Make that motor breathe!

[kd7dej]

I have a 1996 wagon with a 2.2 in it that I am fixing up. Already did all the body work, paint, window tinting, fixing the interior, tore off that crappy stock roof rack and put on a yakima track system. Now I have been contemplating the motor. I would like to get better performance but cannot seem to find a whole lot of aftermarket parts out there.

 

To start off I was thinking air getting into the motor and out. After a little research I don't think and aftermarket Cold Air Intake or other air intake is the answer since this car has one built in already, just probably put in a better air filter? Opinions on this?

 

Second off is the exhaust. I think getting a high flow muffler and cats should not present any problems, but I was contemplating headers too. My concern is this, if I added a header, that obviously means more heat, which means potential problems with the oxygen sensor? I am concerned if I installed a header I could get the engine light turned on from this? Has anybody had success on installing a header without this problem and I do know they make offsets for cats to move the O2 sensor a little further away to combat this?

 

Also does anybody know about aftermarket throttle bodies or injectors for this motor? That increase performance and are not just OEM replacements?

 

Also is there any aftermarket cams, heads, etc?

 

thanks for your help

[porcupine73]

Well if you can pick up an EJ22T to drop in there that will give you a nice 30HP or so boost. Yes I don't think intakes do a whole lot; the stock intake isn't very restrictive for the motor already, and for many years now manuf's have been tuning the intakes to take advantage of helmholtz resonance, etc so it's quite possible many aftermarket intakes actually hurt performance. Similar for the exhaust. The stock exhaust flows ok for what air that engine can take in. We'd be talking minimal gains there.

 

You could look into delta cams, those are supposed to be quite nice. Or build yourself up one of the 'frankenmotors' that some people are doing. It uses a 2.5L block I think with 1.8L heads and delta cams or something like that which is supposed to be quite nice.

[GeneralDisorder]

Intake and exhaust aren't really restrictions on that engine. They are virtually identical to EJ25 exhaust systems and those engines push in the 165 HP range.

 

Best bang for your buck is a set of cams. They are easy to install and will dramatically change the performance.

 

GD

[NoahDL88]

Best bang for your buck is a set of cams. They are easy to install and will dramatically change the performance.

 

GD

 

Do you have stock in Delta

 

Seriously though, Cams are the way to go, at that point exhaust might help, but the intake itself is not in any way the most restrictive part of the air flow equation.

[GeneralDisorder]

Do you have stock in Delta

 

I wish .

 

It's just an easy answer to the "what can I do to this NA engine" question. Because really - there's nothing else that is as cheap and brings about as large of a change as a cam regrind. And being that the intake and exhaust aren't restrictions to any real degree - getting it to breathe any differently than it does stock is going to involve the cams.

 

GD

[kd7dej]

I'll check into the cams. I am definitely not going to do anything with the air going into the motor, and just picked up a K&N filter for it, that will be the extent of my breath in. Still debating about the exhaust though. I've put a lot of exhaust on cars in the past and did seem to make a difference.

 

So the EJ22T? That pretty much a straight swap from the regular EJ22? Wiring harnesses need any mods? Need to make sure I get one with an ECU because I am assuming the regular EJ22 ECU will be no bueno?

[NoahDL88]

K&N has its fanbois, they increase flow by reducing the filter medium.

 

I flow benched an EA-82, complete intake, IE stock configuration, and started "improving" parts until I got to what I would consider the "optimal" on that engine. Turns out it doesn't flow any better with the intake removed before the MAF.

 

Now the EJ flows much better than the ole' EA series, but the K&N is a gimmick that at best costs you 50 bucks and at worst will grenade your engine.

[kd7dej]

Well I don't think the K&N is for some drastic improvements. They do have better air flow than the regular old paper filter. I've never heard of a K&N doing anything bad to your motor? I look at it as more of a benefit of having a filter that will last for years and years instead of buying a new one at ten bucks a pop every few months. I'll be calling Delta cam soon. I think I want to 'advance' my cam so that I can get more low and mid range torque after researching it a little bit.

[glh1975]

 

Best bang for your buck is a set of cams. They are easy to install and will dramatically change the performance.

 

GD

To anyone that has swapped cams,how much was the performance helped,and how much fuel mileage did you get after the swap?

[Manarius]

Well I don't think the K&N is for some drastic improvements. They do have better air flow than the regular old paper filter. I've never heard of a K&N doing anything bad to your motor? I look at it as more of a benefit of having a filter that will last for years and years instead of buying a new one at ten bucks a pop every few months. I'll be calling Delta cam soon. I think I want to 'advance' my cam so that I can get more low and mid range torque after researching it a little bit.

 

1 reg filter / yr @ 10 or 1 k&n filter for 5 years = $50 either way. I'll stick with the regular filter.

 

Unless you live in a dust bowl, replacing the filter every few months is quite overzealous.

