How to put a turbo EJ 2.5 Liter engine into your 2.0 WRX
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- Flatirons Tuning Tech Tip - Putting a 2.5 Liter engine into your 2.0 WRX
Almost as soon as the EJ257 came out, people figured out that you could put that engine into a 2.0 WRX, and keep the 2.0 heads, and the Hybrid Swap was born. After a while, the question came up of whether you could just swap a full 2.5 liter EJ255 or EJ257 into a 2.0 WRX, and that is where things got complicated.
Long story short, AVCS really got in the way, and slowed down the progression of this swap. And now that there are a number of good solutions to correct the issues you can run into with a Hybrid Swap, putting in a full 2.5 liter engine doesn't get discussed much anymore.
However, there are some folks out there, us included, that have been working on this swap. A couple of years ago, we were able to get everything simplified to the point where we were not only able to get it to work, but we were able to make it pretty straight forward. We have helped some people do this since then, but we get a lot of questions about it, and there is still a lot of confusion surrounding our method, so we decided to put this video together as a reference.
So hopefully this helps to clear things up, and maybe we'll start to see more and more full 2.5 liter Bug-Eye's out there!
If you want to:
Put an STI 2.5 Liter Engine into your 2.0 WRX
Put an EJ257 or EJ255 Longblock into your 2.0 WRX
This video should help!
If you are looking for either the Cam Angle Sensor or Cam Sensor Plugs that we mention in the video, here are links to those on our web-site:
www.flatironst...
www.flatironst...
This is great. Forums never gives clear 100% answers. Thank you.
no problem! Glad we could help :-)
Thank you for explaining how avcs work and the differences in the 2 liter and the 2.5 liter engine
Very glad that the video was helpful. Stay Tuned!
Just picked up an 03 bug eye with heavy rod knock , now you just gave me an idea 💡 🙃 great info
Nice! Glad that you found the channel and that it was helpful.
Good luck with the project and Stay Tuned!
There goes my 2.0 down the road haha
I didn’t think it was possible but thank you for the breakdown saved me a lot of heart ache ! Liked and Subscribed !!
Glad that you found us and that we could be of help!
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
If you want to make big power, the early 2.0l heads will outflow 2.5l heads once ported. The early 2.0l heads don't have avcs but can be converted to avcs. The point he made about the spark plug hole cracking is correct, you need to watch out for this.
Thanks for watching Deon.
you guys just blew my mind.. i could not be happier i found this video. i wish you guys were in AZ
Thanks for the comment, and thanks for watching! Keep in mind that we ship world wide :-)
Awesome vid! I watch these over and over.
Thanks, and glad they are helpful!
Stay Tuned!
Excellent! Very informative, keep going!
Awesome Video. I blew my brothers motor on his 2002 Subaru WRX. This sounds like a great option, upgrade in performance and durability.
It is definitely a good option for you. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
This is Gold!!!
Thanks Luis! Be sure to pass it on :-)
I never knew shaggy was a car guy
Like zoinks
Very interesting
information. 👌
Thanks for watching. Stay Tuned!
I understand! ☮️
something to keep in mind, the 2.5 block is just a milled out 2 block so the 2 block in theory would last longer if you were to get the same power out of it as the 2.5
Thanks for the comment. The EJ20's do have thicker cylinder walls (Especially the thick wall EJ207), but because it is harder to get a good deal of power (say 350 whp and above), I wouldn't say that I would agree entirely with the assessment that the EJ20 would last longer than an EJ25, especially around 350 whp range and beyond.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning youre right, what i meant to say was be more reliable long term, such as the 2 block being less likely than the 2.5 to have ringland failure, especially at higher whps
thank you, very informative!
Thanks for watching! Stay Tuned!
Awesome video. I must have watched it 3 times and starting to grasp it. Thank you. Question tho. Are the cams and cam pulley able to be take from a non AVCs and swapped in instead of buying aftermarket?
Thanks for your question. Yes, you can re-use your cams and cam pulleys.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
awesome info
so i can do this 2.5 swap and use the i wire avcs wiring kit to hook up the avcs?
Thanks for your question. AVCS will only work if you have an ECU that supports it.
Because it is a lot simpler, we basically deleted AVCS when we did this swap. The car runs great, and has a solid power-band.
Hope that helps, and Stay Tuned!
Other than the non avcs cams and cam gears along with the cam sensor bracket. What else is needed? Will a 2002 Wrx intake manifold fit right on the 2.5l usdm sti long block? Please help! I am about to do this on my 2002 Wrx!
Thanks for your question. Yes, the WRX manifold will bolt right up and if you have a 2002 WRX, the other main thing you will need is the coolant crossover pipe.
