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I have a problem... Bought a used STi Shortblock

73K views 433 replies 17 participants last post by  ericwudi0830 
#1 · (Edited)
The Ricer-mobile Gets Built!

So this had snowballed into an all out engine build. I'm going to maintain this thread as my build, albeit a slow process.

My goal for the car is pretty simple, make me grin uncontrollably every time I push the skinny petal.

I'll keep this first post updated as things change and try to add in an index at a later time.

For now I'll leave you with the overall build list and progress to date. I'm also going to include my costs since a lot of people underestimate the cost of big power on the Subaru platform.

If it has been purchased that's the actual price including tax/shipping/etc.

Purchased:
Block/Crank - $300.00
Machine Work - $272.46
Wiseco Pistons (100mm)/Manley Rods - $769.99
Main and Rod Bearings - ACL Race Std. Size - $138.83
OEM Gasket Kit/Case Bolts - $254.07
P&L High Flow Pump - $319.49
ARP Head Studs - $162.94
Gates Timing Belt/OEM Tensioner/Gates Water Pump/All Cogs/Pulleys - $289.97
Rota Torque 5x100 - 17x8 et48 - $300.00
Dunlop Direzza Z1 Sport Star Specs 235/40/17 - $673.94

These are all budgeted prices below

Next Up:
Dome Coating on Pistons - $125.00
Group N Engine Mounts (need four nuts for plates) - $135.00
Injectors - 1000cc ID's w/pigtails - $427.50
Deatschwerks 300lph Fuel Pump w/install kit - $170.00
Cast Turbo Inlet - Brand TBD - $250.00
KS Tech Big MAF CAI - 73mm - $230.00
Brian Crower Valve Springs/Ti Retainers - $204.25
Supertech Valve Guides and Seals - $114.98
Brian Crower Stage II Cams - $586.00
Killer B Optimal Oil Pan & Ultimate Pickup & Baffle - $689.48
FMIC Brand TBD- $800
Carbonetic Pro-Blade Clutch/Fly ABS23132-16 - $1,349.00
Blouch dom3xt-r (not sure new or used) - $1,200.00-$1,800
Heads - MA Stage III or EQ Stage II Head Job -$950.00

Valves - Not sure on brand or size. Looking at ferrera, supertech. Std or +1mm. Not sure yet.


INDEX:

Main Bearings: http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f10...d-sti-shortblock-29055/index2.html#post254384
Oil Pump, Rods, Pistons, Rod Bearings: http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f10...d-sti-shortblock-29055/index2.html#post254902
ARP Head Studs: http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f10...d-sti-shortblock-29055/index3.html#post256378
Master Gasket Kit: http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f10...d-sti-shortblock-29055/index3.html#post256884
Teaser of the New Wheels: http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f10...d-sti-shortblock-29055/index4.html#post257136
New Tires: http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f10...d-sti-shortblock-29055/index4.html#post257290
Block Back from Machine Shop: http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f10...d-sti-shortblock-29055/index4.html#post257475
 
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#282 ·
Well the wife is getting me the bumper beam for xmas so I'll have that around that time.... I have the excess $ for the uograded clutch covered so now I'm on to buying fmic parts... Hopefully I'll get it all in the next three months and start fabbing. Stay tuned!
 
#284 ·
It won't. It's more along the lines of it's overall smaller so it'll be easier to fit the fmic, and it will basically mean I'm breaking even weight wise with the fmic setup. It may still be lighter than the stock tmic/beam setup in the end, and shift weight lower.

The main purpose of the beam is low speed protection, which the aluminum beam will provide more than all the typical fmic setups which completely delete the beam. I could probably keep the stock beam and it will work with my fmic setup, but you know me, the cash is there so why not :D
 
#287 ·
Update:

Beam has been made and is on the way
FMIC - Treadstone 8"x22"x3.5" core with bottom inlet/outlet end tanks is on the way
Pipes - 2.5" .083" wall are on the way
V-Band Gasketed Flanges are on the way (all connections will be v-band except turbo and throttle body)
Perrin's VF52/FMIC flange is on the way
Durafix Rods are on the way

Basically I'll be fabricating before long. I still need to find a TiAL BPV, but other than that I have everything ordered and on the way.
 
#288 ·
Slowly but surely

Have you ever heard of intercoolers that have the inlet and outlet on the same side being more efficient than the inlet and outlet being on different sides?

Buddy was yappin something about that a while back and wanted feedback.
 
#289 ·
Depends what you want to use it for really.

The vertical flow IC's dont' cool as well, but they do have less pressure drop. That makes them better for a drag setup where you need all your boost right away, and only run for a little bit.

Basically all else the same, more rows = less pressure droop. It's also why Koyo radiators are so much more than Mishimoto, they have more cooling rows.

Someday I'll reverse my IM, go rotated on the turbo, and I'll do the vertical flow passenger side inlet/oulet FMIC. Right now that's not in the cards, but I have been wanting to do that. It would also make the pipes super short compared to other Subaru FMIC's.3

If you want to really get good info on intercoolers and such, get Maximum Boost by Corky Bell. I have a copy and that's my new go-to when I'm figuring out what I want to do. Also convinced me of going thinner on the core (3.5" vs 4"). He goes into a lot of detail on the crossflow/vertical flow IC.
 
