Subaru 1.5R impreza

[SakoTGrimes]

I'd buy one and destroke it to 1.35 liters. Small engines FTW!! (I'm serious)

[dxrflyboy]

You can count on the Impreza 1.5R being geared quite a bit lower than the 2.5s here in the US. Anyone who as ever driven a Scion xB knows how low gears affect acceleration for a small engine. The xB moves out just fine at low speeds, but when cruising @70 in the top gear, the engine is revving in the mid 3K's. Combine that with a few hundred pounds of hardware removed for the euro version, and you have a car with a small engine that gets the job done without a problem. One thing I am curious about: Does Subaru sell non-AWD versions of the Legacy and Impreza outside the US? Or is non-AWD limited to other non-US models?

[bgd73]

Is it a joke, a 1.5l engine? I will hope it would be much much much more lighter though, in order to compensate for the 104 hp!!

 

No doubts about lighter weight for power. I just wrecked my old sube at a speed not illegal on the freeway. I took my 20 guage tinsnips to the front end to get at stuff easier. There is not much for true heavy steel going on.I am certain I could pick that car up without an engine. The weight "2200 lbs" for my sedan is a fallacy. I think they mastered the signals on the scales to get the weight they want. Better fuel mileage risks lives... yet saves the planet. How about that record breaking hole in the ozone today in the news.

I was a v8 man to the point of hillbilly.Trucks and cars. One day there was an epiphany, yes its a big word: "epiphany". If a motorcycle with 4 wheels is the answer, may it at least have the correct math like a boxer 4 (Just don't get me going on the 5 main bearings ).

 

3 main bearings forever.

[ericem]

No doubts about lighter weight for power. I just wrecked my old sube at a speed not illegal on the freeway. I took my 20 guage tinsnips to the front end to get at stuff easier. There is not much for true heavy steel going on.I am certain I could pick that car up without an engine. The weight "2200 lbs" for my sedan is a fallacy. I think they mastered the signals on the scales to get the weight they want. Better fuel mileage risks lives... yet saves the planet. How about that record breaking hole in the ozone today in the news.

I was a v8 man to the point of hillbilly.Trucks and cars. One day there was an epiphany, yes its a big word: "epiphany". If a motorcycle with 4 wheels is the answer, may it at least have the correct math like a boxer 4 (Just don't get me going on the 5 main bearings ).

 

3 main bearings forever.

 

lol, good! but u know what would ne sick!! a H8!!!!!!!! like a 4.2l H8 YA!!!

[bgd73]

lol, good! but u know what would ne sick!! a H8!!!!!!!! like a 4.2l H8 YA!!!

the math would be wrong. h4 is perfect. although I bet some schmuck with a fancy looking car body could sell it as exotic for 100k and get away with it.

[mikeshoup]

the math would be wrong. h4 is perfect. although I bet some schmuck with a fancy looking car body could sell it as exotic for 100k and get away with it.

Your math is great and all, but do you have any physics to back up this 'math'?

[rverdoold]

I drove one this weekend, one that had driven 10k miles. And i do have to come back from my previous statement. I drove one with only 20 miles and that one was very slow and no power. But when run in it is a proper engine which would be extremely suitable for driving on LPG to make it cheap. But it would be nice if there is a turbo available because lots of european competitors have small turbo'ed egine (volkswagen, audi, bmw).

But a diesel hopefully would sell much better europe.

[Lukas]

when run in it is a proper engine

 

Thats just what I said.

 

Lukas

[Lukas]

Finally, I got my Impreza 1.5R. Its urban-grey, it has a Laser-exhaust and 49 kilometres on the clock.

 

 

 

 

And YES, its a 5mt with dual range.

 

Lukas

[Olnick]

Finally, I got my Impreza 1.5R.

 

Lookin' goooood, Lukas. Merry Christmas!

[DerFahrer]

You suck, you and your dual-range EJ transmissions

[Snowman]

Finally, I got my Impreza 1.5R. Its urban-grey, it has a Laser-exhaust and 49 kilometres on the clock.

 

 

 

 

And YES, its a 5mt with dual range.

 

Lukas

 

Grumble grumble...EJ dual range...

 

Don't make me come over there!

[Lukas]

 

 

My pride and joy, the Laser muffler.

