BAD-WOLF

So from what I've been able to read on the internet, and _now_ I kind of understand the crappy Ikea-like 'instructions' that came with my Konis - it sounds like you have to take the rear struts off and totally compress the rod in order to adjust them?

 

I've tried using the knob that come with the front Koni tubes to adjust the rears, and it _seems_ like they're adjusting, or at least the adjustment tab is spinning around appx 1-1.5 turns.

 

I don’t believe so, I know this to be the case on other vehicles such as the Volvo turbo bricks but on ours we seem to have on the fly adjustment.

Should be Koito WY21W (same as 7440 and T20)

 

Awesome thanks!

Anyone know off hand what bulb the 05 JDM headlight uses for the turn signal.

Took everything apart all was aligned and tightened properly. Replaced strut mounts, and it quieted down. Funny thing is they didn't look that bad just weather cracked. But I've learned my lesson, always do the mounts.

the strut shaft has a ledge on it that the top hat must rest against. If it is not against the ledge then there is play when it is installed.

I wonder if that is my problem, when I put the new shocks in I put the shaft through the top hat enough to thread the nut on the shaft then released some tension on the spring so it would sit in the lower perch to keep it from spinning while I torqued the nut

 

Maybe the spring is slightly rotated and not against the lower stop? Is it a clunk or a rattle?

. The spring appears to be sitting properly in the lower perch. It's more of a clunk,

 

It is a possibility that with the new struts another worn suspension component is rearing its head now.

Initially I thought rear sway bark links, I shook those down and they're tight, any other trouble spots I should check?

It has to be removed from the spring, there is no other way to change out shocks. Something is loose or not assembled properly.

 

Well the way I did it was in a wall mount spring compressor. 3 arms hold down the top of the strut mount 3 arms hold the lower portion of the spring. Undo the shaft nut and the strut falls out of the spring. I do it all day at work with no problems. Everything else was done as shown in the walk through.

 

I'll probably be taking it apart and revisiting it all again.

Your strut shaft nut is loose? The top hats are not properly seated?

 

Good ideas, however I have triple checked the shaft nuts for tightness, and the strut mount was never removed from the top of the spring but that is something I will have to double check! The only thing I did out of the ordinary was use the stock flat washer then put on the koni lock washer, then put on the koni shaft nut.

Thanks for the input by the way, these things perform amazingly and quite comfortably with the stock springs, that rattle just gets on your nerves rather quickly.

Just installed my rear Koni's waiting until the weekend to install fronts. I'm using stock springs and my stock strut mounts. Strut mounts were never removed from the spring, I did them in a wall mount spring compressor, everything seems tight but I'm getting clunking coming from the rear that was never present before. Was worse on left side, made sure it was tightened down, now is worse on the right side. Any ideas?

FWIW, I did the street tune at 500 miles on the ej257. No need to wait.

 

That's great info, tell me more! How's the engine doing, how was the tune, what do you suggest? I'd like to ditch this stock tune ASAP, to me that thing is poison.

Since I replaced my shortblock and valve train it's been doing pretty well, just some minor stutter here and there. Thing has just over 500 miles, and I replaced the downstream o2 sensor last night to see if I could smooth out the inconsistent idle. Since then it's seem a little beet more stumbly when I roll into the throttle. But I haven't driven it a whole lot since I installed it, maybe 10 miles or so. Possibly needs to learn new trims? What do you guys think.

 

I'm waiting until the 3k mark when the engine is completely broken in to tune, so I'm running stock tune with a GS Uppipe, but pushing it little by little here and there, breaking it in the way I want to drive it but never revving over 4500-5000.

I ordered a set of USDM turn signal sockets. Unless you drill out the JDM housing, a USDM socket will not fit.

 

So there is that much of a size difference or is it a locking tab location issue?

Looking at the turn signal, thinking is it possible (seeing how you notched the housing) that you could notch it so as to use the USDM dual contact signal socket that way you could use a switchback led.

This sounds like the ECU reset and forgot any of its long term trims. Whenever mine resets (happens after a battery disconnect mostly) it idles funny for a few minutes. Maybe your ECU had been pulling timing due to the 87 the previous owner used, and now it's not?

 

Yes that was my initial assumption, good to see I'm not the only one who thinks so. I told that to one of the senior mechanics at my shop and he just laughed at me, I didn't think it seemed too far fetched but he's one of those Subaruphobes so I don't expect him to know much about my car.

TYPE OF STUTTER/STUMBLE

Steady throttle/Increasing throttle/Both:

 

MODS

Intake:Stock W BLITZ filter

Exhaust:Stock

Fuel:Stock

Turbo:stock less than 30K

Engine Management: stock

Tuner and revision of tune(if you don't mind):

 

MAINTENANCE

Sensors changed:

Plugs changed: changed spark plugs and VGC's about 1k ago

 

 

OTHER SYMPTOMS:

Only had this car for a few months so I'm still getting a feel for it. The best fuel I can get here is 91. I recieved the car with what I think was a few gallons of 87 and the surge in acceleration was terrible. After getting it filled with only 91 the surge greatly smoothed out but at times I still feel a very light surge/stutter around 75%-WOT. It seems to increase progressively in colder temperatures (30-20° here recently) and occasionally occurs in normal driving at these temps. Assumed ECU pulling timing in response to knock. (normal driving for me has been described by passengers as rather aggressive though so…). Thoughts?

 

These symptoms have been consistent with one acception, I work on cars for a living and this situation quite confused me, here we go:

Stopped at a gas station abou a mile away from my shop for some snacks on lunch. Turn of car go in come back try to start car, car starts to turn over and quits... Ok try again, starts to turn over stops... Ok make sure my lights (HID's) are off and any other electrical draws are off. Turn key, car fires up as if nothing even happened just like normal, but something felt different, so what does any responsible rational car owner do? Light it up. The weird part was that the little stutter it has on its way to redline was completely gone, and it pulled harder than I'd ever felt it before. Wired right or am I just missing something obvious. Al startups since have been normal.