After a very long hiatus, I am back! I had a Super Charged 03 Mustang GT when I first joined i-club. For years I wanted a WRX, so instead of buying one, I spent time helping friends modify them and provided lots of support on i-clubs boards! Shortly after the admins upgraded me to VIP status, I left and bought a Mazdaspeed 6. Loved it! Long story short, I'm back and with a 2008 WRX and a new business in the oven! I've been logging the build of this WRX in other forums, and am bringing it over here in it's entirety and will keep it updated!
I'll do my best to remain helpful, encourage knowledge, and learn from everyone else! The beauty of a forum like this is that we all come together with a common interest and can share our individual views, opinions, and suggestions. I too was once a 'newbie' and thanks to forums like these, I have gained a lot of knowledge and am happy to share what I know. But everyday is a learning experience and even I am not exempt from asking an obvious question :) So please, DO NOT HESITATE. If you feel embarrassed, feel free to PM me! Assuming knowledge and passing it around is the most harmful thing in a forum.
I'm the proud owner of the 08 Base WRX Sedan seen here. My goal is to approach this thread as a One Stop Shop regarding my WRX, so that I'm not all over the forums with it. I'd like to eventually fill this thread with Pictures, Videos, Modifications, Reviews and Impressions of this car. I will also continually do my best to remain unbiased and objective in my reviews and opinions.
So thank you in advance for your interest, opinions, questions and, in general, for joining along with this automotive journey of mine.
Respectfully,
Vim
------------------------------- August 8, 2008 -------------------------------
Today, I picked up my Spark Silver Metallic WRX. It is the Base model to which I have opted for the following: fog lights, custom Coach leather upholstery and Formula One 15% tint. While it is dark out, a friend encouraged me to take pictures of it, so I did. They didn't turn out too terrible. I tried to capture the car from each general angle, giving you an idea of the blank canvas I will be working with. There is a lot of focus on interior shots, as I am very happy with the outcome of the Coach leather. I chose solid black bolsters and perforated black surfaces with white French stitch to commemorate the same theme that was present in my late Speed6. If you notice, the leather looks a bit rippled up top, but I was told that will tighten up within 2 weeks, as the leather needs to dry and shrink a bit. If by then it does not meet my satisfaction, they have agreed to re-upholster the interior at no charge. I've gotta be honest, I am quite happy with it, and I feel it adds a great element of luxury to an otherwise economical-minded interior. I think it makes the rest of the interior look more... upscale. Please Enjoy!
Here, I have put together a list of modifications that we have to look forward to in reviewing their effect on the vehicle. At this point, I will give a synopsis why I've chosen each modification and what I intend to gain from it. I will also post some pictures to complement them.
SUBARU ARMREST EXTENSION - While not the most exciting piece to find on a modification list, I found this extension to be an absolute necessity! With an extremely tall shifter and center compartment that are placed far from one another, I found it difficult to find a comfortable place to rest my arm while cruising. With an 11-mile long, gentle test drive, it became unacceptable to keep my elbow either floating, or placing my resting pressure on the shifter itself while in gear or neutral. After flipping through the Genuine Accessories brochure I found my saving grace to be a modification that I used to once ridicule as, 'Who the heck would waste their money on one of those? hah!' This Armrest Extension from Subaru is made of a nice quality that isn't leather, and appears to be nicer than a standard rubber. It has a convincingly deceptive look of leather and is firm yet supple to the touch, much like leather. I expect this to be a worthy upgrade, considering the factory compartment lid is a very hard plastic piece. This Extension, however, boasts the ability to extend up and forward to meet the driver's elbow in a more comfortable spot.
COBB DOUBLE ADJUSTABLE SHIFTER & HARDENED BUSHINGS - The first time I test dove this car, was when I still owned my 'Speed6. I could not believe the lack of feedback, accuracy, or precision this piece had. It's important to note that I had the TWM Stage 2 Shifter & Bushings in my Mazda which sat the shifter at a perfect height and performed flawlessly, feeling almost like a directly linked unit! In defense of the Subaru's shifter, it does fall into it's gates rather nicely with a confident 'snick'. But to find the gate, one must swim through the vague rod and make assumptions as to where it's going. Also, the throw length, once you find your gear, is quite pleasing! It's not a long throw by any means, it just lacks any positive feedback from the transmission to which it's directly linked to. With the COBB unit, I hope to lower the obnoxious height of the shifter to a more reasonable and sporty position, hopefully lining it up close to the same height as the armrest will rise to. I expect the throw length to decrease as well, allowing for quickly timed shifts to be performed flawlessly. The bushings are perhaps the most important part of this modification, as the vague, swim-through feel of the shifter is about as large a complaint as it's touch the ceiling height. With the hardened bushings, COBB has given the expectation that the shifter should feel more directly connected and provide better feedback to the driver. I am looking forward to this effect, as I feel this upgrade has the potential to really take this shifter from a butter churner to a sporty extension of a more engaging vehicle!
SPT CAT-BACK DUAL EXHAUST SYSTEM - You can spot a modified Subaru a mile away, not by it's looks, but by it's sound. Subaru's Boxer motor with it's firing pattern coupled with their unequal length exhaust manifolds, create a signature rumble that can only be replicated by another Subie. The sound has become it's fingerprint. Once heard, it creates a classically conditioned, Pavlovian response to rear one's head up and look for the nearest Subaru. And my God, does it sound good! I've been in love with the sound since 2001, and have drooled at it ever since. If I'm driving a Subaru, I'm getting it's signature with it, damn it! I do not intend to gain much horsepower from this modification, but I do intend to free up some restriction and back pressure. The sound just so happens to be a effect of this decrease in restriction. But once can achieve this rumble through any Cat-Back, so why SPT? Subaru Performance Tuning is the in-house tuner for Subaru. I'm not sure how far we can get away with considering them a tuner, but I can rather accurately call them a branch of Subaru that hires out after-market tuners to do some R&D and private label parts for them. The private labeling does have it's benefit though, and that benefit rhymes with the word, warranty. This vehicle is a lease, and the less I need to worry about removing in the end, the easier the road for me. The SPT modifications are considered 'warranty friendly' and this one happens to intrigue me with a couple of other unique features. Being an SPT modification, the sound is rather subtle. I consider this a very positive feature, as I believe I can make out what seems to look like a Down Pipe in my very near future every time I rub my eyes. Another unique feature of this specific exhaust is it's size. I've always been an advocate of increasing diameter, but not by too much, as it will retain back pressure which will prevent the loss of torque commonly plaguing excessively free-flowing, large diameter exhausts made for boosted cars. On my Mazdaspeed, I had a MagnaFlow Cat-Back which boasted 2.5" mandrel pipes, which in turn, caused no notable restriction in my 284whp/307wtq application. The benefit was less resonance, preventing the loss of torque, and in general, a smoother, quieter operation. Much like the MagnaFlow, this SPT Cat-Back features 2.5" mandrel bent piping as well... at least in the mid-section. Conversely, here is where things get interesting. Just prior to the rear y-split, the exhaust smoothly increases to a 3" pipe. Upon splitting, the 3" diameter continues out to each respective side, through the mufflers and ends in monster 4" tips with SPT's logo handsomely etched into them. I believe this design is utilized to remove some of the unnecessary back pressure that a y-split design can create by choosing visual appeal over performance efficiency. While on the topic of visual appeal, I am really looking forward to the 4" tips to nicely fill in the large exhaust openings on either side of the rear valance! The SPT Cat-Back has thus far impressed me with the design alone, so I expect fitment to be equally impressive. I also expect this system to exhibit a smooth, mellow note which will rumble with strong presence, but muffle down my full Turbo-Back setup.
SPT SPORT SPRINGS - The 2008 WRX is notoriously known for it's body roll and 'comfortable' suspension. Even with little time behind the wheel and only a few turns under my belt, I have already uncovered a desperate need for an increased spring rate. Now don't get me wrong, these will get you by just fine around town, but if you intend on doing any spirited driving, or even tackling your favorite corners with a little gusto, the stock springs are far too soft. The stock dampers live up to their task though, providing a firm compression and great rebound. The springs on the other hand, simply do not feel stiff enough for the task. SPT, once again being warranty friendly, offers a sportier option for the WRX. While I do not know what the increase in spring rate is, I am hoping for this to be a suitable option. Wheel gap should also decrease, but not radically, offering a more planted, canyon-ready look without compromising too much ground clearance. I am expecting to have sharper turn-in, less body roll, and a sportier look with these coils. Since there is not much technical detail about them out there, I am going into this with a bit of a gamble. But I believe they are made by Eibach, and my experience with their products have been second to none. I am really looking forward to reviewing this modification.
<<NO PICTURES YET - THIS ITEM IS DUE TO ARRIVE ON MONDAY AUGUST 11, 2008>>
COBB DOWN-PIPE WITH HIGH FLOW CAT - The down-pipe is where the biggest restrictions exist on the exhaust side of the turbo. Removing catalytic converters, or replacing them with more efficient units, will yield smoother exhaust flow and significantly reduce back pressure resulting in earlier boost response and high power across the entire rpm band. This is considered one of the most potent modifications to most modern turbocharged vehicles. A down-pipe provides a lot of power gain, for such a simple replacement! The COBB unit integrates a high flow metallic substrate catalytic converter that keeps things flowing well, while allowing the vehicle to pass emissions, preventing the unappealing smell of a cat-less vehicle, and keeping sound levels acceptable. There is also a very unique sound of the waste gate gases passing through that happens to become very audible with this modification. I expect a lot of power out of this modification and hope it delivers.
<<NO PICTURES YET - THIS ITEM IS CURRENTLY ON A 2-WEEK BACK-ORDER THROUGH THE MANUFACTURER>>
COBB HEAT SHIELD - Much like the MZR Turbo DISI motor, the turbocharger in a Subaru H-4 lies behind the engine, just in front of the firewall. However, unlike the DISI's location of the intercooler being above the motor, Subaru's intercooler is placed just behind the engine to prevent heat soak from the engine's rising heat. However, this application places the intercooler almost directly above the turbocharger, which is quite possibly the hottest part of the engine bay when under boost. To prevent heat soaking, Subaru employed a thick shield to go above the down-pipe to cover the exhaust side of the turbo and prevent heat soaking the intercooler. It's a great design, but with the replacement of the down-pipe with an after-market unit, the factory heat shield no longer fits. While most individuals will trim or just completely remove their heat shields, I personally feel it is mandatory to keep one in place. Economically speaking, I would have trimmed my factory shield. But with this car being a Lease, I do need to re-install the stock down-pipe with no trace of modification. COBB has created a heat shield that will effectively complete the same task as the factory shield, while looking good at the same time!
COBB AccessPORT - Like Peanut Butter to Jelly, COBB has been successfully re-tuning Subaru's across America, with their sophisticated AccessPORT unit! Their company grew from a tiny tuner to massive market share in a matter of years. They worked hard and passionately to provide top of the line products, often embarrassing the competition with their results! Reliability for this product is top notch and the gains are significant. Not only does one benefit from more power, but it is also more usable and is applied smoother, resulting in a more pleasurable driving experience. The AccessPORT remains an undetectable modification, and is very simply to marry to and un-marry from a car. Maps can be switched on the spot to select Anti-Theft, Valet, Economy, or any of your pre-programmed ECU maps. They have even begun to include Launch Control on many of their applications. I am looking forward to using this modification with it's Stage 1 settings while my exhaust system remains stock, then re-flashing to Stage 2 parameters once my turbo-back system is installed. I also intend to do real world 0-60 runs and possibly 1/8 mile comparisons between Stock, Stage 1, and Stage 2. This is a no-brainer modification for any Subaru owner!
Here's a quick update for everyone... Springs are installed, and the Shifter + Bushings have been installed for a few days now. I have taken all the necessary pics, just need to take the time to write up a review on them. Expect it sometime this weekend! Thanks for everyones interest and patience.
As far as some scoop on performance, I have enough mileage on the car to try a couple 0-60 runs.
The clutch is very sensitive.... Let me rephrase that: It grips very hard and instantly, while pedal feel is soft, so it's difficult to 'feel' what's going on in order to modulate it properly and ride the clutch out smoothly.
However, I've only tried it with some trail running shoes... I normally achieve my best launches with Pumas which have a very thin sole which allows a lot of the vibration to transmit through the pedal and gives me a better idea of what the clutch is doing at what point. I will re-attempt some launches then.
I've gotta tip my hat to Subaru.. The numbers on paper aren't very impressive.. especially the HP/TQ figures. Neither are the gears... They are tall and not very sporty, which certainly doesn't help acceleration... While they allow a broad area for the power to dance through, there just isn't much power to use! So I am at a loss of words when I conclude that this car can boogie! WRXs have typically been tested to run 0-60 between 5.4-6.0 seconds. In fact, the best published time may very well be 5.4...
Launching at 4k rpm, the vehicle loses grip (thanks to the re92s) and so the power dies down before it can regain it's acceleration. Results? 5.8-5.9
Launching at 3k rpm results in a momentary bog down, but then revs fly up to reward you with 5.5-5.7 times. Not bad, eh? Alright, so obviously once the clutch is engaged this baby can move... Where's the sweet spot?
I've only managed to do a total of 4 runs today and one of them was the best launch. I started rolling in at 4500 rpm then the clutch fully engaged by 2600, which is just prior to the peak torque of the car at 2800... The car went flying through first... I carefully shifted to 2nd, and finished the gear off with a 0-60 run clocking in at 5.30 seconds. The graph is posted below... Studying the graph, you can see some serious weaknesses on the drivers(my) behalf...
First, the launch... I wasted some time and engaged the clutch too aggressively still, as you see the MPH decreased prior to re-increasing.. That's a major time waster! The other issue is again with the engagement of the clutch... Too grabby!!!! So even entering second you'll notice MPH rise, then drop, then rise again. What's happening here is that the clutch grabs so instantly that the entire weight of the drivetrain (including all 4 wheels) are causing a force against the flywheel from accelerating, so they momentarily stall or halt the engines movement! I think with my Pumas and some more practice learning the feedback of the clutch I can get this little Subie into the 5 flat territory, as just by looking at the graph, there's plenty of time to save!
I really apologize for the delay, but its been a hectic(read: busy) last few weeks of the quarter at my bank. On top of that, I'm viciously working with my partner on incorporating our business... We're going to be an online vendor for performance parts with a strong focus on Customer Service. We will start out specializing in Subarus and Mazdaspeeds then expand from there. We're expecting to be up and running by February of 2009. TrebleRacing.com
I've already done an exhaust video for everyone, and still need to do an 'after' video for my shifter. Oh btw, did my first 0-60 trial in COBB Stage 2 mode... nailed a 4.91 :) I think it's capable of 4.7-4.8s with my pumas and some concentration...
More updates to come! Thanks for the interest and patience!
Boost Addict
12-28-2008, 03:11 AM
Boy, do I owe you guys some updates!!!!
Well the car is pretty much done!
COBB Shifter: Thank the lord for this mod. I've gotten so accustomed to the short throws, that it took a picture of the stock shifter to remind me how inadequate it used to be. The stock shifter was rubbery, vague, and made you doubt any quick shift. The Cobb coupled with the bushings has completely turned this around. The throws are short, stiff, confident and click precisely into gear. The new shifter certainly takes more effort to move than the stock unit, but it's a good difference. It feels more sporty and purposeful. The stock shifter adds a nice touch of luxury to the WRX, but a touch that steers it away from its sporting nature. More details on the shifter below
SPT Springs: The car is significantly lower in the rear, but the front could use a little more of a drop. Ride is identical to the stock springs in terms of softness/harshness. I felt that these springs were a substantial improvement initially at ridding the car of its tipping, but initial turn in was still somewhat laggy and sluggish. If I decide to buy-out at the end of the lease, expect the full suspension to be addressed.
SPT Exhaust and Invidia Catted Downpipe: Without these mods, the car is a Corolla. There is something really refreshing and attitude inducing when you get that boxer rumble out of those tailpipes. It's like the beast has finally come to life. No longer are you merely putting around town silently, you're rumbling past people who can't help but turn their heads. I'm finally getting the Subaru wave from other Subie owners. I think before the TBE, people just didn't notice the car, and when they glanced, they wouldn't figure it for a Subie. Now I get the wave often :) This TBE set-up is fantastic! Nice deep rumble down low without being intrusive. No drone, unless you're downshifting, and even then, causes no annoyance. In the cabin, most of the noise is generated from the downpipe, you can hear its resonance through the firewall. But as far as actual Cat-Back noise, it's very subtle. Conversations can easily be carried, unless you're dropping the hammer full throttle. And even then, no major screaming going on; just some nice purposeful roaring. Comments I've gotten tend to always fall into the "it sounds mean" category. I'm very happy with it, as I can slip by cops emitting a low blub-blub-blub, but then rip past sports cars with a full on roar. I dig it!
AccessPORT: This device is simply great. At Stage 1, it made quite a significant difference. Then I tuned to Stage 2, after the TBE, and while the car felt a bit faster, it may or may not have been. I guess I should say a bit more about the AP, but there's really not much else to report, which is a good thing. No hiccups, no cold-starts, no lag, no hesitation. It works flawlessy, everytime, the way it should! My personal best 0-60 remains at 4.91, which I feel is insufficient. I expect to hit the mid-4 range with a custom tune. So I will be heading to Church Automotive on Tuesday the 16th to get my AccessPORT custom tuned by Shawn. The problem is, I'm only hitting 12.8 psi in 1st and 2nd gears (where 0-60s are accomplished), ~13.3 psi in 3rd, then ~17.8 psi in 4th and 5th. In 4th and 5th, the car scoots on the highway, but the first 2 gears need more boost. Accomplishing ~17psi in 1st and 2nd will send this car flying confidently in the mid-4 second range. Let's see if we can get that accomplished next week!
Rota G-Force 17x8 and Kumho Ecsta XS 235/45 ZR-17: Holy handling prowess, Batman! This was the mod this car desperately needed!!! Talk about a planted, purposeful stance, endless grip, sharper handling and quicker response. The wheel and tire package together save me about 4 lbs per corner in rotational mass, which isn't huge. It is considered a great benefit since I have over an inch of additional contact patch per corner on the ground. Stock wheels were 17x7, and the tires were a skinny 205/50 in all season trim. Less rubber to the ground, more sidewall, and more weight. Sounds like a loser in stock trim! I realize now one of the biggest weaknesses of the stock WRX is NOT the suspension itself, but instead, the rubber! With a slushy sidewall and AS tires, the car wasn't eager to turn in, nor did it hold well under accelerating corners. You would turn in, wait... then the car would push unless you overwhelmed it with more throttle, then it would transition to an electronically assisted oversteer. It worked, I guess, but didn't invoke any confidence. What a change these wheels/tires made: The donut-gobbling heavweight went to boot camp and came out an athletic super hero. He has the same strength overall, but now he's fit, agile and willing to get moving! The stiff sidewalls of the XS have almost removed all the tippy-toppy body roll of the rex. I was pleased at that! Cornering is now more confident, and you now you can actually recover quick enough to switch directions more abruptly. In stock form, the car would shift its weight over, and you'd have to wait for it to recover, or the rear would want to slide and the stability control would go bananas and kill power. The grip of the XS are monstrous! I can get them to progressively whine doing roughly 65 on an on-ramp... The whining will increase in volume until you're ready to lose grip. It's a very progressive process that doesn't alarm you with a sudden loss of grip; call it 'friendly' :). At launch, it's almost impossible to lose traction, unless you do a 4500 rpm dump which results in a pointless chirp follpwed by an abundance of grip that practically halts the car before it gets going. Best launches are progressive feathering lifts of the clutch in the 3500 range. Wet traction, I haven't been able to test much, but with the couple days that we had rain, I can't report any major danger. I would assume the stockers would hold better in rain, since they are all seasons, but in all honesty, I couldn't really get these to slip unless deliberately driving idiotic. Another note on the tires, is that the steering effort has increased slightly, but again, feels purposeful and planted. The car feels less likely to want to stray from its intended line. But initial turn in is snappy! These tires read your mind as soon as you input a little change of direction. They are quick tires when it comes to turning!
