Full Version: Vw To Subaru Conversion Pictures
Iam starting a Subie conversion I'll show you my pictures if you show me yours. Lets see any problems and how you solved them.
I haven't done a conversion myself, but based on my current Subaru car, and what I know about my former VW car, along with what I've heard from others on the board, here's the list of issues you'll have to deal with:
1. Radiator (big issue) and burp tank locations.
2. Computer installation, dyno, and tuning of fuel injection/ignition timing.
3. Undercarriage frame members, dealing with the Subaru exhaust and oil filter
4. Transmission strength, will your tranny handle the extra horsepower?
5. Adapter plate, flywheel, and pressure plate (normally a slam dunk) costs.
6. Depth of oil pan, usually it needs to be shortened about 1.5" to 2".
7. Trottle body linkage setup, stock bellcrank can be modified to work.
If you have a place for the radiator, the rest of this stuff is fairly straight-forward. Be careful and keep the radiator away from passengers as much as possible, in case of a blown hose.
You'll love the Subie, very solid motor. Many of the issues above can be solved with the help of Outback Motorsports.
1. Radiator (big issue) and burp tank locations.
2. Computer installation, dyno, and tuning of fuel injection/ignition timing.
3. Undercarriage frame members, dealing with the Subaru exhaust and oil filter
4. Transmission strength, will your tranny handle the extra horsepower?
5. Adapter plate, flywheel, and pressure plate (normally a slam dunk) costs.
6. Depth of oil pan, usually it needs to be shortened about 1.5" to 2".
7. Trottle body linkage setup, stock bellcrank can be modified to work.
If you have a place for the radiator, the rest of this stuff is fairly straight-forward. Be careful and keep the radiator away from passengers as much as possible, in case of a blown hose.
You'll love the Subie, very solid motor. Many of the issues above can be solved with the help of Outback Motorsports.
I did mine last summer. I wanted plenty of time to plan, purchase, resolve the issues and have fun doing it. I embellished on seaduner's list (hope he doesn’t' mind)
I got all my support and parts from Outback. John, Mac, Lance and all the rest are wonderful and knowledgeable people. Outback parts = $4800. Outback support = Priceless.
QUOTE(seaduner @ Jan 29 2006, 05:15 PM)
I haven't done a conversion myself, but based on my current Subaru car, and what I know about my former VW car, along with what I've heard from others on the board, here's the list of issues you'll have to deal with:
1. Radiator (big issue) and burp tank locations.
a. layout and installation of water lines (no up & down stuff)
b. Bought 4 - 1.5" J bends and 2 silicone nineties from Outback
2. Computer installation, dyno, and tuning of fuel injection/ignition timing.
a. Wiring harness mods, layout and mated it to existing harness.
b. added a 4 gauge ground wire from battery to engine/trans mount.
c. Subaru won't tolerate using the chassis as a ground wire
d. Built special enclosure for ECU. ECU rides on rubber shock mounts inside.
e. built a special access cover on enclosure for easy access to ECU tuning port
f. Made a sub bracket for ECU mount and then welded tabs on chassis corresponding to bracket pattern.
3. Undercarriage frame members, dealing with the Subaru exhaust and oil filter
a. engine mounts using Subaru head bolts
b. Skid plate
4. Transmission strength, will your tranny handle the extra horsepower?
5. Adapter plate, flywheel, and pressure plate (normally a slam dunk) costs.
6. Depth of oil pan, usually it needs to be shortened about 1.5" to 2".
7. Throttle body linkage setup, stock bellcrank can be modified to work.
a. cut off idle up and weld over
b. I put a longer bellcrank on to slow down throttle body action
> makes trans last longer > acts like traction control in hard dirt
8. Intake manifold mods. Aluminum welding required or just buy one
9. Water cross-over mods. Aluminum welding required or just buy one
If you have a place for the radiator, the rest of this stuff is fairly straight-forward. Be careful and keep the radiator away from passengers as much as possible, in case of a blown hose.
You'll love the Subie, very solid motor. Many of the issues above can be solved with the help of Outback Motorsports.
[right][snapback]1393726[/snapback][/right]
1. Radiator (big issue) and burp tank locations.
a. layout and installation of water lines (no up & down stuff)
b. Bought 4 - 1.5" J bends and 2 silicone nineties from Outback
2. Computer installation, dyno, and tuning of fuel injection/ignition timing.
a. Wiring harness mods, layout and mated it to existing harness.
b. added a 4 gauge ground wire from battery to engine/trans mount.
c. Subaru won't tolerate using the chassis as a ground wire
d. Built special enclosure for ECU. ECU rides on rubber shock mounts inside.
e. built a special access cover on enclosure for easy access to ECU tuning port
f. Made a sub bracket for ECU mount and then welded tabs on chassis corresponding to bracket pattern.
