motorbreath

Mine came with a valet key, grey with no buttons or immobilizer chip. Do you not have one? I think this is the part number, 57497AJ01A, its spendy...

I got serious with the rusted-together BCS/bracket and was able to get it apart and the screws out. Thanks to FLlegacy for the offer, knowing there was a spare out there that I could count on really reduced my stress level. I am beat today, but tomorrow I am going to connect the 3-port Tactrix BCS and load the base map from Shinji Tuned. Hopefully I'll get the logging done too, I plan on using Btssm for that so I do not need to drive around with the laptop. I am going to zip-tie the BCS to the turbo inlet for now, but I will try to make an aluminum bracket similar to what Grimmspeed provides for their BCS. I'll get some longer screws for the Grimmspeed adaptor (installed in picture below) and attach the Tactrix BCS to that. Here is a link to the setup using the Grimmspeed BCS, https://www.grimmspeed.com/electronic-boost-control-solenoid-3-port-15-21-wrx-fa20/

That is AWESOME! I really appreciate it! I will make one last ditch attempt tonight and PM tomorrow.

Lest anyone doubt the appropriateness of the title of this thread, the bracket holding the stock BCS is absolutely rusted to sh*t and I cannot get the two screws out with reasonable effort. I had the bright idea of trying to remove the stock BCS from its bracket to get better access to the screws...so now with that destroyed I have bricked my car again. My plan tomorrow is to continue to try to destructively remove the stock BCS, remove it, and split the remaining part of the bracket in half. This might allow me to rotate each half. With the screws rust-welded in place, that should screw them out (I hope). Otherwise I am looking at a $150+ part and at least a few weeks wait time, based on past experience.

I have heard a few stories that seem legit, but I think BNR has done the vast majority of the hybrid VF54s that are mentioned on the forum, so I will likely risk it IF I ever actually do this in the first place. See the next post

Are you going with the 16G or 20G? Last time I spoke to BNR they said they no longer do the 18G, which is a bit disappointing.

So I took it out for one last drive before I install the 3-port BCS and start the e-tune with the basemap provided by Shinji Tuned. The knocking I'm getting in first/reverse is definitely the aftermarket exhaust, but has almost gone away after 30 minutes of driving. I was careful to not push it too hard since it is likely running lean with the stock tune, but oh man, it drives and sounds GREAT. It took all of the will power I had not to open it up, the aftermarket j-pipe really changes the exhaust sound and the new-to-me stock turbo is definitely in better condition than the original that I pulled out. I was going to send the original turbo to BNR over the winter so I can install it along with the upgraded fuel pump and injectors next year. I am not sure if that will work, though, since the original manifold, turbo, and j-pipe are completely rusted together. I'll need to look for another VF54 turbo which will be a project for next year...

Yes, sorry, I was away for over a week and am still trying to get my head above water at work. I totally missed that fourth heat shield and need to order/install it. I am hoping that this will not require dropping the turbo, hopefully just the turbo sump/oil pan. It really stinks that I missed this! All of that being said, still need to fiddle with the exhaust to hopefully get rid of some knocking in first+reverse gear, but I am in the process of getting an open-source tune from Shinji Tuned. He sent me a base map, but I need to install the 3-port boost control solenoid before I start logging. If you are doing a header/turbo and you are not super-mechanically inclined (like me), be prepared for a bit of a challenge and invest in a MAPP torch kit!

One of the two shields I installed is not very visible from the picture, but I did not realize there were four shields. From the images on Subaru's parts website I found the following three shields: 44643AA000 44652AA930 16183AA010 I installed the first two with a bracket attached to the turbo to support them. I did not install the one in bold, do you have a part number for the fourth shield that I am missing?

I haven't reinstalled the skid plate yet, so that still may be an issue, but I definitely will check the mid pipe hanger later in the week!

So, there are a few issues with my install of the new turbo assembly: 1) 5 of the 6 exhaust manifold studs came out with the nuts, so instead of replacing them I just reinstalled the exhaust manifold reusing the studs/nuts. I doubt this is the best way to do this, but I did not want to wait the week or so to get new studs and nuts...hopefully this is not a big issue! 2) I did not bother replacing the rusted-out lower heat shield since I have an aluminum skid plate which, essentially, serves the same purpose. However, the upper portion of the heat shield is free to vibrate a little since normally it would be fasted to the lower portion, which I did not replace. 3) There is a significant knocking sound when I am using the clutch at low speeds in first and reverse. It sounds like the exhaust is knocking against something. I suspect that the exhaust is lightly impacting against something near the transmission cross-member. Not sure what to do about this, there is not much room for adjustment due to the larger diameter of the aftermarket exhaust piping. I forgot to take pictures over the weekend, but I'll definitely post something soon.

