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theDrew
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2011
Posts: 1155
Location: Camas, WA
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 Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:46 pm Post subject: Project EJ25: Complete (Now with Video!) |
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I spent probably six months planning and researching and I finally am about finished with my EJ25 conversion. It was about a solid month's worth of work. I pulled alot of late late nights working on it.
I still have some fine tuning to do here and there and to get the cruise control working, but its already made a trip to hood river and back and I'm pretty damn proud of it.
It's an 2005 Impreza EJ253 SOHC, used the Small Car setup with a few RMW bits here and there. Tom Sheils did the harness for me.
All in, I think it was somewhere north of $8500, but I literally replaced EVERYTHING in the cooling system. Every valve, core, hose, tee, everything, everything everything. I probably did things the hard way, but it all worked out in the end.
Initial thoughts? Wow. I can't stop smiling. I can cruise at 70-75 with ease, pass people, keep it cruising up a long hill, this thing has some pep. I step on the gas, it gives out a really nice exhaust tone and I've even gotten some thumbs up from random people I pass. Also got yelled at by a guy in the neighbor that I "needed to slow that thing down" -- words I never thought I would hear with my Westy.
I documented the whole thing with my GoPro, I hope to have it edited to share with you all. Feel free to ping me with questions, or you can come check it out in person if you want.
Its been quite a journey, but man what a result. Thanks for all your help TheSamba!
*EDIT*
I completed the video of the journey, here it is on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plf6IR2WgtE&list=PLNV-mDD6-hU9tRJcm99Z7TpwhOW1h9Uvk
*EDIT*
_________________
Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25
Last edited by theDrew on Wed Jan 16, 2013 12:30 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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THINGONER
Samba Member
Joined: April 13, 2008
Posts: 681
Location: riverside ca
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| Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Looks sweet |
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luVWagn
Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2008
Posts: 1342
Location: Snoqualmie (WA)
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:04 am Post subject: Re: Project EJ25: Complete |
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| theDrew wrote: |
I spent probably six months planning and researching and I finally am about finished with my EJ25 conversion. It was about a solid month's worth of work. I pulled alot of late late nights working on it.
I still have some fine tuning to do here and there and to get the cruise control working, but its already made a trip to hood river and back and I'm pretty damn proud of it. |
Good to see - my EJ251 conversion should be done in about a month (although I'm not the one doing it). With regards to the cruise-control, did your van already have that? Or did you retrofit cruise in during the conversion, by salvaging all the various Suby parts?
Also wondering if you stayed stock with the clutch and starter, or upgraded?
Thumbs up,
Brian.
_________________
'91 Double Door Transporter |
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theDrew
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2011
Posts: 1155
Location: Camas, WA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 12:07 am Post subject: Re: Project EJ25: Complete |
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| luVWagn wrote: |
Good to see - my EJ251 conversion should be done in about a month (although I'm not the one doing it). With regards to the cruise-control, did your van already have that? Or did you retrofit cruise in during the conversion, by salvaging all the various Suby parts?
Also wondering if you stayed stock with the clutch and starter, or upgraded?
Thumbs up,
Brian. |
Previously, no cruise control. Trying to do it with all Subie parts -- no joy so far, but I still need the correct brake and clutch switches.
I used small cars stage 2.5 clutch and pressure plate, and a subie starter (which, depending on who did your reveresed coolant manifold will interfiere with. Check out http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=537306
_________________
Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25 |
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luVWagn
Samba Member
Joined: February 21, 2008
Posts: 1342
Location: Snoqualmie (WA)
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:39 am Post subject: |
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Keep in touch with any CC success, maybe a build blog, what stalk you used off of steering column, etc...
_________________
'91 Double Door Transporter |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 17127
Location: Brookeville, MD
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Jake de Villiers
Samba Member
Joined: October 24, 2007
Posts: 5930
Location: Tsawwassen, BC
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r39o
Samba Polizei
Joined: May 18, 2005
Posts: 9800
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:57 am Post subject: |
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It is awesome isn't it? It is a whole different van after the surgery. I did all new and replaced every seal and what not I could find, too. Lots and lots of piace of mind in that, I must admit. You can count on a couple of hiccups and whopsa but likely no show stoppers. Bravo to you!
RE: Cruise control. You should be able interface the Subaru cruise actuator with the stock Vangon cruise pump. Just a hose. Then it all looks and acts stock, unless you do not have the stock system already. The complete Subaru system can be grafted in, I have seen. Just more work.
_________________
"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!
1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....
Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently) |
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MayorMcCheese
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2009
Posts: 749
Location: Lancaster PA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:00 am Post subject: |
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Did you consider an SVX swap? If so what made you go with the 2.5?
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wv2yb0252gg092706 |
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theDrew
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2011
Posts: 1155
Location: Camas, WA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:08 am Post subject: |
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| MayorMcCheese wrote: |
| Did you consider an SVX swap? If so what made you go with the 2.5? |
From what I read, the 2.5 is about as high as you want to go with the stock transmission before you start breaking stuff. Maybe true or not, but thats what I stuck with.
And really, the 2.5 is plenty of power, I don't see why you would need more unless you wanted to race it at the track.
Also, from my reading the sixes will fit in the bay, but things definately get tighter. Since I had never done anything close to this before, space to work is pretty nice when you really dont know what your doing 
_________________
Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25 |
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JoeVanagon
Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2010
Posts: 61
Location: Vancouver Washington, USA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:08 am Post subject: |
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Welcome to the exclusive club of Vancouver, WA Vanagon owners powered by Subaru! Its a small club...
