Subaru EG33?

According to Wiki-

Subaru's 2003-2009 EZ series EZ30 engine featured a Porsche designed and German manufactured Variable Valve Lift (VVL) system, that further enhances high range power and smoothness at idle.

How much longer is it? Installing it may be problematic; that extra 85 lbs is also in the wrong place. These things are tail-heavy enough already.

I'd be interested in finding out where Henry put the intercooler.  On his Audi turbo engines he drew air from the driver's rear wheel well.

Various Subbie engine weights:

EA-71: 1,6 liter, about 80 hp, about 78 kg(172lbs) dry weight
EA-81: 1,8 liter, 100 to 110 hp, about 85 kg(187lbs) dry weight
EJ-22: 2,2 liter, 130 to 160 hp, about 120 kg(265lbs) dry weight
EJ-25: 2,5 liter, 165 to 200 hp, about 135 kg(298lbs) dry weight
EG-33: 3,3 liter, 225 to 275 hp, about 160 kg(353lbs) dry weight

Compared to a VW T-1 at 220-256lbs

The EG33 is about 6 inches longer than the EJ engines. If it fits it'll be very tight. An EZ30 should be better in that regard.

In my opinion, I'd use a turbo EJ25 instead.

I think Justin has it right.  Both the EJ255 & EJ257 have been used successfully in hundreds of thousands of existing Subis.  255 gives you from 210-265 hp, with 250 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm, while the 257 supplies from 293-305 hp, with 290 ft-lbs of torque.

These are stock values.  Most tuners will agree that you can get up to at least 350 or even 400 whp without changing internals.  This means only bolt-on changes with an ecu tune.

Since there are so many of these engines already built, coupled with the interest of young rodders and the r&d supplied by thousands of Subi tuners across the US, I don't see the advantage of going with a newer model that has less support parts, less research, etc.

300-325 hp is easy-peasy: open up the air inlets and exhaust flow, tune the ecu, and let it fly.  Various big-name tuning shops even have terms of art they use for each hp step-up, like stage 1, 2, etc.  These figures are on pump gas. 

The Subi drag guys routinely get 800+ hp at the strip out of the same engine.  Naturally, at that hp, reinforced internals are mandatory, as are frequent tear downs.  Nevertheless, it shows how brillaint the Subi design is that it can put out that type of power from a basically small, 4 banger configuration.

I think the bigger 6's may someday have a place in the hot rod community, but I don't see it happening for some time. 

Marty – As you may already know, Henry’s IM-6 uses a beefier frame with an extra 3 inches of overall length, which results in a longer engine bay. I suspect an EG33 isn’t much longer than a Porsche 3.2L flat 6, which Henry has installed in IM-6 frames a number of times. So I suspect it would fit in an IM-6 frame. I believe the 3.2L Porsche motor weighs over 400 lbs, so I don’t think the weight would be a problem either. I’ve driven three different IM-6’s with 3.2L Porsche motors and they all handled great, so an EG33 in the back of an IM-6 should handle at least as well. But if I were going to step up to the bigger/more expensive IM-6 frame with a heavier, more complex engine, I’d rather have a nicely done Porsche flat 6. I’ve been told a 3.6L will fit in an IM-6, and you can get 300HP and a big fat torque curve out of one, with great reliability and no fuss fuel injection.

IMO, a Suby 4-cylinder is a compelling proposition in comparison to any aircooled 4-cylinder you can put in a speedster. It has the advantages of more power, reliable modern fuel injection, widespread availability of high-quality parts, lots of competent mechanics to work on it, relatively low initial cost, and all of that in a package not much bigger and heavier than an air cooled T1 or T4.

If you like the sound of a turbo Suby, it makes great power from a compact motor. I prefer the sound and throttle response of a normally-aspirated car, so if I were going to build a Suby-based IM, I’d look for the biggest-displacement 4-cylinder I could find. Jake Raby is working on a 2.8L normally aspirated Suby, but I haven’t seen any dyno results or reports on longevity. If he can get 250 reliable HP out of a lightweight, compact, normally-aspirated motor, that would be pretty hard to beat without stepping all the way up to big Porsche flat 6 in an IM-6 frame.

Felix-My car runs the IM-6 frame but most of the IM Water Cooled cars have a Porsche 914 front end with struts and a VW Type-3 independent rear suspension(not 911 suspensions like full IM-6's).  My car is plenty quick and it eats up highway miles with great gas milage to boot.  I also prefer the normally-aspirated sounds. I don't think that I would add more power until my car has more Patina on it and that could be years.  I have the Aluminum 911 915 5 Speed so adding more power wont hurt the Trans.  As a matter of fact with my current set up its like a Great Dane mounting a Shitzu.  

I am glad to see Raby has got into Subaru (should be interesting-albeit expensive).  Like most things in life, you get what you pay for.  Also, if I ever do give in and go Turbo, these guys are in my back yard and they are highly regarded.

Marty – You’ve got a great car, great looking and a great mechanical package. An IM-6 frame with a Suby 4 banger should have terrific rigidity and weight distribution, both contributing to stellar handling.  And a 915 transmission is a great platform for future upgrades, not that your car needs any.

I have seen EJ-33 installs into a 911. If a 911 motor fits an IM, the Suby will too. The EJ-33 is a nice motor, very reliable, as good as the EJ-22 it was designed from. They put these in Vanagons with great success. The advantage is they were made in the early 90s, and have not got all the new electronic doodads so are easier to install the computer. The disadvantage is age, but they can be rebuilt as easy as a 4 banger. They sound good with a short exhaust too!