as above out of interest whats the best engine, i.e strongest and least chance of anything happening? see alot of people using v5 and v5 stuff?

 

If you have a MY02 STI then you dont have any need to change your engine, its better than the version 5 (phase 2) unit, the only ones that would be worth while upgrading to would only be for internal components (twin scroll nitrided/grooved crank), otherwise no point.

Tony

 

so is my 02 bug sti a decent engine then? are the pistons forged etc? dont know much about the internals?

 

a 2.35 cdb with liners is pretty much the stongest block out there. depends what you want to do and how much power you want. the 2.35 also depend on how deep your pockets are as well as it aint cheap.

 

i know a cdb is the place to start if can get one at a decent price lol, is the my02 sti engine strong or prone to any faults etc obviously depending on power say under 400

 

under 400 the block will be fine. you may want to upgrade the pistons, rods and crank to forged items.

 

I would say a good 2002 sti engine will be fine under 400bhp, no need to change anything internally at all.

 

I personally wouldn't do it, but thats me. if you go to 400 you are essentially asking a stock engine to run 50% above spec. I know there is some leeway in tolerences but if subaru who have spent millions developing the engine could get close to 400hp do you not think they would have done it in the first place.

 

1+

 

The 2ltr semi closed deck STI engine is more than capable of running 400bhp on standard internals, the same engine is run in the JDM MY01/02 cars at circa 300bhp (so only 33% difference), and it is strong, much stronger than the open deck wrx (and classic sti) block.
The 2.2cdb is deemed the strongest BLOCK (though some would also argue the 2ltr cdb is stronger), internals in the new age are far superior to that of classics and the 2ltr scdb is more than capable of running 500+ bhp.

Tony