[Cascade Outback]

I am in the planning stages of adding a turbo to my 2004 Outback 2.5 5mt. Part of my reason for doing this to my existing car is (1) cheaper insurance (2) I like the "sleeper" status of no one knowing my car has a turbo. I was thinking of going with the factory setup off of an 04 Baja Turbo or Forester XT.

Has anyone done this yet? I really don't want to do a complete motor swap, as my car only has 42k on it. OR is there a supercharger available for these cars?

Anyone have suggestions (besides trading it in for a newer OBXT)?

 

[dakboy]

There are a lot of threads around here on this topic, I suggest you use the forum search. Short version:

Easiest - Swap the car for one with a turbo from the beginning
Less easy - full engine swap - including plumbing, turbo, harness & ECU
Masochistic - any other route

 

[rockhopjohn]

Normally, I would be right there with dakboy, but after reading one of your other posts about some of your other projects, you seemed quite capable of a project like this one, and I am interested to see what you end up doing.

I don't know of anyone who has added forced induction to a car around that model year, but I have to believe that your interest in going with a Baja Turbo setup is going to be the most plug and play by far. As much as I hate to do it, I might recommend you dig around on NASIOC a bit to see if there is anyone who has gone this route over there.

 

[Cascade Outback]

Thanks rockhopjohn for the boost. I did a search here before I started this thread, and all I saw were threads saying how you couldn't do it. Of course no one really stated why (other than its hard). The cars are essentially the same. The hardest part will be getting the parts from a wrecked baja (why can't more people crash these things. lol :21: ). I have already ordered the factory service manual for the 2004 Baja Turbo. I will probably make a trip up to davesport (davesport.com) before I get to far. He's done some crazy stuff too. (AWD turbo beetle rally car)

I don't feel like its beyond my abilities at all. I have done some odd engine swaps and mods. Of course its always easier if someone else paves the way by being first.

Anyway if anyone knows anyone that has done this let me know. :18:

 

[rockhopjohn]

Just need to find that lightly rolled Baja Turbo, or the one that got rear-ended at 50 MPH . The vast majority of the people who come here talking about turbos are people who have "ended up" with an Outback, and want it to perform like their WRX or their V8 Camaro. But very few have the combination or talent, money, and desire to make anything happen. The other thing, want some 300-400 HP monster, and end up looking for a big swap or big upgrade. If you can be satisfied with a setup designed for 220 HP like a Baja Turbo or Forester XT, you eliminate a lot of the stumbling blocks that stop the over enthusiastic in their tracks.

 

[nipper]

If there is a Turbo option available for the same year as you want to convert you can do it. Luckily Subaru being a small mfg, they dont have too many different engine variations. So if there was a turbo available for X year, that means that most likely the main bearings are all the same.

The problem with a non turbo year 2.5L is that the 2.5L was conceived to get every ounce of power out of the block that the engine could handle. The engine is already at its design limit. Its much easier to do a 2.2L then a 2.5L for this reason. The 2.2L is overbuilt and can easily handle a turbo, the 2.5 is a larger displacement 2.2 and modified to meet that.

Also it depends upon how long you want the engine to last. If i remeber correctly the issue is one of the thrust bearings in the "crankase".

Now if you want to do it from the bearings up, you can do it.

http://www.funco-motorsports.com/subaru_motor.htm


nipper

 

[Boxxerace]

Cascade, have you thought about other engine options, even other brands?

We have one unfortunate soul who wrecked his newish 6cyl Outback. I don't know. Nothing wrong with a turbo, I love ours for sure!

Other than that, if you ever need a hand for an evening, let me know. I'm kind of near Boeing north.

 

[Cascade Outback]

Boxxeracer when it comes time to do the work I can always use a hand, even if its just someone to laugh at me when I drop a bolt down in to some impossible to reach crevice in the engine.