Sound System: So here's what I'm running, Infinity Kappa 6.5 components in the front doors, swapped with Reference tweeters (due to fitment issues). Inifinity Kappa 6.5 2-ways in the rear doors, 10-inch Pioneer Champion Series Sub in sealed box, all powered by Zeus 8006 5-ch amp. I have never been let down by the sound quality of Infinity. I've previously used Reference Series products and love the brightness of the sound. I compared Kappa and Perfect lines recently and found the only significant difference to be wattage and how loud you want things to get. The Kappa series is MORE than sufficient. I am running betwee 400-600w RMS through the system and it sounds incredible. The speakers can still handle more power, while the sub is running pretty high. I didn't want to compromise on speaker quality, so I went with my favorite. As far as the sub is concerned, it dishes out tight, accurate bass that can get things shaking if you want it to. But stays fairly low key when it's not wanted. Some music that I listen to include: Tool, Chevelle, dredg, APC, Michael Jackson, Smashing Pumpkins, Maroon 5, etc... The entire spectrum of sound is filled in VERY nicely, great staging, great balance of bass, and among the most crisp highs I've heard. Everything sounds tight and accurate... It did require a bit of tuning and balancing to get the mids out from being buried, but now it's sounded outstanding. On the stock system, I could crank it to max volume 40 with windows down on the highway and it'd be barely audible. Now I'm hearing great sound at volume 30 on the highway w/ windows down. Cruising along the streets with windows up, I am at a very comfortable listening level at volume 10. The stock system would get drowned out between road, tire, and gear noise even at volume 10. Sometimes I had to double check if it were on. I had the base sound system.
2009 Grille/Rear debadge: Let's face it... that Chrysler looking front grill with chrome sides was just unfitting for a WRX. I've done away with that and gotten the 2009 grill and debadged the WRX off of it. Now the front end has a fluid design to it with no shiny interruptions. I am pleased with the look. The trunk lid of the car was a mess... Chrome strip, chrome SUBARU, chrome IMPREZA, chrome WRX. It's all gone. I removed the chrome lettering and removed the chrome strip and had it wrapped in a satin black vinyl that matches the wheels, grill, and other vinyl. The pictures I am placing below don't show the car debadged, but they'll do for now.
Custom Vinyls: Believe me. I hate graphics. Until this day, I refused to put stickers/vinyls on my car as I find them distracting and pointless. But I am the proud owner of a new business: Treble Racing. We incorporate in 2 weeks, and should be up and fully running by February 2009. We are an online vendor who will access to over 50 different brands to meet your needs while changing what you expect from the industry in terms of customer service! Naturally, I had to get some promotional vinyl done on my car for marketing purposes. I chose a design that blended well with the vehicles lines and remained subtle. There are two ways to vinyl a car. One is an overwhelming approach which allows the vinyl to speak and mute out the car itself. The other approach is more subtle that still lets the car do the talking, then when looked at again, the vinyls are noticed. I went with the latter approach. Feedback has been great, even from people who hate graphics, so I think we've accomplished the task rather well. We are working on a universal windshield design that will be applied later. The blades on the driver's side mirror will be kind of our signature placement for the logo.
Taillight Tint: Headlight Armor is where I got the taillight film and foglight film. The foglight film went on easy and has remained on well. The taillight film on the other hand has began lifting on the most rounded edges, evenly on both lights. I am considering peeling them off and going with a spray-on solution that would look much cleaner in my opinion.
Overall Impressions: I am very pleased with the performance and comfort balance of this car. It feels like a brawny, go-getter when you're on it and cruises very comfortably when you're light on the hammer. The power delivery is smooth and precise, but lacks some excitement in the first 3 gears. Don't get me wrong, it winds up rather quickly with early spool and torque on demand, but lacks the chest punching power my Speed6 had. I guess when you take lag out of the equation, the result is a more tapered introduction of boost which is less exciting to feel. But considering how much less power this car has, it is still respectable to put down sub-5 second 0-60 times. But seeing my boost levels at 12-13 psi is just plain disheartening. Then again, at the same time, it gives me an optimistic expectation in terms of what Shawn Church can unlock from it. A lot of the modifications were selected carefully and with reversibility in mind. If I decide to keep the car, expect a more thorough approach to the suspension including more aggressive springs, bars and most likely shocks. Performance-wise, I'd most likely go with a larger turbo and different intercooler solution, as well as a full new custom tune. I'd expect it to be a monster at that point. But if I decide to turn it in at the end of the two years, I will most likely pick up a 2010 Mazdaspeed3 and go from there. In the meantime, it gets me around, gets the business name out, and is still a respectable run on the track!
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As promised, more details on the COBB Short Shifter. Enjoy :)
BEFORE VIDEO
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/th_MVI_0229.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/?action=view¤t=MVI_0229.flv)
AFTER VIDEO
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/th_wrxcobbadjustableshortthrowshifterv.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/?action=view¤t=wrxcobbadjustableshortthrowshifterv.flv)
Boost Addict
12-28-2008, 03:12 AM
Video and Pics :)
Here's a little video of the Turbo-Back set up. SPT Cat-Back and Invidia catted DP.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/th_MVI_0399.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/?action=view¤t=MVI_0399.flv)
A couple pictures before debadging the rear, car is filthy :)
That planted stance!! Check out the flush look of the wheels/tires!
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0866.jpg
So, I took the car into Church's to get a custom tune. I discovered a few things while I was there. The stock turbo spools very fast and dies... very fast.
first and foremost, Shawn Church is the man. There are lots of boys and men in this world, but Shawn is THE man (it's dyno proven). Ask me if I'm religious, and I'll reply, "I believe in Church". This man works efficiently, professionally, and puts his heart in everything he tunes. I can'thelp but respect every aspect of the way this guy runs his business. Thank you Shawn. He was able to extract some serious torque from my Subie, and safely too! We hit a wall in terms of horsepower and Shawn pointed at the snail to take blame. The snail blushed.
The end result was wicked to say the least. Coast into a left turn in 2nd gear, stab the throttle just past the apex to 3000rpm and all four Kumhos progressively slide out and tighten the nose. The tail doesn't just sweep around using the front tires as pivot points... No. They ALL spin out. But it's not scary, it's almost like you've entered a slow motion mode, mid-corner in a video game, and you can now steer, countersteer, or just aim and shoot. It's so disconnected from the road, yet, so controlled.
Bog the motor early in first and feel that addictive boost rush punch your chest, pressing your heart against your spine. Then feel it coast to 6k rpm. Shift to second and feel a momentary pull, then again, a coast. Wait, why are we coasting during a flat out run through the first 3? Oh, I know why... No horsepower. Don't get me wrong, the power is there... It's just masked by tall gearing, obscene amounts of short lived torque, and just a lack of top end power. The car feels powerful, but unwilling to accelerate with any motivation. Capable, but lazy ('Brilliant but lazy' - Doc Oc). It will spin all four rubbers without a shrug when it hits peak boost, but it doesn't like to be rushed to red line. While I describe the acceleration with a significant amount of disappointment, don't believe for a moment that it is any less than it was before the tune. It's significantly stronger and smoother, I just expected a good amount more out of the top end. I figure an additional 30-40 whp in the mid-high range would really give this car a competitive advantage over most on the road.
Overall, it was a day that revealed to me my next and final step. The turbo needs to be changed out to accomplish my goal. My goal for this car is ~300whp and ~350 wtq. I fell short by a long shot in the horsepower department, but was close in torque output. The main reason for lower hp output is that the turbo just can't efficiently push any more air in the mid-upper range.
First some pics, the dyno sheet, and then a couple videos!
No tint on the tails is starting to grow on me
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/rexIMG_1234.jpg
Dynapack! It just doesn't look right :)
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/rexIMG_1204.jpg
Ready for a baseline dyno run
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/rexIMG_1195.jpg
Here we go
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/rexIMG_1198.jpg
A friend took this picture of me driving through a rally course. I was mid-jump (note: rear wheel) when he snapped this action shot. I photo shopped in a Church Automotive Testing Garage backdrop and Shawn Church himself. Not a bad job huh?
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/rexIMG_1215.jpg
------
The Proof is in the Pudding! Church Tune vs PERRIN Stage 2 vs Stock
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/WRXchurchdyno01.jpg
Blue line is Church's Custom Tune
Dark Green is the PERRIN Stage 2 Tune I was running
Light Green is a stock 08 WRX
Shawn was able to extract an additional 27.5 whp and 55.7 wtq from the PERRIN Stage 2 map which was already helping me make a good deal more power than stock!
Church Tune vs Stock
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/WRXChurchTuneDyno02.jpg
Blue line is Church's Custom Tune
Green is a stock 08 WRX
Note that Shawn made an additional 37 whp and 97.3 wtq over stock!!!!
----
This was the second best tune of the day... He hits 231 whp and 333 wtq
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/th_333.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/?action=view¤t=333.flv)
After tuning, Shawn rides along with you while you road test the car. He was kind enough to film me doing a 0-60 attempt with the new tune. Insert Excuse: I had recently adjusted my seats and hadn't done a launch with the new positioning, hence I was unfamiliar with the clutch engagement point. Long story short: I rode on the clutch until midway through first. No 0-60 time was recorded. At least it SOUNDS good, Yum!
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/th_ChurchTuned0-60.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/?action=view¤t=ChurchTuned0-60.flv)
----
What's Next?
Shawn showed me a dyno that inspired me. He was able to get an 08 STI to put out over 290 whp and about 340 wtq with only intake and cat-back. The spool up was about 500-700 rpm later, but hit hard and held well! The horsepower figures held nice and high to redline... He suspects it will make at least the same if not more power on mine since I have a high flow downpipe. The vf48, however, does not bolt onto my 08 WRX. Instead, I need to obtain the vf52 which has the same internals, but wrapped in a Legacy/WRX friendly housing. The vf52 is the turbo used in the 09 WRX, and is capable of comfortably making 280-320 whp. It will have more lag than my current application, but with thrusting power all the way to redline, it's a small compromise I'm willing to make.
The 09 WRX also shares the same injectors as the STI. This fact serves as a clue for me to get the STI injectors as well before I get this bad boy retuned. I will be out an additional 1500-1700 in total, but the car will be more than fast enough to run LOW 4s 0-60, and should be capable of 12s in the 1/4 mile.
I'm just waiting for the right deal on the new snail, but I will keep everyone posted. Thanks for following along my journey! :)
Boost Addict
12-28-2008, 03:18 AM
So discussing my goals with Shawn, the tuner, he figures the stock injectors won't even be flowing at 85% if we hit the 300 whp mark. So he doesn't really see a necessity in upgrading the injectors for the 300whp mark. The 08 WRX we believe is running 540cc injectors, which is just shy of what the old STI pinks would pump out. With 550cc injectors Shawns gotten over 400 whp out of cars, so he feels the stockers can handle an easy 325 if the turbo could pump it out.
We will research this a little further while I shop prices. But I have decided on a brand new vf52. With my mods in mind, we're expecting to see 290+ whp and 340+ wtq. I would be more than happy with those figures! That would mean an additional 60 whp than what I put down and tremendous pull to redline! The torque curve should be flatter, wide spread and more usable with a modest gain. The way it's set up now, it spools up a tad early for my taste. My daily driving consists of shifts between 2600-3200 depending on road, incline, etc... And if I'm even a little heavy on the pedal, it snaps on the boost and makes for a bit of a jerky ride. Not to say it can't be avoided, but it would be nicer to have the rush come on 500 rpm later.
Boost Addict
12-28-2008, 03:19 AM
UPDATE
ORDERED!
IHI VF52 Turbocharger
PERRIN Top Mount Intercooler (Silver)
Parts due in 2 weeks, because the Turbo is backordered and I want it all shipped at once.
Expect a new Church Tune by the end of January 2009 and hopefully numbers close to 290 whp and 340 wtq!!!
Boost Addict
12-28-2008, 03:23 AM
My recent thoughts on how to approach the intake:
I have noticed that the claims for power increases on intakes for 08+ WRXs have been far greater than for previous models, but that's probably due to the intake leaning out the mixture and allowing the turbo to spin easier creating more momentary boost. Although I firmly believe that these big gains will slowly decrease to almost no gain on untuned cars, as the ECU will eventually correct the AFRs and keep things closer to the stoichiometric 14.7:1 as miles rack on.
Thinking more about it, I'm coming closer to a decision. I like the way the stock unit pulls air in from the gap between the hood and grill, in fact I prefer that over the fender well. It then travels to the air box, which I have no problem with. It's the corrugated S-bend that I feel can cause a pretty turbulent restriction at higher rates of air flow. Perrins Afta-Maf silicone hose appears to be a great solution for this!
So now I'm thinking, "Great, but why stop there?" Instead of the $300 I might have blown on an aluminum piped intake. I can do a panel filter, silicone afta-maf hose, and silicone turbo-inlet hose. Essentially create my own boxed-in CAI unit that pulls air in from the front and travels through a smooth, glassy silicon hose directly into the turbo! I'm teetering back and forth about the Turbo inlet hose, as it would require cutting of the stock hose to remove, but I'll brew on this idea for a while. Any input would be much appreciated.
STOCK 08 WRX INTAKE SYSTEM (Ram Scoop > Air Box > MAF > Corrugated S-bend > Turbo Inlet Hose)
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/08wrxstockintake.jpg
PERRIN AFTA-MAF S-TUBE vs STOCK S-TUBE
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/perrin_stockmaf.jpg
PERRIN TURBO INLET HOSE vs STOCK TURBO INLET HOSE
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/PerrinTurboinlethose.jpg
PERRIN AFTA-MAF INSTALLED (looks like an 04-05 WRX though)
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/aftamafinstalled.jpg
Boost Addict
12-28-2008, 03:25 AM
Call me crazy, but I think this Filter + Post MAF hose + Inlet hose will be a great solution for maintaining great low end grunt and allowing better flow up in the higher RPM! :) I'm kind of excited to giving this a shot and seeing how things fare. I put together a diagram earlier today and made a modded version... Check it out.
More thoughts on the intake decision: It's filter volume that would be the biggest benefit from an aftermarket intake.
If no gain is to be expected from the drop-in filter itself, I know I can count on the PERRIN hoses flowing more quickly and effectively than the stock pieces. Whether that will equate to more power or not, is up for debate. I am in firm belief that the stock airbox itself will be more than sufficient for my 290 whp goal and beyond. And in fact, I do believe I might be leaving maybe ~5 whp on the table in the top end by going this route, but it just might be worth the sacrifice.
I've never been formally educated in physics, so I can't think of the correct term. Maybe you can help me out here. But I know that when you have too large of a pipe, or too much space, there is no immediacy for the air to flow through. It has something to do with the way the air is pulsed in. When a pipe is smaller and the space is used more effectively, the air has a tendency to flow through faster. Whereas if it's too large a pipe, you can have 'dead spots'. I also know that if a filter is boxed in, there can be a pressure differential which promotes more of a vacuum or ram effect. Please feel free to correct me or modify my thoughts here.
The Injen was the unit I was sold on, if I was to go with any aftermarket cold air intake. It's the one that I felt was done right. Great placement of the MAF sensor (least turbulent area), great idea in blocking off the filter from heat, and good idea in going with an un-oiled cotton filter. But if I can avoid the modified engine bay look, I'd like to. Also, I got pretty tired of the constant CAI noise my Speed6 would make under any notable load. Those long aluminum pipes can really become bothersome with their swirly, resonating swish sounds they make while delivering air. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate some induction noise, but the consistency and volume of it made me consider not going back.
The K&N unit looks like a nice and solid piece. I enjoy the fact that it's black and still has a surrounding heat shield. I also like that it doesn't sit in the fender well and can be exposed to in-coming air more readily. And although it's expected to increase induction noise, it's a short pipe that shouldn't lend itself to too much resonance. What I'm not a big fan of is the MAF placement, but of course, I am getting a custom tune, so that's probably not too big of an issue. Also, the filter looks to be the same a la carte oiled variety that come on all their units. I've had K&N systems in the past and have never had a MAF fouling issue (just don't over oil the thing :) ).
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/69-8004TTK.jpg
Boost Addict
12-31-2008, 10:45 PM
Amazing write up so far! your my hero!
Hey, thanks man! :)
What mods do you have on your '08?
bignb408
12-31-2008, 11:07 PM
I unfortunatly only have swift springs ( thanx mann engenering!) and a drop in k&n. I'm gonna put my sways in soonish just got the rear endlinks. I wanna put a full invidia tbe on and get a pro tune. then maybe swap out the struts with either 09s or aftermarket. whenever they come out. then maybe in time turbo swap and all that good stuff... depends on money... ya know how that goes. oh yeah and don't forget goldies with some sticker tires on. and forgive the spellin and grammer been drinkin and I'm on my jankie ass phone.
Boost Addict
01-01-2009, 01:35 PM
I unfortunatly only have swift springs ( thanx mann engenering!) and a drop in k&n. I'm gonna put my sways in soonish just got the rear endlinks. I wanna put a full invidia tbe on and get a pro tune. then maybe swap out the struts with either 09s or aftermarket. whenever they come out. then maybe in time turbo swap and all that good stuff... depends on money... ya know how that goes. oh yeah and don't forget goldies with some sticker tires on. and forgive the spellin and grammer been drinkin and I'm on my jankie ass phone.
New years eve, on your cell phone, replying on a Subaru thread = FTW!
Haha, you've really shown your dedication! I love it.
How are those Swift springs? Low? Stiff?
You're plans sounds pretty solid and I can't wait to see what you do with it. What color is it?
---
I am off to install my K&N SRI. I'll be back with pics and videos later today. :biggrin1:
thaSicness
01-01-2009, 03:17 PM
I really like the route you're going with your car Boost. Keep updating, your build will be sick. I most likely will be alot of the same stuff as you far as performance goes
bignb408
01-01-2009, 11:45 PM
Im a big fan of the swift springs. the only thing i am not a big fan of is the struts and the stupid cadi air ride they have on a good bump... or dip in the road. oh yeah and the ride is wr blue. my ladie has a white one but nothing done to hers. she doesnt want to do anything besides a short throw. so thats definatly in the works. well cant wait for your next post have a good one!
Boost Addict
01-02-2009, 12:22 AM
Updated list of items that should be coming in by the end of next week (Yeah, I added a few more):
SUBARU BODY COLORED SPLASH GUARDS
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/wrxsplashguards.jpg
STI FRONT LIP SPOILER
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/stiunderSpoiler.jpg
SUBARU BLUE FOOT WELL ILLUMINATION KIT (ALSO AVAILABLE IN RED)
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/wrxfootwelllightingkit.jpg
Boost Addict
01-02-2009, 02:03 AM
Im a big fan of the swift springs. the only thing i am not a big fan of is the struts and the stupid cadi air ride they have on a good bump... or dip in the road. oh yeah and the ride is wr blue. my ladie has a white one but nothing done to hers. she doesnt want to do anything besides a short throw. so thats definatly in the works. well cant wait for your next post have a good one!
It's no secret these struts are made for comfort and not performance. I'll definitely address the suspension more thoroughly if I decide to keep the car. 25% of my lease is up and I've fallen in love with this car.
WRB + goldies FTW
Boost Addict
01-02-2009, 02:04 AM
I really like the route you're going with your car Boost. Keep updating, your build will be sick. I most likely will be alot of the same stuff as you far as performance goes
Thanks dude! I dig your wheels btw... Took a lot of deciding for me to go with all black or black w/ red lip. Grrr... But I think I made the right choice for the color of my car. They look phenomenal on yours though ;)
Sn0w8
01-02-2009, 10:50 AM
Nice car, I have 700 miles on my 08 wrx wagon and love it. My only mod so far is the short shifter, and I have the bushings but have not installed them yet.
Boost Addict
01-02-2009, 02:39 PM
Nice car, I have 700 miles on my 08 wrx wagon and love it. My only mod so far is the short shifter, and I have the bushings but have not installed them yet.
I'm just barely clearing the 5000 mark, so I see you've gotten yourself an early start on the mod bug too, eh? You are gonna love the addition of the bushings. Have fun during the install :)
bignb408
01-02-2009, 02:48 PM
definatly plan on goin with the goldies on the wrb. to bad ya live in LA u seem like a good guy and I'd like to see the car in person. oh yeah and ur gonna love the cobb knob big fan of mine!
bignb408
01-02-2009, 05:24 PM
Hey boost have you checked out 3gwrx.com yet? Its a forum for our 3rd generations! Its not as good as i-club for imprezas but its just for our jelly beans!
Boost Addict
01-02-2009, 05:57 PM
Hey boost have you checked out 3gwrx.com yet? Its a forum for our 3rd generations! Its not as good as i-club for imprezas but its just for our jelly beans!
Yeah, I'm on 3gwrx... it's definitely a small community, but helpful to keep things for the 3g in one place.
bignb408
01-03-2009, 04:04 AM
as soon as I posted that I saw ur name on there. lol toooo funny. I love jack and coke!
Boost Addict
01-03-2009, 10:59 AM
as soon as I posted that I saw ur name on there. lol toooo funny. I love jack and coke!
You know, at Treble Racing, we offer 12 steps to kick the habit ;)
..pass the jager-bomb's this way.
