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Old 02-18-2017, 09:07 AM   #26
A-man07
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Mostly some notes and observations so I can remember impressions at this stage.

Still working with front diff mount (outrigger) bushings. Swapped to 1/2 aluminum and 1/2 Kartboy "race" polyurethane and managed to quiet things down a little but not near enough. Will try again.

After driving about 1000 miles since getting the car my suspension impression is "soft." It wallows and is very susceptible to side winds but it does not bounce. This is easy to fix. It's actually a comfortable commuter but not real fun when you turn the wheel. The butt sags pretty bad. The steering is lazy. That'll take more work like the STi solid steering joint, the rack bushings and consideration of an 04 STi rack which I believe is a bolt in.

The PO had the rear calipers rebuilt and it has new rotors and pads but all OEM level stuff. They are adequate but a little mushy and stopping distances feel a little long. Eventually will be upgrading to FHI 4pot/2pots.

The biggest driveability issue currently are exhaust fumes. They aren't terrible but a longer drive will have my eyes irritated. I know these 02's run particularly rich but for a car with 3 cats it is excessive. I'm sure those cats have gone off though and obviously the uppipe cat needs to come off. I was hoping to not have to do the exhaust right away but I may have to. Tentative ideas here are to with a Cobb UP for its good fitment inclusion of studs and lack of bung. Will either wrap or send out to Swain for coating. Downpipe will likely be an Invidia catted as I like where the cat is on it, closer to the turbo, and it doesn't neck down to 2.5" like the Cobb. I'm thinking nonconventional on the midpipe and getting a TurboXS, cutting out the flex joint and inserting a slip fit 3" high flow cat so that I'd have two cats and no fumes. I'd wrap the the downpipe/midpipe to the second cat. No idea on muffler. Likely wouldn't need much with two cats.

New parts waiting for install are Grp N tranny mount and Grp N tranny bushings and Grp N pitch stop. I forgot to order the Group N rear diff mount bar with this last order from Dave at RalliSpec. Also have some Ixiz hood struts to replace the prop rod. One of my favorite convenience mods I did for my STi and glad Ixiz is still around. Quality stuff.
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Old 02-18-2017, 10:54 AM   #27
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Nice car but be careful with the fumes! Even a little CO hangs in the air a long time and is quite bad for you.
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Old 02-18-2017, 01:42 PM   #28
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Journal needs more pics. Gratuitous engine shot showing newly installed Ixiz hood stuts.


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Old 02-19-2017, 08:47 PM   #29
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Tried the A/C Pro refrigerant product today (timestamp: 02/19/17 154,5xx miles). $49 at O'Reilly's. Very easy to use with a gauge that keeps you from overfilling (provided you follow the directions). It supposedly has a leak sealer in it so we'll see what happens...


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Old 02-23-2017, 02:28 PM   #30
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The A/C Pro lasted all of a day and a half so it looks like I'll have to have the system evacuated and buy some gauges and a vacuum pump and attempt to find the leak. I have a feeling it's in the compressor or the high pressure line but who knows. Replace the expansion valve and O-rings, blah, blah, blah, take forever, cost a fortune.

I also have a rear wheel bearing humming. My modification plans have quickly become a maintenance and fix old, broken **** plan. So tomorrow I'm going to park it and start tearing down all the dysfunctional stuff and repairing and replacing. I suppose better to do it all now and enjoy driving it as a DD later without worrying about it.

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Old 02-23-2017, 02:35 PM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A-man07 View Post
The A/C Pro lasted all of a day and a half so it looks like I'll have to have the system evacuated and buy some gauges and a vacuum pump and attempt to find the leak. I have a feeling it's in the compressor or the high pressure line but who knows. Replace the expansion valves and O-rings, blah, blah, blah, take forever, cost a fortune.

