Welcome to the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club Thursday March 28, 2024
Home Forums Images WikiNASIOC Products Store Modifications Upgrade Garage
NASIOC
Go Back   NASIOC > NASIOC Technical > Factory 2.5L Turbo Powertrain (EJ Series Factory 2.5L Turbo)

Welcome to NASIOC - The world's largest online community for Subaru enthusiasts!
Welcome to the NASIOC.com Subaru forum.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, free of charge, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.







* As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads. 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-22-2012, 07:42 PM   #1
yoshi0423
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 249954
Join Date: Jun 2010
Chapter/Region: MWSOC
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Vehicle:
2005 STI

Question How much abuse can my STI take?

I've had my 05' STI for a 1.5 years and started tracking it his year. Currently sitting at 27,xxx miles.

What I'm really curious about is how much abuse can the engine & transmission take? How long can I except everything to run without blowing up.

If anyones been tracking theirs for a long time without issues, I'd love to hear about it. Obviously if the opposite has happened I wanna hear about it too.

Thanks
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
yoshi0423 is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.
Old 10-22-2012, 09:26 PM   #2
HinshawWRX
Medium Frank
Moderator
 
Member#: 140114
Join Date: Feb 2007
Chapter/Region: MAIC
Location: Common Sense, VA
Vehicle:
2020 Subaru
Outback

Default

We cannot even begin to answer this. Farrrrrrrr too many variables to even get a hint at.
HinshawWRX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2012, 09:52 PM   #3
teesutt
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 127940
Join Date: Oct 2006
Chapter/Region: MWSOC
Location: One Big Ass Mistake America
Vehicle:
*
Evil shenanigans

Default

ibtl

as he said, nobody can answer this.
teesutt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2012, 09:53 PM   #4
Jacobs11
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 268948
Join Date: Jan 2011
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Vehicle:
17 STi
WRB

Default

The crystal ball tells me you have exactly 23,570 miles left on the engine and 69,696 left on the tranny
Jacobs11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2012, 09:59 PM   #5
bacalhau16
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 297565
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Dartmouth, MA
Vehicle:
2011 WRX hatch
Silver

Default

If you are looking ti abuse your car, then you need to stay on top of it more and take THE MOST precautionary measures that you can. The basics ofcourse; oil, coolant, general maintains stuff. But then perhaps look further; killer b oil pickup tube, protune or some form of a better tune then stock. Things of that nature.
bacalhau16 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-22-2012, 10:00 PM   #6
lavid2002
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 226864
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Southern NJ
Default

Just be good to it. If you're tracking it all the time don't expect it to last forever. If you really want it to last study up on it and learn what you can do to add some longevity to it. Service, etc..

If you are tracking it there are better oil pickups and pans to prevent oil starvation.
lavid2002 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 05:30 AM   #7
A-man07
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 271525
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: BagEnd
Vehicle:
7/2 STi/WRX wagon
SWP/AW

Default

This is like asking your doctor how long you have to live.
A-man07 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 05:37 AM   #8
fr0st
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 41618
Join Date: Aug 2003
Vehicle:
2008 WRX Hatch
wrb

Default

One thing is for sure,

It is not normal use of a car. It wasn't engineered for it. So it's life should be shorter than than using it just as a DD.

You have to pay to play.
fr0st is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 07:28 AM   #9
yoshi0423
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 249954
Join Date: Jun 2010
Chapter/Region: MWSOC
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Vehicle:
2005 STI

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by A-man07 View Post
This is like asking your doctor how long you have to live.
And your docotor can point you to the current average lifespan of a male/female.

I understand there isn't a specific answer, but I always thought that STI was built for a little more abuse than your average car.

I guess what I really want to hear is people that have been tracking their and their experiences with it.

I UNDERSTAND that **** is going to break.
yoshi0423 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 07:40 AM   #10
StripesRX
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 219762
Join Date: Aug 2009
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Vehicle:
2004 WRX STI/ 00 OBS
PSM / BRP

Default

I have been tracking my car for 3 years now. Stock block, stock turbo, catback/intake, EFI Logics Pro-tune.

I change the oil before and after every event. It's been through 29 track days so far. We just did a compression test, 145 on all cylinders. 75k on the engine.

With track use, just remember to change out your fluids very often.

Enjoy the car like it was supposed to be.
StripesRX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 08:19 AM   #11
guroove
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 129833
Join Date: Oct 2006
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: Buffalo, NY
Vehicle:
2005 Forester XT
Obsidian Black Pearl

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by StripesRX View Post
I have been tracking my car for 3 years now. Stock block, stock turbo, catback/intake, EFI Logics Pro-tune.

I change the oil before and after every event. It's been through 29 track days so far. We just did a compression test, 145 on all cylinders. 75k on the engine.

With track use, just remember to change out your fluids very often.

Enjoy the car like it was supposed to be.
Tuning is critical in preventing ringland failure in the EJ257, even with stock everything. Take this man's advice.
guroove is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 08:20 AM   #12
yoshi0423
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 249954
Join Date: Jun 2010
Chapter/Region: MWSOC
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Vehicle:
2005 STI

Default

I have Cobb Stage 1... is that any better?
yoshi0423 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 08:47 AM   #13
Paidfor
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 267815
Join Date: Dec 2010
Chapter/Region: South East
Location: LSx allll done..need headers
Vehicle:
Be in awe
dont hate .)