Hope that helps, and good luck with the swap!
Do you need to swap the timing covers from the 2.0 to the 2.5?
@@user-wv7ge5re9g ended up going with a fully built 2.5
In the 2004 can i run the same ECU and wiring harness?
if i have a jdm 2.0 with avcs in my usdm bugeye and i am swaping long blocks to a 2.5 do i keep avcs or still delete it ?
Thanks for your question. It depends on how you are driving the AVCS. If you are using the JDM ECU, then you may have to move to a USDM ECU so you can tune for the extra displacement. In that case, you would have to either swap to an STI ECU (which would require a harness merge), or go back to the EJ20 ECU which would mean deleting the AVCS.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Awesome video. Question though: When using the non-avcs cams in the ej25 heads what valve buckets do you use? Also, does the non-avcs cams take away any performance from the ej25 over avcs? Also, if the single avcs was to be used, could one use a JDM ecu with proper wiring to function a ej25 single avcs system? Thanks! Great write up!
Thanks for your question Kevin. The buckets are the same between the EJ20 and EJ25 heads, so you just need the ones that give you the correct valve lash.
Yes, there are functionality differences between the non-AVCS and single AVCS cams, but it really comes down to what your ECU can run. There are ways to get single AVCS to work, but I would say from my experience that you would be best served keeping things simple and staying with non-AVCS cams to go with your standard ECU. That setup with a good tune should work really well.
I hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Kevin- I was thinking the same thing! I think it’s possible to run the AVCS on the 2.5 heads with a JDM ECU. Might be best to give Brian at iWire a call for that as he would probably know the answer.
I'm almost done with my 2.5 swap and very much appreciate the info you have shared in this video!
I'm stuck (and concerned) about where and how/where to connect the boost vacuum hose?
I have added a fuel pressure regulator and Cobb controller and I'm not real clear how to connect all of these together and where on my 2 litre intake so as not to destroy my engine on startup. Any help or guidance is appreciated!
Thanks for your question. The vacuum for the boost control solenoid just connects to the turbo inlet. I'd say keep it simple, and try to keep the plumbing as close to stock as possible.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
So i have a 2004 wrx 2.0l i just picked up a block and heads and i know the cam position sensor on the ej257 has a 3 wire connection vs a wire connection on the ej20 how would that work
About to do this myself,
Just confirming wiring -
So i use the ej205 engine loom on the ej255? Is there any other sensors that need to be changed like the cam position sensor?
Thanks for the question. We discuss that in the video, but the short answer is that you will keep your Non-AVCS cam sensor.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning Thanks guys.
Excited to get stuck into this swap.
Can it be done on an automatic or just a manual?
Thanks for your question. Yes, you can do this in an Automatic WRX just as you would a Manual transmission car.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Thank you for your videos! Just finished my RA 5 speed build on my bugeye. So I can use 2.0 L wiring harness and ECU, just with non-AVCS cams and plug the sensor holes, but to get it to fit the 2.0L 5 speed do I need the 2.5 L flywheel and clutch?
Thanks for your question. The short answer is no. The clutch and flywheel are determined by the bell-housing of the transmission, not the engine. So you would pick your clutch and flywheel based on that.
Congrats on the swap and Stay Tuned!
Great info i really appreciate the time and info you are giving about this swap. I have W25 heads what would I need to do to delete AVCS so i can run the 2.0 ecu?
Thanks for your question. Basically, the same as the single AVCS heads. You need to leave the solenoids and lines in place, and run non-AVCS cams.
Thanks for watching, and good luck with your swap!
I'm in the process of buying stage 2 b25 head with plugged bc 272 cam for my 2002 wrx 2.5 swap. What cam gears do I run to not have to mess with messing up timing and center line.
Thanks for your question. We talk about this in the video. If you run Non-AVCS cams and Non-AVCS cam gears, you won't have any issues with the cam center-line. If you are running AVCS cams, then there will be an issue with the center line.
You can adjust for this with adjustable cam-gears.
I hope this helps and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning need a video on how to do that, forums has 100 answers for it .
are the 2.5 camshaft gear teeth the same ?? n are the crank gear teeth different also ??
from 2.5 to 2.0
As long as you are working with the EJ engine from 2002 on, they are the same.
Thanks for your question and Stay Tuned!
The video mentioned that the avcs cam gears would not receive oil pressure with the camshaft oil lines blocked, but did not say whether they would maintain oil pressure with the lines open. With the avcs system fully intact but just not wired up, would the avcs cam gears maintain pressure and be usable?
