Subaru Impreza WRX

stoner420

Current best price seems to be around $380.. check out worldoneperformance.com, they are really good with the prices. I love the sound, it's even more GRRRR with the turboback, but still not overly loud. I have no experience with any other mufflers (other than stock).

Getting a little rattling when I start moving, seems to be the pipe contacting the diff protector. A guy on another site mentioned he just put some foam tape between them and it stopped the rattle! I think I'll try that before anything more drastic which I was planning..

Next project is the uppipe install, which should arrive via UPS sometime this week. Will probably have to wait several weeks until install, need to replenish my "time off for good behavior" points first...

You might want to consider installing Kartboy shifter bushings if you haven't already. It will make a world of difference (better) in the shifting feel. $30-35

ateixeira

"Are you almost done yet? I'm bored, and the baby is cranky."

Funny, I have that same sound track playing at my house. We need to chang music stations! ;-)

Plus factor in the learning curve.

I have 2 kids now, so I still get that complaining plus a 4 year old following me around all the time. Try that!

-juice

c_hunter

How easy is it to install the bushings? Can I do it from underneath the car?

I had an exhaust rattle on another car, and used a chunk of rubber timing belt to insulate the offending parts. Make sure you use something that can take high temp. I've seem foam tape crumble, melt, or catch on fire in other applications!

Craig

c_hunter

Here's a pic of my new shifter getup:



Craig

andmoon

stoner 420, What ecu upgrade if any are you running?
Don

bkaiser1

I've been contemplating that STi shifter trim for my wrx...how involved was the installation? It looks sharp! Also, does that Momo knob thread on or does it use set screws? I've noticed there are 2 different kinds out there and I don't want to hassle with the set screws.

Brian

bkaiser1

That's the same website that I was planning on ordering from (for the knob). Certainly looks like a better deal than the others with adapters.

Thanks for the tips!

B

wrxfanboy

I have a 2004 WRX and was wondering about the lower trim paint. Above the ground effects about 5 inches up it seems to be two differnt paints on the car. It is bubbly looking along both sides of the car the entire length except for the front and rear plastics.

I was told it is a chip resistant paint to protect against rock chips. This car is brand new as posted a few days a go and just wanted to hear if this is typical or I have a crappy paint job.

Thanks,

Doug

ppek

It is very typical for vehicles to have a somewhat textured finish on their lower portions, where more durability is needed. I have had several cars with this.

Paul

c_hunter

Yep, that's intentional -- it's a more chip resistant finish there. On 2.5 RS models, which do not get side skirts, you can also see the finish on the lower rocker panels.

Craig

wrxfanboy

Thanks for the responses! I just called the dealer and they tell me it's a feature called "stone guard" to protect against rock chips. I was freaking out, because the ground effects have a black covering over them and I thought that was for the the chip protection.

It's not really noticeable but once you're up close it's very obvious. I was washing the car and I noticed it and my mouth dropped.

I was looking at a lot of cars around in the parking lot and no other cars had this. But my dealer says it's on all the imprezas.

Thanks again for the peace of mind!!

prayerfor

I recently installed the aluminum shifter trim in my WRX too. I went with a piece made by AutoSpeed that is much easier to install: just position the trim piece with a little electrical tape, drill some pilot holes, and then fasten down the provided torx screws. No need to take the console off at all, or mess around with the shift boot.

The AutoSpeed piece has "WRX" engraved at the top, rather than "STi". There's also an AutoSpeed logo on the bottom edge.

http://www.shopatmastro.com/product.asp?0=235&1=236&3=70

c_hunter

I almost ordered the Autospeed trim -- the install makes so much more sense (in fact, I wonder why the STi trim is so hard to install). But, I saw the two trims side by side in some pictures, and the STI trim looked nicer to me -- a bit thinner and narrower. They both look good, I just leaned one way. Plus, that STi logo makes my car faster, and of course, means I have official STI gear!! Next, I need logos on the outside of the car....

