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GSMNZ - My 05 WRX Wagon Build

35K views 152 replies 19 participants last post by  GSMNZ 
#1 · (Edited)
I figured I would start my own build thread. I have done a lot to my car and plan to go way further. So this will be my way show my progress. I will state my mods, upgrades or extras in order of install or upgrade. I will upload pics as well soon and as I go from this point.

Alpine CD player
800Watt Amp
Alpine type R 10inch sub
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Cobb AP V3 (went stage 1)
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Badgeless Grill
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Ebay Catless 3inch TBE
Turbo Blanket
Cobb Ap V3 (went stage 2)
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STi Hood Scoop
Grimmspeed Hood splitter
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DW200 Fuel Pump
ID 1000cc Injectors
TGV delete
Perrin BigMAF intake
Perrin Turbo inlet
TR 20g Billet Turbo
Grimmspeed 3 port boost controller
FMS TMIC and Y pipe
ECS “Stage 4” Cobb Protune
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A/C Delete
Tein Type-S Springs
New OEM struts
 
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#3 ·
Here are a few pics.

1st pic shows the exhaust and a great view of Mount Monadnock

2nd pic shows the grill and STi Scoop

3rd Pic is after all the upgrades under the hood

4th pic shows the Tein springs and my sponsors logo
 

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#4 ·
Next is to clean up the engine bay. In the sense of dirt as well as hiding/removing anything that is deemed unneeded or useless. At this point the complete A/C is out. I just would like as little as possible under the hood for looks and for ease of working on things. Even the small fact of weight reduction is a plus. Not looking to go crazy.

What have any of you removed? Just trying to get opinions.

I was thinking a small battery for summer use.
 
#5 ·
I live in SoCal so A/C stays in even on some of our track cars. Are you daily driving it? do you have a family to cart around in the back seat? does it only run track days in summer?

Back when I was doing stereos kids usually came to me to do interior work as well. Fabricating fiberglass and pulling seats and the like. For weight reduction I usually skip removing parts in the engine bay and go right back to the interior. We always pull the spare and sometimes the rear seats. You can also pull the carpets from the back of the hatch and remove that press board thing that holds the carpet. Beware pulling the carpets/ covers and seats makes things noticeably louder, I like to wrap the blank metal parts with some insulating material just to keep it pretty and quiet. seats+spare+tools+press board covers usually save a bit less than 150lbs. that would be almost 5% reduction.

You can do a slim battery but if you live anywhere where it gets cold they don't carry the same CCA as a big AGM battery. As for looking pretty the red top is about as pretty battery as you can get. Finish it with perrin pully and turbo shrouds and you'd have a hell of a looker.
 
#6 ·
I have a family but on truely hot days we can take the wifes 2014 ford escape. Its the ecoboost so it has lady balls haha.

Removing part under the hood is just to open her up. Gives more space an to me looks to much better.

My wrx is a DD. And weekend track warrior.
 
#7 ·
So sunday marked the day of days. I pulled my baby into the garage after a few last drifts around my driveway. Used a heater to bring the garage up to temp to get all of the snow off.

As I do this I am using my camera to take pics of that I will use to make a video of.

As of now I have removed the washer fluid tank, hood, battery, intercooler, alternator, cooling system and drained the oil. Which all took about 25 minutes and that was drink beer in between each bolt turn haha.

Tonight will consist of the intake manifold and any other misc things left that I seem to be not thinking of as I type this.

Hopefully next week I will be sending the block out. I have made some changes to what has been being done but relatively the same as what I projected. I can't wait for the final product!
 
#8 ·
First shipment of parts came in. Got my STi Crank, 11mm oil pump, Cometic Full Gasket set, ARP head bolts, King Racing Bearings and my Gates Timing/water pump kit.

Now just waiting on my Manley Parts. Valves, springs/retainer kit, rods, and pistons.

And also my Stage 2 BC cams.

I am feel so close yet so far from completion.
 

