dgoodhue's '12 SWP Legacy 2.5GT

I might as well create a thread for my car. I overall like the modification direction that the two previous owners, but I am very particular about how I modify my vehicles, so I will be making some changes to my new to me Legacy GT. My style is usually subtle changes, which many would not even notice. I am a low key, don't like to standout type of person, so I kind of like that personality in my vehicles as well.

 

My car is a 2 owner Southern California car which I bought with 93,782 miles and is rust free. This will delay the undercarriage and body rust issues that are typical of car's driven in the rust belt. While waiting for my car to be delivered, I debated on buy a winter beater to save it from the NE winters, but after a careful inspection of the cars flaws, I decide I will drive this car year round. It has enough scratches, dings, flaws and miles on the odometer, that this isn't the one worth saving. The interior on my is practically mint, I think its even nice than my 2.5i that I bought new (and that is something that I really appreciate) My plan is DD for 5 years and maybe as a 2nd car after that.

 

My car initially had the following mods

 

Cobb Accessport V3

Tanabe strut tower brace

Subaru group n front strut top hats

Eibach lowering springs

KYB dampers

Whiteline rear sway bar 20mm

Whiteline front lower control arm bushing

Whiteline front caster adjustment bushings

Whiteline rear diff cradle bushings

Whtieline rear camber adjustment bushings

Whiteline rear trailing arm lower front bushings

Rear spindle bushing

STI Shift Knob

Legacy STI STS Accessory

Boomba short shift transmission plate

Kartboy shifter stop

Perin Shifter Bushings

Goodridge SS Stainless steel brake lines all

Stoptech Street Performance Brake Pads

Stoptech Slotted Sport Brake Rotors

VMR v701 ET45 18x8.5 5x114.3 wheels with new General GMAX 245/45-18 A/S Tires

Phase 2 5x100 to 5x114 15mm spacer adapters

Stock wheels (no tires)

Phase 2 5x100 15mm spacer adapters

Front Aftermarket bumper spoiler lip (unsure of brand)

OEM Subaru sunroof deflector

OEM Subaru window rain guards

OEM Subaru mud guards

OEM Subaru trunk liner

HID Headlight and Foglights (unsure or brand, fog are yellow which I don't care for)

Medium Ceramic Tint

 

Attached are some of the pre-purchase pictures.

Edited September 16, 2017 by dgoodhue
Remove Photobucket links, attached pictures

The current mods on my Legacy GT

 

Engine:

 

Cobb Accessport V3

BrenTuning Dyno Tune

AEM Air Filter

Invidia Q300 Exhaust

Grimmspeed 3 port boost solenoid

RacerX Charge Pipe

GFB BPV

DW200 Fuel Pump

 

Suspension:

 

Eibach 1" lowering springs

Koni Struts

Subaru group n front strut top hats

SPC Rear adjustable LCA

SPC Adjustable Toe arms

Whiteline UCA rear camber adjustment bushings

Whiteline rear trailing arm lower front bushings

Rear spindle bushing

Whiteline rear sway bar 20mm

 

Driveline:

 

STI Shift Knob

Legacy STI STS Accessory

Boomba short shift transmission plate

Kartboy shifter stop

Perin Shifter Bushing

Whiteline rear diff cradle bushings

 

Brakes:

 

Goodridge SS Stainless steel brake lines all

Stoptech Street Performance Brake Pads

Stoptech Slotted Sport Brake Rotors

 

Tires:

18" x 8" Enkei Tuning Raijin Gunmetal Rims with Continental Extreme Contact 225/45- ZR18 Summer Tires

18" x 7.7" OEM 2012 Legacy GT rims with Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2 225/45- ZR18 Snow Tires

 

Aesthetics:

 

Bayson R V limited Front bumper spoiler lip

OEM 2013/14 Legacy black accented headlights

HID Headlight and Foglights

50% Ceramic Tint

OEM Subaru mud guards

Eco-Hitch 1 1/4" hitch

Edited November 4, 2019 by dgoodhue

Today I had my cars tint removed and re-tinted. I was going to remove it myself, but time is a factor since it failed inspection and I decided to just pay a shop to do it. MA has a 35% tint laws, the tint that came on the car measured 33% on the side windows and 25% on the back window. Unless it cam factory on the windows tint below 35% is not allowed even the back. I could have found some place to pass it, but I prefer to just keep it legal and not deal with the hassle, I probably went lighter than most but I am happy which is what counts.

Today, I removed my moonroof deflector. Those just aren't my style, plus its harder to clean underneath them. I initially was going to remove the vent visors as well but they are growing on me, so they are staying for now.

