Turbocharged engine or turbo kit???

Question

i have an 06 impreza 2.0i hatch and i want to put turbo on it!BUT heres the thing...should i buy an old second hand wrx engine (97-99..02-05)and put that in or should i just buy a turbo kit for the the original engine it has now??? I was told it would cost alot to do an engine swap and plus i would have to get a better and stronger drivetrain!If i decide to just buy the turbo kit, is there one for this model? and is it better to have it changed from SOHC to DOHC before i get it turbocharged?? and is it cheaper to do all this??? rather than buyin the older wrx engine?
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

I've been there and done that, both of those choices. I doubt that you will be happy with either of those. Your car will turn into a money pit, besides in most states when you install an older engine you must meet the newer chassis emission requirements.

If you want to increase performance from what you have, buy a car that already has the performance, such as an older WRX, or even one of the turbo Legacys. My son has a 2004 turbo WRX 2.0; I find it much harder to drive fast than my wife's 2005 turbo Legacy. A 2.5 turbo WRX STI should strike a nice balance.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Answer 2

Seriously, your safest bet would be to part-ex for a turbo model. An engine swop probably won't be possible, at least not economically since the 'puter will need to be swopped along with the other driveline bits if you want something that will pass the emissions test and be reliable.

The second option would be to fit a factory approved turbo kit if one is available. Keep in mind that the rest of your driveline may not be up to the increased output, especially the clutch. You may also need to fit a larger rad and high capacity water pump to keep from overheating.

Answer 3

Get a Turbocharged engine trust me there way better than a Turbo kit.