Just bought an OBXT, a few issues to sort out

Hey there, after a long time of gawking jealously at people picking up LGTs and such for under $7000 in the states, I finally got my deal! Just picked up this '05 OBXT 5spd for $5500! That's astronomically low in Alaska . It's got loads of maintenance receipts and everything. Now, before I subject it to daily driver routine I want to sort out some issues. The rear struts are toast (looking to go to Spec B struts all around), as is a rear wheel bearing. This much is obvious and pretty straightforward. The other issue is just a bit more mysterious, under acceleration it tends to vibrate and kind of bog. I'm thinking it could be bad plugs misfiring, as it does idle kind of rough. But was also thinking a driveshaft issue? Wobbly center support? It does seem rather rubbery and floppy, but not worn out. Car has about 120k on it. I also need to decide what wheels to put on it, as the stock ones don't do it for me!

 

http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae142/leviman2001/20141011_150415_zpsmnsk02sq.jpg

Congrats!! So weird to see a carbon copy of one of my cars . You should check this app and sensor out (http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/btssm-new-product-2005-2006-lgt-models-229709.html) to help you log and check vital parameters of your car. This may help you figure out if the engine is doing OK. Also, did you check the turbo for shaft play?

That's a pretty nifty app! But I think I'll just use my laptop and vag-com cable for logging. I'm going to pull my downpipe and check the turbo. Picked up some plugs last night, so that should help with the wonky idle and such. Hopefully it's not a burnt exhaust valve or something! It won't be a carbon copy for long! It's going to get lowered down to legacy specs and possibly resprayed to a different color.

yeah. this app basically does everything you do with RR. It's just nice not to have to carry a laptop at all times, and being able to check LVs on the fly and getting knock warning as you drive.

 

Good luck modding. Mine has had some mods as well, mostly suspension though (and stupid loud sound system ). But I am going to do some further changes to the suspension and go stage 2 very soon as well. I will keep ride height close to stock though so I can go do some light duty offroad and stuff.

Yeah I don't plan to do any off roading, and love me a tight handling car, so I'm going to try to bring the suspension hopefully to stock spec b. Probably won't bother with th al control arms though. I'll have to mod the head unit in mine. Aux in mod and maybe eq bypass. I saw someone who disabled the srs wow processing in their head unit, but that was an 08.

My 06 OBXT is lowered with bilstein HD struts and sti pink springs, combined with larger swaybars and AVO endlinks. Ride is harsh but very tight. I can take some corners at pretty high speed with confidence. My control arms (and bushings) are stock though.

So if most of your roads are smooth, then you'll love it. But if there are lots of bumps and stuff, you'll feel them for sure!

Are the bilstein HD's considerably different than the spec.b struts? And is that harsh ride mainly from the STi springs? I was going to run stock spec.b springs. Probably with a saggy butt spacer. And no, roads are not smooth here hahaha Alaska has loads of potholes. I'm in the process of pulling the downpipe to check turbo play. So far, so excellent. The nuts and bolts are coming apart with my fingers after breaking loose! What a sweet car. Also looks like I have a head gasket or valve cover leak. Bleh

I responded in your other thread, but generally I think this subforum get's more views. I have Bilstein HDs with JDM Spec B wagon springs. I like the ride a lot. It's very BMW like. However, some very knowledgeable folks recommend Koni inserts over the HDs (AZP).

 

If you are going to be hunting for the Legacy GT suspension bits anyway, it might be worth pulling the struts off also and going that route.

 

Suspension

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/need-suspension-gurus-weighing-options-231242.html

 

With an 2005 there is also some basic maintenance you should probably consider performing.

 

1. Remove cat from the uppipe (you can replace this with a decatted uppipe from later years - I think 06+ have a catless uppipe, STI uppipes also fit.)

2. Consider removing / replacing the turbo banjo filter (it get's clogged and starves the Turbo of oil which usually ends up destroying the engine.

3. OCVs - I have seen a lot of recommendations recently to replace the oil control valves (OCVs) I think they are about $90 and you need two of them. This causes rough idle / stalling and some other issues.

Are the bilstein HD's considerably different than the spec.b struts? And is that harsh ride mainly from the STi springs? I was going to run stock spec.b springs. Probably with a saggy butt spacer. And no, roads are not smooth here hahaha Alaska has loads of potholes. I'm in the process of pulling the downpipe to check turbo play. So far, so excellent. The nuts and bolts are coming apart with my fingers after breaking loose! What a sweet car. Also looks like I have a head gasket or valve cover leak. Bleh

 

I am not too acquainted with the differences between these struts. I bought the car this way already modded and all . I actually don't mind that it is rough. It is my DD to go to work. But for leisure and family trip, I use the other one.

 

Yeah, valve cover leak sucks..

 

Also, as OB2.5XT said, do check the banjo bolts and uppipe. As for the OCV, you could check their health by logging their angles. They should both be in sync at all times (+/-3 degrees maybe). If you see one of them really off, then you know it is failing.

FYep I've heard of the banjo bolts. I bought an up and downpipe last night, so those are on their way. I'm considering swapping to a vf52, I have a friend who has an lgt with one and he really likes it. But we'll see how the stock turbo runs. I pulled the dp last night and the turbo feels good. Not much if any slop in it. I'll probably just be pulling standard legacy stuff for the x members amd such, plus my junkyard here isn't super cheap so I don't think I'll bother with junkyard struts. The ocv is the valve that actuates the cam timing adjustments, correct?

Yep, they look pretty easy to replace.

 

I'll probably replace them when I do my 120k mile service.

I'll look into those. Today I replaced the left rear wheel hub assembly and discovered that the car has a 20mm whiteline rear sway bar! Sweet. Also found that it has a K&N air filter, so I cleaned and oiled that. The intercooler appeared to be leaking too, so I replaced with a friend's good OEM one. Tomorrow (today at this hour) I'll head to the junkyard and try to pull the brackets and such I need for lowering this thing. I might just get a set of junkyard struts between now and when I can find good stuff. Or maybe to a koni setup? Dunno.

Regarding the intercooler, you may want to 'bulletproof' it or it'll leak again especially if you plan to up the boost.

https://sites.google.com/site/bptmickit/

I was looking to do that, sent him a message to get the design (as he says in the thread). If he doesn't respond, I'll just design something, it looks pretty straightforward.

He usually responds very fast.

No one has responded to me very fast on here haha. Could be that I'm pming about fairly old threads/ads. Except for when I put two rsbs on my 2.5i, that really ruffled some feathers and got me some pms hahahaha

did you pm user Barmanbean? That's odd. he is usually fast to respond..

Yeah, never mind he got it to me! I was being a bit silly, lots of slow to respond classifieds people though. Which is obnoxious.

Ah I shouldn't have spoke so soon! Just scored a great deal on a set of bilsteins from HKC-Speed. He may have more for sale.

Cool!