3. Undercarriage frame members, dealing with the Subaru exhaust and oil filter
a. engine mounts using Subaru head bolts
b. Skid plate
4. Transmission strength, will your tranny handle the extra horsepower?
5. Adapter plate, flywheel, and pressure plate (normally a slam dunk) costs.
6. Depth of oil pan, usually it needs to be shortened about 1.5" to 2".
7. Throttle body linkage setup, stock bellcrank can be modified to work.
a. cut off idle up and weld over
b. I put a longer bellcrank on to slow down throttle body action
> makes trans last longer > acts like traction control in hard dirt
8. Intake manifold mods. Aluminum welding required or just buy one
9. Water cross-over mods. Aluminum welding required or just buy one
If you have a place for the radiator, the rest of this stuff is fairly straight-forward. Be careful and keep the radiator away from passengers as much as possible, in case of a blown hose.
You'll love the Subie, very solid motor. Many of the issues above can be solved with the help of Outback Motorsports.
[right][snapback]1393726[/snapback][/right]
I got all my support and parts from Outback. John, Mac, Lance and all the rest are wonderful and knowledgeable people. Outback parts = $4800. Outback support = Priceless.
Anyone got pictures???
a few pics of it in the car
Here is a good thread of Jchappy's conversion.
QUOTE(Lucky @ Jan 31 2006, 10:35 PM)
Great pictures with good detail. But what about the oil pan? It looks like it is sticking below the lower rear cage. What is going to be your fix?
Thanks
The oil pan does stick down about a 1-1/2 and i'm still working something out. Don't know what i'm going to do yet.
Vw to Subie conversion is now complete on the Wildside Rail.
Picked up the rail last night and I am very pleased with the outcome. I went from an autocraft 2275 to a subie 2.5. Here are some of the details.
Time form engine builder was only 5 weeks and that’s with me taking it for a week to get a new wing put on.
Modifications that were done.
1. New wing to house the radiator.
2. New cage had to be fabed. The old cage was two small.
3. Everything fits nice and tight. I still need to add the radiator overflow which
looks like it might be a choir as everything else has taken up the room.
4. Oil pan was cut down and bottom re-enforced. Fits just above the cage. I put a
skid plat on it with no issues.
*Subie engine builders with modify your oil pan to fit*
That came standard in this package.
That was a quick overview.
Off to Danzios on the 16th for Dyno and then to Glamis for the shack down.
I will work on getting pictures in the next day or so to share.
Picked up the rail last night and I am very pleased with the outcome. I went from an autocraft 2275 to a subie 2.5. Here are some of the details.
Time form engine builder was only 5 weeks and that’s with me taking it for a week to get a new wing put on.
Modifications that were done.
1. New wing to house the radiator.
2. New cage had to be fabed. The old cage was two small.
3. Everything fits nice and tight. I still need to add the radiator overflow which
looks like it might be a choir as everything else has taken up the room.
4. Oil pan was cut down and bottom re-enforced. Fits just above the cage. I put a
skid plat on it with no issues.
*Subie engine builders with modify your oil pan to fit*
That came standard in this package.
That was a quick overview.
Off to Danzios on the 16th for Dyno and then to Glamis for the shack down.
I will work on getting pictures in the next day or so to share.
any issues with rear suspension due to added weight?
QUOTE(steveo @ Feb 3 2006, 10:52 AM)
any issues with rear suspension due to added weight?
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I honestly do not know yet. As posted above, the only real difference is the radiator. On my old set up I did have a 2 Gallon dry sump. [right][snapback]1404511[/snapback][/right]
I did go from a 8 gallon fuel tank to a 15 Gallon fuel tank on this conversion. I made sure the tank stayed in front of the rear axles. This should compensate for any added weight in the rear.
Get those pics up.......................and congrats on the new motor you will LOVE IT and wonder why you didn't do this before
I had not issues with the weight of the new motor. I did re-valve my shocks but it was like that before the subie.
I had not issues with the weight of the new motor. I did re-valve my shocks but it was like that before the subie.
Ok I have started to lay my conversion out. Can't miss any trips so the VW is going back in for the next few weeks while I gather parts to make changes. Oil pan sticks down a good 3 inches. So I'll need to rotate the transmission so it will raise the rear of the engine. To do this both tranny mounts will need to be changed. I may still have to modify the rear cage, but I'll worry about that after I get the engine as high as I can without too much change to the CV location. The original rear cage may then still fit? I'll loose some travel but I may be able to keep it down to an 1 inch rather then 3 or 4 inches. Any suggestions out there?
Mine came out almost exacltly 1 1/2 inches lower so i just added an extra piece to the bottom of my rear cage. I cut it at 15 degrees for the skid plate.
I also went 100 lbs heavier on my bottom spring.
Good luck
[attachmentid=61140]
I also went 100 lbs heavier on my bottom spring.
Good luck
[attachmentid=61140]
Didn't under stand your description of what you did. Did you space or drop you skid plate below the pan? Sounds like you were lucky and maybe didn't have to change you rear cage? I see you kept your remote oil filter, did you also keep your oil cooler too?
Didn't under stand your description of what you did. Did you space or drop you skid plate below the pan?
