Topic: RTP - Back to Ghetto - Special 4th Centennial Edition

[RockThePylon]

So this winter a WRX Wagon came up that was a pretty good deal. It is a well loved car, and it shows. It needs work, and it will never be beautiful. But that's okay, because this a learning car. This is the car where I will live out all my wildest fantasies without concern for monetary loss.

Now that spring has come and working on cars doesn't mean frostbite, it's time to get started on this build.

Her resting place for the first 3 months




Ready to come home



Mod list

- OpenSource "Carberry" tune
- Catless up-pipe
- Catless Downpipe, divorced wastegate Now catted bellmouth, with dirty E-cutout
- SPT Catback exhaust Back to stock STI muff
- VF48 Turbo (Used, 120k km, cracked wastegate)
- STI intercooler
- TGV's Deleted
- WRX "Dark Blue" 560cc Injectors
- Walbro GS342 255LPH fuel pump
- Kartboy rear shifter bushing
- GNP front shifter bushing
- GNP Transmission Crossmember bushings
- G-Plus silicon turbo inlet
- AEM Short ram intake Back to stock
- Energy suspension LCA bushings
- Kartboy rear diff outrigger bushings

- H6 Outback rear brake upgrade
- Lifted, on Forester XT struts and springs Back on OEM WRX suspension
- 22mm Whiteline front sway bar Back to stock
- 22mm Whiteline adjustable rear sway bar Back to stock Back to whiteline
- General Grabber AT2, 215/65R16, OEM rims Gone
- BoostGravy 1/4" Aluminium Skid plate
- Motegi MR118 18x8 et45 w/Firestone Firehawk Indy500
- OZ Sparco Route wheels 15x7 et30 w/Bridgestone WS80 WS90

Done stuff log

Purchased car @ 266,719km

266,858km
- Exedy OE Replacement clutch
- Resurfaced OE flywheel
- Catless STI up-pipe
- Catless downpipe
- Subaru Performance Tuning cat-back
- Kartboy rear shifter bushing
- Change Brake & Clutch fluid (Motul RBF600)
- Transmission & Rear Diff fluid change (Motorcraft 80W-90 GL-5)
- Oil change (Rotella T6 5W40 & WIX 57712)
- Swap to Motegi MR118 "summers"

269,341km
- Install Walbro GSS342
- Swap to OEM rims w/General Grabber AT2's

270,035km
- Replace timing belt, idlers and tensioner (OEM Subaru)
- Replace Coolant (Motorcraft "Gold" antifreeze)
- Swap struts/springs for Forester XT assemblies
- Swap out turbo for VF48
- Swap out injectors for WRX "Dark Blue" 560cc

270,050km
- Oil change (Rotella T6 5W40 & WIX 57712)

270,121km
- Rear diff fluid change (Motul Gear 300)

272,531km
- Installed STI TMIC
- Transmission fluid change (Motul Gear 300, with a dash of Redline Shockproof)

273,513km
- Installed BoostGravy skid plate
- Installed Rally Armour mudflaps
- Installed Endless SSY brake pads

274,880km
- Oil change (Rotella T6 0W40 & WIX 57712)
- Replace wheel stud

276,587km
- Replace rubber fuel lines under intake manifold
- Replaced PCV and PCV hose assembly
- Deleted TGVs

280,420km
- Oil change (Rotella T6 0W40 & WIX 57712)
- Replaced Fender Liner
- Lowered back to stock on WRX struts
- Installed GNP Shifter Bushing

280,672km
- Installed G-Plus Silicone inlet
- Replaced various vacuum lines

282,200km
- Installed 22mm Whiteline Front Sway Bar
- Replaced spark plugs (BKR7E)
- Replaced various vacuum lines

282,280km
- Installed 22mm Whiteline Adjustable Rear Sway Bar
- Replaced Air Filter (WIX 46116)

284,698km
- Oil change (Rotella T6 5W40 & WIX 57712)
- Fuel filter replaced (WIX 33558)
- Replace driver's side Injector seals
- Installed EBC YellowStuff Brake Pads

