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NSFW

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The evolution of NSFW's wagon, one step at a time...

 

I figure it would be fun to have diary to track the changes to my car. It began life as a 2005 Legacy GT Limited Wagon, and it's slowly getting more interesting.

 

As of October, 2011:

 

Power:

Custom 3" CAI

APS 3" turbo inlet

ATP 3076* with IWG (thread)

AVO FMIC (thread)

Stock headers

Invidia UP

Invidia DP (no issues with the wastegate door, I think mine came pre-trimmed)

Perrin MP/YP

Stock mufflers

 

Stock BPV

PLX SM-AFR

ID 1000 injectors (thread)

Aeromotive Steath 340 fuel pump

Ixiz AOSep (thread)

AEM 3.5-bar MAP sensor

Hallman Pro Rx manual boost controller (in parallel with solenoid)

Ixiz 4-port boost control solenoid (two ports capped off unless/until I get an EWG)

Self-tuned with the Tactrix OpenPort

 

Drivetrain: (thread)

Exedy Hyper Twin clutch

04 STI 6MT with Spec B gear ratios (2700 RPM @ 70 MPH)

Driveshaft Specialist driveshaft

04 STI R180 rear diff

Spec B rear axles

Spiider DccdPro DCCD controller

 

Handling:

Tokico shocks/struts

Pink springs

Whiteline sways (rear set to stiff, front soft)

Kartboy endlinks (cheesy fitment, but if tightened enough they don't klunk)

Racingbrake slotted discs

Carbotech Bobcat pads

Technafit lines

 

Exterior:

Rota SDR wheels, hyper black

AVO grille

Debadged

35% tint

Clear-bra

RRev carbon fog light bezels

 

Interior:

Cobb short-shifter

CarPC (HP laptop, 12v power supply, MoCoSo LCD)

JDM arm-rest storage box

 

In boxes in the garage:

Blow-through MAF tube (+ Turbosmart BOV)

Red 1/2" hose for extra underhood bling

PLX EGT, oil temperature, and oil pressure sensors

 

Maybe later:

Headers

External wastegate

...or just drive it and enjoy it.

 

* People often ask why I didn't go with a rotated kit. Click here for the answer.

Post1.thumb.jpg.7c327578c30c6b8fc6416addab1ce1f2.jpg

Edited by NSFW
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When I was shopping for a car, the cheap hardware and open source software for tuning and logging made me give extra consideration to the turbo Subarus. After I bought one, I knew I was going to be messing with this stuff. Around the time I decided to get a big turbo and tune it myself, I decided that logging and tuning with a laptop would be a lot more convenient if I had the laptop baked into the car. That opens up a bunch of other possibilities too, like navigation, cellphone integration, music, etc, etc. So far I'm just using it for logging, tuning, and navigation, but the rest will follow eventually.

 

 

So, the stock cubbyhole now holds a 7" LCD bezel, courtesy of LGT member BMac1203.

 

I used a JDM info-panel relocation kit to move the panel down where the ashtray was.

 

And of course I needed a place to put a PC to drive the LCD. I built a shelf from 1/4" HDPE, attached to couple of 3/4" slabs of HDPE that are connected with a hinge.

 

The first laptop was a HP 530 (refurbished, $500ish), to which I soldered a remote power switch, controlled by the "W3bm4st3r" auto-on module. The 2nd and current laptop is a Toshiba Satellite. I don't recommend buying one, because a few of the keyboard's keys stopped working after just a couple years. However since the laptop lives in the back of my car now, the crappy construction is no longer an issue. The one nice thing about this laptop is that it has a BIOS setting to turn on when given external power, so I no longer need the external switch and control module.

 

Edit: the Toshiba is basically crap. The USB ports randomly stop working, and it doesn't power on reliably. Laptop #3 coming soon.

