Dpower

hi iv just brought a wrx sti version 4 1998.

its completely standard and done 76,000 miles so it should be running 280bhp?

i want to make it faster. what mods do you guys recommend? i want it to be reliable at the same time.

look forward to hearing your ideas/comments.

thanks

ScoobyForLife27

iTrader: (14)

Hi. If I were you, I would exactly same what I did when bought mine V2 STI (completely standard). Drive it, have fun and learn the car's behaviour for first few weeks or even months, and than start modifying it. Otherwise you won't be able to see much difference after modifications done straight after buying the car. Trust me, it's a very nice feeling of driving a standard car for a while and after first mods done to it. If we are talking about modifications, I would deffinately start from changing exhaust (BEST first upgrade you can do to your car), then handling (Anti roll bars, drop links, decent lowering springs etc.) and brakes. I would say, these mods are basic at the beginning of tunning Impreza.

ScoobyForLife27

iTrader: (14)

TBH it all depends how deep your pockets are :-)

Dpower

iv had a v2 wrx sti redtop before and it was 380bhp but never really knew what it had done! i got rid of it as the paintwork was very tatty. i want to jump straight in the depe end and get it tuned up to make it atleast 380bhp like the last one. give me a list of things i should do and in what order. also prices please.

thanks

ScoobyForLife27

iTrader: (14)

Hmm.. 380bhp sounds really good. You were told it was running 380 or You dyno it? Running 380bhp, I'm guessing it had done a LOT to it. Bigger turbo, injectors, ECU, gearbox and few other mods. Sorry but I won't be able to help you with parts and prices because I'm VERY busy at home at the moment, but I'll bet some other people on here will show you the right direction :-)

Ryan@Indigo-GT

iTrader: (4)

As others have said mate, it all depends on how much you want to spend! The sky's the limit lol

Davey96wrx

iTrader: (1)

A proper remap, exhaustive servicing, keep it mint, end of.

bigsinky

a genuine 380 horse power in a classic will cost you an arm and a leg. trust me.

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

I owned a Ver V STi back in 2000 ish ... felt fookin rapid back then no doubt! 276hp & only 1240kg got to keep up with the hot hatch brigade these days though

TX.

Dpower

Yeah it was running 381.4bhp! I had it rolling roaded as i knew it was bloody fast when i got it. I paid 3k about a year and a half ago for it. It was used as a drift car and it had only just come over to the uk. I was first owner! It had low ratio gearbox with dccd. I just want to get this one up there to that kind of bhp, but i dont know where to start

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

As said, if you want a reliable 380bhp its going to cost you, your gearbox wont take it, neither will the clutch, the brakes need upgrading, the engine isnt up to the job so its a full rebuild with decent internals, if you stick with the 5 speed then thats 4.5k for a full rebuild (scooby clinics gearset), a decent engine rebuild will set you back 3.5k, £1200+ for a simtek or similar ecu, so just there your looking at over 10k, do you really want to throw that at a 13 year old car?

Tony

the hamster

iTrader: (7)

you could knock 1k off the gearbox price if you went for a 6 speed conversion, if you're lucky but other than that Tony (as usual) is spot on.

You'll also need a bigger turbo, injectors, exhaust system, 3 port solenoid etc etc.

Stick below 350bhp and its a lot cheaper, anything over starts getting expensive.

burbling1

iTrader: (1)

Buy the other one back and chuck some paint at it.

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

£3k for a car running 380hp you should not have let that one go!

TX.

Big Bear

I would forget power mods and do the brakes and suspension first

Dpower

i wish i had kept it now no be fair i needed the money at the time so it had to go.

so you say i should aim for 350 as it wouldnt cost me too much and it would be reliable?

what parts/prices would i need to achieve this?

thanks in advance!

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

To keep on the 'right side' of 350/350 (if you don't want to 'worry' about internals/box going AWOL anytime soon after)...

Decat downpipe <£80
2nd hand VF35, VF34 or TD05 18g turbo c.£250-£400
Decent cost-effective exhaust system (e.g. H&S or Revolution or Cobra) c.£300
Walbro 255lph fuel pump £70
Cone air filter c.£50
Hybrid GT Spec 2 FMIC c.£369(?) off harvey
MAF deletion £free
Simtek ECU c.£900-1000 fitted and mapped by Jolly Green Monster (travels to you)

It would prob be wise to replace the fuel filter (£?), and the spark plugs (£30) too. Use OEM spec items. You can upgrade the sparks to NGK PFR7B and gap to 0.65mm.