 

My to-do-list looks like that:

 

16" rims in summer

fog lamps in the front bumper

leather steering wheel and leather shift knob

 

Thats all. Otherwise this car is perfect for me and my everyday driving.

 

Lukas

[bgd73]

 

 

My pride and joy, the Laser muffler.

 

My to-do-list looks like that:

 

16" rims in summer

fog lamps in the front bumper

leather steering wheel and leather shift knob

 

Thats all. Otherwise this car is perfect for me and my everyday driving.

 

Lukas

 

I am glad to see your opinion and that you like it. Of all EJ style engines, that 1.5 may ne a winner in the long run (I am guessing it be with what I have learned). I do not even like the EJ, but the strange things Subaru has done to the boxer just may last in smaller displacement.I don't believe they are in the usa- (?) I would drive one after they have been used. D/R is perfect in that displacement, a necessity I would imagine. Congrats, would love to know how it does in the long run...

[DerFahrer]

I like the way that muffler looks Lukas! It looks sporty without looking ricey.

 

So, put all our arguments to rest. How's the power? I'm sure it's no neck-snapper, but is it adequate? Does it get the job done?

 

Oh, and if you could, take pics of the D/R lever and the engine bay

[Lukas]

Hi Guys!

 

The 1.5R isnt an EJ, its called EL15. Thats what one can read on the engine. I´ll take pics of the engine bay and the dual range lever today and show it to you here. it now has 89km on the clock, so I don´t have pushed it hard yet, I don´t idle it over 4000rpm because its not broken in. But what I can say by now, it has adequate power. Here in austria, the roads are quiet curvy and narrow, so you can´t drive really fast. As I said before, we also got the Impreza 1.6TS with 95 hp and it was an adequate ride. Of course the engine needs rpm, if you step on the gas at 2000rpm, it doesnt accelerate well. But if you keep it over 3000, it offers enough power to overtake by time and keep up with traffic. Its possible that its not enough powerful for your roads, but the roads around here are simply the same than the roads in Japan.

 

 

 

 

Here are pics of the lever, the engine bay and my co-driver:

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in more specific pics or if you have questions, feel free to ask.

 

Lukas

[dxrflyboy]

The 1.5R isnt an EJ, its called EL15.

Hmmm.....Subaru calls it an EL15, but it sure looks like an EJ. That has my curiosity up. I wonder what's different about it. If the block dimensions are the same and parts are interchangeable with an EJ (I'm not saying they are, just speculating here), then maybe Subaru is getting creative with engine designations. In any case, I now want to know more about this engine.

[bgd73]

Hmmm.....Subaru calls it an EL15, but it sure looks like an EJ. That has my curiosity up. I wonder what's different about it. If the block dimensions are the same and parts are interchangeable with an EJ (I'm not saying they are, just speculating here), then maybe Subaru is getting creative with engine designations. In any case, I now want to know more about this engine.

 

Subaru would not go all out different for a "poor mans impreza" <-( repulsive quote by the writer of article I found). 16 valves means 4 crazy cams, 5 mains and open deck (I am guessing it is open deck). if dimensions of the steel are the same as the pretending giant wannabes, this would last, except , I would no doubt keep the internals spotless on the highest grade viscosty oil on the planet to keep all those bearing surfaces and cam contacts, etc lubed well for the little thumping cylinders.(unlike an ea82 you could run on fire, out of oil, temp guage buried and still doing 80 with antifreeze squirting all over the windshield while base is filling with water and the air cleaner is clogged with mud. ).

[Lukas]

Oh I don´t think that its a "poor mans impreza". The Impreza 1.5R isnt a sports car with a little engine, its an economical station wagon with the famous "go anywhere" option. The impreza isnt usualy a sports car, its a compact go anywhere vehicle, available with turbo engines.

 

But thats what people forget hen they think about the impreza. Many people think "impreza = sports car". But thats not true. The impreza is also available with sport options and sporty engines, but basically the impreza is a reliable compact 4 wheel drive vehicle. Nothing more, and nothing less. Its like the Leone/Loyale, but only nowadays.

 

Think about that...

 

Lukas

[dxrflyboy]

But thats what people forget hen they think about the impreza. Many people think "impreza = sports car". But thats not true. The impreza is also available with sport options and sporty engines, but basically the impreza is a reliable compact 4 wheel drive vehicle. Nothing more, and nothing less. Its like the Leone/Loyale, but only nowadays.

