Thread: Tuning your Suby

Originally Posted by volklpowdermaniac

Well as far as whoever said, there is far more bad info at nasioc than here, than proceeded to recommend the CAI....


foolish.


If you read Nasioc, or club wrx.net you will find that the CAI is one of the most debated, but often dismissed mods perhaps of all time. In fact, most CAI can screw with your car, they offer minimal benefits at best, and can often funk up the running of the car. They are for sound mainly. IF, one was going to do an air modification, it should be with a short ram intake.

Cold Air Intake is like steez. All show, no go.

cai bad for wrx - Google Search


At best, its a modification for way down the line when your ripping out 350+ hp, the stock air flow is capable of handling 300-350 just fine.

I've had two WRXs. fyi.

Ooooh boy.

I would never run a short ram intake. Pulling in hot engine air makes little sense if you know anything about turbo compressor flow...

On my WRX I ran a velocity stack to the stock airbox from the fender well, with an opening in the well. On the STi, an APS CAI. IIRC, while cruising the intake air temps at the MAF were virtually ambient temp.

I don't think people have been placing enough emphasis on doing the handling mods first. That is the low-hanging fruit in terms of $/driving fun ratio.

20mm+ rear sway is a must, as are replacement endlinks. I have a 99 GF bodystyle, normally aspirated. I stuffed in a 20mm (02-03 WRX sedan) rear sway along with a Kartboy short shift kit and shifter bushings. I recently test drove a new WRX and realized that if I bought the car I would have to do the same mods immediately: once you have gone away from mushy shifter and body roll, it is pretty tough to go back.

Of course, mine is also lifted and skidded, which was great for Montana but is kinda pointless for the big city, unless I decide to go rallycrossing. But I already have plenty of stuff to do with my free time in the summer what with biking and climbing.

Originally Posted by Sirshredalot

I don't think people have been placing enough emphasis on doing the handling mods first. That is the low-hanging fruit in terms of $/driving fun ratio.

20mm+ rear sway is a must, as are replacement endlinks. I have a 99 GF bodystyle, normally aspirated. I stuffed in a 20mm (02-03 WRX sedan) rear sway along with a Kartboy short shift kit and shifter bushings. I recently test drove a new WRX and realized that if I bought the car I would have to do the same mods immediately: once you have gone away from mushy shifter and body roll, it is pretty tough to go back.

Of course, mine is also lifted and skidded, which was great for Montana but is kinda pointless for the big city, unless I decide to go rallycrossing. But I already have plenty of stuff to do with my free time in the summer what with biking and climbing.

Oh sure....both my cars eventually had fairly extensive handling mods. Coilovers with adjustable strut tops, full poly bushings, ALK, swaybars, fully adustable alignment and rear track width, big dot-R tires on wide rims....

Originally Posted by Nathan Explosion

It's amazing how inexpensive used STi parts are, makes me question why people pay the ~$8000 premium when it looks like I could get virtually everything STi, down to the suspension, for about $2100-2500..

What models can STI parts be bolted to? Are you limited to turbo-only models of Legacy/Outbacks, all Legacy/Outbacks for non-engine related parts?
Interesting, sounds like you could make yourself a stealthy-Legacy/Outback STi...

Originally Posted by Sirshredalot

I don't think people have been placing enough emphasis on doing the handling mods first. That is the low-hanging fruit in terms of $/driving fun ratio.

20mm+ rear sway is a must, as are replacement endlinks. I have a 99 GF bodystyle, normally aspirated. I stuffed in a 20mm (02-03 WRX sedan) rear sway along with a Kartboy short shift kit and shifter bushings. I recently test drove a new WRX and realized that if I bought the car I would have to do the same mods immediately: once you have gone away from mushy shifter and body roll, it is pretty tough to go back.

Of course, mine is also lifted and skidded, which was great for Montana but is kinda pointless for the big city, unless I decide to go rallycrossing. But I already have plenty of stuff to do with my free time in the summer what with biking and climbing.

Is your ride the one on Dirty Impreza? That is sweet.

