I have been looking at various options to increase the power on my UK MY98 Impreza and have decided that a re-map is the next step.

A guy who I live near has got an MY03 Evo VII and is getting a re-map done. The price for the re-map is £1,400 and good gains have been promised.

Does anyone know much about re-maps, and please can you recommend a company / type of ECU re-map to me. Also, how much does a full re-map usually cost? This guy does not do it on a rolling road, but does is whilst you are driving the car on the road. Is this a valid way to do the re-map programming?

Secondly, I have got a full scooby sport exhaust and have just bought a HKS induction kit and a downpipe (which I will be fitting the day before I get the re-map booked in for). What power should I be looking at with these mods?

Cheers,
sc00bs

 

I have an Apexi ECU in mine that I mapped myself, you are welcome to come and I will take you for a drive in it so you can see what you reckon. We (RB motorsport) are based in lancs, we mainly do skyline work, but we have done a few impreza's among other things.

 

sc00bs, you should get some samco intercoolers hoses aswell, the standard black plastic hoses are prone to splitting when you up the boost through mapping.

oh, and a knocklink would be a good thing to have too

Cheers

Ab

 

No need for a knock link, there is one built into the ecu.

 

deffo get a knocklink to be safe - at least you can then see the "pain" the engine is feeling £80 spend vs £4/5/6K engine rebuild.

There are several aftermarked ECU providors of LINK and Ecutek etc

I used BR developments and their Link ECU..

 

Cheers for the advice guys.

After have been speaking to a clued up guy at jap-innovations (they are in my neck of the woods) advised me against the ECU re-map mainly because of the MY of my scooby (98). He said you get the best benefits out of 99+ models.

Also, if you get the re-map at £1,400, there is only so much the standard fuel pump / turbo can do anyway, and a knock link would still really be required, so this would stand me at nearer 2k!

The alternative he gave me was the following package: -

- HKS boost controller
- Uprated fuel pump
- Fuel cut defender
- Boost guage
- Knock link

This all fitted and VAT for £1200!

With the downpipe and APR induction kit I have on order, he said that these mods would be good for 280+BHP, anymore and the standard turbo may die on me - which I may upgrade one day when I have saved more money up ;-)

Opinions on the above would be grateful.

Scoobs

 

Seems a sensible way to go...

 

Not sure what an APR induction kit is? Hope it's not an APS induction kit or you'll need another ECU to control fuelling...
To my mind, you could get something very similar by swapping the HKS boost controller for a Dawes - nothing to fiddle with, but gives very good boost control, and significantly cheaper! It's a bit 'on/off' for my likings personally, but many people out there swear by them. It's certainly easier than programming boost control

Boost guage, KnockLink & uprated fuel pump are always a good idea

Standard turbo can give up to 300+, but only really obtainable with mucking about with headers & a 'real' remap, I think

 

nom,

Cheers for the advice. Unfortunately, your right, the induction kit is an APS. As I am not re-mapping the ECU, is the APR not acceptable even with the mods I am doing? If not, then it is for sale and I will just buy an upgraded panel filter!

I am still living and learning with this Subaru stuff! ;-)

As for the Dawes device you have mentioned, I have done some research on the internet

(i.e. - http://www.j-w-racing.co.uk/acatalog/Dawesdevices.html)

and this looks unbelievable value for money with the same benefits as an electronic boost controller! I am now going to speak to J-W developments about acquiring one of these now.

Cheers for that nom, I may owe you a pint if it is as good as it says it is.

So now let me get this right:

MRT Panel filter - £40
fuel pump - £150
fuel cut defender - £100
boost gauge - £100
Knocklink and sensor - £150

The above (set up right i.e. - not by me) will give me a safe 280BHP (with the scoobysport exhaust and downpipe) or there about for just over £500?!?!

Where is the best place to acquire the above parts?