 

I stuck several 4" sections of weather-stripping to the underside of the laptop to absorb shocks and vibration, and a small bungee cord at each corner holds the laptop in place. The laptop has a cooling fan intake on the bottom, so it needs to be lifted above the rack for airflow. I also really like the "floating" idea (no firm contact between the laptop and the car), but I am not 100% sure about weather stripping for vibration absorption since it seems to be packing down over time. I'll update this if I find something better.

 

The bundle of bricks toward the front of the car contains a 12vdc-120vac inverter, the laptop's 120vac-19vdc power supply 12v-19v power supply, and the auto-on module (which has since been removed, see above). Everything worked fine with the 120v inverter but the very idea always kinda bothered me.

 

I kept a lot of open space on the left for an amplifier.

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Edited by NSFW
Toshiba is crap.
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November 2008: AVO FMIC, and AEM CAI.

 

Click here for the FMICtorial.

 

December 14, 2008

 

 

  • Invidia up-pipe
  • (stock turbo)
  • Invidia catted down-pipe
  • Perrin mid-pipe / y-pipe
  • (stock cans)

 

There's now a PLX WBO2 in the down-pipe's bellmouth, and the stock O2 sensor has been relocated there as well. Stereo wideband sensors!

 

There is reason to believe that the stock O2 sensor is accurate down to at least 11.2, if relocated downstream of the turbo (apparently it is a wideband sensor, but up-pipe pressure throws off the readings when under boost). Root, a member at romraider.com, has done this relocation + WBO2 already and I'm hoping to reproduce his results... with a little luck the rest of y'all might be able to get some of the benefits of a WBO2 sensor just by relocating the stock sensor.

 

Big thanks to Citka for tons of help, welding, and a great garage.

 

August 30, 2009

 

 

  • ATP 3076
  • APS 3" inlet
  • GrimmSpeed TGV deletes
  • GrimmSpeed TGV spacers (just to make space for the inlet)
  • re-located fuel pressure regulator (to make space for a blow-through MAF in the future)

 

Pictures here: http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119617

 

February 3, 2010

 

The stock clutch started slipping about 3 months after the new turbo went in, so...

 

 

  • 06 WRX Flywheel
  • Bullyclutch 'stage 2' clutch
  • Bullyclutch 'stage 4' pressure plate
  • TSK 3 throwout bearing

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130561

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Edited by NSFW
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October 13-19, 2010

 

6MT swap - click here for details. It took somewhat longer than expected, but hit shappens.

Also replaced the Bullyclutch with an Exedy Twin. (The Bully gave up while I was experimenting with 25psi of boost.)

 

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z151/Legacy_NSFW/6MT/Twins.jpg

 

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z151/Legacy_NSFW/6MT/Exedy.jpg

Edited by NSFW
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  • 3 months later...
My first mod was a Cobb short-shifter. Cobb discontinued these, but Mode sells them now. Rumour has it that they were making the original Cobb parts anyway.

Post9A.jpg.4d859ad15e49f0692be6a25a70f54ece.jpg

Edited by NSFW
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Ever walk into a restaurant and realize you've forgotten a hair tie and will be pushing your hair back all evening to keep it from falling into your soup?

 

I see you're serving overseas so I'm going to guess not. It's a terrible sinking feeling though, just trust me on that. :)

 

Thanks for serving, by the way, and come home safe.

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Ever walk into a restaurant and realize you've forgotten a hair tie and will be pushing your hair back all evening to keep it from falling into your soup?

Well... no. I don't have very much hair. Like this: :cool:

 

I have kept hair ties on the shifter for GFs, it was just never that many. Thought it might be a good luck thing.

 

For example, I have a peace sign that hangs from the RVM. Yes, I know it's ironic... ;) Long story.

