Subaru Crew - Modifications

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  • babaorileybabaoriley Member Posts: 74
    My 00 OB is Wintergreen also and I've wanted that Lexus tint for a while. Unfortunately (but really fortunately) I must spend my play money on an engagement ring and the OB will have to remain as is for a few months.

    Brett
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Colin -- Good to hear that rain doesn't get in there. When I pulled my snorkus out, I noticed that there were water "spots" about halfway up the silencer box. Hopefully, the water will stay there even with the snorkus out.

    Ed -- Personally, I found no difference after installing my Amsoil filter. The snorkus removal did make a difference, however.

    Brett -- Ah, something else that shiny to spend money on. Wise choice.
  • dzartmandzartman Member Posts: 112
    If you want to see what that Stromung looks like on my Subie, go to:

    http://www.wave.net/diveguy/Dave

    it's my Subbaru page. for the movie and slide show you'll need Flash 4

    http://www.macromedia.com
  • dzartmandzartman Member Posts: 112
    It sounds killer and adds power. I added a K&N to let it breathe better and you can feel the difference.

    dave
  • texsubarutexsubaru Member Posts: 242
    Well, the opinions I solicited on brush guards and nudge bars came close to being unanimous. Other than one positive nudge bar vote, almost everyone who proffered an opinion didn't seem to much like them. Even though, in my Subaru heart of hearts, probably wanted to be talked into a grill guard, I want to thank everybody who offered an opinion. (Since my Forester isn't a democracy, I'm still keeping the possibility of getting one alive -- though likely not the official Subaru model -- but probably moving it down my spending priority list.)
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    Hey bud,
    Can you tell me how you get the mudflaps on your car what with the skirts and all? Did you do some cutting for the front ones? Just curious.
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    By the way, the album is pretty high resolution. (hence it being on photopoint and not my personal website.) Click on a thumbnail to see an image. Click the image again to see it in high res (1280x960). Apologies in advance to dialup users.

    -Colin
  • alingaling Member Posts: 598
    Great pictures! Not to worry, they weren't in high res. Photopoint automatically resizes the pictures to 640X480 unless you specficially tell it not to resize the pictures (easiest way to do this is using the Easy upload feature).

    Drew
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Click on the 640x480 image again Drew, you'll get the 1280x960 one. ;)

    -Colin
    headed to bed now, it's 12:30!
  • alingaling Member Posts: 598
    Got it, thanks!
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    Colin : I'll take u out for some Canadian lager aight.
    So did you buy some el cheapo flaps and cut them to fit? I still have my old OBS mud guards which has been taken out since I put on some side skirts. I can reuse the mounting bolds. hehehe... But my question would be did you make them from scrap rubber/plastic thingy or buy the standard flap and cut them?
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    How did you do htat metal thing? That's purtty kewl.
  • gedwardsgedwards Member Posts: 18
    I am looking for information on any shops in the Toronto area that carry STi or similarly high-quality parts for Subaru, specifically the Legacy GT.

    If you have any ideas, please post their name or address, or even better, their website.

    Thanks!
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Dave -- Very cool website. Is Shockwave hard to program?

    Colin -- Nice work around for those little plastic clips.

    Ken
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I bought the mudflap kit for $85 + $15 s/h (that's $4 shipping, and $11 him handling my money into his wallet) from a guy on the iclub last year. I had to trim and align the flaps, then redrill some of the mounting holes so the result is about 50% kit and 50% my work.

    Buy the real rally flap material from Susquehanna Motorsports and I'll trace my mudflaps for you. The aluminum bracket is kinda nice and would be more difficult to fabricate yourself.

    -Colin
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Colin,

    Back to the silencer, but what did you use to cover up the hole in the fender before you got the plastic plug from Darlene? I've been trying combinations of cardboard and tape, but the tape adhesive keeps melting from the engine heat. Also, did you notice any performance changes with the hole covered/uncovered?

    Ken
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    Oh crap.... I guess I should give a shout to Susquehanna. Maybe I can just go out to Home Depot or Canadian Tire and get a cheap flap and cut from there. It's only gonna be on during winter.... Hmm.... think Alwin think!
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    Go to 25rs.tsx.org it's the Subaru Club of Toronto. And ask around in their BBS. There's a lot of information there. Including a shop list and reviews of them. Go now! Hurry!
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Ken,

    Performance is about the same whether using my shadetree cardboard plug or the plastic Subaru one. There's less noise as I said earlier.

