RallyKeith

I was actually gonig to start modeling this at work myself, so I guess you could say I'd be intersted.

First thing is to get under the car and make sure the shifter is still connected to the linkage. If it is then the only other option is for it to be something internal to the trans, and that means pulling it. Keith

HA! Owners manual doens't say anything if I remember correctly. Well, I broke in my STi by driving it for 1000miles at varying engine speed no higher than 3000rpm. What's intersting is that Subaru says you don't need to change the oil after 1000miles, so in theory you don't have to do anything special. Just drive it and get the oil changed at 3500. If you do the 1000 mile break in period you need to change the oil, otherwise the whole thing is waisted. The theroy is that things will wear in a small particles of metal could be in the oil. If you go beat on the engine after 1000 miles with the same oil in it's no good. Keith

Well, The spark plugs fire in banks. I believe it's both lefts and both rights at the same time. I would expect that if you had the injector wires backwards you would get serious backfiring.

I would guess that the rotor didn't change. Unless the base wheel for the car goes up in size the rotors can't usually get any bigger. What probably did change was the size of the pad and as such the caliper size. Anyway, don't be afraid to call the parts department of your local subaru dealer and ask them the questions. They will defenitley give you the correct answer. Since I see you're in SE PA you can call "My" dealer. Steve Moyer Subaru Reading, PA 610-916-7000 press 4 for parts. Mark Gift runs the parts department and is a really nice good guy. Keith

BTW, I'll second the fact the factory Saab setup rules! I want to steal one of those from the junk yard one day myself. They have a knock sensor input and will pull boost if it senses knock, and no electronic aftermarket unit I've ever seen does that. Keith

You will most defenitly ruin any manual transmission towing more than a few 100 feet with only one set of wheels on the ground, and with automatics is worse. The center diff in an automatic is hydraulicly controlled. When the car is off the diffs is "locked." Only when the duty solinoid is turned on (putting the FWD fuse in) and there is hydraulic pressure (In other words the car is running) will the diff be unlocked. Anybody else care to agree?? Keith

BTW, I just thought I'd add that the car brakes evenly left to right. The car doesn't pull in any fashion. Keith

There is no such pin that I've even seen. I've helped rebuild a few transmissions, and the WRX is not really any different than the others. There is no way to simply disengage the rear wheels. Keith

Well, I may try a few things, but there are no external problems present such as lose of fluid due to a bad seal. I called my friends at the dealership to ask them about the minimum thickness and they gave me this thought. They have had several cars where aftermarket brake pads were installed and it gave the car a long pedal. The cheap pads that people had installed were a tight fit, and that didn't allow the pad to correctly seat agains the rotor. So the pedal would still start to feel like it was engaging, but extended travel was required to get the pads to work properly. I think I'm just going to rip everything apart, clean it up, make sure the pads fit no more than snug and re-bleed the system the old fashion way. Plus I really think I'm going to upgrade it to discs in the rear someday. Keith

Pedal felt the same before and after. I used standard operating procedure. Start at the corner fartherest away from the master cylinder and worked closer. That would be: Passanger rear Driver rear Passanger Front Driver Front I used the same vaccum bleeder that I've successfully used on 5 other subarus, including those with drum rears.

Could the front rotors be too thin? What is the minimum thickness or how can I find that out? Keith

It's an expensive car with an expensive engine to replace, so why buy a cheap boost controller which controls the one thing that will destroy your engine? I ran one on my RX and destroyed the motor within a week. Boost was spiking early and killed the bearings. You can get a good electronic controller for $100. Keith

Pedal doesn't feel soft. Pumping makes no difference either. I think I got all the air out. I'm trying to get the parts to convert this to discs in the rear in an effort to help the problem. Keith

Car as described in title. Cleaned out the resevoir and Bled all four corners of the brake system well and until I had bled through fresh fluid. Problem is, brakes seem to start to engage after normal pedal travel, but after that you have to press the pedal really far to get proper braking, and even then you don't get adequate stopping force. Tonight while diagnosing a misfire I had my foot on the brakes as hard as I could and pressed down on the gas. The brakes couldn't hold the car. What could be wrong? All the pads and linings have plenty of material. Yes, this is disc in the front and drum in the rear. Thoughts? Keith

I don't think he's riding you, I think he's just curious. He went as far as to qualify his curiousity by telling you what type of vehicle he owned that he was mentlaly comparing it to. Granted it's off topic for the thread, but still doens't require this hostility you've shown towards him. In all seriousness, I met you at carlisle, but didn't exactly get to know you. I hope you don't act like this behind the wheel of the STi. Keith

Stage 2 on the WRX gives you about 350 crank, so I would think the extra displacement of the STI motor and the stage 3 kit should get you there. Keith

So what is that good for at the wheels? About 420hp?

Well you got part of it right. The center diff in the STi is an open diff with an electronically actuated lock-up clutch pack and a geared torque (power) distribution of 35%front/65%rear. When placing the diff into Manual control mode you are doing nothing more than setting the amount of lock the clutch pack is providing. In diff free mode the center diff acts just like an open diff, in diff lock it is locked solid. (The later year GLs/Loyale/XTs had a fulltime 4wd 5speed that had an open center diff) Anyhow, in the middle of the dial range you are controlling the amount of lock and in no way putting more power to the front or rear. Keith

Hey, wanna throw some of that money my way??? Actually, the money for the upgrades has never really been what's stopped me from doing things to mine. Its the money to replace the motor when it decides to let go, or the trans, or the rear diff, or the halfshafts. (Be careful with those rear halfshafts. They appear to be the first weak link in the driveline) Vishnu's site has never been updated to include just what the stage 3 kit will cost, include, or how much power it will put down. Care to share some of those details with us? Also, did you debadge the car or did the previous owner. (I can see it's a 2004 and all the dealers around hear don't have any '04s left so I'm assuming you bought this used) Keith

http://www.kbb.com is the Kelly Blue book web site. Also, try Edmunds http://www.edmunds.com Keith

This is a seperate single CD player that is mounted directly underneath the Radio? I beilive that was all they offered back then, but I'm not sure. If so, it is a seperate unit that is connected by a cable. The cable may have come loose from someone just putting back in the factory stuff to sell the car. Keith

Funny you say that. I thought we were getting a lot of hail in PA this year until I realized it was the lack of sound deadning material in the STi Anyhow, really sorry to hear about it. I'm told insurance companies do more Dollars in Hail damage in the midwest than in accident damage. Keith

I already replied to the other thread including a picture that I can't re-upload to this thread. Fuel pump is a complete unit, there is now way to replace just the Motor. Pump is located in the tank, but shouldn't be hard to reach. There are access panels under the rear seat. Keith

Fuel pump is a complete unit, there is now way to replace just the Motor. Pump is located in the tank, but shouldn't be hard to reach. There are access panels under the rear seat. I've attached a picture of what the pump looks like. Keith