286,730km
- Swap to winters
- Complete P/S fluid change

287,150km
- Replace Engine and transmission mounts
- Installed GNP crossmember bushings

288,005km
- Install KAP Industries fire extinguisher mount
- Install 3/8" saggy butt spacers
- Install rear diff skid plate
- Diff bushing poly fill (Just so I know how long it lasts)

288,912km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 and WIX 57712)

293,714km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 and WIX 57712)
- Install AEM Short ram intake

297,908km
- Oil Change (Rotella T6 5W-40 and WIX 57712)

303,235km
- Oil Change (Rotella T6 5W-40 and WIX 57356)

304,421km
- Install KYB Excel-G/GR-2 front struts, with new KYB tophats.
- Install Energy Suspension LCA bushings
- Install Kartboy rear differential outrigger bushings
- Install new Uro (Audi) rear endlinks, MAS front endlinks
- Rust abatement on rear strut towers
- Alignment

304,664km
- Replace valve cover gaskets
- Inspect valve clearances (all within spec)
- Replace spark plugs (BKR6E)
- Remove OEM header heatshields (Falling apart and rattling)
- Replace engine-to-turbo exhaust gaskets

304,729km
- Install new rear rotors (Raybestos 96121R) and brake pads (EBC DP41293R Yellowstuff)

305,425km
- Replace accessory belts and A/C idler pulley (GATES K040353, K050345 and 38030 Idler)

306,554km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

311,353km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

315,915km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- Replace oil pressure sender (ACDELCO U8001)
- Replace headlight bulbs (Phillips VisionPlus H7)
- H6 rear brake upgrade (Raybestos 96937R rotors, A-1 CARDONE 141605 Reman Caliper brackets)

317,919km
- Change spark plugs (NGK BKR6EGP)

321,820km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- New front O2 sensor (Denso 234-9011) and relocated post-turbo
- Swapped to Invidia Catted downpipe, also up-pipe gaskets because they were leaking.

323,466km
- Replaced rad hoses and thermostat. (Gates 22885 Lower hose, 22886 Upper hose, 34012 Thermostat)

328,218km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

332,548km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- Replace cabin air filter (WIX 24485)

337,523km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

342,442km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

348,690km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- Transmission and rear diff fluid change (Motul Gear 300 75W-90)

354,698km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- New brake pads/rotors front. (EBC Yellowstuff pad, Raybestos 980141 rotors)
- New brake pads/calipers rear. (Dynamic Friction 1115077000 "Active Street" pads, Raybestos Element3 calipers)

357,771km
- Swapped back to stock sway bars, new FSB bushing (Energy 19.5101G)

359,891km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

365,516km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

370,571km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- Replaced spark plugs (NGK BKR6EGP - Gapped 0.028)
- Replaced cabin air filter (WIX 24485)

375,817km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- Replaced fuel filter (WIX 33558)
- Replace valve cover gaskets (Again, but hey they're blue now and that's neat)
- Replaced engine air filter (WIX something)

380,874km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- Replace clutch fluid (Motorcraft DOT4 LV)

385,748km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- Replace front passenger side CV (Cardone Select 66-7259)

391,427km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

395,883km
- Replace all 4 ignition coils (AA Ignition - AA106)

397,067km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

402,253km
- Replace camshaft seals (Felpro TCS46150)
- Clean oil pump and replace oil seal (Subaru 10991AA001)
- Replace crankshaft seal (Felpro TCS46009)
- Replace water pump (DAYCO DP418)(Cuz is has the closed impeller)
- Replace timing belt + pulleys (Gates TCK328N kit)
- Replace transmission output shaft (National 710324) and shift shaft (Timken 1015N) seals
- Transmission fluid change (Motul Motylgear 75W-90)
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

407,413km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)
- Rear diff fluid change (Motul Motylgear 75W-90)
- Replace cabin air filter

411,081km
- Replace radiator ("A-Premium" cheapie)

412,604km
- Oil change (Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 & WIX 51356)

[RockThePylon]

So first things first - compression test.

The old girl has 266,000km on it. Service history is unknown. It wouldn't start in the winter because the battery sucks dink.

