Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Hi guys

After leaving the Scooby fold in 08/08, I am back in the fold with my last Impreza. My STI5 was my pride and joy that I was forced to sell to help out my ex-fiancée, then realised I loved the car more than her so shipped her out less than a month later

Through karma or something, my baby has found her way back to me, albeit fairly battered by the guy that bought her off me. Not a single penny spent on upkeep, no receipts for any servicing work, fubared engine, various electrics broken, paintwork shabby, wheels battered, you name it basically. No oil in her and low coolant just to add to it...

I paid £2600 to get her back, more than I should with so many things broken but I couldn't bear the thought of him having her any longer or some Barryboy buying her, tastelessly stickering her to death and driving her in to the ground even more. All of the parts are still on her that I fitted, details in the link under my name.

I already have various parts on the way to start restoring her and I am blessed in that I have a really great detailer for a friend so he will get her looking right. I am just over the moon as I missed this car so much and still prefer her to all of the cars I have had since and currently.

Anyway, waffle over, I have just a few questions to start off with (I will also go searching too) if you are all feeling kind enough to answer:

1. Thinking about replacing the suspension again. Don't want/need the best stuff right now (I would ideally but funds aren't strong currently, this was a surprise purchase this week), want to keep the original ride height. What is around that doesn't cost the earth, gives a nice ride (important in my old age) and is possibly adjustable easily like the PSS9 kit that I have got used to on the 6. I suppose the Kayaba AGX stuff again may be in order?

2.Clutches. I had horrors back in the day with this girl and trying various clutch setups. I always liked helix clutches but if memory serves the helix was struggling with the power and my driving style so I tried an Exedy pink under the advice of others along with a lightened flywheel. That combo was beyond horrific. Hated it and got shot of it after a couple of weeks. Even after bedding in it was just nasty. Judder judder judder, it was embarrassing. The pink on it's own was ok I believe. Anyway, the ex owner claims to have had a BGA Racing? Stage 4 Clutch fitted. Never heard of them and whatever is in there a nasty, juddery POS like the pink/lightened flywheel combo! It is getting junked asap.

If the engine can be salvaged by TFS then it was chucking out about 380/350on the 20g. What can I put in that will handle that perfectly well, while feeling as OE as possible? Has to be daily driver friendly for Madam and I am getting lazy/fussy so want the same! If there is something that can handle that power and say 450-500 while feeling as OE as possible too then please mention that as well.

3. What am I looking at price-wise for a designed-to-fit Classic FMIC kit? Lowest price is nice as long as it isn't a POS and I will most likely want to spray it black. Is there a preferred, non-Ebaytastic FMIC these days?

4. Parts catalogue system. I have seen the online one that has been posted on here but tbh, it is pretty awful for finding anything resembling part numbers. For our VAG stuff I have ETKA and that is outstanding, allowing me to get all the part numbers I need for the various things that fail on those cars.... Is there anything out there like ETKA, that I can run on my computer with proper part numbers and diagrams, or am I back to trying to describe parts to the dealership parts guys?


I think that is about it for now guys, thanks in advance. Again, so happy to have my baby back!

Cheers,

Nick

wrx9181

iTrader: (2)

Good luck mate
Nice to hear she in good hands again

stvscooby

she"ll be back looking awesome in no time

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Thanks guys. 221 views and nobody has any (useful/sensible ) advice?

Infected by sti

iTrader: (6)

Import car parts carry alot of stock and are fairly priced ( alot cheaper than dealer ) We have just purchased a exeedy pink box clutch and billet flywheel for the RB320, I've driven a few cars now with them fitted and can't say I really noticed anything out of the ordinary, little stiffer under your foot maybe but nothing awful imo.

If your not wanting to spend a fortune on an engine then maybe look at a newage short motor, I'm running 453/446 on a standard newage jdm motor with a lm450 combo, if you wanted to get one built then there are many quality companies on here that offer that service, don't be fooled in to going for the cheapest possible route tho as no doubt you will end up paying twice, so better to have done it right first time around.

Fmic for your budget application alot of people run the japspeed/autobahn kits, I believe the japspeed kits have slightly larger piping than the autobahn (from what I've read) an people are running over 500hp on certain applications, the HDI coolers are a great bit of kit and are widely recognised throughout the scene now, that is what I'm running on my blob, its a good bit of kit! There are others available but prices soon start to get costly.

KYB seem to be the norm for replacing shocks with, take a look thought the breaking sections there will be plenty of kits to choose from I'm sure, not sure on the price of new tho sorry.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for that. I can cope with a slightly harder pedal, it is the judder that I can't stand. Madam is the one that is needs to be as smooth as possible for though.

