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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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#358 ·
Installed the aerocatch hood pins yesterday. It took about 2.5-3 hours and the movement in the hood is completely gone. Absolutely worth it. All in, I spent about $115 for the locking hood pins from my buddy back in Utah (he bought them and couldn't use them because of the vents on his hood), and the Password JDM mounting plates. Generally it would have been $115 for just the pins so a good deal.

With those mounting plates, you don't need to make a large hole in the bottom of the hood to get to the screws on the latches. You can just drop them into the hole you have to make when installing the latches in top of the hood, and the latches then just screw into the plate. Much cleaner install, but was a bit tricky to get all the holes to line up so the screws would thread easily.

Password:JDM AeroCatch® Plus Flush Mounting Plates (Universal) | Password JDM

Apparently aerocatch also started making plates similar to those, but you need to call them and special order them. Password JDM you just click and I had them two days later all the way from CA to MI.

In the end, I'm still not crazy about having hood pins on the car from an aesthetic standpoint, but they were a necessary evil. I do think the aerocatch pins go better with the hood than a standard hood pin though.
 
#362 ·
Makes sense...but, I've seen it done "backwards" on a few EVOs at my tuner's shop. I guess some people prefer it that way. I guess because you push down on the fat part correct?
 
#369 ·
Nice wrap job. It hides the rivets. Man...I wonder how useful the Killer Bee stuff is. That oil pan looks heavy and what. You said you have to add a QT because the oil pan is so big?
 
#371 ·
I'd be willing to bet the Killer B pan is lighter than OEM. Aluminum vs steel. The killer b pan weighs 3 lbs 11 oz. We'll see what the oem pan weighs when I pull it off.

Like I said before, not much benefit to it right now. The pickup is a bit of insurance. The pan and baffle are more for the built engine, but I may just put them on while I have the current engine out during the clutch. The pan may have benefits when I take the car to the strip though. More oil capacity (1.3 qts over OEM) = better cooling, it has better baffling than oem so maybe it'll keep oil off the crank during hard acceleration.
 
#372 ·
After three years that stupid gasket around the throttle body hose finally popped off and caused a nice boost leak. I'm surprised I've never had issues with it like other guys have, but I yanked it off and all is well.

Also, the wife ended up getting this weekend off so I canceled the clutch install with my uncle. Tigers game and house hunting instead. It's been over two months since we've had a weekend off together so I'm capitalizing on this one.

Clutch will be done sometime in May now. Not in a huge rush anyways, it holds just fine for dd use.
 
#373 ·
after your clutch install or during you should remove the spring, retainer and valve thing out of the clutch master cylinder. subi started putting them in there around or before 06 and its a pressure release valve. basically subi thinks its there to give the clutch an easier time engaging to save the tranny. but the older weak gears were the issue and that item wasnt the right fix. with the harder clutch you will get more chatter and harsher engagment. (if i understood what i read correctly)

http://www.3gwrx.com/forum/index.php/topic,23874.0.html#quickreply
 
#375 ·
Well looks like my wideband is either out of whack or has a dead sensor. All I get is a blinking 7.4 after a few minutes of running. It starts up just fine, works for a while, then goes back to blinking 7.4.

The sucky part is all my parts to calibrate it are buried in a storage locker after the move from NE so I have no way of calibrating it. The plug for the bung is also in that box so I can't remove the sensor the plug the bung to avoid burning out the sensor if it's not heating up during the blinking 7.4.

Basically I'm assuming I'll need to order a new wideband sensor because I've already driven about 60 miles with the sensor flashing 7.4. I close on the new house June 1st and plan on emptying out the storage unit then, so I won't be able to get to it until then.
 
#376 ·
Well the sensor worked fine all the way home last night and all the way in this morning. It tried to go out after I got gas, but just restarted and it worked again. My first thought was a bad ground or something but the ground point I used in the engine bay looks fine. I'll have to see if any of the splices under the dash are loose next.

Either way, it turns out the exact wideband sensor I need is only $53 so that's the worst case.