Craig

stoner420

c_hunter: Nice! I have the STi trim installed too. I've seen the WRX ones, those are nice too but they don't say STi ;-) Everyone notices it when they get in the car. (Mangled my shift boot a bit though, corner stitching came a bit unraveled :-( ) That momo knob is pretty sweet too, gonna have to get me one of those one of these days..

Thanks for the tip about the foam.. I'm thinking now, maybe I should just remove the one bolt from the diff protector completely (there are still three others anyhow)!

The shifter bushing is not too hard to install, you have to get underneath the car... it's a bit hard to push the old bushing out, just takes a little patience to work at it, but just one bolt is involved.. shouldn't take more than 30 mins to 1 hour, and I found it really makes shifting much smoother than before. You can find pretty decent install instructions on the scoobymods site.

andmoon: I am not running any ECU upgrades yet ... probably leaning toward the Cobb AccessECU Stage 2 flash at some point, or maybe the Vishnu XEDE (bit more $$ though).

paisan

I hear yah on the PITA wives always asking if you are done yet. I'm glad we have our shop to work at, cause then the married guys can get away from the wife while workin on the cars

-mike

stoner420

My uppipe is arriving tomorrow, and there's no chance in hell I will be able to install this weekend.. @#$!@#$@#$

andmoon

stoner420, Interesting that the stock ecu can correct for the newfound rush of air. Are you running all the O2 sensors?
Don

paisan

should be doing the corrections for the extra air flow, IIRC.

-mike

wrxfanboy

I remember seeing a link to a page where you could purchase the custom screen for the scoop on this board, but I can't find it. Can anybody tell me where I can get one? Also is it even worthwhile? I have heard the intercool can be damaged over time with everything that gets in there. Anyway can someone point me in the direction to find a 2004 WRX hood scoop screen?

hypov

You could DIY with chicken wire

-Dave

bluesubie

There's
http://www.shopatmastro.com/product.asp?0=205&1=220&3=11
and
http://www.kastleskorner.com/store/product_info.php?manufacturers- _id=45&products_id=199
Then there's gutter guard for the scoop and screen for the intercooler. Or chicken wire like Dave said. :-)

-Dennis

dop50

You would be surprised how little debris actually accumulates there. But here's what I did about 1 1/2 years ago when I got my '02.

Go to the local hardware store and pick up the smallest roll of ALUMINUM window screen you can find. Take it home and measure the surface area of the FINS on your intercooler. Cut the screen about 1/8" smaller in both directions. Make sure it lays relatively flat, lay it in position on the intercooler. The rubber boot on the hood scoop will hold it snuggly in position.

You can even cut a pattern out of cardboard and paint lettering on it with a stencil if you want.

It works great! It's CHEAP! It's easy! It even looks good.

It will not reduce air flow and it will catch bugs, leaves, rocks, or whatever. It will also keep the fins from getting bent. Anything that goes through the screen will wash through the intercooler at the car wash or during the next time you drive in the rain.

It will not hurt the fins on your intercooler if you use aluminum.

DO NOT use plastic or nylon screens!

Enjoy!

Ken

P.S. I too, would like to know the TSB number for the clutch shudder on the '02. I think I remember seeing it once before, but I don't remember and apparently didn't print it.

Thanks!

andmoon

intercooler screen...I did same as dop50 but while I was cutting the screen, I cut a whole bunch of them...now when I see crut on it I throw the dirty screen away and put in a new one.
Not 100% sure but I think the TSB # is 03-51-02R.
Don

ppek

I think that is the TSB number. If you want, you can e-mail me and I can e-mail you back a scanned copy of the TSB (I have it on my home computer). I pulled this off nasioc before I called on mine.

I took mine in, and it totally took care of my shuddering and my car shifts much smoother now. Well worth it (even though it took them 2 days to repair).

Paul
thepeks@comcast.net

stoner420

I got the TurboXS pipe, this is cast iron, anodized, and this thing has got some WEIGHT to it (7 lbs)! 1/2" flanges, excellent welds, EGT bung, nice! Got two new gaskets too. Going to try to install it tonight.. hey it's FRIDAY!