That is a good question. Years ago when this was first attempted by someone around here, that is what they tried. The issue was that the cam gears seemed to drift because there wasn't any control being applied through the solenoids, and it made tuning an issue. I have heard of other people trying to keep the AVCS pulleys and solenoids in place with no power going to the solenoids, but I don't have any first hand knowledge of how it worked.
The method that we go through here is well proven at this point for what it is worth, but if you think that there would be a benefit in trying to keep all of the AVCS hardware in place, it could be worth a try.
Hope that helps, and Stay Tuned!
Do you guys have any info on a 2010 WRX turbo non STI with an STI block build? I have cool rod knock on my NON STI WRX.
Thanks for your question. This is what we have done with our Pikes Peak car, so the short answer is that it can work very well.
www.flatironstuning.com/blog/a-detailed-look-at-the-build-of-our-2021-pikes-peak-race-car
I'd also recommend this video talking about the differences between the WRX and STI heads:
th-cam.com/video/h6FdnJRWa6o/w-d-xo.htmlsi=dPYWKH1EWDy9vJBb
Hope that helps and if you have more questions, open a Live Chat with us on the Flatirons Tuning site and we'll do our best to help out.
Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning thanks you guys are awesome!
Will the stock 02 WRX wiring harness work with this swap also?
Thanks for your question. Yes, you stick with your stock wiring harness. By not using AVCS, you can simply keep your 2.0 WRX wiring and ECU.
Thanks for watching, and Stay Tuned!
Swapping in a version 7 into the bugeye is the best way to go. And when he states the USDM ecu doesnt have the processing power to run AVCS, that is incorrect. Its not processing power, its the architecture itself. The ecu physically cannot do it. Theres literally no circuit to run it.
Can adjustable cam gears fix the timing problem using cam angle sensor while using plugged BC avcs cams?
Thanks for your question. Yes, if you have adjustable cam gears, you should have enough range to correct the intake cam center line issue.
I hope this helps, and Stay Tuned!
Great video, very informative, just looking for some clarification. If I put non avcs cams into an avcs head, what happens to the oil that was supposed to go into the avcs cam gear? Obviously it cant go into the cam and cam gear, so where does it go?
Thanks for your question. It also oils the front cam journal, that is why you need to keep the AVCS lines and solenoids in place even if you aren't running them.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
If I want to swap an ej257 into my 2005 wrx, all that is needed is to swap over the camshafts, cam gears, the bracket for the cam sensor as well as swap over the WRX manifold to retain the Drive by Cable, and then a tune? Is that all?
That sounds right. You are correct in that you would need to treat that swap basically as a 2.5 liter swap. Thanks for watching, and good luck with the swap!
Hi. I’ve got all the parts ready non avcs cams and pulleys seals ect, can the cam just be swapped without removing the cylinder heads, thanks
Thanks for the question Tyler. Yes, you don't have to remove the cylinder heads to swap the cams out. Just make sure that you check your valve clearance, and you will most likely need to change out some of your buckets.
Good luck with your swap!
Do i need to swap timing covers as well or use the 2.5 timing covers?
Thanks for your question. Since you would use the Non-AVCS pullens in this case, you would keep the Non-AVCS timing covers.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning Thank you
Hi there- awesome info for what i'm trying to accomplish with my 2005 saaburu. Now, could I swap an AVCS compatible (2006+) ECU into my '05 along with a full 2.5 longblock? Or, do I need to follow the steps you have shown here with original ECU? Thanks!
Thanks for your question. You could use the AVCS ECU to run the AVCS, but keep in mind that will also require the full wiring harness to go along with it.
It is a lot of work, so in most cases, just staying clear of AVCS for a non-AVCS car is more ideal.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Do you have to have a tune to run the 2.5l with the 2.0l ecu
Thanks for your question Josh. Because you are increasing the displacement, yes, you do need to tune the car to run properly.
Thanks for watching!
Example: I'm geting sti 2.5 avcs heads with upgraded springs , retainers ,etc. In order to run setup on 2002 wrx non avcs I would just have to buy cams that are meant for ej20 and swap them to the 2.5 heads to avoid whole cam center line issue and liability of blocking journals? And purchasing bracket would still be a must right?
Thanks for your question. Yes, you would ideally want non-AVCS cams, and you will need the cam angle bracket to be able to run your single cam position sensor on your non-AVCS engine.
Good luck with your build and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning thanks for reply . Im having FI-Performance build me some i guess. They had a stage 2 head with avcs cam and said they could seal journals but after seeing this video I think its best option to just go non avcs stage 2 cam
GREAT INFO!!! Would this process work with a Single AVCS JDM EJ20 Forester engine going into a 02 WRX?
