Who here owns a Subaru?

Soldato
Joined
11 Apr 2004
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19,807
Haven't had much time to work on the Scooby recently but made a bit of progress this week.

220519_killerb.jpg


Killer B windage tray and pick-up pipe

220519_sump.jpg


EJ25 sump, dipstick tube and dipstick (you can see the larger heat wrapped up pipe here too)

220519_intakehose.jpg


I was determined to get this off without removing the manifold. Bit of a bugger, and the dump valve pipe hose clip was facing towards the engine! :mad:

Front subframe has had a liberal coating of Bilt Hamber Hydrate 80 followed by a few coats of Hammerite black (which was what I was doing before I damaged the sump!). Hopefully fit the radiator, intake hose and my Apexi air filter this week. I've still got a bit more porting to do on the cross pipe before I can fit the manifold. Hopefully be back together next week.
 
Soldato
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Bit of brute force and ignorance never hurt anybody :D

I can't find a split or leak on the old pipe so I'm still none the wiser as to where my boost leak was. Hoping it's just one of those things and by replacing the pipe the leak will have magically disappeared! It wasn't a huge leak, just a whistle when coming on boost and an occasional rev hang at high rpm.
 
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Soldato
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New inlet hose now on. I wasn't entirely happy with the fit first time round so took it off again (sucker for punishment!), cut about 3cm off the pipe and refitted. Removed the power steering pump for a bit more clearance and used some silicone spray to help where the hose was fouling on the manifold.

Never doing that again!
 
Soldato
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I got sick of the plastic radiators leaking so bought a Mishimoto which is what started me off on this journey of losing the will to live :D
 
Soldato
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So with the 335d up for sale I am looking at Subaru's as a potential replacement.

I want to spend no more than £7k, it will be a daily but more to the shops and back with the odd Sunday hoon.

I do not plan to mod it power wise but do when it comes to handling. I just want it to be reliable.

I've had a look and I could get an sti in my budget all be it blobeye but I really don't have a clue what I'm looking for when it comes to Subaru's. I could get a WRX for cheaper such as a wrx300/ or one with ppp.

Am I best looking at the 2.0l engines over the 2.5? As I do like the sharkeye hatches..

Anything else I should know?
 
Associate
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2 Aug 2006
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476
My 02 plate STi that Id had 15 years decided to melt an exhaust valve the start of the year (engine light on driving home from work/CYL 2 missfire) weighed up all options, cost to rebuild it properly myself was through the roof, cut my loses and the hassle and sold it for 3.1k as it was.

Looking back now i wish id done it a lot sooner, had my fun in it back in the day and dont miss it at all one bit (especially the fuel cost !)
 
Associate
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Chipping Norton
So with the 335d up for sale I am looking at Subaru's as a potential replacement.

I want to spend no more than £7k, it will be a daily but more to the shops and back with the odd Sunday hoon.

I do not plan to mod it power wise but do when it comes to handling. I just want it to be reliable.

I've had a look and I could get an sti in my budget all be it blobeye but I really don't have a clue what I'm looking for when it comes to Subaru's. I could get a WRX for cheaper such as a wrx300/ or one with ppp.

Am I best looking at the 2.0l engines over the 2.5? As I do like the sharkeye hatches..

Anything else I should know?
i'm no expert but 2.5l is prone to ringland failures, so unless you buy a car that has had their engine rebuild or you want to spend the money on a rebuild go for the 2.0
 
Soldato
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13 Jun 2007
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Chesterfield
I've had a look and I could get an sti in my budget all be it blobeye but I really don't have a clue what I'm looking for when it comes to Subaru's. I could get a WRX for cheaper such as a wrx300/ or one with

Hello mate,

At £7k and blobeye STI will be the very bottom of the barrel, unless you get very lucky. Im also looking at them again so have a idea on the prices atm.

If you can up your budget to £8.5k, this where decent milaged with service history tends to start.

At £7k i would forget the mileage and go for detailed service history. Best thing about scoobs is they all tend to have a history on the internet aswell so u can find things out about the car/owners with a bit of googling/facebooking.

What i did find the other day was mint white Forester STI with decent mileage for £7.5k, it did look nice. Think it popped up on facebook Subaru groups.

Also blob is best.
 
Soldato
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@Rybo89

Forester/legacy have caught my eye. A forester would be awesome but I just want something that will tackle the back roads really well and give me some enjoyment too. I think a forester/legacy would feel a bit boaty no?

I don't even mind a wrx but you end up reading about gearbox issues etc so it doesn't fill you with confidence.
 
Soldato
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I haven't driven a Foz or Legacy but I don't think there's any reason why they shouldn't handle just as well as an Impreza with the same mods. Doesn't the Forester use the Impreza underpinnings anyway?

The only Impreza STi I'd buy for 7k would be a tidy bugeye but then these are getting on a bit now and difficult to find. Unless you really want/need the STi extras I'd be tempted to find the most standard example of a blob WRX that you can, maybe one with PPP. My bug WRX was a cracking car and I really really regret letting it go. Bone stock bar STi shocks/springs and a backbox, great on fuel and very reliable. The 5MT only really starts to have issues if you abuse it with launches or go mad with the power.

IME the STi is in a different league when it comes to running costs. Fuel economy is worse, insurance is more expensive, oils and fluids are more expensive. Wouldn't change mine for the world but it was a bit of an eye opener coming from a WRX.
 
Soldato
Joined
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Location
United Kingdom
I'd ideally want a bugeye as I do like them, just because they're not as common as a blob or classic.

The WRX seems a safe bet, like I said I'm not really after performance now. I've done the straight line thing with the 335d, so just want a nice car that I can mod handling/braking wise.

The wrx300 edition would be ideal but I still feel these command quite a premium for what they are.

I'm not sure about the legacy/foz at the moment. Never been in either.
 
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