2000 WRX Impreza: Boost tuning and a few other questions...
Discussion
A friend of mine has just started looking at 2000 Subaru Imprezas and he's got me thinking about what the tuning options are for said car.
Broadly, I'm wondering what can be done relatively easily and whether or not any of it is advisable, particularly given that cars he is looking at seem to sit at around the 80-90k mark.
With that in mind, a question or two:
What is the life expectancy of the factory turbocharger at standard/mildly tweaked boost? (I'm thinking that a standard unit must be nearing replacement at about the mileages we are looking at)
How much headroom does the car have for winding up the boost on the standard blower? Assuming stock injectors, stock top mount intercooler. Nothing more than decat, induction and some form of electronic boost control. Would be interested to know boost and likely power outputs.
For the above - is tuning essential for moderate tweaks or can the ECU compensate?
Given the questions above, is there anything obvious to look out for?
Would welcome your thoughts!
Breeze
Broadly, I'm wondering what can be done relatively easily and whether or not any of it is advisable, particularly given that cars he is looking at seem to sit at around the 80-90k mark.
With that in mind, a question or two:
What is the life expectancy of the factory turbocharger at standard/mildly tweaked boost? (I'm thinking that a standard unit must be nearing replacement at about the mileages we are looking at)
How much headroom does the car have for winding up the boost on the standard blower? Assuming stock injectors, stock top mount intercooler. Nothing more than decat, induction and some form of electronic boost control. Would be interested to know boost and likely power outputs.
For the above - is tuning essential for moderate tweaks or can the ECU compensate?
Given the questions above, is there anything obvious to look out for?
Would welcome your thoughts!
Breeze
Ive had a few over 100k miles that have quite happily been modified, closed deck is the best bet for a long life, ie RA's.
Like all older hiperformace cars at those sort of miles its a bit of a gamble (isnt everything)
For anything subaru this guy will point you in the right direction, regarding turbo replacement and ecu reprograming
http://www.andyforrestperformance.co.uk
A standard turbo should be good for 1.4(ish) bar. But would depend on the model, the imports generally are better donor vehicles for tuning as opposed to the UK models (they have ahead start)
To get the most out of the remap, a few mods would benifit, ie, decat exhaust, decat downpipe, decat uppipe (wrx only) Air filter, uprated fuel pump. Those sort of mods will mean you can keep the top mount i/c, any further then think about front mount.
But thats a decent start
HTH
Like all older hiperformace cars at those sort of miles its a bit of a gamble (isnt everything)
For anything subaru this guy will point you in the right direction, regarding turbo replacement and ecu reprograming
http://www.andyforrestperformance.co.uk
A standard turbo should be good for 1.4(ish) bar. But would depend on the model, the imports generally are better donor vehicles for tuning as opposed to the UK models (they have ahead start)
To get the most out of the remap, a few mods would benifit, ie, decat exhaust, decat downpipe, decat uppipe (wrx only) Air filter, uprated fuel pump. Those sort of mods will mean you can keep the top mount i/c, any further then think about front mount.
But thats a decent start
HTH
7even said:
Ive had a few over 100k miles that have quite happily been modified, closed deck is the best bet for a long life, ie RA's.
Like all older hiperformace cars at those sort of miles its a bit of a gamble (isnt everything)
For anything subaru this guy will point you in the right direction, regarding turbo replacement and ecu reprograming
http://www.andyforrestperformance.co.uk
A standard turbo should be good for 1.4(ish) bar. But would depend on the model, the imports generally are better donor vehicles for tuning as opposed to the UK models (they have ahead start)
To get the most out of the remap, a few mods would benifit, ie, decat exhaust, decat downpipe, decat uppipe (wrx only) Air filter, uprated fuel pump. Those sort of mods will mean you can keep the top mount i/c, any further then think about front mount.
But thats a decent start
HTH
Great stuff - thanks for that.Like all older hiperformace cars at those sort of miles its a bit of a gamble (isnt everything)
For anything subaru this guy will point you in the right direction, regarding turbo replacement and ecu reprograming
http://www.andyforrestperformance.co.uk
A standard turbo should be good for 1.4(ish) bar. But would depend on the model, the imports generally are better donor vehicles for tuning as opposed to the UK models (they have ahead start)
To get the most out of the remap, a few mods would benifit, ie, decat exhaust, decat downpipe, decat uppipe (wrx only) Air filter, uprated fuel pump. Those sort of mods will mean you can keep the top mount i/c, any further then think about front mount.
But thats a decent start
HTH
Begs the question - what is 1.4bar good for with that spec as far as BHP fly and ATW is concerned?
To resurrect this thread, buddy has just bought a 2000 WRX with 84k on the clock.
Car is standard apart from a decat and cat-back exhaust (not sure if we know the source of the exhaust). Car runs fine with the odd puff of black smoke on the overrun although I suspect that is normal given age. Believe the blower to be the original.
Previous owner is a friend and having known the car for a long time I know that it has been properly serviced/cooled down after running etc.
So, question is, what would happen if my friend were to find himself in the company of an electronic boost controller? A simple as winding up progressively to 1.4bar for the road?
Not even sure what they run from the factory to be honest.
Suspect that he isn't interested in injector upgrades/FMIC/mapping just yet but some form of boost control could certainly pave the way for more power later.
Incidentally, the car will be used for track work occaisionally (he wrote off his last car at the 'ring...) but obviously that would be on lower boost until something was done about intercooling.
Hmmm....
Car is standard apart from a decat and cat-back exhaust (not sure if we know the source of the exhaust). Car runs fine with the odd puff of black smoke on the overrun although I suspect that is normal given age. Believe the blower to be the original.
Previous owner is a friend and having known the car for a long time I know that it has been properly serviced/cooled down after running etc.
So, question is, what would happen if my friend were to find himself in the company of an electronic boost controller? A simple as winding up progressively to 1.4bar for the road?
Not even sure what they run from the factory to be honest.
Suspect that he isn't interested in injector upgrades/FMIC/mapping just yet but some form of boost control could certainly pave the way for more power later.
Incidentally, the car will be used for track work occaisionally (he wrote off his last car at the 'ring...) but obviously that would be on lower boost until something was done about intercooling.
Hmmm....
Edited by breezy on Sunday 26th October 17:35
youve just described the best way to pop a flat four engine .1.4 bar is right is at the very limit of a td04 turbo,inlet temps will be toasty at that boost on a top mount...
much better to tune the car properly with a good remap, good low down torque and mpg with matching boost and timing limits optomised for the tune.
might pay to remember that engine rebuilds START at 2 grand for a standard engine.
A remap on this model, which would be an ecutec (iirc) would cost 5-6 hundred, And will probably get you safely to the same sort of power as a boost controller alone. The upside of getting a remap is you dont need the boost controller as you can have a two way map set one for track and one for "driving miss daisy" so its like having one inbuilt, just with a bit safety not to make your turbo go pop.
If you look on sidc or scoobynet you will probably find one of the tuners doing a "group buy" for it and get some pennies off the price.
If you look on sidc or scoobynet you will probably find one of the tuners doing a "group buy" for it and get some pennies off the price.
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