Still getting a little rattling from the exhaust pipe hitting the diff protector bolt. Two ideas are 1) wrap some high-temp silicone tubing over the pipe to cushion it, 2) just remove the stupid bolt from the diff protector, there are 3 others anyhow! Opinions? I kinda like 2 for the cheapness factor, but those bolts are torqued on hella tight..

PS: O2 sensor just sniffs for hydrocarbons in the exhaust stream... and yes, it is connected. Will be interesting to see what happens after the uppipe goes in. I've got a PEP MIL Eliminator on hand, just in case..

kwrx

What is the trick to getting the dealer to take care of the shudder problem? When I asked my service manager about it, he said that he has "seen thirty or so in for that problem, and has only replaced three." Is this something that is based on service department opinion, or are there Subaru guidelines involved? (Other than the ambiguous "replicate the problem.") There is no rhyme or reason as to when my WRX will stutter in first gear, although it is much more consistent and pronounced when the air temperature as well as the engine is cold.

c_hunter

Take pics again, please -- they will go into my future projects file.

I ordered the Kartboy bushings for my next project. If I'm lucky, they will arrive tomorrow (US Mail) and I can install them Sunday.

Craig

ppek

kwrx,

I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems getting your car covered. After reading a ton of posts on various sites, I also had that concern.

My dealership did not even make me leave my car over night for them to duplicate it. I gave them my symptoms over the phone and they said they agreed it was the clutch judder TSB. They then ordered the parts and called me when they were in. It was so nice that they actually took my word for the problems I was having.

I was just dreading leaving my car over night a bunch of times just so they could duplicate the problem. It was not happening all the time, and it was getting into summer when it did it less. And it always works out that your car does not duplicate the problem when the service guy takes it out.

You may want to call around to some other Subaru dealerships to see if they will take care of it, without the need to duplicate it first.

Good Luck,

Paul

bruticus

[quote]Finally after about 2 years of researching I bought one. I think I got a great deal and walked away a happy WRX owner. With 5 options with destination and a ad fee $24,100. According to Edmunds numbers I got if for almost 2,000 less than TMV. With the premium sound, performance, popular equipment, armrest and spoiler.

Plus I got them on a 7/100,000 extended no deductible for bottom dollar! I couldn't pass it up. After scouring the boards for so long it's encouraging all the helpful information people throw out around here. Thanks for helping me make my decision easier. I had my folder and the invoice numbers they were showing matched all my research. Man I am a happy man today.

Thank you everyone.

Doug[/quote]

When I read this my first reaction was "how did my just-purchased announcement get moved down here? And I bought an '03, not 04!"

(my name's Doug too, and I had to wait a bit over 2 years to buy my WRX too, and the day after my car arrived I posted some new-father babble too)

Welcome to the club, Doug-who-is-not-me.

DjB

bruticus

Friday night I drove my WRX to my sister's, stayed overnight (laundry, wheee) and when I started up Saturday afternoon to come home, the engine sounded HORRIBLE, as if it had no oil at all. I shut down, popped the hood, and checked all the obvious possible causes; found nothing.

So I started the engine again and it sounded normal, but as I let it run to listen/look I noticed that the engine idle RPM was quite variable, say 900-1100 RPM indicated (stock gauges). I don't consciously recall this happening before, but then again I don't often let the engine idle for several minutes after startup.

I drove home sedately, windows open/radio off to hear the engine, and it purred just like normal all the way.

Has this kind of thing ever happened to anybody? If so, should I do/check something in particular while I have a day off?

