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Old 08-12-2023, 01:42 AM   #451
ManPower
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 485330
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: California
Vehicle:
2020 WRX
WR Blue Pearl

Unhappy Stock and Modified

Hello,


I have since gotten rid of both of my FA20DIT (2015-2021) WRX's.


I thought I would put down here for record some of my experiences.


2017 Subaru WRX Base (ISM) bought brand new:
- Drove it to 40,000 miles (Never modded it, except for K&N drop-in filter, see below)



Only Issues:
-3,000 miles: Factory clutch is bad. Somehow when brand new, 2nd and 3rd gear were bad, and shifter fork and clutch assembly (+ resurface fly wheel) had to be replaced
(Which fixed hard as hell shifter)



- Replaced clutch assembly again at around 20,000 miles.
- Around 35,000 (clutch assembly started to chatter/make chattering noise again). Traded it in


- Apparently when Subaru Tech's re-oiled K&N filter, they over oiled it and did not let it dry. Over the next 5,000 miles it hesitated and the engine would idle erratically when "wind" (yes, wind) blew towards the front of the car.
Determined that intake oil control valves (one of them) was bad.
Replaced by warranty, never had a problem again.


Besides that I loved that car. I did autocross it, and one laguna seca track day. Hence the clutch problems. If you will race a stock car, at least change out the clutch assembly with something better. That would bump you to a higher class, but what can you do. HPDE's there are no classes.


Oil Consumption:
Here's a trick I learned works on these cars to NEVER burn oil.
When you buy brand new, keep topping off the oil every 100-200 miles.
Once you get to 1,000 miles, IMMEDIATELY change the oil with your choice of oil.
Change it again at 3,000 miles and every 3,000 miles.
After the 1,000 mile oil change, I guarantee you. It will never burn oil no matter how hard you drive it.


Problem is, you can't buy this car new again. However, if you decide to rebuild the engine, buy a new factory engine, or buy a built engine (dunno much about the effects of this trick on built engines).. try this out.
At least for a new replaced engine, or rebuilt engine, it should not burn oil.




2020 WRX (WR Blue) with Performance Package Brembo/Recaro's:


- It was stock until 10,000 miles. Not a single problem (had K&N drop-in filter. Other than that bone stock. I cleaned/oiled it only by myself).


- 10,000 miles, partial front end PPF done

- 15,000 miles. Custom cut Porterfield R4-S pads installed by race shop (we had no idea at that point in time the brakes were the same as 2008-2017 WRX STI's)
- Always on 18x8 Enkei VR5's, always on R-compounds


- At around 20,000 miles clutch assembly (clutch chattering/making noise).
Clutch disc was messed up, fork, gears, and shifter and everything else was fine. 2018+ WRX's have better clutch mechanism and assembly.

Needed replacement
(Again, I autocross and tracked the car).


- 20,000 miles. Motul gear oil, Motul synthetic oil, ClutchMasters FX350 clutch kit (resurface flywheel). Used $200 Nvidia Dual N1 exhaust. Tein Flex Type A coilovers. Front/Rear Strut Tower Bar. Rear Lower Control Arms installed. Rear Sway bar installed. Suspension dialed in, corner balanced and aligned. Cobb OTS Stage 1 with OEM paper air filter.
Steel braided brake lines.



20,000 miles to 24,000 miles. Amazing car. Zero problems. Cobb OTS tune and suspension set up with stock engine running amazing.
Still never burning oil with my trick (above).
(Heatsoak is a major issue)




- 24,000 miles to 28,000 miles. These were the worse months of my entire life with any car. Mass-installed a bunch of parts to combat heatsoak.


First things first:
- AMS FMIC/charge pipes

- Grimmspeed Catted Downpipe
- Donut Gasket and metal gaskets
- Cobb EBCS
- Grimmspeed Airbox/Intake
- IAG Performance Street AOS
- Tuned by Antspec (used to be Cobb Socal)
During the tune.. they give me the car back with a busted alternator. Within dyno runs, alternator is near failure point
Driving home after a few days, get stuck on freeway after alternator died



- Replaced Alternator and Battery


Car overheats after 2 laps on sunny winter day
- Koyo Aluminum Racing Radiator
- Koyo Radiator Cap

- Setrab Oil Cooler/Custom AN fitted lines/Setrab Sandwich Adapter with t-stat
- Coolant Re-flush
- Blocked off hood scoop

- Grimmspeed radiator shroud
- Retuned by Phatbotti Tuning


- MAF failed. Takes dealer 2 weeks to diagnose and replace MAF after finding out the last two days it was the MAF.


- Oil cooler leaked 3 times, lines replaced twice with better parts (better lines that don't bend and snap).


- Oil cooler finally stops leaking.


- Car overheating after 1-2 hours of driving in spring weather in California.
- Need to cool off car every 1 hour of driving
(STOCK TURBO!)


- ECM dies because grimmspeed MAF extension cable allowed water into ECM sockets over winter rainy months.
- ECM replaced
- MAF replaced once again




- Finally get to test work done at track. Car still overheats after 4 laps instead of 2 laps


- Going to the track day put a lot of abuse on the car. Clutchmasters FX350 now slipping on WOT.
- Car has developed a bad ground (or grounds) somewhere
- During track day last session, intercooler pipe pops off
- Towed home


- Nice shop has done smoke test and put back on intercooler pipe
- Car runs again but with bad ground somewhere
- Slipping clutch still


Apparently to combat summer heat, instead of hood scoop delete, need $1,200-1,500 vented hood to route air towards back of car not into engine bay.
Need custom manufactured plate that blocks radiator from FMIC so air does not escape around the radiator.

Or use A/C tape
Even then, car will not go past 4-5 laps in California heat compared to other similar cars.
Had I bought a Top-Mount intercooler none of this would be an issue



Sold car for $25,000 since it was modded. Gave up. Out of money. Paying back debt from car.
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Old 09-15-2023, 08:21 AM   #452
Apb_pools
Scooby Newbie
 
Member#: 534487
Join Date: Jun 2023
Location: USA
Vehicle:
22 WRX

Default

2018 WRX stg2 tuned by Ron. Sold at 63k miles after 60k miles of pure fun on e50. Had no issues at all.
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