Thanks for your question. This process is largely the same to run any single AVCS engine, Non-AVCS and in an Non-AVCS car. So yes, this approach should work for that application.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Hey quick question, I was wondering if I got a ej257 long block and swapped it into my 2002 wrx could I use the single avcs ecu if I used the the i-wire avcs wiring kit?
The short answer is yes, but you have to have an ECU that will support/run single AVCS as well.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
so i can use my 2.0l ecu and wire harness and be ok running this 2.5l sti engine?
Thanks for your question. Yes, you can tune your EJ20 ECU to run the larger engine. The only thing that you can't get it to do is to run AVCS.
Thanks for watching!
Ok I would like to have some clarification. I have a 02 wrx iv been redoing the past 2yrs I went with an ej257 swap. I read about the cams . So at the time I purchased bc0601 what are ej205 cams. On line they say it will not work. But I believe you are saying it can ... what do I need to do on the timming side. I believe it would be a straight bolt on using all ej205 cam gears and seals. I would just time it normal right?
Thanks for your question. Putting Non-AVCS cams into a car that originally came with AVCS would certainly cause some issues and take some work. I believe that is why they say they are not correct for those heads.
But yes, as long as you are not planning to run AVCS as we describe in this video, then they will work just fine. As long as you use the Non-AVCS cams and Non-AVCS cam gears the car will time correctly.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Is this a full engine swap? Like if I were to buy a sti engine and trans I could just swap it?
Yes, you could certainly do that. As discussed in the videos, there are some advantages in putting in Non-AVCS cams, but yes, you can put both the engine and transmission into a WRX.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Can I use wrx cams on sti heads? I'm doing a long block swap into my wrx and already bought the 272 cams for wrx
Thanks for your question. I'd recommend going back through the video as this is discussed in detail there. But the short answer is yes, you want to use Non-AVCS cams regardless of the heads you are using.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
I have a 06 wrx i just gutted the bulk head harness to do a manual swap due to it being an auto. I can get the bulkhead harness dash immobilizer guage cluster and ecu cheap. What else would i need beside the engine and driveline. Does the pedal assembly need to be sti or can i use wrx. Can i istall the harness and plug and play the rest?
Thanks for your question. We haven't done that first hand, so I can't tell you for certain that everything will be plug and play. But if you are using a complete bulkhead harness and the ECU that goes with it, that should work.
Good luck with the conversion, and Stay Tuned!
I just toasted a bearing on my stock Ej205 in my Saabaru……. i have access to a stock Ej257 shortblock with low miles..... i want to buy the 257 casting heads from you guys and switch all the valvetrain parts over like in this video, my question is to properly run the motor will i need to get a new basemap for the increase in displacement? i am trying to get my car together ASAP because it is my daily.
Thank you for your question. Yes, you would need to re-tune for the additional displacement if you do this conversion. Though keeping your Non-AVCS cams will make this much easier.
I'd recommend contacting the tuner that you want to work with, and they should be able to get you a map for your initial start-up and break-in miles so you can drive it to them for the tune.
I hope that helps, and thanks for watching!
What if you have the ecu and harness to the ej257, can you run avcs that way?
Sure. If you do a harness merge and use the EJ257 ECU then you would have the full function of the engine.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
I see on your website you offer heads for different model years. What is the difference between years and would it matter for a 2.5 long block swap?
Thanks for your question Titus. There are some key differences between heads, and we actually have another video about exactly that. Long story short, you just want to make sure that your heads match the block that you are pairing them with.
This video will go into much greater detail about the differences:
th-cam.com/video/h6FdnJRWa6o/w-d-xo.html
Good luck with your build, and please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.
Assuming you weld the oil ports shut, so there's no chance of leaking, is there any other disadvantage to running the STI cams, other than loosing a little mid-low end torque, but gaining top end power? Couldn't this be compensated by porting the exhaust? You also gain low end power by doing the 2.5 block, as opposed to the 2.0. I only ask because I'm currently doing this swap and already have the STI cams, which came with the heads. Thanks!
Thanks for your question. As discussed in the video, the phasing of the AVCS cams with non-AVCS cam gears is not ideal. You will actually lose a significant amount of low-end performance with that configuration. It largely negates the gains of the extra displacement of the engine over the 2.0 liter.
But yes, there are some gains over 4,500 - 5,000 rpm.
If you wanted to correct for this, or if you get the engine running, and the loss of low-end torque is more than you wanted, you would could install adjustable cam gears and then index the intake cams so that they are oriented the same as the non-AVCS cams.