MyNikonLens
01-03-2009, 11:15 AM
I will be in Irvine Mon-Thu.. I would love to see the car in person. I have an 07 WRX as well.
Boost Addict
01-03-2009, 01:04 PM
I will be in Irvine Mon-Thu.. I would love to see the car in person. I have an 07 WRX as well.
I'm off on Tuesday, we can meet up. Feel like photographing? :eyebrows:
MyNikonLens
01-03-2009, 02:06 PM
I'm off on Tuesday, we can meet up. Feel like photographing? :eyebrows:
oh i would love to do a photo shoot for your car and mine together. that would be awesome.
Boost Addict
01-03-2009, 03:40 PM
I'm definitely down for that. PM me, we'll arrange something
Boost Addict
01-04-2009, 05:58 PM
So I installed the K&N Typhoon, and it was a very straight forward install with minor surprises. I will post up detailed pictures of the install sometime soon when I have more time. But all in all, it turned out great. The fitment and construction of the unit are excellent! It's a very nice piece and was a great choice for what I was looking to accomplish. I have recently ditched the idea of the turbo inlet hose due to some of the installation directions. They appear to require cutting the factory unit and then rerouting things. I'm not too fond of that considering the potentially small gains to be had.
After installing the K&N, I reverted back from my 233/334 custom map to the stock mapping in order to prevent any problems. Are there gains? Absolutely. But those gains are felt in the mid-range to upper mid-range... On the stock mapping the turbos exhaustion at high revs is more apparent than on my customer tune. But also note that, as expected, power did drop off quite significantly in the lower end of the spectrum. Lugging the car around at low revs then wanting to spring into action doesn't feel as immediate as before. It feels heavier at lower revs. Not by a huge amount, but it is noticeable. I have no major problem with this as the new tune will certainly take advantage of every last drop this intake has to offer, so I'm at peace with a slight loss of grunt down low.
The sound is pretty intoxicating. It sounds like you're in your own personal air craft ;). If you have no music on, spool up begins as an wide-spread "shhhhhh" sound, but climbing in revs with load will narrow the sound to a focused and sharp "hissssss" as the turbo spools up quicker. Once off the throttle, the bypass valve is very noticeable with an easy-to-mimic "tishewwwww". It's kind of funny if you break it down... People will commonly call it a 'sneeze', but at least it's polite enough to ask for a "tisshhheewww". Get it? Tissue. :)
Some things to note about it's performance. The car has an easy time figuring out the AFRs and running properly when you're heavy on the throttle. It clings to 11.1 and won't let go. But there must be some reason the stock unit had an air straightener in the pipe. While the K&N has a built-in velocity stack, it will cause the car to stumble and figure it's timing out if you get on it after an initial light throttle. In other words, if you're cruising along say at 2500 rpm, and give the throttle a squeeze, it will need to sort itself out with a little lumpiness in power delivery. Now please note, I'm being really picky, it's not like something that's a disturbance or a massively upsetting feeling. It just doesn't feel as smooth as the custom map. And I can't quite speak for the car in stock form, as I don't remember it's build up of power too well. It could have had the same lumpiness in stock trim (I don't remember). But in the ECUs defense, I am running an Intake and Turboback on Stock parameters. That's never a good combination to run for a long period of time.
In short, the gains were a bit more than I expected from the intake. It certainly feels more robust and willing in the mid-range (compared to stock mapping) but that feeling could be amplified by the loss in power down low. But all in all, I am very satisfied with the intake and can't wait to see if the sound changes at all once the new turbo, tmic and bpv are installed next weekend. We are scheduled to drop the new parts in on Sunday the 11th, then get a new custom tune done on the 13th! Wish me luck in hitting 290+ whp :)
SOME PICTURES:
ENGINE BAY BEFORE K&N INSTALL
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/kni01.jpg
OEM RAM AIR INLET OUTLET WIDTH
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/kni04.jpg
OEM RAM AIR INLET OUTLET HEIGHT
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/kni03.jpg
K&N TYPHOON vs OEM INTAKE SYSTEM
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/kni09.jpg
K&N INSTALLED IN ENGINE BAY 1
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/kni11.jpg
K&N INSTALLED IN ENGINE BAY 2
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/kni12.jpg
Boost Addict
01-04-2009, 06:00 PM
VIDEOS:
K&N TYPHOON - REVVING FROM OUTSIDE, (LOVELY RATTLING SOUND COURTESY OF COBB HEAT SHIELD)
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/th_KNIntakeSRIvideoexterior.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/?action=view¤t=KNIntakeSRIvideoexterior.flv)
K&N TYPHOON - INTERIOR SOUND TEST - WINDOWS UP, WINDOWS DOWN, WINDOWS UP + MUSIC
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/th_KNintakeSRIinterior.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/?action=view¤t=KNintakeSRIinterior.flv)
SHORT LAUNCH FOR WEBSITE PHOTO SHOOT
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/th_launchforphotoshoot.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/?action=view¤t=launchforphotoshoot.flv)
RETURNING LINE - GENTLE SPOOL AND PLUMB BACK :)
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/th_spoolandplumbback.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/?action=view¤t=spoolandplumbback.flv)
MyNikonLens
01-04-2009, 06:08 PM
you are doing a great job documenting everything you're doing. i got the SPT intake for my car. i honestly don't like the "woosh" sound very much.
Boost Addict
01-04-2009, 06:23 PM
you are doing a great job documenting everything you're doing. i got the SPT intake for my car. i honestly don't like the "woosh" sound very much.
I find that sound to be a real love/hate thing. People either can't stand it, while others drop their pants every time they hear it, haha. And thanks, I'm considering posting up a full write up for the intake install (I took so many pictures!), but the directions were very straight forward, so I figure the best I can do is create a supplemental guide.
MyNikonLens
01-04-2009, 06:39 PM
I purchased this book before doing anything to my car. It has great tips and guidelines to what you should and should not to your car. Of course your car is much newer.
I installed the Anti-lift kit and bump-steer from whiteline on my 07 after reading the book.
Boost Addict
01-04-2009, 11:27 PM
I installed the Anti-lift kit and bump-steer from whiteline on my 07 after reading the book.
I'd imagine they add a considerable amount of NVH? Thanks for the helpful link, it seems like a worthwhile text to read... Can't hurt learning more ;)
medicSTi
01-05-2009, 10:22 AM
I want a crinkle red k&n CAI. My Cobb Heat Shield rattles too... I'm going to try and eliminate it with a washer to distribute the 3rd bolt's torque.
medicSTi
01-05-2009, 10:23 AM
I find that sound to be a real love/hate thing. People either can't stand it, while others drop their pants every time they hear it, haha. And thanks, I'm considering posting up a full write up for the intake install (I took so many pictures!), but the directions were very straight forward, so I figure the best I can do is create a supplemental guide.
I drop my pants. :dance: WOOSH
Boost Addict
01-05-2009, 11:48 AM
I want a crinkle red k&n CAI. My Cobb Heat Shield rattles too... I'm going to try and eliminate it with a washer to distribute the 3rd bolt's torque.
It's the lower bolt of yours thats allowing the rattles too, right? My upper one looks like its doing its job nice and snug.
...and yes, I'm a pant dropper too :tape:
Shayhan27
01-05-2009, 02:18 PM
How are you liking that K&N mine jacked my tune up pretty bad and the complaints of heating up my MAF so I switched it back to stock. Have you heard anything about making it better with a tune? I'm thinking of putting the silicone hose after the MAF. Anyway great job documenting the tune very helpful
Boost Addict
01-05-2009, 03:07 PM
How are you liking that K&N mine jacked my tune up pretty bad and the complaints of heating up my MAF so I switched it back to stock. Have you heard anything about making it better with a tune? I'm thinking of putting the silicone hose after the MAF. Anyway great job documenting the tune very helpful
Did you read my brief review about how it drove? That was as described on stock tune. I am not going to reflash to my custom tune with this intake, as I feel things may get dangerously lean. To be honest, I'm going to be very cautious when driving the car between Sunday when I install the turbo+tmic+bpv and Tuesday, when I get the tune done. As long as I'm not rolling hard into boost or going full throttle though, I should be fine. I will try to putt it along for those trips.
I too considered a silicone hose solution after the maf, it would be ideal, but I do appreciate the K&Ns piping all the same. I just wish it would have had an air straightener like stock, for more consistent readings. I expect that with the custom tune, things should run very nicely. At the moment though, it certainly feels a little stumbly when you demand power or increase load immediately, in comparison to my custom tune.
1sicwrx
01-09-2009, 01:49 PM
You sir, have ALOT of time on you hands... None the less, thanks for all the info:)
Boost Addict
01-09-2009, 04:56 PM
You sir, have ALOT of time on you hands... None the less, thanks for all the info:)
Haha, I wish man. I do this to help the community and encourage the sharing of ideas. I learned so much from threads like these in the past, so I just enjoy giving back and perhaps inspiring more people to post threads like these. But believe me between a full time job and starting a new business, time is of the essence. I'm still debating whether or not I should document and create a full write up of the vf52 install on Sunday.
Boost Addict
01-10-2009, 11:14 PM
Turbo install in 13 hours... Stay tuned :)
mokeOne
01-11-2009, 04:34 PM
ahh this is such an awesome write up. helps out so much with me figuring out what to do on my 08. can't wait to see how that new turbo works out.
Boost Addict
01-12-2009, 02:13 AM
QUICK UPDATE: The turbo, tmic, and bpv are all bolted up and set. The turbo inlet hose is still stock as I need to call Perrin tomorrow to clear some things up regarding its installation, I hope to have that installed tomorrow evening if I decide to go with it. I can't really see it making a huge difference, but it's one of those 'might as well' mods.
So far, the car is running well. No CELs yet, temps look good, no signs of any leaks, the timing is advancing well and the power delivery feels very smooth... I have yet to go WOT, but I have rolled into about 14 psi of boost on the highway without any notable problem. This turbo sounds completely different from the stock unit, much higher pitch upon spool up... and the BPV is also different sounding, a lot more of a deep "KSHHH!"
I will obviously present a huge update on this topic, but this is my quick update for the night letting everyone know that things went well :)
sigma pi
01-12-2009, 09:27 AM
PICS OF INSTALLS!!!!!!
please hehe
Boost Addict
01-12-2009, 10:49 AM
PICS OF INSTALLS!!!!!!
please hehe
Oh absolutely. There are TONS of pics from this install... It started out with us trying to do a full-blown walk through, but due to time constraints and personal involvement it got far too difficult. But I will provide a general walk through and there are lots of pictures!
Tuning session is tomorrow. Car is currently running healthy and all parameters look good. Can't wait!
thaSicness
01-12-2009, 10:00 PM
I am so very jealous of you right now :(
but yet very happy for you.
Are you going to be coming out to any local meets after the build? I would love to see your car.
Boost Addict
01-12-2009, 10:29 PM
I am so very jealous of you right now :(
but yet very happy for you.
Are you going to be coming out to any local meets after the build? I would love to see your car.
Yeah, absolutely. I'm usually at C&C on Saturdays in Irvine. And I hope to start going to the Friday night drags at Qualcomm(sp?)
The car has become something of a marketing tool for my new business, so yes, I will definitely be cruising around...
Boost Addict
01-13-2009, 07:53 PM
The numbers are in, with more details coming soon!
303.3 whp @ 6123 rpm and 334.3 wtq @ 3073 rpm (17.31 psi @ 2981 rpm tapering to 14.76 psi @ 6500 rpm)
<< gains of 106.3 whp and 97.8 wtq over pre-prod>>
<<gains of 98.1 whp and 56.5 wtq over Stage 2.P2>>
<<gains of 70.7 whp and 0.8 wtq over Stage 2.C1>>
thaSicness
01-14-2009, 06:32 PM
*Drool*
You're doing everything i want to do pretty much. Do you have a link for the turbo where you purchased it from? I wanted to get originally just the 09 turbo butttt... Im not sure now.
I know you probably have this posted.. but are you changing out the injectors or the fuel pump?
Im still a noob with subarus so ill be learning alot from your build considering its very much like what i want to do. Instead im doing the visual first and handling.
Boost Addict
01-14-2009, 08:12 PM
*Drool*
You're doing everything i want to do pretty much. Do you have a link for the turbo where you purchased it from? I wanted to get originally just the 09 turbo butttt... Im not sure now.
I know you probably have this posted.. but are you changing out the injectors or the fuel pump?
Im still a noob with subarus so ill be learning alot from your build considering its very much like what i want to do. Instead im doing the visual first and handling.
I'll post more details soon, including pics, vids and dyno graphs. But yes, 750cc injectors, 255lph pump and new tune for more boost pressure are on the TO DO list :)
I bought most parts from my distributer, and will be offering different leveled packages once the business is running. Consider this the testing phase ;)
just got back from a quick errand. Did my first officlal 0-60 run. Result was 4.44 (recorded on DashHawk w/ tire size adjusted to be accurate with my aftermarket setup), with passenger and riding clutch all the way up to 5,000 rpm. The revs build up so fast in first, its almost inevitable to hit the rev limiter the first time out. My launch was horrible.
After dropping my friend off, I did one more run at the next opportunity. More conservative launch with light feathering off the throttle, result was a 4.18. This run felt almost perfect without rushing the shift. I think with a little practice and more accurate footwork, I can hopefully land in the 4.0x territory.
With this kind of acceleration prowess, I'm about ready to consider the power portion of this project done. I still need to think more about it, but this is more than enough grunt. And considering the OEM internals, it is an extremely potent set up that should prove reliable for daily use.
Anyway, a full review will be posted soon, so thanks for your patience. I was just excited about the first attempts at 0-60 times and wanted to share with the forum. I'd post graphs, but Windows has gone missing from my partitioned drive on my MacBook. So I'll have to find my installation disc. I will post the 0-60 graphs as soon as I'm able to.
off to install the parts! Will hopefully update the thread by tonight.
bignb408
01-18-2009, 07:10 PM
Hey boost my did you deside to go with the turbo that you went with?
medicSTi
01-18-2009, 11:17 PM
Do you have any rattling with the SPT heat shield? My Cobb is driving me nuts!
Boost Addict
01-20-2009, 12:29 AM
Hey boost my did you deside to go with the turbo that you went with?
yeah, the vf52 is installed and tuned, check page 4 for those updates.
Do you have any rattling with the SPT heat shield? My Cobb is driving me nuts!
NO DUDE!!! NONE! haha, it's so nice.
Boost Addict
01-20-2009, 12:29 AM
Alright, so these last 2 days have been a lot of fun with some of the detail mods I've added. These mods we're almost purely cosmetic, but I felt they were little details that could go a long way in providing the car with a more 'finished off' appearance. Mind you, the Perrin Shorty Antenna has not arrived yet, and neither has my COBB knob. So those changes are still pending...
So without further ado, I will post some pictures of the items installed along with a brief synopsis of my thoughts along with any notes I wanted to add.
SPT HEATSHIELD - The COBB unit did it's job I'm sure, but after a while it began to rattle. After tightening it down, the syndrome had apparently been cured, until one day... it again, reared its head. After another tightening, it refused to quite down. My best guess is that it was rattling against my wastegate actuator arm. Anyway, the SPT was more appealing to me as it has a little more stealth factor than the COBB. If you pop your hood for an officer, which do you think looks better? A heatshield that has the name COBB on it? Or would you rather it say SPT, which happens to match the tailpipes? Another thing that appealed to me was the thicker material of the SPT unit and it's mirrored finish. It's also nice that it has a 'do not touch with hand' picture. There is no actuator arm in the way with the new turbo, meaning the COBB may have worked just fine. But the other features of the SPT were great enough for me to swap over. Installation was very easy and everything fits and lines up perfectly. So yes, you can run the SPT Heatshield without the factory heatshield and with most likely any aftermarket DP. I love this piece.
SUBARU FOOTWELL ILLUMINATION KIT - After back and forth debates in my own mind and inquiring with many others, I finally decided on which color to go with. Being that the STI's come stock with the red illumination kit, I went with blue. Another reason was because WRXs have a cubby in front of the shifter that has a blue LED glow in it. To keep with a 'red instruments on upper dash and blue glow below' theme, the choice was clear. Because the holes the LED brackets fit into were pre-drilled in my WRX, installation was theoretically easy. I, of course, couldn't find the right harness at first and took apart the entire face of my dash, haha. PM me for tips of this install, or I may just post up a write up. The glow is mellow and really gives the interior a nice added level of pizzaz without being overly flamboyant. It comes on with the cubby LED, which is anytime your light stalk is turned. I think it's a nice touch that brings things up to date and makes for another item that passengers will point out to with a grin.
SUBARU SPLASH GUARDS - This is probably my favorite mod to date when paired with the STI spoiler. It does so much with so little. While many people run the rally armour mud flaps, my personal opinion is that they look a bit out of place on a street car. Now don't get me wrong, I've seen it work on some WRXs and hence felt I should go that route. The only thing that kept me from doing it was the fact that they stick out so far out, that they would visually overshadow the wheel/tire offset I so carefully planned out. Then I ran across the Subaru set. They are compact, OEM quality and follow the body's design. I often considered a skirt kit, or something to finish off the body work... These are it for me! They provide a nice little finishing touch to the edges of your body. Also, they are inexpensive (for an OEM and painted item) and the installation was such a blast! Just pop a couple fasteners out, set the splash guard in place, snap in and screw in. So easy. The front set does require light drill work on the OEM inner fender liner. But the sheet metal the specific fastener attaches to is pre-drilled. Again, easy work. Please ask for advice before you go paying a dealership to do this for you. A project this easy, is such a great way for a new tuner to start familiarizing themselves with the car. It's a small, yet rewarding task that will leave you satisfied, accomplished and with great results!
Splash Guards - Front view that shows how nicely they round off the fenders and frame the wheels and tires!
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/IMG_1524.jpg
Splash Guards - Rear view giving the body more character without making the sheet metal look too tall
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/IMG_1529.jpg
STI FRONT LIP SPOILER - I enjoy the front end of the car, but like the rocker panels and rear, it just looked a little short and unfinished. Paging through Subaru's offerings, I came across this front lip and fell in love. Such a subtle piece. So expensive for the seeming amount of material you get. But I'd buy it all over again when considering the overall effect it has on the vehicle. Installation was fairly straight forward but involved. Drilling is absolutely required for most of the fasteners, and lifting the car a bit on a jack will aid a lot in the install. Overall though, fitment was incredibly precise, the piece was delivered in a huge box, but wrapped nicely in some synthetic protective cloth. It has a great satin black finish that coincidentally compliments my satin black vinyls, and I truly think it adds a real purpose-minded emphasis to the front end of the car.
STI Front Lip effect:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/IMG_1545.jpg
STI Front Lip and Splash Guards:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/IMG_1542.jpg
Cant wait to get my DP installed and reflash to stage2 :D
Keep up the awesome work/documentation!
Boost Addict
01-20-2009, 01:34 AM
Looking amazing man. Awesome numbers!
Cant wait to get my DP installed and reflash to stage2 :D
Keep up the awesome work/documentation!
Thanks! Yours a Sonic yellow? Great color! :)
bignb408
01-20-2009, 09:43 PM
lol oops miss spelling ruined my question lol... why did you go with the turbo you went with lol...
04caliwrx
01-20-2009, 09:46 PM
i like the underglow lights, where did you get them?
Boost Addict
01-20-2009, 10:45 PM
i like the underglow lights, where did you get them?
From my distributer. We will be carrying it on our site when it's up.
It's a genuine Subaru item though, you can get it at your dealership :) Pretty inexpensive and fun mod :)
Boost Addict
01-20-2009, 11:04 PM
lol oops miss spelling ruined my question lol... why did you go with the turbo you went with lol...
fast spool up, makes power to redline, high potential for horsepower without getting to levels that require internal upgrades, good value and just a great overall turbo.
04caliwrx
01-20-2009, 11:11 PM
From my distributer. We will be carrying it on our site when it's up.
It's a genuine Subaru item though, you can get it at your dealership :) Pretty inexpensive and fun mod :)
yes it looks great!
Boost Addict
01-21-2009, 02:21 AM
yes it looks great!
thank you :)
medicSTi
01-21-2009, 08:38 AM
yeah, the vf52 is installed and tuned, check page 4 for those updates.
NO DUDE!!! NONE! haha, it's so nice.
I might have to get SPT then... hmmm EQ is hacking up my stock heat shield... temporary fix and looks OEM.
medicSTi
01-21-2009, 08:41 AM
wow dude, your car is looking SICK! The blue foot wells are clean, nice splash guards, grille, lip, and intercooler. Did it just bolt up directly to the turbo with no Y Silicon Hose???