Default

^^^A little..but your gonna need a pro tune for sure........mine let go at 46000..all stock
Good ole #4 ringland
Paidfor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 10:15 AM   #14
guroove
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 129833
Join Date: Oct 2006
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Location: Buffalo, NY
Vehicle:
2005 Forester XT
Obsidian Black Pearl

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by yoshi0423 View Post
I have Cobb Stage 1... is that any better?
I busted a ringland in my 2005 Forester XT (same shortblock as the STI) on a Cobb stage 1 tune. I'm pretty sure it was on a long WOT pull.
guroove is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 11:50 AM   #15
subenerd
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 72630
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: CA
Default

Avoid sustained high rpms.
subenerd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 03:35 AM   #16
Brother EddieJ.
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 181617
Join Date: Jun 2008
Chapter/Region: MAIC
Location: frederick, md
Vehicle:
2004 wrx
Dom3/IAG built hybrid

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by fr0st View Post
One thing is for sure,

It is not normal use of a car. It wasn't engineered for it. So it's life should be shorter than than using it just as a DD.

You have to pay to play.
Then why did they come with a free 1 year membership to SCCA when bought brand new from Subaru?
Brother EddieJ. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 04:24 AM   #17
Ghidorah
*** Banned ***
 
Member#: 278995
Join Date: Apr 2011
Chapter/Region: MAIC
Location: Balto MD
Vehicle:
2011 Honda CR-Z
North Shore Blue

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by yoshi0423 View Post
I've had my 05' STI for a 1.5 years and started tracking it his year. Currently sitting at 27,xxx miles.

What I'm really curious about is how much abuse can the engine & transmission take? How long can I except everything to run without blowing up.

If anyones been tracking theirs for a long time without issues, I'd love to hear about it. Obviously if the opposite has happened I wanna hear about it too.

Thanks
Get a Si or used S2000 I've revved to 9200 rpm in my old Si everyday without any flaws. Of course my ECU was re flashed but my rods and springs were all stock. I could easily pass a WRX
Ghidorah is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 07:48 AM   #18
StripesRX
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 219762
Join Date: Aug 2009
Chapter/Region: Tri-State
Vehicle:
2004 WRX STI/ 00 OBS
PSM / BRP

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by fr0st
One thing is for sure,

It is not normal use of a car. It wasn't engineered for it. So it's life should be shorter than than using it just as a DD.

You have to pay to play.
Quote:
Originally Posted by subenerd
Avoid sustained high rpms.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghidorah

Get a Si or used S2000 I've revved to 9200 rpm in my old Si everyday without any flaws. Of course my ECU was re flashed but my rods and springs were all stock. I could easily pass a WRX
It seems the interwebs experts have arrived!

Seriously. Preventative maintenance, a good tune, go racing. If you're really worried grab a wideband Air/Fuel and an oil pressure gauge. As long as you don't over rev the engine, high RPMs won't hurt anything.
StripesRX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 11:47 AM   #19
live2ridebykes
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 335990
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Vehicle:
2002 WRX
Midnight Blue

Default Forged is the way to go

The tranny will out perform the engine any day. Thats assuming its stock. However if you are going to track i strongly suggest getting forged pistons, many of you are probably thinking well it doesn't need forged pistons unless he wants to make 500hp. Wrong the stock pistons used in our STI's are junk, ive had to replace a short block twice now because of broken ringlands, and im talking brand new factory shortblock, and no not a bad tune, stock motor, stock turbo. The composite metal pistons used are not sufficient. While your in there throw in ACL Racing bearings to eliminate the second most common failure. Throwing out a bearing, replace both main and rod its like $100 for the set.
live2ridebykes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 02:17 PM   #20
subenerd
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 72630
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: CA
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by StripesRX View Post

high RPMs won't hurt anything.
Sure you can wrap out a gear to redline, just shift quickly to the next gear. These motors were not designed to hang at near redline for extended amounts of time.
subenerd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-24-2012, 02:53 PM   #21
sry110
Scooby Specialist
 
Member#: 222380
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Phoenixville, PA
Vehicle:
2004 WRX STi
Java Black Pearl

Default

I look at it this way: metals have a certain 'endurance limit', where the metal component will theoretically last forever (i.e. "infinite load cycles") if the stress on the component does not exceed the endurance limit. If you exceed the endurance limit, the number of allowable load cycles decreases, exponentially depending on how much you exceed the limit, and of course more immediate failure can occur if you flat out exceed the ultimate yield strength of the material.

In terms of the car: the engine is advertised at ~300HP at some engine speed, but I would venture a guess that at ~300HP output you are above the endurance limit of the engine (I'm oversimplifying because the engine is made of so many parts), and therefore you will not get infinite life out of the engine at 300HP. However theoretically if you ran the engine continuously at ~50HP output, it should live forever (again theoretically assuming proper lubrication and other maintenance to keep it circulating and breathing healthily).

<----- Is a mechanical engineer
sry110 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Copyright ©1999 - 2019, North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club, Inc.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission
Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.