Hey chaps, I've been on this forum for a while and I'm in need of your advice...
I've recently traded in my old 1995 JDM WRX for a newer 2003 WRX with PPP and I'm looking for a bit more oomph out of the new ride. The old car had an addictive power delivery (mine was ESL'd) and I'm missing that midrange rush and effortless top end. I'm not chasing horsepower (although power on oversteer can be fun on a closed circuit ), I just don't get on with the delivery of the tiny TD04.
I'm thinking that a TD05 18G and remap might be the way to go, as I want to retain the bulletproof reliability and not strain the gearbox/ clutch, etc. Also, I don't want to lose the airbox or top mount.
Am I right in thinking that the standard ECU is flashable with a new licence?
Only other notable mod is a Cobra cat back (with resonator).
What would you do for a high 200's low 300bhp motor that will last forever? Mileage is currently 80k with FSH.

 

PCA dynamics springs, polly bushes all round, tail happy geo set up, then learn to drive a bit better.

Speaking as a 330bhp Type R owner, my blob WRX ppp lacks nothing in the power department, you just need to learn how to carry speed, Blobs are way more composed than classics, you just need some ***** and to hold your nerve, so much easier to drive fast, but it's about holding on to the speed not letting it tail off and then relying on bhp and light weight to make you quicker.

Way too many people go for more power when what they need is more skill to learn how to get more out of what they already have.

 

Ah, ok.
Brakes and alignment already taken care of, but thanks for the heads-up.
Always looking to become a better driver, but that's not the purpose of this exercise.
Dyno'd at 257hp, the PPP is a little tamer than I'd like from such a great power plant. I'd like to free up a few horses and improve the driving experience. Got to add that this is for my own personal pleasure and may not appeal to other peoples tastes...

 

TD04 is not a punch in the back of the seat kind of turbo, it's more linear in it's power delivery, personally I think it's perfect with PPP or just a remap, having had a blob with both I don't think a remap is worth the extra and all a bigger turbo does is increase lag.

I get that people think that more bhp = faster but in reality it doesn't, better handling and braking along with driver tuition are the things that really = faster.

You'll need a very well set up 450bhp plus car and the ability to drive it to be going anywhere from what you already have in the real world.

Back in the days when there were people on here that knew what they were talking about it was generally accepted that you will need a 100bhp advantage to make any noticeable difference on the road, so unless you plan on going for 350bhp + it's pretty much pointless.

 

Bit early in the evening for the strong stuff, but I get what you're saying... If it was at all applicable, I'd be taking you seriously.

So, to anyone else who "knows what they're talking about"... I'm after a bit more midrange punch. Would a TD05 plus remap deliver this, or are there better options?

 

Full decat sti intercooler injectors and fuel pump should see around 300. And set you up nicely for a remap when you do turbo upgrade

 

Thanks south_scoob, but I'm being ultra careful. An injector swap and decat is going to trash my AFR without timing and fueling mods. I'm thinking of a one stop solution to change the character of the power delivery without unnecessary reliability woes...

 

But wouldn't slapping on a bigger turbo with no supporting mods actually make it drive worse?

a decated and remapped tdo4 at 280 would see the benefit of faster spool and extra mid grunt?

Edit i see you already have ppp so sports cat. I don't know mate

 

Fair enough mate, your money, your choice, but having been around Subarus for 12yrs I have learned that it's not more power you need, it's better handling and brakes.

At the end of the day you'll spend £2k for a car that gives you the "mid range punch" you're after but it won't actually be any faster.

 

You don't need much power in the Newage WRX to go fast as they have a pretty efficient drive-line, i.e. mods give more power to it's wheels than what they'd give it's 4x4 rivals. 300bhp is enough with uprated brakes and suspension.

I'm making 330bhp from a TD05 16G and sportscat and it's a tad too much for me on the twisties.

300bhp can be had with a TD04 and generous supporting mods and spool will be as low as 2500rpm afaik but power will drop off well below 7000rpm.

TD05's can be laggy, mine doesn't kick in until around 3600rpm and I don't feel the kick until 4000rpm, but it holds power nicely to the red line.





When you get it mapped after a Turbo swap make sure the restrictor pill is in the hose or the right one!

