Hey,

I'm after a Blob/Hawk STI Wagon but as they don't exist I need to come up with another option. I don't think I can get away with a saloon and a FSTi is out of my budget.

My other option is to buy a low mileage WRX and give it a tweek.

Question is how much power could you put though a standard WRX without wincing every time you press the throttle?

 

Difficult to answer. Some blow up standard (but mostly STI 2.5s). I'm running 334bhp & 381lb/ft on my 2.5 WRX and no problems for last 20k. But that's not to say it won't blow up eventually. Best to keep boost below 1.35bar on the standard 2.5 engine to play it safe, otherwise no reason 350bhp or slightly higher isn't achievable.

 

Mine has been running 346 for a while with no issues, some others have run as much as 400. The weak link is mainly the gearbox which is pushing the limits above 320+ Its usually torque that kills them in the end.

You can pick up a six speed conversion from around £1800-2000 which will solve the problem.

All above is for a blobeye wagon with a 2.0 engine.

 

Hawk 5 speed boxes are recognised to be much stronger than previous 5 speed boxes. Many are now saying a Hawk 5 speed should be ok for 450bhp.

But as we all know it's not power but torque that kills boxes. Similar figure for torque should be acceptable though.

 

I have a ppg box from my newage 2.5 block in a classic. The box is for sale if you wanted to upgrade.

If your looking for upgrades. Is it standard internals? I would say 340 to be safe. I have forged internals in mine and ran 450bhp no problem. I have a graph for 436bhp taken in may with a quieter exhaust fitted

 

I ran about 500 BHP (dyno slipped but much faster than when it dyno tested at 435 on smaller turbo) on a hybrid EJ257/EJ207 heads with stock internals and head studs and it would do about 10000 fast road miles between head gasket changes but the pistons survived. On an earlier build a ring land cracked at about 460 BHP (again spun on the dyno). I am sure if I tracked they would have gone in a session or two. If buying a car with an EJ257 I would value it assuming it would need an engine and then see how you get on.

 

I personally wouldn't push the standard 2.5 engine beyond 1.25bar (assuming standard turbo), if you want best reliability.

Transmission wise - results will vary but at this kind of level you should be OK on a WRX.

 

If you do opt for a Blob WRX wagon it won't be a 2.5 anyway.

 

Thanks for the quick reply's.

I was thinking I would like around 310bhp/320flb.
Would this be doable with air filter, exhaust and remap?

 

Will probably need fuel pump too and possibly downpipe change. The standard TD04 turbo will not easily push past 300bhp. You will need a turbo change to achieve this.

 

I'm on standard STi internals with PPP. No problems to report.
Bottom end is excellent. Approx 316 bhp, so it's just a baby one!

 

Blob wrx 350bhp, hawk wrx = engine rebuild. That said my old 04 blob wrx is running 360bhp 370 torque, STI 2.5 bottom end standard 5 speed box. for about 5yrs and still going, but he is gentle with it.