su-version Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 A few month's back I intro'd myself here and then disappeared but things are beginning to unfold. The current drive train is 2.0 w/ a 901 transmission, both of which I rebuilt. After putting 90 hr's on the combination I decided to move on. I sold the Porsche drive train yesterday and will pull it out in the next few days. At that point chassis stiffening will begin. Next will be the water cooling system. Remember, these cars have aircooled engines. A radiator with cooling fans will need to be fabbed and box/ducted. Some of the front trunk will be lost as a result but these cars also have 2 trunks (mid-engined) so no big deal. All the while I'll be on the lookout for "that" donor vehicle I'll probably end up cannibalizing a SVX for the engine/AC/ECU/Harness'. Then find a 5speed to mate with it. A cable shifter will need to be fabbed and most likely the existing cable clutch system will need to be converted to hydraulic. Existing suspension/brakes will need an upgrade to handle the extra weight. I'm sure I will have a million Suby questions for you guy's in the beginning. The next post will be with pic's as the project gets underway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1982gl4 Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Nice! Can't wait to see pics. My dad and I have a EJ25 swapped 914. It was built using mostly left over/junkyard parts, but it is an extremely fun (fast) and reliable driver, I can only imagine one with an H6! Keep us posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 http://www.etischer.com/914xt6.html http://www.etischer.com/914xt.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I looked rather extensively into doing a Subaru swap into a 914. My uncle has one, and about the time that my XT6 was crashed his 1.8 was giving him problems (ended up being a failed cam). Anyway, he ended up getting a genuine 914 2.0, and I ended up not getting anything from the woman who wrecked my car, so it didn't happen. BUT, at the time, there was a guy on 914world making adapters from 25-spline subaru transmissions to the stock 914 flange. This means any FWD transmission that was behind a 2.2 would be a perfect match. I was planning to use a modified 2.2, but a 3.0 or 3.3 would be sweet. There's a local guy who I've met a couple times here that has a 914 with a Euro 928 engine in it.....absolutely awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subruise Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 if you were the guy that was offended by a bunch of others posts and left....im glad you came back. this IS a good place. if not... welcome back anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
su-version Posted January 5, 2013 Author Share Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) if you were the guy that was offended by a bunch of others posts and left....im glad you came back. this IS a good place. if not... welcome back anyway Wasn't me. If you do as many hair brained things as I do you get thick skin. I'll post some pic's of the engine pull tonite. Not very exciting but it will show the basic platform for this conversion. I've got a feeling this will be time consuming. EDIT: Looks like I won't be posting any pic's. I just read the posting rules and I'm NOT allowed any post attachments. I think I'll wit out any probationary period before I start to post on the transplant. It would bore the hell out of everyone w/o pic's! Edited January 5, 2013 by su-version update Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivans imports Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 von xt6 inporcheinstein nice job !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
su-version Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 Bet ya thought I got lost. Nope. Not as far along as I'd like but............ I sold the drive train 3 weeks ago and jumped in head first. I notice that I am allowed to post images but not sure how to do it. My pic's are in a docs file so I'm not sure about the URL address it needs. Maybe I should post them to photo bucket and just post that link. So the 3 stiffeners are welded in the cabin frame and primed. Some additional rust was discovered on the firewall immediately behind the seats and cut out. Awaiting some 20ga steel to make the repair panels and weld in place. Additional reinforcement will be needed on the trailing arms but that will come later as I need to decide upon which direction the suspension will go. So It looks like the next step is to plumb the car for some water cooling. Air cooled engines are fine for aircraft where running conditions are fairly constant (except TO and Landing) but it's tricky in cars. That's putting it nicely. I'm looking forward to some Subaru reliability after I get the bugs out. I'll come back and edit this with a site address for the pic's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TajMan Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) NICE! I have a '77 Lancia Scorpion I am planning a custom Mitsubishi 2.3L turbo engine swap into, but I had considered going the Subaru EJ route with a Porsche transaxle.. and I have a '79 Fiat X1/9 I'm planning a Suzuki GSXR 1000 sportbike motor swap in! (and an '86 Bertone X1/9 I need to get fixed and running and sell to a friend to get it out of my way) Love the mid-engine cars! Porsche was first with the 914 in '69, then it was Fiat in '72 with the X1/9, Lancia Montecarlo/Scorpion (X20) in '75, [& you could put the '75 Ferrari 308 in there] and later in the 80's the Pontiac Fiero and the Toyota MR2.. edit, Lancia Stratos actually did it in '72 same year as the X1/9, and Ferrari had a 308 2+2 in '73. The 1923 Benz Tropfenwagen was the first race car with a RWD mid-engine layout, then Ferdinand Porsche used the layout in Auto Union Grand Prix cars in the 30's, cars decades ahead of their times.. Porsche 356 in '48 then the '53 Porsche 550, the Porsche 718 racer in '57, Porsche 911 '63 of course... Edited January 30, 2013 by TajMan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