Do you have a myspace? If so add me. My email is themedicsti@gmail.com
offseasonmvp
01-21-2009, 08:47 AM
Turning into a great build. Pics blocked from school computers because of photobucket, but the numbers are good. Maybe my '08 WRX can get some attention like this later.
Boost Addict
01-21-2009, 10:47 PM
wow dude, your car is looking SICK! The blue foot wells are clean, nice splash guards, grille, lip, and intercooler. Did it just bolt up directly to the turbo with no Y Silicon Hose???
Do you have a myspace? If so add me. My email is themedicsti@gmail.com
Thanks medic!! :) I did my best to select small, yet effective parts that would stand out to a tuner but not look overly excessive.
The intercooler is a direct bolt on(and yes, direct bolt to turbo). Fitment is great, but for additional clearance, I removed the plastic cover that hides some of the wires between the intake manifold and the intercooler.
Boost Addict
01-21-2009, 10:49 PM
Turning into a great build. Pics blocked from school computers because of photobucket, but the numbers are good. Maybe my '08 WRX can get some attention like this later.
Absolutely man! You've got a very unique paint job and the car has so much potential. Enjoy your build and take your time to do it right the first time.
Thanks for the support!
medicSTi
01-22-2009, 12:25 AM
Thanks medic!! :) I did my best to select small, yet effective parts that would stand out to a tuner but not look overly excessive.
The intercooler is a direct bolt on(and yes, direct bolt to turbo). Fitment is great, but for additional clearance, I removed the plastic cover that hides some of the wires between the intake manifold and the intercooler.
I wonder if that helps response...hmmm... interesting!
Boost Addict
01-22-2009, 12:57 AM
I wonder if that helps response...hmmm... interesting!
Without tuning, I'd have to say no, as there is a pretty significant pressure drop.
Right now, the car is pulling too much air over 100 mph, and that's why we're hitting boost cut :( We may have to manually bleed off the boost. To be honest, I like knowing that flow is not an issue.
Going to order the Walbro 255lph pump and DeatschWerks 750cc injectors tomorrow, most likely. So within the next couple weeks, we will see what we can accomplish.
medicSTi
01-22-2009, 08:51 AM
Sounds good, that's going to be such a fun WRX... I'm sure it's fun now too, but your plans are right along the lines of a gleefully modded WRX :lol:
Boost Addict
01-22-2009, 10:36 AM
Sounds good, that's going to be such a fun WRX... I'm sure it's fun now too, but your plans are right along the lines of a gleefully modded WRX :lol:
hey where did you get the yellow fog light kit? your wrx came premium correct?
i been wanting to pick those up
Boost Addict
01-23-2009, 05:11 PM
hey where did you get the yellow fog light kit? your wrx came premium correct?
i been wanting to pick those up
The car is a base model, with oem fogs added. The yellow is headlight armor overlay
thaSicness
01-27-2009, 12:16 AM
ahh im still very jealous! vf52 turbo that you got, is that the same as the sti turbo or slightly larger?? You're pushing about 300whp, what is your goal??
Boost Addict
01-27-2009, 04:20 PM
ahh im still very jealous! vf52 turbo that you got, is that the same as the sti turbo or slightly larger?? You're pushing about 300whp, what is your goal??
The VF52 has VF48 internals, yet is encased in a housing that fits the legacy-style layout. It's the OEM turbo found on the 2009 WRX. The VF48 is the STI turbo from the 08s.
I've already achieved the goal I set out for in terms of power. We are now adding 750cc Deatschwerks fuel injectors and 255lph Walbro fuel pump to have some headway when we retune the car for slightly more power. We are done seeking torque, as I don't believe the factory drivetrain would appreciate any additional force during launch. We may shoot for a little more boost, seeking slightly more high-rpm horsepower to further improve highway acceleration.
We are very happy with the potency of power. Next on the list is a more comprehensive approach to the suspension of the car, as we feel the chassis has a lot of potential while the springs, shocks and sways are falling short of the task.
~3700 rpm launch, feathered the clutch during a full second of modulated wheel spin (0.60 seconds to 1.70 seconds), Shifted to 2nd gear at ~6750 rpm. Lifted half way between shift, did not rush gear or flat foot shift.
This time can be shaved down at least a couple tenths with better grip, quicker launch and faster shift.
MyNikonLens
01-27-2009, 04:25 PM
won't you need another tune after you put in the new injectors and fuel pump?
Boost Addict
01-27-2009, 05:14 PM
won't you need another tune after you put in the new injectors and fuel pump?
Yes, absolutely. We will be tuning for slightly more boost, but the entire motivation behind changing the injectors and pump was simply to gain more head room for the injectors to operate at. We were very close to maxing them out, and we were also forced to run lower boost pressures to prevent reaching the limit.
I'm expecting maybe 5-10 whp additional in the top end, so really it's more of a reliability/longevity measure more than it is a quest for more power. Also, it's a very inexpensive modification. Approx $120 for the walbro 255 lph pump and about $200 for the 750cc Deatschwerks injectors after you send them back your cores. Of course, the re-tune is costing me more money, but if someone does the injectors first, then they won't have to keep retuning the car. We are tuning it step by step, just in the event that someone doesn't want to run the upgraded injectors and pump.
MyNikonLens
01-27-2009, 06:06 PM
So what's next? Cosworth engine? bigger clutch? NOS system?:nerd:
Boost Addict
01-28-2009, 08:29 PM
So what's next? Cosworth engine? bigger clutch? NOS system?:nerd:
Haha, no. I'm definitely done with power, I'd like to keep running on stock internals for a while.
Next up will be full suspension (Coilovers, sways, strut bars and possibly brakes)
MyNikonLens
01-28-2009, 08:36 PM
if you can get to 60 in 4.13 seconds.. you better be able to stop as fast if not faster. love your car. what coilovers will you be going with? will you be doing the bumpsteer and anti-lift kit as well?
offseasonmvp
01-28-2009, 09:59 PM
ok man. finally got to see pics. fap fap... just kidding. an 08 wrx from hell, with my paint i will fill those shoes one day! lol. not for faint of heart, but i am used to working on my 51 ford victoria! its not chop cut rebuild easy... but kicka$$ rewards. amazing build or should i say learning experience!
Boost Addict
01-29-2009, 07:42 PM
if you can get to 60 in 4.13 seconds.. you better be able to stop as fast if not faster. love your car. what coilovers will you be going with? will you be doing the bumpsteer and anti-lift kit as well?
More likely than not, I will address all of those components... Just gotta do a little more research once the business is up and running, right now my only focus on the car is the injectors and pump which came in today. Those go on in a week, and a retune the following day. My priority right now is just getting the business going. Cusco, with my limited time in research, seems to be among the best and is very adjustable. But I need to learn more before making the investment. But I will definitely be seeking your advice on the bump steer and alk. ;)
Oh and my 4th attempt at 0-60 tonight... 4.11 I'm getting quicker and trying to learn to manage that torque at launch with the stock clutch ;)
Thanks for all the compliments man!
Boost Addict
01-29-2009, 07:47 PM
ok man. finally got to see pics. fap fap... just kidding. an 08 wrx from hell, with my paint i will fill those shoes one day! lol. not for faint of heart, but i am used to working on my 51 ford victoria! its not chop cut rebuild easy... but kicka$$ rewards. amazing build or should i say learning experience!
Wow, that Ford must have some big plans, I'm sure! Thanks for the props :)
offseasonmvp
01-30-2009, 08:46 AM
Look on my garage. Working on getting better, more recent pics of it. It isn't a subaru, but I'm not tearing down an '08 WRX just yet. The ford required the strip. Had a 2 inch deep section of bondo on left rear quarter panel...never know what you'll find on something that old. Keep us posted on when you get closer to a 4 flat 0-60 out of that beast WRX you have!
restless
01-31-2009, 03:06 PM
Man, I'm amazed. Not only because of the project development itself, but also because my ambitions seem to be almost exactly what you've got with your Stage 2: i aim at about 240whp/400Nm (294 lb.ft) wtq, but with a flatter torque curve. I thought it would require a little more work, nice to see it'll probably not even require a new fuel line. Getting a WRX is quite a hard work by itself here where I live, what to say about this kind of parts. And i don't even have my wrx yet.
However, by reading all this topic, some questions arose, if you don't mind me asking. I'm still a bit at trouble with technical terms (but learning), so any correction will be welcome.
First (and longest), about the CAI, it's a pitty I wasn't here to ask it in time, but it bugs me... you must know that on N/A cars a front snorkel like Subies' can make a small difference over some inside CAIs (except real good ones) in real world, but not truly perceived in dinos. That's because air pressure into the snorkel, specially over 50mph, helps driving the air through the filter up to the cylinder, not only engine-generated vacuum. Custom CAIs like the one you're using, on the other hand, sometimes generate turbulence that lessens this effect. While turbos are a mostly different story, wouldn't that hold true for them too so it would be better to preserve the original intake?
Well, sorry if it's too dumb a question, as I believe you have taken it into account, but turbos are still a new world for me, so I just wish to know your thoughts on this.
Second one, rexers often talk about IHI turbos, but seldom about Garrett, KKK and others... I know there's subtleties such as project goals and such, but is there a particular reason for you to choose the vf52 instead of, say, a Garrett GT2876R or GT3076R? Do you have any hint on pros/cons of each one?
Last one, I see you want to modify your suspension, but at the same time not alter the car too much... wouldn't the stiffer/lower 2009 original parts do the job?
Congratulations for your hard work and nice results, and good luck with the forecoming mods. Also, thanks in advance for your attention and for sharing all this info.
Boost Addict
02-04-2009, 04:37 PM
So we spent several hours on Church's dyno yesterday, testing over and over to discover what was causing the intermittent boost cut I was hitting at the top of 4th gear. And why was I hitting 19-20 psi when the tune called for 15 at that rpm? It seemed the first run after each test was helping, then after a few more runs, it was the same issue again. We tried swapping pills from the boost line and the wastegate line, as the boost line appeared to be machined out slightly larger: no dice. We tried running no pill on the wastegate side, again... no fix. Then we thought, let's just remove both pills altogether. Again, same issue! It was starting to get pretty frustrating as nothing would fix the issue, and it was consistently just overboosting over 4500 rpm. Shawn's right hand man even suggested shimming the wastegate assembly closer to the turbo with 3 little washers... roughly forcing the gate open an additional 1/4 inch. Again, no fix.
However, we did notice a rattle develop after the shims were put in place. Initially we thought it was a heat shield, and after careful inspection... it wasn't. We then realized that as the wastegate was "fully" opening, it really WASN'T. The arm would only turn about 15 degrees, as opposed to a full 90 degrees. Ok, I think we're on to something now.
My buddy and I were racing around the web on our phones looking for answers... Does the WG really need to be bored out? It's not the boost solenoid, as that's responding perfectly well. It's not the pills at this point preventing the bleed out. So what is it? Finally, the right question was asked... "What downpipe are you running?" A friend of my friend had known someone with the same issue.
So here's what we know, and here's what we think:
We know, the Invidia DP was designed for the '08's without any anticipation that in '09, Subaru would put in a turbo with a larger wastegate. Fact.
We know, there's a plate built into the Invidia bellmouth collector that divides the exhaust and wastegate gases.
We know, there's an internal rattling sound during idle and deceleration coming from the back of the turbocharger, on the turbine side. This rattling sound was introduced when we shimmed the wastegate assembly closer to the turbo.
We know, by observation, that the wastegate is not opening fully.
We know, through dyno data, that the hotter it gets, the issue gets worse and we see increased overboosting.
We know, as heat increases, metal expands.
So here's what we think: The plate dividing the exhaust and wastegate side of the bellmouth on the Invidia collector is preventing the wastegate from fully opening. Considering all the observations and facts above, we're left with no other conclusion. We all nodded in agreement and I scooted off as Shawn had several appointments waiting (we were supposed to only be there for an hour, the favors this guy does for us ;) ).
Afterwards, I made a quick call to Invidia to inquire whether or not they are aware of this probable issue. Sure enough, without denial, the rep admitted that it has been an issue in some applications. Apparently, it has not been consistent enough to yield a redesign... Or, not enough end-users meticulously tune their cars and monitor it's parameters the way I do. His suggestions? Just grind some of the plate off. Normally, I'd expect a manufacturer to fix the issue for me, but given the circumstances and time constraints, I was thankful enough that he openly admitted that it may be the cause. So this Sunday, we're hoping to take some pictures for you guys while we grind the divider plate, install the injectors and new fuel pump. Then it's off to the dyno again on Tuesday to see what this thing is really made of.
FOR REFERENCE, HERE'S A PICTURE OF THE DP. Notice the separating plate? That's what we need to grind down.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/catted.jpg
Boost Addict
02-04-2009, 04:47 PM
Man, I'm amazed. Not only because of the project development itself, but also because my ambitions seem to be almost exactly what you've got with your Stage 2: i aim at about 240whp/400Nm (294 lb.ft) wtq, but with a flatter torque curve. I thought it would require a little more work, nice to see it'll probably not even require a new fuel line. Getting a WRX is quite a hard work by itself here where I live, what to say about this kind of parts. And i don't even have my wrx yet.
However, by reading all this topic, some questions arose, if you don't mind me asking. I'm still a bit at trouble with technical terms (but learning), so any correction will be welcome.
First (and longest), about the CAI, it's a pitty I wasn't here to ask it in time, but it bugs me... you must know that on N/A cars a front snorkel like Subies' can make a small difference over some inside CAIs (except real good ones) in real world, but not truly perceived in dinos. That's because air pressure into the snorkel, specially over 50mph, helps driving the air through the filter up to the cylinder, not only engine-generated vacuum. Custom CAIs like the one you're using, on the other hand, sometimes generate turbulence that lessens this effect. While turbos are a mostly different story, wouldn't that hold true for them too so it would be better to preserve the original intake?
Well, sorry if it's too dumb a question, as I believe you have taken it into account, but turbos are still a new world for me, so I just wish to know your thoughts on this.
Second one, rexers often talk about IHI turbos, but seldom about Garrett, KKK and others... I know there's subtleties such as project goals and such, but is there a particular reason for you to choose the vf52 instead of, say, a Garrett GT2876R or GT3076R? Do you have any hint on pros/cons of each one?
Last one, I see you want to modify your suspension, but at the same time not alter the car too much... wouldn't the stiffer/lower 2009 original parts do the job?
Congratulations for your hard work and nice results, and good luck with the forecoming mods. Also, thanks in advance for your attention and for sharing all this info.
Intake: An intake silencer/snorkus is mainly there to suppress noise. Which is why there was no real benefit or loss seen when removing them on the previous models. If anything, it helps route the air quicker. I did consider the vacuum effect that may help, but in a turbo application, you want the least routing to the intake, so in theory the silencer becomes a slight restriction.
However, to keep things running safe, I went with the K&N because the MAF housing was identical to the factory unit, and it even incorporated a velocity stack which certainly aides in straightening the air flow and reducing turbulence. This all happens on a very small scale, the idea is simply to obtain consistent MAF readings so that the car is easier to tune.
I chose the VF52, because its capabilities fell right in line with the horsepower numbers I was looking to obtain at this point. It spools up fairly quick and makes big power to red-line.
Suspension: The '09 suspension updates will not suffice with what I'm looking for. I'm looking to address the springs, shocks, sways, endlinks, etc...
You have no reason to apologize for your questions. This is a forum, and it's here for that very reason. The majority of things I've learned along the years about Subies has been straight from this board :)
restless
02-08-2009, 02:44 PM
Great! Thanks for clearing it out. Let's hope it's only the DP now. Good luck!
jim1969
02-16-2009, 10:03 AM
Boost Addict,
did you put the pump and injectors in? What size injectors?
restless
02-16-2009, 08:18 PM
No news = no bad news, I suppose?
Boost Addict
02-18-2009, 12:06 AM
Boost Addict,
did you put the pump and injectors in? What size injectors?
Not yet. I have them in, but we decided not to install until we get the overboosting issue out of the way first. We will hopefully be trimming the downpipe divider plate off this sunday.
I have the Walbro 255lph Fuel Pump and the Deatschwerks 750cc injectors.
No news = no bad news, I suppose?
Things are going great. Just got back from out of town. We put about 800 miles on the car and only hit boost cut once.
nonamekevin
02-27-2009, 09:53 AM
Keep us updated. I have a stock 09' wrx, and these mods seem very reasonable with what I would like to do. Already have the vf52. :)
-Kevin
Boost Addict
03-04-2009, 05:14 PM
Keep us updated. I have a stock 09' wrx, and these mods seem very reasonable with what I would like to do. Already have the vf52. :)
-Kevin
Will keep you guys posted. We're prepping an Audi A4 for Hot Import Nights, so we've been swamped with that car. I hope to have this tune finalized by the end of this month with the injectors and pump. Then shortly after we will be diving into the suspension.
When ordered as a full package, we will obviously present it for '09s as well by omitting the turbo. Lucky you! :)
doc_randy
03-14-2009, 12:48 AM
So we spent several hours on Church's dyno yesterday, testing over and over to discover what was causing the intermittent boost cut I was hitting at the top of 4th gear. And why was I hitting 19-20 psi when the tune called for 15 at that rpm? It seemed the first run after each test was helping, then after a few more runs, it was the same issue again. We tried swapping pills from the boost line and the wastegate line, as the boost line appeared to be machined out slightly larger: no dice. We tried running no pill on the wastegate side, again... no fix. Then we thought, let's just remove both pills altogether. Again, same issue! It was starting to get pretty frustrating as nothing would fix the issue, and it was consistently just overboosting over 4500 rpm. Shawn's right hand man even suggested shimming the wastegate assembly closer to the turbo with 3 little washers... roughly forcing the gate open an additional 1/4 inch. Again, no fix.
However, we did notice a rattle develop after the shims were put in place. Initially we thought it was a heat shield, and after careful inspection... it wasn't. We then realized that as the wastegate was "fully" opening, it really WASN'T. The arm would only turn about 15 degrees, as opposed to a full 90 degrees. Ok, I think we're on to something now.
My buddy and I were racing around the web on our phones looking for answers... Does the WG really need to be bored out? It's not the boost solenoid, as that's responding perfectly well. It's not the pills at this point preventing the bleed out. So what is it? Finally, the right question was asked... "What downpipe are you running?" A friend of my friend had known someone with the same issue.
So here's what we know, and here's what we think:
We know, the Invidia DP was designed for the '08's without any anticipation that in '09, Subaru would put in a turbo with a larger wastegate. Fact.
We know, there's a plate built into the Invidia bellmouth collector that divides the exhaust and wastegate gases.
We know, there's an internal rattling sound during idle and deceleration coming from the back of the turbocharger, on the turbine side. This rattling sound was introduced when we shimmed the wastegate assembly closer to the turbo.
We know, by observation, that the wastegate is not opening fully.
We know, through dyno data, that the hotter it gets, the issue gets worse and we see increased overboosting.
We know, as heat increases, metal expands.
So here's what we think: The plate dividing the exhaust and wastegate side of the bellmouth on the Invidia collector is preventing the wastegate from fully opening. Considering all the observations and facts above, we're left with no other conclusion. We all nodded in agreement and I scooted off as Shawn had several appointments waiting (we were supposed to only be there for an hour, the favors this guy does for us ;) ).
Afterwards, I made a quick call to Invidia to inquire whether or not they are aware of this probable issue. Sure enough, without denial, the rep admitted that it has been an issue in some applications. Apparently, it has not been consistent enough to yield a redesign... Or, not enough end-users meticulously tune their cars and monitor it's parameters the way I do. His suggestions? Just grind some of the plate off. Normally, I'd expect a manufacturer to fix the issue for me, but given the circumstances and time constraints, I was thankful enough that he openly admitted that it may be the cause. So this Sunday, we're hoping to take some pictures for you guys while we grind the divider plate, install the injectors and new fuel pump. Then it's off to the dyno again on Tuesday to see what this thing is really made of.
Hi,
I have an 09 WRX. I have ordered an Invidia DP, a Perrin TMIC, and am going into EQ for install and a tune next Saturday. Soooooo....from the sounds of this post, the Invidia DP is going to be problematic for me. I guess I should just get a different DP?? Or is the grind down going to be something that can be done in with no problem? Other DP's (like Perrin) don't seem to have that divider plate at all. Is it usefull, just poorly designed for 09? Don't really know what to do here. Any advice you could give?
Also, was the install of the Perrin TMIC simply bolt-up? What did you do to the scoop channel (that plastic thing inside the scoop that channels airflow directly into the stock IC)?
Thanks...Advice is much appreciated.
