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Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion
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Silverghost500
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:00 pm    Post subject: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Something, something...Subaru conversion dark side. Something, something...forever will it dominate your wallet.

Bit the bullet and picked up a 2001 Forester 2.5 donor car today. It has the 4EAT automatic transmission. The plan is to put both the 2.5 engine and the 4EAT transmission in my van using the Subarugears 4EAT transmission modification kit.

Been researching quite a bit about engine carrier systems, oil pans, exhaust systems, and shifter linkages.

Fair warning...this will be a slow project. My plan is to take engine/transmission/wiring harness out, work on the engine and ship off the harness for modifications. Expecting an OEM drivetrain out, Subaru drivetrain in sometime around late November.


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Silverghost500
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:01 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Here's the link to the Subarugears 4EAT automatic transmission kit:
http://www.subarugears.com/Automatic/Automatic.html
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candyman
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Hardly the dark side. Welcome to the Woke side Wink

2000-2004 are great years for conversion, easy diy harness.
Good luck!


Last edited by candyman on Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:52 pm; edited 1 time in total
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skills@eurocarsplus
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

congrats!

having a vanagon with a subaru and 3 speed automatic i have to say i'm very eager to see long term data on the subaru automatics in these.

by and large those automatics are dam near bulletproof, i have customers with 250k+ on original units without issue.

this trans is a game changer for those of us with 3 speed units as they are getting kind of hard to find these days.

good luck with the project. you've come to the right place!
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 8:09 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Silverghost500 wrote:
...forever will it dominate your wallet.



Dominion over your wallet will be small change when you're faced with zeitgeist's dominion over your soul. Wrath and condemnation will ensue, or simple disregard.

(Enjoy the great drivetrain, those Foresters were perhaps the best car Subaru ever made).
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Wait for it ......... ! You know, right?

Stacy
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Someone should write a book on how to find a forester , or better yet , a movie
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Zeitgeist 13
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:51 am    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Sad.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 4:17 am    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

I prefer to think of it as "Assembled using globally sourced components."
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 4:42 am    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

I never see myself doing this but it is hardly the dark side.

I'll give you a friendly wave to as you whiz by me in my old WBX'er.......

It's the journey, not the destination no matter what you drive. Too much rush rush rush today.

Dave
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Howesight
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 12:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Doesn't putting a Subaru engine into a German vehicle make the Subaru engine just a little bit more "German"? After all, it's really an homage to the boxer-4 format. All Subaru engines really want to be transplanted into VW's.
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

*enjoy what you have Steve, enjoy what you have Steve, enjoy what you have Steve*

looks like a fun set of projects, plural.

Popcorn
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Silverghost500
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 5:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

I've always had a conversion in mind with this van. I did at least want to experience the OEM drivetrain in multiple scenarios, and I have done that. I know what I want to do with the van, and where I want to go. I believe the Subaru swap will better enable me to do and go as I desire.

There will be camps who desire the OEM drivetrains, and they have their place and right. There are those who want to modify their vehicles in many different ways, and they have their place and right. My van is not a museum piece or show car. To me, my Vanagon is a solid platform in which I can make changes as the times and needs change.

I'm spending time with the Forester looking systems over, watching videos, and reading what I can.
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vanis13
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Silverghost500 wrote:
I've always had a conversion in mind with this van. I did at least want to experience the OEM drivetrain in multiple scenarios, and I have done that. I know what I want to do with the van, and where I want to go. I believe the Subaru swap will better enable me to do and go as I desire.

There will be camps who desire the OEM drivetrains, and they have their place and right. There are those who want to modify their vehicles in many different ways, and they have their place and right. My van is not a museum piece or show car. To me, my Vanagon is a solid platform in which I can make changes as the times and needs change.

I'm spending time with the Forester looking systems over, watching videos, and reading what I can.


I totally get that!

Am going the same route while now at 53K miles on a 1999 forester 2.5 i DIY'd and the stock VW tranny (rebuilt this spring with a .77 4th white in FL 1300 miles away from home..

Picking up a 2004 Forester this weekend. Sounds like we will be on the same program and likely the same timeline. Maybe we can share resources and discoveries?

BTW, have you checked in with the (formerly) Yahoo subaruVanagon group? tons of knowledge over there.

