Imprezza STI - What would you do?

NitrogenY3K

NitrogenY3K

NitrogenY3K

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
2,710
Location
South Wales
I have had my 03 sti type uk for 4 months now and love it to bits. Seeing as i am going to have to spend some cash on sorting a knocking noise out. I may as well treat myself to a few bits and bobs for the car.
At the moment the car is a 2003 STI Type UK, with full scorpian exhaust system, baileys dump valve, walbrough fuel pump, and a Pro Drive ECU (I think one of the previous owners tried to do a DIY PPP kit).
I have no clue on what BHP its running, but the previous owners estimate was 320 (but personally I dont think it is).

Anyway, I was thinking about getting the following:

Tein front strut brace - £140
Blitz Duel DC 2 Turbo timer - £143
Scoobyworld Premium WRC Style Mudflap Kit - £147
Cobb - Cobb WRX/ STi Sway Bar Combo Kit - $350
Defi link control unit v2 - £105
Defi Boost gauge - £130
Defi Oil Pressure Gauge - £150
Defi Oil Temperature Gauge - £115
Defi triple meter hood pod - £138

That is what im thinking of getting. Do you think these options are a good idea, or would you be getting something different for your money?
Yes i know the gauges are stupidly expensive, but their nice:D
 
£147 for wannabie Rally Driver Mud Flaps? - I would'nt.

Spend that cash on a rolling road session to find out what power its making.....
 
Get the strut places but not anything else.

Also mud flaps look **** too :p

Save the money and get something more Mechenical that could improve the way the car handles or add some extra BHP.
 
Im a fan of the mudflaps, i think they look awsome:)

So would something like a Tein Super Street Coilover Kit be a better option, and then maybe a rolling road day and a re-map
 
Personally i wouldnt get tien coilovers out side of japan.
From what i hear they really hard
 
I dont know about uk prices and whats good for WRXs but I know Koni and Olins are great brands and recommended for other car :)
 
Zip said:
Get the strut braces but not anything else.
Click to expand...



Don't - unless you've had the suspension upraded (which is not the same as lowered I might point out for some people) and you plan to put it around the track regularly, then they will make no difference whatsoever to a newage Impreza. Unlike the classics, the newage shell is plenty rigid enough already. The sway bar is fine (BTW, we call them anti-roll bars in this country), but get the Whiteline 22mm one. Drop-links are separate (I'm assuming that they are the other half of the combo?) in most cases. Whiteline are good, and well known on the scoob scene.

The turbo timer seems like overkill, and might interfere with the alarm system. Just learn not to switch the engine off immediately after hooning. Two minutes off-boost is enough to cool the turbo oil. It won't hurt to buy, it's just unnecessary.

I've nothing against mudflaps myself as I've got a set. Go ahead with those. The Scott Lowe ones are better though.

I've no problem with the defis - again, I have a set.

Lose the dump-valve, and get it replaced with a proper recirc. The noise the of the VTA makes you look like a ****, and it doesn't do anything useful. IMNSHO this also applies to lowering the suspension using coilovers etc. Unless you're doing a whole handling package (which should not be designed for you by people on a forum) they're make your ride harsh and your car look like something broke. If you want to go this route there are much better kits than Tien around.

Get a quality panel filter. I'm assuming that you still have a standard intake?

I agree with getting it on an RR - I'd guess that you're making about 300 rather than 320.


A question: how far do you plan to go?
 
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i would attempt to give advice. but i cant offer anything meridian hasnt already given

^^ listen to this man. He knows his stuff.
 
Meridian said:
Don't - unless you've had the suspension upraded (which is not the same as lowered I might point out for some people) and you plan to put it around the track regularly, then they will make no difference whatsoever to a newage Impreza. Unlike the classics, the newage shell is plenty rigid enough already. The sway bar is fine (BTW, we call them anti-roll bars in this country), but get the Whiteline 22mm one. Drop-links are separate (I'm assuming that they are the other half of the combo?) in most cases. Whiteline are good, and well known on the scoob scene.