I also have a rear wheel bearing humming. My modification plans have quickly become a maintenance and fix old, broken **** plan. So tomorrow I'm going to park it and start tearing down all the dysfunctional stuff and repairing and replacing. I suppose better to do it all now and enjoy driving it as a DD later without worrying about it.
The rear bearings spec'd for these old WRX's are crap. Have had to replace every 70K - 75K on my '02 since new. Knock on wood, I still have original front bearings at 199.5K.

I've had to replace many of the A/C components over the past several years. Condenser, several o-rings, and just recently the high-pressure line running from the evaporator. That one was bloody expensive - something like $300-$400 for the damned pipe.

Can't believe the compressor is still working on mine.
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Old 02-25-2017, 05:55 PM   #32
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^^^Sad, but true.

I've gotten both hubs/knuckles off and it's definitely time to change the bearings. The L side grease is thin and black and the R side shows some tell tale signs of bearing overheating:



Also got the Group N tranny mount and Group N tranny crossmember bushings installed:





I don't have a press for the bearings and don't trust any local places to do this right but a generous person has agreed to help me out with the pressing for which I am most grateful. Be a few weeks give or take before she's back on the road though. Using the downtime to do more work to the car. Have trailing link and lateral link bushings on the way as well as an up pipe to replace the stock catted unit. Which reminds I have to get the resistor for the EGT sensor.

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Old 02-26-2017, 06:29 PM   #33
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Group N rear diff mount. No more shift clunk. STI sticker premium $65.


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Old 02-26-2017, 09:24 PM   #34
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Group N rear diff mount. No more shift clunk. STI sticker premium $65.


You have me curious now. So the rear diff mount eliminates the shift clunk that plagues these models (and mine)? Is this the kit you ordered?

http://www.rallispec.com/mou_drv_rst4100.html


If so, are you installing all the parts? Is installation straightforward? I'd likely have my local shop do the work.
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Old 02-26-2017, 10:01 PM   #35
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You can buy the bushings individually depending on what effect you want. To eliminate the shift clunk the most important are the rear diff assembly, RST-4151, and the tranny mount, RST-4101. To get to the tranny mount you have to take off the transmission crossmember where the cushion bushings are, RST-2045, so change them too. You won't believe the difference these make in shift quality and drivetrain response.

The engine mounts and pitch stop are very helpful as well but in my opinion, unless you are making stage 2 power or more you wont appreciate them as much as the transmission and rear diff mount bushings. Another important driveline consideration are both the front and rear trailing arm bushings but they are considerably more difficult to install. Of course the engine mounts are a fairly tough install as well unless you have decent mechanic skills. The tranny mount/cushions and rear diff mount can more easily be done but I would Google search for install DIYs to make sure it's something you want to try.
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Old 02-27-2017, 11:26 AM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A-man07 View Post
You can buy the bushings individually depending on what effect you want. To eliminate the shift clunk the most important are the rear diff assembly, RST-4151, and the tranny mount, RST-4101. To get to the tranny mount you have to take off the transmission crossmember where the cushion bushings are, RST-2045, so change them too. You won't believe the difference these make in shift quality and drivetrain response.

The engine mounts and pitch stop are very helpful as well but in my opinion, unless you are making stage 2 power or more you wont appreciate them as much as the transmission and rear diff mount bushings. Another important driveline consideration are both the front and rear trailing arm bushings but they are considerably more difficult to install. Of course the engine mounts are a fairly tough install as well unless you have decent mechanic skills. The tranny mount/cushions and rear diff mount can more easily be done but I would Google search for install DIYs to make sure it's something you want to try.

Thanks. I'll focus on RST-4101, RST-4151, and RST-2045.
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Old 03-03-2017, 06:51 PM   #37
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I've been taking my time getting the stock heatshield/downpipe and up pipe off to minimize my frustration (fortunately no major issues) and now have essentially everything out so I was able to snap a pic of the turbo hotside. Looks pretty good and no shaft play at all at the exhaust wheel which made me feel good as I'd like to keep the TD04 until a potential upgrade at some unknown point in the future.



