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My Eg33 Swap=D

6K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  i10scooby 
#1 · (Edited)
My Eg33 Swap

Long ago I dreamed of a Sporty H6 Forester.



In pursuit of this dream I have slowly obtained the major pieces of the puzzle.
As of now I have a 2004 Aspen White Forester XS, A 1992 Dark Teal SVX and last but not least an 04 WRX wagon with suspension/transmission/rear diff.

I know Ill need to adjust the Radiator location, I plan on tackling this with a Saab Turbo 900 Radiator which I am told is sufficient and requires no cutting of the front end. Using slim aftermarket fans I hope to have zero issues.

Takeoffs from the WRX Wagon will be used most likely with some spacers in the rear as opposed to the Forester specific Swifts I am currently on. I am slightly concerned with the added weight of the EG on the front suspension although I have read removing A/C and relocating the Battery to the rear can counter this. Id love to hear some opinions on this.

I know I can Either use group N mounts or Weld the stock ones. Group N Seems the smart way to go but Money is tight as a Single Father so that is up in the air. Opinions are welcome.

ECU.... ECU.... ECU... Ahhh where Do I start..

Since I have a Whole SVX I can use the Obd1 factory ecu with a chip that has a custom map. This would alleviate any issues with the ECU running a Five speed and be cost effective. I know a gentlemen who has made these in the past with much success. OR
I can Bite the bullet and think long term and go with a Haltec, Mega squirt, Hydra since In the long run Id like to go with a Turbo setup twin if feasible. .
Since I plan on staying N/A for a spell while I dig in and map out a turbo build, This is an area I could really cheap out on and still run a healthy Motor. Opinions are Highly favored on this subject.

As for the Transmission Driveshaft and rear Differential its all coming From the WRX. I have 3 good axles on the WRX and one with a torn boot. If The axles on the Forester are In better shape could I use those? The Forester is Five speed anyways so I figure it may work. I also have The foresters Driveshaft If that can be used or kept as backup Id like to know.
I do need a new clutch and fly wheel. Since There is added low end torque Im open to opinion on setups that will Hold. otherwise Ill just take the SVX's 5 speed swapped guys recommendation and get a cheap stage 3 clutch with lightweight fly wheel.

As for brakes I was going to source some 03? Legacy GT takeoffs since they bolt up to our foresters and the WRX's brakes are gone. I admittedly need to do some more research on best affordable brake setup. Opinions on this are greatly appreciated. I recently got new pads and rotors up front but since Im adding power and weight Id love to add to my stopping power soon after I am up and running.


The things I do not have in my possession are the Radiator, Chip for ECU,Group N mounts, ReSeal kit for the EG33, Clutch/flywheel.

Let me know what you think.. I love hearing positive feedback and others Ideas. The Forester with an H6 is my dream car so please do not try and change my mind.
 

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#2 ·
Looking forward to this. Based on a few fellows who have done this conversion I'm petty sure you'll need to merge the Foz and SVX looms, a skilled task and if you don't have the knowledge, you'll have to pay an expert. Just swapping te ECU is not workable as it controls much more than the motor. In the land of silly HP and drag racing, the Forester transmission is often put into WRX models as it's stronger. Assuming your Forester is 4EAT, the EG33 will have loads of power to deal with it. The Saab 9-3 used an awful lot of running and propulsion kit from the WRX so if you have access to a crashed one or better prices on parts, it too may help tame your budget.

If you have any ideas about adding a turbo later on, unless you are prepared to use very low boost (max 6 psi) the pistons at least will need to be replaced to lower the compression. Bobby, @2.5x_sleeper did such a turbo conversion on an NA Forester but apparently it was an enormous undertaking and he doesn't recommend it. There is a post of it for you to examine. You would also need to modify under the engine to allow the unequal length headers to to pass beneath the motor and meet up with the turbo. Selecting the correct blower will be very time consuming too. Other forced induction option is a supercharger and a few Impreza owners have done this to stock motors as many of these devices run between 3 and 6 psi, a bit costly but would be excellent on the H6, whether there wood be room in the engine bay is another thing..

I have the WRX suspension swap on mine. The front shockers are as they came off the donor car but I had to replace the rear springs with a new set of wagon items as we carry a few hundred pounds more over the back than the saloon/sedan. You will likely still need "Saggy Butt Spacers in the back though to balance the car. I'm running 22mm ARBs with uprated links front and rear which seem fine, perhaps a 24mm might be required with the extra weight of the SVX mill. Mine also has the bigger 295mm discs and 4 piston calipers from the WRX up front, it's a retro install, no mods needed.
 
#3 ·
Stock forester 5 speed which has some oncoming syncro issues, The wagon takeoffs will hopefully go on sunday if all goes to plan. Then alignment (purchased a lifetime align. best money ever spent unlimited alignments!!!) Front sway I decided on is whiteline 24mm with kartboy ends so Ill order those bits with the rear subframe lock bolts (tried sourcing local hardware but nobody has grade 10=/) hopefully within the next two weeks. in three weeks I hope to have the WRX transmission and rear diff in. Just need to order Clutch and a lw flywheel.

Currently I have the Sti rack n pinion in as well as sti rsb with Kb endlinks. just got some 18x9.5 wheels with 255/35 fed ss 595s and they have me planted. Cannot wait to feel the difference with the fsb and rear sf bolts.

As for wiring the ecu thats really whats holding me back from pulling the motor...that and No help or cherry picker =p... I have contacted Iwire but they do not wish to get into that mess. Im in Northern CA so if anyone knows who can help me professionally I would love recommendations . If not Ill pick up a spare Forester setup and attempt the merge myself... Im sure I have some posts on piggy backing bookmarked for that day if it comes. I plan on doing a complete reseal on the eg33 before it goes in so that is gonna cost money(360$ for the kit) which is why Im trying to save on the ECU side for the time being.

I plan on upgrading the RSB from the Sti 20mm to a whiteline 22mm or 24mm, not 100% on what I want the rear to be, when I do that Ill snag some STI lateral links so I dont tear the tabs. but thats not going to be until AFTER the EG goes in. probably Summer=[

The pic is as she sits now on beat up struts and Forster specific swift springs with other random modifications.. check out Her journal, She has her scars and rashes but I love her dearly!
 

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#4 ·
Can't wait to see more posts on this swap! Really unique idea and like the H6 pairing with the forester. It is going to be a journey for sure, but looks like you have been biding your time for parts and doing the necessary research.

Bassmaker brought up some great points about the trans, harness merge, and plans to turbo. Like he was saying, the most difficult part of this swap will definitely be the ECU... SOHC to DOHC is hard enough, not to mention the forester loom is a bit more tricky than the WRX loom as it has a few extra connections. The cost of hiring an expert to merge harnesses using wiring diagrams will be pretty pricey (area of 1,500?) and if a specialty company like iwire is refusing to do it this should tip you off to the difficulty level of such a merge. If you are planning on putting in a turbo the costs will skyrocket as you will not only need to rebuild the engine and find a new crossmember for the down pipe, but also get a stand alone ECU to tune everything :icon_eek:. If you are looking to make some power down the line, it would be in your best interest to go with a newer H6 engine like the 3.6 as those can safely handle a few lbs (up to ~8lb ?) of extra boost and all the info will be more readily available. If your just looking for a fun H6 to drive around as a DD then forget about all that turbo nonsense :Icon_razz:.
 
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