2000 outback legacy turbo

[jmcdowell]

The more I tell people that i have an Outback Legacy the more they tell me to put a turbo in it. Has anyone actually installed ones on their 2000 Outback and how hard did you find it to install. Also, is it worth it?

Thanks for your time.

[99SUS SFD]

I believe kits are made, but you're pretty limited with how much power can be made with the stock block. Your best bet would be to swap an STi motor in there.

Is it worth it? I don't know, depends on what you're trying to do with it. For a daily driver? Probably not. Your better bet would be to sell your Outback and go buy another Suby with the factory turbo motor in it. Or buy one that's already been swapped since the work has been done for you.

[deadlydave]

Also, is it worth it?

Thanks for your time.

No. You're Welcome. :smile: What would work well is finding a totalled Baja Turbo and doing a full swap. The wiring harness Could even swap with it, since the OB's and the Baja's have as near as makes no difference the same 'guts'.

[Reuben]

Got a question about baja turbo's... Are they single or twin turbo? and 2L or 2.5? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say 2.5L single turbo?

[Sarra]

The ONLY twin turbo was the Legacy, and ONLY the JDM Legacy.

The Baja was ONLY offered with the 2.5 NA and 2.5 Turbo motors (in the US at least, I don't know about the rest of the world).

[impreza_GC8]

I have a '97 Outback turbo. I daily drive it. I bought it already swapped but I know what was involved in getting it to where it is now. What do you want to know?
To answer your question about "is it worth it?". I use my car for daily driving at school (so I only drive it a few times a week) and for rallyX. I can tell you that it is an absolute blast on the rallyx course.
Here is my car:
http://www.sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php ... ht=#117741 (http://www.sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?p=117741&highlight=#117741)
http://www.sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php ... ht=#124862 (http://www.sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?p=124862&highlight=#124862)
.

[Reuben]

Yeah, to answer the original question. Um, yes. Yes, swapping a turbo subie engine in is WELL worth it.

[deadlydave]

Guys, I don't think he's asking about an engine swap, but installing a turbo kit on his stock engine.

That's why I answered 'no.' :-)

[impreza_GC8]

^^ I am running N/A 2.5 block and heads. So technically the car is "swapped" but it is within his means to do as its not a WRX swap.

[subba]

[insert Teansion Breaker Here]


Honestly both ways is fun

This is based on experience.

Turbo Kit + High Compression + Na/ Gearbox = Fun for AutoX and the track racers (you get Instaboost)

Engine Swaps are good for Str8 line racers, and is just as much maybe more fun otherwise.

If you take either route, you will be happy.


If cash is a major issue, go for a Turbo kit.

If cash isnt a issue, by all means go for the swap, just keep in mind that as time progress you might or will loose intrest in the car and high chance you wont get back nowhere near what you put into the car.


Gah i tend to shell out allot of 2cents, i soon go broke :-/

[1996Battlewagon]

You could go with AVO's kit
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?t=8631,
but you are going to make more 'safe' power with a WRX or STi swap.

With a 9.7:1 compression ratio (correct me if I'm wrong), the NA EJ25 in your Outback is not that turbo friendly. Sure, you could throw 6 or 8 psi down it's throat (as long as you are well tuned), but the EJ's from the WRX and STi where made form the factory to be turbocharged. They have a compression ratio of about 8:1 (once again, correct me if I'm wrong) and that is very turbo friendly. Easier to tune and easier to make safe power.

It all comes down to price, I guess. You could go impreza_GC8's route, swap, or try and build some different. But turbocharging your current engine is possible.

[Sarra]

WRX was 8.2:1, STi is 8.6:1 if memory serves.

While I agree that a turbo motor would be better suited for a turbo, you can also replace the rods and pistons with turbo, low CR, forged parts, and have a reliable setup that can take boost just as well. Remember, the WRX 2.0 is an open deck. You'll run into problems with high boost pressures on an Ej25 NA block, but some people on the RS forums have been running 40 PSI on 2.5 NA blocks for a while with no problems (built with crank, pistons, and rods of course).

[impreza_GC8]

^Totally agreed.
My setup is using an N/A EJ25 block, but thats about it as far as stock Outback parts.
It has '96 2.5L heads, the only year with Hydraulic Valve Lash adjusters. These heads are said to flow comparable to JDM STI heads around the same time period.
It has 2.2L Legacy Turbo crankshaft and connecting rods. These lower the displacement to around 2.4L and lower the compression ratio to around 8.1
Pistons are new style flat top EJ25 pistons.
The car is run by a old school Legacy turbo EJ22T ECU and wiring harness.

[Reuben]

Yeah, turbo kits are only worth it if you lower your compression, 9:1 is really the upper limit IMHO. And even then, the heads would not be suited for the job, the block fragile the 2.5L prone to blowing HG's, and you'd need a new ECU.

If you rebuild your engine to take it, including headwork, or new heads all together, you will have a winner!

Oh, and who says you need a USDM turbo motor. EJ20R's are bloody good motors, and cheap, and japanese. They blow big ends as much as the 2.5's blow HG's though, so a rebuild before it breaks will save allot of strife. But that road requires the car to be reloomed! fun job