ClintUK

Ok I know the gearbox is the weak link when you start getting high 200s low 300bhp / ftlb figures.

But what's the weak link in the engine and what are the 'safe' running perameters on a standard UK engine ?

Is it a out and out power / torque factor, or rpm than kills the engine ?

I understand regular oil changes and sympathetic ownership goes a long way towards it, but what would break if you bolt on stuff for big figures ?

Jam Performance

iTrader: (3)

andy forest has achieved 400bhp on standard internals regardless of uk,wrx or sti, its all down to the supporting modz,and a decent remap

andythejock01wrx

What model mate ? JDM/UK - If it's a Citroen 2CV, I wouldn't gp over 200bhp !

ClintUK

Standard UK engine MY97 if that makes a difference ?

harvey

iTrader: (48)

I ran a 95 WRX Wagon for around 25K miles between 385 and 410 bhp/350-360 ft lbs The variation in power output was due to different fuels, the bottom figures being Optimax plus 2ml/litre NF and the top figures being a brew with methanol/toluene.
Everything was in good working order when stripped.
The same engine, ie block and crank, with different pistons,(not rebored) rods and heads but the same Sigma ECU and one of my own TD05-06 20Gs, now does 422 bhp on V-Power plus 2mls/litre NF.
STi pistons will be more tolerant than WRX or UK on an O/E engine.
So to answer your question, it will depend on how the car is driven and how the engine is treated but standard engine seem to be quite reliable up to around 400 bhp if treated sensibly.

ClintUK

Thanks Harvey
You sound like a sensible chap
With unsensible amounts of oopf

Damocell

iTrader: (1)

So is it worth upgrading the standard UK internals to STI parts?

e.g. Con-rod and pistons?

Would this make a 2.0l engine safer at about 400bhp?

Damo

DeanF

iTrader: (1)

Just buy an Sti engine, It will probably work out cheaper after sourcing Parts & labour stripping & rebuilding !!

DEan

Andy.F

My previous 2003 'Project WRX' has been running just on 400bhp/365 torque on std internals for over a year now. The car, in its new owners hands, is severely thrashed at Crail 1/4 mile track approx 10-12 times every 2nd weekend
It has ran a best time of 12.11 and is rarely slower than 12.5, not bad for a full weight new age car !
I only mention the 1/4 mile times as there are a few suspect power results out there that don't translate into a quick car on the road.

Andy

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Interesting threrad this, so is it the pistons or the rods that are the usual weak point?

Neilo

id say neither....just the mapping

Ive snapped a rod, but it took Nitrous to do it...the pistons as far as im aware were fine when they came out..

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

The rods on the classic engines are qute weak, thats why boost is limited to 1.7 bar. The newage rods are much better.

Banny

merlin24

iTrader: (1)

As Banny said - Classic Rods with the stud and nut holding the cap are weaker than the V7 bolt type.
Have seen a few Classic rods failing around the stud/nut.

Damocell

iTrader: (1)

So would you push on upto 400bhp and wait for it to possibly break, or fit better pistons and rods so it has less chance of breaking?

67k engine running VF29 and supporting mods.

Damo

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

02WRX will it hold up to 400/400?

Damocell

iTrader: (1)

Any ideas on a MY99 UK?

Damo

Granby

iTrader: (5)

I wish i hadn't read this now

andythejock01wrx

"Probably".

WRX_Rich

iTrader: (5)

mines being running over a year with 386bhp @ the clinic
about 1.45 bar on a rcm gt35 p18 running on esso super
have seen figures over 400 on another roller

the car is a weekend toy and does get a roasting most weekends

im now in the process of upgrading as im fed up of constantly waiting for it to blow - I have always been sensible but it does start to play on your mind after a bit

i wouldn't personally do it again unless i was building a new engine on the side and didn't mind to much if this one popped

the power band is small and a 8k rev limmit would be a huge bonus, the car is a different animal to the vf35 p18 i had previous but probably not a huge difference on road X from A to B time wise due to that extra bit of lag

as Neil said i think its down to a good mapper along with a bit of sensible driving

if i get chance i will post some pics up of the ring lands when my block is cracked open this year

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

I'm running a TD05 18G with Methanol maped by Bob Rawle on my bugeye with standard internals..probably around the 400 / 360 mark but not been on a dyno yet.

Daily driver plus the odd blast Had to change the clutch because of it slipping but nothing else broken yet

Shaun

harvey

iTrader: (48)

An STi engine is preferable to a WRX, better pistons but if you are going to open up a WRX engine to upgrade I would not bother with STi bits. For a strong engine with proven quality pistons, I use Omega and steel rods : Arrow.
If you are not exceeding 400 bhp on a 2 litre I would be sensible as to how the engine was treated and expect to get reasonable life from it.

morto15

What about the gearbox though say for instance a type Ra gearbox how safe would it be running 400hp or again is it just suck it and see