Hope that helps, and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning Thanks for the reply! Yeah, the forums have tended to recommend doing using the STI cams. Just out of curiosity, have you guys done dyno comparisons?
@@Rynowhite14 We have always used the non-AVCS cams. I have seen some dyno sheets using plugged AVCS cams, but I don't have any on file. They are much laggier in the low and mid rpm range.
What if i just put a 2.5 longblock in a 2.0
Hi. I want to put a ej207 into my 06 wrx that has an ej255. I understand that wiring for the different AVCS cams on the 207 is needed. How would I go about it or can you direct me somewhere where I can find out? Great videos.
Thanks for your question Jordan. If you want to stick with the JDM cams, then you will have to run the JDM ECU. If you want your AVCS to work, you will have to swap the JDM cams out for USDM ones so that the USDM computer will recognize the pickups. We actually put together a video on this subject as well. Here is a link to that:
th-cam.com/video/3ZwcQRsUI2M/w-d-xo.html
Hope that helps, and thanks for watching!
Hey if you still have the ej255 can i buy it off you
when putting the non avcs cam in the 2.5 head would i need to replace the exhaust cam with the 2.0 cam as well or can i just swap the intake cam?
Thanks for the question. Because they have different lift, I wouldn't recommend mixing the AVCS and Non-AVCS cams. Ideally you would want to run a full set of matching cams.
Hope that helps, and Stay Tuned.
So because I have an 04 jdm with avcs I can just drop the 2.5l in no modifications and my jdm ecu will run the avcs just fine?
Thanks for your question. The short answer is no, not exactly.
We actually have another video on just this subject. here is a link to that:
th-cam.com/video/3ZwcQRsUI2M/w-d-xo.html
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Subbed
Awesome! Thanks for the sub!
does cylinder heads from a 2002-2004 wrx fit an ej257 with 2.5 combustion chamber matching? and will this consider a hybrid swap?
Thanks for your question. You are correct. Putting 2.0 liter heads on a 2.5 liter block is called a Hybrid swap and there are some specific things that you want to account for when doing that. We actually put together another video all about that, and here is that link:
th-cam.com/video/M8PbLaUMPdM/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching and hope that helps!
OMG thats exactly what happened to my 04 WRX! I want to do a hybrid like you did. I apologize in advance but is there anyway you could make a list of what I’ll need besides the 2.5? Or do you have a vid with the specs I’ll need for the hybrid? I’m new to the car scene so I barely understand all the car lingo.
Thanks for your question. If you go back through this video, we do detail all of the parts that you need to do this swap. But if you still have questions, reach out to us through our live chat on www.flatironstuning.com and we can help you out.
We stock all of the parts that you might need.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Thanks I just emailed you guys
I have a Yellow 03’ WRX and Live in California. I think my head gasket are do for a replacement(80,000 miles). A subie shop has quoted me 3k for the HG labor. Can I install an EJ 257 and still pass Ca. Smog? Will I need to replace anything else?
When you say you must keep the avcs lines and solenoids do you mean just keep them in place? Or do you have to wire up the solenoids?
Thanks for your question James. Yes, you just need to have them in place. You don't need to wire them, you just need to maintain that path for the oil.
Thanks for the comment, and Stay Tuned!
If I have a pair of 2005 STi B25 heads, would it be beneficial to only swap the intake cams to non AVCS and keep the STI exhaust cams because they are already non AVCS but have the higher lift?
Thanks for your question Jacob. That is an interesting question. I'm not aware of anyone doing that, so I'm not sure what the benefits or risks of it would be exactly.
I don't think that I have ever seen a set of cams with different lift between the intake and exhaust. My best guess for this is that you would have more resistance from the higher lift cam, and that might create some vibration, or inconsistencies of the spinning of the timing belt.
My feeling would be that you would not want to try this unless you can find some successful results using different lift on cams, as it might cause more unforeseen problems.
Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
Thank you for the response! One last question you didn't touch upon in the video, what coil packs are you guys running? I have an 02 WRX and the dwell time/ boot length is different for that motor compared to any EJ25. did you guys swap just the coil pack boots to keep the same dwell time for that ECU or did you get a new set of EJ25 coil packs?
Thanks again! Your videos are life savers!
Thanks for your question. I just moved the Ej20 coils over and they have been working just fine.
Thanks for watching!
