Subie Gal

Rally Pal of mine is looking at purchasing a Version 2/3 for a rally car...

2/3 a bad choice?
any glitches w/this engine?
is it prone to the #4 cylinder issues??

it's a Jpn spec STi in NZ...
52,000km on it..
it has a TD05 turbocharger on it
??? is this standard ???

what are the major differences between 2/3 & the IV, V and VI???

help!! need to make a purchase soon

thanks all..
j.

Adam M

hi,

sti and version 2 had old shape manifold design with different less direct entry into turbo. they also used mhi tdo5 turbos (which are cool roller ebaring turbos). Sti had a front end change and engine layout change with newer manifold, and ran vf 23 turbo, made by mhi. Special edition STi 3s, are rumoured to have a closed deck block buit there is no evidence of this as yet. Closed decks are certainly more likely on older cars, but equally, I havent seen any except specially sourced ones and those in broken 22Bs .

Sti 3s apparently have the most aggressive standard cam profiles, and are supposed to be worth 15bhp on there own.

STi 4s, are the same engine wise as sti 3s, but apart from 22b all run vf 28 turbo which is smaller and hence less laggy. They did get a new interior though.

Sti 5s and 6s then changed to hase 2 engine which has a newer manifold design, and is a very different engine. Apparently better in most ways, it responds better to tuning and will handle more advance when re ecu'd. It also runs stepper motor idle control.

I believe the differences between 5 and 6 are mostly cosmetic.

For a rally car, I would go for something like an sti 3 type ra v-limited. These are four door, lightweight and have a good engine (more likely to be closed deck) and a short ratio gearbox. There is also a distinct possibility of a shorter ratio gearbox.

MorayMackenzie

For a rally car, I would go for a straight "STI 3 Type RA" in rather than an "STI 3 Type RA VLimited"... the VLimited added creature comforts you would only have to ditch anyway and the limited is a limited edition, so wrapping your rallycar around a tree would be slighly more upsetting, having deprived us of another vlimited car.

Adam M

thanks for pointing that out neil.

It is indeed true, I was generalising by referring to that size of turbo as I believe teh vf 24, 28 and 29 are all but identical.

Neil F

Adam.

Just one small point of correction; STi4s have VF24 turbos, the VF28s were fitted to STi5 onwards.

Neil.

AlexM

Hi,

Depending on the competition, your friend may also be subject to FIA homologation regulations...

I beleive that only the STI Type RA has FIA homologation...

Cheers,

Alex

Adam M

agree with moray,

cant believe I wrote that when I wa actually thinking of hos choice anyway. Guess I am used to writing type ra v limited from talking about morays car.

V lims dont have ra gearing, which is ideal for rallying, i believe they dont have adjustable centre diffs either instead replacing it with ABS

Rallyrcr

Thanks all for your comments thus far....

I had Subie Gal post for me as i was not signed up at the time.

The reason for the post is i'm looking at an STi Ver 2 engine and a RA GB as well as an STi GB. not the whole car

Here in the USA we have an open class where we can run any engine that the car company builds. So i could run a 2.2T a 2.0T a or 3.0 even an SVX 3.3 if I wanted to.

So i guess i need to know what all the differences are between the different STi ver's and the STi RA's.

My car has a 1.8L non turbo in it now and is fully prepped for rally.... ask John Felstead about how slow it is.... he drove it when he visited the states last.

Thanks again for all of your help

Gary Cavett
Cavett Rally Motorsports
Oregon USA

johnfelstead

Hi Gary.

You have mail.

And yes, dog slow comes to mind. LOL

Adam M

gary, it is a night mare to put the rear diff from the ra in the sti 2.

different housing, drive shafts, and therefore needs ra or type r rear hubs, which then need two pot rears!

ask pat, he will explain all.

Rallyrcr

Adam M....thanks for your comments

Pat Richard?? In his 2nd car?

ok now i understand what you mean, so i need an RA hubs/brakes and axles too??? Pat's was a version 4 Sti RA GB.

what if it is an early RA like a 96??

now the question is......is a 96 STi RA a ver 2 or 3??

Why you may ask??? I found another one I did..... a complete 96 STI RA in a breaker yard in NZ all but ECU. which the chap is now looking for one for me.

Once all this is figured out i will be the worlds foremost expert i think.

Gary

Rallyrcr

a 96 Sti RA is a Ver 2.


there i answerd one of my own questions

Gary

Tractor

Actually, it could be an sti3 (if from late in the year). Check the engine number. Also, if it has a red manifold in the engine bay, and the intercooler is mounted parallel to the bonnet scoop instead of an angle, it is a version 3.

Mike

Rallyrcr

Thanks for the tip I didnt know that i thought all the sti's had red intakes

now if someone could answer my question....... if the earlier RA's need to have the whole rear diff/axles/hubs to convert a normal awd non turbo car to ra specs.

Gary