Toby Sansome

Hello One and All

On Saturday I got myself a 2001 WRX UK300 with PPP and WR Spring Kit. Overjoyed with her. Just got a couple of quieries I wondered if anyone could help me with. Firstly some info came with the car (a brouchure and press release from its 2001 launch) which states that if spec'd at purchase the WR Performance Pack designed by Prodrive featuring ECU remap, exhaust and piping lifts power to 245PS. However the PPP certificate that came with the car states 265PS. The pack wasn't fitted to the car until 2006 when the 2nd owner purchased it on 25k miles from Carstins Subaru and asked them to fit the PPP and WR springs. He was under the impression it had 265PS. Which power figure is correct? I understand the UK 300 was the first of the Bug Eye's to get the Prodrive kit. By 2006 I assume Prodrive had fettled further and I am wondering if this is why there are 2 power figures. If that is the case and Prodrive made changes to its own kit by 06 which liberate an additional 20PS would my car have got the extra 20PS or as it was an 01 car would it only get 01 results? I have no technical know how, hell I am amazed I understood what I just typed lol so I apologise if these questions are dumb. I jut want to be sure what I am dealing with. Secondly the traditional Subaru boxer burble is currently drowned out. When I back off the throttle or change gear I get a tish sound. Is this a dump valve/blow off valve or a wastgate noise? Also there is under acceleration aloud rushing sound, sounds like your sucking air in between your teeth and its this (along with a very vocal turbo) that is drowning out the gorgeous noise of that boxer. It has a K&N induction kit on it and where the front right indicator was there is a vent to feed it. Could this be the cause of the sound? Or do they all sound like this? Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Toby Sansome

PS what are peoples opinions of K Sports brakes. Previous owner upgraded to 6 piston front calipers and bigger discs. In Feb 12 when TD Racing serviced the car they stated pads had only worn 20% all round. Since then its travelled a further 3000 miles. After purchasing it I have noticed an issue. If your braking from 40 or under the car pulls up quickly and in a straight line. Any faster and with any great sense of urgency eg approaching an island at 70 there is a bad vibration through the peddle and steering and a tendency to pull left then right then left almost like each caliper is grabbing out of sync from the other. It seems to have no urgency to stop and when it happened the first time left me with my heart in my mouth. Also smoke came pouring from the left wheel. Have also noticed that when you apply the brake pedal when sationary with the window open there is an awful squeak coming from the brakes and the pedal doesnt seem to firm up even after several pumps. Any thoughts on what the issue could be? Last but not least does anyone know how to find out what number my UK 300 is and how many were fitted with the PPP pack and WR spring kit??

Sorry lots of questions but I know you all wont mind to much. Been observing for a while and you all seem really friendly and helpful

averyp2

iTrader: (25)

Give mark a call at TDR regarding the techy queries, he'll give u sound advice bud

gingeral

iTrader: (1)

The air noise you hear is because you have a induction kit and you can hear the reciculating dump valve, personally i would go back to a standard airbox because i suffered with heat soak and it was better standard.

MrNoisy

iTrader: (28)

+1 - on a standard engine you'll get no benefit (or worse, lose power) from a CAIK (Cold Air Induction Kit) - the standard air box with a good panel filter is good for 400bhp more or less.

K-Sport brakes are great in my opinion - I had a set of the 8 pot 330mm fronts on my old WRX running 320/320, and I thought more of them than the Brembos on my new STI, hence they've gone on the new car too and I've flogged the Brembos.
My advice would be get the car properly geo checked with a 4 wheel alignment and camber/castor setup (Note - this means don't take it to Kwik-fit ) - this should solve any problems with pulling to one side or the other.

If you've only just bought the car and the history is at all sketchy in regards to last service, I would consider changing the engine, gearbox and diff oil, oil filter, air filter, fuel filter and coolant, and maybe the plugs too.
It's a lot, but if there's no evidence it's been done recently you will probably find the car will run a lot better.
Obviously, if you have receipts saying the gearbox etc oil has recently been changed, ignore that advice

Brake pedal wise, you will get vibration through the pedal if you stand hard on them - as far as I'm aware this is standard behaviour on the newage when the ABS kicks in.
You can reduce the vibration somewhat by fitting a brakestopper bracket (about £20-30).

Toby Sansome

Thanks guys for the help so far. Anyone able to shed light on the PPP BHP?

MrNoisy

iTrader: (28)

Hi Toby,

PPP cars rarely make what they're claimed to on a dyno from what I've heard from various tuners and a rolling road.
They're supposed to be around 265bhp but in reality many only make about 250-260 due to the PPP map being generic rather than custom for the vehicle.
Best bet is to get it to a reputable rolling road and have it tested if you want to know for sure.