Boost Addict
03-17-2009, 01:31 AM
Hi,
I have an 09 WRX. I have ordered an Invidia DP, a Perrin TMIC, and am going into EQ for install and a tune next Saturday. Soooooo....from the sounds of this post, the Invidia DP is going to be problematic for me. I guess I should just get a different DP?? Or is the grind down going to be something that can be done in with no problem? Other DP's (like Perrin) don't seem to have that divider plate at all. Is it usefull, just poorly designed for 09? Don't really know what to do here. Any advice you could give?
Also, was the install of the Perrin TMIC simply bolt-up? What did you do to the scoop channel (that plastic thing inside the scoop that channels airflow directly into the stock IC)?
Thanks...Advice is much appreciated.
According to Invidia, they say it's hit or miss. Either you will have the wastegate issue, or you won't. If you don't, then it's goodluck. If you do, then you'll have to grind it down.
Is it there for a purpose? Sure it is. It's there, theoretically, to divide the exhaust and wastegate gases to prevent the supposed turbulence that would create back pressure in the downpipe collector. But in all honesty, I don't think grinding it down will make much of a difference in terms of efficiency.
The Top Mount intercooler is a very simple bolt on. just loosely bolt it down, adjust it, making sure all hoses are in place, then secure it down tightly. Be careful not to strip any of the bolts.
As far as the rubber ducting is concerned, I just left mine as is. When the hood shuts, it seals onto the TMIC. While it does smash itself in a bit, it doesn't bother me at all.
Best of luck. Let us know of your results! :)
doc_randy
03-22-2009, 12:32 PM
Had the work done at EQ yesterday. Here is the review:
http://www.i-club.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2561424&postcount=1
Basically they cut off the divider on the DP, so that it wouldn't be a problem. Perhaps it would have been "best" to grind down the wastegate side of the flange so that the wastegate door would have more clearance to swing open past the flange...but I just don't think that it matters all that much. If you really want to have no back-pressure from the wastegate, then get a divorced WG....otherwise aren't you just splitting hairs? It is all turbulent flow anyways.
The TMIC fit perfectly, and the stock hood scoop ducting fits pretty well with the new TMIC as well. I think that the ducting would be perfect with a little modification....which I have an idea about.
As I posted in the review, the car is making great smooth and safe power. So to sum up:
Invidia catted DP, with the divider flange cut off.
Perrin TMIC,
Hallman MBC,
Tune by Ed.
16.5 psi peak boost, ~250 WHP @ 5600 rpm, ~270 ft-lbf @ 3600 rpm, doesn't drop...still ~260 ft-lbf @5000 rpm...and SMOOTH all the way. And a little better gas mileage on the freeway. ~1-2 mpg.
Oh, and I asked Ed not to go over 16.5 psi, since I wanted safety first. I imagine that if I had wanted, he could have gotten another 5-10 WHP out of it. So I am getting better than stock STI power for ~$2k. Since I am not boosting the heck out of it, could probably have done nearly as well with the stock TMIC...which would have cut the cost to ~$1200. Not bad IMHO.
Boost Addict
04-14-2009, 02:05 PM
Had the work done at EQ yesterday. Here is the review:
http://www.i-club.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2561424&postcount=1
Basically they cut off the divider on the DP, so that it wouldn't be a problem. Perhaps it would have been "best" to grind down the wastegate side of the flange so that the wastegate door would have more clearance to swing open past the flange...but I just don't think that it matters all that much. If you really want to have no back-pressure from the wastegate, then get a divorced WG....otherwise aren't you just splitting hairs? It is all turbulent flow anyways.
The TMIC fit perfectly, and the stock hood scoop ducting fits pretty well with the new TMIC as well. I think that the ducting would be perfect with a little modification....which I have an idea about.
As I posted in the review, the car is making great smooth and safe power. So to sum up:
Invidia catted DP, with the divider flange cut off.
Perrin TMIC,
Hallman MBC,
Tune by Ed.
16.5 psi peak boost, ~250 WHP @ 5600 rpm, ~270 ft-lbf @ 3600 rpm, doesn't drop...still ~260 ft-lbf @5000 rpm...and SMOOTH all the way. And a little better gas mileage on the freeway. ~1-2 mpg.
Oh, and I asked Ed not to go over 16.5 psi, since I wanted safety first. I imagine that if I had wanted, he could have gotten another 5-10 WHP out of it. So I am getting better than stock STI power for ~$2k. Since I am not boosting the heck out of it, could probably have done nearly as well with the stock TMIC...which would have cut the cost to ~$1200. Not bad IMHO.
:) nice results!
We should be hacksawing that down pipe lip in the next couple weeks!
Boost Addict
05-11-2009, 02:47 AM
An update folks...
The stock clutch is officially gone. :D It had been shuddering for the last month upon any gentle activation in 1st gear, but performing flawlessly upon any aggressive launch, until recently. I first discovered the passing of the clutch on Thursday morning while cruising in 4th gear. I down-shifted to 3rd for a moderate sprint. The speed didn't really increase while the RPM simply shot up without any resistance. Immediately, I figured the clutch had simply overheated momentarily. So I let the car cool down and took it out again several hours later. Got to the highway, tried accelerating in 5th (high load) and sure enough, the clutch had quit at just shy of a young 12,000 miles.
While this may sound like a premature failure to some, there are some things that should be taken into consideration. First and foremost, this clutch has been withstanding a lofty peak 334 wtq for the last several months in comparison to the pre-production figure of 236 wtq. Remember this graph?
Across the entire rev band, that is a significant torque increase which will very obviously take a toll on a clutch designed for the more modest curve. The original clutch had also gotten me through at least 8 trips to the drag strip consisting of a minimum of 3 runs per trip. Finally, the oem clutch has a delayed release when instantly dumped at a high rpm. This cooks the clutch in the name of preventing that immediate shock from abusing the actual drive train. Smart move.
So the car has been at the shop since Friday. I'm getting a new OEM clutch kit and new flywheel for good measure put in tomorrow morning. I flirted with the idea of upgrading to a sportier clutch and possibly a lighter flywheel while it's apart, but stuck to my philosophy of keeping a weak link. I've often discouraged people from upgrading their clutches, unless the clutch will simply not hold the torque you put through it once in gear. Obviously, many people recommended that I upgrade anyway. Naturally, I questioned myself quite a bit, did some research on flywheels and clutch kits and simply couldn't decide. I was invited to something of a dyno day that my tuner, Shawn Church, had going on with some MazdaSpeed folks. While there, I surveyed his opinion only to find that it solidified my own thoughts. But while I go about explaining the strain a strong clutch can place on a drive train, he cut through the explanation and made a very simple comment; a comment I'll never forget, and one I'm likely to echo for years to come. "The clutch is your fuse in an All Wheel Drive car." 8)
So what about the flywheel? I'm personally not a big fan of lighter revs in a street car. It can add a degree of difficulty to daily putts around town, which this car is used for most of the time. By that, I mean gentle take offs from lights will require more concentrated modulation of the throttle to avoid jerky starts or high let offs. The stock unit served me well, and so the stock unit it shall be. So what's next?
During my WRXs little hiatus, I've been driving around a 2003 V6 Mustang Coupe. The car is bone stock w/ 17 inch bullitt wheels being the only modification. I am going to just put this out there as it is my honest observation. The suspension felt considerably more composed than that of my WRX. For the record, I am on 17x8 rotas wrapped in 235 sticky Kumho XS rubber. The only modification to my actual suspension is the STI Pink Springs. I've mentioned before, that since I added the tires, the actual characteristics of the handling had worsened. I didn't realize how bad it really was until this weekend. Now, I'm not saying the Mustang would out handle the WRX through corners, but it sure as hell felt better. The current setup on my WRX produces an unacceptable amount of body roll that is put to shame by a live axled 'Stang. Furthermore, highway ride is gentle, yet composed, in the Mustang. My WRX, on the highway, will do the Macarena over every little bump, and continue wiggling even after the songs over. So what's the deal? We can send thank you cards to a stiff-walled, sticky tire combined with a luxury-soft set of shocks. Oh, and the Pinks? They've been divorced from my shocks since day one, and their relationship has worsened since the tire upgrade. On the stock rubber, the STI Pinks actually felt like a pretty decent improvement! So none of these parts can be blamed individually. It's when they were forced to work together that made them a bad combination. Like Ringo taking over the drums for Tool. It just doesn't work out.
A set of coilovers and sway bars were a plan for sometime down the line. They have just risen to the top of my priority list and I'm doing research as we speak. I am looking into getting them dialed in for a firm, well composed ride while dropping the front of the car about an inch. That said, I will soon have my STI Pinks for sale along with my STI front lip. The front lip already has some significant scratches on the surface that can probably be sanded out. The good news, is that it has no chips or cracks, but it won't be long if the front is lowered any more.
The obtrusive divider is still in the downpipe, and our website is still being worked on. My upgraded injectors and pump still remain in the trunk pending installation and re-tune. We've been so busy making contacts, overcoming set-up issues, and researching companies we want to work with that the clutch failure almost came as a, "Hey, let's start working on the WRX again!"
Thanks for your time.
charliehustlee
05-11-2009, 11:19 AM
I know absolutely nothing about my subaru or the upgrades you are making but it makes me incredibly interested to see what I can do with mine if/when i apply the time and resources needed... Your car looks amazing and the results are even better.
Boost Addict
05-21-2009, 02:43 AM
I know absolutely nothing about my subaru or the upgrades you are making but it makes me incredibly interested to see what I can do with mine if/when i apply the time and resources needed... Your car looks amazing and the results are even better.
Happy to hear that man and thanks for the compliments! If you ever have any questions, feel free to PM or ask here and I will do my best to help!
Boost Addict
05-21-2009, 02:44 AM
Update 05.20.2009
My research for Coilovers is complete. After a lot of reading, discussion and thought, I've ordered a set of BC Coilovers and selected a custom set of spring rates. In the meantime, I also set up a retail relationship with BC, so Treble Racing will be carrying BC Coilovers very soon for anyone interested.
Some Facts:
HOW TO PROMOTE UNDERSTEER - Heavier spring rates in FR, Softer spring rates in RR, Higher tire pressures in FR, Lower tire pressures in RR, Positive camber in FR, Negative Camber in RR, Stiffer sway bar in FR, Softer sway bar in RR.
HOW TO PROMOTE OVERSTEER - Lighter spring rates in FR, Heavier spring rates in RR, Lower tire pressures in FR, Higher tire pressures in RR, Negative camber in FR, Positive camber in RR, Softer sway bar in FR, Stiffer sway bar in RR.
A Little Background:
The vehicle drives off the lot with an abundance of UNDERSTEER. It's got the right formula for it, after all (Positive FR camber, Negative RR camber, Heavier FR spring rates, Lighter RR spring rates, 20 mm FR sway bar, 15 mm RR sway bar). When we added the STI springs, we didn't know the spring rates. We only read that it promised an overall stiffness over stock. Good enough to try, we though... So we ran the set and felt they were a pretty significant improvement over stock with both response and reduction in body roll. Mind you, we were still on the stock wheels and tires. Then came the proverbial wrench...
We bought an 8-inch wide wheel and employed a stiff-walled, 180 Treadwear Kumho XS rubber in a fat 235 width to stick to the road better. The result in grip was enormous! However, the overall impact on the vehicles handling dynamics was negative! By reducing the amount of give a tire has against the road, the force is then absorbed more so by the springs and struts. Suddenly, it was Understeer City all over again, and the dynamics felt significantly worse than stock. The stiff tires coupled with a soft set of OEM struts made the highway ride suffer in terms of stability. Over average bumps, the vehicle would bob and bounce... Unacceptable!
What's Out There?
We wanted to purchase a set of coilovers for the project car that we can also sell to the public. This allows us to give people drives, and provides us a very real experience that we can communicate over to our customers. I looked into design, features, durability and warranty. I will not directly compare each set that we have access to, but for the sake of comparing spring rates, I will mention what's significant.
Suspension Package:
FR: Spring Rate
RR: Spring Rate
BC Racing gave me the option to select whatever spring rate I wanted. If I exceeded the supplied rate by more than 2 kgf/mm, they would re-valve the dampers to match. I remained within spec by raising the FR rate by only 2 kgf/mm. Considering that I have plans to dial in some Negative Camber in the front and add a larger rear sway bar down the line(both of which promote oversteer), I felt that the supplied 6k/8k pairing may be slightly too aggressive in the rear. And since the '09 WRX already is supplied with 3.9k FR spring rates, I felt that I'd rather raise the FR spring rate, rather than drop the RR rate.
What Do I Hope To Achieve?
I expect the Coilovers to be on my car within the next 2 weeks. My Kumho's are wearing fast and I'm planning on my next set of tires will be Falken Azenis RT-615s in a wider tread and smaller overall diameter(245/40/17 vs the current 235/45/17). Considering the fairly heavy rates I've selected, I imagine the tires should start getting a bit of a workout in the corners. I will play with the compression/rebound rates and report my findings back.
My overall goal is to achieve a very firm and solid highway ride(at the willing sacrifice of some comfort). I want the car to feel planted during cornering with minimal body roll. I am also expecting corner rotation to improve significantly while still remaining slightly on the safe side with a touch of understeer at the limit. Expect a complete review.
mokeOne
05-21-2009, 03:31 AM
seriously, this is such a valuable thread to us peeps with the 08's that want to make our cars better without trading in for an 09 or sti. can't wait to see how the BC suspension works out.
Boost Addict
05-21-2009, 12:40 PM
seriously, this is such a valuable thread to us peeps with the 08's that want to make our cars better without trading in for an 09 or sti. can't wait to see how the BC suspension works out.
Thanks for taking the time to voice your appreciation. I can't help but assume that there are people who find this thread of value, but it's those that mention it that keep me going on it. Thank you!
Meanwhile, my WRX is sleeping in the garage without a trunk. We've begun development on our Carbon Fiber Trunk that will be released in the very near future.
With regards to my impressions about the new coilovers, I'll leave you with a few questions.
Want your 4-door sedan to feel as firm, planted and composed as the likes of a 911? Would you like an independently adjustable ride height that does not compromise your spring travel or pre-load? Care to reduce your body roll to almost nothing?
I have a lot to share about the BCs, but I owe it to myself and everyone else to spend some more miles behind the wheel before i can review them in full.
For now, I leave you with some more suspension components that I've ordered in the name of better bite, snappier response, better rotation, and putting a nail in the body roll coffin. Ladies and Gentlemen, behold:
Perrin 25mm Adjustable Front Sway Bar
Perrin 22mm Adjustable Rear Sway Bar
Perrin Front Endlinks
Perrin Rear Endlinks
Coming Soon.
Boost Addict
06-13-2009, 11:58 PM
A few items on order:
You've already seen these. PERRIN 25mm Front Sway Bar, PERRIN 22mm Rear Sway Bar, PERRIN Front Endlinks, PERRIN Rear Endlinks:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/1619_large.jpg
Upgrading to a 2008 STI Brake Master Cylinder:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/stimastercylinder.jpg
Upgrading to 2004-Spec Brembo Big Brake Kit:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/BremboFront.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/BremboRear.jpg
And to finally complete my In-Car Electronics, I am adding in a Pioneer Premier F90BT - in-dash touchscreen Head Unit w/ built in GPS/Nav, Bluetooth (in lieu of the CiG-Blue already installed), iPod Audio+Video, DVD:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/f90bt.jpg
spine186
07-05-2009, 11:42 PM
Any more updates for us?
Boost Addict
07-09-2009, 06:55 PM
BC RACING BR SERIES COILOVER REVIEW:
Strap yourself in tightly. Seriously. And I wish you the best of luck wiping that stupid grin off your face when you slingshot through turns with a new found confidence.
Before installing the BC Racing BR Series Coilovers in my WRX, everyone knew how unhappy I was with the old setup. As I've repeated many times before through my experience, do not buy a stiff side-walled, sticky tire and pair it with stock struts, even if you're on 'lowering springs'. Not a great combination. Whether you like or not, Body Roll is writing you love letters in every corner, begging for you to stay. And no matter how badly you want to throw those letters out the window, your curiosity piques and, frankly, you're screwed.
Enter the value-priced, yet feature-laden BC Racing BR Series Coilover for the 08-09 WRX Sedan. Visually, even, the coilovers are a real treat to soak up with your eyes. They are tidy and neat with very user-friendly click knobs on the top of each strut to allow for on the fly adjustments. They have a slim overall size which is much thinner than the bulky, stock setup. Everybody say 'hello' to more clearance for larger sway bars. A beautiful mirror-black finish with light gold fixtures makes this a real classy and appealing setup, but can they perform?
BC Racing currently allows you to choose your own spring rates at no additional charge. Oh boy! :) Give Boost 1 psi, and he'll take 17. On BC's website, they list the front rates at 8k and the rear at 6k. My intention was to promote more oversteer, so naturally I opted to up the rear rates to 8k. (For more information regarding how to promote understeer or oversteer, please look back a page or so for the research I did before selecting the spring rates.)
I received the coilovers and the installation went very smooth! It took a comfortable 2 hours on a lift with air tools. The ride height it came with lowered the rear an additional .25" from the STI Pinks I previously had on. The front lowered an additional .50" from the STI Pinks, which was great, since I didn't really like the previous imbalance. Now the wheel gaps between front and rear were dead even! Very cool, but not cool enough :) After a quick test drive to check for creaks, noises and clunks, we went back on the lift because Boost wants to street sweep on the weekends. In automotive terms, that means, 'lower the front'! And lower we did! A little over half an inch was lost in ride height as I stood to the side and grinned in joy. Now here's the beauty of the BC's; while some other coilovers lose suspension travel when you adjust the ride height, the height adjustment of the BC's is completely independent, therefore maintaining full travel!
With 30-clicks of dampening adjustment, it will take you a while to find your sweet spot. Now, I don't mean you will dislike them out of the box; you won't. And to call any of the settings 'uncomfortable' would be a complete mis-understanding. But since each click literally feels different, it's fun to dial in what you individually consider 'perfect'. I've played with my settings so much that I don't recall where they've ended up. Add a click here, remove two clicks there, etc... you end up losing your spot. As a general rule of thumb, I personally don't like to have the adjustment all the way on either end. If you want it fully stiff or fully soft, just stay at least one click away from the max of either end. That kind of use will help promote longer strut life and should prevent any premature failures.
On fully stiff, you may find the ride too jouncy for your daily street drive. And the truth is, it's not the type of bounce that's caused by an over-sprung/under-dampened suspension. It's more the fact that it takes such a significant force to compress the suspension, that you just end up not compressing, and simply skip over little road imperfections. Once at a higher speed, the car is glued to the ground and has such an abundance of lateral grip!
On fully soft, it's super comfortable, almost too comfortable to believe you're sitting on a sport suspension system! Now I don't mean it's Cadillac soft. It's not. It's still firm, but extremely comfortable! You still benefit from that fantastic high speed grip, but can putt around town in a more comfortable fashion. There are only 2 downsides to having the settings on soft. The first is that the steering becomes a little less immediate during transitioning. No big deal, it's still better than it was! Second, is that you get a lot of compression at low speed corners which in my case equates to fender rubbing.
I've got the rears set close to about 30% away from full stiff, and the fronts are maybe 35% away from full stiff. I also dialed in a maximum of -1.0 degree of camber in the front and have left the rears at about -1.5. My front camber used to be about -.20 and desperately needed a change! The car rides incredibly solid and firm. Bumps are soaked up with confidence. No more bouncing around after each bump, just one meaningful compress/rebound cycle and it's done. 'Composed' is the absolute best way to describe the feeling now! The stance I went with is very slant. I have the front lower than the rear and it's very visually impacting! The downside is that Body Roll discovered your affair with BC and is no longer sending you letters. It makes you feel like a jerk for leaving, but the cornering force is so immense that you forgive yourself! In fact, when taking a planted, 90 degree right turn around 30 mph, you sometimes wonder what Body Roll's been up to lately... Oh hell, let's be honest; you'll never miss it! Let's talk wheel spin for a second. With 334 ft-lbs channeled through the wheels, it's always been hard to catch grip from a standstill at launch. But Subaru's AWD system never let me down! It would actively distribute the power and within about a second after launch, it would regain grip and launch me forward. Things have changed. Can you believe that a suspension modification helps put the power you have to the ground more efficiently? By no longer squatting in the rear during launch, all the energy is transmitted through the diff and to the wheels! I've never felt such differential lash as I do now(Boost makes a note that he needs stiffer diff bushings). I can feather off the clutch, launching at 3500 RPM and spin through the entire first gear as it scampers to regain grip by redline! I'm talking 2 full seconds of all four tires spinning from the line... What a rush! Under braking, the annoying dive is almost entirely gone! Same goes with the acceleration. What used to squat the rear and push you down and back, now just pushes you back with a stronger, more concentrated force.
