Levorg manual transmission conversion

[mando345]

Hey guys, that’s my video in the previous post and I’ve successfully swapped an entire 2018 sti into a levorg. It’s an experiment as I understand eyesight potentially makes it unregisterable depending where you’re based.

it drives amazingly well, it’s the Subaru they really should always have made. Good power, the 6 speed is a dream, and it was very straight forward with only a few wiring issues. It’s a big job, took about a week with 2 people and a hoist. Would be faster the 2nd time round now we know what needs to be done.

can’t stress how much better this makes the car. The cvt absolutely takes everything away. I’ve owned about 5 Subaru wagons including the one above with 6 speed and 400hp. The levorg feels like an updated version.

using a wrx instead of an sti is a great idea as easier to retain eyesight but unless some one fully cracka the code and effectively gets it to work it’s going to stay as a dream for most.

If I can’t get mine engineered I’ll put the driveline into something else.

I would love to feel the difference with a 6sp wrx swap in my jdm vorg, cause 221kw is nice but off the line it is sluggish(i took it drag racing lol)

 

[Luke Rado]

The Mighty Car Mods video is very inspirational!! They did the EJ257 swap with the 6Spd… but they did leave a key point regarding eyesight out… hmmmm

 

[Smidge]

Didn't leave it out, just not relevant to everyone and your engineering rules change depending where you live. As you can see in the build, the cars are the SAME. The chassis i mean, so it's arguable how much 'safety' you are taking away. It may be different in other countries but here, it's engineer able as the car falls in to the same category as the manual cars.

for anyone interested: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp0KnUFYB--hzOxt7gPRt4DB4jrme79i_

 

[Luke Rado]

I’d like to agree with you Smidge and would be doing the swap tomorrow now that the warranty on my Levorg is over. But the Levorg was never complied without Eyesight in Australia to my knowledge. ADR doesn’t care how much you reduce it, reduction is reduction and there is little wiggle room. It pisses me off as citizen there are no workarounds but law makers are not enthusiasts unfortunately. And I’m unsure of any automotive engineers willing to sign it off. Emergency autonomous braking as an example could be the difference between 4/5star ANCAP and I think you will see it’s a pile of hot water you could get yourself in, particularly if you plan to insure it. If we were talking about a WRX different story you may be able to “retrofit” to a different lower grade model with nicer bits and use the engine modification standards. Will have to wait for the chassis to get older so insurance is not required or look for a rare non-eyesight model to come up on the gray import market, is my opinion and a shame Subaru never released even a very small run that they could have open the floodgates to the enthusiast scene.

 

[Smidge]

So you're assuming the levorg and the sti are different cars? imported or complied that way?

I'm not sure where people are getting their info from. Its worth asking the people that actually can approve it or not. Different state by state in some cases. If you're interested in doing it, definitely check.

 

[Daniel]

Can you give us some hints how you got it complied @Smidge. Sounds like you got it engineered, ( or going off the videos ) its on the road. I know things are different state to state, but if it can be I'd be looking for a donor in the years to come.

I've had Wrxs and Levorgs the last 14 years, so I get that the Subaru platform is very close between them all and its like lego. The fact I put a 6 speed in a GC8 really highlights that there isn't that much different between the years.

Are you saying that the STI, Wrx and Levorgs were complied together when they were brought into Australia and the same class/family/group?

 

[Luke Rado]

So you're assuming the levorg and the sti are different cars? imported or complied that way?

I'm not sure where people are getting their info from. Its worth asking the people that actually can approve it or not. Different state by state in some cases. If you're interested in doing it, definitely check.

Happy to be proven wrong and would gladly take a QLD reference if anyone knows anyone that can make the sign off or at-least have the conversation.

My phones calls and research to date have formed my opinion. I hope I’m wrong and someone is out there willing to sign it off!

 

[Smidge]

I called two different engineers, they said the same thing. It's possible as long as all the STI equipment it used. Engineers are giving it the nod, doesn't mean it can't be knocked back like any other modified car but i'd suggest contacting an engineer in your state and tell them precisely what you want to do. Engineering costs usually at a minimum, just under a thousand bucks, often more.

 

[Downundersir]

Smudge, Plug for the engineers mentioned who you have used?

 

[mpsss]

Sorry for reviving the dead.

I have been getting ready to do a 6 speed WRX gearbox swap and after much research I have come to understand that, In Queensland if you read the rules set out by the government on vehicle modification.
With regards to gearbox modifications you do not need a modification approval to change in a gearbox that was a factory option and it is bolt in.

so with this in mind after I was looking over my gearbox I noticed that vin from the car it was removed from happens to be stamped into the box.
I could see the similarities in the levorg vin so I started a vin decode.

I have found that the the most important code being the 11th indicates the transmission option is
Is listed as ‘Full-time AWD 5MT. Full-time AWD CVT’. This also is the reason the levorg and the Auto WRX are stamped from the factory to take the 6 speed.

