Engine Install


Engine is now back in and mounted. The good news is that the axles are going to work fine. We put up the 944 CV joint and it seems to work fine with 3" of offset and about 12 degrees of angle. This means the trunk won't have to be cut up or the manifold flipped. The starter and clutch slave all clear the trunk.





Dozer is ready for the engine and that new cat of ours. We used a transmission lift for the engine and two hydraulic lifts to jack up the car. Bye the way, Dozer recently fathered 13 boxer pups!








Here it is in the car. It's really a pretty small engine. Lot's of room in there for it.

Header and Exhaust


I got this header in the mail. It's a nice looking piece of pipe, but doesn't fit under my engine mount. It hits at the upper line.



So the plan is to make a couple cuts on the lines, and flip the left and right sides. The upper left arrow is where we would cut the flange in order to flip it and point the pipes to the back of the car.

If we weld it all carefully, it should still function as a header. Does this sound like a good strategy?

I was not able to find a lot on what people have done with their headers, so if you have any pictures, that would be great!

Shifter Linkage Bracket

The shifter linkage has been weighing on my mind for some time. I finally got around to welding it all together. There's a funny story about some of the pieces here. I am a forester and come across some very beautiful sights in the woods. Sometimes I find useful things. The other day I found a lawnmower handle that has just the right bend in it for this application. So, I scrounged it on home and you see it here with the square hole.

I used a couple great established threads here with lots of pictures to size these pieces up. I felt like this was an easy enough design that I could make myself. Ian's design is a lot more compact, but this one is a little simpler to design.

It is for the MR2 shifter:




The finished piece.



End Cap. My hole was too big and I had to weld it again. Needs to be the same diameter as the cable threading.



1. This piece needs to be more perpendicular. Rewelded it. Now the cable takes a straight path to where it needs to be.

2. Hole center moved down a bit to line up cables straighter.

3. Hole made smaller to cable diameter threading. (Less play in the shifting).

DBCooper seems to be the first to design this linkage bracket. The measurements are very helpful.

Zaney Post Number 85

Strawman Linkage Post 92

The current look



The ride height looks about right with the engine in.

It was a beautiful day in Oregon yesterday. There's nothing like rolling the car out into the fresh air and shiny weather for an afternoon.

That looks very tall to me

I don't think that pic has the drivetrain in it

My point I just towed another conversion and it was sitting just as high. Luckily, the perches can be lowered, and it should bring it down to a more decent hight.

It does. The last picture is the ride height with the engine installed. There's probably a good 100 pounds of stuff to put back in the car: ie, axles, gas tank, lights, wiper moter (is heavy), seats, people, dash, glass, etc. The ride height does look a little high though. I imagine once it goes bumping along the road that it will settle a little. It's the original suspension and I'm not sure but the car probably has 100k miles on it. It's not my main concern though now. I've got wiring, cooling systems, break systems, hydraulic clutch shifter, and on and on, seemingly endless work before this car is done and yet, most of the work is behind me. Just doesn't seem like it.

You need to adjust the spring height on the rear and the torsion bars on the front.

[/quote]
You need to adjust the spring height on the rear and the torsion bars on the front.
[/quote]

Thanks for the advice. I did not know they were adjustable.

This whole thread is a fantastic read. Car's looking great, bet you can't wait to drive it!

Depends on your shocks some adjustable perches IE. Bilstiens. Some no so much.IE KYB, if they are KYB, scrape up the funds to buy anything else you can find.

also great work the linkage

Holy cow yes you need to bring that sucker down quite a bit. I thought for sure that was without the drivetrain. Unless of course you were going for that rally car build . Looking good besides that bud. Bummer your going to have it drivable just in time for winter . Still your going to have it drivable . Seriously cool

also great work the linkage
[/quote]

I put the linkage together last night and still need some adjustments. The cable that goes at a 90 degree angle from the back needs to be much longer than the cable that adjusts up and down and faces straight to the front. I currently have two 90 inch cables. One of them will have to be replaced with a 102 to 112 inch cable. Also, they don't come with all the nuts they need.

