doncarbone

iTrader: (15)

2003 Mitsubishi Lancer OZ Rally AWD Conversion
AWD swap via 2006 Outlander and 2004-2006 EVO

I've decided it was time to create a new thread dedicated to the drivetrain component of my Lancer project.
My original build thread which started out documenting my 4G94 to 4G69 engine swap is about 19 pages long and anything involving the AWD swap starts on about page 12.

An AWD conversion is an often discussed (and quickly dismissed) topic among Lancer owners and something that few people seem to be crazy enough to actually go through with (and let me assure you, it's crazy lol), but finally the project is at a point where I can comfortably say that this can be done, and needn't cost thousands and thousands of dollars like it may have 5+ years ago. For me the largest price paid is a lot of waiting and frustration in finding someone in my area skilled enough and available to perform the fabrication work that is needed in particular for the rear subframe fabrication.

The first step was finding an Outlander from which we could pull off the complete drivetrain, and in particular a 2005 or 2006 Outlander with a manual transmission. These aren't too easy to come by, but as fate would have it, there was one available nearby in my province without any damage to the drivetrain. EVO components (subframe, links) could be used, but the suspension set-up on the back is quite different than our Lancers, whereas the Outlander and Lancer chassis' are virtually the same and are much easier to find where in B.C. (relatively speaking). For this reason, its easier to use the Outlander rear subframe and suspension setup. What made this choice even easier is Canada didn't see the EVO until the EVO X, so finding a salvage title EVO 8 or 9 anywhere close to home is near impossible (let alone significantly more expensive even if you do find one).

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The initial plan was to do the swap using the complete Outlander drivetrain. We started by pulling off everything we'd need from the Outlander...transmission, transfer case, mounts, driveshaft, complete rear subframe...

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The nearby recylcer was great and agreed to send the entire vehicle at a great price (which is not something most auto recyclers will do), granted once we were done, the costs of having it delivered back to the yard were covered.

The first day with the car back at the shop:

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First the transmission was bolted up to the block. This is the easy part. There really aren't many differences between the shapes of the bellhousings between the 4G69 FWD transmission and the 4G69 AWD transmission from the Outlander. The clutch and flywheel swapped over no problem and everything will bolt up, as you'd expect, to the 4G69 block.

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The rear mount off the Outlander is virtually identical to that of the rear transmission mount (and brackets) off the EVO 8/9's...in fact some of the parts share the same part #s... The rear mount bracket off the FWD transmission, however, will not fit. The first obstacle...but a minor one.

Next came the first real obstacle that makes this swap a little less than simple. Due to the design of the FWD suspension crossmember, front sway bar, steering rack and power steering return lines, you will not have adequate room for the transfer case to safely clear. It was damn close, but it's too close for comfort and would require tedious modification.



An EVO 8/9 front suspension crossmember, steering rack, sway bar, and P/S return lines were sourced at a great price. All of this bolted up perfectly.

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The EVO lower control arms, however, (which I knew before-hand not to waste my money on thanks to a few users on here) will not fit our cars as the wheel placement will be comically off center...but the OZ arms will bolt up to the EVO subframe without issue. The EVO inner tie rod ends were also required.

The transfer case at this point was now happy:

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Next up was preparing the vehicle for surgery. Dynamat was removed from the trunk (which is easier said that done; anyone who has done this before knows what I'm talking about). Apparently using a chisel and hammer while the adhesive is cold works quite well, in hindsight this might have proven more effective. I opted to use a heat gun and scraped it off bit by bit. Not fun.

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Now what happened next was months of trying to find someone capable of helping us weld and fabricate the rear subframe from the Outlander. In my city these types of fabricators are in short supply. You'll find many all-purpose welders, but few with the expertise in specialized automotive welding and fabrication. Upon finding someone on paper capable of doing this, I was jerked around for several months as somehow 'emergencies' kept getting in the way of this work ever getting done. Fortunately as my patience finally ran out, we were referred to a fabricator in town who knew exactly what he was doing, provided an accurate estimate and timeline and ultimately did a great job in a relatively short time period (10 hours all said and done). For what he was used to doing on cars, this was a piece of cake:

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Overall this was not a difficult job for one main reason; that the chassis' at the back between the Lancer and Outlander are the same. Not even a little different. Identical. As long as you cut out the FWD crossmember that extends from the floor, everything will line up and bolt up from the Outlander as though it was built for the vehicle. Trailing arms, control arms, sway bar, the entire subframe itself...all are basically built from the factory to fit this car.