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Joe Vanagon
1990 Carat with EJ25 SOHC |
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NC Dude
Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2012
Posts: 127
Location: Cary
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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| theDrew wrote: |
| MayorMcCheese wrote: |
| Did you consider an SVX swap? If so what made you go with the 2.5? |
From what I read, the 2.5 is about as high as you want to go with the stock transmission before you start breaking stuff. Maybe true or not, but thats what I stuck with. |
Its very true-right on the money
SVX will blow the stock tranny, everytime |
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zippyslug31
Samba Member
Joined: July 20, 2007
Posts: 799
Location: Central Oregon
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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Not more than 1 hr ago I got off the phone with my mechanic. I'm in line to have this exact same conversion.... now I'm even MORE anxious to have it completed and back on the road!
THANKS FOR NOTHIN'!!!! 
_________________
previous:
'80 westy
current:
'90 syncro westy 2.5L subi, triple knob, 16" wheels.
'84 sunroof van, 2.1L motor. |
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engscott78
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2012
Posts: 13
Location: Vacaville, CA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Did you get the A/C going? |
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JPrato
Samba Member
Joined: December 15, 2006
Posts: 791
Location: Livonia, NY
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| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:46 am Post subject: Re: Project EJ25: Complete |
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| theDrew wrote: |
| luVWagn wrote: |
Good to see - my EJ251 conversion should be done in about a month (although I'm not the one doing it). With regards to the cruise-control, did your van already have that? Or did you retrofit cruise in during the conversion, by salvaging all the various Suby parts?
Also wondering if you stayed stock with the clutch and starter, or upgraded?
Thumbs up,
Brian. |
Previously, no cruise control. Trying to do it with all Subie parts -- no joy so far, but I still need the correct brake and clutch switches.
I used small cars stage 2.5 clutch and pressure plate, and a subie starter (which, depending on who did your reveresed coolant manifold will interfiere with. Check out http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=537306 |
I used the stock Subaru brake and clutch switches mounted on some brackets I made. Did you grab them off the donor car? My cruise, off a 99 forester used the entire system with splice in the middle of the harness to get the actuator to the back. I had no cruise before my swap. I have since gone with a vanagon cruise turn signal stalk but originally I had the stock Subie switch mounted on the lower part of the dash. It works well!
_________________
Joe
87 Syncro Tin Top project
84 Westy, 2.5L Subaru power
06 Subaru 2.5 turbo in waiting
46 Cessna 140 |
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epaddler
Samba Member
Joined: July 18, 2010
Posts: 222
Location: Slippery Rock
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| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:27 am Post subject: |
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Looks good. I just began pulling my old engine and have a 2000 2.5 Subie at my mechanic's getting freshened up -- new timing belt, head gaskets, etc., I went with the RMW kit and had the harness done by Tom Shiels in Ontario. I'm going to take it slow and I'm sure I will learn a ton. I chose the 2.5 because I thought it gave me plenty of power and the best opportunity for good fuel economy. I'll also be hooking up stock cruise and AC at some point in the future.
_________________
1989 Syncro Westy
My build thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=450246 |
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Brianfromutah
Samba Member
Joined: May 30, 2012
Posts: 150
Location: Utah, Heber City
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| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:09 am Post subject: Re: Project EJ25: Complete |
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| theDrew wrote: |
I spent probably six months planning and researching and I finally am about finished with my EJ25 conversion. It was about a solid month's worth of work. I pulled alot of late late nights working on it.
I still have some fine tuning to do here and there and to get the cruise control working, but its already made a trip to hood river and back and I'm pretty damn proud of it.
It's an 2005 Impreza EJ253 SOHC, used the Small Car setup with a few RMW bits here and there. Tom Sheils did the harness for me.
All in, I think it was somewhere north of $8500, but I literally replaced EVERYTHING in the cooling system. Every valve, core, hose, tee, everything, everything everything. I probably did things the hard way, but it all worked out in the end.
Initial thoughts? Wow. I can't stop smiling. I can cruise at 70-75 with ease, pass people, keep it cruising up a long hill, this thing has some pep. I step on the gas, it gives out a really nice exhaust tone and I've even gotten some thumbs up from random people I pass. Also got yelled at by a guy in the neighbor that I "needed to slow that thing down" -- words I never thought I would hear with my Westy.
I documented the whole thing with my GoPro, I hope to have it edited to share with you all. Feel free to ping me with questions, or you can come check it out in person if you want.
Its been quite a journey, but man what a result. Thanks for all your help TheSamba!
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what did you use for the air filter box? It looks like a custom deal... and did you swap the snorkel over to the driver's side? I have a very similar conversion but i am a little unhappy about how my air box sits...
_________________
'89 Westy Syncro w/ '09 Subaru 2.5 |
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theDrew
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2011
Posts: 1155
Location: Camas, WA
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| Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2012 11:13 am Post subject: |
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A/C -- I haven't bothered with that yet. I'll probably do the RedTek conversion a little later this year.
Cruise -- I got in the subie brake switch yesterday, but still no joy. Continuing to work on that. Its all fly by wire, so there's no actuator to install, its just getting the subie switches hooked up right.
Air Filter -- Thats the intake kit from RMW, but I had get that blue silicone 45 degree piece to make it work with the small car fly by wire pedal mount.
_________________
Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25 |
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theDrew
Samba Member
Joined: May 17, 2011
Posts: 1155
Location: Camas, WA
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| Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 6:10 am Post subject: |
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Cruise Success!!!
With the help of Tom, I got the wiring all figured out it works!
So Subie stalk, subie brake switch -- I'll take some pictures once I get the stalk mounted.
_________________
Turbo 2276 MS3X build http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=673125
1985 Vanagon Campmobile w/ 2005 EJ25 |
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ftp2leta
Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2004
Posts: 3271
Location: Montreal
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