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Then came the 7" LCD bezel, courtesy of LGT member BMac1203, along with a JDM info-panel relocation kit:

 

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z151/Legacy_NSFW/BezelInstalledVeryDark.jpg

 

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z151/Legacy_NSFW/BezelInstalled3.jpg

 

Then of course I needed a place to put a PC to drive the LCD. I built a shelf from 1/4" HDPE, attached to couple of 3/4" slabs of HDPE that are connected with a hinge:

 

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z151/Legacy_NSFW/Rack1.jpg

 

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z151/Legacy_NSFW/Rack2.jpg

 

 

The laptop is a HP 530 (refurbished, $500ish), to which I soldered a remote power switch, controlled by the "W3bm4st3r" auto-on module. I stuck several 4" sections of weather-stripping to the underside of the laptop to absorb shocks and vibration, and a small bungee cord at each corner holes the laptop in place. The laptop has a cooling fan intake on the bottom, so it needs to be lifted above the rack for airflow. I also really like the "floating" idea (no firm contact between the laptop and the car), but I am not 100% sure about weather stripping for vibration absorption since it seems to be packing down over time. I'll update this if I find something better.

 

The bundle of bricks toward the front of the car contains a 12vdc-120vac inverter, the laptop's 120vac-19vdc power supply, and the auto-on module. I intended to ditch the inverter and just use a 12v-19v laptop power supply, at which time I'll tidy up the wiring.

 

I kept a lot of open space on the left for an amplifier.

 

nice :wub:

 

how much did the whole LCD setup cost, if you dont mind me asking?

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The LCD was about $400, the bezel and customization was $250. I'm not fond of the screen though. It's a Xenarc 700tsv and it periodically shows the image upside-down or backwards and I have to fish the remote out of the center console to fix it. Haven't figured out yet what (if anything) can be done about that. It was consistently correct for the last few days but my guess is that it's going to "flip out" again eventually.

 

EDIT: I'm using a Lilliput screen now and I haven't had the upside-down / backward image problem since switching.

Edited by NSFW
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I just decided to postpone the big-turbo upgrade 'til after snowboard season... but I'm still going to upgrade all the exhaust stuff (minus the mufflers) in the next couple/few weeks. Just placed two orders, going to place two more tomorrow, pick up a couple parts locally, and hopefully get it all installed before Christmas.

 

And springs too, but those might stay on the sidelines until after the snow melts. Or not. We'll see.

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Pieces should start arriving on the 26th. Woot! Props to Import Image for getting so much critical stuff shipped out quick.

Bungs & some misc bits won't be here til the 2nd, though. That's going to be the holdup.

Edited by NSFW
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  • 4 weeks later...

Post #5 updated with some exhaust pictures.

 

Huuuge thanks once again to Citka for letting me use his garage, and for helping with everything, and for teaching me a thing or three about working on cars, and last but not least, for doing all of the welding.

 

The exhaust note got a little more pronounced even with the stock cans still in place. A little bit of rumble at idle, and after revving the engine there's a bit of "brap" noise and the engine returns to idle. Still pretty mellow as compared to most aftermarket exhausts, though.

 

Tuning for the new exhaust will take a while. Instead of installing a 'stage 2' tune I've flashed a safe-but-weak tune (conservative timing, wastegate boost, mildly aggressive AFR) and I'm going to turn up the boost and timing over the next couple/few months. It'll be good practice for tuning the next turbo.

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  • 3 months later...

EDO Performance just sent me a tracking number for my springs, they should be here in a couple days. I wanted to redo the suspension for months, so I'm really looking forward to this. Probably going to have everything installed in 2-3 weeks:

 

Tokico shocks & struts

H-Tech front springs

STI rear springs

 

In other news, the car is making decent power and running fine, but I still have a lot of tweaking to do. I didn't realize until recently that it was running a bit lean under boost, but at least I now know why I had to pull timing. AFRs are no longer lean, but they do go rich semi-randomly, which I'm still trying to figure out (I don't think it's MAF scaling or injectors, because it's intermittent). While I ponder that AFR thing I'm tweaking boost a bit as it overshoots a little in 4th. When both are solved I'll raise timing.

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