Ryan's 05 STI

[RyanR]

Winter mode ENGAGE.  Rut roh... wtf is in front of my wheel?

Gotta keep that engine bay cool ;-) :

 

[IBratmanI]

Nice! Mo powah! I like the wheels too.

 

[CoupedUpSubie]

Nice STi, if I didn't get a BRZ an 04-05 was my next choice. Not a bad color either.

 

[Ray]

Oh wow those wheels.....

 

[RyanR]

Thanks all!

Time for stage 2 w/ DP and wideband action, and possibly some bigger injectors and fuel pump in the future if needed just to keep things safe.  I went with the Cobb downpipe since the catback is already a Cobb.  Wrapped the pipe because I have had good luck with that on my previous cars.  Trying to keep the TMIC and A/C condenser drain line cool.  If I don't feel it's doing much, I'll just take it off.

The wheels have seen better days cosmetically (stone chips, some stickers missing), but they're very strong, all in excellent mechanical shape, and I have 5 of them (one as a full size spare).  Perfect for rocking through the winters.  Although, I would prefer another set of silver stockers.

Silver 04/05s are the only choice

   Unless it's a cheap buy, then the color/year doesn't matter. 

Last week:

-Alignment done. -1.7deg camber front, -1.5deg camber rear, 4.4deg caster front, 0 toe all around.  Handles on rails.  Way less throttle-on understeer, throttle-off oversteer.

Changes planned for this week:

-Cobb catted DP wrapped/sprayed with silicone

-Innovate LC-2 w/ red gauge hidden in ashtray location

-Turbo blankey install

-Killer B oil pickup

Then hopefully, it'll be ready for winter battle mode 

Future changes:

-Subtle 1" lift put back on eventually this winter when I get bored

-Make some spacers for the skid plate to get it at least 1.5" away from the oil pan

 

[drvsdwz]

let me know if you want any help!

 

[RyanR]

let me know if you want any help!

Will do.  Most of this stuff is a one person job, but I could always use some help drinking beer and swearing at things that don't want to come apart.  Also putting in a propane hanging heater in the shop within the next two weeks, so maybe I'll sucker one of you into helping out.  jaKe will probably be over helping with that, and a third pair of hands would be nice.

BTW, your new motor in yet?

 

[drvsdwz]

Nope. Hopefully the end of this week. ...

 

[RyanR]

Got around to slapping in the new downpipe, wideband, turbo blanket, and swap tranny + rear diff fluids.

Old heavy battle axe of a pipe + sausage finger hand model:

New pipe installed with wideband sensor + turbo blanket (going to touch up the silicone on the dp):

Tranny fluid swap!  Do yourselves a favor and get one of these funnels w/ a hose on it, then tie strap it to the a/c line for "look ma' no hands" action:

Hid the wideband gauge in the ash tray location, so I don't have to look at it all the time.  Besides, who smokes these days anyway? :

Highway action shot w/ wideband:

Driveway action shot w/ radio on and wideband:

I still have to install the oil pickup, and get a stage 2 tune going on this pig.  Too much other isht to do this week though.  Maybe next week.

 

[Ray]

I love this car and how well it's being improved. Nicely done!

 

[RyanR]

Thanks!  I'm having fun sprucing it up to my standards. 

   I'll probably mostly drive the truck this winter, and take the sti out for snow fun, and when salt isn't covering everything in sight.  My town loves to put salt down at the first sign of any moisture within a 200mi radius

 

[IBratmanI]

Nice work! 

 

[sooch]

Thanks!  I'm having fun sprucing it up to my standards. 

   I'll probably mostly drive the truck this winter, and take the sti out for snow fun, and when salt isn't covering everything in sight.  My town loves to put salt down at the first sign of any moisture within a 200mi radius

old town/orono/bangor love to salt the roads....... it sucks

 

[GClark]

They already salted here in Orono! Legacy is at Mikes now and the Poverty Wagon is up here. 

 

[Ray]

Fort kent doesn't use salt hardly at all! Or plow all that much

 

[Marino]

I love the center gauges, i need to get at least a boost gauge....

 

[RyanR]

I love the center gauges, i need to get at least a boost gauge....

I have the gauge pod from WRXtra.  It's the most OEM looking one out there (matches the dash perfectly), and fits very nicely.  I have the Defi gauges in there, and had to modify the plastic hood a bit with a dremel to make them fit.  I'd like to order a new hood and re-do my dremel work, as I rushed a bit when I put it in.  The setup looks slammin' with the aluminum faceplate.

http://www.wrxtra.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=30_21&products_id=33

Also, it does a great job doing what it's made for... holding gauges...

 

[RyanR]

Tuned up to stage 2 today.  The car is VERY happy to be breathing much more freely now.  Will do a few touch up tunes over the next few weeks as the miles go by.

Also hit 80k miles:

 

[RyanR]

Well, there once was a story about a man who was just going to replace the radiator in his STI because the top plastic end cap started weeping. Then he decided to replace the oil pickup at the same time, and then since the oil and coolant were both drained, decided it was damn well the best time to do a clutch job. His clutch had been feeling odd for quite some time (shudder, no modulation, shallow engagement), and the release bearing was noisy, indicating he might as well. Since he was going to have all of that apart, he decided it would be best to check the valve clearance, reseal the valve covers, reseal the oil cooler, install some group n mounts everywhere and a kartboy pitch stop, and a bunch of other shit. His friend jaKe came over and helped out a ton, and we both consumed many beers and slices of pizza. This made for an interesting weekend worth of work here and there between other things he had to get done. All said and done, he thinks his car feels like new, and has never felt tighter. All shift and throttle slop is now gone, and the clutch has excellent modulation and depth. He also has no idea why he wrote this in third person, but fudge it, why not.

What was installed:

-Group N tranny and motor mounts

-Kartboy pitch stop

-Koyo aluminum radiator w/ koyo cap

-Samco coolant hoses w/ stainless tbolt clamps

-New super blue Subaru coolant

-New heater core hoses and clamps

-New thermostat

-New oil cooler oil seal, coolant tube and hoses

-New rear main seal

-New valvecover gaskets, half-moons, spark plug tube gaskets

-New oil pan

-New Killer-B oil pickup

-New OEM flywheel

-New OEM clutch and pressure plate

-New release bearing

-Various new bolts and clamps I didn't think would make it to the next big job

PHOTOS!!!:

Had some stuff to install:

Out she comes:

Out (check out that nasty release bearing. totally grenade worthy.):

Smoked clutch anyone?:

Old oil pickup off, pre-clean up for new pickup/pan:

New killer-b pickup installed, and pan sealed up tight:

Oil cooler with a new seal and coolant hoses and group n mounts:

New oil cooler coolant tube and hoses:

New main seal, because when the flywheel is off you might as well:

Checking valve adjustment, all within spec! Sealed up the valve covers with new seals:

New clutch assembly!!!

New banjo filter bolt thing, because it’s way easier out of the car:

Engine back in with new koyo radiator and some sammyco hoses:

All back together!:

It’s ALIVE!!!!!:

Sorry I don't have more detailed pictures. Was busy working instead of playing shutterbug.

With the new mounts and clutch, the power the car puts out feels so linear and responsive now, and with a clutch that has actual modulation it's awesome! I also feel great driving around knowing it's been greatly freshened up (oil seals, etc.), and will hopefully provide tons more miles of fun. This was by far the most rewarding work/parts I've put into the car. It's just completely different, in all of the ways I wished it was before the install.

 

[Lezbaru]

Just read through your whole thread. Car looks great. Nice thread. Great progress!