Warp3

Funny thing is that we were predicted to get more snow than the Charlotte area was and we only ended up with 2-3 inches and it's all powder...LOL

I'm planning to convert my RX to RWD also, once winter is done here. However, the main reason I'm converting is due to the fact that I have a Part Time 4WD model. So when I'm not in 4WD mode I'm just igniting 1 front tire the whole time. LOL My plan is to go RWD during the spring, summer and fall, then convert back to PT4WD for the winter. Too bad it wouldn't be easy to make these cars PT4WD with the 2WD mode driving the rear wheels...LOL

Thanks.

I am getting ready to install my A/F ratio gauge, so I was looking around and thought I found the O2 sensor today (in the top of the downpipe), but I was thrown off by the fact that it only had one wire (I'm used to the concept of 3 and 4 wire O2 sensors). Anyway, now that I've confirmed (both on USMB and in the Haynes manual) that we do indeed have 1-wire oxygen sensors, I checked the Haynes manual and it indicates the exhaust manifold as the location of the sensor. So is the sensor in the top of the downpipe an O2 sensor or something different? Are they perhaps in different locations for the non-turbo and turbo cars? (BTW, I've noticed that Haynes seems to lack a little bit on specifics in this book, since they attempt to cover all 1980-1994 Subaru 1600 and 1800 cars in one book...LOL...many times items that are different about the turbo cars seems to get overlooked .)

I agree with Kevin on this one...I didn't even realize TWE made EA82T parts!!! ...and $379 is not bad at ALL for a stainless header/up-pipe combo...especially for a low production run like this. I paid like $299 for the Borla Gen4 headers (on my 2.5RS) and that was definitely not a low production run (and they used to be more like $400-500 when they first came out). Plus, I've heard nothing but good things about TWE regarding their Impreza parts. I'd definitely be in on the header/uppipe group buy and possibly even the downpipe, too, if there were a group buy offered for that! TWE: Do you sell those Fiberglass scoops you mentioned in your mod list!? If it were priced well, I would much rather have a 2.5RS/WRX replica scoop (albeit smaller to fit the raised center ridge on these cars) than the scoop I am currently planning to use.

From what I've noted in working on my car, anything that requires access to the head area (spark plugs, cams, etc.) is a bit of a pain on flat engines, but anything else is surprisingly easy. I swear a friend of mine's jaw was on the floor when he saw how easy the header bolts were to reach (as the exhaust ports are on the bottom of the engine, not the side like on an inline or even a "V" setup). Removing the transmission (as stated already) is time-consuming but not particularly difficult. The fact that the drivetrain is longitudinal (i.e. the transmission is behind the engine instead of beside it) helps a lot in this area.

That's about what I paid for my WRX TMIC/BOV setup as well. I paid $90 for the intercooler (no shipping as it was local) and $40 shipped for the BOV (from a wrx owner on NASIOC).

Does this mean the Impreza front discs work? That could be very promising for aftermarket Impreza parts swaps if Impreza calipers could be made to fit, as well. I like all this talk of Impreza parts on EA-series Subarus...I've got my stock 2.5RS suspension at home just begging to be put on a lighter car...

The Impreza/Legacy struts are only different on the rear for FWD vs AWD. Since the rear suspension is different anyway (thus you can only use the front Impreza struts), it shouldn't matter which drivetrain the donor Impreza had...and yes, the Imprezas and Legacies (at least the GC/GM/GF Impreza (93-01) and the late 90s Legacy anyway) use the exact same type struts front and rear and are completely interchangeable. I've heard from Dale Teague (http://www.boxer4racing.com) on several occasions that Impreza/Legacy strut/spring setups are a popular swap for XT6 owners who want to dump the air suspension. (Not sure what they use for the rear, though!? I'll email him today and ask.)

I loved my AGXes (I'm now on DMS Gold coilovers) and I've heard the GR2's are quite good too (just not adjustable like the AGXes). FYI, KYB is the manufacturer of Subaru's stock struts.

A couple comments: Ok...now this begs the question: What were the figures I've heard about the boost levels of the EA82T in the past based on? I understand the posts I read were likely conservative numbers (so noobs don't go crank the boost and blow their engine then try to blame the poster), but several times now I have read the "14psi is the limit of the stock fuel system" rule-of-thumb. If you were running 15-17psi without detonation on pump gas with no IC and a stock fuel system, that would imply otherwise. Perhaps the person who "discovered" the "14psi limit" was running lower octane or had a partially clogged fuel filter or something? This is one point I hesitate to follow on my RX...yet. I know that synth is definitely better (I've run synth in my 2.5RS since about 10k miles), but the EA engines are even more prone to oil leaks than the EJ engines and synth flows well enough that it will point out these leaks very quickly...lol Now that said, if you are building a car for performance, you should probably just make the change to the better flowing oil, then fix any leaks that suddenly are made known to you, as they need to be fixed anyway...hehe Personally, I'm sticking to high-quality dino oil for the time being (Castrol GTX 10W40) because I'm not at the point in the car's development where I want to be going around replacing all the seals and gaskets because there is now free-flowing oil all over the place...lol As for the rest of your statements, I completely agree: - BOV/BPV = good for turbo life - Fram filters = crap - Higher octane = good IF you have enough timing or boost to need it (otherwise you make LESS power) - Intake/Exhaust flow are huge factors for power on any turbo car - Cooling and fuel system should be in perfect condition before attempting to add any more power

I'm guessing he got that grill design from the Subaru B11S (I think that was the name) concept car. Big surprise that the designer of the concept car formerly worked for Alfa-Romeo (and that is such an obviously "Alfa-Romeo-style" design on the B11S).

