Ken’s Subaru Impreza WRX

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I am the proud owner of a Midnight Black Pearl 2003 WRX Sportwagon, bought new and picked up in February ’03. So here’s the list of modifications (all of which I did myself)…

Exterior/Chassis:

• Debadged liftgate
• Rewired fog lamps (currently removed) to be energized with running/parking lights
• Installed Brightstar HID bulb kit in OEM reflector housing (low
  beam replacement) went back to OEM lights because of corroded HID wiring harness
  
• Installed Hella FF1000 driving lights in OEM fog light location (actuated
  via high beams)
• Installed PIAA SuperSporza wiper arms and blades
• Cut down OEM front chassis subframe for fitment with ALK
• Installed larger JDM STi hoodscoop
• Swapped OEM front grill emblem for blue “I” (JDM)

Interior:

• Rewired defroster setting to NOT automatically turn on AC
• Hardwired Valentine One radar detector above center rear-view
• Installed MOMO Air Leather Subaru OEM shift knob
• Installed gauges:
  • Autometer electrical manifold pressure (3377) on RH steering column,
    tapped into BPV line, peak warn @ 22psi
  • Autometer exhaust gas temperature (3344) on LH steering column, probe in
    driver’s side exhaust manifold between cylinders 2 and 4
• Installed shift light/buzzer, driven by UTEC, LED set to 6500 rpms, piezo buzzer
  set to 7000 rpms
• Removed driver’s and passenger’s knee bolster/reinforcements

Powertrain:

• Intake:
  • Removed intake funnel
  • Removed intake silencer/snorkus
  • Installed velocity stack in airbox, opened to fender well
  • Sealed fender well from engine compartment
  • Installed K&N filter
  • Installed Samco turbo inlet hose
  • Installed Samco intercooler hoses
  • Bypassed throttle body coolant loop
  • Ported and polished IC elbows
  • Ported and polished turbo compressor housing
  • Modified OEM BPV to hold greater pressure
  • Installed Ebay upgraded TMIC
  • Ported and polished throttle body bore, knife-edged butterfly, shaved
    shaft
  • Installed DIY intercooler sprayer using two TORO mister nozzles and
    the OEM rear window washer pump, triggered @ 62% throttle position via TPS switch (temporarily disconnected due to upgraded TMIC shroud work in
    progress)
• Exhaust:
  • Gutted and installed spare OEM up pipe installed taped and wrapped oem sti up pipe
    
  • Installed Bosal twin-dump down pipe
  • Ported IHI P20 turbo exhaust housing
  • Gutted and installed spare OEM mid pipe put original mid pipe w/cat back on car
  • Installed TurboXS Magnaflow backbox
  • Removed factory heatshielding from exhaust manifold
  • Removed lower factory heatshield from turbo, trimmed upper heatshield
    to fit downpipe
  • Ported, gasket-matched, wrapped exhaust manifold w/Thermo-Tec,
    covered with heavy aluminum foil
  • Wrapped downpipe w/Thermo-Tec, sealed w/paint
• Boost control:
  • Hybrid EBC/MBC setup, controlled via cockpit knob and UTEC boost map.
• Engine:
  • Installed Go Fast Bits crank/alternator pulley set
  • Installed STi Group N engine mounts
  • Added Redline Water Wetter to coolant system
  • Removed OEM spark plugs @ 25k miles, replaced with one step colder copper
    [NGK BKR7E] (tested compression, 165psi all around!)
  • Installed Walbro GSS342 fuel pump
  • Installed Aeromotive 13109 adjustable fuel pressure regulator set to
    65 psi static (+20 over OEM)
  • Installed ported and polished IHI VF23 turbo in place of OEM TD04L-13T
  • upgraded to cx racing all aluminum radiator (plastic endtanks on oem rad cracked)
• Transmission:
  • Installed Perrin short shifter
  • Installed Kartboy shift bushing
  • Installed STi Group N transmission mount
  • Flushed OEM fluid and replaced with 35% Pennzoil Synchromesh, 65% Mobil
    1 75W-90 synthetic gear lube
  • Flushed rear differential OEM fluid and replaced with Mobil 1 75W-90
    synthetic gear lube
  • Installed ACT StreetLight flywheel in place of OEM
  • Installed Kartboy rear differential outrigger bushings
• ECU:
  • Installed electronic fix for p0420 check engine light
  • Installed electronic fix for p0546 check engine light
  • Installed TurboXS UTEC, running tweaked stage II w/up pipe map from
    wrxhackers.com
  • Set UTEC secondary rev-limiter to 5500 rpms, activated via clutch switch
  • Bumped up primary rev-limit to 8000 rpms
  • Wired up DIY remote UTEC map switch
  • Installed TurboXS Tuner Pro Wideband O2 sensor
  • Installed auxiliary Bosch knock sensor
  • Snipped MAF sensor wire from harness, forcing oem ecu to run in speed density failsafe mode (car is completely SD at this point)