My plan is to locate a parts car between now and Dec. I will plan the addition for end of February (hopefully the stage car will be done by then). I am going to add a stud kit for the heads and intake, put in new copper custom made headgaskets (for strength and the added thickness will lower compression a point or two, and have larger valves added to the heads. This will give me time to port match the intake. My goal is a conservative 235-250hp which I think is reasonable with a lightweight crank pulley, flywheel, bigger exhaust valves, and slightly bigger injectors. That plus a nice exhaust should put me there reasonably. I also intend to add a valve to the coolant line that goes to the throttle body. I still want it for cold days, but the rest of the time I want to bypass it.

 

[gryffinwings]

You could always get a turbo kit from www.rallitek.com they sell a kit for like $3500. But a motor swap would be more reliable I think.

But I plan on going this route due to the fact that I'm going to be modifying the heads and block, so I figured why not.

 

[hustler]

I'm a little late to the fire, but here's my take.

Two options...buy a standard turbo motor and run piggy back engine management to stay obd compliant.

put a turbo on the motor you have now, and run piggy back engine management.

For engine management, I'd buy (or build if you know how to solder and can follow directions) MegaSquirt. Wire it up to control fuel and spark, leave all the sensors hooked up to the stock ecm. You'll need a wideband o2, so get the LC-1, adjust the voltage on the narrow band output within the parameters for the stock ECM to avoid a fault code. People make engine management out to be a black art. Its very easy to install, even when running parallel to a factory ecm.


I run megasquirt in my miata stand alone. www.msefi.com

 

[OMB's]

You might want to look into a company called Engine World out of California. I deliver to a small mechanics shop here in Utah that use them all the time, and they had nothing but good things to say about them. Ill bet they could hook you up with an ECU as well.

 

[jellisii]

I am in the planning stages of adding a turbo to my 2004 Outback 2.5 5mt. Part of my reason for doing this to my existing car is (1) cheaper insurance (2) I like the "sleeper" status of no one knowing my car has a turbo. I was thinking of going with the factory setup off of an 04 Baja Turbo or Forester XT.

Has anyone done this yet? I really don't want to do a complete motor swap, as my car only has 42k on it. OR is there a supercharger available for these cars?

Anyone have suggestions (besides trading it in for a newer OBXT)?

My boss has an 03 (I think) Forester with the XT 2.5 in it, with a 4AT.

The turbo lag is PAINFUL for city driving. The engine's great above ~3k, but before then, the car can't get out of its own way. It really turned me off to the factory turbo setup, as I do far too much city driving. Perhaps with a slightly smaller aftermarket turbo that would spool quicker, it may be different story.

An H6 (which was an option on the OBs, so another "should be fairly simple swap for those so inclined") looks like a better idea to me, but then again, I like the broad, fat torque bands.

Let us know how it goes! If you can deal with the lag in the setup, I think you'll be impressed. After 3k, my boss' car seems to really speak with some authority. I think it could be fun as a track car, just not as a daily for me.

 

[hustler]

Re: Re: 2.5 N/A to Turbo

My boss has an 03 (I think) Forester with the XT 2.5 in it, with a 4AT.

The turbo lag is PAINFUL for city driving. The engine's great above ~3k, but before then, the car can't get out of its own way. It really turned me off to the factory turbo setup, as I do far too much city driving. Perhaps with a slightly smaller aftermarket turbo that would spool quicker, it may be different story.

An H6 (which was an option on the OBs, so another "should be fairly simple swap for those so inclined") looks like a better idea to me, but then again, I like the broad, fat torque bands.

Let us know how it goes! If you can deal with the lag in the setup, I think you'll be impressed. After 3k, my boss' car seems to really speak with some authority. I think it could be fun as a track car, just not as a daily for me.

boost threshold =! lag drive an old 911 turbo, and you'll understand.

Its also not a bad idea to consider the same turbo, but a lower stage turbine, or a smaller a/r. The perceived boost threshold deficiency could also be tuned into the ignition map. The old audi tt225 had roughly 9-12* too much retard in timing off boost. Spark was bumped up and we scored 9psi 1300rpm sooner.

I agree with you though. If I ever put a turbo on my 2k0bw, it would be a tiny little gt2554, while my little 1.9l miata has a gt2860rs. If he has an automatic trans, there is no reason to ***** about power off boost.