What UPGRADES to do while I am changing my head gaskets?!

[ALX4247]

Hello, Long time reader, first time poster.

So it FINALLY happened @ 170,000/mi i blew a HG, I had expected it for a while, But still a pain in the ass. But while my car is down I thought i would capatalize. By capatalize I mean SPEND!

Short version.

What preformance mods can be done while i have the heads off of my ej251?

Here is how far my plan goes:

- All Aluminum Dual Core Radiator. Old one cracked. that's how i found out my HG was blown.
- Seperate tranny oil cooler
- 2 New 14" radiator fans. (Blue of course)
- New Radiator cap
- New OEM thermostat.
- Head Gaskets
This was all i was going to do...the total was going to be about $300.... But then, Me and my buddy were starring at it, Beer in hand, after I had my valve covers off and thought, "If we ever wanted to put hot cams in a car now is the chance.
So plan B:

1. New radiator. and accoutrements. (See Above)

2. New Delta 1500 grind cams.

3. Improved exhaust headers

4. Modified airbox.

My only questions are:

What do you think about my plan? and, What would you add or subtract.

I want to do a Home Depot cold air intake, Pros and cons?

What have you headrd about the Delta 1500's?

Thanks in advance for your reading of my rambling and your replies!

-ALX

 

[Matt]

Delta cams are great as well as Crawford reflash. What's your car?

 

[IBratmanI]

Delta cams are great as well as Crawford reflash. What's your car?

The info under his name says 2000 Legacy GT lol

 

[Matt]

Cant see that on my phone

 

[ALX4247]

Yup. 2000 Legacy GT.

 

[IBratmanI]

Cant see that on my phone

Just givin ya crap! That's actually what I figured.

 

[ALX4247]

Matt, you also have an ej251 if im not mistaken.

What mods do you recomend and which do you recomend i stay away from?

 

[Chris]

I'd do delta cams 1500 grind. And the flash matt is talking about. That's about all you can do, those heads already flow exceptionally well.

Make sure to use subaru oem head gaskets as well.

When you put your tranny cooler in, don't take the radiator out of the loop. Make it go trans > radiator cooler > back to trans. That was the fluid is brought up to tranny temp, but the other cooler keeps it from going above.

In this fridged cold climate, you don't want your tranny oil getting too cold, also, if it's getting warmed by the rad, it will help get the temp up in the winter.

 

[Matt]

if money isn't an issue...id do cams/reflash/header and exhaust of your choice....simple intake keeping the torque box....this is everything you can do to increase power in a na ej motor short of boost.

im pretty sure there are 3 levels of cam and 3 or 4 levels of reflash for a max of something like 40-60 hp.

 

[ALX4247]

yeah they have a 1000, 2000, and 3000 grind also. The 1500 is best for mid range torque and also dosent require springs and head mods.

Money is always an issue, but going fast is a bigger issue.

what is a budget header exhaust combo that you recomend?

I can weld, so that is also an option. have you ever heard of an ej with twin tips, i was dreaming up a dual exhuast set up.

Thanks again

-ALX

 

[ALX4247]

I'd do delta cams 1500 grind. And the flash matt is talking about. That's about all you can do, those heads already flow exceptionally well.

Make sure to use subaru oem head gaskets as well.

When you put your tranny cooler in, don't take the radiator out of the loop. Make it go trans > radiator cooler > back to trans. That was the fluid is brought up to tranny temp, but the other cooler keeps it from going above.

In this fridged cold climate, you don't want your tranny oil getting too cold, also, if it's getting warmed by the rad, it will help get the temp up in the winter.

Sounds like im on the right track then.

No worries on cold temps. im in the opposite conrner of the country.

Hope im not encroaching on your guy's mainleyhood, but i wanted a small forum where i wouldnt get shit on all day and night, and so far you folks are awesome.

 

[Matt]

id get a borla header or ebay header, keep the stock cat or spend a lot on a "high flow" cat, i run 2.5 piping to a glass pack for a resonator into a simple flowmaster single tip center exit....ive been told it sounds good.

i think trying to run a dual exit will be difficult since its set up for a single muffler. The evap canister is right in the way to. i think sticking with a single muffler is the way to go.

 

[IBratmanI]

Look up the Tsudo header and test pipe. They are built pretty decent, and the cost isn't bad either. They can be found on RS25.com

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

The most I'd spend on a 2.5 would be cams and good equal length header. Once you spend more than that, you can hit turbo swap prices.

Also, third gen legacys with an auto are slow. I know, I drive one every day. They are momentum cars. If you refuse to switch to a better platform, then do suspension and tires, they'll let you keep that momentum up. Better than doing snake oil hot air intakes or other wastes of cash.

I have a third gen legacy and a second gen impreza and I've had them both nearly all apart and know how to make cars faster (that have been actually tested with a clock) without touching the motor. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

 

[Chris]

You're welcome here, we'll jus resent you for not being under 5' of snow this winter

When you do the head gaskets, don't get the gaskets for that engine. They're crap. Get the STi head gasket, it's an MLS gasket which is actually a bit thinner and gives a slight compression bump. They're more reliable, so you won't blow it again if you do it properly.

 

[IBratmanI]

They make good head gaskets for that motor now.

 

[apkarian100]

For a simple intake, go and find a Honda Accord intake, like this:

http://www.ebay.com/...ac646e4&vxp=mtr

Just use the piping and couplers, again with a higher flowing OEM filter, and make it look like this:

It'll be possibly useful and attractive in your engine bay, and cheap.

 

[Chris]

You're not going to gain anything from that intake besides it being shiny. It will flow just as well for an n/a, and the stock one takes in cold air. So it's a moot point.

Jason, last time I was at a dealer getting 2.5 SOHC gaskets they were the graphite coated cardboard ones. The 0.75mm ones, best off just to get the 0.5mm STi mls gaskets.

The 1.5mm DOHC have been updated, though. So you do get the good versions of those from the dealer.

 

[apkarian100]

He asked about intakes, I gave him an option. A higher flowing intake could help. Prob not much, but it's something, and cheap to do, so why not.