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Engine torque dampeners have been around for quiet some time now. Extremely popular among the drifting enthusiasts it slowly worked its way into other markers. It is now becoming a must for FR cars with notorious “wheel hop” issue as well as any other high horsepower cars.
From my personal experience and knowledge, there were only few companies in Japan that offered this device for Subarus. Extremely rare and expensive, Subaru engine torque dampeners were never really exposed to the Subaru enthusiasts. Until now.
Weapon*R, a well established sport compact car product manufacturer recently released their version of the engine dampener for Subarus. They have had few other applications out on the market already such as Mitsubishi EVO, which quickly became very popular among the EVO guys. Thanks for Weapon*R, I got my hands on one engine torque dampener kit. Since the kit was designed to fit on a “normal” Subaru, I could not use it on my personal car with reversed intake manifold and custom mounted turbo.
How it works and what it does.
An engine dampener is a small shock absorber that mounts between the engine and the chassis. It reduces engine movement and dampens its motion providing a number of benefits:
--- Improved off-the-line acceleration
--- Reduced wheel hop
--- Improved vehicle stability
--- Reduced shock load on driveline components
--- Smoother shifting
--- Reduced wear on exhaust system joints
Of course, some of these benefits can be gained by installing stiffer engine mounts but at a cost of noise and increased vibrations. And, installation of the engine mounts is a lot more complex than that of the Weapon*R engine dampener, which can also be adjusted to preload the dampening setting.
Installation.
Installation is pretty simple. I closely followed the instructions that were provided with the kit and everything went smooth. There are few things I did differently, though. I used Subaru-like bolts for the brackets. And, I have not replaced the stock coolant line. I simple bent the turbo coolant inlet pipe upwards providing the needed clearance between the rubber hose and the Weapon*R engine torque dampener bracket. The stock PCV hose also fit just fine after I did that.All in all, installation took me about 30 minutes.
End results.
Upon the initial engine start, I clearly saw that the engine did not move around as much. It still had enough movement but it was a lot more solid. Cabin noise and vibrations did not increase at all or I did not notice it. After test driving the car, I can safely say that it really does feel like the engine mounts have been installed but without the noise or vibrations. So it would be safe to say that on Subarus with STi or other engine mounts, the torque dampener would even better, if you don’t care for the roughness. I also recommend upgrading the transmission mount with the STi mount. These modifications will greatly improve the drivability, fun factor and the feel of your Subarus. Weapon*R retails the kit for around $200.00.
Please take a moment and watch the videos of before and after. I do appologize for the quality but you can clearly see the engine rocking from side to side in the first video comparing to the second one. (56K death!)
They look pretty nice. It's probably cheaper to just buy these for 150 and install them yourself then get the sti mounts and get a shop to do it right? if i have some left over cash form 6spd swap, i might look into them. the engine start up in the 2nd video seemed a lot smoother. i know my car rocks like a boat when i start up
The mounting braket to the engine attaches to the intake manifold where the header tank sits. I am pretty sure it will not bolt on, but I am sure you can modify the braket to fir your manifold.
please don't think I'm an A$$ for this, but it's a "Damper", not a "Dampener.
: : : Merriam-Webster online:
: : : Main Entry: damp·er
: : : Pronunciation: 'dam-p&r
: : : Function: noun
: : : 1 : a dulling or deadening influence. Put a damper on the celebration.
: : : 2 : a device that damps : as a : a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft b : a small felted block to stop the vibration of a piano string c chiefly British : SHOCK ABSORBER
To Dampen: to make damp, slightly wet
I'm sure I'll be labeled as a jerk (or worse) for this post, but it's a common mistake, and it just drives me nuts when people don't know the difference between the two, especially car enthusiasts
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