Retrofit ACD into a non ACD car?
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Retrofit ACD into a non ACD car?
I'd like to know what parts it takes to convert a non ACD (03-04) Evo to having the ACD. I've done a bunch of searching and I've yet to see a list of what it actually takes to make this happen, just people saying its a pain. While I can respect that as an answer for a street car, I'd still like to know whats involved.
I'm going to be building a car for the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, so the car is going to get stripped down to the shell, seam welded, FIA roll cage welded in, painted, then reassembled.
I'm still trying to decide between building a WRX or an Evo, and cost of the salvage starter vehicle are one important deciding factor. I've done the research on the Subaru side of things, so I have an understanding of what it takes to get the ACD into that car. With the Subaru, I can start with a base model shell, then find a wadded up STi and just start swapping parts over. The center diff has its own wiring harness, so its easy enough to get it working in a non ACD shell. So now, on to the Evo questions:
Can I just source the ACD transfer case, ACD wiring harness, get a RalliArt Diff Controller, and connect up a few wires?
Or does the ACD need inputs from all over the car? (e-brake, steering column, ABS, etc.) making this nearly impossible?
If the partial retro-fit isn't reasonable what about a full transplant?
Are all the mounting points there on an 03 or 04 shell so I can take everything from an 06 and bolt it right up?
Will all the parts from an 06 swap into an 03 shell?
Thanks for any insight!
Dave
I'm going to be building a car for the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, so the car is going to get stripped down to the shell, seam welded, FIA roll cage welded in, painted, then reassembled.
I'm still trying to decide between building a WRX or an Evo, and cost of the salvage starter vehicle are one important deciding factor. I've done the research on the Subaru side of things, so I have an understanding of what it takes to get the ACD into that car. With the Subaru, I can start with a base model shell, then find a wadded up STi and just start swapping parts over. The center diff has its own wiring harness, so its easy enough to get it working in a non ACD shell. So now, on to the Evo questions:
Can I just source the ACD transfer case, ACD wiring harness, get a RalliArt Diff Controller, and connect up a few wires?
Or does the ACD need inputs from all over the car? (e-brake, steering column, ABS, etc.) making this nearly impossible?
If the partial retro-fit isn't reasonable what about a full transplant?
Are all the mounting points there on an 03 or 04 shell so I can take everything from an 06 and bolt it right up?
Will all the parts from an 06 swap into an 03 shell?
Thanks for any insight!
Dave
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He said he is buying a shell so what year he buys doesnt matter , What you need is a 05 and up Tranny , that allows the ACD to bolt up . ACD computer and wiring harness , any others members care to chime in
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there's one hydraulic line that goes to the transfer case. how hard could it be if you're going to be building the car anyway?
i'm not intimidated by evo's anymore. i just did the clutch in my 05. it was tough but not significantly difficult in any area. i've installed AWD transaxle's in my Expo LRV twice. its the same drivetrain as the evo 2. and i've had a lot of experience saving my 67 camaro from the junk yard.
anyway, I think you can do it. there will be differences but you'll just use the 05 parts and ecu and wiring and brackets and stuff. you'll get help from evolutionm.net for sure. and common sense says its just not going to be really really really different. see ya. good luck.
- Max
i'm not intimidated by evo's anymore. i just did the clutch in my 05. it was tough but not significantly difficult in any area. i've installed AWD transaxle's in my Expo LRV twice. its the same drivetrain as the evo 2. and i've had a lot of experience saving my 67 camaro from the junk yard.
anyway, I think you can do it. there will be differences but you'll just use the 05 parts and ecu and wiring and brackets and stuff. you'll get help from evolutionm.net for sure. and common sense says its just not going to be really really really different. see ya. good luck.
- Max
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there's one hydraulic line that goes to the transfer case. how hard could it be if you're going to be building the car anyway?
i'm not intimidated by evo's anymore. i just did the clutch in my 05. it was tough but not significantly difficult in any area. i've installed AWD transaxle's in my Expo LRV twice. its the same drivetrain as the evo 2. and i've had a lot of experience saving my 67 camaro from the junk yard.
anyway, I think you can do it. there will be differences but you'll just use the 05 parts and ecu and wiring and brackets and stuff. you'll get help from evolutionm.net for sure. and common sense says its just not going to be really really really different. see ya. good luck.
- Max
i'm not intimidated by evo's anymore. i just did the clutch in my 05. it was tough but not significantly difficult in any area. i've installed AWD transaxle's in my Expo LRV twice. its the same drivetrain as the evo 2. and i've had a lot of experience saving my 67 camaro from the junk yard.
anyway, I think you can do it. there will be differences but you'll just use the 05 parts and ecu and wiring and brackets and stuff. you'll get help from evolutionm.net for sure. and common sense says its just not going to be really really really different. see ya. good luck.
- Max
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If you know what you are doing then its not that complicated of a task. 1 Week is funny, me and a buddy of mine do manual conversions in 4-5 hours from start to finish. So before you attemt to install an acd into a shell or anything else, make sure you pickup the evo factory service manual and read up on everything there is about tranny and acd.