Regarding some of the driving dynamics and handling, I've given several 'experienced' people rides. While none of them speak any legitimate German, I keep hearing foreign things like "Blah, Blah, Blah, BMW, Blah, Blah, Blah, Porsche, Blah, Blah, Blah, Sauerkraut." So I'm not quite sure what to tell you about what they think, but they usually have a pretty stupid grin on their face as they are muttering this gibberish.
Overall, I am completely satisfied with the BC Racing BR Series Coilovers and sincerely couldn't ask for a better system. While there are higher end kits out there, this has proven more than sufficient and has impressed me thoroughly. There is not one squeak, one rattle, one problem, one inconsistency or anything to report! My 235-wide glue-like tires are now being used to their maximum potential and have learned to progressively give up grip, no longer leaving it up to the chassis. With the spring rates I chose and the alignment I have done, the car is significantly more neutral in the corners. This means my goal to find more oversteer was successful! It's natural tendency is still to understeer initially, but it's far less than it used to be. Once you're in the corner though, you have a lot more control now with your throttle foot! If you're in the sweet spot of the torque band, you can literally make small adjustments to your cornering angle just with throttle input! It's an awesome feeling that was sadly missing in the stock and modified setup I previously had. Ideally, I would like to see a little more initial snap in the steering, which I feel a larger front sway bar will help me accomplish. I opted for PERRINs 25mm front bar because, frankly, with a smaller strut, I have the room to do it :) I also opted for their 22mm rear bar to generate a little more oversteer. Both units are adjustable and will be coupled with their respective PERRIN endlinks. I hope to achieve snappier transition response with the sway bars, which will get rid of that initial tendency to understeer. And with some experimentation with the adjustments, I'm hoping I can keep a very similar mid-corner feel as I have now. Although, a slight bit more oversteer isn't unwelcome either!
Before I leave you with a plethora of pictures, I should give you my final thoughts. Simply put, it's the best $1000(approx) you'll spend on your car. To anyone interested in springs, I cannot stress enough to strongly consider saving your pennies to prevent doing something like this twice. A coilover system like this is worlds superior to any aftermarket spring you can pick out. This kit includes springs, struts, front camber plates, independent ride height adjustment, 30-clicks of adjust-ability, pillow-ball mounts, bump stops under its dust boot and a 1-year warranty. There is nothing left to think about. This system makes such an overall change to the driving dynamics of the car! And it's a modification that you can feel and utilize, every single time you're behind the wheel!
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The BC Racing BR Series Coilovers
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2308.jpg
Entering Surgery
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2318.jpg
OEM Strut Tops/cover - Front
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2312.jpg
STI Pink Springs, Kumho Ecsta XS 235/45/17
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2321.jpg
Notice how tight the clearances are between the narrow OEM Rear Sway Bar and the struts. Not to worry, the BC's leave plenty of clearance to welcome the new PERRIN RSB! Also displayed is a great reason to change the OEM endlinks to support the larger bars!
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2322.jpg
If you put your ear close to the Tokico calipers, you can hear them whisper rumors of Brembo's moving in to replace them.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2337.jpg
OEM Front vs BC Front
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2377.jpg
OEM Rear vs BC Rear
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2376.jpg
Adjustment knob on top of BC Front Strut
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2386.jpg
Adjustment knob on top of BC Rear Strut
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2382.jpg
Front BC coilovers installed
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2405.jpg
Rear BC coilovers installed
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Coilover%20Instakk/IMG_2403.jpg
my god man, i'm sold.
great review, and i notice you took the front lip off. any problems scraping driveways with the BC's on?
daived
07-13-2009, 03:48 AM
I just wanted to drop a line and say how absolutely rocked I am by all the suspension tuning youre doing and all the research behind it. lookin forward to seeing how all the different components add up! :peace:
Boost Addict
07-13-2009, 10:10 AM
my god man, i'm sold.
great review, and i notice you took the front lip off. any problems scraping driveways with the BC's on?
Yes, I did remove the front lip and it's for sale. On extremely steep driveways, I do have to angle in or out to avoid scraping, but it's not too bad. Speed bumps can be approached head-on without any scraping. But of course, this is an adjustable suspension, so you could have it sitting a little higher or even lower.
PM me if you're interested in a set of the coilovers.
I just wanted to drop a line and say how absolutely rocked I am by all the suspension tuning youre doing and all the research behind it. lookin forward to seeing how all the different components add up! :peace:
Glad to hear! I'm excited about the way everything is coming together as well. The sway bars have been installed too and I'm really enjoying the new-found balance of the car. I will be doing a complete review on the sway bars as well once I spend some more miles behind the wheel.
spine186
07-13-2009, 07:05 PM
I would also like to say thanks for all the info. It helps a lot to know how the different parts are changing your car. It especially helps those who have to pick and choose what upgrades to get. Thanks!
Boost Addict
07-15-2009, 01:33 PM
I would also like to say thanks for all the info. It helps a lot to know how the different parts are changing your car. It especially helps those who have to pick and choose what upgrades to get. Thanks!
:thumb: glad to hear it's helping you out!
Boost Addict
07-15-2009, 01:34 PM
Update. 07/14/09
So we actually attacked the install today. First, an update to the shopping list as some items were changed or added.
- 2004 Subaru WRX STI Brembo Gran Turismo Calipers (Front and Rear)
- Centric Premium Front Rotors 2004 Subaru WRX STI Spec (Custom Slotted)
- Centric Rear Rotors 2004 Subaru WRX STI Spec (High Temp Painted and Custom Slotted)
- 2004 Subaru WRX STI Brembo brake pads
- 2008 Subaru WRX STI Master Cylinder**
- 2008 WRX Goodridge Stainless Steel Braided Brake Lines
- ATE Super Blue Racing Brake Fluid (Dot-4, 2 cans)
- 2004 Subaru WRX STI Front and Rear Caliper to Knuckle Bolts
- 2001 Honda Civic EX Inca Pearl Touch-Up Paint if needed
*2004 STI rotors share the same bolt pattern as the 08-09 WRXs
**Master Cylinder only. Brake Booster on 08 STI and 08 WRX are the same part number.
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Master Cylinder:
Visually, the 08-09 STI master cylinder and the 08-09 WRX master cylinder are IDENTICAL! One is not larger than the other, so perhaps the difference lies in the internals. All I know is that they are different part numbers, and it was a suggested upgrade with these brakes by MicMckee (thanks for the heads up!). Installation was completely straight forward, a direct replacement!
A shot of the STI master cylinder installed with ATE Super Blue RBF filled in.
Front Brake Install:
I am pleased to report that installation of the front was very straight forward. 04 STI spec rotors bolted up with no issue. The Calipers bolted up with the proper bolts with no issue. The stainless lines were also a direct replacement. Even the splash shield stayed out of the way. Everything bolted up beautifully and boy did it look great!
Proper Bolts for Front and Rear Caliper to Knuckle Installation (103 for Front, 102 for Rear)
Rear Brake Install:
Here is where we, and most others, have had to get creative. First and foremost, I went ahead and lightly shot the rotors with an ultra high-temp black to get the hat and vents to match the front and to combat rust. Rotor fitment requires a few steps. The splash guard is completely in the way. Some suggest cutting reliefs and bending them back. Since we feel that defeats half the purpose, we decide to avoid a potential rattle situation and simply cut it out. We're in Southern California, where adverse weather is super rare, besides, we won't mind the additional cooling with the shield removed. Next, as seen in other threads, the inner lip on the back-side of the rotor needs to be shaved down about .150" to be properly seated on the hub. We took care of that rather easily, see picture below. At this point, we test fitted the rotors, which went on beautifully. We then slipped the caliper over the rotor and noticed that the knuckles were too far apart for the Brembo caliper to bolt on to! Uh oh. :)
At this point, we're exploring a couple of sources to find a proper adapter that will bolt onto the knuckles and provide two closer mounting points for the Brembo caliper. As cheezeball mentioned above, FastWRX.com does offer a solution for earlier WRXs, however they have yet to test it on the 3rd gen. We've gotten in touch with them and hope they will work with us to get this confirmed and tested soon!
A few pictures in the meantime. More will follow once we successfully mount the Rear Brakes on.
Any reason why you went with the older STi brakes over a newer kit that might fit the WRX?
Boost Addict
07-16-2009, 12:15 PM
Any reason why you went with the older STi brakes over a newer kit that might fit the WRX?
Color. The newer kit still involves modification to the rear, although, I don't believe it needs a knuckle adapter.
Antgli
07-20-2009, 12:12 AM
Wow...that's all I can say :)! It took a few days for me to finish reading you thread but it was well worth it. I've never seen such a well documented progression of mods. I personally would like to thank you for sharing your time and educating us with what modifications work and what doesn't. I wish you all the luck with your future mods.
Boost Addict
07-20-2009, 12:19 PM
Wow...that's all I can say :)! It took a few days for me to finish reading you thread but it was well worth it. I've never seen such a well documented progression of mods. I personally would like to thank you for sharing your time and educating us with what modifications work and what doesn't. I wish you all the luck with your future mods.
You're welcome! Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it.
Quick Update:
We will be tackling the rear brakes on Wednesday if all goes as planned. We've ordered the AVO Brembo Caliper Adapter.
Boost Addict
08-08-2009, 01:25 AM
Update everyone.
Had some new bulbs waiting for me when I got home from work this evening. The anticipation simply didn't let me wait...
What I went with:
Low Beam - H11 - Nokya 7000k Arctic White
High Beam/Daytime Running Lamps - 9005 - Nokya 2500k Hyper Yellow
Fog Lamps - 9006 - Nokya 2500k Hyper Yellow
Overall Impressions:
Big applause to Nokya! I was looking for a low cost option that would class up the lighting and increase visibility in foggy conditions without having to step into the realm of HID's. The Hyper Yellow Bulbs are very bright! I absolutely love the color. They are a very, undeniably vibrant yellow. In the pictures, it appears the white-balance of my camera may be off, as the Hyper Yellow lamps didn't photograph as yellow as they appear, and the Arctic White lamps didn't photograph as blue as they appear. The most accurate depiction of the Arctic White appears in the OEM vs Nokya picture where the driver's side is with Nokya bulbs and the Passenger Side is oem. The most accurate picture of the Hyper Yellow is in the last and final picture of just the Nokya bulbs installed. The Arctic White is a very crisp color of white that simply has the cool softness of blue, but does not look cheap or bad. Nokya considers it to be similar in color to a 7000k, but I'd put it closer to a 5000-5500k. Visibility has likely dimmed slightly because of filtering, but the low beams provide such a nice tone of white, that I enjoy it a lot more and feel like I've given nothing up. Now for some pictures!
OEM Low Beams and Fog Lights against Garage Door
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/oemlowandfog.jpg
Nokya Low Beams and Fog Lights against Garage Door
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/nokyalowandfog.jpg
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OEM Low Beams and High Beams against Garage Door
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/oemlowandhigh.jpg
Nokya Low Beams and High Beams against Garage Door
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/nokyalowandhigh.jpg
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OEM Low Beams and Fog Lights
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/oemlowandfogcar1.jpg
Nokya Low Beams and Fog Lights
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/nokyalowandfogcar1.jpg
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OEM Low Beams and High Beams
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/oemlowandhighcar.jpg
Nokya Low Beams and High Beams
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/nokyalowandhighcar.jpg
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OEM vs Nokya Low Beams and Fog Lights
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/oemvsnokyalowandfog.jpg
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OEM vs Nokya Low Beams and High Beams
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/oemvsnokyalowandhigh.jpg
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Additional Picture of the Nokya Set Up
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/2008%20WRX%20Mods/nokyalowandfogcar.jpg
mokeOne
08-08-2009, 03:56 PM
wow awesome, looks like HID. i recently installed a DDM HID kit in my wrx, and i'm loving it. been looking for bulbs to replace my highs, but since they're also daytime runners, i'm afraid of messing them up because of the lower wattage, or whatever the issue is with DRL's.
once again, love this thread.
Boost Addict
08-09-2009, 03:13 PM
wow awesome, looks like HID. i recently installed a DDM HID kit in my wrx, and i'm loving it. been looking for bulbs to replace my highs, but since they're also daytime runners, i'm afraid of messing them up because of the lower wattage, or whatever the issue is with DRL's.
once again, love this thread.
Thanks for the feedback :)
I'm not a fan of having HID's as high beams, because the only time I use them is to give cars/trucks signaling to move into the lane in front of me the right of way. Aside from that, I'll use them in a rare situation in a very dark corner or on ramp, just for more visibility. The problem is, HIDs require a few seconds to warm up, usually about 10-15 seconds until they are at full color/brightness. So if you're just using your high beams to flash once in a while, you're not using it's full potential. You'd have to keep your high beams on for about 20 seconds just so they can warm up to their color. I recommend the Hyper Yellow for the highs :)
mokeOne
08-09-2009, 06:22 PM
:signOops: i meant to say that i upgraded my lows to HID, but was looking for a better bulb for my highs. i'll look into those nokyas
Boost Addict
08-13-2009, 03:05 AM
Guys!!! Big News. Anyone who is interested in the Carbon Fiber Impreza WRX Sedan Trunk seen on my car, PM me. There's a low Intro Price Group Buy going on right now... It ends in 2 weeks.
Ditch the Cobb turbo heatshield. It is not a very functional piece. It's a blingy engine dress up part more than anything else and doesn't work near as well as a cut stocker.
ScoobySon
08-24-2009, 04:46 PM
Ditch the Cobb turbo heatshield. It is not a very functional piece. It's a blingy engine dress up part more than anything else and doesn't work near as well as a cut stocker.
or you can use both.
i guess the SPT can just fit over the stocker.
Boost Addict
08-25-2009, 05:23 PM
Ditch the Cobb turbo heatshield. It is not a very functional piece. It's a blingy engine dress up part more than anything else and doesn't work near as well as a cut stocker.
Somewhere in the middle of my endeavors, I reported that it was making too much of a rattling sound and replaced it. The SPT Heatshield I have it replaced with has been worry free and silent. Maybe you just checked out the first page of this thread? There's a lot that have changed along the way :)
A quick initial review of the Falkens: I'm going to avoid judging the grip at this early stage as there's only about 100 miles on them. But there are a few things that definitely stand out. The Kumho Ecsta XS was said to have a tread pattern that made steering more immediate and snappy. While the tire was quick in changing directions, it had a negative impact during straight line, highway driving. Where the road would have cut recesses or gaps, the Kumho would get 'squirrely' and gently tug the wheel to one side or another. The Falkens track straight! Period. I've driven over recesses and gaps and even let go of the wheel at over 70 mph. I cannot make it pull one way or the other!! This is a HUGE plus. Stability at higher speeds feels far more confidence inducing than the Kumho's ever did. The Falken's are also a much quieter tire. I never considered the Kumho's loud or even notable as noisy. But with the absence of the noise, I now notice that the Falkens are very quiet, at least at this early stage. Below-boost pick up has increased notably! The car just rolls away from a stop with less drag and effort. However, I attribute this advantage to the smaller overall diameter, not necessarily a product of the tire design.
The only thing I can say that doesn't feel 'better' at this point is the overall compound stiffness. It feels harder and less forgiving. Smaller imperfections tremble through the chassis. It's not terrible, but it's there. For those who have BC Coilovers, imagine stepping up the stiffness by 2-3 clicks. It's that different! However, bear in mind, it does have a shorter sidewall than my previous tires, so that could be part of the reason.
I have yet to launch on these and am not prepared to comment on the grip. However, I'll definitely report back once I've put enough miles on them to break them in.
A few pics of the tires during install.
New shoes!
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Azenis%20Install%202554017/IMG_2977.jpg
Out with the old. 235/45-17 Kumho Ecsta XS on 17x8 Rota G-Force
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Azenis%20Install%202554017/IMG_2988.jpg
In with the new. 255/40-17 Falken Azenis RT-615 on 17x8 Rota G-Force
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Azenis%20Install%202554017/IMG_2997.jpg
Side by Side. 255/40 Azenis vs 235/45 XS
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Azenis%20Install%202554017/IMG_2991.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Azenis%20Install%202554017/IMG_2992.jpg
A shot from the front towards back at the rear fender rolled. Just enough clearance!
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/Azenis%20Install%202554017/IMG_2998-1.jpg
--
I'm scheduled to have the roof done in Gloss Black on Monday... I will definitely take some pictures soon showing off the new tires and roof. Hopefully hood will be installed shortly as well!
kwiksilverwrx
09-04-2009, 05:13 PM
some one told me that you lose HP if you put on a cold air or aftermarket intake...?
Boost Addict
09-05-2009, 01:44 PM
some one told me that you lose HP if you put on a cold air or aftermarket intake...?
There are a lot of myths and rumors out there regarding intakes. One needs to conduct his own research to find what's optimal for their specific car. In the older WRXs, it was almost pointless to change out the OEM unit. In the current cars, there exists a room for gains. If you look back a few pages in my thread you'll find when I was researching intakes and sharing information. You'll notice a bunch of intake diagram mockups I made on MS Paint :)
Boost Addict
09-08-2009, 01:29 AM
Got the roof wrapped in gloss black vinyl this morning. Dan of DownShift Custom Graphics came out and spent some time laying it on!! The dude's super patient and does incredibly meticulous work! Tucks every edge in perfectly and guarantees his work! The install is SEAMLESS and gorgeous! You'd think it's painted on.
One fear I had was that I would have a severe lack of patience to complete the look with a carbon hood. Well, I've changed my mind on the vented hood and will be getting an oem-style one tomorrow if we've got one at the warehouse!
PICS OF THE INSTALL. PLEASE PARDON HOW DIRTY THE CAR WAS DUE TO USE OF SOAPY WATER DURING INSTALL.
DAN DID A CLAY JOB ON THE ROOF BEFORE INSTALLING THE VINYL OVERLAY:
Got home late and was running out of sunlight. Install took about an hour. All pre-drilled holes for washer tube tabs needed additional filing to be large enough to work. Same issue with the washer nozzle area. Aside from that, all is good! Sorry for dark, dirty, crappy pictures.
STANDING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE CAR A FEW FEET BACK, YOU CAN SEE THE PERRIN INTERCOOLER PEERING THROUGH THE SCOOP LIKE YOU'D SEE A FRONT MOUNT PEERING THROUGH A GRILLE! LOOKS PRETTY SICK, IN MY OPINION! BPV IS ALSO VISIBLE!:
More pictures coming soon, once everything is washed and waxed!
daived
09-09-2009, 09:45 PM
Sweet! I thought the hood you were putting in had vents in front of the intercooler scoop, or is it just too dark to see? and are you not using the stock ducting to the intercooler?
Boost Addict
09-10-2009, 12:20 AM
Sweet! I thought the hood you were putting in had vents in front of the intercooler scoop, or is it just too dark to see? and are you not using the stock ducting to the intercooler?
I changed my mind on the vents as it would conflict with the lines of the body. And I left the stock ducting off to keep engine temps cooler overall, while the air isnt directly focused on the IC itself.
eclipsefirenos
09-10-2009, 01:07 PM
Great looking build!
Boost Addict
09-10-2009, 09:30 PM
Great looking build!
Thanks buddy... Nice hatch!
eclipsefirenos
09-10-2009, 09:39 PM
Hahaha, mine becomes quite the timid ride when directly compared to yours.
DUB
09-10-2009, 10:56 PM
This is a leased vehicle, you said? :der:
Boost Addict
09-11-2009, 01:00 AM
This is a leased vehicle, you said? :der:
Not exactly. I'm buying it out.
Boost Addict
09-11-2009, 01:02 AM
Hahaha, mine becomes quite the timid ride when directly compared to yours.
Hey now, that's the whole point of individuality. Besides, as a marketing tool, this one's gotta stand out.
eclipsefirenos
09-11-2009, 09:12 AM
Hey now, that's the whole point of individuality. Besides, as a marketing tool, this one's gotta stand out.
Amen to that!
Boost Addict
09-11-2009, 11:07 PM
Finally got around to uploading some videos, here's one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzIl6jC-7_I
youtube channel: BoostAddictv24
Boost Addict
09-13-2009, 08:31 PM
More pictures as promised! These will give you a much better idea of how things turned out :)
The car looks great. . .Almost wish Subaru came out with a 08+ Sedan edition of the STi, but none the less I love the hach/ wagon. I'm slowly building my 09 STi.
Boost Addict
09-13-2009, 09:22 PM
The car looks great. . .Almost wish Subaru came out with a 08+ Sedan edition of the STi, but none the less I love the hach/ wagon. I'm slowly building my 09 STi.
