBW isn't a big deal to me. Neither is the AVCS control. I just want to know if the ECU will freak out if it isn't connected to other "black boxes" is used to be when it was in the donor FXT.

 

Another thought I had was to purchase a salvaged FXT A/T there are more in my area. The find a purchase a M/T ECU. I've seen the M/T ECU on eBay for $265-ish. Is this a viable option?