 

When I pulled off the deflectors and clean the roof, I found some stains and scratches. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to remove them and I would be stuck with the deflector. I clay bar'd the area, used a 3 steps of Griot Garage polishes with an orbital polisher and it came out almost perfect. The last stage of polish is so light that it makes a mess, you can see it all over the windshield and remind me why I dislike using the ultra fine polish, maybe I need to slow the orbital down a little.

Overall, I like with the way the car drives, the engine has good enough acceleration even with the the OTS California tune. I sort of wish I had bought a Legacy GT new or 2 years ago when I had gotten a big pay raise from changing jobs. (the 1st time I start thinking about moving up)

 

I have a 4 day weekend coming up this weekend so I should get some good wrenching and cleaning time. I going to swap some of the parts from my 2.5i (13/14 headlights, suspension, hitch).

 

Clutch damper delete is on my list must do's. I am making a list of various parts I need to buy from Subaru dealership. I am thinking about finding a set of take off 2018 WRX rims (I prefer gray and stock rims), I also like the base STI 18" 2015-17 rims, but I think those will be time consuming to clean.

 

I am planning on having a dyno tune, aftermarket BPV valve. I kind of thinking about doing a subtle exhaust like the Invidia Q300, I also like the way the AVO exhaust sounds as well. I would normally be a candidate for downpipes, but the boost control solution right now scare me away. I don't like the idea of over boost and tempting fate with an early #YNANSB. The fix of using ht stock restrictive exhaust and leaking BPV seem counterintuitive.

 

I think my shifts are too short, I think it may be really stiff with cold weather. I am sort thinking about removing the Boomba short shift adapter and putting a back stock one. My other option remove the STI STS adapter and buy a WRX STS. I need to do some more search on that.

The stock cat may not appreciate all that extra fuel and heat for long, be prepared.

 

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The 2015+ WRX and STI wheels are all 5x114 so you'll have to run adapter spacers.

The 2015+ WRX and STI wheels are all 5x114 so you'll have to run adapter spacers.

 

My car already has 5 x 114.3mm spacers. The prior owner cut down the wheels studs to fit the 15mm spacers.

Today I swapped my OEM 2013/2014 headlights from my 2.5i to my 2.5GT. I ended up doing a bunch of cleaning, that I wasn't planning on doing. I usually clean while I am in their and pulling the bumper and light assemblies gave me good access. I never thought a SoCal car would be so dusty & dirty, maybe the lack of rain the area doesn't help. In the first picture, you can see the difference on the right side which I started cleaning and the left which I hadn't touched yet. The car is dirty like my 2.5i except my 2.5i has salt from New England winters...

 

 

IMO the 13/14 headlights look good on the SWP. The stock 10-12 headlight don't look that bad on the SWP though. I probably wouldn't have spent the money on 13/14 if I didn't already have them. After putting back the stock 10-12 headlights on my RRP 2.5i, I think they look horrible, especially with the gunmetal wheels I have on it.

I have been slow to update this post. I removed the broken Photobucket links and uploaded the pictures to this site. I also updated/organized the 2nd post of my thread to include the current list of modifications. I will some better picture of my car with its new rims, plus I plan on a few more mods this fall.

 

Here is a picture of the Cobb AP windshield mount I installed back in July. I really like it, position is perfect and it was only $12 on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IMJ2S1K/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not exactly what I wanted to see on my oil analysis (elevated Iron and silver). I have personally only put about 1500 mile miles or so the oil. I haven't seen my DAM move off of 1.0, since I mounted my AP about 1000 miles ago; it also doesn't seem to be burning any oil.

 

I probably should hold off on getting a tune, to see what the next oil report comes back. I might be doing a YNASB sooner than later.

Edited September 24, 2017 by dgoodhue

Maybe get an oil pressure gauge installed ASAP. I would suggest a Stack ProControl for the low warning feature.

Is oil pressure generally an issue with Subaru turbo engine's? or just a sign of damage?

 

I have a barely used Autometer oil pressure gauge, that I temporarily installed on my truck turbo feed line to diagnose an over pressure issue. I will look into seeing what I need to installed that.

On my old Datsun 260z, you could tell when rod and crank bearings were getting old and tired because idle oil pressure would eventually drop from 20 psi (newish motor) to 10 psi with age and wear. Not sure if that would be similar with Subarus or not.

Oil pressure is a direct result of the clearance in the oil passages. Pumps flow a certain volume of oil not necessarily a certain pressure. So more clearance less pressure and vice versa. It is not generally a problem on Subarus, but that #4 piston is the last to get oil and is usually the first to go. If it appears to just be some "normal" wear maybe an STI pump would be a good investment to add some life to the engine.

 

There is also a pressure relief spring in the oil pump that you could add a washer to that will help keep some more pressure in the engine. It doesn't require complete removal of the timing belt either if memory serves.