Anyone have ideas on the header? Does it look like I've got a good plan-> ie cut, move and reweld?

We've been slowly working away at the wiring, radiator lines and clutch plate. The radiator hose was plumbed with 1" line under the car with rubber hose and galvanized pipe for armor against rocks and other stuff bouncing around. Since the hose at the radiator an engine is different sized, I had to use some copper pipe fitting from the hardware store to make it all work.

Scott is under the hood with the wiring now. I made a dash board out of brushed aluminum that matches the gauge cluster. I worked out a bracket for the master brake cylinder and the clutch master. The axles are done.

Now I have a bunch of questions for you guys:

What size hydraulic clutch lines work with the Suby? I found some 3/8 inch (4.8mm) at the parts store which actually thread into the Suby Clutch master, but not tightly. Looks like they need to by metric fittings 5mm?

Battery threads? Looking at all the batteries people use with the 914 between Optima and Odyssey, which is best? I am leaning toward a smaller lead acid battery, because I won't be driving this car in the rain. The Odyssey batteries people are using, the 680 and 925 don't seem to have enough juice. I think I need about 500 CCA but the battery sites recommend a 650 CCA battery for the 2.5 engine.

What are you guys using for an accelerator cable that goes from the 914 pedal to the Suby engine?

On the fuel lines, I've got the stainless 8mm hard lines in the tunnel. What do you recommend for the rest?

Anyone have a good mirror recommendation- something small for the top of the A pillar? Does that seem crazy?

This thing is coming together fast and I am just trying to button up all of the systems. Thanks for your replies, Chris...

Replied to your PM on the clutch lines Chris. Many/most of us have been using -3AN. Fits in the clutch tube. Sent the part #s for the parts that you definitely need. You might want to consider the Honda Civic clutch. Really a nice fit for the Subaru setup. whether you go that way or not we can help you with the Subaru end. DO NOT use something that sort of fits. We'll find the right thread size.

The only difference on the accelerator cable is the engine end. You just need a cable stop that fits the car you are swapping to. I think Kent said the 914 stop worked fine. Otherwise you can look it up online and buy the Subaru cable stop or just go to a flaps and buy an assortment. If you need a longer cable call terry cable and they will make you a custom length cable. If you flipped the intake yours is probably fine.

From Chris H.

What you want for the pressurized lines is -3AN. Best bet is to buy it from Summit Racing. I'll pass on a recommendation I heard to only buy Aeroquip.

The hose I used is this:

AER-FCC0310

This fits INSIDE the clutch tube preventing flex for a good portion of the run. It's also a litttle long in case you forget to undo it when removing the engine/trans someday.

Banjo fitting for Subaru trans end:

AER-FBM3091

What master are you using? I would use the Civic. Let me know and I can give you some pointers on the other fittings.

Chris

I am using a battery out of a Miata Sealed, Gel Mat and small plenty of cranking amps. And not that expensive.

Though the idea of using a small array of laptop batteries running under the floor has caught my attention and building a 914 das 914, but then I am full of ideas and some of them are

Scott has one in his car, tucked in the lower gas tank area, seems to work fine for him. Never seen him have an issue firing up that beast. It is a 2.5L also with some extra I am not sure which battery he is using looks like an Odyssey to me.

Do you guys do the timing belt, and that goes with it, before the final install of these engines?

Yes

See post 23 on page 2. Engine work

Clutch

I decided to go with the Subaru clutch master cylinder. There has been a lot of discussion about clutch travel and which master cylinder to buy. Some guys are going with the civic master cylinder. Some advantages with the Civic are the remote fill reservoir since you can't fit the fill reservoir under the pedals and the firewall. I am still working on plumbing a remove reservoir to the approximate location of the brake fill reservoir. This will take some doing as there are no threads in the master clutch cylinder where the reservoir is mounted.

