Ok, I know the theory is if you do any thing drastic like slapping a turbo on a normaly non-turbo car you need to up grade every thing else to support it.

I am wondering (for lack of $4500 for the svo kit) if the wrx turbo, fmic, all the exhaust bits to make it work and a fule pump upgrade will work on a 2000 2.5rs without toasting the engine?

I know that doing such a thing without upgrading the ecu will reduce the potential gain from the turbo but my main worries are as fallows;
1) will the thing run lean to the point of doing harm to the engine?
2) because my car is a non-MAF car will the computer freak to the point of killing the car when it reads positive intake pressure?
3) my car is 103,000miles old, I just replaced the water pump, timing belt, and portmatched every thing, while doing so I noticed the cylinder walls still had hone marks. I bring this up for the next question. with a good condition high miles car just how much of a risk of a catastrophic engine failure am i running introducing boost to the system.

I am not going to even try the set up without installing a boost guage, adjustible waste gate, and an air fule guage (to help avoide any above mentioned issues).

clarifacation on what I am looking for as far as responces.
I want to know if any one has tried this and what were the results?
If this has worked for some one how long have you run it like that and what type of issues have you had?
I dont want to know if you dont 'think' it will work. I know the theorys 'cars will run lean under boost' I want to know if the lean condition is enough to do major harm to the engine?
I want to hear from people that know what it takes to do harm to an engine from leaning it out?
and please, if there are any threads about this that I may have missed thru surching post them up!

Long story short I dont want to hear the 'theorys' I want to hear from the people that have the hard information. not just the quick to flame keyboard jockies that have only the information they learned from a friends, friends, friend...
I am very sorry I am not trying to sound condesending but I am very tempted to try this and would like the hard information.

 

ok, got my hot little hands on a TD04 that came with some of the plumbing I need.
I just relaized something... my car is one of the MAP 2.5L not a MAF. I think I remember some one saying that MAP cars hate it when there is positive manafold pressure.. Im looking into weather or not thats true. I am getting my self prepaired to buy a computer if need be. If any one has any input on that pleas let me know. I have dropped rallitek an email asking a bunch of questions. It looks like this neat way to get around the price of an avo kit just turned into a cookie cutter hand pick componet turbo install.

 

try not to blow anything up with your cookie cutter

 

yeah im a bit worried about that, but if the engine nukes than its just an excuse to build a better one. I just hope if the engine does decide to give way, it will be something that would leave the block, and heads intact and unharmed...
tall order, I know.
but I figgure if im being optomistic I might as well go all the way with it.

 

Ok, with a little resurch I came up with these tips from people who have done this, so if others are reading this that are thinking of doing the same, your welcome.

MAP sensor issue; I was correct in thinking the computer would freak with the turbo installed. I thought it would be under boost but it turns out its when the turbo isnt providing boost and actually creates a vacume on the system that the computer cant stand and shuts the system down. To solve this problem you simply wire in a diode between the map signal wire and the chassis, it is easiest to do this at the computer. *when I get home from work I will post exact specs on the diod*

Boost issue; stock internals threshold for pain seems to be about 5psi. People have been reported running this much boost for +30k miles!! These reports have been from the stock ecu running the diod mod (above). Aweaker actuator on the internal wastegate will keep it down to 5psi, or you might have to go with an external one.

Exhaust issue; apparently the exhaust ports on the 2.0L are ferther forward than that of the 2.5L pahse II. You must buy a seprate exaust manafold/up pipe and make a 20mm spacer between the exhaust manafold and uppipe to set the turbo far enough back to keep it from hitting the head. If you use the one piece exhaust manafold and up pipe it will hit the cross member and the turbo will hit the head.
Down pipe will work only slight mods needed to it tho.
They mentioned switching out the crossmember to a wrx or legicy on. I am not sure if this is in addition to having to do the spacer or insted of... also was mentioned to put a spacer between the turbo and uppipe to rase the turbo higher... not sure on that one eather. I need to look ferther into that one.

Last, top mount I/C; you need to shave 1/4" off of the throtal body side to make it work. *Ill check more into to make sure*

all I can think of now