I had purchased a Cobb up pipe and I've sent it off to Swain Tech for White Lightning coating. I can't decide what to do on the downpipe and the rest. Thinking about the Maddad V2 catted or Invidia catted but really I don't know. I just can't take the stocker with all the brackets and crap and it weighs a ton. I have to say though what I could see of the cat in the downpipe did look decent so it's not in bad shape. Of course I don't think you can tell if the substrate is saturated or not by looking at it.

Also I think I found my AC leak. Where the high pressure aluminum line is fitted to a rubber line not too far from the Schraeder valve it is covered with a rubber sleeve and under that sleeve is sticky black oil and green funkiness at the junction. This would be one of the easier things to swap out so hopefully it's the only leak.

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Old 03-03-2017, 08:53 PM   #38
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This makes me miss my bugeye...

Keep up the great work!
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Old 03-10-2017, 03:06 PM   #39
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^^^Thanks.

Just got off the phone with Swain Tech. Turns out this is their busiest time of the year for exhaust coating and my up pipe is going to take another month

That will give me time to finish swapping out to Group N bushings, put the V9 STi front LCAs/transverse bushing on, a Cusco 22mm front sedan sway, a 20mm OEM WRX rear sway and likely even the Koni inserts into my struts to pair with the pink wagon springs, Com C front mounts and not sure on Grp N or stock rubber rear mounts.

I also decided to go with a Cobb downpipe and keep the stock catback for now. The Cobb DP sits in its box waiting for an up pipe.

I also have an aftermarket 4 point brace to replace the subframe/crash beam. It's Whiteline # KSB700 designed for the GC models which I also have on my STi. I believe it has better a design than the rest of them as far as resisting twisting but it cannot be used with the stock subframe/crash beam.

I wont recognize the car once I get to drive it again.
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Old 03-10-2017, 04:40 PM   #40
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^^^Thanks.

Just got off the phone with Swain Tech. Turns out this is their busiest time of the year for exhaust coating and my up pipe is going to take another month

That will give me time to finish swapping out to Group N bushings, put the V9 STi front LCAs/transverse bushing on, a Cusco 22mm front sedan sway, a 20mm OEM WRX rear sway and likely even the Koni inserts into my struts to pair with the pink wagon springs, Com C front mounts and not sure on Grp N or stock rubber rear mounts.

I also decided to go with a Cobb downpipe and keep the stock catback for now. The Cobb DP sits in its box waiting for an up pipe.

I also have an aftermarket 4 point brace to replace the subframe/crash beam. It's Whiteline # KSB700 designed for the GC models which I also have on my STi. I believe it has better a design than the rest of them as far as resisting twisting but it cannot be used with the stock subframe/crash beam.

I wont recognize the car once I get to drive it again.

Any chance you have a list of all the parts you're installing/changing or are all the parts documented here? I hate this thread because I keep looking at my bugeye and wondering if it's earned these upgrades as it just passed 200K miles this week.
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Old 03-10-2017, 10:01 PM   #41
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Any chance you have a list of all the parts you're installing/changing or are all the parts documented here? I hate this thread because I keep looking at my bugeye and wondering if it's earned these upgrades as it just passed 200K miles this week.
I had edited post #1 to include a list of swapped parts as I complete them. I have a bunch more waiting to go on or for me to do the work and then install them like the Group N bushings for the trailing and lateral links.
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Old 03-15-2017, 08:24 PM   #42
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Group N bushing placed in the trailing link. Wasn't easy but with a little patience, ingenuity and tips learned from willaty I was able to get this is in without a press.



When I started buying parts I decided I would try to buy as much as I could from vendors who've been a part of the US Subaru community since the beginning. I've been supporting Mach V (Fast WRX), Rally Sport Direct, Cobb, RalliSpec and earlier this week I bought a set of Koni inserts from Primitive Racing (great price too). I've also picked up a Makita reciprocating saw so I can do the assembly myself. Pretty excited.

