Another question post about turboing N/A ej22

[amorgan93]

from my understanding the Ej22 from my 1990 wagon has same rods and crank from a turbo ej22. Supposedly the n/a ej22 changed in like 1995 or 96 and the internals in the N/a was changed, and is not the same as a ej22 turbo, but the older ej22s like mine have same internals, except the pistons. And it being open deck of course. Are the pistons pretty much my weak spot? could they handle 6-7psi? or just 5? can the stock fuel system handle 5psi? or do i need bigger injectors and a piggyback computer, just for 5psi? This wagon is run down, dented, and has 250k miles, but motor is good, doesnt smoke. For my senior project coming up in about 2 months, ide like to rebuild this motor and add a turbo to it. If i do end up rebuilding, ill probably go with pistons from a ej22t from a junkyard, if i find them, but if the stock internals can take 5psi ide be happy with that. Is one of my head gaskets going to blow at 5psi? and are these open deck blocks really that weak after turbod? cause i was readign about a guy who bought a ej22 n/a for a project that he was going to turbo, but once he found out it was open deck, he took the motor to the junkyard. Im still new to subarus, but what is the deal about the 2.2/2.5 hybrid. isnt the e25 DOHC? take the DOHC heads off a 2.5 and get a timing belt for the 2.5? change pistons? please dont criticize me for being new, im only trying to learn...

 

also im a junkyard shopper, so the pistons will probably come from a junkyard car if i can find a ej22t at junkyard (unlikely though), i was thinking about using the intercooler from a factory turbod car, such as a old volvo, or saab, or something, whatever i can find that i think i can make room for under my hood. one from an impreza or legacy if i find one, but im thinking i wont find many of those. i know i need the exhaust system from a turbo legacy, but i found that: HERE

im not sure how that works, that exhaust system looks wierd, maybe someone can explain.

 

ide rather noone recommend me to buy a whole new car, or find a ej22t motor, cause its very unlikely ill find one at a junkyard, and im not gonna go out and pay 2k or more for a motor and have it shipped from switzerland or something. If you think you can further my education on this topic any, please do so.

 

i may not even end up turboing it, but i still want to learn about all this.

 

thank you!

[Jeffzguy]

I was about to explain my Nissan and what I found out about it and its turbo but I realized its a completely different animal. Haha.

 

I can tell you that if your rebuilding a motor I would seriously consider NEW turbo pistons and get the cylinder walls redone and if turboing perhaps even lining the cylinder walls. Make sure if you do to find out how much they bore out to clean it up so you get the right oversized pistons. Also when rebuilding I would use all new everything.

 

When turboing I you will need hotter spark plugs, better fuel (as in premium at the pump vs regular).

 

The way the exhaust works is that instead of having a pipe from each head come down and back into a y and go from there it brings the exhaust from both sides over to one side where your turbo is and routes it through the turbo (this is how the turbo creates its power) before going down a "downpipe" and then going out the back.

 

I hope some of this helps and if you have anymore questions feel free to ask.

[Platinum_Racing]

Getting used pistons isn't the best idea.

 

Its like buying used oil from a junkyard. If the piston donor engine is low miles using the pistons is OK, but finding ANY turbo EJ22 in the junkyard is hard enough let alone one with low miles. I'd buy new pistons if I were you.

 

Another option would be to have thicker head gaskets made. There are numerous companies out there who will take your old gaskets and make new gaskets with high strength materials suitable for turbo applications. These companies might charge more than stock head gaskets, but it saves you from having to crack the block open to replace the pistons. Whenever you tear an engine down to a bare block you always wind up with a huge shopping list of seals, gaskets, bearings, and hardware that you need to replace. If the motor is in good shape now I'd leave the internals alone and have someone make you slightly thicker gaskets to bring the compression ratio down a tad. It will save you money in the long run. Either you take the heads off the motor and send the gaskets out to have new ones made or you tear the whole motor apart, replace a bunch of seals, hardware, gaskets, and then still have to replace the head gaskets anyway (Because once you remove the head you cannot reuse the gaskets, and you need to remove the head to get the motor all apart anyway).

 

If you get thicker gaskets they will likely stand up to more abuse than the stock gaskets. The new weak spot will likely be the piston rings.

 

If you replace the pistons you will want to hone the cylinders and at replace the rings. The new weak spot will likely be the head gaskets.

 

I wouldn't worry about the block being a closed deck design if you're only running 5-7 pounds of boost. It should be alright just as long as you don't start upping the boost and bouncing the car off the rev limiter all the time.

 

The EJ25D, EJ255, and EJ257 are all DOHC. The EJ252, EJ253, and EJ254 are SOHC. Just look around in the junkyard. If the timing belt cover has room for two cam sprockets on each cylinder bank its a DOHC motor.

[sqc151]

best advice. learn about the car first. slapping a turbo on your car is a bad idea at this time. its also ALOT of money, and in the end the engine wont last long.