 

decat exhaust remap and uprated fuel pump if the ppp doesn't already have one anyway it'll go like stink

 

curious how does the VF35 compare to the TD05 in terms of kick/delivery and power band?

 

My Blob WRX is running 275 bhp with full system, remap, panel filter and i think this is a nice amount, still got the reliability and plenty quick enough.

 

If you want a midrange thump rather than a linear delivery, then you need a bigger turbo. However, without bigger injectors, fuel pump, exhaust mods etc, you won't be taking advantage of the bigger turbo's capability. So you'll end up with a later spool, more lag, a smaller power band but no more top end or power than a TD04. But you will get nothing, nothing, bang delivery.

 

as has been said above, the TD04 can run the standard injectors to their max once mapped so if you want anything more you'll have to upgrade injectors too. Fuel pump and boost gauge should be already done along with uppipe cat delete and you can stick with your existing top mount/intake setup (just drop a panel filter in).

In my own experience the 16g comes in a little sooner than the VF's on a WRX but the VF will have a little more up top so chose what suits your driving style (do you like to rev the life out of it or do you like earlier punch and shifting up sooner).

For me the 16g suited the WRX perfectly, I also got a little more miles per gallon even with the addition of the STI pinks. A decent set of headers would enhance any upgraded turbo choice and you'll be able to claw back a few hundred RPM in spoolup time too.

Make sure to get rid of the up-pipe cat even if your planning on keeping the TD04, mapped or not the cats are getting on in life and it's only a matter of time before it breaks up and tries to escape through your turbo exhaust housing.

I don't think your WRX has a sports cat on the PPP so there would be some gains to be had there as well.

 

Where you trade your 1995 JDM WRX? Been looking for one

 

Interesting reading, given the gearbox/engine limitations on the WRX i'm planning on the following on my 05 blob (I currently have a scorpion centre section and prodrive rear exhaust), Scoobyworld Sports Cat, RCM Up-pipe, VF35, STI Tmic, Bosch 044 fuel pump. I'm hoping to have early 300's but not be riding on the edge of det with the gearbox or engine lol, would you still say the STI pink injectors would be a wise move or is it a little overkill?

 

yes you will absolutely need injectors to run anything larger than a TD04 on a WRX - the stock ones simply aren't big enough.

 

noted cheers

 

Ask and you shall receive...







05 Sti Widetrack with a cobra 3" trackday system, Walbro fuel pump, pro-r filter.

 

awesome i'm guessing the TD05 is in red and the VF35 in green?

 

The 320 is for the VF35, the 292 is as well but before the map was tweaked to accomadate the 3" system. It previously ran a 2.5.

 

ahhh gotcha, that's good to know thanks bud appreciated

 

now now - not fair showing him STI bits, the AVCS and different compression will be giving a fair advantage over what a WRX will do, nice graffs tho what was the torque output?

 

this was my other thought is running the hawkeye TD04 - http://www.racedynamix.co.uk/remap/3...u-impreza-wrx/

 

320 ftlbs

 

That's because you only do straight lines

Mine is currently 340 and 335 ft lbs on the same turbo and is amazing fun down a back road.

 

I've never known anyone get a genuine 300BHP from a standard TD04 in all my time on here.

Andy Forrest does do a hybrid TD04 that can make up to 310BHP with supporting mods.

http://www.andyforrestperformance.co.uk/58901.html

 

Don't think he does them anymore mate
However I did have one mapped by him on my old classic and it was an excellent responsive turbo with low spool and a little more top end than the standard TD04L
It ran about 312/300 iirc and was a great car....like said its not all about the power

cheers
Matt

 

Hey guys, many thanks for all the input. Looks like I have a lot of research still to do.
Never considered the VF35, but I can see that's one to add to the list.
Technopug, yes that's exactly what I'm after. The PPP is a very capable car and I have absolutely no complaints. I'm not looking to "beat someone away from the lights" or anything like that, just want to alter the driving experience a little.
South_scoob, a remap was always on the cards - I don't want to do a little here and there. Makes more sense to me (time wise) to do a bit of research and then change everything at once.
jaygsi - Private sale mate after 10 year ownership. Miss that old girl, she was mint.
Injectors! What's the duty cycle on pinks with a 16G or VF35?
Going to keep on working through all this stuff, and start preparing a shopping list!