Shopping for Baja, choices NA vs Turbo, MT vs AT

[ZUBAJA]

One more reason I am happy with my NA.
Sorry to hear about your engine issues . I often take for granted how blessed I am to be able to do my own work. Dennis

[BajaTim]

I'm just researching rengine replacement options in case I get a turbo.

https://www.iwireservices.com/post/2017 ... ru-engines

https://www.iwireservices.com/post/2018 ... gine-guide

There's a couple other essays there too. Maybe you've already seen them but it appears the author is trying to forewarn us about JDM pitfalls vs USDM for replacement jobs.

Great find - and supports my point: “JDMs not plug n’ play” (for many of us:).


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[kamesama980]

"Had". Some drunk decided to turn left in front of my wife. Car could have been saved, but insurance said otherwise. Ended up replacing with an 05 and 100K less miles.
I never really had any "first 10%" thing with the throttle, but if I hit the gas a little too hard, it would flat out get. I had an issue with the "fluid coupling" (I know with the automatic it wasn't really a fluid coupling, but I don't recall the 10.00 actual name for it). Anyway, had an issue with it so i had the fuse pulled for a while to deactivate it. Hit the ga a little too hard then and it would break the front wheels loose. I ended up pulling the tranny extension cover, removed and cleaned the clutch pack, changed tranny fluid and filters, and added Ford friction modifier to cure the coupling issue.
I know from doing the heads that there was a solenoid valve in the one head that controlled the cam "modifier". which seemed to actually open the second set of valves - maybe timed slightly different? Never really looked all that deep into it.
Back to my original statement, my N/A Baja has plenty enough pep for me.
As to statements about having to hit redline, I have never really pushed any of my Subies up that far. Never needed to. While they are lighter, we just had the 05 Forester in the North Carolina mountains, and while the cruise DID pull a couple of 4,000 RPM down shifts, it handled th emountains as well as any other vehicle I have driven. Dennis

That's what I mean about the throttle, it's very progressive in the first half, regressive in the latter half. punch it too hard and it hits WOT when your foot is only halfway there.

Viscous coupler, AWD clutchpack, not 100% on how the autos are set up.

It's the cam timing that shifts +/-20 deg on command to shift the torque curve higher/lower. low end torque at low rpm, high end torque (hp) for high rpm. Essentially, it lets you have a wider torque curve.

[ZUBAJA]

Viscous coupler, AWD clutchpack, not 100% on how the autos are set up.

It's a multi-disc clutch pack, just like inside the tranny (auto) or a wet motorcycle clutch. It is activated by a solenoid that is controlled (activated) by different rotational speeds of the wheels. On the autos, you can remove a fuse (under the hood) to deactivate AWD feature giving only FWD. This information pertains to the Foresters, but I have to figure Outback / Baja would operate the same for automatics. Dennis

[outboardr]

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I finally own my first Baja.
2005 Turbo 5MT.
With ARE canopy.
Bought it, shipped it here, sent it to Smart Subaru Service for 150K major service, all new brakes and calipers, and a lot more.
Every fluid changed from bow to stern. What a difference.
Put wheels and new GMax tires on her.
She's a beast. Fun to drive. Drives more like a sports car than a truckling.

[Guacamole]

Very nice!
Be sure to pull the banjo bolt filter ASAP if it hasn't been done already!

[kamesama980]

Very nice!
Be sure to pull the banjo bolt filter ASAP if it hasn't been done already!

Just remember that the clogged banjo filter is a symptom not a cause. The cause is too thick of oil or too long of oil change intervals causing the oil filter to bypass AND crap in the oil to worry about getting past the oil filter and getting caught in the banjo fitting.

[joedavex]

Beautiful find Outboardr!
You are definitely going to have some fun driving that.

Tim, What did you end up doing about your Baja? I don't see any followoup. If you want to bring it down to CT I'd be glad to help you repair it!

[BajaTim]

Beautiful find Outboardr!
You are definitely going to have some fun driving that.

Tim, What did you end up doing about your Baja? I don't see any followoup. If you want to bring it down to CT I'd be glad to help you repair it!

Thanks for the very kind offer I’ve put things on hold, but I think I can squeeze an engine out of my stimulus check (arr. this morn): found two suitables, both JDM EJ20X with dual AVCS out of a Legacy (‘04-‘05) w. 45-55K - one for $750 with accompanying vid of compression check (180 all around) the other for $599 (no vid or check) both with 30-day guarantees. I’m just verifying they are both Drive By Wire with 3 wire cam position sensors. My local mechanic (WRX owner) buddy will front me the labour (I’m offering him $1,000 - he offered for free but no way - for a 1-year buddy:) I’ll update once we are underway. Should be plug n play with pieces off my EJ255 - just no exhaust AVCS until a more monied future


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[outboardr]

Tim,
THere's a local mechanic here that had an automatic for sale that had the same swap done, he said EJ20X and not running the exhaust AVCS and no codes.
Iwire has a kit to implement the exh avcs I noticed.
And you also have to use an ECM that has the exh avcs code to run it.

I want to drive another automatic that runs properly, I could definitely see an auto turbo or NA in my future too.

[BajaTim]

Tim,
THere's a local mechanic here that had an automatic for sale that had the same swap done, he said EJ20X and not running the exhaust AVCS and no codes.
Iwire has a kit to implement the exh avcs I noticed.

I want to drive another automatic that runs properly, I could definitely see an auto turbo or NA in my future too.

Thanks for reinforcement! Apparently a tune is “desireable” if one is not going to use the exhaust AVCS (mixed reviews on whether essential or not).

And yes, iWire rocks bigtime - great advice explained in simple terms!

Nice find!!


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