Dulagarl: the Lifted H6 Forester

Well, I bought it, and I have to say that what SKT has done is truly inspired.

It’s a freaking rocket on the bitumen, and it has an enormous amount of grunt offroad.

Engine transplant thread is here:

https://www.ausubaru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16564

Here’s a little log of bring it home, and it’s first offroad trip once home.

Jan 29th I flew to Coolangatta. Scott picked me up at the airport and we went for a drive. It didn’t take long for me to be convinced that I should buy this. Sure, it had a couple of issues, for example some worn out bushes in the front end, and a cooling issue, but I could tell that this was a VERY serious vehicle.

Brought it home via Lismore and Casino and then to Tamworth for the night. Next day was Tamworth to Narrandera. Narrandera to Melbourne on the Minday was relatively easy after all of that.

Saw some amazing country in the process. Didn’t have time for many snaps, but here are a few…

Some of the country just into NSW after casino…

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Took a detour via the outer solar system…

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Actually, that virtual solar system drive from siding spring observatory is a good idea. That pic was taken in Gilgandra.

While on the space bent, couldn’t resist a couple of pics with the Parkes Radio Telescope…

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It was 38 degrees Celsius when those shots were taken, and it didn’t get cooler for hours. Unsurprisingly, the vehicle got a bit hot just south of Forbes.

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A bit further south past West Wyalong, and there was still water around from December. Ridiculously flat country with paddocks turned to lakes…

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So, when I got home, I went straight to the mechanic and got an aircon service. I also consulted about improving airflow to the radiator. I looked at pics of offroad bars on Outbacks on the Subaxtreme site, and also the bar on the latest Forester. Armed with that info I decided to cut some holes in the bulbar, and this is the result…

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Gotta love the grille mesh from supacheap auto!

So, I then set up the GPS on the dash with some adhesive Velcro…

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and connected the ECU to the laptop to monitor engine performance and temperatures.

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(BTW: I think I might have resolved the “cooling issues”!)

... part two to follow
 
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Lol @ snorkel.

Gave the vehicle a decent hit out after the tune. The torque is amazing.

A good test is the Canberra to Bega road: highway, altitude, some decent climbs and a serious descent in Brown Mountain. It drops approx 1000m in approx 10km. Seriously sharp.

Fully laden, and bearing in mind we were at around 1000m above sea level for a decent slab of the trip, we made 8.8 km per litre on the way down to Bega. previous best was about 7.7.

generally, it has meant that I drive in a higher gear nearly all the time. It holds its speed in 5th very well on climbs.

Coming back up Brown Mountain on the way home was a revelation. The speed limit is 60 kmh on the that road, and normally we climb it in 3rd and 2nd gear most of the way. This time we chugged along in 4th gear. Engine coolant temperature briefly hit 98 degrees, mostly sitting on 97. As soon as we flattened out at the top the ECT dropped.

The rebuilt motor with the tune is a huge improvement. For anyone thinking of getting a H6, go to the trouble of getting a 5 way cut on the exhaust ports: it results in an amazing amount of torque, lower revs, better cooling and better economy.

Its a different car now
 
Interresting. What is a 5 way cut on the exhaust ports ?
 
For anyone thinking of getting a H6, go to the trouble of getting a 5 way cut on the exhaust ports: it results in an amazing amount of torque, lower revs, better cooling and better economy.

I have one. what is a 5 way cut on the exhaust ports?
 
So, a "progress" report.

Had the car tuned for emissions, installed new Euro 5 cats and a restrictive muffler, took it up to Sydney for an IM240 test and failed: too much NOx.

Had a much closer look at the motor, and its apparent that when the original H6 was installed there was no EGR valve. When the recent transplant took place my very helpful (and now ex) mechanic said nothing of this.

So, we need to lower combustion temperatures.

Step 1 is we are going to install wideband sensors. This is because the OEM sensors I have aren't responding particularly quickly: they will have coolant poisoning from when the head gasket was a problem. This is a pity as I bought em sensors via partsouq, and they are not cheap! (At 168 USD they come in at 500 AUD the pair).

For a few dollars more

(sorry I couldn't resist that)

For a few dollars more, I got an Innovate DLG 1 set up. This has:

"DLG-1: Dual Lambda (AFR) Gauge Kit - includes the DLG-1 gauge, (2) Wideband Bosch LSU4.9 O² sensors, (2) 8 ft sensor cables, LC-2 Wideband Controller, (2) O² sensor weld-on bungs, Black/Silver bezel, Black/White faceplate, Serial program cable, & Installation manual."

The advantage is more precise control over fuel mixtures, and hopefully lower combustion temps. It should help a lot with fuel economy as well. Cost was just over $500 with the use of an eBay discount voucher.

This will be installed when the tuner has some time once he gets past summernats: he's pretty busy at the moment.

The next thing is we will get through emissions in the short term with E85, but I want to resolve the EGR valve issue in the longer term.