Having decided on a master cylinder, I built a bracket for under the pedals similar to those who have gone before.

The next mystery is a hose for the clutch line to take the fluid from the master to the slave. You've probably done this before: I went down to the local auto store and sifted through a bunch of brake lines that might fit. I bought 4.8 mm hard lines with 3/8ths ends. I tried them at the store and they seemed to fit... When I brought them home, I noticed they were not quite the right size...

Again, after a lot of time on the net I have learned a bit about hoses. What I should have bought at first was 10mm fittings with 3AN line. 10mm and 3/8 ends will thread together, but won't tightly seal and will probably strip the threads. I found a website for Pegasus Auto and had a line custom made.

So this is the winning formula for the Porscheru Clutch Line:

#3 Stainless Steel Braided PTFE Brake/Clutch Hose 10 feet long. (A little extra).
-3 Swaged Hose End. 10 mm Banjo Straight Steel. The 10 mm Banjo fits but is a bit thick. Notice that your Subaru Banjo is fairly narrow.
-3 Swaged Hose End. 3AN Female 90 Degree, Steel.
Male 10 x 1 mm Metric Concave Seat to 3AN Male, Steel. (The concave inside seat is very important). All for about $100.

Clocking is not necessary with the banjo on the far end and the length of line, plus the swivel on the 90. Clocking allows the fittings to be set so that when tightened the line points in a given direction.

Otherwise the closest thing I could find that is not custom would be a Honda Accord clutch line, but they are only 60" long.

Brakes

The plan is to keep the brakes stock. According to Shae, the brakes guru at PMB, stock brakes in good condition work very well. I am going to do a couple minor upgrades with improved brake pads and slotted front rotors. My front right caliper is stuck and possibly others, so the calipers will get rebuilt and the soft lines replaced. The master brake cylinder is being replaced with a 19mm cylinder.

That's the plan and so the adventure in brake repair begins.

Minimum Rotor Thickness 914/4:
Front rotors- new are 11mm or 0.433", Minimum 10mm or 0.394" for turning, and wear to 9.5mm or 0.374". Unfortunately, mine are 0.36" and need to be replaced.

Rear rotors- new 9.6mm or 0.374", after turning min. 8.9mm or 0.350, wear to 8.5mm or 0.335"

Links:

Relentless- Step-by-Step Tutorial for new brakes

Eric Shae Adjusting the Rear Calipers

Eric Shae Rear Caliper Rebuild How-to Thread

Videos:

Front Caliper Rebuild on Bus Part 1 and 2:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLXLKzhA5mY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXqVzsqIRJs



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm_DnizKOZM



So here's my work. Started with the front calipers. And, learned not to split them before removing the pistons. Lot's of great videos out there on how to do this. There are many creative ways to get the stuck pistons out.



My piston pusher contraption. Using a clutch master to push out the piston. Works pretty well, but put on your goggles and shower cap!



Piston is on the way out. The c-clams with some rubber protecting the bases are covering the holes that transfer fluid from each side of the caliper.

Accelerator Cable

The Subaru engine has two accelerator cables attached that are about two feet long. One is for the cruise control and the other for your foot. The conversion requires a 100" cable to run the length of the car. The closest recycled cable I could find was for a Honda Accord which is too short at 60" long. Most of the custom accelerator cables are not long enough. Finally I came across the Venhill Universal Throttle Cable Kit for $50 bucks. Sold. It's got multiple fasteners and the hard to find barrel end which fits on the Subaru side.



Subaru End



Venhill Universal Throttle Kit

Battery and Tray

After considering an Optima battery and an Odyssey, I decided on a plain old sealed lead battery. It's on the small side, so it's not too heavy and it's sealed. This battery is rated at 450/650 amps. The two deciding factors - weight and cost.

The tray was an adventure in design. There are many angles to overcome. Not sure it's worth trying to save money building your own versus the stock tray. I wanted something very sturdy though. It has several attachments points and will be strapped on the backside of the fender.

