Your Bellhousing on an OffRoad Project

frec · Wannabe Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 8

Hi,

I'm about to start my conversion project. My Intention is to use a Non Turbo EJ25 Fuel Injection Engine on my offroad car. So I have some questions.

1.- Has anyone tried your bellhousing on an OffRoad car?
2.- I'm planning to buy a donor car and use the most possible from it. So What would be the right donor car to look for?. So far I think any of the following would be a good donor car, but please advice.

Subaru Baja 2.5 From 2004 to 2005.
Subaru Forester 2.5 From 1997 to 2004
Subaru Impreza 2.5 From 1997 to 2004
Subaru OutBack 2.5 From 1999 to 2005
Subaru Legacy From 1995 to 2004

3.- How do I know what kind of transmission does my car has. I want to make sure I order the right bellhousing.

Just to give an idea here are some pictures of the car:

http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa313/frecobos/cc_3.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa313/frecobos/96_3.jpg

split_trix · Jedi Knight Joined: 28 Apr 2006 Posts: 107

Hi, it lookslike from the pics of your off roader you have a 002 1600 bus box because you can see just 3 ribs on the case..... As far as i know there is only one style of bellhousing which fits all bus boxes be it 002, 091, 094....

I woujld say the bellhousing would cope with offroad use as long as the engine is supported.

As far as what type of engine, its up to you really to you. I would think for off roading you'll need instant power to a N/A engine would be best so a DOHC forester 2.5....
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doppelganger · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 5:47 pm Post subject:

frec · Wannabe Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 8

Just noticed.... This is going to be an international project.
Bellhousing and conversion parts will be purchased on the UK.
The donor car will be purchased in the USA.
The conversion and running car will be in Mexico.

I want to assume that all Subarus are the same in the UK and the USA so, I should have no problems on conversion parts being incompatible.

Hope I'm right.

doppelganger · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:04 pm Post subject: Re: Interesting...

ElusiveStranger · Posted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:28 pm Post subject:

US & Europe engines do differ in the ECUs I believe,
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The advice you receive on here is worth the paper it's written on.
Your experiences are worth shed loads to others, including the f'ups - live and learn.
Wouldn't YOU rather learn by someone else's mistakes? So would they.

'78 Bay, 2 litre 091 box, EJ20 NA & the ashtray's on the 'right' side.
I don't lean forward for hills any more Grin

Bugger, missed out on "Live fast, die young"

MostlyMonki · Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:04 am Post subject:

not sure about subarus, but my experience with other jap cars is that most of the time european and US versions are much more alike than theyre JDM counterparts... probably due to higher octane petrol being the norm in japan i guess (plus they do like to do plenty of mental little experiments with theyre domestic market)
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'72 Ratty Bug - Subaru EJ20 Turbo motor.

rjes · Posted: Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:44 am Post subject:

In terms of engine management, most USDM and EDM Subaru's are very different. Pre 1995 USDM non California spec models are much the same as EDM, and from then on they are all different. From 1995 to the early 2000's they are very different, with totally different ECU's and wiring harnesses etc, and very recent models are slightly more similar similar again, but not the same. Generally the US spec models all have more emissions control equipment on them, particularly exhaust recirculatiuon and air injection, etc.
The EJ25 engine was introduced in MY97, ans was a quad cam design untio MY00. All the DOHC EJ25's are prone to head gasket failure, typically at around 70,000 miles. Fixing thei requires replacing the gaskets with the new design replacement. From MY00 onwards, and EJ25 naturally aspirated engines are all SOHC.
You have a far bigger chioce of donor car for EJ25 engines in the US than in Europe. Here the EJ25 naturally aspirated engine was only fitted to high spec Legacies (mostly Outbacks) and some Foresters, with the large majority being EJ20's. In the US most Legacies from MY97 seem to be EJ25 powered, and you have a bigger range of models in the US to choose from too than we do too, including the Baja and the Impreza RS. As for which is the best donor, there is probably little in it. Go for the lowest mileage, best value engine you can afford, but avoid anything from MY04 onwards unless you are certain it is a non CAN bus engine before buying. If your donor is a manual, it will already come with a suitable flywheel and starter, etc (unless it has a dual mass flywheel (MY00 - MY02), which will want swapping for a single mass one with a suitable clutch).

Regarding off road use, the above comments are spot on. There is no reason why the bell housing would not be suitable for off road use. Some are fitted to Syncro's which get regular off road use, typically with EJ25's, and some with EG33's. You'd definitely wantto support the engine using the Subaru engine mounts, not just hang it of the back of the gearbox like a Beetle. A customer in Australia found an interesting advantage of using my bell housing over the adaptpor plate he had previously used. The increased inertia of the much larger diameter Subaru flywheel apparently made a big difference to how easily he could climb over rough terrain at low speed.
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Richard,

R J Engineered Solutions
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frec · Wannabe Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 8

ok, Thanks all for the replies. So now, I'm staring my search for the donor car. In a few words I have to find a Subaru with EJ25 Engine (does not matters if forester, impreza, outback, etc), low mileage, model between 1997 to 2003, manual transmission. if it is 2000 to 2002 I have to make sure it is NOT a dual mass flywheel. Let me know if I missunderstood something.

ElusiveStranger · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 5:54 am Post subject:

You can change the flywheel!
_________________
The advice you receive on here is worth the paper it's written on.
Your experiences are worth shed loads to others, including the f'ups - live and learn.
Wouldn't YOU rather learn by someone else's mistakes? So would they.

'78 Bay, 2 litre 091 box, EJ20 NA & the ashtray's on the 'right' side.
I don't lean forward for hills any more Grin

Bugger, missed out on "Live fast, die young"

frec · Wannabe Joined: 15 Apr 2009 Posts: 8

Ok, if I can change the flywheel, lets leave my search for a Subaru with EJ25 Engine (does not matters if forester, impreza, outback, etc), low mileage, model between 1997 to 2003.

Regarding Manual transmission, I think is going to be harder to find a manual car since most of them are automatic. If the car I get is automatic transmission (most probably) What will this cause? Just change the flywheel and started, or something else?

ElusiveStranger · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:11 am Post subject:

Yup if you get an auto you can just change the flywheel too.
Where are you from? Sounds like it's from somewhere with more autos!
_________________
The advice you receive on here is worth the paper it's written on.
Your experiences are worth shed loads to others, including the f'ups - live and learn.
Wouldn't YOU rather learn by someone else's mistakes? So would they.

'78 Bay, 2 litre 091 box, EJ20 NA & the ashtray's on the 'right' side.
I don't lean forward for hills any more Grin

Bugger, missed out on "Live fast, die young"