Take a look at the bottom of the cage, I welded a 1 1/2 square tube to the rear cage to space the skid plate down.
Sounds like you were lucky and maybe didn't have to change you rear cage?
I was pretty lucky the cage only had to be extended 3" straight out. I didn't need a totally new one.
I see you kept your remote oil filter, did you also keep your oil cooler too?
Yes I moved it forward in the middle in front of the radiator.
Take a look at the bottom of the cage, I welded a 1 1/2 square tube to the rear cage to space the skid plate down.
Sounds like you were lucky and maybe didn't have to change you rear cage?
I was pretty lucky the cage only had to be extended 3" straight out. I didn't need a totally new one.
I see you kept your remote oil filter, did you also keep your oil cooler too?
Yes I moved it forward in the middle in front of the radiator.
Ok I got it. I have a total of 2 inches from my current cage bottom to the subie oil pan, but for now I think I'll rework the cage rather then tilt the tranny.
Hi-pressure fuel pumps are they self priming or do I have to mount it below the bottom the the gas tank? I have a spot that is at an elavation about midway up the tank. Whats the answer?
Hi-pressure fuel pumps are they self priming or do I have to mount it below the bottom the the gas tank? I have a spot that is at an elavation about midway up the tank. Whats the answer?
QUOTE(alfred7 @ Feb 5 2006, 07:18 PM)
Ok I got it. I have a total of 2 inches from my current cage bottom to the subie oil pan, but for now I think I'll rework the cage rather then tilt the tranny.
Hi-pressure fuel pumps are they self priming or do I have to mount it below the bottom the the gas tank? I have a spot that is at an elavation about midway up the tank. Whats the answer?
[right][snapback]1408961[/snapback][/right]
Hi-pressure fuel pumps are they self priming or do I have to mount it below the bottom the the gas tank? I have a spot that is at an elavation about midway up the tank. Whats the answer?
[right][snapback]1408961[/snapback][/right]
It needs to be lower than the tank.
Got the 2" higher tranny mount on order from Chenowith. When I get it, I'll put it in a very large brake and bend it near the bottom, so I can get the angle/rotation of the trannymounts that I need. Got to put the VW motor back in for now for President's Day Rasor Rd. trip. I'll start conversion hot and heavy in two weeks. I'll post more pictures then.
High pressure pumps don't like to suck,like subie4me said it should be at the bottom of tank, Do you have a sump? it's not seen in any pics--looks like you're having fun 
John
John
Oh yea John Iam having a ball! Ron at SU already did my sump. I'll be back for the Alternator and Dyno in about 3 more weeks. so don't forget!! Its killing me to take the Subie back out and leave it on the COLD garage floor for a couple of weeks, but re-doing the tranny mounts will take some time, and making it out to Rasor Road for President weekend is important!! So back in goes the VW for a week. See you the first part of March. Oh remember thats a Chrome Altenator!!!!!! See ya
QUOTE(alfred7 @ Feb 9 2006, 09:51 PM)
Oh yea John Iam having a ball! Ron at SU already did my sump. I'll be back for the Alternator and Dyno in about 3 more weeks. so don't forget!! Its killing me to take the Subie back out and leave it on the COLD garage floor for a couple of weeks, but re-doing the tranny mounts will take some time, and making it out to Rasor Road for President weekend is important!! So back in goes the VW for a week. See you the first part of March. Oh remember thats a Chrome Altenator!!!!!! See ya
[right][snapback]1421450[/snapback][/right]
[right][snapback]1421450[/snapback][/right]
Ok, Iam back at it. First picture shows the new motor mount that is 2" taller made by Chenowith. Old tranny mount on the bottom and then the new mount on top. The Chennoweth mount raised the bellhousing 2" but we were only able to lower the back mount about 1", because of the shift rod . I lost some up travel but when my suspersion bottoms out, my frame clears the ground as it was originally set up to do. I think this is a better option then lowering my rear cage to clear the Subie oil pan and then have the frame bottom out on the ground. I do half sand and half hard desert. So the frame hitting the ground isn't an option! Also I attached pictures of the radiator mounts and gas tank sump that SU did. More pictures on the way. Work Work Work!!
Well I finished most of it today. Still need to clean up wiring, put on skid plates and Get back to John at OUTBACK to have it tuned.
If you look back at my "Before" pictures (earlier in this thread) and the ones I am posting now (after lots of work), you will see how changing the angle of the transmission really made the difference. My original rear cage fits on the car and I have about 1/2" clearance from the skid plate to the Subie oil pan. It was two solid weekends of work. Not that hard to do, thanks to lots of help from two of my sons. Can't wait to drive it!
If you look back at my "Before" pictures (earlier in this thread) and the ones I am posting now (after lots of work), you will see how changing the angle of the transmission really made the difference. My original rear cage fits on the car and I have about 1/2" clearance from the skid plate to the Subie oil pan. It was two solid weekends of work. Not that hard to do, thanks to lots of help from two of my sons. Can't wait to drive it!
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