On my old Datsun 260z, you could tell when rod and crank bearings were getting old and tired because idle oil pressure would eventually drop from 20 psi (newish motor) to 10 psi with age and wear. Not sure if that would be similar with Subarus or not.

 

Depends on the motor, my 4 cylinder roller rocker SR20 idles at 5psi easily. Scary at first but it just doesn't need as much oil pressure as Subaru's.

 

I do see my oil PSI vary as oil gets older (and thins out). Hence I change it often

I installed my eco-hitch that I had from 2.5i on to my GT this weekend. Everything went real smoothly. The mufflers mounts are a lot easier to slide off when everything isn't rusty. Same goes for the crash beam nuts.

Love how clean that looks!

I put my hitch to do good use this week by towing my boat to the ramp.

I have scheduled a dyno tune for May 15th at BrenTuning. I have been busy doing maintenance and couple minor upgrades to get my Legacy ready. I have done (or will be doing this weekend) AEM Air Filter, New Spark Plugs, Oil Change, Fuel Filter, Perrin IC coupler, Grimmspeed 3 port boost solenoid, DW200 Fuel Pump, Turbosmart Kompact BPV, and Invidia Q300 Exhaust. The BPV and Invidia exhaust increase my peak boost by 1psi and 0.5 psi respectively, so I change my tune from the Cobb AP OTS 17psi 93/94 tune to OTS 16psi 91/92 tune. I wasn't sure if the 18.5psi was the best idea for my engine.

 

The Invidia Catback exhaust ended up being louder than I expected. I like the way it sounds at idle (it might even be too quiet at idle), normal accelerating, and WOT. It has nice gurgle between shifts. It is a little loud (some resonance) during regular driving on my back road commute, but it is OK. On the highway with higher loads it gets a little bit louder than I would like. The exhaust I have has been used for a few thousand miles so has some soot build and probably won't get much quieter. I may end up installing another resonator in the exhaust.

 

The Eco-Hitch made it a little more difficult to install the Q300 mufflers. I trimmed one of the muffler hangers by about 1/2" because I couldn't slide over the rubber muffler hanger. I had bought Grimmspeed Exhaust adapter, but removed it after a week. It made the exhaust really tight by moving it back 1/2" or so. The Invidia catback sealed up against the donut gasket on the downpipe. Last year, my OEM factory exhaust looked nearly new just dirty from being in SoCal its while life. After the winter, my OEM exhaust has a light surface rust all over it. It is amazing what one winter does.

 

I also need to replace my turbo to intercooler pipe, as the flange cracked when installing the BPV. I bought a new OEM pipe. I can see that plastic tube getting brittle and being problematic in the future. My truck has similar pipe and almost 30 years later it is hard to find a decent stock one, unless one can find someone who took it off a low mileage example years ago.

Edited May 2, 2018 by dgoodhue

The Invidia Catback exhaust ended up being louder than I expected. I like the way it sounds at idle (it might even be too quiet at idle), normal accelerating, and WOT. It has nice gurgle between shifts. It is a little loud (some resonance) during regular driving on my back road commute, but it is OK. On the highway with higher loads it gets a little bit louder than I would like. The exhaust I have has been used for a few thousand miles so has some soot build and probably won't get much quieter. I may end up installing another resonator in the exhaust.

 

FWIW, I had a similar experience with my used Q300. it was a little too droney/loud on the freeway and when driving in my condo complex at ~1800 rpm. I had a 3" Vibrant Ultra Quiet Resonator welded in that completely solved the problem for me. Drone gone. Volume decreased by around 10%. It's more flat or dull sounding below 3k rpm, but once you're I'm in boost and/or above 3k rpm the sound gets much more raw and aggressive (as it was before adding the resonator).

I changed my fuel pump filter in my Legacy GT today. Last week I had changed my fuel pump to a DW200 fuel pump and was going to change the fuel pump filter assembly at the same time, but I order the wrong filter. As of this time, the online Subaru parts catalog list 2 fuel pump filter assemblies and I ordered the top one, which is incorrect for GT and is missing the 3rd fitting. Just as note, since I am the 1st one to notice the part number issue for 2010, 2011, 2012 GT's, I can't imagine many GT owners are change their fuel pump filters. The fuel pump filter assembly (not the fuel pump sock) has a maintenance interval of 60k miles, I have seen almost no one this forum doing for it any of the models (2.5i, 3.6R, and 2.5GT).

 

In doing the install, the less gas in the tank equal less mess, I would aim for 1/4 tank. I believe my GT still had the original fuel filter @110k miles, it has a label on it (my 2.5i original's fuel filter had a label on it as well), the OEM replacement part one do not have a label. I took a picture of where someone had bent the sheet metal to remove the top ring. On my 2.5i I snapped off the 2 fuel fittings so I remove metal ring and did not bend the sheet metal. I notched the metal ring, and installation and future removal is much easier. On my GT even with the bent sheet metal it was not easy. I took a picture of how I notched it with my angle grinder.

