looking to buy a 1994 legacy twin turbo

[Guest]

Well I live in Canada and I own a 1998 legacy wagon but now we can import 1994 cars so i'm looking into upgrading to a twin turbo version of my car

Can anyone school me on their specs and options that came with them? Also any problems they may have that I should know about.

[Bazza-NZ]

 Zac_BK4 said:

Well I live in Canada and I own a 1998 legacy wagon but now we can import 1994 cars so i'm looking into upgrading to a twin turbo version of my car

Can anyone school me on their specs and options that came with them? Also any problems they may have that I should know about.

I'd suggest that you look in this forum plus the motor and turbo forum and you'll find your answer pretty quickly, they had a fair amount of problem with them,

what car do you currently have now?

[G-unit]

think he has a 1998 legacy wagon

186kw from the TT motor, keep them seviced and rather stock,they go well,

[Carbon]

 

I own a 1998 legacy wagon but now we can import 1994 cars so i'm looking into upgrading to a twin turbo version of my car

Im lost..... :

You have a 98 and you want to downgrade to a 94?

[Guest]

 Carbon said:

 

I own a 1998 legacy wagon but now we can import 1994 cars so i'm looking into upgrading to a twin turbo version of my car

Im lost..... :

You have a 98 and you want to downgrade to a 94?

I went from a 2004 Legacy to a 2000 STI... but I consider it an Upgrade because it's a hell of alot more fun to drive!

[G-unit]

98 cant be turbo im piking

[Guest]

my 1998 has a EJ22 NA engine. we never got the turbos over here which is why i'm asking about the 94.

[Joker]

personally I wouldn't bother BUT are you looking for a whole car or just the motor?

[Guest]

looking for a whole car. My body is finished due to all the salt they use here in the winter time.

[Guest Oscar]

Don't even bother. Seriously. Have you seen the engine bay of a TT?

There is a reason why they numbered the vacuum lines.

[Guest]

i'm a mechanic so I could deal with it. If it turns out to be a huge problem I could always do the single turbo conversion.

[Bazza-NZ]

 Zac_BK4 said:

i'm a mechanic so I could deal with it. If it turns out to be a huge problem I could always do the single turbo conversion.

the real question is how much do you want to spend?

if you want to spend lots, go ahead get the twin.

if not then look st getting a WRX or STI, msy cost a little more now but you'll save in the long run

[Guest]

because I want a legacy wagon, I have alot of parts I can swap over onto it.

Mechanicaly wise is the EJ20H reliable? Or does it just have vaccum problems? Does anyone have any wiring or vaccum diagrams for it?

[1994legacyrs]

This is an interesting read which might make you decision easier:

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/title_The-Subaru-EJ20-Turbo-Guide/A_2775/article.html

It really depends on what you want the car for and how you drive it. If you do helis, 6k launches and take it to the track every weekend then I would be more inclined to go for the WRX Sti. On the other hand if you will use it daily to commute but like to have a little blast now and then - I would recommend the Legacy.

The TT may be complicated, but it is great to drive providing a lot of usable low down torque. The VOD is a bit of a pain but a sequential controller will sort that out.

Good luck on your search for a turbo subbie!

EDIT

EJ20H is more reliable that the higher tuned EJ20R. One problem with older models is the primary crapping out because it is used so much, that being said if you are buying any old turbo subaru you run the risk of a crappy turbo.

Trust me - you don't want to see the vacuum diagrams ;D

[1994legacyrs]

But if you must

http://www.clubsub.org.nz/forum/index.php/topic,4206.0.html

[Guest]

thank you 1994legacyRS you gave me some of the answers I was looking for. Could I replace the primary turbo with something more durable? Also do you have those diagrams in higher resolution? I cant read anyting on them

[1994legacyrs]

If you right-click the image and click view - it should give you the option to zoom in more.

As far as replacing them with something more durable - I have no knowledge on the subject. Many people will probably tell you to just convert it to single.

The primary crapping out though is more an age thing I think, rather than a fault. Mines done 190,000km and has no sign giving up. Just make sure you get the car well and truly checked out first before you buy it.

One thing to note, the odd person on here has converted a twin turbo to a parallel setup. Might be something you would be interested in, however I cannot comment on the pros and cons of such a setup.

[ReubenH]

 Carbon said:

 

I own a 1998 legacy wagon but now we can import 1994 cars so i'm looking into upgrading to a twin turbo version of my car

Im lost..... :

You have a 98 and you want to downgrade to a 94?

Yes, you are lost.

US spec cars are NOT the same in any way to japanese spec cars. Going from a US 98 legacy to a Japanese 94 legacy is a HUGE upgrade.