 

Think about that...

 

Lukas

Unfortunately, the USDM Impreza only weighs about 400 lbs. less than the Legacy and is less aerodynamic, giving it a highway mileage rating that is, at best, the same as a Legacy. Granted, with a few luxury options stripped out of it, the car may weigh less elsewhere, but I think the Impreza's aging platform is due for a more compact, economical redesign.

[Durania]

Seeing that dual-range lever makes me nostalgic and warm inside. Ill go stare at the one in my brat to pass the time this Christmas season.

[DerFahrer]

EL15 huh? Weird!

 

Hmmm.....Subaru calls it an EL15, but it sure looks like an EJ.

 

Well, sort of . The intake manifold is quite different from what I'm used to seeing. I'm very surprised to see this "basic" engine seems to be DOHC and also coil-on-plug. It even looks like it has AVCS on the passenger side head!

 

That has my curiosity up. I wonder what's different about it. If the block dimensions are the same and parts are interchangeable with an EJ (I'm not saying they are, just speculating here), then maybe Subaru is getting creative with engine designations. In any case, I now want to know more about this engine.

 

I agree. I wonder if it really is just an EJ-based engine which is coded an EL, just like the EG33 in the SVX and the EZ30 in the new Outbacks and Tribecas.

 

And bgd73, you really don't want me to point out all the fallacies in the post you just made...

[Lukas]

The 1.5R is the same engine as the 2.0R, available in the Impreza and Legacy. The 2.0R has 160hp and is called EL20.

 

And YES, the 1.5R has DOHC and it even has a kind of VTEC. Sorry, I dont know how it is called in english, but Honda call it VTEC. It makes more torque at low rpm and better power at high rpm.

 

And NO, the 1.5R and the 2.0R are not rebaged EJs, they are a completely new engine family. The 1.5R with 105hp is available in the Impreza and the 2.0R is available in the Impreza, Legacy and Forester. They both have DOHC, they both have this VTEC-thing and they both have the dual range.

 

The 1.5r redlines at 7000, the 2.0R redlines at 7500 rpm. Only the Outback 2.5i had the EJ25 called 2.5 engine with 165 hp.

 

Lukas

[Loyale 2.7 Turbo]

...The Asian market has had a 1.6 for ages...

 

We at LatinAmerica Too!

 

Also the 1.3 Loyale ... Those are "Economical" or "E" Class Vehicles.

[NoahDL88]

 

16 valves means 4 crazy cams = Crazy power

5 mains Still waiting on proof positive why this is bad the only reason aircraft engines have 3 mains is because they were made in the 50's and they haven't had any significant upgrades short of oiling and injection since then.

 

and open deck (I am guessing it is open deck). Not the best design, but its worked for every auto maker for the last 20 years

 

if dimensions of the steel are the same as the pretending giant wannabes,

Too bad these have aluminum blocks, and dimensions are determined by sound engineering, by engineers much smarter than you or I.

 

I would no doubt keep the internals spotless on the highest grade viscosty oil Never a bad idea, even with 3 mains

 

keep all those bearing surfaces and cam contacts, etc lubed well for the little thumping cylinders. Umm, actually there is less friction on a OHC engine than a OHV simply based on the fact that the EA-81 has flat tappet lifters which create a ton of friction, and combined with both halves of the rockers creates many friction points, the EJ series has low friction bearings and roller bits which make for much less friction than the EA series.

 

(unlike an ea82 you could run on fire, out of oil, temp guage buried and still doing 80 with antifreeze squirting all over the windshield while base is filling with water and the air cleaner is clogged with mud. ). Did that once, lasted all of 23 seconds, I don't care how much you like a motor, its not gonna run without oil or coolant. The EJ series may have issues with headgaskets, (phase I EJ25 only) but at least it only required a head gasket, when the EA blows a gasket you'd better bring an extra head to the party.

 

 

 

 

I think the 1.5 is a great idea. i'd rather have SOA bring the R1 and the R2 over, and get a good mini car over here. fuel economy will play a big part in the world stage over the next 50 years, at least until we realize that its not the oil we should be fighting for and instead the freshwater supplies.