[NoahDL88]

And if you live in a dust bowl the K&N is quite useless

[GeneralDisorder]

+1 - the stock paper filters are much better at filtration. Plus you aren't figureing the cost of the filter detergent and oil into the equation.

 

The gauze type filters like the K&N do not trap particulates as well as the paper elements - and the paper elements do not need to be changed every few months - they are large enough to last quite a while.... unless you are near a volcanic ash cloud

 

GD

[kd7dej]

I change them at every oil change. I've ran them in lots of off road vehicles around gobs of dust, and have never had any problems as long as I have kept them oiled and clean. Never have though twice about it. As far as dust with the filters, that is why you keep them oiled, the oil is supposed to trap the dust, while the filter catches the other particulates and allows more air to flow, at least that is my understanding? Paying for oil and cleaner is not much of a problem because I have several bottle of the stuff I have accumulated over the years from my other vehicle and toys. I guess everyone has their preferences and K&N filters are not a preference for many users here. So any answer on my EJ22T question with the ECU and wiring? Don't wan this post to get too side tracked with arguing about pros and cons of K&N filters?

[GeneralDisorder]

The filter oil is problematic on MAF cars. Little too much and it gets on the MAF wires and causes havoc. Too little and it doesn't trap dust. It's a variable that doesn't need to exist. The paper filters are better.

 

The 22T is rare, and a completely different engine. Not only would you have to change the engine cross-member, entire cooling system, entire exhaust, and wireing+ECU, but it's not that big of a performance boost without modifications. You would be looking at a LOT of work and it's much easier to just find a turbo car and drive that. It simply is not economical to convert them when the same basic vehicle is availible with the turbo engine, proper radiator core support, ect already factory installed.

 

GD

[kd7dej]

I think I will be staying away from that motor and maybe look into the EJ20T. There is one that is a JDM available to me locally. I remember reading around that EJ to EJ swaps are pretty easy and swapping from an EJ to an EJ turbo does require more modification cause of the ecu and wiring.

 

I know it would be easier to just get a turbo car, but that is not the point. This is my project car and I have already done a ton of work to the aesthetics and now am checking into the performance. I also found a local subaru shop that is very experienced in doing subaru motor swaps. I did speak with them about putting a modern day STI motor (EJ255 or EJ257) in the car and it really wouldn't be that expensive to just pay them to do it for me. So if I get the cash I probably will be making this project happen.

[renob123]

unless you are near a volcanic ash cloud

 

I have a rechargeable filter for that reason. Here's edrach's son and me going through some St. Helens ash a few years ago:

 

 

 

To the OP: I have an eBay header on my EJ-swapped Brat, and I haven't seen a CEL yet. There are ways around it if you search on here and NASIOC. Also, to clarify, the Frankenmotor can use 1.8 or 2.2 heads.

 

Jacob

 

P.S. Pics used totally without permission from SubieGal's website. If that's not cool, I'll take them down post-haste:)

[GeneralDisorder]

What's the point of having a shop do it? Then you don't even know what was done, if it was done correctly, or how to troubleshoot it in the future. Plus it's expensive and pointless unless you are doing it as a learning experience. Turbo cars are cheap these days. Find a WRX with a blown engine for $5k or $6k and drop in the built-up engine of your choice. Then not only do you have the power, but also the brakes and suspension to handle it with.

 

Turbo swaps are a nightmare due to the differences in the engine bay - the engine cross member, radiator core support, wireing, etc, etc. Paying someone to do it is just asking for problems down the road. That's a can of worms most people should just never open.

 

GD

[kd7dej]

Why not? If it is a reputable shop that you are familiar with? They back their work so any problems that come up they will fix? and you have the financial resources to do it?

 

Between me and a few friends we could probably knock it out, but sounds like a pain in the rump roast so why not pay someone? Because god knows there are not any people out there who want odd ball cars, or any car for that manner, tricked out and pay someone else to do it for them? Not everyone is in it for the satisfaction of doing it themselves, some people just want the tricked out car and don't mind paying someone else!

[Ricearu]

Why not? If it is a reputable shop that you are familiar with? They back their work so any problems that come up they will fix? and you have the financial resources to do it?

 

Between me and a few friends we could probably knock it out, but sounds like a pain in the rump roast so why not pay someone? Because god knows there are not any people out there who want odd ball cars, or any car for that manner, tricked out and pay someone else to do it for them? Not everyone is in it for the satisfaction of doing it themselves, some people just want the tricked out car and don't mind paying someone else!

 

That statement in it's entirety is in DIRECT VIOLATION of MANLAW :lol:

[kd7dej]

That statement in it's entirety is in DIRECT VIOLATION of MANLAW :lol:

 

[sario]

That statement in it's entirety is in DIRECT VIOLATION of MANLAW :lol:

 

I think that statement deserves two dancing bananas, not one.:banana: