subaru wrx opinions needed!

[sloLs1]

ok, i picked up a 03 wrx for a "winter beater". it blew a timing belt and has bent valves... needless to say im pulling the heads off a to see if theres any piston damage(hopefuly not).

my question is, the car is basically stock, im keeping it that way... what kind of head gaskets/head bolts should i run?! what are the factory headgaskets and bolts good for hp wise?! debating if i should spend the extra cash for nice shit or if i can get away with "factory oem" style parts!

thank you!

[spooln30]

What are your HP goals?

[spooln30]

I've installed Cosworth MHGs on a customers STI and he's had no issues. He's at about 500 awhp for about 3 years. Here's a site with different head gasket. Cometic is another good gasket.

http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/performanceparts/Subaru/WRX/Engine/Head_Gaskets

[Haulin' Oates]

If your intent is to keep it stock, run stock gaskets and stock head bolts. That is an interference engine FYI. My extensive research indicates that pistons generally break well before the head gaskets on subaru turbo cars.

[sloLs1]

thanks guys, basically stock hp levels maybe throw an intake exhaust and tune on it eventually. If the pistons are broke... looks like itll be getting a use motor for it!

[WhatsADSM]

If your intent is to keep it stock, run stock gaskets and stock head bolts. That is an interference engine FYI. My extensive research indicates that pistons generally break well before the head gaskets on subaru turbo cars.

Agreed with this 100%.

If you plan to keep it stock or thereabouts I'd go OEM everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

[jbiscuit]

...and even with OEM parts you can still throw a turbo and bigger injectors at it without worry. The factory 2.0L motors are plenty strong for the average bolt-on daily driver

[sloLs1]

ya im sending the heads out tomorrow morning... all but two valves are bent, almost no piston damage. just a few nicks.... nothing i havent seen before. Ive been looking around and maybe in spring if the car lasts through winter and such i may end up putting a sti turbo and injectors in it. i see a lot of people running similar setups making 300hp and being totally reliable.... exactly what id be looking for. but for now i just want to get it on the road!

[Haulin' Oates]

Honestly if you are dead set on doing that and can afford it, do it now. It's a dirty whore to get those parts installed when the motor is in the car.

[Slow5oh]

Do a vf39 and you can get 350ish out of it with tuning. I had a vf39 3" straight pipe from turbo back and built boost (20lbs) fast as hell and perfectly reliable
a vid I took showing it build boost in 6th on the freeway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm-zt7Afbmo

and for the hell of it a pull with some granny shifting and low rpm shfts it was on a conservative tune at 289whp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpMDtVnZjG0&NR=1

[sloLs1]

i totally agree haulin! kinda wanted to do that stuff now but i already have 1k in parts just to make it driveabe again! sooo mods might have to wait!

and slo5o.... ive got a 2.0l wrx... nothing near what your sti would be ahaha these wrx's are such turds bone stock... an intake exhaust and tune bring it close to a stock sti lol and at that point the turbo and intercooler and inj. are damn near maxed out.... or so ive read, not really big into subarus so its kind of hard for me to speak about them!

[sloLs1]

just an update... car is back togather and runs/drives great! thanks for the help, i ended up going with oem headgaskets/head bolts. Everything else was aftermarket. i did pick up a full exhaust and im looking for a cobb tuner. No more mods after that!

[WhatsADSM]

Awesome congrats. Have fun with it.

[Haulin' Oates]

Cool man.

[Irish]

Pics!

[sloLs1]

ill get some pics up soon... i ended up getting a up pipe for it aswell. It has tien lowering springs(id rather have it stock) and some shitty axle back muffler on it right now. I dont know when ill have time to put the exhaust on and im not sure if it will throw a CEL for not having cats. So i will wait till i get a tuner to put that on. I almost forgot, i have a greedy profect b boost controller ill throw on it even though im not really uping the boost.