[GT_Head]

I've got a 1994 wagon and I have not had very few dramas. I got an older one with a EJ20H solely for the reliablity of the long block as I didn't want to have to rebuild after a BEB 3 months after buying it. I have had mine for 2 years and the most I have had to spend on it at one time has been the rear struts and some bushes but it will need a new clutch in the near future. One thing that the older TT tended to to was spit out cel dode 66 fairly regularly. This means the sequential turbo systym has a fault of some sort and can be basically anything to do with the turbos and can be a pain to try and sort out. My car is fantastic and I take it on the track every now and then and if you want the extra 20kw that they didn't have it is very easy to find that back with a few simple mods.

The primary turbo can be swapped for any of the later model twin turbo's so if the original primary died look at getting a primary of a 2000 or 2001 RSK or GT-B. Good luck

[nzkaosnz]

unfortunatly (someone correct me if im wrong here) but the 94 TT is only a GT, not a GTB (closer to 200kw), so only a whopping 140kw or thereabouts.

One way or another, would highly recommend finding a JDM v3 sti motor to put in some form of legacy.

The problem with TT - is its pretty difficult to get decent power out of them, the turbos are really kinda small, and they have several problems, including -

- BEB

- BBOD,

- VOD,

- code 66,

- knock sensors,

- AFM dying and

- george (search forums on these)

On top of that - your upgradeability is fairly limited -

- you are pretty much stuck with stock turbos

- good luck with finding after-market (tuneable) ecu

- and the debatable fact/myth (depending on side of debate) about overspooling primary (Port the secondary turbo, and it shouldn't be as much of an issue)

Options -

TBH - 99% of TT's in new zealand are imports anyway, so the options are all fairly limited.

- auto/manual - dont touch auto, or expect to just be given an auto

- later models had Bilstein suspension - actually pretty good for factory stuff

- rear spoiler

- shiney sill guards

- rear boot bar

- indicator directional lights

- projector headlamps (<- get this one)

- small bodykit differences

(so other than projectors, manual, and bilstiens - the rest is just cosmetic stuff)

I went from a 94 TT wagon to a 98 sti type R - and was expecting more lag etc etc etc - but in all honesty - its not an issue, and i didnt look back. The TT had apexi AVCR controller, full exhaust (aftermarket downpipes are SO worth it - and VF13 overspooling really isnt that much of an issue - if it dies, just replace it - they are only worth $120NZD), pod, and good BOV.

The TT's are nice - and have climate control, heated side mirrors, defrosting strip on front windscreen under wiper blades etc

Very nice road cruisers tho.

EDIT-

Oh, and BEB - thats not exclusive from this club as well. They have issues like most other subaru's. 94gt melted one piston, beb on another motor.

[GT_Head]

 nzkaosnz said:

unfortunatly (someone correct me if im wrong here) but the 94 TT is only a GT, not a GTB (closer to 200kw), so only a whopping 140kw or thereabouts.

Came out as 176kw according to autocar......

[Guest]

Thanks guys I've already have JDM projector headlights and Tein suspension on my current legacy wagon so I can swap it over

i'm looking for about 200whp. I saw you could get a Mine's ECU for them, is this any good?

- BEB

- BBOD,

- VOD,

- code 66, WHat are those? i'm assumeing there sensor acronyms, alot different then the ones i'm used to here in Canada haha.

As I said this will be a daily driver so it doesnt have to be STi fast.

[G-unit]

BEB= big end bearing

BBOD=black box of doom

VOD= valley of death- lag between turbo

i ownd a 94 rs sedan, went well,never had many problems that i can remember, goes great on long trips

[ReubenH]

Black box of doom is the black solenoid box that controls the sequential TT system. There's about 7 solenoids and a map sensor in it. Code 66 is the error you get when one of them brakes... Code 66 is pretty much the blanket error code for the twin turbo, which is why it's so dreaded... cause it's so ambiguous.

VOD is the gap between turbo's. First, the primary turbo does all the work, and as you approach 4000rpm, it will start to whimper out as the exhaust valve opens up on the secondary turbo. This is what causes VOD. When the prespool phase is over, the exhaust valve opens fully and you start to run in twin mode, aka, secondary. Secondary is both turbo's running at once.

You can also catch vod if you change gear anywhere near 4000rpm, the whole system ****s out and you'll have no boost for several seconds. The ZS sequential controller can help guard against this though, if you are forever changing gear in vod. When i had mine, I shifted the crossover point to 4600rpm, and i went from catching vod about 5 times a day, to about 5 times a month....

[Shale]

C'mon guys, his username is Zac_BK4. Figure it out! That means flat-roofed US sh!twagon. Lurk moar.

Also, you're gonna have fun with this Zac (not) TT is fail as you know, as I've told ya...I honestly think you're better off converting your car, as you'll be converting the GT when it blows.