Note: a v.3/v.4 STi already has 440cc injectors, which should make 325-340bhp. If you were to keep these, then I'd be inclined to save serious dosh by retaining the OEM TMIC, VF22 or 23 turbo, and also keeping the airbox/filter. This is because they all max out around the lower power level of the 440cc injectors i.e. c.310-330bhp. However, if you fit a set of 550cc then the potential power ceiling for fuelling would be upped to 390+ bhp... thus making the FMIC, bigger turbo, cone filter more 'worthwhile' (in an attempt to make around 340+).

I'll leave you to add up the rough costs, as I can't be bothered...

99greenwagon

iTrader: (39)

It would prob be wise to replace the fuel filter (£?), and the spark plugs (£30) too. Use OEM spec items. You can upgrade the sparks to NGK PFR7B and gap to 0.65mm.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Hehe. When I was typing that, YOU entered my head and I knew you'd post up.

99greenwagon

iTrader: (39)

Dpower

joz8968 thanks for that! it says your scooby is 361bhp? what year and model is yours, and are these the mods you have done?

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Similar mods but not the same.

For example, my OEM ECU was mapped by EcuTek -- but your MY of car can't be, etc...


Click on where it says "1999 Subaru Impreza", in blue under my username, and it'll show you my full list of mods in detail...

99greenwagon

iTrader: (39)

you have quite a few "nods" there joz.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

LOL

I knew some, ahem, "bright spark" would pick up on that before I had time to edit it!

Dpower

ah so i have to get the simtek ecu so i can have mine mapped yes?

just done a quick search on google about these ecus, it says it has an anti lag option? can that be turned on when mapping? or do you need extra parts?

99greenwagon

iTrader: (39)

99greenwagon

iTrader: (39)

apexi power fc is a good and cheaper option.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Yep. MY97/98 v.3/v.4 has no commercially available way of getting inside the ECU to be mapped, currently.

Re. Apexi. Although you might be able to get one and the Commander for £350-400 2nd hand, then when you add in the £300 for mapping, you're not far away from the Simtek. Plus, although a perfectly capable ECU (I really like it! ), the Apexi is still MAF based and 'old' technology.

But due to the way you can map a Simtek with 'impunity', this affords the mapper great freedom to squeeze every last drop of performance for the mods fitted, to boot!

So Simtek, all in all, would be the best performance/features/cost ECU to buy/get mapped on.

Don't think you need to buy any extra hardware for AL -- you just ask the mapper to add in AL (and launch control (LC), I think?). I think it's an extra £150 to have these added to the map...

trails

iTrader: (41)

just buy my P1 box; will do you at under 400lbs\ft

harvey

iTrader: (48)

The starting point is always the same :

1) Walbro 255 lph fuel pump for Classic. (£75 posted)

2) An efficient turbo back exhaust system fully decatted with open neck down pipe. I would prefer a 3" system but a 2.5" system will be ok to 400 bhp. Not all systems are efficient so choice is important. Very loud systems do not normally produce best power. I use Revolutions own exhaust (but not down pipe) or Cobra/Exhausts UK.

3) Ported headers and matched uppipe. If you seriously plan to go beyond 380 bhp and probably 400 bhp then the more expensive option of tubular GT2 headers and special trick uppipe would be the logical choice but at 350 bhp you would be far better off with ported headers and matched uppipe.

Regardless of how far you are going, with the above you have done the groundwork.


4) Beyond 320 bhp on your car you definately need front mount intercooler to keep air charge temperatures under control. Hybrid GT = £335. This is a tube and fin intercooler and very efficient. With the front mount you will also need induction of some form and that may be influenced by your ECU choice.

5) You now need a turbo and injectors capable of meeting your power aspiration. Injectors for 380 bhp will be 550cc side feed and there are a range of turbos to get you to 380 bhp. Hybrid TD05 20G being one with ported exhaust inlet and uprated actuator (£850). Going for 350-360 bhp will be cheaper with more long term reliability. Same injectors and a Hybrid TD05 18G is a tough reliable 360 bhp turbo (£725).

6) Now you need it all to come together and for that you need an ECU and competant mapper. This could include a second hand Apexi Power FC, adequate but now dated and this retains the MAF sensor or you could go for a new Simtek, just over £1,000 fitted and mapped.










Other considerations.

A three port boost solenoid, if your car does not have one will make your car more responsive. (£65)

380 bhp is quite a tall order and to achieve that everything has to be done properly. 350-360 is far easier to attain.

IHTH.