New to the group and have a questions about an engine swap

[kieran.spooner]

Hi guys, I’m the owner of an 09 CJ lancer. It has just over 200’000km on the clock and I’ve been thinking that an engine swap might be an idea. Ideally I would like to swap out the CJ engine for a Ralliart one with less km’s. Obviously it would be turbo’d too. Has anyone ever done this or would have some useful information about this and whether it is possible or not?

[lancerdarryl]

Huge job.....You would need to get a complete donor car. You are not just swapping an engine there are wiring looms, ecu,oil coolers exhaust and a few other unknowns like mounts and brackets.The transmission is a big unknown also due to its age and the extra HP that will be going through it.The clutch and pressure plate won't be up to the job
Just getting back to the wiring loom you may have a few problems due to the RA having the SST transmission,you may have to end up making a hybrid loom for your car and hope it works.
All in all it would probably work out cheaper (and easier) to find a nice Ralliart

[kieran.spooner]

Thanks for that information! Sounds like a huge job with lots of unknowns! I would never be doing it myself but as my daily drive I would not be able to risk messing it up completely that’s for sure. I was kind of hoping the Ralliart was basically the exam same as the CJ but with a turbo but I didn’t know.

[lancerdarryl]

No worries K,it's one of those jobs that sounds good on paper but would be a fight all the way with the risk of ending up with lemon.

[kieran.spooner]

Yeah definitely not worth the risk! Thanks for the help! Another issue I’m having is my ABS pump module. I know it’s a common problem on the lancers but I haven’t really found a proper and ideally cost-effective fix. Any ideas?

[Lancer1993]

The are several threads here to help with ABS issues, others might be able to help with the links if you can't find them. There are repair options which cost way less than a new part.

As for the engine its best left to the professionals with a decent workshop and money to spend of making sure big things like the SST are in good order. If you have family or friends in the business and gan find a good donor car which might have been rear ended and the time to do the job I'd say go for it. But without the backup your best option is get the car you have in good order (fix the ABS) and look at trading it in.

This comes from someone who many years ago did an engine swap in a 76 Celica, no EFI to worry about, same engine apart from the head so it went strait in. I did the job as a teen in the home garage with basic tools, can't do that with the CJ or any modern car with EFI unless its a direct engine swap where the wiring harness is not being touched and even then its a lot more work.

The guys on shows like Mighty Car Mods almost make it look easy but in a lot of cases they never say just how much some of their creations cost to get on the road.

[kieran.spooner]

Yeah thanks for the info. I’d never be looking at doing it myself that’s for sure. I’m not that mechanically minded haha! I realise that really anything is possible with the money but obviously if I had money I’d be buying a Ralliart and not just looking to engine swap. Due to the similarities between the two cars I was hoping that the engines would be almost identical except for obviously the turbo factor which would make for a relatively simple engine swap but it doesnt sound like that’s the case.

[Quismiff]

Huge job.....You would need to get a complete donor car. You are not just swapping an engine there are wiring looms, ecu,oil coolers exhaust and a few other unknowns like mounts and brackets.The transmission is a big unknown also due to its age and the extra HP that will be going through it.The clutch and pressure plate won't be up to the job
Just getting back to the wiring loom you may have a few problems due to the RA having the SST transmission,you may have to end up making a hybrid loom for your car and hope it works.
All in all it would probably work out cheaper (and easier) to find a nice Ralliart

What transmission is in the manual EVO X? I know it would be cost prohibitive, but if you could get your mitts on that tranny would it be more doable? I understand that even swapping the same generation engines with EFI and ECUs can be a problem, SR20DE for SR20DET is not as simple as it seems, though everything between the two (bar turbo obviously) is identical. But there must be someone who has attempted it.

[lancerdarryl]

What transmission is in the manual EVO X? I know it would be cost prohibitive, but if you could get your mitts on that tranny would it be more doable? I understand that even swapping the same generation engines with EFI and ECUs can be a problem, SR20DE for SR20DET is not as simple as it seems, though everything between the two (bar turbo obviously) is identical. But there must be someone who has attempted it.

The Evo transmission has a transfer case for the rear drive.Deleting the transfer case may not be possible,then you have the problem of driveshafts and hubs and brakes and possibly having to use a different K frame.....the more you look at it the bigger the job gets

[Quismiff]

So would the SST? In regards to the transfer case.

I agree you'd need some Deep pockets, and in a sense you'd want 3 cars, a new DD, a donor car, and then the car you're working on.

Still be a really fun project and would handle a bit more than a turbo conversion on an NA block and transmission.

[ReeceCozaa]

Like all said above, highly difficult and expensive, best option is to opt for a direct replacement or save up for a ralliArt/evo! I know the stock tranny of a CJ would not handle it long term

[bumblebee]

And to keep it legal if you shove a turbo on you need to do shove the bigger brakes on also
If you have deep pockets go nuts
Save yourself a lot of time and energy and get a RA or Evo X instead and modify it

[Lancer1993]

And to keep it legal if you shove a turbo on you need to do shove the bigger brakes on also
If you have deep pockets go nuts
Save yourself a lot of time and energy and get a RA or Evo X instead and modify it

The Mighty Car Mods guys would highly disagree with you LOL

But I tend to agree, for the average driver you're much better off just getting a RA or EVO and mod that.

So anyone want to crowd fund me the $50k for a Final Edition EVO?

[bumblebee]

And to keep it legal if you shove a turbo on you need to do shove the bigger brakes on also
If you have deep pockets go nuts
Save yourself a lot of time and energy and get a RA or Evo X instead and modify it

The Mighty Car Mods guys would highly disagree with you LOL

But I tend to agree, for the average driver you're much better off just getting a RA or EVO and mod that.

So anyone want to crowd fund me the $50k for a Final Edition EVO?

Some how I doubt they will disagree with me after they be in them self up to speed with ADR regulations and after you read them and the QLD deign rules you will also see I'm right cos I do know these laws
Lol

[rasit.aslim]

Anyone want to crowd fund me the $50k for a Final Edition EVO?

I second that!
EVO...Final Edition... *drools*