Well, hey, check this out. Battery leads are growing itshay like potatoes! Didn't notice this in the dark on a winter day. Will revisit this for better cleaning, and my advice is don't breathe the dust the comes off when you wire brush your battery terminals.



Battery is clean, she starts good, let's start doing serious mechanical work while everything is covered in grit.



Well grease me up and call me slider... It turned out pretty damn good! Right around 145psi across all 4 cylinders! And that's not even hot. She should handle upcoming modifications no problem!





Next up... Da clutch!

[RockThePylon]

I was hanging out with RWDragoon, talking about work and stuff. I was being a timid little itchbay about doing the clutch on my Subaru, and his insight was beautiful - "You're just lazy." Nailed it.


Step one
Goodbye intercoooler (Intake and Battery already removed for compression test)


Have your A.D.D. kick in, and jack dat assay up TO THE SKY (Wood for safety)


Start removing exhaust.
Just LoLnope away from that first joint, we'll work with one today


uckfay


Catback is out. Stand up to work on the engine and hate yourself for lifting it 3 feet off the ground.
With the fenders in your armpits, remove the heatshield by snapping every single bolt holding it on.


Stop dicking around on Facebook and Clash of Clans because jesus it took 3 hours to remove your turbo-back


Unplug a bunch of stuff (don't forget the ground wire next to the pitch stop like I did).


Remove starter and hang it off the intercooler mount


Unbolt pitchstop and wire it to the fragile aluminium A/C lines to keep it out of the way.


Remove clutch slave and hang next to pitch stop boner.


Remove clutch fork, and remaining nuts and bolts holding bell housing to engine. Drain transmission fluid.



Using a floorjack to support the transmission, spend the next 60 minutes kicking and screaming trying to get the transmission to let go. Many large hammers, mallets and prybars failed, calling the transmission names while lying sideways and stomping on the transmission tail finally broke the seal. And some skin on my ankle. Either way, it separated and forget pictures at that point.

Here's the pilot bearing that is the cause for all this grief. She's dickered.



Tomorrow it starts going back together.

[seat safety switch]

That pilot bearing is chooched.

Good stuff going on in here.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

I could have told you how to separate the engine/transmission using tools you likely don't possess, had you just asked while flooding me with very entertaining pictures.

[Asstuna]

How's your snout?

[jellynuts]

Please come to my place so I can clean your engine bay <3

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Please come to my place so I can clean your engine bay <3

OMW.

[seat safety switch]

Please come to my place so I can clean your engine bay <3

How are you with polishing valve covers?

[jellynuts]

Valve covers on a Subaru?  Either way...  My polishing skills on a scale from 0 - 10 is N/A. 

Also, yay, Clash!

[seat safety switch]

Valve covers on a Miata. I'll drop the car off with a $20 under the hood.

[05LGT]

Valve covers on a Miata. I'll drop the car off with a $20 under the hood.

Just chrome them bro.

[RockThePylon]

So last night, I asked LDS what would be the easiest way to remove the up-pipe, his reply, "They all suck".

I have to commend him on his spot on appraisal of the job. It sucks, and I don't see any way to make it not suck.

Have some more pictures.

Hairy engine butt. 



The new machined flywheel and pilot bearing.  The 8-bolt symmetry is beautiful to me.



Fully torqued with butt plug.




And right as I finished torquing down the pressure plate, I look to the right and see the turbo/up-pipe. And I think to myself, "Wow! Look at all this room for activities! I should swap out the up-pipe right now while that pesky transmission is out of the way!"



Well fudge, the transmission isn't even in the way in the slightest. I don't have a O2 sensor socket and I couldn't fit a 7/8" wrench in there like I could for the downpipe. So, with the heatshield always in the way, I used various combinations of extensions to get the perfect length required to get at the header bolts. I then cried deeply trying to finagle the up-pipe out without removing the seized and now stripped EGT sensor.



