My 04 STI Type UK

[DanielSan]

Finally got round to doing this, a mere 10 months after buying the car It's a 2004 Impreza STI Type UK. A completely original car when it was purchased but I have added a few subtle modifications along the way. Originally I'd set out to buy something a bit different and not have one in blue with gold wheels but this car was so tidy and well looked after for the money I couldn't not buy it, and as much as different is good the blue is the best colour by far.

Here's a few pics of the car not long after I had it with the first couple of small mods fitted, at this point just a different back box and STI style front lip spoiler which I think really finishes the front of the car off.







Since then I've kind of gone a bit further than I planned with this car. Current mods list stands at the following -

Scoobyworld STI style front lip
Scoobyworld sideskirt and rear bumper extensions
Scoobyworld Racebox back and unsilenced mid pipe
Samco red intercooler hoses
Walbro 255lph fuel pump K&N panel filter
H&R 35mm lowering springs
17x8 ET38 Method Racing MR502 wheels with Bridgestone RE070 tyres.

The wheels were a definite gamble choice I won't lie, I still wasn't 100% certain how they'd look on the car when they arrived but I'm really pleased with them. The other cool factor is they're the same wheels used by the Subaru Rally USA team on their rally cars and as far as I'm aware they're the first set on any Impreza if not any car in the UK, and possibly the first set on a blobeye in the world. I've even had a guy from Method racing comment on my Instagram page that he hasn't seen a set on this shape before!











Private plate also fiited last week

[DanielSan]

Cheers dude. The wheels were definitely a talking point at Trax over the weekend.

Just the standard stage 1 stuff planned. It's all in place now bar a de-cat or sports cat and remap. I wasn't planning on going quite so mad over the last few weeks on wheels/suspension etc but I saw them and had to have them so some financial recuperation is needed now before I get it mapped If I can get around 330-340bhp I'd be more than happy at that.

Saying that if the standard turbo does give up the ghost then an uprated one and some bigger injectors may find their way onto the car...

[DanielSan]

Just a small update. The Subaru Rally USA graphic on the rear wing end plates has now gone, the yellow didn't match anything else and it had started to annoy me.

Only other thing is that u have a really stupid issue on both driver side wheel/hub area.
I have a really weird rotational scraping noise, done the tight circle turn to see if it's CV joint but no clicking to be heard.
I've done some searching for the symptoms and it seems the most likely culprit are the backing plates rubbing on the brake discs. It's a problem that can appear with age and after some further searching seems to be quite common.
I'm hoping I can finish at a reasonable time tomorrow and collar a ramp for an hour at my friends garage to get behind d the brakes and have a look for any fresh scrape or score marks. If there are any then it's a nice easy fix with a hammer and/or grinder. If there isn't then serious problem solving is needed.

[DanielSan]

Well iin keeping with the delayed nature of the OP I've finally got round to posting a new update. After enjoying the car through summer and having it on the Method Race Wheels stand at a few shows in the second half of last year, I've spent the rest of the time just enjoying driving it and doing a mild audio upgrade in the form of a Double Din touch screen hedunit, Hertz door speakers all round and an underseat Subwoofer for a subtle bit of bass. Nothing stupidly loud or boomy just a vast upgrade on the awful st that's fitted to the car as standard.

At the last service the discs and pads were replaced all round with EBC redstuff pads fitted up front for a bit of extra stopping power, once they've got a bit of heat into them anyway. Other than that it's recently had a new rear hub fitted on the O/S rear, it'd had a bearing replaced in August but failed again in December so I knew at that point the hub wasn't going to take another bearing replacement and just bit the bullet. I managed to find a good condition second hand part from Japanese Performance Parts quite luckily on Christmas eve which arrived the Tuesday afterwards.

As I type this post now though a decision has been made to keep the car rather than buy an E46 M3 and so the engine is all apart at the moment due to a slight rod bearing noise... As it was coming apart anyway I've decided to have the bottom end fully forged and once it's run back in go for a full 3 inch exhaust, MD321H turbo and remap, with a couple of small supporting mods in the form of 3 port boost solenoid and uprated fuel pressure regulator that should see upto around 450bhp on high boost.

