Modifying the Hawkeye
 

Well chaps the time has come to modify my Hawkeye WRX (2.5)

Let it be said this car has not been without its issues and has come close on a few occasions to being set on fire and forgotten about. However we have re-kindled out friendship and now it is time for me to invest some time and money into the car.

So currently its running approx 270 BHP, I have no proof of this other than it having a K&N panel filter, uprated fuel pump and full decat exhaust when I bought the car from a performance dealer.
Since then its had the gear box rebuilt and ive had no issues (this was two years ago now) The other issue was engine related and this is still somewhat of a dark area, one of which I am going to properly resolve as part of this.
Basically I was out driving and somehow the top radiator pipe clipped the rad fan and put a hole in it. I didn't realise until I wondered why my oil light was a strange dim light red and there was a small ploom of smoke passing down the drivers side of the car.
I was initially told by a roadside mechanic that it looked like HGF failure had occurred after the damage was done as there were bubbles in the rad when the car was accelerated. As this car was and still is my daily driver I instructed a garage possibly stupid or whatever to use gasket sealer as I didn't have time to have the car off the road, same day this was done and the following morning I was given the green light it looked like it has worked. Now this was a year ago and I've had no issues since... I was also informed that it could have simply been an air in the system and it hasn't been burped properly, and just a coincidence that the sealant worked, who knows?!?!

With the above in mind, I have decided to buy an FMIC and a TD05 20g, and also now get the headgaskets uprated.

This has lead me to some dilemmas and I need your advice guys! I can fit the FMIC and turbo myself then just need to have it mapped. As I am getting the head gaskets changed should I get the ARP head bolts too?
Strangely and unless im missing something, 2 garages have refused to map my car when ive emailed for a quote and another has quoted me £540 for the map, sounds a little expensive?
Ive got in touch with scoobyclinic and they have advised to rebuild my engine and forge it as the standard ecu is only good for 330bhp. Also doing the big end and main bearings. Along with uprating the head gasket. - They have advised that a td05 20g is too much for my engine to handle unless I forge it? is that true?
Before telling me this will be 4k inc vat without including the remap.

In terms of power, I wasn't really fussed just wanted an improvement on what I currently had, always liked the FMIC look and if I can get to around 330-350 BHP then great!
Is it worth forging it? bearing in mind I'll probably never go beyond 400bhp not because I'll get bored of the performance but because I probably wont invest any more into the performance of the car once ive got to this point.

Ive spent quite a bit of time researching, but never seen anyone say dont get a td05 20g... but i have seen various posts about the possibility of ringland failure, chocolate pistons etc... I want to keep the 5 speed at internally its pretty much new, and as for the brakes I have this in hand.

Your input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Steve

If it was me , I'd focus all my attention and funds to getting it forged. Anything additional is a bonus.

Problem is you could get new gaskets, turbo, FMIC and remap only for the pistons to go. Then you'll kick yourself for spending all that money when you need to rebuild anyway.

it costs less to go forged BEFORE it blows up aswell. Get it sorted first then add all those other bits once your funds build back up again.

I can get my hands on some Wossner 100mm bore forged pistons but have no idea where I would go to get them fitted, wouldnt i get the HG's and other engine bits done at the same time or am I missing something? :)

Thanks

Steve

Oh yes head gasket needs done. But what I'm saying is there's no point in paying for all the other stuff without forging. As in , just getting new gaskets, turbo, FMIC and remap is all well and good as long as it doesnt go pop.

I get ya!

Right I'll go on that route then :D

of course i know sweet FA when it comes down to it , other than i had to get a rebuild and I'd have kicked myself if I'd have spent a couple of grand on other bits first.