Did my own harness last time. Looking forward to doing it again and possibly using the subi cruise this time since it will have the tranny. Last time I left out the fuel evap systems and have gotten tired of the error codes so will see if I can keep that on this swap wiring....oh, and the fan relay error code - why not have the fan kick on when the Subi wants it!?!

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vanis13
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 6:10 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

here's a link to the topic on the SubaruVanagon group

https://groups.io/g/SubaruVanagon/topic/84298693#82296
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Silverghost500
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 7:34 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

Vanis13, I'm a member of the other group too. I just tried to post there, but somehow my post with missing.

I'm not brave enough to tackle the wiring harness mods, so I'll be sending mine off. I'm curious to see how the harness modifications differ from an engine only 2.5 conversion.

Along with the usual wiring harness, electrical components, and ecu, we need the transmission control module, it's harness, and the drop resistor.

Drivetrain according to Todd @ Subarugears needs to be set 30mm toward the rear of the van. I'll probably go with the Smallcar engine carrier as it uses the VW engine carrier mustache, and seems the most straightforward way for me to mount the engine.

Transmission nose cone replacement cover uses the Vanagon automatic transmission mount.

Shifter linkage solutions are still DIY at the moment. I've had two people recommend using the Subaru's gear selector and cable linkage. I want to keep the Vanagon's shifter and linkage if possible.

Did your van come with cruise control, or are you thinking of a solution to add cruise control selection switches to the dash/steering column?
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oldskewlsk8ter
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 9:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

I started out trying to keep the stock shifter but just didn’t have the time to dedicate to it before our road trip in 2 weeks. I went with the Subaru shifter, and following Steve Lopez example, reversed the linkage at the shifter using the stock Vanagon shift shaft. I used a smallcar accelerator cable for a manual van with subaru conversion. I’m having some issues with my worn out cvs right now and hoping new joints will fix it. I love it. It drives more like a modern vehicle now. 2800 rpm at 70 mph.
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vanis13
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2021 9:24 pm    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

To the two posts above.

Thankfully Todd is good about answering questions.

Re stock shifter - I mentioned oldskewlsk8ter issue and your days he was planning a "plate" to facilitate that use

Re subi shifter - that is what I want to use.

1. I'm going from a manual shifter so don't have an automatic and am looking forward to gaining the storage space in the spare wheel center

2. I want to mount the shifter in front of the hand brake and leave the center open for a center console or something.

Re small car mount 30mm back - Turns out that is the position for the mount with a wbx transmission... So it is the standard subi conversion location... Thus, by inference, I'm concluding that any subi conversion mount will work since they are all spaced for the WBX tranny

Re wiring harness - wonder who is equiped to do that with the auto conversion being so me. I didn't ask Todd who he used since I am going to do it. I found the harness work interesting. Turns out your 2001 is same as my current 1999. The 2004 is generation 2 so will be different and possibly drive by wire, so that will be interesting.

Re cruise control - I use rostra now and it has worked well for 15 years. I look forward to using the subi just to see if I can and since it's a part of the wiring harness work.
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oldskewlsk8ter
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 4:10 am    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

vanis13 wrote:
Re subi shifter - that is what I want to use.

1. I'm going from a manual shifter so don't have an automatic and am looking forward to gaining the storage space in the spare wheel center

2. I want to mount the shifter in front of the hand brake and leave the center open for a center console or something.

Re small car mount 30mm back - Turns out that is the position for the mount with a wbx transmission... So it is the standard subi conversion location... Thus, by inference, I'm concluding that any subi conversion mount will work since they are all spaced for the WBX tranny.

Re cruise control - I use rostra now and it has worked well for 15 years. I look forward to using the subi just to see if I can and since it's a part of the wiring harness work.


If my van had been manual, I probably would’ve used a custom built cable to shift. The Vanagon auto is shifted by pulling and the Subaru is pushed. Easy enough to reverse that with a cable, but with the stock auto shift linkage there just wasn’t room. Since you’ll be moving your shifter back, you should have plenty of room.

My rostra cruise still works fine with this setup, just like it did with the stock transmission.
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 4:11 am    Post subject: Re: Going To The Dark Side-A Subaru Conversion Reply with quote

vanis13 wrote:
here's a link to the topic on the SubaruVanagon group

https://groups.io/g/SubaruVanagon/topic/84298693#82296


Another portmanteau!
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