Brakes:

• Installed MRT master cylinder bracket
• Installed Goodridge stainless steel braided brake lines
• Installed “H6” rear brake upgrade kit
• Flushed OEM brake fluid and replaced with ATE super blue
• Installed Speedbleeders
• Installed Carbotech Panther Plus pads in front
• Switched to EBC Yellow pads at all corners
• Switched to EBC Blue pads at all corners
  

Suspension:

• Front:
  • Installed Noltec steering rack bushings
  • Installed Whiteline Anti-Lift Kit, sport bush
  • Installed Noltec front camber/caster plates, sport bush
  • Swapped OEM front springs for Whiteline P/N 83028A (Flatout)
  • Installed Noltec front sway bar end links
  • Installed Whiteline 22mm front sway bar
  • Installed Whiteline front strut tower bar
    (removed due to interference with upgraded TMIC)
• Rear:
  • Installed Cusco 20-24mm adjustable rear sway bar (set to full stiff)
  • Installed Kartboy rear sway bar end links
  • Installed Whiteline rear strut tower bar
  • Installed Whiteline rear subframe lock bolts
• WINTER: 205/55/R16 Firestone Blizzak WS-15 tires 205/60/r16 Hankook W300 Icebear on 16″ OEM alloy wheels,  32 psi (more info)
• SUMMER: 225/45/R17 Falken Azenis Sport (RS) 215/40-17 falken fk452 215/45 17 Federal 595-RSR on 17″ OZ Prodrive P1 wheels
  (anthracite), 40 psi

Also a box full of ADI parts (Aquamist bypass pump, HSS, nozzles, aluminum fuel cell tank, etc) sitting in the garage waiting for me to install!

i went drag racing with it, once. not bad for the first and last time ever on a strip! it was pretty fucking warm that day, too.

You can see my car in action here: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom (ish)

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28 Comments

1. Flan, September 18, 2008:

   Looks like you did a lot of work on it. Congrats

2. john donnelly, November 15, 2008:

   any idea where to find instructions on how to install a hks turbo timer on a 2005 subaru wrx

3. djouls, February 19, 2009:

   hi man you have a realy nice car
   i have the same in gray and i’m going to put inside somes parts from APS
   turbocharger, TMIC, fuel rail duct inductor .

   I’ll do it in the next week
   i live in the FWI in st martin
   your website is nice
   take care man nice and good job

4. Nana, March 5, 2009:

   This post has good and valuable information, thank you.

5. Dillion, April 6, 2009:

   Hey, is there a section just for latest news

6. mike, June 24, 2009:

   hi man..
   can you give me color code and suggestion brand for WR blue mica (OEM standard)
   thanks

7. gilad, August 1, 2009:

   hey like the vid man im glad the car is still in one piece lol. just kidding. i have a subaru impreza 97 wrx model im running 26 psi boost its around 450 bhp if you need any info about yours or wanna know more about mine let me know from gilad

8. Chris Murray, August 30, 2009:

   Lots of work on your car do you sleep? Had to drop you a line for your posting of 2004 sti manual ,it has been invaluable to me. Thanks a lot . If you ever need any Sti cast off stock parts let me know I have upgraded most of the car.
   Sincerly Chris Murray.