    I cut a piece of 2 layer cardboard (~1/4" thick) and put it in place with what I believe was ordinary scotch invisible tape. I taped three corners and one side -- couldn't tape the corner nearest the hood & bumper because of the shape of the fender. No problems with melting and it was 110 several days here in the Dust Bowl. I peeled it off easily when the real plug arrived.

    -Colin
  • nematodenematode Member Posts: 448
    Any ideas on how to raise the passenger seat in the 2k OB Ltd?

    Its lack of height adjustment has started annoying me. I think its set way too low. I'm looking for something simple first.
    If I have to I will order a second drivers seat.....but I really really really dont want to do that (spend that much).
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    whaa..? My '99 OB un-Limited has height adjust. I can't believe a '00 Limited doesn't.. That IS weird.
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    Colin,
    North Ursalia just posted a link to his diagram of the STi flaps. I guess I'll use it's measurements.... whoohoo. now where can I get some pink LDPEs?
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    You're kidding, right? Pink mudflaps?

    -Colin
  • goosegoggoosegog Member Posts: 206
    Not really a mod but in case anyone's interested I've posted on Station Wagons Topic 451 my experience installing these and a link to pictures.

    Thanks for the tips on the Lexus RX300 (not 400 as I wrote) gold window tint. That is factory applied and maybe I can't find exactly the same thing, but most places only offer the brown/grey stuff. Maybe when I'm back from the BC Road Trip I'll have some time to pursue it.
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    Well since I figure the mudflaps would create some form of drag, I can offset it with some performance colour. And what better performance colour than the colour of Subaru's performance arm - STi? =)
  • barresa11barresa11 Member Posts: 277
    So are you saying since the mudflaps create some form of drag that Pink is the perfect color...how clever is that?! :-)

    Stephen
  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246
    Good one, Stephen. :)

    ..Mike

  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    Well Pink is STi's colour. Must stay true and true with Subaru man. hahahaha..... Imagine my Silver Impy with a set of bright red pink flaps. hahaha....
  • p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Stephen- Dang I'm getting slow. You blew that one right by me! If Mike hadn't caught it I'd still be going "huh?" :-))

    _frank P.
  • barresa11barresa11 Member Posts: 277
    right? I surprised myself at my wit :-) Ok...maybe too much patting my own back...it's been a long week and I need some ego strokes. :-)

    Stephen
  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246
    'twas very subtle; better than my recent "attempts". Frank, if it makes you feel any better, I took a few minutes to figure it out too. Hehe. ..Mike

    ..Mike

  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246
    For those not on the Outback mailing list, here are close-ups of the Fumoto oil drain valve some Crew members have installed (sorry, forgot who that was). This is from Peaty's website.

    ..Mike

    ..Mike

  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Hopefully next weekend I'll be performing a pretty significant modification-- installing Cobb Tuning's cams and an underdrive pulley. (OK, so the pulley is no big deal.)

    I was impressed by the results but frankly the $650 price tag was a deterrent. Trey reached a deal with the cam grinder and is able to offer them for $499, and is offering a further $100 discount to iclub members through 9/30! So now we're talking $399 for 14 peak RWHP and 19 RWHP at redline.

    (yes, rear wheel-- Trey's test mule is RWD)

    To install the cams you have to remove the crankshaft accessory pulley (among other things) so I went ahead and got an unorthodox underdrive pulley too. It's only money, right? ;)

    Cams take a few hundred miles to break in and then you have to change the oil to get the assembly lube out. So I won't be able to give WOT, rev-limiter bouncing results right away.

    -Colin
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Colin,

    Sweet! I've been reading about those cams on the Cobb Tuning webpage. Please keep us posted on the results.

    Now, in order to do this, don't you actually have to take apart your engine and send Trey your cams? What do you do in the meantime?

    Ken
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Nope, Trey had an initial batch (I don't know how many) made from new OE cams and I'm getting one of those. Any subsequent ones will either be from a reground exchanged core (what I'm sending back, after machining) or a reground new core (what I'm buying). I have used regrinds before in small block chevies and there is no problem at low valvespring pressures... I wouldn't hesistate one bit to buy a used regrind.