I want to just drop a complete 2018 drivetrain from a wrecked sti into my 2 door gc8.... uggh no info... wonder if i can use the tranfer case and rear end with the new 6 speed... probably gonna need a custom driveshaft? Idk idk who to ask lol might just have to start tearing it apart... might have gotten in over my head lol
Thanks for your question. I would first recommend taking a look at the videos that we did on putting an STI 6-speed into a GD. That is basically the same process for putting the drivetrain in a GC. Here are links to them:
th-cam.com/video/uf4tcG5GqDU/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/nUJ7E2Bh5g0/w-d-xo.html
That should get you a solid start on your swap.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning awesome! thanks for the reply
are those the only things you need to change? is a ej257 comparable with the ej205 and will the ej257 bolt on to the transmission?
Thanks for your question. Yes, the bell housing for the EJ series engine are all the same so you can bolt an STI engine to a 5-speed transmission, or a 6-speed to a WRX EJ205, etc.
Hope that helps and thanks for watching!
Hey Flatirons, I was planning on putting a 205 into a gc but have much better access to a 255 now. Should I just merge my harnesses to fit a 205, and then do what you did in the video to put in the 255? Or is it possible to merge my harness with that of a 2006+wrx?
Thanks for your question. Basically, you can merge your harness with whatever Turbo harness you have. The newer the car it is though, it just gets a little more complicated.
But it can be done.
So you could go either way really. A big factor if you wanted to go with the EJ255 is whether or not you have the key and immobilizer unit for that ECU. You need those to get that to work.
If you don't, and/or if you just have the EJ205 harness, it may be easiest to go with the EJ25 engine in the method described in this video.
iWire will be a huge help here too. I'd recommend contacting them to go over options.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning Thank you! I have contacted iWire as well but I forgot about the immobilization. May be easier to use the 205 considering the 255 is ten years newer haha…
@@DavidS-iq4oo Nice! Best of luck with the swap!
does most of the information carry over to JDM engines? Or are they a whole other assortment of problems? great video!! subbed
Thank you for your question! Do you mean putting a 2.5 liter engine into a JDM Subaru? Or putting a JDM Engine into a USDM Subaru?
FlatironsTuning buying a used JDM engine and applying the same theory to those engines and installing into a usdm wrx
Long story short, no. That is actually a very different proposition. There are a lot of other things going on with a JDM engine swap (once you go to AVCS) that make it not nearly as simple as it would seem. So unless you have a 2.0 WRX, and are looking to put in a non-avcs engine, it gets pretty complicated.
This is one of the video topics that we have our list to make here in the future :-)
Thanks for the great information!
Hello, I have a Forester xt and a Forester X. Can I swap short blocks between the two engines ? Ive heard the ej255 with the SOHC heads will make good engine torque. But can I still make a decent running engine from the ej253 with the DOHC heads? I ask so I don't have to deal with the harness and ECU headache. Also the turbo is getting swapped as well.Thank you.
Public comments ,please don't say but why... I have my reasons. Thanks again.
Thanks for your question. The turbo block will bolt up to non-turbo heads. But I believe that the turbo pistons have a deeper dish. I would recommend taking a look at what your final compression ratio would be and go from there.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
can i put a jdm duel avcs ej20 in place of a usdm single avcs ej25?
Thanks for your question. Yes, you could do that, and the process would be basically the same.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Can this work on a 2006 wrx if I grabbed the ecu and wiring harness with the motor?
Thanks for your question Mitchell. If you have a 2006 WRX here in the US, then you actually all ready have a 2.5 liter engine! If you have a JDM/EDM WRX, and have the 2.0 liter engine still, it should be a single AVCS engine. There would be more involved there, but the long and the short of it is that you can run AVCS on a 2.5 liter engine if your ECU supports it.
But there is a fair amount involved in terms of getting the electronics to work if you are looking at the USDM engines.
I'd recommend looking at this video, but keep in mind that what you are looking to do would basically be the reverse of the direction that we are explaining.
th-cam.com/video/3ZwcQRsUI2M/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching!
What are the advantages of using an single avcs, dual avcs vs non avcs?
Thanks for your question. The main advantage is if you aren't using an ECU that supports single or dual AVCS, getting it to run correctly is very difficult.
It is far easier to build the engine to the configuration of the ECU that you have, compared to finding an ECU that will run AVCS.
There are some gains from the variable cam phasing, but from what we have seen, not enough to justify the effort needed to get it to work on a car that didn't have it to begin with.
Hope that helps, and Stay Tuned!
I have a 2004 WRX. will the information in this video relate to my vehicle being a different model?
Thanks for your question. Yes, all of this information applies equally to the USDM 2.0 liter WRX's, so the 2002 - 2005 WRX.
Hope that helps, and Stay Tuned!