The turbo timer seems like overkill, and might interfere with the alarm system. Just learn not to switch the engine off immediately after hooning. Two minutes off-boost is enough to cool the turbo oil. It won't hurt to buy, it's just unnecessary.

I've nothing against mudflaps myself as I've got a set. Go ahead with those. The Scott Lowe ones are better though.

I've no problem with the defis - again, I have a set.

Lose the dump-valve, and get it replaced with a proper recirc. The noise the of the VTA makes you look like a ****, and it doesn't do anything useful. IMNSHO this also applies to lowering the suspension using coilovers etc. Unless you're doing a whole handling package (which should not be designed for you by people on a forum) they're make your ride harsh and your car look like something broke. If you want to go this route there are much better kits than Tien around.

Get a quality panel filter. I'm assuming that you still have a standard intake?

I agree with getting it on an RR - I'd guess that you're making about 300 rather than 320.


A question: how far do you plan to go?
Click to expand...

Great advice here.

A turbo timer is IMO a totally unnecessary expense, just drive the last couple of miles home off boost and you'll be cooling things far more effectively (you still get airflow through the car) than having the car ticking over on your drive.

Dump valves (hissy VTA ones) are a bad idea. I was talked out of getting one by Bob Rawle (Google him if you haven't heard of him), who showed me his 550bhp Impreza running a standard Subaru re-circ valve just fine. I also bought a P1 once which someone had fitted a VTA valve to, it ran like a dog and after a week I bought a brand new Subaru re-circ and it transformed it, it ran perfectly when put back to normal.

Defi's, good if you can afford them.

Mudflaps, personal taste really. I bought some for my P1 but then decided not to fit them in the end.

For the suspension bits, Whiteline ARBs and droplinks are the way to go, at least that's what I was advised.

If you're in South Wales, my recommendation would be to give Powerstation a call (just up the M50 in Tewkesbury). They are Subaru experts and used to do all the work on mine, they stock/fit Whiteline gear, and they fitted all my Defi sensors for me (I fitted the gauges myself). Their website had loads of info on what they do.

http://www.powerstation.org.uk/index.asp (no connection other than I'm a happy customer) - hope the link is ok - it's not a competitor to OcUK. :)
 
Strut brace - waste of time
Turbo Timer - Waste of time
Flaps - I like flaps (in all senses of the word) but get scott lowe ones.
ARBs - adjustable front and rear with solid drop links and ALK
Defis - IMO overly expensive and won't really help you. By the time you notice a reading doesn't look right the damage is done.

Take the baily DV off and either fit an OE one or blank it off if your brave.

Is the knocking noise coming from the rear - rear strut failure?

Fit a cold air induction kit, make sure the exhuast is as free flowing as it can be. Sell the Prodrive ECU and buy an OE ECU and have that ECUTEK mapped. Maybe a fuel pressure regulator. Your VF35 should get as close to 350HP as it can with that little lot.
 
Out of all your list I'd just go for the Defi's, flaps, and the ARBs.

Suspension wise, go to Powerstation and get them to sort you out some ASTs. Great coilovers.
 
Think it's all been covered above. My 2p mud flaps are a personal thing but I certainly wouldn't part with that kind of wedge for them and think they look a bit 'wannabe' but hey. Turbo timer...nah not necessary and could play havoc with your insurance as well.

My only suggestion over and above the points mentioned about suspension and whiteline kit would be to find out what the hell the car is actually running like with this diy pro drive ecu I don't like the sound of that at all. As the poster above has already said...better to go backwards then move forwards from a known start point than start tinkering when you're not sure what you have. Sure the pro drive setup should have included an uprated fuel pressure regulator as well? If thats not been done I would be a tad worried personally. Defis are another subjective one...not 'worth' the money but certainly tasty and up there in terms of quality. Maybe set up 2 seperate budgets for cosmetic and performance improvements?
 
Friends of mine who all used to have Imprezas at one point really rated just changing the springs for Eibach items.
 
It sounds like the clunking he's having is related to the rear strut, which is a common thing on the STi's so he probably is thinking get them all done?
 
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