There are PLENTY of threads on the net about how to delete an EGR valve. It seems there is a widespread belief that they inhibit performance: well they do if you let them clog up! personally I'd rather not be contributing to acid rain. Do you think anyone has made a thread about retrofitting an ever valve? Yeah nah.

There is nowhere on the wiring harness to plumb one in, so I am looking at an old vacuum actuated EGR valve from a 2.2 litre liberty. If the footprint is the same it should bolt on where the EGR pipe would go, (rear of motor, left hand side), and then I just plumb it up to the intake manifold. If anyone can think of why this might not work please let me know!

Anyway, the sidebands should be a decent improvement for close to the cost of OEM narrow band sensors.
 

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Interesting idea. Do you wish to have it tuned after the EGR retrofit?

I agree with you regarding EGR. The deletion is pretty common with diesels and that is because people are too lazy to keep their engines healthy. They're supposed to be illegal here but we have weaker emissions regulations vs the rest of the OECD countries.

Keeping them clean just requires religious oil changes and with petrol engines, the Subaru Upper Engine Cleaner before oil changes. I have been using it even with my previous Toyotas because it's just one of a kind.
 
^ yeah would like it tuned after the EGR fit.
 
I havent updated for a while...

So the car is now fully engineered, registered in the ACT and emissions compliant.

Do not ever use ESP in Queanbeyan. They sent me to Sydney for the IM 240 test, only to fail...6 times. I am seeking to recover that cost.

If you do need emissions tuning, definitely use Unigroup Engineering in Sydney: I took the car to them and it passed emissions first time, and went very close to Euro 5 standard.

Didnt actually go with the EGR retrofit: wasnt necessary, but I cant help but feel I'd get better economy if I did.
 
Just Ace mate! You’re probably the only fella in the country to got to this extent with an engine swap!

Ironically any vehicle that came from factory with the H6 as an option could be swapped and not need emissions or engineering - yet it could have the poorest tune!!

So what’s next, blower, turbo? BOTH?? :poke:

Cheers

Bennie
 
I havent updated for a while...

So the car is now fully engineered, registered in the ACT and emissions compliant.

Do not ever use ESP in Queanbeyan. They sent me to Sydney for the IM 240 test, only to fail...6 times. I am seeking to recover that cost.

If you do need emissions tuning, definitely use Unigroup Engineering in Sydney: I took the car to them and it passed emissions first time, and went very close to Euro 5 standard.

Didnt actually go with the EGR retrofit: wasnt necessary, but I cant help but feel I'd get better economy if I did.
Excellent project well done...
 
Hey Bennie: Next phase? I'd really like to address a lightweight bash plate that covers the headers. I'd like to do that without losing any ground clearance, so I will require custom headers. The design for each side currently is 1 over 2 under. The hew headers would be 3 pipes side by side where they go under the crossmember. I would then get a custom made aluminium bash plate which would offer 2 main advantages over the current: reduced weight and better heat dissipation.
 
I havent updated for a while...

So the car is now fully engineered, registered in the ACT and emissions compliant.

Do not ever use ESP in Queanbeyan. They sent me to Sydney for the IM 240 test, only to fail...6 times. I am seeking to recover that cost.
What a bloody nightmare!

I know it's not the same, but we are going through the same sort of thing making our professionally installed pool fence comply with the retrospective new regulations.
Nice little earner for councils and pool inspectors ...
 
Hey Bennie: Next phase? I'd really like to address a lightweight bash plate that covers the headers. I'd like to do that without losing any ground clearance, so I will require custom headers. The design for each side currently is 1 over 2 under. The hew headers would be 3 pipes side by side where they go under the crossmember. I would then get a custom made aluminium bash plate which would offer 2 main advantages over the current: reduced weight and better heat dissipation.
Perfect time to build in an up and a down pipe with a hair dryer in between!! :lol:

Ah, yes, I forgot about your quest to reduce under bonnet heat. I’m 99% sarcastically sure a turbo helps reduce this heat issue!!

Serious now: Raising your bash plate would be sweet too. I like your idea of running three pipes each side under the engine crossmember to increase clearance for the bashplate. It’ll be interesting how this changes the performance of the engine. Different length runners from the heads have different effects on the engine’s performance.

I know a fella near Shepp that would do a job you’d be proud to pay for - he’s flat out busy and isn’t cheap. But he knows his stuff about exhausts and how to get the most out of them. If you go to an exhaust shop and they can’t explain what would work best or how your ideas will effect performance, find another place that does! Be prepared to pay through the nose to get the best setup possible for you and your engine’s needs ;)

Cheers

Bennie
 
From a long, long time ago, it's my understanding that the best performance from an exhaust is when each branch can take the full (expanded) volume of the cylinder served.

I could see that the fluid dynamics at each join could be important.
 
@Ratbag,
I would agree with that as I suspect it would be most important to maximise laminar flow and minimise any turbulence in the pipe while allowing for any backpressure which may be needed. Glad I`m not doing the calculations.
 
The rear brakes locked on the other day. Oh well.

New braided hoses, and some red things that you can see through the wheels...



4 pot front.jpg

2 pot rear.jpg
 
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