Money won't be an issue later on for the engine at all, I am only thinking short term if the lump can be salvaged. I wasn't expecting to be picking up another car this month and was supposed to be saving to move in with madam this year so I have set a limit of 1k in my bonce for working on the current lump to keep it going until the end of the year, anything much more than that and she will sit on the drive and I will fix up everything else first. Next year I am planning for a "proper job" new custom lump.

The AGX shocks are only £600 all round new from Camskill so I won't bother gambling on second hand, everything is a breath of fresh air price-wise for this car compared to the flaming VAG rape tax for the other cars that I have got used to.......

I will have a look at the HDI coolers, thinking ahead.

Thanks

RossyB

Good luck mate, glad i walked away from it tbh, and loving the the version 4 i just bought, hopefully you can get it to how you want it without too much hassle and cash lol =)

Ross

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Yep, you would have cringed when you saw her up close/picked apart everything the bloke knackered on her but I remember what she was so saw through all that to the beauty within "pictures a really fat chick".

Won't be any hassle for the work as the vast majority of it will be done by me, only the engine work that won't be really. I work from home so will be able to tinker a lot and will keep me busy between work and chemo.

Whatever cash I have to put in to her to make her perfect is no issue to me as making her perfect again is all that matters.

Sounds cocky but in the condition she was when I sold her and when restored, this one looks pretty special and pretty different to the average classic out there imo.

I still think it was karma that had you contact me out of nowhere asking for info about her!

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

1. Thinking about replacing the suspension again. Don't want/need the best stuff right now (I would ideally but funds aren't strong currently, this was a surprise purchase this week), want to keep the original ride height. What is around that doesn't cost the earth, gives a nice ride (important in my old age) and is possibly adjustable easily like the PSS9 kit that I have got used to on the 6. I suppose the Kayaba AGX stuff again may be in order? STi red shocks with eibach springs are a good setup for a road car

2.Clutches. I had horrors back in the day with this girl and trying various clutch setups. I always liked helix clutches but if memory serves the helix was struggling with the power and my driving style so I tried an Exedy pink under the advice of others along with a lightened flywheel. That combo was beyond horrific. Hated it and got shot of it after a couple of weeks. Even after bedding in it was just nasty. Judder judder judder, it was embarrassing. The pink on it's own was ok I believe. Anyway, the ex owner claims to have had a BGA Racing? Stage 4 Clutch fitted. Never heard of them and whatever is in there a nasty, juddery POS like the pink/lightened flywheel combo! It is getting junked asap. You want an organic clutch maybe something like an AP and stick with the standard flywheel

If the engine can be salvaged by TFS then it was chucking out about 380/350on the 20g. What can I put in that will handle that perfectly well, while feeling as OE as possible? Has to be daily driver friendly for Madam and I am getting lazy/fussy so want the same! If there is something that can handle that power and say 450-500 while feeling as OE as possible too then please mention that as well. newage sti engine will handle 450bhp no problem

3. What am I looking at price-wise for a designed-to-fit Classic FMIC kit? Lowest price is nice as long as it isn't a POS and I will most likely want to spray it black. Is there a preferred, non-Ebaytastic FMIC these days? hybrid fmic is the best budget intercooler probably looking at about £350 for a new one

Milo2163

Interesting thread, I've just been reunited with my old 93 wrx after 13 yrs! She's been stored for 5 yrs but hasn't had any love for a while. I was sure it had gone to scooby heaven! Looking for suspension also and the £600 set up sound good.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

She had the Kayaba AGX setup on her previously and Eibach springs, I honestly cannot fault that setup at all. Camskill link here - http://www.camskill.co.uk/m10b911s26...TO_2000_Import

Thanks for the info Banny, I take it that Helix don't cut the mustard higher up the power range? Agreed on the flywheel, never touching a lightweight one again.

banny sti

iTrader: (68)

Pretty sure the factory stuff is rebranded KYB's Not had too much experience with the Helix but would be worth having a chat with Alyn @ AS Performance as to what he would recommend

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

I believe you are right about KYB too.

Fat Boy

Agree with everything Banny said and just to back it up - I have had the AP organic on my P1 for 18K+miles at 450bhp/440ftlb. I don't do drag strips or extreme launches, but it has worked really well with no judders etc despite being pasted otherwise. I also have the RCM lightweight flywheel which has been fine - you get used to driving with it very quickly.