The catless STI up-pipe I acquired didn't have studs. When I bought it, (Back in January probably), the seller said, "I have the studs if you want". I was all like, "Naahhh Subi-bro, I'll just re-use the ones in mine!"
I'm a uckfaying retard. Extracting these studs was one of the worst experiences I've ever had working on a car. And I've tried to finagle out a WRX up-pipe without removing the EGT sensor! Constantly skirting the fine line of just stripped or totally broken...
So, whenever someone offers you studs, you goddamn well take them. My hands hurt a lot now.



Of course the threads are all dickered. I ran a die over them to make the threads more usable. I'm installing them all with high-temp anti-seize for their inevitable replacement.



This ittshay piece of heatshield that holds another ittshay piece of heatshield.... Yea, just grab that with vice grips and bend it back and forth until is snaps off. Without these little flippin' Kotex® Wings, the up-pipe slides in and out easier than some joke about LDS and Rathburn. Slid in so easily the first time I said out loud, "Seriously?!"


2 hours of suck, and everything is beautifully clean with new gaskets.



Everything is now bolted together, but all loosey goosey waiting for me to look up torque specs. Usually I just go by feel, but everything is rusty so all I feel is seizure. Torque to spec, +50%, is good practice, right?

[RockThePylon]

How's your snout?

Snouty.

No grooves or anything.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

That's why I was asking what uppipe you had. I happen to have a Grimmspeed one (with studs) that I haven't bothered listing yet, because I don't have it at my place to take pics.

Regardless, I'm impressed with the amount of work you're getting done.

[Asstuna]

Snouty.

No grooves or anything.

Hmm. Nice taper though.

[Rathburn]

Slid in so easily the first time I said out loud, "Seriously?!"

That's the same thing I said when it slid in so easily the first time LDS opened his...

Ah, you guys don't want to hear that story.

[RockThePylon]

Hmm. Nice taper though.

It's a little fatter at the tip.

No one is perfect.

[Rathburn]

It's a little fatter at the tip.

But once it's in...

Am I right, lads?

[jellynuts]

Am I right, lads?

I don't get it...

[RockThePylon]

I don't get it...

And you never will with that attitude.

[Rathburn]

And you never will with that attitude.

At least that pedophile LDS didn't comment on it. He always has a hard time fitting in.

[RockThePylon]

that pedophile LDS

Did he show you his Macaulay Culkin posters?



Today started with a post-uppipe cleanup and organize. I left the garage in a mess last night when I went inside to drink beer and sulk. Did I mention up-pipes suck?


Got all the tools cleaned up and put away, then did the most glorious modification that Subaru wishes they thought of.
Grind out the 1cm of USELESS metal in the heatshield that allows it's removal without removing the O2 sensor (And the associated fender liner).
After I buzzed that open, everything went together easy peasy.




So, all the exhaust stuff is done now. Time to continue with the clutch. The purple lube that Exedy includes is FABULOUS.



I put of a dab of grease on the pilot nubbin', even though Exedy tells me not to. BUT NOT ON THE CLUTCH SPLINES OR YOU COULD DIE!




Okay, this part is messed up. I futz with the jack for like 10 minutes getting everything to line up nice and pretty, rammed the transmission in the engine, wiggled a bit, and BOOM. Fusion. It went together so damn easy, I don't know what to say. I MUST have screwed something up. LDS/Rathburn jokes continue to apply.



Maybe this badass move is what made it so easy? I used a ratchet strap, one end on the pitch mount, other end on the A/C mount. Used it to tilt the engine so that the angle of the dangle was proportional to the bootie of the cutie and the heat of the meat.



Gaining clearance for the half-shafts



It's on, and uckfay you I re-used the roll-pins.



Tomorrow I should get everything else back on and it's ready to be driven this weekend!

[jellynuts]

At least that pedophile LDS didn't comment on it. He always has a hard time fitting in.

Bah, I was hoping you'd bite harder than that. 

• I used a ratchet strap... to tilt the engine...
  
• Gaining clearance for the half-shafts

Those are pretty ingenious!  And great rhyming. 

[Asstuna]

At least that pedophile LDS didn't comment on it. He always has a hard time fitting in.

You're a sick, sick man