The list of parts currently going in the car are as follows;-

Brand new Spec C nitirde treated crank
Eagle forged rods with ARP bolts
Wiseco forged pistons
ARP head bolts
Cometic uprated head gasket
OEM STI pink injectors being uprated to flow 800cc
Brand new Subaru Oil pump
Complete new Gasket set
Subaru OEM timing belt kit and new tensioners
Competition Clutch stage 2 clutch and 6.5kg lightened flywheel, new spigot bearing
CDF Racing lightened crank, alternator and auxillary pulley (2.7kgs saved all in)
Mishimoto polished head tank
Silicone Induction hose
Silicone coolant hoses


I've also noticed over the last couple of months that standard shocks have started to become a bit bouncy since fitting the H&R lowering springs so I've got a set of KYB Ultra SR shocks to go on all round, effectively these are OEM shocks that KYB have designed to run with lowering springs upto -35mm.

Can't wait to get the car all back together, new shocks on and the geometry set up correctly. With the lightened flywheel and pulleys it should be a bit more responsive on the throttle which will be nice. Just got to get some money again to get the power mods done as this rebuild has gone a bit beyond the original plan of sort out the rod bearings and put it back together. The £2500 I'd budgeted for all parts and labour has well and truly disappeared just on the parts alone, still have the labour bill to pay yet

Only crap part about this update is that unfortunately I've lost all the pictures I had on my phone from last week when I went to check out how things were going so until I get down to the garage again once the rods, pistons and pulleys arrive I won't get the chance to get some new shots.

Another update soon, maybe in about 6 months

Edited by DanielSan on Sunday 24th January 14:50

Edited by DanielSan on Sunday 24th January 15:52

Edited by DanielSan on Monday 1st February 22:25

[DanielSan]

Didn't even realize I'd put H to be honest, typed it out on my phone and then decided to go on the laptop and go through it again properly

[DanielSan]

Just a few pics of the last bits to arrive last week. KYB Ultra SR shocks, Eagle rods, Wiseco pistons, gasket set, boost, oil temp and oil pressure gauges and the CDF lightweight pulley set. Block is off to have the bores done for the new pistons this week and head is being skinked ready for the new head gasket so it should all start going back together next Monday. Can't wait to have it back now

[DanielSan]

Definitely on the list, not planning to do as many car shows this year so I'll have more weekends free, all being well anyway.

Main plan once it's run in is exhaust, turbo and map. Bits like the front mount and intake to get that extra bit will come but are less of a priority. If I can get a responsive 400-420 then that'll do nicely. The extra push for 450 will come later in the year.

[DanielSan]

One extra bonus toy purchased today, I'm on the hunt for a new, slightly smaller, steering wheel. Most likely an OMP 350mm WRC wheel so I've ordered a Works Bell steering wheel boss in preparation, a nice bonus with these is that they keep the horn function and also prevent the airbag light from being lit permanently so no MOT issues

[DanielSan]

Cheers gents. The wheels are a talk8ng point, mostly positive thi8gh judging from the reaction thwy got at shows and the Silverstone PHSS last year. I'm a big fan of the GB270 wagons, I did look for one before I had this but couldn't believe how well they'd held their value! Just the colour scheme alone on them makes them look meaner than the saloon 270, and the saloon has a terrible wing I'm.


Update.

Engine block is back from the engineers today and all being put back together on Monday ready for installation this week all being well.

Current situation is an empty hole and a pile of bits waiting to go back together







All the shiny bits are in the boxes, I just piled a fee ancillaries in for the photo and then had to put them back in careful order so as not to lose anything

[DanielSan]

Ooh nice! The best hot hatch out at the moment in the perfect spec. That will be a proper weapon.

I'm booked onto the Curborough day on the 28th as well. Just hoping I'll be able to get the engine run in in time or I'll be asking if you know anyone who wants the ticket

[DanielSan]

I'm aiming to use it as much as possible to get the miles on it anyway so should be OK.

[DanielSan]

Another update.

The block is now back from the wngineers and everything started going back together yesterday, pistons and rods are in, head bolts are in, uprated bearings are in, oil pump, water pump and head gasket all done. Just heads back on and then back into the car by Thursday ready to connect everything, new hoses, manifolds and turbo back in.

Here are a few pics I got sent yesterday.