#290 ·
I think my tuner has that book in his waiting area among others. ;) Yeah, deeper isn't always better on your cores. I don't know my stuff in the cores section of building FMICs...but, my tuner swears the Garrett cores he uses are much better than a lot of the crap on the internet. What do you think Chris? Where do treadstone cores rate?
 
#291 ·
I'd say treadstone is lower grade than garrett. They're definitely above all those ebay brands you see like the FMS. I was trying to balance price and internal fin design, and treadstone seems to have a pretty good product in that they have a relatively dense internal fin setup.... Good for cooling, with about 2 psi drop across the core.

The only other bare cores I could find were bell and those were super expensive like the garrett's.... North of $400 just for the core, plus end tanks. My treadstone core was $268 shipped.

All in I'm going to have about $600 into the FMIC kit (core, pipes, v-band flanges, brazing stuff, couplers/flanges), and another $260 into the bpv, plus my time. The core is rated to support 475-500 hp, so I think I'll be keeping the turbo in the 50-52 lb/min range. If I do go bigger it will just be making the same power with lower boost.
 
#292 ·
I had spoke to Corky years ago since he's right around the corner (back in 02) and he had explained it pretty much like you did Chris but with the air to water IC's he's working on.... Pretty much throws all that out the window.
 
#293 ·
^^ Nice Chris..I like to pick at your brain from time to time. I know you really look into things more than I do at times. !Thumbs Up

I enjoy seeing your car come along slowly. Its always nice to see things come together.
 
#294 ·
Got the beam and slapped it on real quick... Install time is about a half hour between getting the bumper cover off and swapping out the beams.

This thing weighs nothing compared to stock, 6lbs vs 19. Doesn't sound like much but taking 13 lbs off the nose of the car is huge. Just like holding a weight in your hand and trying to swing your arm vs no weight.







And the old fat one:



After getting the actual beam on the car I can see I'll have to do some notching on the bottom of the beam to fit up the FMIC. Basically it'll sit directly below and as far behind the beam as possible. I'll probably have to notch about a 1.5" deep, 24" wide section on the back bottom of the beam to get it to work. Not a huge deal, the beam doesn't exactly give much crash protection anyways, and the back is completely open:

 
#295 ·
The stocker is rated to 25 mph crashes. Its at least one thing that is keeping the FMIC protected; better than nothing at least. I wonder what your new beam is rated at...!Laugh!
 
#297 ·
I just started enjoying this thread;)
And I suppose Ill just pick at it from time to time, but from what I've read thus far I have enjoyed.(I'll stay tuned) I'm gonna learn a shit ton between this build and synolimits builds

p.s. I'm really digging that 1 mph crash beam....looks nice and light.;)
 
#298 ·
Yeah, but it still can prevent major damage to the pipes that are connected to the turbo, the turbo if it gets jerked too hard from the pipes, the radiator, and the front of the engine. If all your replacing/repairing is a bumper support bar, a FMIC, and some bent pipes from a low speed front collision. Then its thousands of a lot less because the bar did its job. Granted, I still commend Chris for at least running a bumper bar vs none at all.
 
#299 ·
Oh yeah , with out a doubt, I went years running nothing under fiberglass body kits. I just got lucky I wasn't in a collision..

PROPS for doing it right and not half assed like I used too. And many others still do!
 
#303 ·
My tuner will not make a FMIC core without having it fit with a bumper bar. He's seen people take low speed frontal collisions on EVOs (25 mph and lower) completely smash the FMIC, radiator, exhaust, and turbo (because the turbos on the EVO 8s and 9s are on the front of the engine). He's even seen it break the motor mounts and damage the engine. So, end point is its easier to attempt to prevent damage vs leaving the most important stuff completely vunerable. The EVOs might even have a more stout front bumper bar because they come with a FMIC from the factory and the car has to still pass frontal crash ratings. I don't know, I'm keeping my stock bumper bar on the FMIC that my tuner is making me.
 
#304 ·
FMIC and turbo adapter came today. Pipes and v-bands were also supposed to come but for some reason fedex didn't deliver it.... Never seen that before.


This should cool a bit more than the Perrin TMIC....



Tried to get a decent picture of the internal fin structure, camera kept focusing on the end tank. What's hard to see is that the rows are staggered as you get deeper into the core. The row behind the first one you can see if offset so they overlap, breaking up the airflow better:



Perrin turbo adaptor. I went with them because I'd rather have a cast adaptor vs. a flange with a pipe welded onto it. It's also set up to point towards the passenger fender so it lines up for pipes much easier:

 
#305 ·
Nice Chris...I hope to have pics of my FMIC and such soon. Yeah, I'd say that core will cool a lot more than your perrin. Hell, my Perrin is bigger than your TMIC I think. Haha.
 
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