279 replies to this topic

[Lukeoly]

Updated - Current parts list (June 2016):

 

 

Engine:

• Version 6 STI EJ207 longblock
• ’01 AUDM GD WRX intake manifold
• TD04L (soon to be VF29)
• ’02 WRX factory air box 
• PSR silicone inlet and SFB
• ’06 WRX TMIC
• Purge control valve delete
• Mishimoto silicone Y-pipe, throttle body coupler and BOV return pipe kit
• Custom 3 inch dump, 2.5 inch Fujitsubo cat-back exhaust
• Golpher 3 row aluminium radiator

 

Electronics/wiring:

• JDM ’01 GD WRX ECU and wiring harness
• AVCS delete (in ECU)
• WRX and RX Liberty looms spliced by AM Auto
• Deatschwerks 65C fuel pump
• Secondary o2 sensor delete

 

Driveline:

• ’06 WRX 4.444 ratio gearbox 
• ’06 WRX shifter assembly
• ’06 WRX front driveshafts
• ’06 WRX flywheel
• Exedy standard replacement clutch (’06 push type)
• GC8 STI clutch master cylinder
• JDM Forester GT 4.444 R160 rear diff (viscous) 
• ’03 AUDM B4 rear driveshafts 
• Whiteline KDT906 rear diff cradle bushes

 

Suspension/Steering/Brakes

• Version 5 STI GC8 front crossmember
• Version 5 STI GC8 front swaybar
• Version 5 STI GC8 quick rack
• ’03 B4 Bilstein suspension
• B4 alloy control arms
• B4 complete rear subframe
• B4 brakes
• B4 rear swaybar

 

Body/Wheels

• JDM Rev C RSK bonnet and grille
• JDM Rev C RSK front bumper
• JDM  HID headlights 
• ’03 B4 5 spoke 17s or ’02 WRX split 5 spoke 17s

 

Interior

• JDM GT-B front seats
• GC8 WRX Momo wheel
• ’07 WRX 5 speed gear knob
• B4 brushed silver dash trims
• B4 Black out cluster
• Rev D dark grey carpet

 

The project begins:

I'm not much of a forum poster as this forum has been such a great community/resource. So many members have paved the way for people like me to undertake a project like this so here goes.

 
I've been planning this build for a little while but as things have now gone from planning and buying to actually doing stuff, I thought it's time to get a build thread going.
 
My MY99 WRX met an unfortunate end about 18 months ago and while I planned to part it out, I decided to hang onto engine and running gear for a swap. Having most of the parts i needed, I started to think that GEN3 wagon swap could be a worthwhile project.
 
A gripe I had with the GC8 platform was the lack of tunability of the ECU and the reliability of the ignition and AFM. I started searching for running the GC8 engine on a GD series ECU threads and while there isn't a heap of info out there, it has been done.
 
Here's a Rexnet thread I found useful:
http://www.rexnet.co...is-it-possible/
- Throttlehappy has a wealth of knowledge and is now actually able to tune the GC8 ECU. Living so close to MSR I'm still glad I'm going with the GD ECU but others in this situation may be better off getting him to tune the GC8 ECU.
 
I also had invaluable advice from Ben at Ichiban as well as Al from AM Auto. Without these guys I would have either wasted way too much money on unnecessary parts or ended up stuck mid project without vital parts.
 
So once I had decided it was going to be worth the extra effort and cost to go with the GD ECU, I started the hunt for the right parts.
Here's a list of the extra parts I needed over the regular GC8 gear(I'll try to add parts I've either forgotten to add or have unforeseen pre-swap):

• GD ECU - I went with an 2001 JDM WRX ECU as it has no immobiliser unlike the AUDM model of the same year
• Matching loom for ECU - I bought both the ECU and loom from Ichiban out of the same car for piece of mind. You also need the Fuel Pump controller, I almost missed it; thanks Ben ;-)
• Complete intake manifold - there's way too many changes to try and retro fit correct sensors, wiring, etc... It's best to buy one complete (not to mention cheaper)
• Crank timing gear and passenger side inlet cam gear - these gears/wheels have the triggers for crank and cam duration. While the sensors are the same the trigger points where updated in 2001 with the Bugeye. The trouble with the cam gear is that you need to find a gear from either a 2001 AUDM WRX or 2001-2003 AUDM Forester GT the AUDM Bugeye got AVCS in 02 while the JDM Bugeye had AVCS from the start. I'll be disabling AVCS in the ECU and running a 2001 AUDM WRX cam gear.

 

 

• AFM - GD series Airflow meter
• Additional o2 sensor in the upipe - GC8 only has one but the Bugeye has 2

I'll be doing a major service early on my engine but that's not really a necessary part of the swap; it's just for ease and peace of mind. 

[RacerX]

Sounds like a good plan man!!
Good luck with it !!

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Lukeoly]

I've been on the hunt for a cheap GEN3 wagon with a blown engine or similar for the last 5 months or so as I bought the parts I needed. Most were way to expensive for what they were or had way too many KMs I missed out on a couple but wasn't too concerned as I wanted to be sure I had money to buy all the parts I needed before buying the car.