Sell your wrx and buy an sti. The money you're gonna spend swapping everything is gonna cost you WAY more than just saving up, selling the wrx and buying an Sti that comes with all of it stock
can V8 avcs head swap into v5 ej205?
i have a question: if i am taking the 2.5 avcs cam-pulleys and swapping them with a 2.0 non-avcs cam-pully. what model/year timing belt do i choose? not sure sure if im over-thinking this or if this is a valid question.
Thanks for your question. There is actually a simple answer. The timing belt is the same between the 2.0 turbos and the 2.5 turbos, so you can use whichever timing belt you chose. We like the Gates, or the OEM belts. If you want to get really fancy, the STI (Brand that is) timing belt is the best that you can get, but it is also about triple the cost of the Gates.
Hope that helps, and please let us know if you have any other questions.
Do I need 1 or 2 Cam Angle Sensor Brackets?
Just one. And make sure that you plug the two cam position sensor holes in the back of the heads. It works to leave the OEM sensors in, or IAG makes the plugs as well.
What if I want to put it into a gc8 wrx?
Thanks for your question. If you want to put a turbo engine into a GC chassis, you will need to merger your wiring harness with one from a turbo Subaru so you can use the turbo ECU.
iWire specializes in this, and I'd recommend reaching out to them with any wiring questions you might have.
That is the hardest part for sure. Once the wiring is sorted out, the install of everything else is basically the same as on the newer GD chassis.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning Thanks a lot!
@@FlatironsTuning In the process of doing this swap had some questions love your channel super helpful and website is my go to for parts. Have a gc8 with a wrx swap ej205 putting in a ej257 sti. My questions are about the heads. I am going to go aftermarket bc cams 272 or 280 stock valves bc springs and retainer’s. Is it worth to go with the bc billet keepers or stick with oem?
So I was just wondering, is this specific to ej257 or is this for all ej25 motors? I want to throw an ej255 long block in my 2002 wrx. How different is the ej255 from the ej257 in reality?
Thanks for your question. From a fitment stand point, there is really no difference as long as both are single AVCS, so all of this would apply.
The engine in this case for instance is using D25 heads, and an EJ255 block actually.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning Thank you for your swift response. That gives me some insight on my build goals. I'll reference this often.
What years of 2.5 head will work with the 03 wrx?
Thanks for your question. You can use pretty much any of the Turbo 2.5 Liter heads. I would recommend staying away from the Dual-AVCS heads because of the added complexity, but it could be done.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
hello,
isnt there a compressor delete i need to do on the d25 heads ? im not sure if its called compressor or something , its a black fan looking thing in the front driver side of car ?
thanks
Hello Marlon, and thanks for your question! If you are using the D25 heads in your non-AVCS, you will have to plug the secondary air injection ports on each head, which are connected to the fan/pump that you are describing.
There are actually a number of companies that make plates to block those ports off, and we stock a couple of options actually.
Good luck with your build, and thanks for watching!
What about the electronic throttle cable, I know the wrx is manual
Thanks for your question Matthew. You just keep the drive-by-cable WRX manifold and throttle-body.
I was in the same boat. Didnt know the ej20 intake manifold bolted up to the ej25 block
Aftermarket headers bolt to both as well, externally engines are the same, the difference is bore diameter of the cylinders. I just took the headers from a buddie's totalled 2008 2.5 liter, and bolted then right up in my 2005 with a JDM 2.0.
The 2.5 camshaft fit in 2.00 with pulley
Or I can put the head 2.5 into 2.0
Yes, that is correct. I'd recommend going back through the video for more specific details on how this works.
Thanks for watching, and Stay Tuned!
Can you drop the 2 liter cams and pulleys in the sti head? Or do I need to buy aftermarket non avcs cams and pulleys?
Thanks for your question Gavin. Yes, you can use your OEM cams and pulleys. In fact, the only difference between the 2.0 cams and AVCS cams is 1mm of lift and the phasing. The duration is the same.
Thanks for watching and good luck with your build!
Since you must run the AVCS solenoid, is it okay if you install solenoids that are low cost or ones that are potentially bad solenoids? If the solenoids are not actively doing anything, does it matter if they operate properly or not?
Thanks for your question. You are correct that the solenoids will not be getting any voltage, so they would not ever need to function. I'd say that if you don't want to use new ones, known good used ones would work just fine as well.
I hesitate to say that a defective solenoid could be used. Keep in mind that oil does still need to pass through the solenoid, and on the off chance that the solenoid failed due to metal contamination, you would not want to put that on a new engine ever.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning that is very helpful and will save a good bit of money buying off brand vs OEM new. Thank you for the reply. You all have been super helpful in the build!