So I stayed-up late Wednesday night and got everything installed. After starting it with the gas pedal all the way down to build oil pressure, it started-up without issues. I am staying out of boost until I get it e-tuned, but everything seems to be working! I'll post pictures of it installed over the weekend. One last thing I need to figure out, I also have a set of ID1050X injectors with a DW300 fuel pump that I have not installed yet. Until I swap in a hybrid turbo, I am not sure there any benefit to installing these with the stock turbo. While I also have the AEM wide band, not having to deal with it yet by keeping the stock injectors does sound a bit tempting. Thoughts? EDIT: After looking at Fahrside's post regarding fifth gen power restrictions, I think I'll hold off on the ID1050X's so that I do not need to bother with the wideband when getting an e-tune: "2. Stage 2. Blockage point here is the turbo itself. As above, but add a high-flow catted, or catless J-pipe. Now you can raise boost to 18psi peak on pump gas and run leaner AFR and more timing. Note boost still needs to taper at high revs due to the size of the turbo. Stock injectors are adequate for pump gas but I’d back them up with a better fuel pump like a DW200 or a 300 if you think you may go bigger later. On E85 you will want the bigger pump plus 750 or 850cc injectors and again you may go to 1000s to future-proof yourself. 235whp/330wtq is typical."

I finally got around to working on this...

I can do the prep/paint on the new oil lines, but the coolant lines will be difficult to get smooth again so I might leave them and paint the replacement I'll have to buy in a few years when they start leaking again.

I have a 5th gen that I recently (1 year ago) replaced coolant hard lines on the turbo. I had to drop the turbo over the weekend and noticed that those year-old hard lines look TERRIBLE. I'll upload a picture later, but I went to the dealership to ask if this was normal for a non-winter driven car and (of course) they said yes. I am replacing all of the oil hard lines to the turbo which is not cheap. I would like to improve their longevity, so I am wondering if there are any issues with painting them with high temperature paint like Rust-oleum High Heat Paint? I also have a new exhaust manifold and would be interesting in painting that, as well. Any thoughts, criticisms, or ridicule would be appreciated.

You should also check your front subframe, I had crunching from it when turning...followed by it failing with the lower control arm tearing away from its mounting point.

Sh*t, they gave me 42072AJ070, I was looking up the part number assuming they had it right! Thanks, I'll get them to order the correct part tomorrow!

OK, after lots of searching this forum and speaking with the dealer parts desk: 1) There are a few mentions of others needing to take a Dremel tool to the plastic fuel pump retainer for the DW300 to fit. Hopefully the OP can make a note of this in his original post for future do-dos like me who have a low common sense level. 2) The dealer is not sure what the issue is, has never been asked to order this part before even for their service department. The service manual does show a filter housing with three fuel ports, but Subaru's parts look-up shows one with two fuel ports. I am likely just going to reuse the existing fuel filter until I can source a replacement that I know 100% will work.

OK, so just to make things even more convoluted, I double checked the part number the dealer provided and it seems to be correct. The lack of a third fuel connection also seems to be correct, but clearly the car in this thread and my own car has a housing with three ports...

So my build is named "The Hard Way" for a reason...I tried to do this install today and found the new inner assembly/fuel filter that I got from the dealer was an incorrect part, it looks correct but only has two fuel ports, not three like in the existing unit. I decided since I was halfway there, I would reuse the existing one an repeat the whole process in a few months after I got the correct part. This was a mistake. For the life of my I could not get the plastic retained to fit over the DW300 unit. I tried everything, reusing the using the stock gasket, trying 3-2-1 of the supplied o-rings instead, I simply could not get the plastic retainer on. I am a little upset about the whole process, hoping that when I get the new fuel filter assembly the pump will go on without problems. I should be able to dry fit it first, before pulling the existing fuel pump...wish me luck!

Something easy you can do is visually inspect the coil packs. My cylinder 4 coil pack was in really bad shape when I pulled it, the laminated metal was literally de-laminating. Hoepfully its not a burnt valve!

I bought mine used a few years ago with 105k on the odometer. It also had an intermittent misfire on cylinder four, after new plugs and coil packs all around, along with a new timing belt kit, it has been running like a champ for the past 10k. It was not cheap, but getting quality parts from Rock Auto and doing the work myself kept the costs under $1k.

Wow, that is an awesome car!

Dorman is not a reputable vendor of autoparts, from my experience.

After viewing those images I am even more confused! Where is the return line for the transmission cooler? It looks like two different fittings are present on the cylinder 4 side, and both of them seem to lead to the heater core, with one of them teeing to continue on to transmission cooler. That seems to support that that the two fittings on the cylinder 4 side are both the supply and return?!