Whizo

Hi all


New member here. I have had two scoobys in the past, but about a year ago my dear wife thought that I needed a "grown up" car so I was talked into buying an Audi A5, yuck!


Anyway, long story short, I have seen a STI Spec R for sale and another STI for sale. But here is my problem, I love the Spec R, it has a ton of extras, coilovers, exhaust, JDM twinscroll turbo etc, its also been tuned by legend Bob Rawle. The car has approx. 400bhp, however the car does not have forged internals. It also has a standard gear box, I have read that cars with 400+ bhp can eat gearboxes and we all know about the 2.5l engine going pop if its not forgded. But I have been told if Bob Rawle has touched a car its going to be spot on and I have nothing to worry about. So what do you guys think?


The other STI has a full engine rebuild with forged pistons, better head gasgets, studs etc. This car is around 350bhp but it has no toys or extras. And to be honest I prefer the Spec D rather than this one, but the engine not being forged is putting doubts in my head.


Thanks

TypeR99

iTrader: (2)

400 on a stock 2.5 is fine but i wouldnt push it further

The gearbox will laugh at that power

Steve001

iTrader: (7)

I seem to remember someone quoting the 6 speed gearbox can take 600bhp
But I recon 2.5 running 400bhp the engine will require a forged rebuild sooner rather than later

Whizo

Funny thing is the car has been running 400bhp since 2007 so thats 7-8 years without being forged.

Tidgy

6 speed is a very strong box, syncro's arn't the best but at 400 it will be fine.

400 on a 2.5 without forging is def pushing the limit, if its survived then great, more than i would push it lol

Steve001

iTrader: (7)

Nice one, lucky but nice

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Really depends how it's being driven, just the odd squirt here and there and it'll probably be fine, BUT if you plan on giving it some for prolonged periods it'll probably let go, it really doesn't take long to get a 2.5L engine VERY hot and they run around 10 degrees hotter than a 2.0L under normal conditions, well the one I have spent time around does, literally 10 mins of beans will see it wanting to head north of 120 degrees.

Personally unless you have the spare funds to rebuild it I'd stay clear of the 2.5L.

TypeR99

iTrader: (2)

Can someone tell me what the limiting factor is on the 2.5 sti motor?

I've done some reading and understand the liners are thinner than a 2.0 because theyre a 99mm piston instead of 92mm on a 2.0 but what else stops people wanting to venture past 400?

Someone told me the V9 rods and crank are the strongest factory parts so is it purely the pistons and liners?

Just curious.

Whizo

Here is the car for you guys to have a look -


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271827655215?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageNa me=S TRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Tidgy

the 2.5 has a nasty habit of doing headgaskets (heads slightly lift and blow them out) and ring lands failing. The pistons arn't proper forged one, they coated cast ones and pretty ****.

Built right the block will be ok to about 450, after that the wall thickness and open deck become a bit of an issue. people do push it past that but its more of a risk. You can pin the block to go to 500, but not sure at what point even that starts to be an issue.

450 2.5 makes an epic road engine

Im going 2.0 cdb, storked to 2.1 in my type r, but thats because i got a decent deal on a 2.0cdb, if not i would have gone 2.5

Tidgy

Personaly i wouldn't buy one at 400 that hadn't been rebuilt, that's also strong money for what it is.

Shaunby 300

I'd be thinking why's it for sale? Showing signs it's about to let go?
A good hard test drive is needed , watching the temp gauge.

fatboy_coach

iTrader: (1)

14K and it's not been forged? Have you asked to see the invoices for the work so you can see where the money has gone?

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with the car but that's a lot of money to be pumped into it without the known weak points being addressed.

lcs_turbo

How about this - then spend the remaining on forging it?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201503211947854

Whizo

The one on Autotrader is not bad, I was also thinking about this one -


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-Subar...ht_1589wt_1348

Whizo

Your wish is my command, photos attached


http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo/f...id=20731186449
http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo/f...id=20731186487
http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo/f...id=20731186519
http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo/f...id=20731186533
http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo/f...id=20731186567
http://www.photobox.co.uk/my/photo/f...id=20731186598

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

Could be because he bought it from these guys...

http://www.cheshireperformance.co.uk...-owner-fsh.htm

johnny subaru

Red alert! Red alert!...

Peter Pan

iTrader: (6)

Imho it looks like the front end is a different shade to rest of the car to me so I'd be giving that one a wide birth.

johned

As above.

Whizo

Hi guys


sorry for the delay in replying, been busy researching this car. Anyway, long story short, I managed to talk to a guy who has worked on this car and he told me to stay away from it, simply because this car has had a very, very, very hard life, its been ragged non stop from the day it was bought.


So its pretty much on its last legs, so the lesson here is it pays to do your research

InTurbo

iTrader: (3)

I've noticed that same spec d being for sale by a few different people last year. Heads probably lifting under boost lol