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Just made my reservation (a bit late, I know!) with Fontana Village. Our plan A was to camp, but they are all out of sites. So, we're got a dogwood cabin booked. Our caravan will be leaving from Gainesville Friday morning, Austin in his XT6 and me in my 240SX. Can't wait to see you guys there! We've got at least 6, maybe 8 people coming.

For a while I ran a stock WRX downpipe with the TWE header/VF11 on a XT Turbo. The downpipe was touching something down there in the chassis, so there was some vibration at times, but nothing worse than that. I later had the the stock downpipe cut off at the flange and a custom downpipe (actually, exhaust) welded on.

TWE headers! Here's a pic: The dealership that bought 10 of em' back about 2 years ago might still have one or two in a back room somewhere. Ask WJM. They were $399 If I recall, and worth every single penny!

So you're saying a water temp gauge cannot be relied upon? I have an EGT gauge 3 inches from the passenger side head and a mechanical water temp gauge. I never see the coolent higher than about 195 F, and that's on a hot day in Miami. The highest EGT I've ever seen is about 820 C (1510 F) in 4th gear, 4500 RPM's, WOT. Both of these numbers seemed safe, to me - but then again, I've never had the chance to pull my heads and look

They are fine when they are new, but the leather shrinks in the heat (I live in Miami) and the stitching has come loose. It just doesn't take very long before it starts to look quite worn Oh well, what do you expect for $30 right?

UPDATE: So after a few weeks I decided that the replacement steering wheel sucks. It feels cheap and was too small... but mostly, it feels really REALLY cheap. That, and the leather was starting to come off! Lucky for me I scored a real honest to goodness MOMO wheel on eBay - used, but in great shape. Plus, my car is 17 years old, so a brand new wheel might look slightly out of place. Anyway, It's a MOMO monte carlo. Way better. Larger than the crappy wheel I had on before, but still smaller than stock, and it feels awesome. Pics:

Yeah, I think I stripped the threads from the head. How do I prevent doing this in the future? For now, I am just gonna put in on there in the other orientation with the correct hardware. (I have the TWE header with the four mounting holes)

Well, 300 miles later, I lost a nut on the driver's side now! (before it was passenger side) So, I got the real deal fasteners to get that header on there. Question, though - the stock fastener is like a stud, yet putting another nut on there, after putting some torque on it, the stud just fell out like if the threads were too small. I tried to put it back on and... the threads ARE too small! What gives?

My car had the power steering pump removed and has been driven about 25K miles in that state. Lately, it feels rather crappy. Feels like there's slop in it, and maybe a 3-5 degree deadzone. It just feels dead... no precision. Now, it's not a manual steering rack. I read that power steering racks need the fluid for lubrication. In any case, I'm considering installing a power steering pump. Anyone got a pump and lines to sell me, or know where I can get one cheap? (I'm going to hit the JY, but they are pretty devoid of Subaru in South Fl.)

I definately will, thanks for the tip! I guess it's the vibrations that twist everything, huh?

Update: Thanks for all the help! Turns out, the problem was ridiculously simple. One of the nuts securing the header to the head fell out, and the gasket at the head was broken. Huge exhaust leak. It's fixed now, and it is much, MUCH quieter. SICK amounts of power, too. Feels like a different car. Of course, it feels like that since I've been driving it with the 900 of my cc's venting exhaust to the atmosphere for who knows how long. I'm just so pissed at myself I didn't see the missing nut...amazing how it's the little details that get you!

Skip- by stuck open, what way would the wastegate lever point? It looks like this: That's the closed position, right?

Update - So, I took the intercooler and all the intake piping completely apart. No holes/leaks anywhere in the intake, as far as I could tell. Turbo compressor shaft spun freely, and I couldn't detect any play at all. So, that's a relief. The only maybe strange thing I noted with the turbo is that it took a fair bit of force to move the wastegate. Is that normal? I could still move it by hand, but it seemed like there was a decently powerful spring holding it in place. Near 6000 RPM, it builds close to full boost, around 10 psi. Now, I definately think something is up with the exhaust. At high RPM, it sounds almost like something is rattling. Looking at the header visually, though, I can't for the life of me tell where it might be leaking. Also, and I don't know if this has anything to do with it, the engine seems to be idling a little higher than normal. Usually it idles around 1400-1500 rpm, and I noticed that it was idling at 1600-1700 RPM. It also sounds a bit different at idle. Hard to describe. Will a muffler/exhaust shop be able to determine the source of the leak? Or, what techniques can I use to try to find an exhaust leak?