9. James Bentley, November 8, 2009:

   I’m looking to build a custom set of headers for my Impreza but don’t have the plate design that bolts onto the engine and dont want to have to remove and replace the current exhaust while its under construction. Do you have the technical drawing of these header plates? Would greatly appreciate your help.

   Regards

10. turboxs exhaust, November 12, 2009:

    TurboXS GT Kit for the 2002-2007 Subaru WRX/STI. This kit allows you to bolt a Tial 44mm WG & any T3/T4 Turbocharger using a T31 Exhaust Housing like the GT30 or GT35. Order the 3 components you’ll have all the harware required to bolt on horsepower. *Turbocharger & Wastegate not included*

11. autometer gauges, December 7, 2009:

    Auto meter is and will always be the industry leader.

12. moog bushings, December 9, 2009:

    The moog suspension bushing was a nice choice.

13. jim thomas, December 9, 2009:

    I miss my sube so much it looked a lot like yours and was just plain fast as heck …..great car bro

14. Ken, December 10, 2009:

    sorry james, i don’t.

15. Ken, December 10, 2009:

    get another one, jim!

16. k&n, December 18, 2009:

    K&N warrants its street vehicle OE Replacement Air Filters for one million miles. When used properly and found to be defective, return your filter and the receipt from purchase and K&N will replace it free of charge.

17. Mike, March 1, 2010:

    Hey, thanks for the Impreza manuals… have you ever took out the valve cover gaskets? if so, is it easy to do?

18. kalo, May 26, 2010:

    hey im planing to get a 97 subaru impreza im actually tradin it for my 300zx but all i want to know if its cheap or not to boost the 2.2 boxers or if ima have to do a swap in orther to gain some hp
    please help me out on this one

19. RickW, June 22, 2010:

    Ken,
    I didn’t realize your mod list was quite so extensive! I’m contemplating getting another WRX, as it’s been 2yrs since I sold the 440whp monster 😉
    Looking at a 92X Saabaru, though, now..

20. HEL Brake Lines, March 9, 2011:

    Hi Ken,

    Nice build!

    How are you finding the Goodridge brake lines? Did you buy the kit with fully stainless fittings or zinc plated?

    If you got zinc plated, I would keep an eye on them for corrosion! 100% Stainless Steel is the way to go!

    If you want any advice, let me know!

    Thanks,

    Steve

21. FLIP, April 7, 2011:

    hey i have a jdm 1995 subaru wrx ive been looking for english pdf service manuals on it can you help me out thanks

22. FLIP, April 8, 2011:

    sorry bout that i posted in wrong area, nice car looks like you got some time and elbow greese in it nothing like having a built car that you have done by your self. gotta love the scoobies

23. Genaro Fagle, April 15, 2011:

    whoah this weblog is fantastic i love reading your posts. Stay up the great work! You recognize, a lot of people are searching round for this information, you can aid them greatly.

24. Beto, August 3, 2011:

    Ken: congratulations, your site is very good. Thanks by Impreza 93-96 manuals, i downloads for my Impreza 94. From Corrientes, Argentine.

25. pete25r, February 22, 2013:

    Nice Bugeye! I’ve got an 02 sedan. Mods are great. I’ll be there someday…

    Thanks for hosting the manuals. I’ve had to look up torque specs a few times and your site is SUPER handy. *high five*

26. arielpedrosa, July 11, 2013:

    I have an 2000 RS with a EJ20 enigne and a megasqurit fuel control unit do you have any information or maps on oem tuning for this engine?

27. Tim Bartlebaugh, February 11, 2014:

    Any advice on easily removing the power steering intake line at the pump so I can replace the o-ring? I’d prefer not to have to take off the whole pump, however the air intake tube is in the way so I can’t get to the bolt. Thanks for the manuals!

28. Alex, January 8, 2018:

    Hi Ken, great site, thanks for all the manuals. Want newer manuals for impreza wrx and sti? I have all impreza manuals from 2010-2016 on CD or DVD. Is this interesting?
    Greetings from germany, Al