2005 Impreza STI

[Jay762]

Found that type of thing on my Mk1 Astra years ago - tend to pull them on all vehicles now - but you found it in time by the look of it ;)

[BoozyDave]

good videos, it doesn't sound that loud

 

I get the fuel slosh even with over 1/4 tank left, could d with a baffled tank or something

 

I've got a slight squeak from the rear when it gets warm too, is it hard to take them off?

[Fonzey]

Rears are dead easy to get off Dave, just make sure you release the handbrake before trying!!

 

I could not be more angry/disappointed if I tried atm

Got home yesterday to a UPS delivery card - checked the online tracking and it was a 23kg package from Germany - Yay! Coilover time at last.

Arrangements have also been ramping up for my trip to the US with work, so work have been granting me half days here and there to get stuff sorted out - so I took a half day today to get the redelivery and make a start on fitting the coilovers - I could use some ghetto iphone app alignment efforts again and enjoy the new suspension over the BH weekend - perfect.

I'm due to fly out to the US a week on wednesday, so would have been nice to get the coilovers on and the old BCs packaged ready for sale (a friend offered to store/ship them on my behalf)... it was all coming together.

Got home this aft, still no UPS redelivery (missus had been home all day) so I got the car in position:


Started undoing the rears (literally just undid the hub bolts) and then UPS man arrived :D

Bounded upstairs in glee (the best I could with a 23kg package) and got opening:



As I started unpackaging, my heart fell through the floor... spot the problem:



From left to right:

New Front = Good
New Rear = Not for an Impreza....
New Rear = Not for an Impreza....
Old Knackered Rear for reference.

Absolutely fuming, got on the phone with KW UK and explained what's happened - after relaying product ID's and stuff back and forth - they were adamant these are for an Impreza, so I sent them the above photo and a picture of my hub

They're now "looking into it". I've explained that I'm in the country for only 10 more days, four of which are a !Removed! bank holiday and these took FIVE WEEKS to build and ship from Germany, so looks like I've got no chance of having coilovers before I go, which means getting somebody to arrange returns/deliveries/collections etc on my behalf - just a load of !Removed! hassle.

Everything I read about KW suspension is top notch, I've been so excited to get this suspension fitted but in the THREE MONTHS I've been dealing with KW, they're honestly one of the worst companies I've had to deal with from a customer service perspective.

!Removed! ANGRY

Oh well, Cat loves them

[Gambit]

Gutted but at least the cat looks happy and smug :D 

[Jonny b]

Hope you get ιt sorted bud!!!

Reminds me of dealing with a certain company regarding coilovers ɑnd top mounts for my last car

Took over a year back ɑnd forth! To get right!! Even then I had to drill my mounts on the car ɑnd have bits welded in! To use a product that was supposedly a straight fit!! Lol grrrr

[Jay762]

Having worked in customer facing roles for a few years I cant abide bad service and it properly riles me when you have some chump on the end of the phone telling you it is the right kit when you have it sat in front of you and you know for a fact it is incorrect

[LukeandRobbugeye]

@Fonzey is the 315.6bhp at the wheels

[Fonzey]

So I left this thread early in 2014 as I was sent off to the US with work for 6 months. I'm home now, and I have since done the following:

 

Fitted KW V3 Coilovers, alignment and corner balancing

Brand new R888's on my track wheels and done 2x Blyton Park trackdays:

Fitted JDM HID Headlights*

Front end respray on the car*

 

* - as a result of a small fire which damaged the car due to a faulty Battery charger at the garage whilst getting MOT'd :(

 

I have also bought the following:

 

GT Spec Headers

ID1000 Injectors

Uprated Clutch and Lightened Flywheel

RCM K&N Induction Kit with MAF-Less trumpet

AEM Fuel Pressure Regulator

Japspeed FMIC kit

Mishimoto Oil Cooler and Thermostatic plate

OBP 3Port Catch Can

ZunSport Lower Grille in Black

 

This little lot will go with my Harvey Smith TD0520G which has had a Billet compressor wheel upgrade and Harvey Smith Up-Pipe that I've had for a while. It's going to Richard Henry in Bradford on Monday to start getting it setup :)

[Gambit]

Hey hey the Fonz is back in town :D welcome back mate hope the trip went ok.  :o Ouch sorry to hear about the fire :( how mucgh damage did it do a lot ?

 

[Fonzey]

:D Thanks for the welcome, trip was a real experience but I'm glad to be home.

 

Fire wasn't bad at all, garage left trickle charger on - it failed and went up in flames, melting the jump leads and dripping melted rubber down my headlight and bumper.

 

They of course covered that portion of the costs, but whilst it was in the bodyshop I had the windscreen out and had a full front end respray :)

[Gambit]

Oh good news all round then. Just a shame about the timing of coming back in winter but lots of time for new mods to be added [emoji6]

[Fonzey]

Well she's now sat in Bradford with the lads at Richard Henry Autos, with this little lot being fitted:

 

GTSpec Headers, Harvey Smith up pipe and Harvey Smith TD05 20G (With Billet Compressor wheel)

 

Mishimoto Oil Cooler and Thermostatic plate:

 

OBP 3 Port Catch Can, SWRD 340lph fuel pump, ID1000 Injectors:

 

CDF Racing Billet Timing Guide and Cosworth reinforced timing belt:

 

AEM Fuel Pressure Regulator:

 

Exedy Racing Clutch and Lightened Flywheel:

 

Crapspeed FMIC:

 

RCM/K&N Induction Cone and Mafless trumpet:

 

Exciting times!

[Gambit]

Very nice lots of new shiny things going on :) what you reckon you will get with all that and a remap then? 