Cheers guys,
Sc00bs

 

Mark @ Lateral Performance will do an uprated fuel pump for summat like £115, an uprated fuel pressure regulator would probably be a good idea (so you can up the fuel pressure) e-mail him on m@rk-a.com for more advice. Theres plenty of info available on scoobynet if you want to fit them yourself (i did)

Boost gauge and Knocklink are easier to fit than the above pump and regulator (again look on scoobynet for more help)

As far as i know panel filters that are oiled should be avoided, make sure its a 'dry' panel filter (or get a k&n cone filter, less than £100)

Cord, from what i`ve learned on here the Ecu knock correction is pretty crap (i.e. slow), at least with a knocklink, you`ll know instantly that there`s DET and adjust your driving accordingly. I`d rather be able to 'see' whats happening rather than just hope the ecu`s doing a good job

 

i had all the bits u talked about done at jap-innovations!a gud bunch of lads who seem 2 know wots wot!my my00 runs sound!
regards.mark

 

Abbylad;
Cord, from what i`ve learned on here the Ecu knock correction is pretty crap (i.e. slow), at least with a knocklink, you`ll know instantly that there`s DET and adjust your driving accordingly. I`d rather be able to 'see' whats happening rather than just hope the ecu`s doing a good job

Sorry I meant the Apexi ECU has a built in knock sensor (flashes the check engine light at a pre-determined knock level) it doesn't have knock correction that is only in the standard ECU, and you are right, it aint quick enough.

 

sc00bs, you've got some good advice here. I've been down the same route with my 97 car (practically the same car as your 98).

With these cars the Knock Link is the major key to keeping your engine in working order.

Don't forget that you'll need to change those turbo hoses as mentioned and a boost gauge will be required to see what the Dawes is upto (don't think this has been mentioned).

Enjoy

 

The APS kit - it screws up the MAF readings. Very good bit of kit, but due to the different flow the air takes (ie not what the MAF sensor is expecting), the car underfuels. Hugely. Engines have gone bang within not a lot of miles using one of these...
If you're not into the wooshy sounds an induction kit makes, a K&N panel filter is a good move. Induction kits don't make a lot of difference until there's quite a bit of power - not sure how much, though 320bhpish, I'd guess.

 

All / toxwaz,

After doing quite a bit of reaearch and listening to various pos / negs on pieces of equipment, I am going for the below:

-HKS boost controller
-Uprated fuel pump
-Fuel cut defender
-Boost guage
-Knock link
-MRT panel filter

I am getting all this work carried out at jap-innovations. The guys sounded well clued up and I was on the phone to a guy called Richard for about 30 minutes! Cost will be a little over £1,200 (inc labour which is quite reasonable I thought - including all the safety measures such as the knocklink / boost guage etc)!

I am going in next Monday. These mods should give it a comfortable 280-290bhp I think (any more and standard turbo may have a very short-lived life)!!!!

The Dawes was tempting, but the HKS boost controller will keep a constant boost level (even with climate cahnges etc). I spoke to a guy who had a Dawes and he said that he was forever under the bonnet 'tweaking' it for the correct boost level!

I am not getting the induction kit now and am going for the MRT panel filter instead (at £40 it shold do the job fine).

I will also look into uprating the turbo hoses as well!

Cheers guys,
sc00bs

 

How about a uni-chip - anyone with good experiences of these on a MY97/98?

.. or PE Stage 2 remap?

Andy

 

Im not sure your going to get 280bhp (probably more like 260-270bhp) as you have a small turbo so will suffer towards the top end.
I personally dont think you need the fuel pump either (unless your going over 300bhp) and a remapped ecu is actually the best way to go but they are quite expensive for the MY97/98 cars (try picking up a second hand Link ECU and getting that mapped ).
I just hope you have a nice bank manager and insurance co as your insurance will rob you rotten with these mods and your bank manager is going to wonder where 2.5k went out of your bank (you havnt been to Jap Innovations yet have you? you may come out with considerably more than you wanted before you went in )

Tony

 

Did i mention about getting better brakes too?
The standard 2 pots suck so with 270+bhp your car wont really stop well after a few times (brake fade etc).
A bigger brake kit will set you back 600+ quid but its the best mod on your car as you can go into a corner quicker and then brake later if you know what i mean but this will also increase your insurance, but its better than ending up in the back of some one

Tony

[Edited by TonyBurns - 8/15/2003 9:51:46 AM]