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I'd like to know what parts it takes to convert a non ACD (03-04) Evo to having the ACD. I've done a bunch of searching and I've yet to see a list of what it actually takes to make this happen, just people saying its a pain. While I can respect that as an answer for a street car, I'd still like to know whats involved.
I'm going to be building a car for the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, so the car is going to get stripped down to the shell, seam welded, FIA roll cage welded in, painted, then reassembled.
I'm still trying to decide between building a WRX or an Evo, and cost of the salvage starter vehicle are one important deciding factor. I've done the research on the Subaru side of things, so I have an understanding of what it takes to get the ACD into that car. With the Subaru, I can start with a base model shell, then find a wadded up STi and just start swapping parts over. The center diff has its own wiring harness, so its easy enough to get it working in a non ACD shell. So now, on to the Evo questions:
Can I just source the ACD transfer case, ACD wiring harness, get a RalliArt Diff Controller, and connect up a few wires?
Or does the ACD need inputs from all over the car? (e-brake, steering column, ABS, etc.) making this nearly impossible?
If the partial retro-fit isn't reasonable what about a full transplant?
Are all the mounting points there on an 03 or 04 shell so I can take everything from an 06 and bolt it right up?
Will all the parts from an 06 swap into an 03 shell?
Thanks for any insight!
Dave
I'm going to be building a car for the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, so the car is going to get stripped down to the shell, seam welded, FIA roll cage welded in, painted, then reassembled.
I'm still trying to decide between building a WRX or an Evo, and cost of the salvage starter vehicle are one important deciding factor. I've done the research on the Subaru side of things, so I have an understanding of what it takes to get the ACD into that car. With the Subaru, I can start with a base model shell, then find a wadded up STi and just start swapping parts over. The center diff has its own wiring harness, so its easy enough to get it working in a non ACD shell. So now, on to the Evo questions:
Can I just source the ACD transfer case, ACD wiring harness, get a RalliArt Diff Controller, and connect up a few wires?
Or does the ACD need inputs from all over the car? (e-brake, steering column, ABS, etc.) making this nearly impossible?
If the partial retro-fit isn't reasonable what about a full transplant?
Are all the mounting points there on an 03 or 04 shell so I can take everything from an 06 and bolt it right up?
Will all the parts from an 06 swap into an 03 shell?
Thanks for any insight!
Dave
I'm not sure about the mechanicals, but the electrically you would need at least the engine harness dash harness (the acd does not have a seperate wire harness it's all integrated together with the engine/interior), ecu, and acd controller(or aftermarket). As you said it does use sensors from all over the car. You can look in the service manual at the electrical diagrams and see what's going on. It would probably be in your best interest to get a donor car to save cost. Although at that point you might as well just use the donor car as the base for your project.
Last edited by griceiv; Jul 31, 2007 at 09:07 AM.
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I'm not sure about the mechanicals, but the electrically you would need at least the engine harness dash harness (the acd does not have a seperate wire harness it's all integrated together with the engine/interior), ecu, and acd controller(or aftermarket). As you said it does use sensors from all over the car.
Thanks guys!
Dave
#9
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I'm still confused about the performance advantages of ACD. Sure on paper it looks good, but I've yet to see ACD show an obvious advantage over non ACD equipped evos.
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From what I've heard from seasoned rally folks, there is no comparison. The ACD or DCDD equipped car is going to be faster, all other things being equal. For top level teams, the benefit is on the order of a couple seconds per stage mile. While not huge, over the course of Pikes Peak you're looking at probably 20-25 seconds. For stage rallies the difference could be much greater.
On the subaru side of things (most rally guys run WRXs), having the stock DCDD isn't really any better than a mechanical center. Where you really find the benefit is after you buy the racing maps for these differential. RocketRally sells such a thing for the Subarus, and RalliArt does have racing programs for the ACD. From what I've been told (again, on subaru stuff), if you're a left foot braker, you can order a set of maps that are dialed for that driving style. You'll end up with a 'race' mode, 'drive it like you stole it' mode, and 'I really need to make up some time - drive it like you hate it' mode.
Sure these different settings can be achieved with conventional mechanical diffs, but it would require a fluid change or a clutch pack change, neither of which are reasonable things to attempt while out on stage.
Dave
On the subaru side of things (most rally guys run WRXs), having the stock DCDD isn't really any better than a mechanical center. Where you really find the benefit is after you buy the racing maps for these differential. RocketRally sells such a thing for the Subarus, and RalliArt does have racing programs for the ACD. From what I've been told (again, on subaru stuff), if you're a left foot braker, you can order a set of maps that are dialed for that driving style. You'll end up with a 'race' mode, 'drive it like you stole it' mode, and 'I really need to make up some time - drive it like you hate it' mode.
Sure these different settings can be achieved with conventional mechanical diffs, but it would require a fluid change or a clutch pack change, neither of which are reasonable things to attempt while out on stage.
Dave
#13
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The VCD equipped cars by design have low center diff locking force. You can change to some form of mechanical center diff and increase the locking ablity but you run in to compromise situations where increased locking may slow the car down in some parts of the track and speed the car up in others. ACD, being programmable, is less effected by those types of compromises. For rally there is the added benefit of being able to use the e-brake in a "traditional" way with ACD. Weather you're a good enough driver or not to actually tell the difference is a different matter (I'm certainly not).
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