Your VIN# may find you extra power

[CoupedUpSubie]

I was doing some research, through wikipedia, and found that the 1.8L engine had 3 power levels. 110, 115 and 120. This is denoted by the seventh character in your VIN#. I thought I only had 110 hp. Turns out knowing the meaning of my VIN# gave me an extra 10 hp.

 

[SWPWRX]

I was doing some research, through wikipedia

This is where it all goes wrong!

Pretty cool if it's true!

 

[boxer3main]

This is where it all goes wrong!

Pretty cool if it's true!

no doubt.

I was gung ho about finding info, then declared war on the findings, wikipedia ois only one of the places.. especially the ea generation subarus.

I have reason to belive my own is closer to 11 to 1 than 9.. the more I fix it, the more retarding timing is doing jack squat..

my list goes on and on...

the newer subarus, starting with the EJ are intensely market based, so details like you found could very well be precise.

 

[Chris]

Interesting.. I've never seen this. What's the article?

 

[Mark]

Is this based on the build quality ranges? It's pretty common knowledge that engines making it out of the factory have an acceptable range of power. Does this mean those are actually documented within the VIN?

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

Type in Subaru ej or ea... Whatever your car has... It will show all the engine types... There is also an article on vin# reading

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

This is where it all goes wrong!

Pretty cool if it's true!

I have done more research. wikipedia needs to make data consistent through all their sites... wikibooks has it right. here is the most thorough decoder for your vin#... it was too good to be true

http://www.angelfire.com/ca/TORONTO/VIN/subaru.html

 

[Chris]

It is true that the later EJ18s have more power than the earlier ones. Same with the ej22. But they don't have different power ratings within the same year.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

here is the link to the wikipedia article

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_EJ_engine#EJ18

 

[Mark]

Kk. I was thinking maybe they tested and separated them into batches since a crank hp difference of 5 is pretty insignificant.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

Kk. I was thinking maybe they tested and separated them into batches since a crank hp difference of 5 is pretty insignificant.

I can only find sources using wikipedia as a source. My engine code is EJ18ECM2GB... would the 2 signify the power rating...

EJ181

* Horsepower: 110 PS (81 kW; 108 bhp) @ 6000 rpm

* Torque: 149.1 N·m (110 lb·ft) @ 3200 rpm

EJ182

* Horsepower: 115 PS (85 kW; 113 bhp) @ 6000 rpm

* Torque: 154.0 N·m (114 lb·ft) @ 4500 rpm

EJ183

* Horsepower: 120 PS (88 kW; 118 bhp) @ 5600 rpm

* Torque: 163.8 N·m (121 lb·ft) @ 3600 rpm

 

[Legwagon]

Cars101 guide to VIN #

 

[Chris]

http://www.cars101.com/impreza_archive93_96.html#1993%20impreza

http://www.cars101.com/impreza_archive97_98.html

Look at those pages on cars101 to see what the rated HP numbers are of the different year ej18s. It went up. As did the ej22, as they came out with better technology over the years they got more hp and better fuel economy out of the engine.

That's just how it be.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

Well I hadn't looked past 1995 because I hadn't seen a 1.8L beyond '95. So the only thing subaru got rid of is the FWD option.