This leads me to understand that the 6 speed was a factory option ( just not one we could select) I will be asking an engineer in the coming weeks.

As for the ADR stuff, I suspect they only (as alluded to here) assessed the base model for the V chassis being a base WRX or lower. Automatics not being a base option.

anyway this is all just my own conclusions at this time and limited to Queensland.

 

[Smidge]

That’s how most engineers interpret it. I think it will be ok.

 

[mpsss]

Some stuff I have learned In the last week or so.
The CVT and the 6 speed are 220mm across at the diff.
You need to change out the rear diff to a matching r180 with axles.
You can use the levorg diff Mount cross member with the r180.
The WRX manual gear surround is not as nice as the levorg gts one. But the manual boot will not fit in the levorg trim.

The levorg can be started without the brake being pressed but not out of park.

WRX ECU will power up on the levorg wiring but the control module will not let it start.

The control module controls the ebrake thus removing it will mean no more ebrake the car will not start.

I am going to start playing with the gearbox wiring to see if I can fool it into thinking it it in park.(not actually starting it out of park just seeing if I can get the push start to turn green)

 

[Miottz]

What about an sti engine and keeping the cvt?

 

[Hutcho]

I know it's technically not a Levorg (at least in Australia) but has anyone looked into doing the same manual swap for the 22-23 2.4L wrx wagon with cvt transmission?

 

[lucavolta]

Hello to all, I find this thread and I want to write my experience. I have a 2016 GT-S 1.6L WITHOUT Eyesight in Italy. With a mechanic near me we do the MT Swap. He find a full WRX STI 2018 Transmission (Gearbox, Axles, Rear Diff, Transmission Shaft), and I find the pedals and the center console. For the mechanical part is plug and play but for the WRX STI driveshaft we had to do a 30mm plate to fit.
For the electronic parts he did a relays box that do the AT Shift, when I pull the E-Brake the car goes in P, when I remove the E-Brake the car goes in D.
I drive the car for 3000Km after the swap and It's totally different from the CVT.
The only cons is the 1.6L because we can't do much HP (200HP max) because the small turbo and the delicate bushings of the engine.

You can find some photos on the attached link Manual Swap Photos

 

[MikeAWD]

Sorry for reviving the dead.

I have been getting ready to do a 6 speed WRX gearbox swap and after much research I have come to understand that, In Queensland if you read the rules set out by the government on vehicle modification.
With regards to gearbox modifications you do not need a modification approval to change in a gearbox that was a factory option and it is bolt in.

so with this in mind after I was looking over my gearbox I noticed that vin from the car it was removed from happens to be stamped into the box.
I could see the similarities in the levorg vin so I started a vin decode.

I have found that the the most important code being the 11th indicates the transmission option is
Is listed as ‘Full-time AWD 5MT. Full-time AWD CVT’. This also is the reason the levorg and the Auto WRX are stamped from the factory to take the 6 speed.

This leads me to understand that the 6 speed was a factory option ( just not one we could select) I will be asking an engineer in the coming weeks.

As for the ADR stuff, I suspect they only (as alluded to here) assessed the base model for the V chassis being a base WRX or lower. Automatics not being a base option.

anyway this is all just my own conclusions at this time and limited to Queensland.

I read a post on Facebook where the guy swapped an STI transmission into a 1.6L vorg. I asked about the ecu and in a not so clear answer he said they used some simple relay box to send the P and Ebrake signals.

 

[lucavolta]

I read a post on Facebook where the guy swapped an STI transmission into a 1.6L vorg. I asked about the ecu and in a not so clear answer he said they used some simple relay box to send the P and Ebrake signals.

Hello, I'm the guy about the Facebook post, the electrical work wasn't done by me but from a friend of mine that is an electrical engineer, he only told me that it's a simple relay circuit, I have a pdf about the electrical wiring of the CVT and he study about it and do the circuit

 

[MikeAWD]

Hello, I'm the guy about the Facebook post, the electrical work wasn't done by me but from a friend of mine that is an electrical engineer, he only told me that it's a simple relay circuit, I have a pdf about the electrical wiring of the CVT and he study about it and do the circuit

I’ll take that please

I was deep diving compatibility and I read the 06-07 STI and even the newer 2015+ transmissions have a final ratio of 3.90. The 1.6L also has a final ratio of 3.90. So technically on the mechanical side it’s the simplest swap. Where the VA 2L Vorg and Wrx have a 4.111 final drive ratio and require swapping the rear diff as well. The 07 trans is stronger and the last year to have the built in speed sensor. But ours being newer I don’t think that matters. And even a weaker trans will be fine because the 1.6 won’t even make the original torque of an STI when fully tuned. I’m planning ahead for when my CVT eventually breaks.

 

[lucavolta]

I change the whole transmission because the rear diff of the STI are bigger than the 1.6 Levorg one (photos attached), and also the STI rear diff with the DCCD installed you can totally block the open movement to have a better handling on snow or mud.