wrx to sti conversion

[Guest]

hi .

I am trying to get some info (hopefully from somebody that already did this ) on replacing my WRX motor with an STI motor .

What needs to be done and what modifications will need to be made ? What will the rough cost be for this ? (is there a exchange your wrx motor +cash for a STI motor place somewhere ? )

i would have to buy a STI ECU i am sure but is there anything else i would need to buy ? or does everything you need come with when you buy a motor ?

Any info would be appreciated .

Thanks

[zarnah]

what version wrx is it? what version engine do you want to drop in it?

[Guest S T E Y E]

yea haha its more like what do u wana put in it??? sti motor/turbo. ecu injectors afm and a big fuel pump to start with??

[Guest]

hi .

it is a 96 WRX .

i dont really know presicely what i will need . was thinking a standard STI motor to begin with as even that should be better than my WRX motor surely ?

so probably just a STI motor (not sure what version) and sti turbo and ecu , that will be enough to get going would it ?

I am still new to subaru and all things subaru related so trying to learn as much as i can . I just have a sneaky suspicion my WRX motor is not gonna last to long and as such are looking for alternatives for if/when it goes .

or is a rebuild of the WRX motor with better parts a better way to go ?

thanks

[Guest S T E Y E]

y u think it not gona last long??

[Joker]

I would rebuild - at least ya know whats gone into it etc

any STI motor of that age will be in same if not worse condition as yours

[Guest S T E Y E]

rebuild the one u got with sti internals or get a closed deck legacy block with sti internals and sti heads???

[Guest]

@ STEYE - just a feeling . I am trying to sus if it will be better just to give it to a mechanical shop i trust to rebuild before it blows ,that would probably be the best option .

i just dont have 100% trust in the current motor (even before the diesel episode) . call it mens intuition :-P

[Guest S T E Y E]

hmm well if theres no funny sounds/ smoke pouring out / oil consumption / water consumption then i wouldnt be leaning towards it needing a rebuild...or is there more to the story???

if u were to replace the motor wat sorta power do u want it to make??? it not got enough beans for ur liking??

[WRXER]

If ur looking at track stuff, I'd agree it's better to go for rebuild earlier if you want or even better have a build going on the side so if it goes bang you're not sitting there buggered and can just swap in the engine/bits when needed.

Trust me I know haha mine is in the works for a rebuild.

[Guest]

It is not too bad in the power department (for a WRX) , but as you know more is always better ! But it is not just about the power , i am looking to balance power and reliability .

[Dv8er - FSTWRX]

How much are you wanting to spend? You could always go down the road of a later model low km STi Engine (ver8+) and get a Link ECU to run it.

[Guest S T E Y E]

so is it a v2 or a v3 96?

intake under the manifold or 90 degree bend manifold

[Guest]

i think it is a V3 - will have to confirm tonight when i get home

[boon]

I looked into doing this.

Conclusions I reached...

-Don't get a used motor, you have little to no idea of the history

-Building a motor is rudely expensive, generally speaking

-Buy a closed deck block and build it on the side, that way you can do it bit by bit because you haven't killed your car... yet

Although the final conclusion was that after all that, I still would have to do a hell of a lot more conversions and when all was said and done all I would have is basically an STi that isn't worth as much as an STi because it technically isn't one, with a built motor.

So instead I sold the car and bought a V7 STi. So much stuff already done from the factory - forged bottom end, HUGE brakes, blah blah blah. Plus you get goodies like VVT. And realistically, for less money than I would have spent converting my V3 WRX.

[Guest S T E Y E]

well it all comes down to what u like and personally i dont see the need to get a new motor if its nothing wrong with it and all u have is a hunch with no mechanical knowledge

just my 2 cents

[Guest]

 S T E Y E said:

well it all comes down to what u like and personally i dont see the need to get a new motor if its nothing wrong with it and all u have is a hunch with no mechanical knowledge

just my 2 cents

+1

Check the compression, give it a thorough service and save ya coin on the side for upgrades (turbo, ecu, afm, i/cooler).

[Guest S T E Y E]

the questions are...does it make funny noises? does it smoke? does it use oil or water? if not then i dont know y ud think its not gona last???

[Guest S T E Y E]

most subys do make funny noises tho lol its just how they are!!!!!

[ODB]

depends on what you want.

As someone stated its not going to be worth as much as a genuine STi as there is far more to an STi than just a tougher engine.

Personally id save like crazy and sell yours off and buy the latest model STi you can afford/want.

It will be cheaper and probably more reliable in the long run.

[Guest S T E Y E]

well its upto the owner.... aye

i certainly wouldnt wana sell my v3 wrx which is partly converted to sti and im in the process of converted more over and buy a newer sti just cos thats wat i want and like

so everyones different aye

[Guest]

hi .

resale value is nothing as this will not be sold . this is a track car project .

BOON - thanks for that , your post helped a lot .

by the sound of it it is not really worth the money to upgrade the motor . Thanks guys . Think i will just use mine till i goes BANG .... and then rebuild ;D

[WRXER]

Thats what Im doing, caged the wrx then found motor went bang after all the hard yards damnit haha.. So needed the excuse to do a 2.1 build with a garrett 3076