I don't have any cats. Completely open exhaust. I'm taking apart all of my plumbing. Got to be a leak there, somewhere.

So driving home today I noticed the car felt sluggish in 5th. I hit the gas WOT and look at the boost gauge... and, WTF? 2 psi? It slooooowly climbs to 5-6 psi and stays around there. In second, same story, execpt that by around 5000 rpm I get maybe 7 psi. I have a manual boost controller set to 12 psi, and normal behavior is that in the higher gears, it shoots right on up there once you get on the gas. So, what should I look for? probably an exhaust leak before the turbo, right? I swear my car sounds louder now, but it could very well be just my imagination. If it's not a leak, time to go turbo shopping eh? I have a VF11. I'm hoping that a TD04 from a WRX will just bolt right on where the old one was... This is very strange because the drop off in boost seems very sudden. Less than a week ago, everything was perfectly normal. I always thought that when turbochargers go, they go slowly...

LOL maybe - update us if it works! Although certainly, the 7306 I have was too small to fit on the splines... I have the sore back to prove it

<thread resurrection> I just installed a momo-style steering wheel on my XT Turbo. Just so you all know, the XT has DIFFERENT SPLINES than the other EA82 cars. The 6306 adapter does not fit, and it's very likely that the 6303 will not fit an XT either. I had a muffler shop weld my steering wheel spline to the adapter to make a custom adapter. Here are pics! It really makes the interior look racy. Also, it is considerably smaller than the stock XT wheel, (320 mm vs. 350 mm) so steering feels quicker. The flip side is that without power steering, parking is even harder than before. I'm going to get huge forearms driving this thing.... </thread resurrection>

WJM's RX was pulling what, 293 wtq? Which is easily over 300 crank tq. They say torque breaks trannies, I'd say the D/R 5spd is pretty strong!

So, I got a locksmith to come and fix it, $225 later. Was I hosed? Apparently it was the electrical ignition switch that was busted.

So, yesterday I go out to start my car, switch it to the ON position, and nothing happens. Then, I wiggle the key and realize, omg, this is broken! I then try 3 other spare keys, the same story with all of them - no resistance at all from the lock, and nothing happens. I try a Nissan key from another vehicle and it won't turn. So, I'm guessing it's something with the switch itself. So, seeing that the car managed to get into ON before the switch broke, I push-started it to drive it somewhere to get fixed. What's funny is that after I push started the car, there was no way to shut it off.. I took out the key and the engine kept running! So, I stalled it. I call the mechanic my dad uses, and he tells me he's out of town and suggests a locksmith. So, locksmith is coming on Monday... !@#@!@ Anyone ever had this happen? I can't help but wonder if my STi key broke the ignition switch...

Will, where are you getting 545cc injectors from??

I know there's a thread on this somewhere, I just can't find it with search, and can't find the instructions in the FSM! Feel free to smack me upside the head... Anyway, got some simple questions about changing gear/LSD oil. (Got some Redline NS gear oil for the tranny and non-NS gear oil for the diff) Looking at the drain plug on the tranny, the largest wrench/socket I have is too small at 18mm. What is the size of the plug? Looks like 20mm, but I want to know for sure before I go out there and buy a socket just to learn it doesn't fit. Also, the drain on the diff looks like a square recessed into the plug. What tool is needed to take that out? Seems like my socket wrench minus a socket on the end will fit in the hole, but it just doesn't seem right to me. Lastly, tranmission gear oil is poured in through where the dipstick is right? I bought this pump thingy, just want to make sure the oil goes in through the right hole Oh, I have the RX FT4WD D/R 5spd and LSD. Thanks!

Any word on how WRX/impreza seats would fit an XT? i.e., is there any differnece between RX seat rails and XT seat rails?

Like: ---- Power when it's on cam and on boost heel-toe double clutch downshifts on every turn in traffic steering response the sound (LOUD, but good loud ) funky look open exhaust smell (no cats) Dislike: ------ Power (lack of) when it's not on cam/boost lack of AC in Miami, FL parking (lack of power steering) open exhaust smell (feel sorry for the people behind me) pedal placement makes it difficult to left foot brake, since I'm tall LOUD (even good loud is bad sometimes)