Ken’s Subaru Impreza WRX
Posted 11.21.2007 6:47 am
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
- Autometer electrical manifold pressure (3377) on RH steering column,
- 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
- Gutted and installed spare OEM up pipe installed taped and wrapped oem sti up pipe
- 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
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 Valvoline SynPower synthetic
- Installed Speedbleeders
- Installed Carbotech Panther Plus pads in front
- Switched to EBC Yellow 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 on 17″ OZ Prodrive P1 wheels
(anthracite), 40 psi
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)
Looks like you did a lot of work on it. Congrats
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any idea where to find instructions on how to install a hks turbo timer on a 2005 subaru wrx
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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
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This post has good and valuable information, thank you.
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Hey, is there a section just for latest news
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hi man..
can you give me color code and suggestion brand for WR blue mica (OEM standard)
thanks
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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
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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.
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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
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Ken Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 7:36 am
sorry james, i don’t.
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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*
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Auto meter is and will always be the industry leader.
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The moog suspension bushing was a nice choice.
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I miss my sube so much it looked a lot like yours and was just plain fast as heck …..great car bro
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Ken Reply:
December 10th, 2009 at 7:36 am
get another one, jim!
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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.
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Hey, thanks for the Impreza manuals… have you ever took out the valve cover gaskets? if so, is it easy to do?
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