New LGT Lim. & $2500 for mods, which way to go?

[TSiWRX]

Where are ya? PM me if you don't feel like disclosing on the public Forum.

 

As for "safe" - there's no documented case of an LGT suffering from "cat ingestion," i.e. the pre-cat (UP cat) "breaking off" pieces and launching themselves, catastrophically, into the turbo. However, there's been reports of this happening on higher-mileage and physically older WRXs.

 

Although "Stage II" typically comes with hardware changes that will actually lower EGTs, the risk for higher EGTs and simple increases in mechanical stress has some Scooby enthusiasts favoring ditching the UP cat just as an additional margin of safety - i.e. one less part to worry about.

 

Whether or not you belong to this school of thought is, well, your own decision. Currently, at least on our new-ish LGTs, there's just not enough data to warrant claiming either case with much, er...vehemence?

[STiNGER]

Very informative post Tsi, and yes I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on a crucial up. I'm in Pittsburgh. I guess not too close, but close enough. My location is supposed to read "the steel city". If you're down this way, we should get together, or vice versa.

[TSiWRX]

^ That sentiment's returned! Thanks!

 

NP on the info. I'm glad to help. And as-always, I hope I've presented things in sorta an "objective" light - giving both sides of the story where enough doubt exists to make the claims of any one particular school of thought, well, not exactly a true science.

 

Also, just so that you are aware, some in the Scooby tuner circles actually prefer to retain the stock EGT in the UP, using that more or less as a fail-safe device. This is evident by the fact that there's more than one parts-maker out there that markets UPs with a retained factory EGT bung. Those on the other side of the argument, such as myself, typically cite the fact that should your vehicle decide to shut-down due to excessively high EGTs from this particular reading, your engine is likely already toast....as such, we view this feature as somewhat redundant-redundant, and usually skip it in favor of a smoother, non-disrupted bore. Typically, those who move on to "Stage II" and beyond will also eventually incorporate the use of aftermarket monitoring gauges, such as an ancillary EGT gauge, placed typically at the manifold so as to get the most exact reading possible, as well as to warn, as soon as possible, of potentially catastrophic EGT climbs.