Fuel Pump and Fuel Level Sender


After a lot of research on the fuel pump, I went with the Walbro GSL392 like a couple other guys on the forum. At 140 psi and 255lph, It compares roughly to the Subaru fuel pump specs. The Subaru pump for my 2003 2.5 Impreza TS runs at 80-109 psi. Sometimes the pumps are rated in bars. The conversion is 1 bar =14.5 psi. Interestingly, the Subaru fuel injection system maintains a pressure of 43.5 psi and the return line is used for excess flow above the 43.5 psi.



The Subaru has two fuel lines, an intake and return. These lines are 5/16 or 7.9mm. My Porsche has stainless lines that I bought from Tangerine. They are bent to the left where they leave the tunnel to meet the fuel lines on the left side of the Subaru 2.5. I purchased 10' of 5/16 Barricade fuel injection line rated at 225 PSI which is about double the fuel pump pressure.

Cheesy drawing of what's going on.



There's three lines that come out of the left side of the engine, two of them are fuel and one is an evaporation line. The return line has a damper valve. The evap line has a light clamp on the fuel line whereas the fuel lines have solid fuel injection clamps. It's tough to find a drawing of these lines, but they are available. I found one at opposedforces.com.

I mounted the fuel pump as low as possible in the frunk with a 20 micron filter in front of it. It is gravity fed with a 3/8" hose inlet (9.5 mm) which matches the Porsche fuel line at the tank. On the outlet side of the fuel pump, I switch over to 5/16" (7.9mm) line.

The relay for the pump is 30 amps and the fuse for the pump is 20 amps. Go figure.

My VDO fuel gauge is rated at 10-184 ohms which was a bit of a problem since I bought that first and most of the aftermarket fuel senders are rated at 240-30 ohms, especially the fuel level senders in tube form. The porsche sender is rated at 0-70 and mine is broken. The solution was an $18 swing arm float that needed to be trimmed and shortened, but it worked...

Brakes Part II

Brakes are important. If you can't stop, it's an unsafe situation. Based on discussions on this forum, especially contributions from PMB, I thought it best to restore the stock brakes as well as possible and keep the four bolt pattern for now. I sent the rear brakes and the pressure valve to PMB to restore and did the fronts myself since they were not as complicated. Here's the great work done by the folks at PMB:



Parts:::



More Parts Pix:::



In order to get the rear hubs out and replace the bearings I used a pusher of my own construction with a large bolt and socket that was the same diameter as the hub. From this picture you can see my setup fairly well. There's another nut on the inside of the socket to keep it from sliding when you pound on the hammer. My hubs were tight, so I used a sledge hammer to coax them out. A long handled sledge is much safer if your car is on jack stands!!!



Here's a shot of the inside:



Here's a shot of the outside:



And, the hubs while they are out. Good time to do a five lug conversion, but I am going to wait on that for a while...



Front brakes installed. New disks and braided brake lines. My old ones were rotten.



Rear brakes and new disks all around.



Purdy hah!!

The Successful Startup

Last year, we started the engine and it ran for about 30 seconds and threw a bearing. It was apparently rebuilt improperly by the PO. So, I dropped the engine out and brought it to a Subaru specialist in Grants Pass and had it rebuilt. It now has new internals, rings, bearings, seals, Delta cams - torque grind. The block is out of a forester, with heads from the original Impreza TS.

Pull the engine again:



Back from the shop






Alternator back on:



Ready to join the engine to the transmission again.



Happily married back together with new starter:





Startup Videos:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM7ynOv9gSo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPOpW-Pmfso



What if feels like to have the car finally running:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5MYYolzmT0


There's still a little rain on the parade though. Anyone have advice for a subaru clutch not disengaging. I've got the Subaru master and slave cylinders. The throwout fork seems to be moving about an inch or so. I hope I don't have to tear this bugger apart again, but I'm not currently able to shift it into gear while the car is running, but I am able to shift it while its off.