[DanielSan]

Quick update, the engine is pretty much all back together. Just the new hoses and injectors to go on then time to get it back in the car and get the new gauges wired in. There are a lot more pics of the rebuild in stages so I'll be posting those as soon as I get them sent over to me.

[DanielSan]

Ordered another new shiny thing today, after much listening of real cars, YouTube videos and Internet searches regarding quality and fitment etc I've decided to order a Kakumei IM-RS-01 3 inch cat back exhaust. Going to be ordering a Japspeed sports cat closer to mapping time as I've heard surprisingly good things about them considering the low cost.

Can't wait for it to arrive now.




And here's a video, not my car though.

https://youtu.be/E_Jcptw46SY

[DanielSan]

Double post

[DanielSan]

One engine back in and running sweetly! Last couple of bits done and dusted over the weekend and a few miles on it to check all is well. And it's been down to Thwaites Developments Racing in Warwick today to have the 800cc injectors put in and a running in map sorted. 700 miles to go with minimal boost and a 4250rpm redline. I can't wait to get it back down there in a couple of weeks for it's fun map...




Excuse the crappy standard wheels, it's still on winter tyres for a couple of weeks.

[DanielSan]

Well after a few weeks of work, the car is past the first 1000 miles and that means it's finally had it's proper engine map done this week! To say I'm happy with how the car is now is an understatement, it rides and handles brilliantly with the new shocks and H&R springs, the shocks have bedded in nicely now, just need to get the geometry set to the Prodrive settings now and that's all done, the stage 2 clutch has got a bit lighter now that's bedded in more.

I can't thank Mark at Thwaites Development Racing enough, nice smooth pull all through the rev range with the map he's put on the car, and it's certainly made good numbers on his dyno with the mods I've got so far. His guesstimate for it was 330bhp, before it even touched the rolling road. Once he was done it was at 333.3bhp/260bhp at the wheels.
Plus I now have the sheer anti-social joy of launch control and anti-lag

Pic of the Prosport gauges and ATI pod all wired in and working now also.



And the most important pic, the dyno graph.


And a quick video of the anti-lag

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDaRPGiG8q5/

[DanielSan]

It turns out there is one small downside to have fun with anti-lag, the gasket on the downpipe appears to have disappeared/melted so there's a steel one going on tomorrow.

Aside from that, it's running sweetly. Drives and pulls really nicely, responsive and it sounds epic. So happy with it at the moment.

[DanielSan]

I think the TDR dyno is a tad conservative, Mark there said cars with similar mods usually do around the 330 mark on his dyno so 333 was pretty much bang on the money.

As an aside to that, it's had what felt like a bit of a misfire for a while on cold starts, usually for around 30 seconds to a minute of driving then it goes away. After a bit of searching I've seen one recommendation is too run the car on VPower rather than the Tesco 99 it's usually run on, I figured I may well give it a go before searching for earth's or having to swap out coil packs. It's run sweet as a nut for the last 2 weeks now there's a couple of ranks of VPower gone through it, no cold start issues and it feels like it's pulling harder also. Would be good to get it on a dyno again to see what it's doing with the engine run in a bit more and it feeling better on the VPower.


Just a small update, had a rabbit take out my splitter so fitted a new one and also had the bonnet scoop repainted as ithad chipped and paint had bubbled on the top, as it was having some paint anyway I've also taken the opportunity to have the headlights de-tangoed and the bezels hit in satin black.





And less than 9 hours later Bugs Bunny's twin decided he'd had enough of life 4 miles from my house on the way to work!





So another new splitter has arrived today, that'll be going on Friday afternoon when it's in for an oil and filter change.

That one annoying mishap aside the car is running sweet with its new engine build, pulling nicely, sounding epic and stopping as it should now I've swapped out the dogst EBC brake pads for some normal Ferodo brake pads.

Here are a couple of pics from a blast upto Buxton and across the Cat n Fiddle a couple of weeks ago.

[DanielSan]

Cheers gents.

There's a couple of small bits I'd like to do in the near future, finally managed to find the Prodrive geometry settings so that'll be done in the next week or two, other than that I just want a bigger turbo to get it in/around the 400bhp area. That should keep me happy once I'm at that point....