There are two basic approaches you could take in in getting the subframe on to the Lancer... (1) swap in the Outlander floor which is specially fabricated to accept 4 bolts on each side of the subframe which has a contoured mounting surface which at first glance does seem quite intimidating. or (2), what we opted to do, which is just weld the entire subframe directly up to the Lancer floor. This was not only easier, but is stronger too than factory.

First the frame was tack welded into place once accurate alignment and positioning was achieved:

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1/8" plate steel was welded sealing the gaps created by the mounting surface contours of the subframe (that would be accounted for by the shape of the Outlander floor).

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The coilovers bolted in no problem.

Further strength was added with more 1/8" plate. No show car aesthetics here, just strength.

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The trunk was cleaned up again by a simple beaded surface (designed as pictured to create clearance for the rear diff and easy access from underneath should it need to be replaced or worked on) and further bracing was added to simulate the design of the Outlander floor which has a 2x2 bar from the factory, used for back seat mounting and presumably further strengthening.

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While these wheels were used only temporarily and are of an odd dimension, it's clear to see the wheels should sit where they need to:

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While the subframe was still uninstalled, we were able to calculate that the diff ratio between the Outlander and EVO are actually identical.

What soon followed was the purchase of a 04 RS transfer case from an EVO 8 /w LS and a 5spd EVO tranny later shipped to T.R.E. in Michigan to be built. The transmission was purchased from @mitsuorder (who first pioneered the 4G69 2.4L EVO) his spare 5spd EVO 9 tranny and he has also loaned me an EVO rear diff to try bolting up to the Outlander crossmember.

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When the car was back in my possession, I took a weekend to clean up the Outlander subframe and underbody of the vehicle...grinding off scales of rust, killing leftover rust with rust converter, cleaning, priming, then applying a rubberized undercoating. The Outlander lived its life, as we came to learn, in Quebec (eastern Canada) where they use a lot of salt on their roads.










(sway bar being replaced anyway, so didn't bother to mask)







The sway bar will be replaced with a Whiteline 24mm.

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EVO transmission and transfer case in place of Outlander components:

The decision was made to upgrade to the EVO drivetrain based on a couple of conversations had with Jon@T.R.E. who was contacted to potentially rebuild the Outlander drivetrain to handle more power. His research determined that surprisingly the Outlander transmission is quite strong. Where the EVO 5spd, stock, is known to sustain up to 510 N m of torque, the Outlander 5spd holds up to 420 N m. For my goals, this was adequate, but where things fall apart, is with the Outlander transfer case.

Even with the EVO, where the t-case is a known bottle neck, it's still significantly stronger than the Outlander one and also quite upgradeable. While 'dimensionally' from the exterior the Outlander vs. EVO tcases appear very similar, the internals are nothing alike. Even if you wanted to swap over the internals from the EVO into the Outlander housing, basically nothing would fit. Using the Outlander transmission with the EVO t-case is also not possible. There is nothing that can be done to upgrade that Outlander t-case.

I wanted to do things right, so I went about sourcing an EVO 5spd and 04 RS t-case (non-acd with OEM limited slip differential). At this point it was clear everything would bolt up and an AWD conversion was possible, so although the Outlander components would now not be used, they had at least acted as an inexpensive way to test how simple FWD --> AWD was on the C6SA. To put in perspective, the entire Outlander donor vehicle paid for cost less than just the EVO transfer case lol (when taking into account first buying one used, then having it rebuilt and upgraded by T.R.E. + the exchange rate which doesn't favor us Canadians...).

It took some patience and searching around, but an EVO 5spd transmission and 04 t-case were found at great prices and the sellers shipped direct to T.R.E. for the rebuilds. Then came the waiting. Everyone knows Jon@T.R.E. is difficult to get a hold of and takes his time (there's a new thread about this it seems every month lol), but ultimately I was nothing but happy with the work and value provided.

Pictures below show the differences between EVO and Outlander. The EVO and Outlander tcases look very similar, but the EVO tcase weighs much more.



















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While everything was out of the vehicle, time was spent cleaning up a few brackets and painting them:



Nothing show quality but it will at least make a few areas that would otherwise be brown and rusted look newer.


