Got a 96 WRX Wagon, whats the best mods to start with to unleash a few extra ponnies?

 

A knocklink

Though it doesnt give you any power, it does show you whats happening to the power you already have

Tony

PS, the disclaimer is that you need to check with your insurance co for any performance modifications to your car, exhausts, filters, brakes etc.

 

Knocklink especially on an import due to it needing higher octane rated fuel.

Pannel filter with a good exhaust sytem should free up some power

 

In order of ease/cost/effectiveness

1. Driver training course
2. Optimax and NF octane booster
3. Panel filter
4. Full decat exhaust
5. Front brake upgrade
6. Unichip/dawes or similar
7. VF34/TD05 turbo
8. Equal length headers

 

Cheers guy's - The brakes are the first thing as there ****e.

No point having a shed load of power if ya can't stop.

Seems like the usual stuff then

Induction
Zorst
Chip

 

Your a bit stuffed as chips go, you would need something like a scoobyecu.
The fact is that you have a wagon, these differ to the saloons in a couple of ways, the power output being the first (96 wrx saloon has 260ps, 96 wrx wagon has 220ps) and the second being the turbocharger (saloon is a TD05, wagon is a TD04), though UK wagons came with a TD05 turbo of the same age (96), which is interesting.
Chip wise, as stated, scoobyecu or then you get into somewhat more expensive territory, 400+ type without a map.... the standard ecu should be fairly good for what your after though, as long as you dont go silly and want stupid boost levels (and fit that knocklink before you do anything!!)

Tony

 

Tony - 220ps is that the same as bhp, i believe the Wagon is 215bhp standard?


Sorry for sounding stupid

 

Yes fit a knocklink FIRST. I have learnt the hard way. If i were you i would spend the money on the looks not the power. More power = less reliability from my experience. How many miles has the car done?
My car had done 80K and when i put a td05 on it, it just had enough and the big ends went.
Not to put you off or anything!
4 grand later and ive got the power i want (about 300 according to Api) but jeez it was an expensive power upgrade!!! The quest for more power has cost me a lot of money. I bet if i had left the td04 on the car would have gone on for a lot longer. Probably long enough for me to save for a newer scoob.

Andy

 

It's done 40K, I'm not after stupid power as i want to keep the reliability.

Id be happy with 250 bhp

 

Ive got a UK my95 wagon.
THese are the mods in order I did them
1) I modded the brakes to Godspeed 325mm with brembos.
2)Fitted decat downpipe and full stainless exhaust.
3)Panel filter
4)Intake resonator removal(rolling roaded at this stage. 238 bhp/238 lb ft torque.)
5)440 injectors
6)Apexi Power FC fitted and mapped by Andy F(dawes fitted at same time)
Car now runs 1.2 bar approx.
RR to be done in Jan.

Hope this is of some use.

*****

 

***** - So you gained 23 BHP (Assuming the standard figure of 215BHP)

By fitting a full system with De-Cat adding a panel filter and removing
the resonator (That's inside the airbox, Yes?)

Cheers
Rob

 

I don't think Andy's saying that we are expensive - not according to our conversation of yesterday when he took the car and today's when he told ne how well it's going.

What l think he's saying is that the 'mistake ' of fitting a TD05 and some silly chip thing, on it's own as a quest for power with no other safeguards led to an engine failure and he and I then discussed a sensible upgrade bearing in mind that we were going to have to rebuild the engine for him anyway.

Thus the TD05 was the expensive bit as it led to a 4 grand [ including VAT] rebuild with: a full decat Scoobysport exhaust system and a number of other mods to release potential. We also fitted 4 new coil packs, a performance organic clutch, polished headers, lightened flywheel, AND a properly rebuilt engine.

4 grand inc VAT for all that!! sounds cheap to me.

David APi Engines / APi Impreza

 

A boostgauge and a knocklink.
Dawes device manual boost control or similar.
Downpipe and exhaust.
-----
Then i would set on grip and handling.
Whiteline 22mm rear sway bar.
Anti-lift kit.
Some good tyres

 

ps is the Japanese way of measuring power, and remember everything is smaller in Japan including the horses........

A unichip is the right way to go on your car Tony.

David APi Engines / APi Impreza