DjB

stoner420

Try to find another dealer -- For example, I brought my car into my dealer (Crabtree Subaru, Shelton, CT) for 15k mile service (first time I'd even been to this particular dealer) and told the service mgr that I have clutch shudder (just to have it documented, didn't even ask for repair). When they finished the oil change, he called me and asked when I wanted to bring it in to get the clutch replaced.

stoner420

Finished my uppipe install last night.. Juice and Paisan will be amused to hear it took about 8 hours of work, but there's a lot of stuff that needs to come off and maneuvering into tight spaces (not to mention the infamous jacking of the engine to remove the old pipe, which really isn't so bad at all, if a bit disconcerting). I followed the Vishnu and Perrin directions pretty much. The O2 sensor removal is probably the biggest pain, it was a @#$ to get the socket in there at all (I cut a notch in the heatshield as recommended to avoid having to touch it again).

Pics are here: http://wrx.claud9.com/uppipe/. They're not really very exciting, but what the heck. :-)

Overall, it seems to have smoothed out the car a bit, like freed up the turboback to not work as hard to pull out the extra performance. The turbo is even a bit quieter now, because the TurboXS pipe is thick cast iron.

Well, I do have a little leak though. :-( Around 3500-4000 it kicks in, it's not nearly as loud as I've heard in some sound clips but definitely noticeable. I used new uppipe gaskets, and I connected the uppipe/manifold joint first, as recommended. What would the experienced folks recommend -- should I just tighten the bolts a bit and see if that helps, or undo them all and reconnect from scratch? Maybe I should try some of that make-a-gasket stuff too?

paisan

tighten em down IMHO.

8hrs isn't bad, took us about 5 or 6 on our first shot.

-mike

bruticus

...I'll take my car to my hometown, where my father teaches auto shop, and have him help me.

DjB

c_hunter

Cool! Glad you got it done. I was reading through the instructions for this mod, and it made me a bit squeamish -- I think I will defer this one for a while....

Craig

c_hunter

Funny thing, my wife's Forester did something similar this morning. She washed it yesterday, and then I started it this morning and heard a racket. Similar to that "no oil in the bearings" noise, but not quite the same. Car seemeed fine a few seconds later. So, I figured maybe the engine got wet yesterday and was just acting wierd.

Craig

axp696

I didn't want to say anything after you already bought the product, but if you bought an up-pipe without a flex joint, it's going to leak. Even if you use the extra thick gaskets that you can buy, it will still leak _eventually_ with engine movement. There's a reason the stock up-pipe has a flex joint, as does the STi catless up-pipe. I know many people that've bought TurboXS up-pipes and later sold them to buy a similar flex joint-equipped product. TurboXS does make some great products, but I think their solid up-pipe is a great oversight. (Before someone replies that they have a solid up-pipe that doesn't leak, that's great and I'm happy for you, but it will.) Just my $0.02.

stoner420

I've read a number of posts from people with turboxs uppipe and thousands of miles no leak. I did not follow the suggestion in Vishnu instructions to loosen the turbo bracket and not tighten until the uppipe is fully attached, which ought to allow the uppipe/manifold to mate up cleaner, so in that aspect I attribute the issue more to install error than fitment problems. I barely heard the leak this morning and the car was driving like on steroids :-), so I'm going to just try tightening the bolts a bit first (probably this weekend); if that does not clear it up, I will loosen everything and try re-adjusting the turbo bracket. It will be much easier to get back in there again anyhow, no O2 sensor to mess with, no jacking the engine, I can take the dp off in like five minutes now.. ;-)

PS: I have also read the opinions of many that all flex pipes (except the OEM pipe, which is $$$) will inevitably fail over time too. *shrug*

ateixeira

DjB/Craig: a couple of suggestions if I may.

Try and prime the fuel pressure, turn the key on but don't start it until you've heard the fuel pump go "whirrr" and get the pressure up.

Next, consider having your battery tested, or at least add distilled water. My Forester had that symptom until I changed the battery, then it was starting smoothly again.

Try it, both are cheap and easy fixes, if they work.

-juice

axp696

That's strange, never once in my years on i-Club and NASIOC have I seen a claim of any flex up-pipes failing or even leaking if installed correctly. I only browse the Factory Forced Induction forum periodically, though, so that could be it. Good luck with getting things tightened down, it's not a fun thing to do repeatedly.