They were using the "calibration" method of calculating RPM (hold the car at 3000rpm in the gear you will pull in (almost all pulls that day were done in 4th) and they click "Calibrate"). This method is easy but there is a bit of a margin of error with this method, thus the rpm scale is skewed a little. :-/ Once I saw how easy it was when they did an run later in the day (on WJM's car) where the little induction sensor thing was attached, it made me wonder why there weren't using that method all day!?

BTW, I just remembered to mention...the RX's estimated horsepower at the flywheel (based on the boost level I'm currently running) is what the 2.5RS is putting to the ground! LOL

That sounds like a good deal... Shoot me an email at warpthree@yahoo.com.

It's supposed to...part of the problem is that the dyno was estimating rpm from the "calibration" done at the beginning...this obviously led to a margin of error on the RPM scale. Every one of my charts crosses at more like 4800-5000 rpm. So the hp/torque numbers are still decent but don't put too much faith in the exact RPM levels where they claim make that power...LOL

I think you failed to read the part where he is running 9.5:1 compression (N/A pistons) in a turbo car (which is factory tuned for 7.7:1 compression) and is still running 1-2psi more than stock. So yes, he DOES need the extra octane if he wants his engine to stay together. Ideally, you would use the maximum octane your ECU can take advantage of (if it can't advance timing much) the minimum octane that doesn't create knock. Since he gets knock on regular 93 pump gas, I don't think going lower is an option...LOL

and by the way I finally drove Pleiades's RX this weekend...way more stable than mine at high speeds (I think mine needs new struts), but I swear my RX is WAAAYY torquier...now I am running about 12psi to his 10 but even when I was running less than that I still remember it pulling stronger...maybe it's a different between it being an '86 vs an '88. I would have run my RX on the dyno but it was having some cooling issues (I have a new radiator but still need to install it) plus it would have been tricky to get two cars down there. I did run the 2.5RS though. 1999 2.5RS with Cobb Spicy cams, K&N Panel Filter, Borla Gen 4 Headers, Brullen Medium Catback (sans the resonator now), lightweight flywheel, and other non-whp-increasing mods as well: 137.9 whp 147 corrected torque (I'm pretty sure this was the number...the printouts only show the 356.6 uncorrected torque) A bone stock 04 WRX was there as well and put down: 162.8 whp 159.0 corrrected torque That means I'm not that far off...all the whp -> flywheel hp calculations I've tried (three different calculations...some using a formula, some comparing with the stock WRX numbers) put me over 190hp with over 200 lb-ft of torque! Sweeet Next time I'm running the RX (or both if I have some more stuff done to the RS as well).

I'm about to take an Evolution Performance Driving School (Autocross school) next month. I've taken a couple of the autocross schools put on by local clubs and I'm definitely quicker afterward. Like they say, the best possible mod for autocross is the driver, then the tires, then everything else.

It wasn't too bad...$29.95 for the RS Akimoto variety pack containing 10 ft. of 3 mm hose, 5 ft. of 6 mm hose, and 2 ft. of 10 mm hose from Summit Racing. The smaller hose will work great for the vacuum lines but the 10mm hose looks like it would be just about the right diameter for the PCV lines. I know silicone hose is already more than is needed for vacuum lines but I want to make sure it can handle the differing requirements of PCV/blowby lines as well. EDIT: Ok I just searched the web a bit and was surprised how little info I found on this. I found a couple sites recommending replacing the PCV hose with silicone hose. I found one site that said do NOT use silicone hose for PCV lines because it will discolor the hose. I don't care if it "discolors" the hose, I just want to know if it can survive in those conditions regardless of the resulting color...LOL...unfortunately, no one that Google found seems to know the answer to this.

I'm glad you mentioned this...what kind of hose will work for this? I'm planning on replacing my rock-hard PCV hoses with silicone hose (same as I'm using for the vacuum lines, just larger diameter). Would that work or would there be problems with silicone hose on PCV lines?

I bought Bosch wires for my 99RS and they were nowhere close to that. I think they were like $50 or so from AutoZone.

#8140 is Accel's "universal" coil so pretty much everyone sells that part. I bought mine from AutoZone straight off the shelf for $29.99 (they are available for $27.50 at Summit Racing (part#ACC-8140)). The coil is just a little bit smaller diameter than the stock coil but very close and is the identical shape. My stock bracket didn't want to hold it quite as tight as the stock coil but it holds it tight enough. FYI, the 8140C is the "chrome" version (the standard model is yellow).

My 99 2.5RS was doing the EXACT same thing about 2 years ago and it was a bad plug wire at fault, so I'd try that first. Make sure you don't have a crack in the insulator portion of the terminal on the coilpack, though...if you do, you may need a new coilpack as well. But regardless, I'd change the wires first.

Mobil makes great oil, but Mobil didn't "pioneer" synthetic oil. Amsoil was the first synthetic (thus "First In Synthetics" as their primary slogan). Of the well-known makers (Mobil, Castrol, Valvoline, etc.), you are correct, though. It does help Mobil 1's case that they are factory fill in Vettes, Porsches and tons of other exotics.