    I've been looking through the Haynes Legacy manual and you have to remove the valvecovers but you don't have to pull the heads off the block. You also have to remove all the junk to either side of the engine (driver's side= battery, washer reservoir, etc.) and remove the fans.

    I'll be getting help from my dad and any friends that want to drop by and learn. We figure one full day, but I'm going to remove fans, etc on friday night and we'll have all day Saturday and Sunday just in case.

    -Colin
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    I am very sad that the cam is not for 2.2l
  • francophilefrancophile Member Posts: 667
    Excellent plan, Colin. The timing (pun?) sounds great. Cams on an overhead cam engine aren't hard to R&R - but of course you have to multiply because of the inherently balanced boxer layout . Be sure to have whatever you need in the way of valve clearance adjustment tools, and make sure one of the cooks is the boss cook - and it should go well!

    Cheers,
    WDB
    (who can't wait for the post break-in report)
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    WDB, it's not so bad since it's SOHC I only have two cams and compared to some transverse mounted engines they are fairly accessible.

    ramon, it's possible Trey got a look at a 97-up SOHC EJ22 cylinder head this weekend-- Geoff from the iclub (SabreLion) had his turbo OBS in there getting some TLC. When I called Saturday morning to place my order Trey said it was a bit of a mess, but I didn't ask what all he was doing.

    -Colin
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    HUh? Does he mean that the 2.2l is messy compared to the 2.5l? Or does he meant that Sabrelion's OBS is messed up? I'm sure there aint' too much of a difference b/t a 2.2l engine and a 2.5l engine! I think I'm gonna email him. If I am in Texas man, he can take my car apart and tune ti to his heart content! =(
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Sabrelion's car was a mess, as far as turbo tuning, not the 2.2L itself. ;)

    -Colin
  • ramonramon Member Posts: 825
    Whew! I knew it! I knew it! Especially our EJ22 and EJ25s are so darn close in terms of design. Heck the 98 EJ25s were bored out EJ22s!
    Man I hope when Trey get to test the EJ22s soon.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    bogusbob: good to have another mod-freak join the ranks. We were getting lonely!

    Larry: the Subaru OE alloys are expensive. Even Darlene's prices were well above Discount Tire Direct's specials, and those were 0.5" wider to boot.

    Ken: awesome instructions, thanks for sharing. A friendly rivalry? Nah, I'm glad to have someone else try some things first. Subaru's instructions are worse than IKEA's!

    I LIKE the intake noise. Those graphs were great - the fender is about 10-15 degrees cooler in every circumstance. Big difference to me!

    Lithium grease is great. I also have a spray can of the stuff. Works like regular grease except it's not petroluem-based so it won't hurt rubber or plastic parts.

    Colin: you da man. Please take photos. New cams sounds like a heck of a project.

    I'll be curious to see where you fall on the pulley debate. Some folks swear by it (Garry Grimes comes to mind), others have it and complain about dimming lights.

    Tom: the Forester doesn't have a turbo, but it's already about as quick as the RX300, and handles better. It's lighter and gets better mileage, too. A Forester S Premium costs about $10 grand less and with that you could do some SERIOUS engine mods, even forced induction.

    Plus, it would be cool to have a mod-freak with a $10k budget join the Crew.

    -juice
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    I have an appointment with Rallispec for a Whiteline 18-22mm bar and bar links. Just waiting for them to tell me the part is in!! Can't wait. It ought to be visible from the back, too, since the OB rides kinda high. Now, to pulley or not to pulley.....
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Colin: the instruction is a "mod" for the driver, though, not the car.

    ;)

    -juice

    PS Loosh: pulley - c'mon, I want to get more opinions before I decide.
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    I dunno, dude. The i-club Legacy forum people think it is bunk. Teague's claims something like a 2.5 second improvement on their Legacy project car's 0-60. Grimes likes his, but couldn't say in the last newsletter that it was making an objective difference.

