74 replies to this topic

[andrew_k]

For sure. Getting the manifold off my 99 EJ205 is way less stuff around than this multi-part setup.

Only upside of the TGVs is that the sensors are 0-5v signals, which I will hopefully rewire so that one is an AFR signal and one is an EGT probe off cylinder 3 (or is 4 the last in series, ie: most likely to be lean?). Means I can log those without any extra serial-to-usb hassles. I'm a programmer by trade and long time electronics hacker so can't help myself when it comes to tinkering!

[andrew_k]

fiiiiiinally got back to this. 

 

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seals and gaskets done - rear diff seals, rocker cover gaskets/half-moons/sparkplug gaskets, coolant cross over pipe, oil pan, oil dipstick tube, avcs and turbo oil filters removed.

Confirmed the rear diff is a suretrac when I had it open, a welcome upgrade from the forester's viscous rear.

 

Also stripped the forester engine bay and transmission -

 

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Still got steering and handbrake, so it's a 1000kg billy cart.

 

Will start ripping the interior out tonight hopefully.

[andrew_k]

wrx steering pump had split its oil seal, leaking hot pressurised ATF through the bearing and then everywhere else.

 

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I bought overspec'd "FEP encapsulated silicon" orings because steering pump overheating failures are  common in subies in my experience.

 

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Every o-ring, the bearing, and the oil seal replaced. Also have a simple little oil cooler I'll be using with the power steering system when it gets installed.

[andrew_k]

In an exciting step in the right direction, I've put something INTO a car instead of taking it out. 

 

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This is the GD heater core fitted to the SF. Requires thumping the shit out of the transmission tunnel. 

 

I did some test fittings on the dash I've got some alignment tabs on the GD dash that need cutting off, but in general I'm optimistic about it not being a total cubt to get the dash bar and dash in.

 

I'm going to cut off the GD mounting end of the dash bar and have a plate welded on to match up to the GC/SF dash bar mounting points.

 

Also need to drill out 6 spot welds on the GD steering column mount as it's incompatible with the SF mount. Will be taking off both and swapping over then have the GD mount welded into the SF.

[Adam]

Exciting

[Barbbachello]

Nice work! Engine and diff look brand new!

[Shaz]

Great work mate.

[andrew_k]

Cheers gents. My dwarf is at her grandparents all weekend, hoping to get some productive shed time!!

[Shaz]

Gunna high pressure and degrease the interior before you start putting stuff back together?

[andrew_k]

Nah not high pressure, but I'll clean it. The carpet has gone to the tip, the foz will be getting the wrx carpet which will get a high pressure blast first and new underlay sound deadening etc. The undercarpet stuff in the forester all crumbled once I pulled on it so it's gone too.

[Shaz]

Awesome man. Better to do it right the first time.

[andrew_k]

IS TIME FOR MAKING THE FITTINGS OF DASH YES!

 

So, some excellent 'murican went to great lengths to detail how he git a GD dash to fit his GC chassis without gaps - http://www.rs25.com/...ventures-4.html

 

That thread has been a huge help to me, but frankly I think he caused himself a shitload of fiddling and drama by prioritising fitting the right hand side dash bar mount to the GC dash bar bolts and then basing everything off that. 

 

Having both the GD and SF5 stripped to bare shells, I've had plenty of opportunity to compare the mountings, trans tunnels, dash bars etc and I became confident that the vast majority of the cutting and adjusting he did would not be required if I instead focused on correct fitment of the dash over the heater core, using ALL FOUR of the trans tunnel to dash bar mounting points (instead of cutting off the lower two). 

 

So last night I finally got the fuel tank out of the forester and all the random bottles and jerry cans of fuel out of the shed so I could start confidently cutting steel and throwing sparks.

 

Step 1: cut off the right side mounting plate from the GD dash bar, allowing the trans tunnel mounting points to dictate the bar's positioning. When everything is confirmed to look like OEM quality fitment, I'll weld the GC dash bar plate onto the GD bar, or make up a new one with some plate steel.

 

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Step 2: bolt in the bar loosely to the trans tunnel mounting points, and fit the dash above it.  (after cutting off these two GD-specific dash mounts and the long plastic dash alignment pin in the centre, none of which are usable in a GC or SF)

 

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Step 3: Inspect how much of a dash gap will need to be fine-tuned out...

 

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That gap is TINY compared to what I've seen other GD->GC/SF dash swaps start with. Combined with the fact the heater core is still sitting a few cm into the cabin as I haven't yet cut the firewall hole for the GD heatercore aircon lines, I'm damned satisfied with this as a starting point for gapless fitment. and ZERO fiddly hacking at dash bar etc. 

 

 

Next up is drilling out the 6 spot welds on the SF steering column mount (on the chassis) and replacing it with the same part from the GD. From what I've seen elsewhere, GC swappers tend not to bother with this and have to cut the steering column to make up for the different angle. I don't find that idea attractive in the slightest!

 

[Shaz]

Wow. Almost like it SHOULD have been there. 

 

Nice work mate, look forward to seeing how it all fits. 

[Barbbachello]

[motoboy76]

Looking good there Andrew.....

 

Keen to see the progress....

[l2eeFer13]

Awesome work man. Never seen a complete dash conversion like this. Fits near perfect and you get a fancy dash and cluster =)

[andrew_k]

Shiny thinggggs

 

Black SF5 STI wing

 

Callipers painted+coated+baked (hollllyyyyy shit the oven stank after that), ready for fresh seals

 

Work Emotion 17x8 redone in gloss white with nitto 225/50/17 rubber bits. So 90's JDM spec.

[Barbbachello]

So much blek, so much win. When are we going to see this thing at a meet?

[motoboy76]

Calipers look nice buddy, so do the wheels.....

When I do my calipers I'm not sure how it's going to go down with the missus when I go to put them in the oven.....


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