 

A couple of weeks ago I found a car that fit the bill; snapped timing belt, just over 200,000km, manual, in overall fair condition and the right price. The timeframe was pretty limited and I didn't want to miss this one so I did what nobody should do: inspect at night. Although a little rough around the edges it seemed perfect. So I made a deal and organised pickup over the weekend.

 

1999 GEN3 RX Wagon

 

All aboard Morgan's Calais express:

 

 

[SSIKness666]

It's not white; should look good when she's done.

Keen to see what she becomes and the exterior image you decide to convey.

[Hezath]

Cool, excited to see what happens here.

[Lukeoly]

It's not white; should look good when she's done.

Keen to see what she becomes and the exterior image you decide to convey.

 

Haha. I was hoping to find a white one actually. But when you're looking for something broken for less than $1K, you've gotta take what you can get.

The Red isn't my favourite, but it's not my least favourite of the liberty colours either. 

[SSIKness666]

What are some of your least favourite colours of the Gen3's?

[Lukeoly]

There's not much colour choice with the GEN3s. My least favourite would have to be the purple-ish blue colour, the green doesn't really do it for me either.

 

As much as I appreciate good design, the Liberty is more about practicality and stealthiness for me. I even toyed with the idea of going down the water-to-air intercooler like Joel has done with his outback to keep it really stealth. But the cost to source the whole setup was going to be too high. I'm sticking with the TMIC and B4/GT-B bonnet combo

[cameron]

good project mate look forward to seeing it progress. but by the time you have payed for a b4 bonnet and painted it your at front mount money

[Lukeoly]

good project mate look forward to seeing it progress. but by the time you have payed for a b4 bonnet and painted it your at front mount money

I actually had a decent front mount on my WRX (installed by the previous owner) which I did think about using on this car. But the factory WRX TMIC flow more than enough air for this build; not to mention you don't get heat soak killing your AC on hot days.

Plus the bonnet on this car needs to be replaced. It has a nasty crease in it.

[Morgan]

Maaaad!

Epic write up man.

[Staxta]

Saw that car on Gumtree, good pickup!

[Cam.]

Gen3 wagons are taking over!

Sounds good mate. I would go GD everything though.

[allpaw4]

Mmmm. I like where this is heading...
So, by the sounds of it, the only thing left on the engine thats GC8 is the long motor and sump - everything else is GD. Makes sense - GC is side feed 440s, GD is top feed 550s, GD has better designed inlet tract etc. More sensors on the GD means safer tuning with more options on the monitoring side of things - GC was very early in the OBDII stages. Will be able to get better power out of the box with the GD gear than GC, if nothing else purely due to the injector sizes.

 

When you say you have most of the drivetrain, does this mean you are retrofitting R180 etc? Or did the GC chassis only run R160 gear?

 

Will be keeping an eye on this thread for sure!

[LPM_B4]

The calais does it again good stuff Morgs

Everyones buying gen 3's haha 

Should be a nice sleeper once its done 

[Samwise]

Interesting..

[Lukeoly]

Gen3 wagons are taking over!

Sounds good mate. I would go GD everything though.

They certainly are. Hence the bandwagon title. I'm not one for being a copycat but having the swap as well documented as it is certainly has helped me bite the bullet.

I did consider selling the engine and getting a halfcut, but this engine only has 40k on a decent rebuild. It's more effort to get working initially, but I felt better about going with an engine I've owned, maintained and know is solid compared a mystery JDM motor.

[Lukeoly]

Mmmm. I like where this is heading...
So, by the sounds of it, the only thing left on the engine thats GC8 is the long motor and sump - everything else is GD. Makes sense - GC is side feed 440s, GD is top feed 550s, GD has better designed inlet tract etc. More sensors on the GD means safer tuning with more options on the monitoring side of things - GC was very early in the OBDII stages. Will be able to get better power out of the box with the GD gear than GC, if nothing else purely due to the injector sizes.
 
When you say you have most of the drivetrain, does this mean you are retrofitting R180 etc? Or did the GC chassis only run R160 gear?
 
Will be keeping an eye on this thread for sure!

That's it man, just the long block. I'm not planning on going crazy performance wise but I do feel like it's worth the extra to start with a more solid platform.

Drivetrain wise, I was actually running 4.44 5 speed and R180 setup in my GC8 so it should work nicely.

Having these parts already really makes doing this swap possible financially. The parts weren't free but not having to buy them now helps a lot.

[aekOne]

yeow very cool! 

[Lukeoly]

So I had some more time this arvo to prepare the motor to pull and get the loom out. I'm actually really happy how it's going so far. I expected it to be a lot more stubborn coming apart. The dash came out without a hitch and the engine bay part of the loom is just about ready to pull through the firewall.

 

No broken connectors, no stubborn nuts, bolts or clips. I will say that a quality plier set has made all the difference; especially with the cable management tie/clip things. I have this KC tools straight, 45deg and 90deg plier set. I grabbed them from V.E.K tools.