[Steveuk260.Esq]

I would say he could get 400s considering stock is 265bhp. but that is just a shot in a dark at this point. Ahh the suspense.

[Gambit]

Yeah I was guessing about 425 or around that mark :-) but agree its pretty exciting just wish it was my car lol

[Fonzey]

Realistically my new turbo will actually be my choke-point. The Injectors, clutch, headers, etc are all good for 450+ but the turbo is usually 380+

 

There have been some 20g's that smash 400, particularly billet converted ones like this one - but 400+ is on the optimistic end of my expectations tbh.

 

The good news is, if/when I get bored of the new power - all I need to do is drop in another turbo such as an SC42 to be sure of passing 400 as the car will be a solid base.

 

The next limitation will be the engine itself, I hear Newage STI lumps will do 450 all day long - but that would be an investment for another year perhaps!

[Fonzey]

Oh a meth map would be another good way to be sure of breaking 400bhp, but not sure I can be bothered with that hassle.

[Gambit]

I wouldn't do the Meth route either seems like a lot of faffing about to me too. 

[Steveuk260.Esq]

Oh a meth map would be another good way to be sure of breaking 400bhp, but not sure I can be bothered with that hassle.

True. Cant exactly go to any fuel station and fill car up with meth can you.

[Fonzey]

Yes its hard enough finding 99ron fuel at some trackdays, never mind a barrel of meth!

[Fonzey]

Sneak peak of my new wheels:



The story of these is that somebody bought them new, had tyres fitted, then found they were the wrong fitment for their car - so tyres were removed and the wheels sent to moi.

Other than a few grubby marks, they're perfect - so seems a shame to paint them, though white has never been on my list of wheel colours to try.

I'll do some mockups when I get my car back, see what I think - then maybe get the photoshop brigade out on the job.

I want gold, at least one of my sets of wheels needs to be gold so the track-day ones should be a safe choice.

[Gambit]

If you had only gone blue with the car [emoji6] [emoji106]

[Fonzey]

If you had only gone blue with the car [emoji6] [emoji106]

 

Blasphemy!

[Jay762]

looking good there chum - well thought out modification approach

[Fonzey]

Collected the car last week, here's the story!

 

Left home at 0730 and walked to the train station, the walk turned into a sprint - as I misread the train times. No worries, got on the train.

Got into Bradford at about 0845 and started the walk over to Richard Henry's. It's about a mile, and it was kinda snowing. 50yards into the hike, and I hear a familiar burble. Look up the road to see my car on its final shakedown, but the fuckers drove straight past me despite my frantic waving

Arrived at the shop puffing and panting, and bollocked them all for driving past me. They showed me round the engine bay, braided hoses everywhere!

The Mapper was due to arrive at 09:30 - so had a coffee and just talked **** for a while, checking out their other projects and bits and pieces. Andrew Carr arrived bang on time, and got to work on one of my FMIC pipes. It needed drilling and tapping for an intake air temp sensor which would complete the measurements which used to be dealt with by the MAF.

After a the FMIC was all plumbed back together - he started on all his other sensors and bits and pieces before doing some basic setup on idle.

We paused for breakfast butties, then he was on his way for a road run.

I stayed at the shop and talked some more crap.

Half an hour or so later, Andrew pulls back in - with what looked to be a frown. The other Andy (from RH) went over for a chat, which i tried to listen in on. I was sure in my head the turbo was a duff - and that it was causing issues. As it happened though, he wasn't getting enough fuel - and the car was leaning out bigtime on boost.

I bought a 340lph fuel pump for this install, but RH had struggled to get it fit in with my Spec-C anti surge tank thingy. As a result, the 255lph had gone back in.

We decided to change out for the 340 and run without the Spec-C tank - to see what happened. All hands on deck, and fuel pump was swapped in minutes and Andrew was off again.

He was probably away for close to an hour, and came back with what looked to be a smile - then a thumbs up :)

Car was breathing really well, and still needed more fuel than he expected - but was healthy. He warned me what I already knew, which was that it would feel a bit damp under 3k RPM - but described it as "quite quick" over 4k.

One last check under the bonnet, and he was off and I went to thaw out whilst the lads put my rear bench back in.

Drive home was annoying at first, went the wrong way and ended up in 30mph/stop/start for 20mins Finally got to the motorway and hit boost for the first time. It's such an event now, wooshes and swooshes from all over the place - and when it really comes on it's ballistic. Had to tweak the peak warning on my boost gauge a bit, as it seems I'm making 25psi now (23 previously) and temperatures/pressures all looked great.

The lack of dumpvalve/recirc valve sounds hilarious - flutter at low boost and a full on swoosh when going for it. Drives really, really smooth at both low speed and at pace, new clutch/flywheel feels excellent with no strange noises or smells.

Got it back to Selby, and went a back way to find a quiet B road. Pulled over and gave launch control a try. I had no instructions, so just pulled up and floored it. RPMs held at just over 5k and boost was building, just dropped the clutch and then I'm pretty sure the world went backwards a little bit Lost traction on all four wheels for about half a second then it gripped up and I was off! No smell of clutch, just a bit of wheel hop on the fronts. Can't wait to try it with warm R888s.

Pictures! Engine bay needs a cleanup now, the loss of TMIC and AirCon has exposed a lot of grubby - so steam cleaner and wire brush will be out soon enough I reckon.



Really happy with the combo of the silver FMIC and the black grille. Keeps it a bit subtle, but still looks menacing.



Snorkle thingy modified and refitted for the cone filter.



Will get some closeups on a better day, there are some great details in there with the fuel system.

Hope to get on a Dyno soon, probably when we revisit the fuel pump - to see what's going on