[BigSnailBuick]

Exactly what Slow5oh said! My 02' has very minimal work done....Intake, full 3" catless invidia exhaust, Sti pink top injectors, VF39 turbo and a tune. Put down 361 @20lbs and rips mid 13s to the grocery store everyday :D

Good luck with your new toy...my favorite (handling) car to date.

And lets see some pics :D

[Russ Jerome]

PICs! I just got an 03 myself, bone stock 93k mile lady owned :)
Handles AWESOME in rain.
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/297557_10150305502120698_748950697_8122406_8509370 96_n.jpg

[jbiscuit]

Great looking bugeye wagon Russ! Makes me miss mine. Do the timing chain and tensioner on it soon especially if you intend on driving it hard. The 03s really benefit from some tuning so consider that. Makes them drive like a totally different car.

[Russ Jerome]

Im gonna work on the Starlet and keep the wagon stock for now....well less gutting the up pipe, front mount from my pile...MBC set constant reasonable level...2000+ H6 rear brakes.....stock for now :)

[Rifleman WI]

Im gonna work on the Starlet and keep the wagon stock for now....well less gutting the up pipe, front mount from my pile...MBC set constant reasonable level...2000+ H6 rear brakes.....stock for now :)
YES!! Thats how i was with mine, untill i started digging into it.. i love these cars...
I have some Diff and Shifter Bushings and a short shifter i need to put in still..
Im looking at eventually swapping the VF52 out of the 09WRX, adding a FMIC kit and a Grimm Speed Up Pipe and EBCS... should make it more fun :devil

[Russ Jerome]

After some more reading Im gonna buy a cheap e-bay up pipe so ID stays fluid, $46 shipped to save turbo from blowing up. These cars are like little go-karts in rain, blast to drive stupid.

[Rifleman WI]

i cant wait to take mine out in the snow. yea didnt they put a EGT Probe in the up pipes in those years that liked to break off and the turbo ate it?

[sloLs1]

ya i put the up pipe on this weekend and got theboost controller in and set to 13.5.... definatly woke it up! heres a few random pics from the last few weeks.... hopefully in a few weeks ill get the turbo back exhaust on and maybe a access port!

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu213/sl2ls1/scoobie1.jpg
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu213/sl2ls1/scoobie6.jpg
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu213/sl2ls1/scoobie2.jpg
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu213/sl2ls1/scoobie3.jpg
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu213/sl2ls1/scoobie4.jpg
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu213/sl2ls1/scoobie5.jpg

[Russ Jerome]

Yea they did, gonna move mine to #3 exhaust outlet as I read it is leanest (hottest).
I run one at the cylinder outlet of all four on my last project, those EGTs are "suppose" to go on Starlet.

[Russ Jerome]

I've loved the Bugeyes since they first imported them, turbo was the frosting on the cake.



http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu213/sl2ls1/scoobie1.jpg

[Slow5oh]

ill get some pics up soon... i ended up getting a up pipe for it aswell. It has tien lowering springs(id rather have it stock) and some shitty axle back muffler on it right now. I dont know when ill have time to put the exhaust on and im not sure if it will throw a CEL for not having cats. So i will wait till i get a tuner to put that on. I almost forgot, i have a greedy profect b boost controller ill throw on it even though im not really uping the boost.

Should be fine.

As I said i was running 3" straight pipe from the turbo back and passed emissions with it even.

[sloLs1]

I've loved the Bugeyes since they first imported them, turbo was the frosting on the cake.

i dont really care for the bug eye... id rather have the 04-05 front end!

and slo5oh.... it didnt throw a check engine light?!? and what was your car boosting with the downpipe and such?!

[sloLs1]

never mind i see you had a sti not a wrx lol

[BigSnailBuick]

Since this has turned into a bug eye pic thread I cant resist :D A few shots from when I got the car and a newer one... Car is such an odd color...black in the shade and blue in the sunlight! Kinda grows on ya after a while :)

http://i52.tinypic.com/2cpb128.jpg
http://i51.tinypic.com/2ylmla0.jpg
http://i51.tinypic.com/4hvaev.jpg

[Haulin' Oates]

You really need to get that car tuned if you are running mods on it. Not sure if you are aware but the engines are very fragile.