(on the left is the stock 4G69 head bracket fyi)

A lot of the basic engine bolts will be replaced with new ones. CZeroMedia (a YouTuber who periodically comes on this forum AFAIK) posted a good video on where to find these bolts cheap: Video here. Save yourself a few $100.

Meanwhile I've begun to address the unibody of the 03 Lancer, not necessarily because it's required, but more because for the type of power this thing will be subjected to, even if this was an EVO you'd be unwise to not focus on brakes, handling, suspension, chassis...so i'm doing myself and the car no disservice by taking the extra time to work on the chassis strength and reliability.

Having learned that the EVO's CT9A unibody was spot welded in 250 or so more places than the CS6A (which otherwise is basically the same chassis less the wider rear quarters, wider rear doors and body kit), and being that plans were in place to occasionally race this car, a decision was made to throw in a basic roll bar, some fender braces, do some basic stitch welds in a few potentially weak points and prepare the engine bay for a stealthy brake line and harness set-up.

Ultra-racing fender braces were chosen. We've yet to confirm if these will fit under the stock Lancer fenders which do not flare out near as much as the EVO's:



The near completed roll-bar set-up pictured here:







The bars in the back (used to further strengthen the connection of the subframe to the stock Lancer floor) were tied to the cage, with additional bars through the trunk floor to the top of the Outlander subframe:









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ENGINE BUILD: More chaos...

While waiting on a number of areas of the build to progress, attention was turned to the engine knowing eventually the DOHC head conversion would be done on the stock 4G69 block from my initial engine swap (4G94 / AT replaced by 4G69 / 5spd).

Beyond the commitment to use exclusively EVO drivetrain components having later in the build learned that the Outlander and EVO diffs used the same housing and were of the same ratio, the engine build and eventual turbo plans are where this project went from a fun part time hobby to an ambitious obsession spiraling further and further out of control... (i'm not the first to fall off the deep end, surely)

It will be a 2.4L SR 4G69 EVO 9. The tear down was done in the spring time and the block is in good shape. The engine will feature standard bore 87mm 4G63 pistons (which work well as the 4G69 and 4G63 blocks share the same deck height) at 9.5:1 compression (which might be reduced slightly by virtue of a 1.5mm thick Cosworth head gasket). Plans are to run mostly 94 octane (Canadian maple syrup grade) with a secondary tune for E-85. English Tuning in Washington will be tuning direct on their dyno.

Engine Parts list:

Block:

• Wiseco 4G63 asymm 87mm 9.5:1 pistons K667M87AP
• Manley turbo tuff rods
• K1 billet l/w 100mm crankshaft
• ARP 12pt main studs
• Cosworth main bearings, thrust bearings, rod bearings
• Cosworth H11 ultra high performance head studs
• Cosworth 87mm head gasket 1.5mm
• GSC BSEK
• TOMEI baffle plate
• Mishimoto oil cooler
• Fluidampr harmonic balancer
• Curt Brown oil pan
• All OEM ancillary components, gaskets etc have been purchased new

Head:

• Curt Brown ported/polished/assembled EVO 9 cylinder head
• Curt Brown ported/polished intake manifold
• Curt Brown rebuilt and ported throttle body
• GSC R2 MIVEC 9 camshafts
• Kiggly Racing beehive springs,retainers
• Supertech valves / inconel exhaust
• GSC valve guides
• GSC valve stem seals
• Kiggly HLA
• ARP cam tower bolt kit
• ARP sprocket bolts
• Zaklee clear cover
• Topline revised lifters
• STM -6an valve cover fittings

Below are a few pictures of some of the parts being used and around when the tear down took place:


unintentional dog inclusion





A light hone one-thou will be done just for good measure, resulting in about 0.0045" over the stock 87mm, a safe range for forged pistons that require a minimum 0.0035".




Manley vs stock 4G69 comparison

The fancy crankshaft..







