Topic: EJ20K to 20G Swap; What Do I Need To Know/Do?

[Impreza_96-555]

Hey guys,

Been searching for info about going from an EJ20k to EJ20g, and can't find a single thing. Lots of posts of people swapping out their 20g to 20k, but not what I am looking for.

So the story in a nutshell, my 97 Type RA (ej20k) finally crapped out on me a month ago. I had been fighting a misfire for the past 3 years, and it was gradually getting worse until it finally died  Cause of death: probably a melted piston, cracked ring lands, or bent valves

It's a 97 Type RA, essentially stock except for a straight pipe and walbro 255. I've been eyeing up this 20g that jdmracingmotors are selling. I've done a bunch of research and concluded a 20G would be the better way to go, as longevity seems to be a plus over the 20k's. On top of that, I've owned both 20g and 20k varieties, as I had a previous 96 STI 555, and it was solid.

 - If this 20G engine is usable in my Type RA, what changes would I need to implement to make it work properly? -

Lots of people made mention too that the 20k cylinder heads were better for their flow rate. Would it be worth my while to take the heads off my 20k and swap them onto the 20g? This will be my first engine swap, so any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for the input guys,
 - Simon

Motor I'm interested in:
https://jdmracingmotors.com/en/subaru/ej205-motors-impreza-wrx/3881/subaru-jdm-1996-1997-ej20g-impreza-gc8-forester-sf5-turbocharged-engine-for-sale/

Hybrid 20g-20k discussion:
https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2835382

[mojikita]

My suggestion is to find out why your motor is toast. That will tell you if you’ll be able to reuse your heads. If your heads are good you may only need a short block.

There are big differences between blown bearings, ringland failure, and head damage. It might even be something like a timing belt failure. Not likely, but who knows until you take a closer look. My recommendation would be to be patient and find out the cause. Otherwise you may buy things you don’t really need or be doomed to repeat the failure (for example changing the engine but reusing a leaking turbo inlet which can cause misfires and blow engines).

[Impreza_96-555]

Those are actually really helpful words, thanks Mojikita. Tbh, I wanted to keep the old engine, but everywhere I went quoted 6k to 10k for a rebuild in Kelowna :/ We have a max budget of 2000 bucks, so a new engine was the next best option.

Hopefully something will prevail soon, I really need my car back on the road again before the snow comes. That car is unstoppable in any weather conditions