STi5 with eibach springs is basically the P1 OEM set up which works brilliantly on UK roads.

Good luck and welcome back

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Cheers.

I just can't see myself taking the gamble with another lightened flywheel. I think the one I had stuck in along with the Exedy pink was a 6Kg lightened stock one (I think, nothing more than "6Kg lightened Subaru flywheel" mentioned on the worksheet).

With the 2 other manuals in the household, it has to feel as close to stock as possible/similar to them really for madam's sake even more than mine, even if I have to sacrifice some power.

Fat Boy

Fair enough - mine was the ultralite 4.8kg jobbie and even Mrs FB found it ok - which, believe me, is quite a test...

Having said that every so often I would forget , as the P1 only gets used occasionally as its a toy, and find myself kangarooing whilst crawling in traffic .

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Yep, that is the deal-breaker right there, thanks for the confirmation!

Spoke to TFS Racing a little while ago and got the confirmation that it is bottom end as I expected.

No idea what I am going to do. I know that there is no way that I have enough self-control to not get the engine sorted now but if I am looking at quite possibly 2k for a rebuild using what is left in there (a previously failed, rebored, failed again lump that I don't think I would ever be happy with), I think that I should seriously be thinking sod it and just getting the lump built to desired spec then uprating the ancillaries piecemeal throughout this year.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Ok, thinking about a new lump for the car and a max 5k budget to get the car running overall. Keeping the AFP 20g tubby for now and can uprate the external parts of the engine down the line but want to make the core as tough as possible and able to handle fairly big power down the line.

I have been put off going for big power on a 2.5 block pretty heavily, is that spot on advice? Can you still get 2.2 CDB and is it worth enlarging? Am I best off with a 2L CDB and having it enlarged?.

If you guys have any ideas for the direction you would go in, factoring in budget constraints, I would be most grateful. Will go searching the forums later but have just found the will to try to drag myself on to the treadmill to clear my lungs a bit...... Pray for me.

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

New age semi closed deck block stroked to 2.1 should be good enough for what you want, and not too pricey, like a 2.35 would be.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

+1 on the 2.1 cheapest way to reliable 500+ bhp, semi closed deck will save a few quid on machining over a CDB too, which I would spend on a nitride crank.

I have AP organic clutch and exeddy 6 or 6.5kg flywheel and no judder, does take slightly more revs off the line than oe though, which is never a problem for me.

TBH unless your planning on going way north of 500bhp, which is the point at which things start to get silly expensive, I would opt for a second hand JDM bottom end, and since you need a new block anyway this will be by far the cheapest most reliable 500bhp money can buy, just use one of the reputable breakers off here.

It's the route that many who have been there and done it all would take given their time again.

Mr Footlong

iTrader: (7)

Thanks guys. Changed my mind on cheap now that I know the engine is properly shot and can't be easily patched up. I am thinking 5k for the engine work as my limit, keeping the 20g for now until funds allow for that to be swapped out. FMIC may well have to factor in to that amount and that would have to include the fitting ideally.

Sadly I don't have the time to be hunting/gambling on second hand lumps so would be putting my faith in the builder to get the right parts.

I was told that the power would have to stay below 500 to remain even vaguely daily drive-friendly, guessing clutch-related more than anything. I hear what you are saying about the flywheel but not only do I have god awful memories of that judder, with whatever POS the guy had put in recently, it is doing it again now and I just can't go back to that lol.

I hate feeling like such a noob after all these years away but when I don't need to remember stuff anymore, I dump it out of my brain to learn new things and that is what has happened to about 50% of my Scooby knowledge these days .

Thanks

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Hi welcome back.

I would source a good 2nd hand newage 2.0 SCDB short engine and drop it straight in, good for 450HP. Even if you don't drop it in it has a better crank, block and rods - refresh bearings and perhaps a set of hone to fit pistons and away you go.

Suspesion I would talk to curtis at AST for their sportline 1 kit, spring rates can vary dependent on useage, or perhaps source a 2nd hand set and get them serviced and uprated to their latest spec.

Clutch IMO only one out there at the moment, ACT uprated organic and matching lightened flywheel. The one I have is rated to 500 Lbft and drves OE ,if a little heavy on the peddle but that is the only compromise.

Worth sending the 20g back to Andy forrest for a refresh if the engine has been subject to poor maintainence - thrust bearing/seal will probably be worn - check for no axial movement of the compressor when its off. There is a billet upgrade which would give you easy 400HP on Vpower.

HTH and get yourself onto 22B.com