I’m back on here again after an 8 yr sabatical from Impreza ownership as last Friday I picked up a cheap 2 owner hawkeye WRX with FSH and 95k miles on the clock that I picked up for £4k as a winter run around The car was completely standard up to 93k miles when the last owner got it and had a panel filter, full Japspeed decat system fitted and a Duncan Racedynamix remap.

The car is nice and torquey but runs out of puff past 5k feels a bit asthmatic at the top end so I started reading up some build threads on here and doing a bit of research as to what to do to squeeze a few more ponies out of the engine.

So far I've bought a new VF48 off of here and an Sti8 TMIC, what else will I need to touch 350 bhp?

I was thinking 3 port boost solenoid, uprated fuel pump and CAI system (any recommendations?) ?

I'm led to believe the hawkeye WRX has the same blue 550cc injectors as the Sti so wont need to change those, anything else though?

Reading through the comprehensive service history which lists every thing even down to washer fluid I can see the car is still on the original clutch so I guess I'll be looking into one of those too, any preferences as to which one?

Cheers in advance guys. It's great to be back in the fold of Impreza ownership

 

A 6 speed gearbox

 

I was told the Hawkeye WRX gearbox is stronger than the previous Blob eye model due to the bigger 2.5 engine?

Go on, tell me you've got the same car, done the same mods and blew your tranny apart (!)

 

It is often said 350bhp is the limit of the wrx gear box so go carefull

 

VF35, VF43 or VF48 turbo, 3 port boost solenoid, STI top mount, Walbro 255 pump, re-re-map! Lol. Sorted!

That’s what it took me to get to 350bhp ish and 380lb/ft torque.

You may need a new clutch after doing that though.

Andy definitely new brakes, 4 pots are useless, don’t stop it!

Good luck, have fun. Seriously cheap motoring that! Nice one!

 

i have a o7 wrx with full revolution "3 decat system , japspeed caik, sti07 Tmic, vf48,walbro 255 fuel pump.

i am now running 340-350bhp 380lbs/ft .. i was running this for 2 weeks and as above needed a new clutch so fitted a exedy pink box. i was told by racedynamix no need for 3port on the wrx..
also the hawk wrx are fitted with the sti injectors...

basicly all you will need is a fuel pump and map .. job done mate

 

Would have thought 3 port on any WRX or STI would help control boost better? Duncan mapped mine with the 3 port. Rich at FB Tuning suggested I should be getting one before map!

p.s. My standard clutch still fine at this level 3 months later. No slip yet.

 

Sounds like you did ok at that price, i just got a 54 blob wrx wagon with ppp and ap brakes, for the same money, but don't worry i wanted black and 2.0l so didn't mind paying a few more pennies for the right motor,with choice mods

Exeedy pink box seem to be the flavour of the month clutch wise, but i would be a little cautious in my quest for power if i were you as 350bhp tends to mean around 370Nm of torque with the 2.5l which is well within gearbox shredding territory especially if you go and fit a no nonsense clutch.

Not sure how you would go about mapping for more go above 5000rpm but i'm pretty sure that would be more down to turbo.

One thing i am sure about is that duncan of race dynamics knows his stuff, and would have paid careful attention to the above, i'd give him a call and have a chat with him if i were you i'm sure he will be more than willing to advise you of the best route to take

 

£4k that is a good price, was somebody murdered and transported in the boot or something?

 

Poor bloke had the car up for £5950, no bites so dropped it down to £4900 and still not one viewing - I think most people were put off by the mileage. I drove a few different cars before seeing this one and as soon as I drove it i knew it had been looked after. It's basically been sat on the motorway in 5th all it's life, back seats look like they've never been sat in. It was the right spec and colour too, that sort of pearlescent grey and as it's the SL model so has leather, sunroof, heated seats, etc plus pf7 prodrive alloys and spring kit. Waived £4k under his nose and the rest is history.

It'll probably explode and die in a horrible flaming death after the mods and remap next week!

As for clutch does anyone know if an Exedy uprated anti judder pink box clutch and a lightweight 5kg forged flywheel from a 2004 WRX will fit? just seen the thread on here about a car being broken up so thought maybe those parts might fit??

 

A 3 port solenoid is recommended but is not necessary.

Bolt your turbo on and intercooler and you're good to go!

Graham

 

Don’t think its fits. One is push type one is pull type. Different flywheels.

Andy (AN07PTN) been looking at same problem last week.

 

LeeP did exactly the same and his gearbox went, think it cost £1800 all in to get one fitted.

 

ouch...an £1800 bill will dent my "bargain feeling".

I wont be tracking the car or launching it hard in 1st, my Exige is better for suited for "enthusiastic" driving, the WRX is my limo in comparism !

 

And a fuel pump !!!!!

 

dont get me started on the whole bloody flywheel issue AAARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!! i have come to the conclusion your best bet is to send the one off your car to API impreza and let them skim it for £65 or lighten to 7kg for around £115 ...
from what i gather if you go any lighter than 7kg on the fly thats when you get problems with tick over.

 

Neither did lee

 

you say that but i know a lass who has been running 349bhp and 350lbs for 18 mths no problem and she is always on the track at snetterton and at the pod in her wrx and another guy is runniong 400lbs .. at the end of the day thems the risks ya take !!!!!

 

At the end of the day anything above 350ftb it's a case of when not if, and you will always have exceptions to the rule, but the vast majority die otherwise most would run the 5 speed on big bhp cars but they don't they use six speeds because the number of shredded 5 speeds is significantly high.

But hey it's your money not mine

 

I agree. Ideally upgrading to 6 speed setup is the way to go. If you break your 5 speed you can get a new box fitted for £1800 ish and job done, but who says it wont break again! Your either lucky or not.

Just to buy a 6 speed box alone will cost you £2400 plus the diff, plus drive shafts, hubs, brakes etc to suit. Its quite a big job to change it all and labour is not cheap. Also getting hold of the parts. Would be easier to get a bug sti or early blob sti setup with 5x100 pcd hubs to save having to buy new wheels, but its finding the good second hand parts and getting it done!

Its cheaper to sell up and buy an STI rather than upgrading the WRX.

 

Replaced both my Scoobs that had 5 speeds with 6 speeds. Best mod you can do tbh

 

What would you estimate the total cost of the conversion to be less labour?

 

Mine was £1475 included Blobeye Non DCCD box/cradle/mount, linkages, clutch fork and pin, ****, prop, diff, shafts, starter motor Everything I needed

It's a great time to buy a six speed atm, loads at good money and they're still needing a reduction to shift !

 

That’s a very good price actually. Think I’ll be asking Rich how much to fit everything when I see him Saturday. Might as well start planning for my box failure now! haha

 

If you dont mind me asking - where did you get yours from??

 

On here mate

 

I had mine tweeked on the rolling road today at RCM 367bhp 420lbs/ft

 

Brilliant result mate, well done! Bet your chuffed to bits with that!

Best order a spare gearbox me thinks.

 

only a matter of time, just thought the OP might like to know of the likelihood thats all

 

chuffed is an understatemant mate duncan and i only expected 340bhp/380lbs
gotta get some new bloody stickers now the AP 340 is now AP 367 lol

oh and with regards to the flywheel RCM have them in stock 6kg for the push clutch £330ish