Isn't that an EGT sensor in the up-pipe? Are you using the resistor mod to get rid of the CEL, and if so, what are you planning on doing when CT re-institutes inspections and you can't pass smog because the OBDII check shows a "Not Ready" reading? (I know the EGT isn't necessarily emissions, but in MA you'll fail the check if any sensors report that they aren't ready.)

stoner420

The TurboXS has a bung for the EGT probe, I reinstalled it. No CELs as of yet. I bought a PEP MIL Eliminator too, just in case of any P0420 codes from the O2 sensor -- with my current config, it seems like some people get them, some don't.

PS, the new rules in CT are no inspections for the first 4 years for new model years since 2001, so I'm good until 2006... at which point I can see myself just putting back the stock turboback system to avoid any problems anyhow.

hypov

<<at which point I can see myself just putting back the stock turboback system to avoid any problems anyhow.>>

That is if you remember where they are then ;-)

-Dave

paisan

Hmm we've installed at least 20-30 UPs that didn't have flex joints, not one of them leaks. I believe it's the install that counts on that one as well as the actual item.

UPs laying around... Yeah we have a few laying around the shop People just leave them with us!

-mike

c_hunter

I can see the construction of the pipe mattering too -- how much it expands (and then stresses the joints) depends on the material. In that regard, the TXS up-pipe is probably one of the better ones (cast iron).

Craig

c_hunter

I got my Kartboy shifter bushings in the mail yesterday, and installed them last night. Had a tough time getting the stock bushing out -- the short shifter bushing is much stiffer than stock, and the procedures recommended on Scoobymods did not help. So, I got out an old steak knife, and sawed the ends off the old bushing. Some elbow grease and a prybar allowed me to get the center part out. Of course, the kartboy bushings went on in 5 seconds, and everything went back together easily. As a bonus, I got to see the look on my wife's face when she saw me under the car with a steak knife.

Those bushings are probably the best $30 I ever spent. They really improve the feel of the shifter -- it's got to be as good or better than the shifter in my old Prelude now. Thanks to Howard for the suggestion!

Craig

wrxfanboy

I've heard so many things about break in I just wanted to get a few ideas from this board. I know the manual says not to go over 4000 RPM and and vary speed, and no hard braking for the first 1000 miles, but anything else you can think of.

Someone told me not to go over 60, but in 5th gear at about 3200 RPM's, I'm pushing 85-90mph. I'm at about 800 miles and I've only gone over 4000 RPM's maybe 3 or 4 times briefly. Any other recommendations.

Thanks

Doug H.

ateixeira

Bushings: $20
Short Shifter: $100
Look on wife's face when she saw the steak knife: Priceless!

Doug: really it's about load, not just rpms. Going up hill with 5 people in the car and then flooring in in 3rd gear at 2000rpm is not a good idea.

Basically drive smoothly, don't let the engine bog down, brake smoothly, even steer smoothly. Let the tires heat cycle, let the brakes get seated, and let the engine break-in smoothly.

-juice

stoner420

Cool, glad you like em. Can't see how anyone wouldn't, the old way felt like shifting through sticky molasses, now it's much smoother. Only downside I have is sometimes the 5->4 downshift is slightly more difficult now, because of the freer motion of the joystick. PS, the old bushing makes a great conversation piece at the office.. ;-)

wrxfanboy

What exactly do you mean by bog down?
Meaning going in to high of a gear at lower speeds, down shifting into a lower gear at too high of speeds? Stalling the car, first seems really tough to get a smooth shift to second.

Thanks

Doug H

ateixeira

I mean when your revs are too low, the engine kind of struggles to carry that load.

In other words, traveling at a speed too slow for a given gear, i.e. 10mph in 4th.

Your engine will strain more at that low rpm than it will at 4000rpm. To see what I mean, try pedaling a bike up hill in 10th gear. Your legs (the engine) will be much happier in 1st or 2nd.

-juice