Thanks man! I wish it were an STI 6-spd aside from that... I love it.
eclipsefirenos
09-13-2009, 10:46 PM
Your hood and trunk lid totally feed my CF fetish, lol
Lovin' the gloss black overlay on your roof too.
Boost Addict
09-14-2009, 09:26 PM
Your hood and trunk lid totally feed my CF fetish, lol
Lovin' the gloss black overlay on your roof too.
Thanks! I was trying to tie everything together! :D
dkohn1337
09-14-2009, 10:11 PM
This is one SERIOUS thread. I love your car and also love your writing. Keep posting! ++1
DUB
09-14-2009, 10:41 PM
Not exactly. I'm buying it out.
Nice. I was gonna say...have fun putting it back to stock. :lol:
Anyway, nice build thread, carry on.
D. Fantom
09-14-2009, 11:12 PM
Coach leather?? talk about bling. Are they comfortable?
I would of bought some nice Sparco's, bride's, or recaro's instead. (a billion times better than stock)
Boost Addict
09-15-2009, 03:16 AM
Coach leather?? talk about bling. Are they comfortable?
I would of bought some nice Sparco's, bride's, or recaro's instead. (a billion times better than stock)
The local company that does custom upholstery uses Coach as their top of the line leather... I went with a choice that I felt was classy, of high quality, and still looked subtle. I chose black grain on black perforated with white french stitching as a nod to my totaled Mazdaspeed6 which came with black leather and white french stitching. If you check out the seats, there's really nothing bling about them, it's not like a designer print or anything. In fact, most people will never know it's Coach brand.
Racing seats will generally only provide more lateral support than stock. If you are lucky, they might come close to the same level of comfort as stock. 'Better than stock' is absolutely subjective and depends entirely on your personal wants and needs. At the moment, I find my seats to be very comfortable. They look great and provide ample lateral support. If in the future I feel that I could benefit from more support, I will definitely look into Racing Seats. But chances are I'll be doing a harness bar and some 4-points instead to snugly strap myself in.
Nice. I was gonna say...have fun putting it back to stock. :lol:
Anyway, nice build thread, carry on.
Yeah, I determined that I would keep the car pre-turbo swap. Since then, it's been no holds barred! Thank you again for the kind words.
This is one SERIOUS thread. I love your car and also love your writing. Keep posting! ++1
A lot of time definitely goes into keeping things updated. Thank You for the support! I appreciate it!
D. Fantom
09-15-2009, 12:13 PM
The local company that does custom upholstery uses Coach as their top of the line leather... I went with a choice that I felt was classy, of high quality, and still looked subtle. I chose black grain on black perforated with white french stitching as a nod to my totaled Mazdaspeed6 which came with black leather and white french stitching. If you check out the seats, there's really nothing bling about them, it's not like a designer print or anything. In fact, most people will never know it's Coach brand.
Racing seats will generally only provide more lateral support than stock. If you are lucky, they might come close to the same level of comfort as stock. 'Better than stock' is absolutely subjective and depends entirely on your personal wants and needs. At the moment, I find my seats to be very comfortable. They look great and provide ample lateral support. If in the future I feel that I could benefit from more support, I will definitely look into Racing Seats. But chances are I'll be doing a harness bar and some 4-points instead to snugly strap myself in.
Well they certainly look good.
I find way more lumbar support in the majority of aftermarket seats. I have back problems though and can't stand the lack of lateral and lumbar support on my 07's. I find Recaros, especially evo 9, 10 seats absolutely godly! Sparcos and brides just as good to.
Boost Addict
09-15-2009, 05:08 PM
Well they certainly look good.
I find way more lumbar support in the majority of aftermarket seats. I have back problems though and can't stand the lack of lateral and lumbar support on my 07's. I find Recaros, especially evo 9, 10 seats absolutely godly! Sparcos and brides just as good to.
Thanks man! Yeah, I hear ya, EVO's have super supportive seats!
------Update!------
Equal Length Header, Walbro 255lph Fuel Pump & Deatschwerks 750cc Injector install scheduled for Sunday, September 20th!!! Church Automotive Testing on Monday, September 21st!!!
Target Boost: 20psi
Goal: 330whp / 360wtq
Boost Addict
09-21-2009, 01:48 AM
---Update---
The Injectors, Fuel Pump, and Header are in!!!!! Tune tomorrow!
The install took a lot longer than we expected! Some quick notes and impressions.
-Header was a quick 45-minute deal including jacking up both sides of the car and removing the under-tray. Perrin's equal length header fit perfectly with the slip joints loosened. Once the header was tightening to the heads, we tightened down the slip joints. Very straight forward install!
-Fuel Pump was a bit of a chore and not as straight forward as we would have hoped. The Walbro 255lph fuel pump is a large unit; it's slightly larger in girth than the stock pump, and has a longer body. First, the rear seat bottoms are super easy to remove, just press back and up from each side to access the pump housing which is located on the passenger side. Removal of the housing was straight forward, but to fit the new pump in the housing, it took a lot of trimming and grinding down of the inner housing. We finally got everything connected and figured we would use the stock fuel filter as the one that came in the pack was way too large to fit. Even still, with everything snapped in place, the housing bulges a bit on the bottom, and we feared this would cause a restriction in fuel delivery. Thankfully, it seems ok. The Walbro is loud and proud; A high pitch buzz emits through your cabin when the key is selecting the ON position. All systems go!
-Injectors took the absolute longest time to access! Here's a brief summary of how it went.
We tackled the Passenger Side first. We removed the K&N Typhoon Intake and dismounted the coolant reservoir that's mounted beside the intake manifold. We had to push it out of the way to access the metal bracket covering the rail and injectors. Well, most of the bolts for the metal tray were easy to remove. However, there's one little metal nipple that protrudes from the head and blocks any standard socket from fitting over the lower bolt holding the bracket in place. We had to use a universal joint and finagle it off. Once we had access to the injectors, it was just a game of patience to properly lube the new o-rings carefully and slide them into their ports with finesse.
Then came the Driver's Side. It looked easier at first, but man was it a hassle! First we removed the battery and tray. Then we removed that lovely hunk of emission add-on hunk of plastic on the right side of the bay. We also removed the two hard fuel lines to the right of the TMIC, as well as the TMIC bracket. We went ahead and removed the little funnel that you pour engine oil down into. After all that, we thought we were golden. So we started unbolting the metal bracket that covers the injectors and rail. Then we realized we had all but one... again. We thought we could access it by reaching straight down... And it was WAY down there! So we unbolted the TMIC and went for it. Alas, it was a failed attempt, as we realized there was no way we could place a socket over it or get any sort of clearance to unbolt it. So we carefully and conservatively bent the bracket back, did our deal with the injectors, then bolted it back in place.
-The Start Up! It was really exciting and nerve wrecking anticipating the moment of fire up! Say a prayer... Will the pump work? Will there be some leak in the system? We've taken so many things apart just to access the injectors, have we missed anything? Will we end up having to uninstall things all over again just to fix a problem!?!? So we started by priming the injector several times. When the key is turned to the ON position, you hear the fuel pump buzz as it fills the line with fuel. The buzz only lasts for about 5 seconds max(I actually didn't count). So I turned to the ON position about 15-20 times while 2 buddies checked for leaks by the rails, injectors, etc... While 15-20 may sound excessive, we wanted to ensure there were no leaks, that pressure was built up in the system, and that all the air pockets were pushed out. We fired her up and, wow! It started quickly and sounded smooth! We let the motor warm up for a few minutes watching AFRs on the DashHawk. The car idled very smoothly hinting at the changed exhaust note.
I've driven it very gently (staying out of boost) and will be driving it to Shawn's tomorrow morning for the tuning session. Initial impressions are very good! The exhaust note has changed from a dirty grumble to a higher pitched, buttery-smooth howl. The car idles so smooth, and off-boost torque feels improved! I will post pictures tomorrow, but you'll notice the collectors of the header are very small in diameter, even compared to stock. My early assumption is that the smooth, equal length design gives the on-boost horsepower and torque, while the narrower diameter maintains a healthy abundance of off-boost torque. I am very excited to see what kind of numbers the car will put down tomorrow!
Wish me luck :)
eclipsefirenos
09-21-2009, 02:11 PM
Can't wait to see those pictures!
Make sure you get a video of the new sound as well =)
Boost Addict
09-22-2009, 02:37 AM
Can't wait to see those pictures!
Make sure you get a video of the new sound as well =)
Will do... for sure!
---Quick Update after a long day!---
So, I've got some news from our tuning session which ended up being a Part 1... Thankfully, we are getting very consistent and strong pressure from the fuel pump, and the injectors are delivering beautifully! Shawn appreciated the reliable flow of the new fueling system and was equally impressed with the equal length header (much more on the header later!). Without much fine adjustment, the car effortlessly made over 380 ft-lbs to the wheels! Of course, that was a peak figure and certainly tapered off as the rpm grew. Shawn wasn't comfortable with that kind of peak torque on the stock block, and neither am I. He suggested that we lower the peak figure to obtain a flatter torque curve to provide a healthy dose of gusto among a broad range of the rpm band without causing unnecessary risk to the internals and drivetrain. I gave him the thumbs up, so he fine tuned his way to ~361 ft-lbs from ~3000-4500rpm.
Once he started working on the top end, he realized the turbo wasn't holding sufficient boost. As the rpm would climb, our peak of ~21 psi would taper lower and lower until it reached ~14.7 psi at 6000 rpm. In fact, we would hold a very steady 19 psi until 4500 rpm. It was after 4500 rpm that things started tapering off. We were only able to put down ~270 whp. So we looked to the Boost Control system... We figured we can swap the two Tee-d off hoses from the turbo and wastegate, to see if the internal pill sizes being switched may help. It definitely helped. We were able to make more power, but it still wanted to taper off. The end result for the day was 296 whp. While that's 9 whp less than our last tune, the power plateaus from 4500-6500! Simply looking at the horsepower curve, the car wants to continue making power if the Boost Controller were to allow it.
After some thinking and researching, we decided that a GM 3-port Boost Control Solenoid was in order. A good friend of mine had one and generously offered it up. Tomorrow we will be fitting the new Boost Control Solenoid, and finally tuning for some serious horsepower in the upper rpm range.
At this point, I am really happy to say that the fuel pump, injectors and header have been VERY potent additions to the car. Just how potent is still to be determined. The fact that the header and a little extra boost knocked out an effortless 380 wtq, is kind of amazing. If we considered that amount of torque to be safe on the stock block, then it would mean we made an additional 45 wtq! That's downright ridiculous! The header also helps the car spool up around 500 rpm earlier! The entire driving dynamic has changed with the addition of this part. It feels like an easier breathing, fine-tuned powerplant. I will be going into more detail about the header soon. But let's just lay it out there now that I am downright impressed with this piece!
If we can accomplish about 330 whp tomorrow, I will be very satisfied with the results! Because this will be complemented by a very healthy, broad torque curve of 360 ft-lbs! The car already feels lighter-revving and significantly faster as all the power and torque comes on much sooner and stronger! Highway pulls are now giggle-worthy.
Result of Tune Part 1: 296 whp / 361 wtq
eclipsefirenos
09-22-2009, 02:02 PM
LOL @ "giggle-worthy"
I know what you mean though =)
Boost Addict
09-23-2009, 03:46 AM
The tuning is complete!
Horsepower and Torque goals are a great way to project and benchmark the type of performance potential you're looking for from your car. However, peak figures are only that; peak figures. A lot goes into tuning a vehicle properly and safely. When examining a vehicles performance on a dyno graph, it's important to notice how much power it's making at what point and for how long. Sometimes, just because a vehicle is capable of making a certain amount of power, does not necessarily mean it's safe. With that said, let's look at the results!
BOOST CONTROL: The Prodrive 3-port boost control solenoid helped promote more reliable and less peaky boost delivery. Maximum boost pressure is 20.94psi at 3672 rpm. Boost is held very consistently above 19psi until about 5000 rpm, then it begins to slowly taper. We found our boost level tapering down to about 16.5 psi by 6000 rpm and finishing off the rev band at just over 15 psi. Initial boost delivery was tuned to be delayed with drivetrain and motor preservation in mind. GREEN LINE is yesterday's boost graph with the stock 2-port BCS, and RED LINE is today's graph with the Prodrive 3-port BCS.
TUNING: First and foremost, we are tuned on 91(ACN) fuel here in California. Yesterday, we'd already determined that the PERRIN Equal Length Header enabled the car to shoot up a super quick spool, achieving over 380 ft-lbs of wheel torque at just under 3000 rpm! We were absolutely impressed with the super quick spool up and smooth delivery of power, but after some discussion and thought we agreed to back off the peak torque and let the turbo spool up a little later, protecting the drivetrain and motor. The 3-port bcs allowed us to make a little more power up top as well without dropping off as badly. However, we still realized that the limited horsepower potential was more a product of the VF-52 than anything else. The turbo simply cannot push enough air at those high rpm levels. Here's a look at a graph I modified to give you a rough idea of what our 380 ft-lb run looked like.
However, the car is not a Dyno Queen looking to prove a point. Instead, we wanted raw, usable power with reliability in mind. So rather than exploiting a potentially dangerous, early spool up, we ditched it for a smoother spool up that still managed to give us a fat 365 wtq which wasn't an isolated peak. The car makes over 350wtq between 3500-4500 rpm! If you compare to our previous results(before 3-port, elh, pump & injectors), the gains are really staggering! The mid-range pull has improved dramatically. Notice a maximum torque gain of 70 ft-lbs at 4200 rpm and a maximum horsepower gain of 55 whp at 4300 rpm!!! Check out the graph below for the maximum gains:
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS: The car feels entirely different from earlier! The peak gains don't even begin to tell the story, which is why I tried to breakdown the dyno graph above. Pre-Boost street driving is so smooth and torquey. The revs fly up with far less effort, almost as if the flywheel was significantly lightened. I simply cannot put into the words the way it feels. Imagine your rough revving ej25 has transformed to a fine-tuned race motor. Equaling out those exhaust gas pulses has seriously changed this vehicles character. I think I'm in love with the equal lengths! The results I speculated for the header were exceeded. I'm realizing that I cannot shut up about this piece of piping.
The Subaru Signature Rumble is gone, as expected. But I am simply in love with the sound accomplished by pairing the ELH, Invidia Catted DP and SPT Catback together. I'll let videos do the talking once I get a chance to record a few more and upload them all.
Power delivery is dramatically stronger! A 3rd gear pull will no longer kick you in the seat with the previous 3000 rpm torque peak. Instead, a light revving, yet powerful pull is accompanied by a force that pushes you into the seat and buries you deeper and deeper the higher up the rev band you travel. Before you know it, you're going a lot faster than you anticipated. I will record 0-60 runs and make a visit to the strip sometime soon to compare numbers with my previous set-up. I'm anticipating 0-60 times to fall in the 3.8-3.9 range, if I can find the courage to launch hard enough with such an abundance of torque on this 5-spd.
OVERALL: At first, I was a little disappointed that we couldn't make more than 313 whp, but after driving it, I couldn't believe the improvement and had no complaints! With the injectors and pump, I was seeking a more reliable fueling system. We are barely touching over 60% injector duty cycle, and the fuel pump is doing it's job well. With the equal length header I was looking for a little more power in the mid-range and just liked the idea of smoothing out the exhaust flow, because it made sense in theory. In application, the PERRIN Equal Length Header has blown me away. I'm officially crowning it as my favorite modification due to the way it's effected the driving experience in many different ways! More power, more torque, quicker spool, lighter and quicker rev-up, and a very intoxicating sound!
----
A FEW SPECIAL THANKS FOR THOSE INVOLVED THIS WEEKEND: These individuals were involved in a process that could have went drastically different. Just because everything has gone smoothly, does not mean it couldn't have gone the other way. There were a few key people that made sure everything went well, and I feel they deserve a moment of appreciation in this thread for all their hard work and involvement!
A big thank you to Manny, my good friend, who has always been there for me in helping with big installs. His positive attitude, extensive knowledge, and focused work ethic has always proven to be a huge asset when working on the car. The passion with which he applies himself to the task at hand is inspiring! Thank you so much for everything.
Quest, thank you for always being there on the sidelines. Your unique input and train of thought has always gotten us out of the stickiest of situations. You are an out-of-the-box problem solver that always has a solution to bring to the table! Thank you for all your involvement in this project! That fuel pump wouldn't have fit in that housing without you.
Mike... Thanks for stopping by yesterday and showing support! You still haven't given up on my humble ride. Haha. Maybe I can beat the G on ice?
Shawn Church is a serious tuner who has NEVER let me down. From my previous Mazdaspeed6 to this WRX and it's previous tunes... I've always been impressed with his professionalism, knowledge and experience. He knows what he's doing, and he never allows peak goals to compromise a quality tune. It's all about the real world driving experience and the way the power is applied to the ground. I feel like he's taken this car under his wing, as he's always helped me decide which direction to take it. An honest and passionate tuner like Shawn deserves a huge shout out. Church Automotive Testing is definitely getting some serious love here and will soon be represented on the car as well. Thank you for everything, my friend!
And finally, a big Thank You for everyone on this thread who has been showing support and following this build! I will have some videos up along with a few pictures from the install soon!
eclipsefirenos
09-23-2009, 01:44 PM
First and foremost, HOLY CRAP!!! (That's a lot of words!)
Secondly, very nice write-up. Your extensively detailed lists coupled with the dyno photos are amazing!
Boost Addict
09-24-2009, 05:45 AM
A couple of quick videos with more to come soon:
A decent clip of the equal length header, accelerating out of a parking lot.. Part throttle, hardly any boost achieved:
YouTube - Treble Racing 08 WRX - Dyno Tuning (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LADLMgAYCzg)
eclipsefirenos
09-24-2009, 01:47 PM
NICE!
Just wondering though, are the headers the cause for that raspy sound?
It seems more apparent in the first vid (in the parking lot). There was sexy exhaust note, then rasp + exhaust.
Boost Addict
09-25-2009, 02:55 AM
NICE!
Just wondering though, are the headers the cause for that raspy sound?
It seems more apparent in the first vid (in the parking lot). There was sexy exhaust note, then rasp + exhaust.
The rasp is a combination of the Header, Invidia Downpipe and SPT Catback. I'm not gonna lie, I think it's hot and I'm completely addicted to it :(
eclipsefirenos
09-25-2009, 01:38 PM
It's cool. Everyone has their own opinions, and I'm not knocking you for it. I just want you to know that I wasn't complaining, I was simply making an observation =)
A few quick shots from our header install a couple weeks ago.
Perrin equal length vs another after-market unequal length header. Notice the smaller diameter collectors of the Perrin... probably what's most responsible for the torque and quick response!
Perrin equal length vs another after-market unequal length header. Notice the smaller diameter collectors of the Perrin... probably what's most responsible for the torque and quick response!
Perrin equal length vs another after-market unequal length header vs stock header. Notice the smaller diameter collectors of the Perrin... probably what's most responsible for the torque and quick response!
Perrin equal length vs stock header. Notice the smaller diameter collectors of the Perrin... probably what's most responsible for the torque and quick response!
This project has come a long way.... And with some real time behind the wheel and several acceleration tests, I can't say I'm completely satisfied. The vf52 has proven to be an extremely strong mid-range turbo delivering quick spool and gobs of torque with a smooth power band. And when compared to the stock '08 td-04, it's holds power well up top, too! But ever since increasing the efficiency and shifting the entire powerband to the left (thanks perrin equal lengths) I'm seeing the turbo peak out a lot sooner than it used to. And with that, I'm not content.
While the mid-range pull is phenomenal, it's simply lacking a top end punch. The header has allowed this snail to spool so quickly and so early that we're seeing maximum power levels near 4500 rpm... While it's kind of cool to have access to over 300whp from 4200-6000, it also reminds you that there's at least a 1700 rpm window of opportunity that isn't being taken advantage of. On the highway, given our tall gearing, it leaves a lot to be desired.
With that said, I'm looking into a larger turbo option and most likely going with a Front Mount Intercooler. I don't want to go too big, nor am I interested in increasing my torque. In fact, I'd prefer it to be no higher than it is. I'm looking for something that will have a decent spool time, but deliver a healthy burst of power all the way to redline. I'm going to set a goal... And looking at my current graph, I would like to see over 340whp by 6000rpm on the same dyno. My torque goal is to stay between 340-365 ft-lbs. While some may chime in that a larger turbo will equal more lag, I completely welcome it. If you guys recall, we delayed the boost response on this tune because we didn't feel comfortable feeding more than 365ft-lbs to the drivetrain. So with a larger turbo and front mount, I'm expecting spool up to hit maybe 200 rpm later, if not at the same time.
