hey,

i am looking at a stage II or stage III turbo kit for my 2000 Impreza 2.5L RS that'll add approximately 60-80 HP. has anyone had issues with the stock transmission? can it handle this increase or do i need an aftermarket tranny?

 

I am in the same boat as you are. But I drive a 98 RS.

You want more power but can your tranny handle it? well....the gears themselvs can handle it...as long as you shift like your grandmother. The problem with the tranny is not that the drive gears are weak, its that the sycros are abolute sh*t. They do not mesh fast enough PERIOD. To avoid grinding gears you have to iether shift slowly or PERFECTLY rev-match each gear when you shift in order not to grind sycros. ........its a total pain in the *** the impreza tranny....not to mension the frigging clutch.

And each time you hit the clutch @ redline to up-shift, your entire engine seems like it drops 2 feet. well to solve your problems... I have been thinking: STI engine mount(to stop engine movment), redline 10-30 gear oil(helps sycros mesh faster) and chalok gear set ( www.imprezars.com/chalak.htm ) and of corse you will need a stronger clutch. I Use a ACT pro street clutch and JUN lightwieght flywheel (www.cobbtunning.com).

Now you're ready to reliablly install a turbo. Or you could just use the stock setup........and shift really slowly =)