Brett's 99 Outback Sport Wagon

[turbowgn]

Hello all, I'm new here but not to the Subaru family. I have owned two Legacy GT wagons before this. Just moved to Sanford, Maine. If there are any local meets, let me know and I will try my best to attend. Looking forward to meeting some of you folks. 

99 Impreza Outback Sport Wagon

5 speed

2.2

I bought this off my boss when I was living in CT for $1200. It ran good, but the transmission was on it's way out. I managed to make the transmission last 4 months before having to change it. I picked up a transmission from a 2003 Wrx and he also threw in a limited slip rear diff (R160 I think), and swapped that in a week before moving here. 

This was the car the day I bought it



an hour later... had these sitting in my garage

 

[turbowgn]

So the clutch finally started slipping to the point where it wasn't drive-able anymore. 

At this point I had the Wrx trans, and rear diff. I wound up ordering an Exedy clutch kit and it came with a 12lb flywheel.

I also was tired of the black wheels so I traded for some stock Wrx wheels. While swapping the transmission I installed STI pink struts with cut springs (yuck) but to my surprise it rides alright even with cut springs.. Once I start getting paychecks here I will buy real springs. 

I had to swap the car from being a cable operated clutch to a hydraulic operated which was pretty simple. I bought a set of pedals from a 98 Impreza RS, which bolted right in. I then bought the clutch master and slave cylinder and installed those. 

I like it with the hydraulic clutch, just feels tougher? I guess you could say and the lightweight flywheel def helps with power. The flywheel set off my knock sensor, so I have to figure that out so it stops retarding the timing at low rpm. 

I will have more pics soon, just been moving and haven't had time for the car really. 

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

I bet the WRX trans makes it fun to drive, although I don't recall the gearing to be all that different.

Have to edit this:

Car looks awesome, I agree with the cut springs comment. occasionaly there will be some 1" lowering springs on here or RS25.com for sale. Those should be more reliable.

 

[turbowgn]

I bet the WRX trans makes it fun to drive, although I don't recall the gearing to be all that different.

Have to edit this:

Car looks awesome, I agree with the cut springs comment. occasionaly there will be some 1" lowering springs on here or RS25.com for sale. Those should be more reliable.

Yeah the Wrx transmission has the same final drive ratio so it feels pretty much the same. It's a Wrx transmission that they widened the gears to RA width for 1st through 3rd or 4th. I plan on doing a Wrx motor swap eventually but for now I need to find an inspection station that is a little lenient so I can get a sticker then I can register my old maine plates to it.  

Forgot to mention! I built a custom UEL header and welded in a piece of straight pipe in place of the stock muffler. It sounds alright but I plan on re building the header a different way and getting a inspection legal cat back exhaust. 

 

[cwiggin]

Good looking wagon . Looked sweet with those black wheels

 

[turbowgn]

Good looking wagon . Looked sweet with those black wheels

I did like the black wheels but the tires were shot and the right rear had a bing ding in the lip although you cant see it in the pics. It's a pretty clean car, have a tiny bit of rust to fix before it gets noticeable 

 

[flat4awd]

Nice OBS, welcome to the fid, you'll see me hooning all through town, sometimes even down 111.

 

[turbowgn]

Nice OBS, welcome to the fid, you'll see me hooning all through town, sometimes even down 111.

Cool, maybe we could meet up sometime. I need help diagnosing a strange shake in my car. I'm not sure if its a front cv axle going bad or something more complicated (which I hope not). Have you spotted the RS that parks at VIP?

 

[flat4awd]

Cool, maybe we could meet up sometime. I need help diagnosing a strange shake in my car. I'm not sure if its a front cv axle going bad or something more complicated (which I hope not). Have you spotted the RS that parks at VIP?

Sure, just PM me. If it's a silver RS that you're talking about, I'm pretty sure that's Ryan. He works at VIP, and he doesn't post on here but he should.

Also, there is a meet in Portland this Wednesday if you are interested.

 

[turbowgn]

Sure, just PM me. If it's a silver RS that you're talking about, I'm pretty sure that's Ryan. He works at VIP, and he doesn't post on here but he should.

Also, there is a meet in Portland this Wednesday if you are interested.

Met Rick today, cool guy! and your RS got the turbo itch back in me.. so I may pick up another motor and start doing work to it. I have a set of EJ22T pistons but they are all size B so I would need to find a 2.2 block to match that. 

Pic from today

 

[JoshP]

Do you have a lightweight pulley too?  I've never had a 12lb flywheel throw a code with a stock pulley before. 

 

[turbowgn]

Do you have a lightweight pulley too?  I've never had a 12lb flywheel throw a code with a stock pulley before. 

No but im not sure if the Wrx clutch itself may also be lighter than the stock Outback Sport clutch. Talking to a few people I have been told any light weight flywheel under 14lbs can throw the knock sensor code and misfire codes. 

 

[JoshP]

Now that I think of it I've only gotten the 13.9# er.  So that makes sense. 

 

[turbowgn]

Now that I think of it I've only gotten the 13.9# er.  So that makes sense. 

I wound up clearing the codes when I put in my new front o2 sensor, and I moved the knock sensor up to the threaded hole near where the bell housing of the transmission mates up and it has yet to come back on. A lot of people say that's bad to do, but people that have done it have had good luck. I know the motor itself is fine, plus I plan on building a turbo block soon anyway. 

 

[turbowgn]

I wish I never sold this car! I'd buy it back if I could.