I'm going to be doing some research over the next week and see which options make the most sense, both financially and keeping reliability a top priority and making sure the internals aren't pushed too hard. And of course, this goal only makes sense if I can offload my current VF52, and my PERRIN Top Mount Intercooler. So those will definitely be available for sale once I acquire the new turbo and intercooler.
Here's a recent datalog of the current setup... A straight line pull from 50mph in 3rd gear then a shift to 4th is what appears below. Calculating the acceleration figures here are the results:
A few shots of the car with new 3/4 panel vinyl. We were seeking something more attention-grabbing in terms of placement and what better spot than the rear 3/4 panel? We tried an angled approach and it simply conflicted with the body design too much. What do you guys think?
duder, pm me when you're ready to sell the turbo & tmic. hopefully i'll have the funds for both, but if not, for sure the tmic. i'm amazed at the torque your car is putting out now.
cracker1252
10-17-2009, 06:36 PM
was not really down for the design of the wrx until i saw what you did with it. so impressive. looks amazing. keep up the information. its gold.
Boost Addict
10-18-2009, 03:22 AM
Thank you for the comments folks! I really appreciate the positive feedback! :)
----
An informational update:
So I made a very disappointing trip to the local 1/8mi drag strip a few days ago. It was the first time I'd actually full blown launched and raced the car since the newest tune. The reason I say it was disappointing was because my ETs were slower, while making more power. Why, you ask? The answer is multifaceted.
Launching the car in the past has been troublesome, with loads of torque on tap, it's been a burden to prevent wheel spin and still accomplish a strong launch. With that in mind, I immediately lowered my tire pressures at the track. I dropped all 4 tires to 25 psi. Now bear in mind, the last time I was at the track, it was on 235 wide rubber... Not 255s. I should have thought of that before dropping the pressures so low. Obviously, unnecessarily low pressures create a lot of drag down the stretch once the vehicle has traction. Well, I adapted well throughout the night, cutting consistent low-1.9s, which are by no means GREAT launches. But considering they were rolled in at only 3500 rpm with a feathered off clutch, that's pretty good pick up! So with the launch down to a respectable 60ft slot, the trouble began.
I launched and ran the tach to 6500. Attempting to shift to second, I was rejected(Ewing style)! Severe grinding and a complete rejection of the gear followed! At this point I was almost through the entire stretch, so I threw it back into 2nd and finished the run early in 3rd. Very pathetic. The result was a high 9. But the reasons make sense. As of recently, my drivetrain has been feeling more sloppy. Not in a trashy sort of way, but just some additional slack that I hadn't noticed before. Immediately, I thought of the motor and transmission mount suggestions made here and it made complete sense. Here are a couple videos of the runs just for fun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXsehBVHwXY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl6FR_7J_sM
Clutching in at high rpm during full throttle results on some significant movement in the drivetrain... And when drivetrain components are whiplashing, shifts tend not to line up very well. Talk about a complete loss of energy and power through the drivetrain. So with your suggestions and some personal research, I've decided to address the drivetrain and tighten it up to handle the current power level. I'm still doing a bit of research, but I think I will be going with Kartboy on the transmission mount and the pitch mount, and most likely doing the STI Group N motor mounts. I still have yet to install my Whiteline differential bushing inserts, so that should help a bit as well.
On to the power goals. It's simple... with the inherently tall gearing, I'm all-in for more highway pull! I've decided I want more horsepower that effectively builds to redline! Now don't get me wrong, it scoots. But I want more. My tuner, Shawn Church, has been kind enough to run a comparison dyno chart for me to look at. What you are about to see is my current tune vs an 09 wrx with a GT30 swap running a 3 inch inlet and maf. I'm under the assumption that it also has full exhaust and front mount, but unsure whether it's running equal lengths or not. If it isn't, then I'm going to expect a little earlier spool up when I go that route.
VF52 at 20 psi tune VS GT30r at 18 psi tune
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/vf5220psivsgt3018psi.jpg
The difference is staggering. The GT30 is a ball bearing turbo that is capable of making big power. The power level seen is easily accomplished by this turbo, and the torque has deliberately been reduced to prevent additional stress to the drivetrain. What's important when looking at these graphs is the area under the curve.
The effective RPM in a straight line race is the top end. The entire rev band only matters for the initial gear. Once you shift at 6000 rpm, the rpm drops only to about 4500 in the following gear and then it's back to climbing from there. So where my current tune will hold just over 300 whp from 4500-6000... The GT30 will continue building power until redline, making far better use of the rev band topping at 361 whp! Another point of note is the torque curve... While I made more torque, it was peaky and died just prior to 4500 rpm. The GT30 setup has a flatter and more effective torque curve.
So looking at the 4500-6500 portion of the rev band, it's very easy to see that the GT30 setup would simply jog away from my current set up. Additionally, keep in mind that the GT30 is hardly working here... It is capable of much more, but with stock internals planned, it wouldn't be a good idea to run it any higher. The best part of all, is that this additional power would mean no real additional stress to the motor than is currently being placed. As long as AFRs look good and detonation is kept at bay, it would be a very efficient setup!
The GT30 and stiffer drivetrain mounts/bushings would, however, result in some changes to driving habits. Spool up is later, so daily and mid-range driving will be effected somewhat. Also, I would have to be much more careful upon launching as there's less slack in the drivetrain. With a more direct energy transfer through the transmission, I need to be gentle on the clutch, introducing power moderately. Immediate, high-rpm clutch dumping will be completely out of the question. Once in gear and rolling on the highway, it won't be an issue.
So my parts list will look something like this:
Kartboy Pitch Stopper
Kartboy Transmission Mount
STI Group N Motor Mounts
GT30R Turbocharger
Agency Power 3-inch Hard Turbo Inlet Pipe
AMR Big MAF Intake system (if it will not interfere with FMIC piping)
Turbo XS Front Mount Intercooler
Please share your thoughts, suggestions and comments!
Boost Addict
10-22-2009, 05:39 AM
Okay... Been doing a lot of research and trying to finalize my plans for the next step.
First and foremost, as if there wasn't enough confirmation from my recent drag trip, the mounts NEED to be changed. I've recently discovered a metallic rattle from my engine bay. After inspecting things, I've noticed that my spt turbo heatshield was bent back towards the AC lines and my transmission dipstick had popped out a tad and started rattling against the heatshield. So exciting! :)
So I bent the heatshield forward, pushed in the dipstick (that's what she said), and moved it out of the way (she might have said this too). Great! No more rattle... Then upon WOT in 2nd gear, and a shift to 3rd, I felt some lovely bubble gum mount lashing. A few minutes later, rattling ensued. Now it's getting really fun!
So I park, pop, and inspect. Sure enough. Heatshields moved again, and the dipstick is out. Ladies and Gentlemen, I consider this a problem. So I've narrowed my choices down somewhat. I'm ordering the Kartboy Pitch Stopper Mount, STI Group N Motor Mounts, and STI Group N Transmission Mount. I will also be deciding on a rear subframe lockdown kit, likely Whiteline or Perrin. Changing the mounts has gone from a mere 'suggestion' to a 'should be done'. Well, after today, it's become an absolute need!
---
Next, Boost wants more power... The GT30 graph looked pretty awesome vs my current one right? Well, I've been thinking... There are some things I'm sure of and some things I'm unsure of. Let's re-evaluate some things here.
I'm sure that I want:
- Turbo XS Front Mount Intercooler
Pros: More efficient cooling. Should provide a little gain in top end power. More consistent temps. Retains foglights. Future proof. Competitively priced and looks great!
Cons: Delayed spool up vs TMIC.
- Turbo XS Cold Air Intake
Pros: Cold air design. Clears Turbo XS Front Mount Intercooler kit. Competitively priced and looks great!
Cons: Will have more resonant sound than the current Short Ram Intake. Blue silicone coupler will not match black couplers of FMIC kit.
- Turbo XS Dual Cat-Back Exhaust System
Pros: 3-inch mandrel bent with a flex joint in midpipe! Will alleviate some back-pressure, reducing some torque and providing better top end horsepower vs current 2.5" SPT cat back. Nice, subtle tips. Competitively priced!
Cons: Louder than SPT catback.
---
On to the turbo options I'm narrowed down to:
- ATP GT3071R ~$1700
Pros: 47lbs/min flow rate. Rated for up to 450whp. Great top-end power potential. Fast, ball bearing design! 2.5 inch reducer option. Future Proof.
Cons: Later spool up. High price. For best results, 3-inch inlet will require new Turbo Inlet Hose and larger MAF housing.
- APS SS45 ~$1300
Pros: 45lbs/min flow rate. Rated for 350whp. Utilizes stock 2.4" inlet and contains all oil lines. TD-06 20g w/ 8cm^3 housing. Early Spool. Competitively priced!
Cons: Sleeve Bearing. May not provide the amount of top end I'm looking for.
---
Ultimately, with the new turbo I'd like to see the car put down close to the 350 whp range on the dynapack we tune on. We've already seen that the GT30 can do it. Heck, it put down 365 at only 18psi, but at what cost? The turbo itself is significantly more expensive than the APS unit, but it is a great turbo, even for a built engine in the future! A ball bearing design means fast spool up for its size! However full spool wasn't seen until about 4100 rpm. The dyno shown was of a car fitted with a 3-inch turbo inlet hose and large MAF sensor housing. That's approximately another $600 in parts. The APS SS45 looks like a great performer based on it's manufacturers stats, but in application, results have varied. RallySportDirect tested this unit on an 08 STI. It put down around 300 whp on COBBs heartbreaker mustang dyno, where a stage 2 STI put down only 250 whp. So they basically showed a 50 whp gain and suggested that the 2.5-inch cat-back was a point of restriction at high rpm. GRD Tuning, another shop, showed results on a dynapack equaling 350 whp vs Cobbs Stage 2 which resulted in 305 whp on their dyno. That's a 45 whp gain over Cobb Stage 2, confirming RSD's results. An interesting fact is that GRD had custom tuned their Stage 2 to make 313 whp (exactly what I'm putting down). So the result of the SS45 was still 37 whp more than that! This shop also pointed at their cat back exhaust as the major point of restriction and backpressure. In their case, it was an HKS catback.
I've always been a believer of going with the right sized diameter exhaust piping. Going too large can eliminate back pressure so much that torque is hindered. Maybe the reason why my set-up wants to fly up to 380 ft lbs is due to the narrow collectors of the equal length header, the 2.5 diameter of my SPT cat-back, and my high flow cat. I've always been careful about not eliminating too much back pressure. Well, it appears that we're making too much torque as a result. I consider it too much at this level because of the amount of stress it can place on the drivetrain and the fact that we've had to deliberately delay spool to avoid the torque spike. With a clear abundance of torque, the intent now is to achieve more top end. By going with a full 3" cat-back, I am almost certain that we will see a drop in torque, but an increase of top end horsepower. If the front mount and 3" cat-back provides us with an additional 15 whp, then it will put us right around 330 whp. Holding a few additional pounds of boost in the top end is sure to add another 10-20 ponies on it's own, hopefully totaling close to 350 whp... We've all seen what the GT30r looks like in comparison to my graph. So let's see how far we can get with this slightly smaller turbo designed to utilize the stock inlet!
mokeOne
10-23-2009, 10:50 PM
can't wait to see the results man. i feel like i should buy you lunch or something, doing all this hard work/research for us.
Boost Addict
10-26-2009, 12:15 AM
Haha ^^ That's definitely not necessary!
----Update----
Great News! Turbo XS is now on board as a one of our sponsors!
Confirmed Parts List:
Engine
- ATP GT3071R Turbocharger
- Turbo XS Front Mount Intercooler
- Turbo XS Cold Air Intake
- Turbo XS 3" Dual Cat-Back Exhaust
Drivetrain & Transmission
- Kartboy Rear Shifter Mount
- Kartboy Pitch Stop Mount
- STI Group N Motor Mounts
- STI Group N Transmission Mount
- Whiteline Rear Subframe to Chassis Bushings
Confirmed Goal: 350whp & 350wtq.
We've decided to go with the GT3071R Turbocharger for several reasons. While the APS SS45 appears to get close to the power goals we're looking for, it's really being maxed out at that point. This means in the future when we want to reach for more power, it's new turbo time. How about spool recovery between shifts? The Ball Bearing of the 30R is superior to the Sleeve Bearing design of the APS. While the 30R has a 3-in inlet, we aren't really expecting any restriction at 18psi by reducing it to 2.5-in. Spool up should be quick and effortless... We only anticipate the 2.5-in inlet to be a restriction once we up the boost higher and expect it to pull more air. So, the 30R sounds more like a future-proof set-up to us. Now it definitely comes at an additional cost, but we don't want to go through all this work and end up looking at another plateauing graph by maxing out the SS45... Conversely, the 30R menacingly climbs hard long past redline. So for those reasons, the GT3071R is being selected.
Boost Addict
10-30-2009, 08:24 PM
So, I finally found some time to paint my rear diffuser section to a satin black to section off that area! I used Dupli-Color Bumper Coating (Black). 800 grit sand paper, some Stater Bros. Paper Bags and Some Masking tape!
A few pics of the process:
THE WRX WITHOUT ITS UNDERPANTS
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0248.jpg
MASKED OFF AND SANDED LIGHTLY WITH 800GRIT
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0257.jpg
SHOT WITH 5-6 LIGHT COATS OF BUMPER COATING
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0259.jpg
REMOVING THE MASKING
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0262.jpg
THE RESULTING FINISH, LOOKS GREAT!
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0265.jpg
CHECK IT OUT
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0277.jpg
SPORTING ITS NEW REAR END
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0280.jpg
Overall Impressions: Bumper removal was super simple. Just remove a few clips and pull. Hopefully the bumper coating lasts a while. It appears to be a very good quality paint(I intend to paint my new grille with the same paint once it arrives). I lightly sanded the clear coat prior to painting to promote adhesion. The paint lays very consistently and has a nice sprayer nozzle. While drying, it can appear dark and light, but you just gotta give it a chance to fully dry. It was dry to touch in 10 minutes after the last coat, and is looking great! I think it gives the car a wider appearance from the rear by slimming down its height. Also, the satin finish matches well with the graphics.
doc_randy
11-03-2009, 06:34 PM
SUBARU SPLASH GUARDS - This is probably my favorite mod to date when paired with the STI spoiler. It does so much with so little. While many people run the rally armour mud flaps, my personal opinion is that they look a bit out of place on a street car. Now don't get me wrong, I've seen it work on some WRXs and hence felt I should go that route. The only thing that kept me from doing it was the fact that they stick out so far out, that they would visually overshadow the wheel/tire offset I so carefully planned out. Then I ran across the Subaru set. They are compact, OEM quality and follow the body's design. I often considered a skirt kit, or something to finish off the body work... These are it for me! They provide a nice little finishing touch to the edges of your body. Also, they are inexpensive (for an OEM and painted item) and the installation was such a blast! Just pop a couple fasteners out, set the splash guard in place, snap in and screw in. So easy. The front set does require light drill work on the OEM inner fender liner. But the sheet metal the specific fastener attaches to is pre-drilled. Again, easy work. Please ask for advice before you go paying a dealership to do this for you. A project this easy, is such a great way for a new tuner to start familiarizing themselves with the car. It's a small, yet rewarding task that will leave you satisfied, accomplished and with great results!
Note that if you have an 09 WRX wagon...these definitely do not fit. You have a skirt....apparently 08 sedans did not? Oh, and you also have a rear bumper that has a skirt molded into it. So don't bother trying unless you are going to do some cutting :)
Boost Addict
11-13-2009, 02:29 AM
We've made a turbo selection... The New Blouch Dominator 3.0 XT-R.
- The Dom 3.0 XT-R utilizes a large 10cm2 turbine housing! This usually equates to more power potential, but later spool.
- To combat the later spool, Blouch is now using custom in-house billet compressor wheel that is almost 1/3 lighter than the previous Dom 3.0Rs and has improved aerodynamic qualities. These advancements add up to an even quicker spool potential than before.
- Regarding spool up; Mike at Blouch told me over the phone that supporting mods and tuning go a long way in determining how this turbo will spool on your individual application. With tuners now playing with AVCS, spool up can be seen anywhere between 3600-4200RPM.
- Power potential is huge! For comparison of flow rates: The GT3071R flows at 47 lbs/min, the GT3076R flows at 52 lbs/min, the previous Dom 3.0 at 52 lbs/min, and the Dom 3.0 XT-R flows at 55 lbs/min.
- More power with less relative stress to the motor. Currently with a vf52 wheezing at 21psi we're slamming 365 ft-lbs of torque through the flat 4. However, up top, it simply plateaus early and refuses to make any more horsepower. The Dom 3.0 XT-R is expected to make greater power, at higher RPM, with less boost! Speaking with my tuner, he mentioned that if we're able to hold 350 wtq to 6000 rpm, we can expect the horsepower numbers to be close to 400 whp on pump gas! While the expectations may be optimistic, they may not be too far off the truth. The result would be ripping highway pull, less overall stress to the motor, and hopefully an early enough spool to retain some decent mid-range power.
- Stock location bolt-on. Now keep in mind, it's not a direct swap in if you have retained a Top Mount Intercooler as the compressor outlet is not 2-bolt flanged like the stock unit. You will need to run a Front Mount Intercooler for this turbo. Not a problem for us. Now some of you may already know, some of the larger turbos require some shaving of the block to accommodate the new housing. Mike of Blouch, however, mentioned that he has not heard back anything regarding poor fitment. So it may be possible that this will bolt on without issue!
While we don't anticipate running into any major issues, there can always be challenges when stepping up to a turbo of this potential. We plan to retain the stock turbo inlet hose and are not too concerned about the inlet diameter. This turbo was designed to mate right to it. What we are rather concerned about is that we may max out the MAF. So, before hitting the dyno for tuning, we're looking into larger MAF housing options. What a larger MAF housing will provide us with is the ability to more finely tune the car by receiving more accurate readings from the MAF sensor.
We are really looking forward to seeing just what we can accomplish with this great new offering from Blouch!
----
Here's something to chew on:
A Lamborghini Gallardo put down 404whp on Church's DynaPack tonight...
...call it a stretch target.
Boost Addict
11-15-2009, 09:41 PM
I will have a more in-depth update once we get our new turbo, fmic, bpv, intake, etc installed and re-tuned. But the TurboXS CatBack is on and sounds awesome!
Form & Fitment: First and foremost the pipes are VERY large in diamter! The y-pipe is very smooth and flow-oriented in design, despite the angle of the photo on TurboXS's website that makes it look aggressively Tee-d off. Fitment was exactly dead on. It installed without headache. The heatshield above the mid-pipe needed to be removed to prevent banging against the large pipe. The tips extend out just enough to fit visually flush in relation to the rear bumper openings.
Quality: It's a gorgeous piece! It's all polished from the first flange all the way to the tips! The flanges are super thick, and welded on nicely! The construction of this piece can warrant no complaints! The mufflers are nicely branded with TurboXS's marque and appear to be of very nice quality. The included gaskets were also of very high quality!
Sound: Is it loud? It has presence. Is it tolerable? Absolutely. Does it drone? Yes, at highway speeds, if you decelerate in gear, you will hear a soft drone. While it's not headache inducing, it will be present to the critical ear. I've put about 500 miles on this Cat Back so far and have no complaints. The sound at first start up was slightly metallic and hollow. It has since been 'broken in' with enough soot to mellow out the 'tinny' resonance and add some depth to the sound quality. The sound, for the most part, is still very manageable by your throttle pedal. high load? Expect high volume... Cruising? Expect it to be mellow.
Conclusion: At the end of the day, TurboXS has put out a very high-quality product that has exceeded my expectations. The details in the design and super high-quality construction have won me over. I appreciate the large-diameter mandrel bent pipes that intentionally carry out the exhaust gases through the path of least restriction. This design success can be especially seen in the y-section. The sound commands a serious presence with a well-tuned growl. It can be controlled at part throttle, but is absolutely intoxicating during flat out sprints to redline.
NOTE: I am running an Equal Length Header. If you are running an unequal length(oem style) header, you can expect a deeper, lower frequency sound.
Will post some pictures later comparing it to the SPT.
Boost Addict
11-15-2009, 10:12 PM
As promised, here are some pictures during the install, compared to the SPT.
True 3" Internal Diameter and a stress reducing flex bend at the downpipe mating flange.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0330.jpg
TurboXS's stunning mirror polished finished. Should match their Front Mount Piping well :)
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0321.jpg
The TurboXS has less bends and appears more progressive in flow.
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q307/Boost_Addict/IMG_0325.jpg