First, congratulations. You won't regret the conversion. As I tell Suby conversionists; You'll love it and the purists will hate it. The pull clutch only moves about an inch so that's normal. @chi-town will know

I have always loved the Subaru boxer engine. It just sounds great. I am sure you will get the clutch sorted and then be able to enjoy driving that baby. Oh.....don't shoot me....but the Porsche/Subaru crest decals on the sail panels, though creative, do nothing to improve the look of the car. Maybe just one on the engine lid?

Terrific Job

Oscar

I am having the exact same problem on Grey Matter. The clutch pressure plate (PP) is a pull-type set up, which means the throw out bearing (TOB) pulls on the PP fingers to release the clutch, rather than pushing.

First thing to check is that all the air is out of the system. If you're sure that's been done, then one of two things is happening:
1) The TOB is not properly snapped into the PP. Remove the slave cylinder from the trans housing and push the clutch fork back as far as possible. This should snap the TOB into the locking ring on the PP and you're good to go. This is part of the normal Subi clutch install process, after the trans is mated to the motor. It's tight, but should be able to do this with everything still in the car.
2) There is interwebs wisdom that says some of the aftermarket clutch sets are not keeping the TOB locked in place. The PP is apparently defective. Trans has to come out.

I tried the clutch fork step on mine, but couldn't get it to engage. I'm going to try one more time before I drop the trans and check the PP & TOB.

The design is airbrushed. They look great in person.

You should see a bit more movement than 1".

The Subaru system is pain to bleed and doesn't care for vacuum or pressure bleeders much.

One of the big things to check for is that the clutch master is completely unloaded when the pedal is up (did you remove the 914 clutch spring?)

Spent an hour or so getting mine to finally work. Here’s what I did:
1) Removed slave cylinder and jammed on the clutch fork trying to get it to engage the TOB into the PP. Seemed tighter after I did that.
2) using a ratchet strap, pulled in the clutch fork to test whether the TOB had engaged in the PP. yes!! The clutch released and I could roll it while in gear.
3) With the strap still connected, reinstalled the slave and pressure bled the system. No air came out, but now the slave push rod was fully extended and pushing against the fork (being held by the strap).
4) released the strap... still not enough movement to fully disengage the clutch.
5) Adjusted the push rod on the pedal into the master to make it as long as possible and that did the trick.

The pedal has a bit of play up high, and clutch now releases at the very bottom of the pedal stroke. If the push rod was a 1/2 inch longer it would be better. But it works and I didn’t have to take out the trans!

Hope that helps. Good luck,
Tom

Thanks for the advice. I used a ratchet strap myself and did not have any luck but I will try again. As far as extending the push rod. I have a friend with a C n C machine that would be able to extend it. I used some aluminum and made a makeshift extender myself. I will see how this goes and get back to you. Thanks. Cr.

What is the bore on the MC? How is the AN-3 line routed? Have any picos how your MC push rod ties into the clutch pedal? Lots of pics will help figure this out.
EDIT: I'm running the same trans and never had to use a strap to make it work. It should only take just a few minutes to bleed. My clutch pedal releases about 1/2 way down. I cut off the top portion of the clutch arm ( the part where the spring attaches-not needed) for clearance at the trunk floor.

Hurah, First ride is July 4th 2020

Update - Have resolved the clutch issue and have since driven home from the mechanics shop. Have been stuck on this for several months and busy with work, but now back to work to finish up.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMkpS7SimBg


https://youtu.be/CMkpS7SimBg

Looks and sounds great!

What an awesome thread. I was hoping you would start doing donuts in the grass haha

The Porsche crests on the sails look awful.

Everything else is super cool.

Okay, I said it.

Yeah, not a fan either.

To quote a Captain Hook line from the movie Hook; "Bad form" (gentlemen)! Remember what your parents taught you. If you can't say something nice.......