Hi. I'm new here, but have been using this forum for a while diagnosing my other problems.

Our Evo 8 got hit on the rear wheel and it tore off one of the points where the rear arm is connected to the chassis. There is a substantial amount of rust on the chassis so welding a part from another Evo is not feasible.

I have found an Evo 9 shell locally for what I think is a very good price. Is it possible to swap the whole drivetrain at home for somebody who has done only basic work on the car? Or is a lift necessary to do the job?

Thank you for any insight. I would like to keep the Evo alive, but I'm afraid that this project is to much to handle.

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I think you might need to swap the evo 8 engine harness and ecu into the evo 9 shell as the evo 8 doesn't have mivec...I think but maybe another person can chime in on this.

 

1. Evo 8 and 9 chassis are the same
2. Yes you can do the swap in your garage/home. But you better label everything and take lots of pics. Even small things you think you will remember you will probably forget !

I took out the entire engine and drive train in my garage. (motor, transmission, transfer case, rear diff, drive shaft, subframe) The Evo held up on jack stands as high as they will go and I had nothing but a hydrologic jack . No engine hoist. I just lowered it with my jack slowly and holding it from the top trying to keep it from tipping on one side.

I can’t comment on your skill level. For the record this was the first time I took a motor out. Off course taking it out is easier than installing it back in. The only major ticket items I have done in the past were turbo upgrades with supporting mods (exhaust, intercooler, injectors pump etc), clutch change a few times ( includes removing transmission) , converting from ACD to non ACD transfer case etc..

I have a project/build thread. Check it out for some pics. I didn’t take complete detailed photos of how I removed it but at least you see the motor out and engine bay to give you some idea . https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/pr...olution-e.html

 

Years ago I was on a DSM forum. Someone wrote in wanting to know about swapping an N.A. car to turbo. The answers were universally - if you want a turbo car go buy a turbo car. Then a guy writes in saying that he and his friend owned 3 DSM cars so they decided to sell one. The car they wanted to sell was N.A. but they figured it would be more likely to sell if it was turbo. Having all the parts necessary for the swap, they did it. Now this would include swapping engine, transmission. wiring and ECU plus installing all the turbo plumbing. A buyer appeared wanting the car for his daughter BUT he didn't want his daughter driving a turbo car. So, they said, - no problem, we'll swap it back to original condition. And they did.

So, it goes to show, if you have way too much energy, anything is possible.

 

Wow thanks for the fast reply.

My plan is to use all of the components from the existing Evo 8. The Evo 9 has only windows and that is it. No sheet metal, no drivetrain and no interior.

I do my own maintanance on the Evo (just pretty minor stuff so far) and on other cars.

My only worry is the engine and then the differentials. We should do this with a friend in his shop, but he backed out, because he worries that this will take a long time and his shop would be full.

The other option is sell the Evo for parts.

 

From my understanding you just need help transferring the engine , drive train and rear diff. You can do those fairly “quickly” in a shop that has a lift, proper tools etc. I’m also assuming since your friend owns a shop he has skills in general that will be very helpful . Do the engine drive train transfer in his shop and then the rest at your place.

Also, to help expedite things maybe do the pre work like unbolting most of the stuff and draining fluids at your place , then tow it to the shop to do the rest .

 

Good idea. I will try to have a talk with him.

Do you have any rough idea on how long the swap of the drivetrain can take? I have absolutely no idea. I have never done something like this before.

 

HAHA! Troof...

Depends on how much rolling around on the ground and strain your neck can take.

I say eff it, and just build a race car.

 

since you have both chassis with all the parts... should be an easy swap.

you will need to transfer the evo 8 ecu and engine wireharness over with the motor... as stated above

 

Race car is not an option in Czech Republic it should be just a daily driver like it is now.

I need to think this through. When I pull the trigger on the Evo 9 chassis, then there is no turning back.

 

It can be done because I’ve done it but it’s a hell of a job we did it to my buddy’s in his garage with nothing but jack stands and hydraulic jacks no lift...
I want to stress this was not our first rodeo many clutch swaps and motor pulls under our belts and even then this was the hardest job I had ever done..

But if it was me I would do it your problem might be running into major rusted bolts where as with our job the cars are garages queens and in Oregon there’s no salt so no rust

 

NO RACE CARS!!!?!?!?

Eff that noise man, you need to move to America.