On a random side note, the wife's car did something weird. Both of her low beam headlights blew out at the same time. Both bulbs just blew. No fuses went, relay seems fine. Sylvania silverstars. Weird
 
#380 ·
the wide band is normal when its dead. mine lasted over 2 years. i let mine do it for 4-5 months before i just bought a new one this week and installed it 2 days ago. its a bitch when tuning because right before a run i have to turn the car off and reset it so it doesnt crap out half way through. some days it would work for 5 min and others an hour or so. the recal button blinks a 2 blink sequence and that tells you the error code, this case a dead sensor.
 
#381 ·
Yeah, it's been working fine for the last week. I didn't permanently install the calibrate LED/button so I don't know what code it blinks when it does have the error. Once I move and can dig out my box of car parts from the storage locker I'll at least recalibrate it.
 
#382 ·
Well time for updates.....

Sad news today


















Ok no not really. Pretty sure my crappy HID's died. I'll check the fuse and relay on the wire harness but I'm just going to slap regular bulbs back in the things. The HID kit is my only regret on the car anyways.

I've also pretty drastically changed plans on the car in the last few weeks. Obviously buying a house has consumed my weekends over the last month, so the clutch is still needing replacing. Hopefully later this summer I'll have some time and my uncle will still be willing to lend a hand and an engine crane. I may still do the oil pan at the same time, whatever we'll figure it out.

On to the change in plans. I've decided, at this time, to NOT upgrade the turbo. Don't fear, it's still on the list down the line. I just can't make up my mind on rotated/oem location/size so for now, screw it. I'll get the engine built, still fully work the heads, and run the stock turbo and see what the thing can do at the 1/4. I'll need to work on my driving but I know the car can do 11's.

Here's the revised build list and reasons:

Tactrix: Because I need one $180ish
Crawford AOS: since going E85 and running north of 20psi I've noticed a bit of blowby in my IC piping and have been burning ~ 1/2qt per 3500 miles. We'll see if an aos solves it or maybe there's an slight issue with the engine, either way there's no other signs of anything being wrong with the car. Regardless I have a built shortblock I can swap in when I do the clutch so NBD :cool: $385ish
Koyo Rad: Do it with the clutch. I know I was going to do it down the line so just get it out of the way for $350
KSTech tgv and air pump deletes - Because I'm doing these things and it's cheaper to buy the plates than take them to a shop to get welded. $75
PST Carbon Fiber Drive Shaft: New goal to maximize efficiency and minimize weight with the OEM turbo setup. Plus I've wanted a cf drive shaft because EVERYBODY I talk to raves about their lightweight shafts ( !Laugh! ) $1,107 so quite spendy
Oil Temp, Oil Pressure gauges and the clustermaker dash cluster gauge mount - Because I like knowing my oil pressure and temp are in check $350ish
The rest is unchanged: I need the rest of the guts for the heads (intake valves, valve springs, GSC S1 cams, the head work itself, and I'll do the inlet hose while I'm swapping the engine - $2,200 for all that)

So all in I have about $4,600 left on this stage of the build but overall the goal would be an even more fun DD once I get the drive shaft in there, and the car will be down to about 2900 lbs for my race weight. I have more plans for weight savings down the line to include lightweight brakes (possibly a VERY lightweight drag only setup when the car isn't my dd - think almost motorcycle brakes), dry cell battery, full gutting of the thing besides two front seats (aftermarket, probably Kirkey). All that should get me under 2750 dry weight, and we'll see what that combined with 350ish whp and 400tq will do.

The next stage will then be the brakes and other lightweight items, then finally I'll step up the turbo. By that time I'll probably be willing to do some extreme work with the intake/turbo system to include rotated turbo setup, and a rotated IM since the plastic manifold really lends itself to a super short piping system.

We'll see though, this could all change now that we have a house !Laugh!

The plan still sits at once the car is paid off (July 2014) this will all be procured. As of right now I'll have the shaft early next spring for next summer fun. That combined with the clutch and flywheel alone will save about 26 lbs from the drive train itself.
 
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