I have an essentially stock WRX with auto tranny. The only upgrade so far is cat-back exhaust. I am planning on upgrading to a VF-34 and following shortly after that will be STI injectors and Walbro pump. I will be using the factory ECU and Boost control to keep things safe and sane, at least until the injectors and pump are in, then I'm thinking re-flash. Is there anyone else out there running a similar setup? I recently had a windfall of $$ to cover the turbo, so I figured now is the time .

What sort of power gains can I expect with the initial setup, just turbo swap?

How about lag, better or worse than stock?

 

I would suggest getting an uppipe and downpipe first. A bigger turbo will add more lag, but the uppipe will offset it somewhat. You should also look into some engine management before swapping out the injectors.

 

unless you're getting the VF34 at a "once in a lifetime" deal, palaban is correct, going catless will yield more driveability type gains..as well as sheer speed

 

so what you guys are saying is that an up-pipe and down-pipe will yield bigger gains than leaving the stock up and down pipes in place while adding a VF34? interesting.

on another note, I live in California, and prefer to live by the law... which makes up / down pipe replacement out of the question for me. also, the fine for getting busted by CHP for having cats removed is outrageous.

 

CA sucks. Thats all I have to add.


<===From CA as well

 

I'm pretty sure you could pass most emissions tests with an uppipe. It really only helps with cold starts. FWIW, the STi and XT have catless uppipes.

 

does california do visual inspections during the smog test? if so i would assume they would be looking for the uppipe cat

 

passing the sniffer is not what i'm concerned about. I'm more concerned with meeting the visual inspection. and getting a roadside by CHP. my goal is to make good power and not even have to worry about the hassles of running a "gray area" car.

 

they cant see your uppipe on the roadside

 

If you're getting a really good deal on the VF34, go ahead and grab it. I wouldn't recommend installing it just yet though. You will need the up and downpipes, injectors, a fuel pump, and some new engine management to really get the benefit out of the larger turbo. As it stands all you would get is the lag.

As for emissions, if you stick to a dual tip exhaust that looks similar to stock, keep your factory IC and intake, it's unlikely they will ever look past that on a routine roadside stop. If your downpipe has a catalytic converter and the car is tuned well, you should pass the sniffer test. Again, with stock intake and intercooler, you stand a good chance of passing the visual even without having a 'hookup.' By the letter of California law, however, anything other than a cat-back exhaust and drop-in filter isn't legal.