    I need to find the truth here before I go dropping another $200 on the car.

    especially since I kind of quit my job today. "Loosh, GET OUT OF RETAIL NOW !" is, I believe what Mike Smith advised. Who the hell was I to argue? He seems pretty smart and all...
  • bogusbobbogusbob Member Posts: 13
    Is there a newsletter about mods?? If so, I would be interested in receiving it. Thanks for any info. BTW, I was picking up my new driving helmet the other day and stopped at the Midas shop next door. They quoted me $225 to install a 2.25" intermediate pipe with a "turbo" muffler on my MY01 Impreza coupe. That is considerably less than the other options we are reviewing. He stated it would not be much louder than our present system at low revs, but would have a "decent" sound (whatever that means) over 3500 revs. Anyone had an experience with Midas?? I'm leaning towards the Brospeed system with 2.25" pipe that is being advertized on the iclub board for $415 with shipping included.

    I also have been doing a lot of reading regarding the air intake systems and have managed to get myself thoroughly confused. Does K&N make a drop in filter for the MY00 or MY01 (I'm assuming the engines are the same)? If so, where might one be purchased online? Does Darlene carry them? At this point, that is about all I may do now. I've read about troubles with the MAF (I'm not sure, but I think our car has one) when the air intake system is modified. I like the looks of the cone air filter system, but wonder about how difficult it is to install correctly. Told you folks I had a lot of learning to do about mods and cars. Thanks for any helpful thoughts or advice.

    bogusbob
  • lucien2lucien2 Member Posts: 2,984
    the news letter I referenced was the one Gerry puts out for the SCOA www.subaruclub.com. He detailed his visit to Rallispec in the last issue.

    I don't think your '01 RS has the MAF that causes problems, butI haven't been keeping up with that stuff much. All I know is my Phase I 2.5 DOES have a problem, so I am leaving it alone, other than perhaps pulling out my snorkus. Uh, huh huh, "snorkus," hu huh...

    I personally wouldn't touch Midas :)
    they screwed me over on my wife's exhaust, which lasted 4 months and they wouldn't take responsibility for it. That was back when I was a young pup though, so I didn't fight them the way I would now. Oh Well.

    Glad to see you are also into the BMW CCA school thing. I am having a blast, although I might not have the cash for it for much longer. Are you taking your Soob? Are you in the DC area? I heard about a guy in the NCC CCA that traded off his bimmer for a 2.5RS while he waits for the next M3. Sounds suspiciously like you! If so, will you be at the 10/21 Summit Point school? FWIW, I have settled on a swaybar and links as an effective upgrade for the school and for auto-X.

    Air filters: I know nutink
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    01 doesn't have a MAF sensor, just like 00 didn't. I believe K&N does make a filter for the 00 (and thus 01) 2.5RS.

    $225 for the custom exhaust sounds okay, depending on what kind of muffler it comes with. If it's magnaflow it might be kinda loud. The SPT/Brospeed exhaust is only slightly louder than stock.

    -Colin
  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246
    "Loosh, GET OUT OF RETAIL NOW !" is, I believe what Mike Smith advised. Who the hell was I to argue? He seems pretty smart and all...

    Um, Lucien, please walk up to Johns Hopkins (ka-plink, annudah link) and get your head examined. I meant, get the writing job first, THEN quit the retail job. My humble apologies to your mortgage company for the slight miscommunication. Drop me a line at the first homeless shelter that takes you. Sheesh!

    kind of quit my job today

    A topic for discussion. Talk amongst yourelves.

    Ok, I'll bite. HELLO?! Spock, explain!

    Ken (bogusbob), What brand of helmet did you buy and what did you like about it? I'm in the market. TIA.

    ..Mike

    ..Mike

  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Mike, you really need to test fit a given helmet. I thought I was safe buying a Simpson LX8 in 7 3/8 since I have a Simpson Bandit, an Arai motorcross helmet and an Answer motorcross helmet all in that very same size. Bzzt! The LX runs small for some weird reason, so I ended up with a 7 5/8. (my wife got the 7 3/8, fits her perfect. and yes, my hall closet is stacked with helmets.)

    I like Simpson safety products a whole lot. I would have bought a Bell Mag5 instead, but the LX8 was cheaper and lighter... unfortunately it's also taller and my head rubs the roof a bit-- damned sunroof.

    Racer Wholesale has pretty competitive prices, but like I said you really should try something on in person first.

    -Colin
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