Some very nice machine work on this piece. The billet crank was not necessary, but erring on the side of caution and a need for reliability and bragging rights, I opted to go for it.



cylinder head, CBR:















Further updates October 2015 as the engine has been built. I won't get into the details as this probably warrants another thread, but here are some pics:

parts ready for the machine shop:


gsc bsek bearings:




block cleaned with plugs:


crankshaft in, very well machined, only 1gram out:


asymm wiseco pistons:


rods torqued, only minor grinding needed for clearance around small-end (for pistons)






clearancing bottom of cylinders for wide rods:


oil pump, pickup, baffle plate (TOMEI - not a bolt and go piece, you need to do quite a lot of bending and machining to make this fit...just a head's up for anyone looking to use this):




in this pic the tangs are not bent to where they should be. they have since been bent to about 1mm from the counter-weights:






almost done here:


gsc r2 cams:

qmqz

You're doing an awesome job and keep us updated!

.M.

Sub'd for awesomeness (former OZ owner)

IzzyRS

iTrader: (8)

Impressive, kudos for not giving up. I did follow your other thread quite a bit and found myself reading it and saying JUST BUY AN EVO lol.

211Ratsbud

iTrader: (1)

This is probably closer to a rally lancer than ever.. as it's based off a lancer

doncarbone

iTrader: (15)

NO!


lol If it weren't for the simple fact I really love working on this car and having a challenging project to think about, buying an EVO would make a whole lot of sense. Granted acquiring an EVO 8/9 would still pose its own challenges; first finding one, getting it imported & inspected, then of course scrapping half the parts for aftermarket upgrades, it'd be a cake walk compared to building this car... but it is what it is.

All in all I think people would be surprised at how inexpensive the actual AWD swap was and I'm sure i could have done it even cheaper if i was a bit more patient.

doncarbone

iTrader: (15)

Very short and uninspiring update from today:

Decided to paint 'the BBQ' in the trunk to protect it against rust:



EDIT: This now looks like this: (same rubberized coating as subframe underneath):

xmaster19

iTrader: (1)

How "deep" are you in?

doncarbone

iTrader: (15)

• Salvaged Outlander - $2k (Canadian dollars)
• Front EVO 9 suspension subframe + rack + sway bar - US$350.00 + shipping
• Labor, rear subframe fabrication - CAD$800
• Mechanical help (is a good friend) - CAD$600

Everything else put in is my own time and a lot of waiting around doing nothing.


Then the drivetrain components sourced from EVO 8/9's which are not necessary to achieve working AWD, but was something I decided I wanted:

• EVO 8 2004 RS transfer case w/ LS, used great condition - $950
• EVO 9 5spd transmission, used good condition - $ I'd rather not say, but it's heavily discounted...
• EVO 9 rear diff - free to test, then $200 or something if it works

Still needed:

• Driveshaft - either built with EVO front/Outlander rear, or if the EVO diff fits, probably a stock non-AYC 2-piece aluminum/chrome-oly driveshaft - The Driveshaft Shop - maybe $1,000
• EVO axles, used - $200
• EVO hub assemblies, used - $75

Solely Outlander swap ~ $3,750.00
Add the EVO stuff ~ looking closer to $6,000 + then the costs of having everything built

bakuro117

iTrader: (5)

Subd can't wait to see more!

Sharkbite2000

iTrader: (21)

In that case you got yourself a evo for super cheap in Canada ! Kudo's !

doncarbone

iTrader: (15)

Sort of lol. Truthfully by the time the DOHC swap is complete along with the engine assembly, turbo system, fuel upgrades etc, it will very likely amount to a total expenditure greater than that of buying a stock(ish) EVO and getting it imported... but there again assuming all goes well, it will be far from 'stock' and should be considerably more powerful than a stock EVO 8/9. (plus the weight advantage)

IzzyRS

iTrader: (8)

And you've gained experience working on your own car, that is priceless.
How much does she weigh?

doncarbone

iTrader: (15)

I don't know for sure yet, but the stock curb weight would have been around 2,700 lbs. A few things, currently, have been removed:

• a/c compressor/condenser
• full size battery
• panels / carpet in the trunk, dynamat

The Outlander subframe may have netted +100 lbs... the driveshaft will probably add 35lbs, transfer case 50 lbs...transmission weight difference, maybe add +20lbs due to larger internals, a twin clutch... (not really sure). Without reducing weight anywhere else and retaining the complete interior, it will probably linger around 2,900 lbs. EGR will be removed, balance shafts, cat is gone... i really don't think these things will make a huge difference, but it all counts I guess. I'll be sure to weigh it though once everything is done.

Sharkbite2000

iTrader: (21)

That's what I thought, I was thinking why he didn't just buy an evo it would be cheaper, but I was giving you props on having the ***** to do that anyway