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#9 ·
So this past weekend I stopped tinkering with disassembling my engine and just did it. I got to say it is such a great feeling of accomplishment when you complete it. Or at least it was for me.

The bearings looked to be good as new, head gaskets were great, and the rings seemed to still have plenty of life left in them. For boosting 23psi daily on the OEM system I think it held up well.
 
#11 ·
So 2 months later and BAM! Motor is done and complete. Man what a trip it has been. I don't know about many of you but when I finally installed the motor and went to finally go turn that key to start my car I got dizzy! But she started up and it was love at first sight all over again. Almost like I never had a WRX again and now I do.
 

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#13 ·
As of now I am taking it easy and I don't really have a good tune at the moment. But from what I can see and feel even now its a monster that wants to be let loose. I have to do my oil changes @ 50 - 250 - 500 - 1000 and 1500 on conventional oil and then @ 1500 I can switch to full synthetic.

The idle is like a mix of a drag car in subie form. Absolutely freakn love it!
 
#15 ·
Conventional breaks down fast where synthetic is able to stand up to the conditions I will be putting the motor through. I am following the builders advice. He said I could stay conventional but I would have to do oil changes every 1500. The builder I brought my motor to does all the motors for EFI, ECS and a lot of other shops in CT and when i was there to grab my motor there 15 wrx/sti being built. I feel like he knows his stuff.

Also I don't know of any race engines that use conventional.
 
#18 ·
Looks awesome!
The green is a nice touch makes me wish I painted my coolant bypass and oil filler neck when mine was out.
Taking the ac unit out really opens it up.
Did you port out your intake manifold while you had it out?
 
#22 ·
So I dont want to turn this into another oil argument, but the head mechanic at my dealership who used to work for subaru said rotella t6 is not good because its too heavy, 5w40. He said its too thick for our free floating turbo bearingz.I thought we all ran that with great results?
 
#27 ·
I have always ran Valvoline in my cars either Conventional or Fully Synthetic depending on the type of vehicle.

But niether here or there this is my DD and dedicated track car :) so fully synthetic it is!
 
#29 ·
So I had been trying to hold off on saying anything as I was hoping it would go away. So my base tune sent to me has been just dumping fuel to the point my oil smells like fuel. Not only that but I have a minor leak out of my passenger side exhaust cam. Last night after emailing my tuner back an forth he sent me a new map (which I really should have requested sooner). Things seem to be in way better check but it has only been 30 miles.

So onto the gas smelling like oil. After tons of research I decided to change out my oil from 5w30 to 10w40 and I also added STP additive which contains Zinc. Zinc being what is really important I guess to help seat the seal, rings and such. Again after the 30 miles so far I am seeing improvement on the leak. Now when I say leak it is more that it seeps out a little. Its nothing major but still something I am watching to take care of. I contacted my builder and from what he is saying this could be because of 2 things. Either the oil is thinning due to the gas not allowing the seals to seat properly or the seal still needs to seat in general.

My final tune is tomorrow and I am hoping everything come together. I could be going crazy for nothing or something bad can happen. I haven't been sleeping so I am hoping after tomorrow I will final get some rest.
 
#41 ·
So come to find out I am an idiot. GO FIGURE right? :D

Well it was not gas I was smelling but the lube they used during the build. I guess it is really smelly stuff. Car is still running friggin awesome. 4k on the clock of the new motor and can't be happier! >:D
 
#32 ·
I haven't ever rebuilt, or even broken in an engine really, but part of me wonders if seeing some gas escape past the new cylinder/cylinder wall is normal? Again. Not sure. Someone else with more experience will need to chime in, but that was just the thought that popped into my head.
 
#34 ·
im interested to see what its like after 20,000miles. how your reliability is. im aiming for about 300hp in my project and my research tells me USDM 205's with 300+ hp need tlc and rebuilds.

im still debating between building my 205 or dropping in a stock 207. both are about the same price and will get me to my ~300hp mark.

and if your way past 20,000 miles, i would like to hear about your stories please :)
 
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