su-version Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share Posted January 30, 2013 I posted a bunch of pic's here http://s1238.beta.photobucket.com/user/76-914/library/73-914%20Conversion I'll try to get some descriptions with the future shots. What you will see is the car having the existing drive train being removed; floor pan cleanup; interior reinforcement panels being fitted, installed, welded, ground and primed. The firewall between your back as you sit and the engine had a couple of spots that were cut out and awaiting 20ga panel to repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TajMan Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 also, respect on the steel work I did that for a year and a half (recently) cutting/welding on a '83 Subaru Brat that was WAY too rusted out when I started, car should have gone to crusher originally, unibody like swiss-cheese.... but with enough time you can rebuild anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
su-version Posted April 26, 2013 Author Share Posted April 26, 2013 (edited) Well Geez, that took forever but guess who got a donor car, finally. I received my 2003 LL Bean Legacy Outback yesterday. It has 178K and purrs like a kitten. Oil leak on the right bank but no problem. I needed a running car w/o major issues to do this transplant. Once it's installed and the bugs worked out I will pull the engine and reseal or rebuild it. I'm going to take a look at using the auto tranny but I might get into some fitment issues. We'll see. I haven't been Idle, though. I have installed a radiator and twin fan assm which required fabbing the plenum and sealing the airbox (appx 100 hours). Hopefully the holes that I drilled in the fender wells will be large enough to exhaust the radiator/fans. If not the front floor pan will get a few louvres' which should pull any additional amounts od air required. The rear suspension was beefed up with new Bilstein Shocks, progressive springs and rebuilt brake system to handle the additional weight of the 6 cyl, water/radiator, a/c and whatever else I throw at it. I'll reuse any gage or accessory that will go and hopefully end up with a Porsche that retains the Suby factory ECU and can be driven into a Suby shop for most repairs. Edited April 26, 2013 by su-version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 The 3.0 from the outback will probably fit a lot better than the 3.3 SVX motor would have. So you're starting with a good donor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 excellent! the EZ30 engines are awesome. they're nearly bullet proof and hardly a need for a rebuild, they easily clock 300,000 miles without issues. one of Subaru's best engines, that's why my daily drivers have them. valve covers, spark plugs, spark plug tube seals, oil cooler gasket, are common leak points. PCV valve good to replace, that's easy. reseal timing chain cover, replace timing tensioners/warn timing guides, oil pan, and headgaskets if you're really amped to get into it. but those are rarely issues. water pump replacement would be simple with timing cover/chain removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 i have seen leaks on the valve cover gaskets and the large o-ring gasket for the oil cooler at the filter. they are notorious for leaking. but if you are going to put this in a porsche. you are probably not going to miss much. good luck and stay in touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uberoo Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 the 5 speed wont hold to to the power of a h6. H6 have to be paired with a 6 speed if you want manual. Thats in a subaru though so the light weight 914 might not stress the 5 speed as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 the 5 speed wont hold to to the power of a h6. H6 have to be paired with a 6 speed if you want manual. Thats in a subaru though so the light weight 914 might not stress the 5 speed as much. Yea. Completely not applicable. The 5-speed holds up pretty well in the lighter GC chassis behind an H6. It'll be fine in a 914. Also, 2WD probably (depending on tires) means the traction will give out before the trans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
su-version Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 All good tips and greatly appreciated. I began removing the wiring harness for rear lights this afternoon and will begin working my way forward. If this car wasn't wrecked I'd keep it. I may find one of these later to keep. This is a nice car and I hate gutting it but..........it will live on and it's soul shall remain free of the crusher. If any of you guy's need any glass, interior, light, wheels, etc. just holler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
su-version Posted May 29, 2013 Author Share Posted May 29, 2013 excellent! the EZ30 engines are awesome. they're nearly bullet proof and hardly a need for a rebuild, they easily clock 300,000 miles without issues. one of Subaru's best engines, that's why my daily drivers have them. valve covers, spark plugs, spark plug tube seals, oil cooler gasket, are common leak points. PCV valve good to replace, that's easy. reseal timing chain cover, replace timing tensioners/warn timing guides, oil pan, and headgaskets if you're really amped to get into it. but those are rarely issues. water pump replacement would be simple with timing cover/chain removed. I've heard there are specific seal kits available for this. Any tips/pitfalls in the re-seal. BTW, I haven't found any data on the proper sequence for loosening the timing cover but I've read that it will warp if removed incorrectly. Also, who would you recommend for the seal kits? Quality being the same, I prefer doing business with member vendors whenever possible. TIA, kent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 i have seen leaks on the valve cover gaskets and the large o-ring gasket for the oil cooler at the filter. they are notorious for leaking. Yep, just replaced one of the cooler o-rings today. Super easy. It was really the only leak on the engine with 220k mi. Valve covers have a tiny bit of seapage and the trans filter is leaking ( I added a spin-on, modified exhaust to clear) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz345 Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Possibly relevant/helpful: http://www.etischer.com/914xt6.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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