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Question about turbos.


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I've read while doing research that the ECU in our cars can account for up to 5lbs of boost with no tuning needed. I believe I read that on a RS forum or something. Has anyone here actually done that? I've done the math a while ago and bottom dollar eBay parts could have a turbo fitted for pretty cheap. I bought my Subaru with intentions to turbo it from the beginning.
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I haven't done it but I've looked into it a lot. The ECU can support it without any sort of external ECU but you won't be able to really control it or tune it which is risky in my opinion. It'll basically come down to having to get a hodgepodge of parts in order to get the whole system completed since our gen never came with turbos, so it's best to find someone with a bunch of old turbo subaru stuff lying around haha.
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Not sure which car/engine you have. RS25.com has a number of examples. I did it to my ‘01 RS 2.5. It was fun, but definitely challenging.

 

I have a 99 outback. Did you have to use a piggy back?

 

Edit: Also does anyone know of anyone using a megasquirt as a parallel install on a 2nd gen Subaru? It's cheaper than a emanage and should be much more capable.

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I have a 99 outback. Did you have to use a piggy back?

 

Edit: Also does anyone know of anyone using a megasquirt as a parallel install on a 2nd gen Subaru? It's cheaper than a emanage and should be much more capable.

 

A ‘99 Outback with a 2.5 or 2.2?

 

You can read what I did on RS25: http://www.rs25.com/forums/f145/t222368-infosecdads-seemingly-endless-quest-tinker.html

 

Sorry for the lack of pictures, photobucket screwed us all....

 

No piggyback, I had a stock ecu w/ a Delicious Tuning Stage 2 tune for N/A.

I added a J&S Safeguard to monitor for knock and retard timing per cylinder if needed as a safety measure. I ran wastegate pressure ~7psi without issue.

 

7psi in the little GC chassis was a ton of fun. Not v7 STi swapped fun, but very fun none the less.

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My thread has some info on converting to run a 99 outback in parallel with a Megasquirt 1, 2, microsquirt or a DIYPNP.

 

Keep in mind that mine is built off a DIYPNP and has NOT been installed yet. It should work though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/99-outback-gt2554-megasquirt-diypnp-269556.html

 

 

 

 

EDIT: Honestly you sound like me, bought the car, fixed a bunch of stuff. Now wanna install a turbo. :D I just got mine on the road after putting new gaskets and seals in. Soon I'll be starting to build up the megasquirt.

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My thread has some info on converting to run a 99 outback in parallel with a Megasquirt 1, 2, microsquirt or a DIYPNP.

 

Keep in mind that mine is built off a DIYPNP and has NOT been installed yet. It should work though.

 

 

 

 

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/99-outback-gt2554-megasquirt-diypnp-269556.html

 

 

 

 

EDIT: Honestly you sound like me, bought the car, fixed a bunch of stuff. Now wanna install a turbo. :D I just got mine on the road after putting new gaskets and seals in. Soon I'll be starting to build up the megasquirt.

 

TBH I bought the car to be a turbo project. The parts to convert to turbo cheap on Facebook marketplace or eBay. The engine already have the feed port and all I need is a drain which on a Subaru can go through the valve cover. It's relatively simple and cheap. I estimated that I can get the parts together for 500 bucks and have a turbo car. The most expensive piece will be the engine management if I decide to use a tunable ECU.

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TBH I bought the car to be a turbo project. The parts to convert to turbo cheap on Facebook marketplace or eBay. The engine already have the feed port and all I need is a drain which on a Subaru can go through the valve cover. It's relatively simple and cheap. I estimated that I can get the parts together for 500 bucks and have a turbo car. The most expensive piece will be the engine management if I decide to use a tunable ECU.

 

 

Don't go through the valve cover, you won't have enough room on the DOHC engines. SOHC you have plenty of room because the covers are so much larger. Go to the pan just in front of the pass side engine mount instead. It fits much much better. I've got a -10 down there now with a cap on it and all I will need is an AN drain adapter for the turbo, a single -10 straight and a single -10 90 degree elbow and say 1.5 ft of hose.

 

-8 should work fine too since that is closer to the factory size on the wrx and sti.

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A outback comes with a 2.5 and I did not know early 2000 ECUs can be tuned. Im certain the 99 ECU can't be tuned. I was just wondering if it automatically compensatibg for 5psi was accurate.

 

Looks like Bill can tune a ‘99 Legacy ECU

https://www.delicioustuning.com/node/354

 

Might want to drop him a line if you are interested.

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