[Rifleman WI]

oh yea.. i had to wait for COBB to come out with an AEM tune before i put my intake on... my shits too expensive for it to go BOOM right away...


You really need to get that car tuned if you are running mods on it. Not sure if you are aware but the engines are very fragile.

[Haulin' Oates]

I was putting that out there for the OP also. I know it's common knowledge but would have felt bad if I didn't say anything and it blew up.

[Rifleman WI]

word. i saw a 08'STI that friend of mine sold, the dealership wouldn't take the tuner for it, even for free, just so the new owner didnt blow the car up on a stock tune. ( was stage 2 ) a week later the car was back at the dealership with a blown motor.. it only had like 25K on it..
i ran mine with an open catless down pipe for a month, the sound was amazing and the power was awesome ( boost spike to 21PSI ) my catback has tames it for now.. cobbs generic tune at 16 PSI isnt much fun, now to find a tune for the GrimmSpeed EBCS and we'll be good :)


I was putting that out there for the OP also. I know it's common knowledge but would have felt bad if I didn't say anything and it blew up.

[Haulin' Oates]

Why aren't you using open source tuning software? I had that setup on my wagon and it worked wonderfully. Just curious. I am not a fan of "canned tunes" even though they work fine.

[Russ Jerome]

Why aren't you using open source tuning software? I had that setup on my wagon and it worked wonderfully. Just curious. I am not a fan of "canned tunes" even though they work fine.

Im listening, not a fan of buying from aftermarket and have the ability to program above base maps.
We use to solder in our own chips in 80's turbo charged Dodge modules, cant scare me!

[Rifleman WI]

i got my cobb tuner for $200, and i liked the ease of use. i have been looking into open source also, there are alot more tunes available.


Why aren't you using open source tuning software? I had that setup on my wagon and it worked wonderfully. Just curious. I am not a fan of "canned tunes" even though they work fine.

[Haulin' Oates]

The cobb tuner is fine, but its retardedly expensive new. For a couple hundo I would say you did great.

Russ

http://www.tactrix.com/

Check out the forums there. There is software you need to download (free) for the editing of the maps and actually flashing the ECU. It's fairly inexpensive at 170 bucks too.

[Rifleman WI]

yea it is, i could never justify the new price. i have been looking into going to OS for a little bit now, my buddy has the Tactrix 2.0 that he is offering to sell me. I spoke with one Subi specific tuner, Torqued Performance and he can do either Cobb or OS maps, ide have him just make a Cobb mapp so i can keep my AP, but the problem im having with my car/tuner is everytime i go WOT to Datalog, the AP freezes up. Cobb allready rebuilt it once, there blaming my car for being to " Electronic noisy " causing a voltage surge and freezing up the tuner. once i get home, im going to try messing with it and having them take a look at it one more time, if it keeps acting up, im probably going to get rid of it and see how my car responds to the Tactrix 2.0. The tuner cant tweek the tune for me if i cant datalog, so if thats the case, ill be going OS for sure. i have allready downloaded ECU Flash and RomRaider, with those i can flash his base map, do a few pulls, datalog and have him tweek it for me. then sell the Cobb AP and get some gages for A/F and Boost so i can be a cool guy!!


The cobb tuner is fine, but its retardedly expensive new. For a couple hundo I would say you did great.

Russ

http://www.tactrix.com/

Check out the forums there. There is software you need to download (free) for the editing of the maps and actually flashing the ECU. It's fairly inexpensive at 170 bucks too.

[Rifleman WI]

EDIT- Stupid Haji Internet Doublepost..

[Haulin' Oates]

Sounds like what I would do. You should easily be able to sell the cobb to someone else if it doesn't freeze up in their car.