Originally Posted by mmmthmtskier

What models can STI parts be bolted to? Are you limited to turbo-only models of Legacy/Outbacks, all Legacy/Outbacks for non-engine related parts?
Interesting, sounds like you could make yourself a stealthy-Legacy/Outback STi...

Subaru's are like legos. I'm not at all familliar with the new style impreza's, but basicly most of the impreza/legacy/forester's built in the last 15 years more or less compatable. So you can put any powertrain in any chassis, suspension mods are similar, etc. Wouldn't be all that hard to build a 500hp legacy...but wouldn't be cheap.

Originally Posted by stuckathuntermtn

Is your ride the one on Dirty Impreza? That is sweet.

Yep, mine's on DI. I got the info for my strut swap/lift from there. Nothing fancy compared to a lot of folks' Subys, but it's fun to drive for sure and it's been a good learning experience.

Originally Posted by Damian Sanders

Ooooh boy.

I would never run a short ram intake. Pulling in hot engine air makes little sense if you know anything about turbo compressor flow...

On my WRX I ran a velocity stack to the stock airbox from the fender well, with an opening in the well. On the STi, an APS CAI. IIRC, while cruising the intake air temps at the MAF were virtually ambient temp.

I'm liking the little elbow pipe I picked up online that cuts out the resonator box in the fender. Makes the stock airbox a little more efficient and CAI-esque, except you're not running through the fender, and you still use the stock airbox filter, so there's not a whole lot of water ingestion risk. Doesn't give the performance, but it's a little better than stock, and takes three minutes to install.

Is there any reason not to go SPT for parts? The shop manager where I bought mine said he'd sell me the SPT cat-back for $350. Paired with a Perrin DP (or about any other), it's a full catted turboback for like $800, or a full catted turboback and a AP for like $1000. Is there any reason not to just do this?

Originally Posted by Damian Sanders

Subaru's are like legos. I'm not at all familliar with the new style impreza's, but basicly most of the impreza/legacy/forester's built in the last 15 years more or less compatable. So you can put any powertrain in any chassis, suspension mods are similar, etc. Wouldn't be all that hard to build a 500hp legacy...but wouldn't be cheap.

haha! i would love to mod my forester... that would be great

Originally Posted by Nathan Explosion

Is there any reason not to go SPT for parts? The shop manager where I bought mine said he'd sell me the SPT cat-back for $350. Paired with a Perrin DP (or about any other), it's a full catted turboback for like $800, or a full catted turboback and a AP for like $1000. Is there any reason not to just do this?

Personally, I don't like mis-matched downpipes and catbacks. You can run into issues with fitment and leaks, and changes in pipe diameter. I prefer a complete turboback system. Cats or no cats? No cats makes more power, louder, and throws fireballs......and IIRC, can still pass emissons, doesn't polute alot really. I would just buy a decent used turboback.

Originally Posted by nickwm21

haha! i would love to mod my forester... that would be great

Well, the FXT's basicly have a newish WRX motor in them, a 2.5T of some variation......IIRC, the forester actually got the 2.5t before the wrx. If you have the 2.5t, the same WRX mods apply more or less.

The NA and older ones don't have a turbo, obviously. If you have that, you can go several routes....all several thousand dollars, and lots of labor.

- a bolt on turbo (kit) plus all the supporting mods (engine management, etc). Check the older impreza forums on NASIOC for turbo kits. While not all that invasive, it is a complex mod, and won't be all that cheap, reliable or powerful. It may be possible to use WRX parts instaid of an aftermarket kit.

- My top choice, bang for the buck, is to do a WRX or FXT motor swap (with supporting parts, etc), which should drop in with relatively minor modification and troubleshooting. That way you can use all the standard WRX ECU, and mods. Sounds invasive, but the motors come out pretty easy, new parts more or less bolt up, etc.

(or, do the sane thing - sell your car, and buy an FXT)

- Coolest and most expensive is a full STI swap, including the 6-speed and rear diff......$$$$$$

Good luck!!!

Or you can always go for something like this...