P.S I just re-read your second post.
Your brakes should not have smoke pouring out of the wheel, nor should the pedal be spongy. I would have this checked by a specialist immediately in case you have a reservoir leak or your fluid requires changing. Do you know if the car has been on a track?
The brakes are arguably the most important thing on the car - no use going fast if you can't stop!

Toby Sansome

Hey

So its booked into API to have the brakes looked at as they are K Sports dealers. I appreciate that the Prodrive kit wont always give the quoted figure. What confuses me is that if it had been fitted in 2001 at point of sale prodrive only quoted 245PS however the kit wasn't installed until 2006 at which point they quote 265PS but that would have been on an 06 blob/hawk eye car. What I am trying to establish is as the kit was fitted in 06 do I get 06 BHP or because it is an 01 car would it only have got 01 gains? Was an 01 WRX less powerful than an 06 WRX. Is this making sense? I asked prodrive but they said they no longer supply the part??

MrNoisy

iTrader: (28)

Your 01 car has a 2.0 engine.
In late 2005/early 2006 Subaru changed to using a 2.5 engine - weirdly I think it was to meet emissions standards from some article I read but that might be nonsense.
I think from the hawkeye shape WRX on, Subaru also stopped putting a cat in the up pipe between the headers and the turbo, hence the gases flow better and it'll make better power - earlier newage cars had cats in the up pipe and this tends to strangle performance on the WRX. For example, when I swapped out my catted up pipe for a decat one, power upped by around 10-15bhp.
Because of this, standard Hawkeyes and later model WRX are likely to make more torque and more power than standard earlier 2.0 models.

From my experiences at Surrey Rolling Road, the Hawkeye WRX's typically make a little more bhp (we're talking single figures here) than the earlier ones, and tend to have very good torque too due to the increased capacity. Ultimately though it's going to depend on the max output of the turbo.
TD04 turbos typically fitted to newage WRX models max out around 280bhp, so regardless of the shape you're unlikely to see more than that unless it's a hybrid modded turbo.

If you want to get to around 280 like I did with my bugeye WRX, a decent panel filter, 255 fuel pump, 3 port boost solenoid (nice to have, not strictly necessary), decat up pipe and sports cat downpipe / full decat exhaust will get you in that region if the rest of the car is setup right (e.g. correctly gapped spark plugs etc).

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Did you forget to mention remapping it ? You won't hike the power that far without a remap.

David APi

Toby Sansome

Thanks for the help guys. Still lost as to whether the PPP fitted to the car in 2006 will have given me 245PS or 265PS.

MrNoisy

iTrader: (28)

LOL - yes I did manage to omit that

MrNoisy

iTrader: (28)

Toby as far as I'm aware there was only one PPP package for your model. I think you may be gettin confused between the one for the 2006 Hawkeye model and the earlier 2.0 models?

Like I said if you want to know what the car is running, take it to a rolling road. My guess would be it'll b running around 250bhp.

Toby Sansome

Thanks everyone. Its been to API now and has the standard airbox and the K Sports brakes sorted. Turns out the master cylinder was shot and the brakes had buggered the ABS up. The boys have sorted it and put decent brake fluid in. They are very rumbly and noisey but the thing stops ridiculously well and in a straight line now so the noise I will live with until I can afford AP's all round. They also did the geo. Since getting her back I now have a voilent vibration in the steering around 60 to 70 mph. Is this because the wheels aren't balanced?? Also the clutch keeps stinking. It was only fitted 3k miles ago and was an organic exedy job. The clutch isn't slipping as I have put her into 1st and let the clutch pedal out with the handbrake on and she dies straight away. It started after doing three enthusiastic get aways. Any thoughts on why its now smelling and wont go away not even after a long run and wafts in even when moving?

Toby Sansome

PS big thanks to Dave and the API boys they did a cracking job. I have the burble back and the thing stops like nothing I have had before. You hang of the seatbelt. Mental. Shame they are so noisey. I would recommend these guys time and again. So helpful and nice to deal with.

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Hmmmm, Dunno about that, we rebalanced the wheels, so unless weight has fallen off it, is unlikely to be a balance issue. It could be the lower swivels on the front uprights, which have a habit of going slack or maybe a bit of slack in the track rods off the rack. We did have a tight list of things to do and a tight budget, for you - where do you stop?, There are always things to be done and a priority list worked out. Brakes come quite high up that list .

Clutches can be a bit stinky for a while, One of my cars always got smelly when you did a 3 point turn or backed into a parking spot. Ir seems to be a 'feature ' it will get better, or you'll not notice as much. Changing the clutch for another make will probably just prolong it, cos the new clutch will need to bed in too.

You know where we are if you need more help Thanks for the praise.

David