@@itsrandall119 Glad we could help! If you have any more questions, or need any parts, etc., feel to reach out to us through "Live Chat" on our site, we are always there to answer questions too.
Good luck with your build!
I read about AVCS Wiring kits that act as an Add-On harness to the stock Bulkhead Harness in the 02-05 WRX. Wouldn't that be a simpler option, so you can keep the 2.5 heads unaltered? Found the product in this link: www.iaperformance.com/product_info.php?products_id=2580
Thanks for the question. What that is designed for is running the JDM ECU that is similar to the USDM 2.0 WRX, but has AVCS, or a slightly newer JDM ECU. There are two big things to keep in mind. The first is that the JDM ECU would be required, and that means running JDM cams as the pick-up signals are different for them. And the second is that if you do run the JDM ECU, tuning options are significantly more limited, so if you are going to do anything that would require a tune, you have to sort that out first.
Really, if you wanted to keep AVCS, then the best way to do it would be to get a USDM 2.5 liter ECU and harness, and have them merged ( i-Wire would be the people to talk to about this). At that point, you would then have a fully functional 2.5 liter engine with AVCS in your car. But that is a lot of extra work (pulling out the bulk-head harness and replacing it after the merge) and expense. However, that would be the best way to keep the AVCS going.
I hope that helps, and feel free to give us a call if you want to talk about any more specific details!
Hello Tyler. The simple answer is no for a USDM EJ257. You have to use a JDM ECU as you are doing, and JDM AVCS cams. For more information, we actually have another video that goes into more detail on the reasons for this here:
th-cam.com/video/3ZwcQRsUI2M/w-d-xo.html
What about running w25 heads? Is there anything special about the exhaust AVCS?
For this kind of swap, the W25 heads will be a bit more difficult. The combustion chamber geometry is basically the same as the B25 heads. However, the oil passages on the Exhaust AVCS need to be present just as the intake AVCS do. Long story short, it would be easier if you didn't have to deal with that.
I hope that helps!
Would be nice how to make the ej20x work with the exhaust Avcs
Thanks for your question. Unfortunately, the only way that you could do that would be to use the JDM ECU, which would require a fair amount of wiring, and would also be very limiting in terms of tuning.
It is much easier not to use AVCS, and then you have tons of options for tuning.
So how would you delete the Exhaust avcs, same as how you do the intake?
We haven't done that one first hand, but yes, the principal would be the same. Keep the lines and solenoids in place, and use a non-avcs cam and non-avcs pulley.
If I run a standalone ecu will I also not be able to run the AVCS?
Thanks for your question! Not necessarily. There are a number of standalone's now that will support AVCS. If you want to run AVCS with a standalone, I'd recommend contacting a couple of different manufacturers to see if support Subaru AVCS, and make your choice based on that.
Can you just run a 2005-2007 ecu? So you have avcs?
You could, but you would also need to do a harness merge because there are other connectors/wires that you would need to add for the STI ECU to work properly.
Hope that helps, and Stay Tuned!
FlatironsTuning is there a schematic available for this merger?
@@willadams8558 Not that I am aware of I'm afraid.
Picked up a 2002 wrx 2.0i, and i already have a 2002 inpreza outback, will that 2.5l be a direct swap? cant really find any info regarding the matter being as No one wants to downgrade to a NA
Thanks for the question. The short answer is no. Bolting everything up wouldn't be too hard, but the trouble would be getting the 2.5 NA to work with the turbo computer. It may well be possible, but we don't have any first hand experience. So in short, it would physically be easy, but electronically hard.
It may actually be easier to move your outback harness over as well, so everything was NA from the ECU to the engine...
Could u just do a back done of the parts you will need
Hi i wonna swap the full engine put 2.5 wrx to my 2.0 wrx is it gonna be straight swap???
You need to swap over the 2.0 camshafts, cam gears, intake manifold and to keep the drive by Cable and purchase a bracket for the camshaft position sensor to install on to the 2.5 cylinder head. And then a tune.
@@antoniopineda1556 i mean i wanna take the 2.0 engine out and put 2.5 in the full engine swap? Is that just straight swap?
@@konradmakaveli630 Everything will bolt right up as far as dropping the 2.5 into the car. But in order to make it run properly you have to do a couple of part swapping from the 2.0 to the 2.5 engine.
@@antoniopineda1556 ok thnkyou
@@antoniopineda1556 i have a little problem can i swap the hol wires from the old engine to the new one as my throttle is different???
Would I just have to adjust one cam if I was using plugged bc avcs cams to get the timming right?
Thanks for your question. If you want to correct the center line of the AVCS cams with adjustable cam gears, you would have to adjust both of the intake cams to get them to work properly.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!