 

When I did the DW200 fuel pump install, I had to modify the pump as well. I did not see any complete instructions for DW200 installation. I used a universal pump. I reused the original wiring and rubber seal at the fuel pump outlet (pictured). I used the fuel pump sock that came with the DW200 and retaining clip (the retaining clip was a lot harder install that I would have imagined.) I did not re-use the rubber isolator at the bottom of the pump, I had to remove the 4 raise section on the bottom of the DW200 pump which pictured. (I carefully used an angle grinder) If you don't remove the bottom rubber isolator and the raise section of the fuel pump, the bottom clip that holds the fuel pump with not clip back into place.

I just did mine at around 62k. It wasn't a very enjoyable experience so I forgot to post about it. I had to call to get the right part number. I had barely any gas left in the tank, but there was so much in the line, and I was parked on a slope, so there was still a lot of spillage.

 

The subaru sock filter isn't available, so I would either get a universal one or just upgrade the pump at the same time for anyone else doing this.

 

I vaguely remember seeing an old walk-through for the DW200 install on here somewhere

I vaguely remember seeing an old walk-through for the DW200 install on here somewhere

 

I found a DW300 walk through installation and someone notes about removing the bottom isolator for DW200, but my FP didn't fit with out additional trimming. The metal ring issue wasn't addressed either. I am guessing they brute forced removed it. My car had a DW65C already install, I can see some also did some plastic trimming around the electrical connector for that model.

I might as well create a thread for my car. I overall like the modification direction that the two previous owners, but I am very particular about how I modify my vehicles, so I will be making some changes to my new to me Legacy GT. My style is usually subtle changes, which many would not even notice. I am a low key, don't like to standout type of person, so I kind of like that personality in my vehicles as well.

 

 

 

My car is a 2 owner Southern California car which I bought with 93,782 miles and is rust free. This will delay the undercarriage and body rust issues that are typical of car's driven in the rust belt. While waiting for my car to be delivered, I debated on buy a winter beater to save it from the NE winters, but after a careful inspection of the cars flaws, I decide I will drive this car year round. It has enough scratches, dings, flaws and miles on the odometer, that this isn't the one worth saving. The interior on my is practically mint, I think its even nice than my 2.5i that I bought new (and that is something that I really appreciate) My plan is DD for 5 years and maybe as a 2nd car after that.

 

 

 

My car initially had the following mods

 

 

 

Cobb Accessport V3

 

Tanabe strut tower brace

 

Subaru group n front strut top hats

 

Eibach lowering springs

 

KYB dampers

 

Whiteline rear sway bar 20mm

 

Whiteline front lower control arm bushing

 

Whiteline front caster adjustment bushings

 

Whiteline rear diff cradle bushings

 

Whtieline rear camber adjustment bushings

 

Whiteline rear trailing arm lower front bushings

 

Rear spindle bushing

 

STI Shift Knob

 

Legacy STI STS Accessory

 

Boomba short shift transmission plate

 

Kartboy shifter stop

 

Perin Shifter Bushings

 

Goodridge SS Stainless steel brake lines all

 

Stoptech Street Performance Brake Pads

 

Stoptech Slotted Sport Brake Rotors

 

VMR v701 ET45 18x8.5 5x114.3 wheels with new General GMAX 245/45-18 A/S Tires

 

Phase 2 5x100 to 5x114 15mm spacer adapters

 

Stock wheels (no tires)

 

Phase 2 5x100 15mm spacer adapters

 

Front Aftermarket bumper spoiler lip (unsure of brand)

 

OEM Subaru sunroof deflector

 

OEM Subaru window rain guards

 

OEM Subaru mud guards

 

OEM Subaru trunk liner

 

HID Headlight and Foglights (unsure or brand, fog are yellow which I don't care for)

 

Medium Ceramic Tint

 

 

 

Attached are some of the pre-purchase pictures.

 

 

 

Car looks great man. A long list of things I would love to be doing to mine. It’s a 2.5i but still. Love it either way. I do ha e a question for you. I am running the same stop tech slotted rotor and street pad set up you. After about 6-7k, I noticed a discoloration on the rotors. A darker inner half towards the hat and a lighter normal metal color on the outside of the rotor face. They are not grooves to the touch. Did you have a similar thing happen or am I just gonna have to refinish my rotors and get new pads? Let me know. Anything helps. Sorry if this isn’t supposed to be on you page. I can delete it if so. Here is an attached picture so it’s not a picture on your page. Thank you

 

 

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