8 replies to this topic

[jazzaa22]

Alright, ive just recently bought an 05 gx impreza wagon. I also decided that i think it needs a turbo upgrade. First off is it easier to buy a factory turbo engine and drop it in? If so whats involved.
Secondly should i upgrade existing motor to suit a turno upgrade? Peoples opinions would be helpful and what would i be looking at price wise.

Cheers

[El_Freddo]

Get ready for the "sell it and buy a WRX" mantra. At the end of the day, once you add up all the costs of the turbo mods they'll be right about that.

Best way to do it is to buy a half cut of the same era WRX model. Then you'll have just about all you need for the conversion and it *should* be relatively plug and play.

Or you could go with a low boost setup on your stock engine. It may ping like a mother... or implode shortly after.

What ever you do, you should lift it and head offroad

And welcome to the forum

Cheers

Bennie

[Niko]

First option: Sell and buy WRX wagon. You have a GX, not even an RS.

Second option: there is no second option.

[jazzaa22]

Its only been bought as a family car sort of and funds didnt allow wrx at the time.

Just looking at options thanks for the advice

[Niko]

Its only been bought as a family car sort of and funds didnt allow wrx at the time.

Just looking at options thanks for the advice

It will cost 2x the price of a used WRX wagon to swap a turbo engine into your current car. If your car is lowish kms it'll sell well, and you can pick up a fair condition 2001 onwards WRX wagon for under $8k. But keep in mind higher servicing costs of turbo vs NA car, plus the litany of problems that come with an older used turbo Subaru.

[RX25SE]

I agree with Niko and Bennie.

Have you also considered insurance? A modded GX may cost more to insure than a stock WRX.

[El_Freddo]

Another thought is to drop a small supercharger off the side of it and run low boost, like 5 psi kind of low... And ONLY run 98RON.

Hardest part is rigging up the supercharger and fitting a wideband monitor to ensure air/fuel ratios stay safe. I know this setup works well on the earlier EJ22e but that's a different beast to the NA 2L units.

The SC12 toyota unit should do the job well enough

Cheers

Bennie

[Niko]

Nah Raptor do a bolt on SC kit for 2.5 NA. Would prob work ok, but not sure if it needs aftermarket ECU. End of day would still be a few grand to buy kit, install, get auxillary parts and get tuned, and more than buying a WRX. 

[Asymmetry]

Waste of money. 

 

I will be selling mine soon, 200ATW, long list of rare STI parts