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Old 03-18-2017, 07:01 PM   #43
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Lateral links done today. I tookf off the front "taco" links and have purchased 05 wagon front links which are aluminum like the STi links just shorter. The rear steel links are pretty easy to push the Group N bushings into taking proper care but the aluminum links require a good bit of prep. The bushing openings are very sharp and will cut the bushing rubber very easily and ruin it. Pics below show how I radiused one side of the bushing void with my Dremel Trio and I also shaved a bit of the bushing cylinder with a sanding wheel on the Dremel. Polished up the scoring with steel wool then boiled the link ends in water and froze the bushings in the freezer. A bit of 5 star suspension grease and they will press in pretty easily as long as you push in absolutely straight.




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Old 03-23-2017, 08:32 PM   #44
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Louis Renault, inventor of the drum brake - clever engineer or masochist SOB

If I never have to reassemble another drum brake it'll be too damn soon. Nonetheless, I've got the rear hubs with their new bearings (thanks so much man!) and their brake components all together. Working on the Koni inserts for the rear struts which is turning out to be a fun project and today received OEM 04-07 strut tops to mate up with the pink wagon springs. Also bought an OEM 20mm 02-03 WRX sedan sway (17mm is OEM on the wagon) and Whiteline endlinks. The only Group N bushing I have left to press is the rear trailing link position on the hubs. I'll wait 'til I have the struts done and remounted for extra stability at the hub before tackling that one.

Coming together. Waiting on that up pipe...
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Old 03-26-2017, 07:09 PM   #45
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Did the rear struts with Koni inserts, SPT pink wagon springs and standard 04 strut tops.
Spring part # F: B2010FE501
R: B2010FE521



Also got the stock trailing arm bushings out of the hubs and will try to get the Group N bushings pushed in tomorrow.

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Old 04-01-2017, 04:24 PM   #46
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Got the rear suspension buttoned up:



Turns out 3/4 struts were leaking but none too badly. Started taking apart the front. New strut tops a must. Whiteline Com C's ordered.


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Old 04-01-2017, 05:01 PM   #47
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Progressing right along.
I'll be interested in how the ComC's turn out. I've alway been leery of them due to the past issues. But I will eventually need a means to camber+, would like to avoid camber plates.
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Old 04-01-2017, 05:53 PM   #48
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Quote:
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Progressing right along.
I'll be interested in how the ComC's turn out. I've alway been leery of them due to the past issues. But I will eventually need a means to camber+, would like to avoid camber plates.
Yep I had one of the bad sets in the past then went to plates. I wanted rubber tops for this car but learned from my 07 that extra caster makes a big difference to these cars that don't have it so I'm retrying the Com C's since they've been redesigned. Since I'm going with wider JDM aluminum LCA's that will give me additional camber, likely as much as I'll want (-2.0 give or take a tenth) and I can set the Com C's to full caster. Along with the extra caster from the LCA's and the "free caster mod" that ought to give me about 6+ deg without the Forester style transverse bushing mount (ALK). I'm just going to use the tranverse mount that came with the JDM LCA's - they are v9 STi pieces.
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Old 04-05-2017, 08:34 PM   #49
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Up pipe has arrived. Big fan of Swain Tech's White Lightning. Before and after:





Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

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Old 04-09-2017, 08:11 PM   #50
A-man07
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Front strut top bearings shot(rears weren't too good either):



Have the front suspension all done except to add the Cusco 22mm sway. The front alignment is wack of course after installing the JDM STi LCAs so I'll have to do that prior to driving. Photo to record the part # for the elusive steel boss for aluminum LCA's - ball joint on L, boss on R:


Up pipe in place and DEI Titanium wrapped Cobb catted downpipe in place. I have to buy a shield or turbo blanket as I've decided against reusing the stock heat shield. You can also see my temporary catch can with high-tech mount. Getting a bigger can and will mount it to the fender wall when I do the IAG mod for moving down the cruise control module.


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