Alright, I just got a bit of cash, roughly $900, and I've already gotten rid of the RE92's and am looking for a bit more scoot. What would you recomend as best bang for buck power-wise? Obviously intakes have been ruled out as good additives, I've already done the silencer mod BTW, and exhaust will look and sound nice but I'm guessing I won't get much out of it from my 2.5. My best guess is a COBB reflash or something similar, but can you steer me in the right direction? Thanks for your help guys.

TVA

 

Starting from scratch, I'd say go for the full MRT header-back, a lightweight pulley, and if you have a MAP-equipped car, a PDM intake. You can do all that for less (barely) than your $900 budget and figure on 15-20 wheel horsepower. I'd trade the intake for a RSB though if you don't have one already. If you have a '98 or '99 and already have a sway bar, get some endlinks too.

I'd be wary of ECU tricks short of full-on user programmables. There are a lot of varying opinions on them, but some that I respect believe the stock ECU 'compensates' for what it thinks is a poorly running car when you use chips and AFCs and the like.

 

I'll go ahead and disagree with most everything Ban said. Your profile says you are looking to go turbo at some point, so don't get mods that you can't use. Also, you said you did the silencer mod, so you probably have a MAF car. I'd go Borla header, TWE cat, straight pipe, and pulleys. If you aren't going turbo full TWE exhaust should be right around $900. I'd get a RSB too if you don't have one.

JC

 

Well I supose that I should have been for specfic in my post, sorry about that guys. I have a 2002 2.5 and I do not yet have a RSB. I ought to edit my profile, however this particular EJ25 block is going to stay N/A until I have my college plans figured out, at which point I may do a Stage 3 COBB short block. SO, in that revelation, what do you guys believe would be the best combination for power, and if BAN still finds his post applicable, would I have enough money to pick up the full MRT header back, lightweight pully AND a RSB with endlinks? If so where can I find that kind of a deal? Thanks for your quick responses guys and AWD, do you have any other suggestions now that I was a little more clear about my situation? Thanks again.

TVA

 

Well MRT has some problems with rust and the cats going to crap, I dunno if they would fit your car though? Probably with only slight modification. I still say stick with TWE. I'd save up money to buy a Cobb intake or try to find a used one. Get a RSB from a WRX sedan, should be cheap.

JC

 

The TWEs are equal length and should be good for nearly as much, or as much power as the MRTs. However, last I heard from Bill at i-Speed, the TWEs didn't fit with his uppipes. He liked them for NA though. As for corrosion, well, he asked how fast he could go on $900. I assumed nitrous wasn't a priority. You can always get a custom aluminized cat back to go with the cats and headers. As far as bad cats, wasn't MRT using hte V1 Random Tech, same as Cobb? I imagine they have the better one now. Borlas sound great, but power gains are minimal. I bought $280 worth of grumbly exhaust when I ordered mine. I'll get power from a spinny muffler down the line, I'm just worried about handling right now.

The full MRT setup is $700 from several sources and will fit an '02 AFAIK. Other powertrain mods do. A WRX RSB will fit an RS and work nicely (20mm that is. The 04 has a 17 mm, don't bother). It shouldn't be hard at all to find one used. People practically give them away. I have solid Whiteline endlinks I'm very happy with. I paid $110 shipped direct from Whitleine, but I think you can get them a little cheaper through stateside vendors. And the PDM intake will get you 80-90% of the power a Cobb gets you, but it's only $55 new. You can get a Mr. Josh's lightweight pulley for $95 at www.mrjosh43.com and it should work as well as the $120 ones. That's the solution on your approximate budget. The BEST combo would probably be the Cobb intake, TWE headers, a high-flow cat, and pretty much any 2.25" midpipe and exhaust combo. I say get the full MRT exhaust basically because they practically give it away compared to what Borlas, a high flow cat, and a cat back exhaust would cost you seperately. With exhaust, you're picking sound and looks more than performance. Pipe size is pipe size, for the most part. You'd also want to get Cobb street cams for real power. You'd easily crack 200 hp with all that. The Cobb street grind cams are also good with turbos according to Tom at Ludespeed, and I personally think he's one of the better RS-T tuners out there.

JC, I understand your point about not getting NA mods that he'd have to get rid of for the turbo, but I'm in the same boat. I figure I'll get decent money out of my Borlas and custom exhaust when I need to upgrade, and the difference is worth having the mods now.

 

For $900?

MRT headers, custom midpipe + magnaflow muffler, and a Cobb intake. Should come out to about $900.

 

Search as I may, I can't seem to find that $700 full MRT deal. Could you guys point me in the right direction as to a dealer that is even selling a full MRT setup for a MY02 2.5? So if it were the case with all the parts, I'd pick up the exhaust for $700, the pully for $95 Endlinks for around a $100? RSB for I'm not sure how much. And Intake for $55. So that is around $950 w/o the RSB. I'll see what I can do. So can anyone help me with the MRT? Thanks guys!

TVA

 

MRT headers would work better with a custom catback, since you'd have to get the '98-'01 exhaust hanger modified anyway. It's only about $300 for the headers direct from MRT and they will fit any EJ25.

You could get the complete set from Langston Subaru but they want $790 now. I don't remember where I saw the $700, sorry.

Also, a used WRX RWB would work quite well for you, and you can get them used dirt cheap. Check the boards and keep an eye out. It's only another $100 shipped new if you can't find one before your patience runs out.

 

So the unequal length headers listed on MRT's website will fit my 2.5? On the site they are listed for "Recommended only for Impreza model turbo cars" which my 2.5 is obviously not. Also if I were to just purchase the headers and a custom catback, I would also have to purchase a high flow cat, correct? If so what would you guys reccomend? Random tech? They seem a bit spendy. Also what would you guys reccomend for the cat back system that is cost effective, but still gives me respectable gains. Thanks for all your help guys!

TVA

 

Just call MRT, tell them what you have and they will tell you which header to buy. If you are having a custom cat back made, just get a universal cat (try Summit Racing) welded in too.

JC

 

The MRT headers have the catalytic converter integrated due to their shape.

 

MRT doesn't have that set of headers listed on its website? But if I give them a call they ought to have them? Also that set is equal length, which I would think is nicer. Does pretty much any cat back bolt up to the flange on the cat connected to the MRT's? I'm just kinda assuming that piece of pipe between the set of headers and the muffler comes with any cat back system considering it is "cat-back" Any other suggestions on mufflers? I want something classy looking with nice bass and no tinny high pitch crap. Thanks for all your help guys!

TVA

 

Oh yea, do the MRT's and most cat backs include new gaskets? If not are the stock gaskets still usable? Thanks again.

TVA

 

Those are the NA 2.5 liter headers pictured. The same ones should fit any EJ25. MRT will tell you if there is some reason they won't fit yours, but they really should be ok. That is a 3-way cat on the headers, you won't need any others. You will need either the MRT midpipe, which is resonated, or a custom midpipe. You can use any axle-back exhaust with it AFAIK. The MRT one has a good sound if you don't mind the single tip and mild steel. The only downside to the MRT headers is that they don't sound nearly as good as the Borlas. Sacrafice you gotta make for power. Best sound is probably Stromung, but on your budget, a Magnaflow will sound good too. A custom pipe from the headers back with a Magnaflow muffler shouldn't run more than $300, max. You should be able to reuse your stock gaskets. If they leak, you probably won't hear it anyway. So far mine are ok, and I installed my Borlas twice in one weekend to get to other parts.