130,000 miles and still going strong.....?

My '05 LGT has just over 130K on it, replaced the clutch, brakes, front shafts and ball joints, a few sets of tires. Not really too bad for any car, of course being turbo, I get on it a bit, have autocrossed it a few times, but take really great care of it. Mobil 1 oilchanges before 4,000 religously, cabin filters every year, all leather in tact and interior very crisp and relatively scratch free (until my kids get in) Overall, a great fun car. My situation is this, I am sure I have a blown head gasket and I dont know how long the turbo will hold out, the trans has been a constant ass ache since the day I bought it, clutch issues. Point of all this, how much trouble is it to swap in an STi drivetrain and what all do I need to do it besides time and money. And if anyone has done, was it worth it? ShouldI just rebuild and upgrade my existing drivetrain. I am really not very trusting of the gearbox/transaxle and I have heard the STi six speed is not so fragile. I am at the point with it where I want to go bigger and inmprove the car overall, I just want to know what all I should do, or what is recomended to do, (suspension, trans, turbo, engine, engine management systems, a combination of all these things) I know I have all the same issues everyone else with these cars have, I am not looking to make a wave and go one off, I just want the most bang for my buck and can have the car up for a while. Is there good bolt on stuff, help me out, thanks!

Check out the six speed swap thread in the tranny forum. figure the cost is about 5000 to have it done.

 

You may want to replace the turbo with a vf52 before the vf40 blows.

 

Replace the up pipe with a catless one.

 

Replace the down pipe with a 3" one.

 

Get the car tuned or put it on Cobb AP

 

read about the banjo filter. I have mine removed.

 

Stop using mobil 1 5w-30 it's not the best oil for these cars.

 

Every thing our asking is pretty much talked about every day here.

 

READ

^ +1 also since you need to replace your head gasket, maybe thing about changing other things while your in there: ej257 shortblock, or just fully buit it. Of course that'll add more $$ to your project, anywhere from 2000 to 3000 depending on what you do plus $ labor.

 

 

I would also recommend upgrading your suspension...

Check out the six speed swap thread in the tranny forum. figure the cost is about 5000 to have it done.

 

You may want to replace the turbo with a vf52 before the vf40 blows.

 

Replace the up pipe with a catless one.

 

Replace the down pipe with a 3" one.

 

Get the car tuned or put it on Cobb AP

 

read about the banjo filter. I have mine removed.

 

Stop using mobil 1 5w-30 it's not the best oil for these cars.

 

Every thing our asking is pretty much talked about every day here.

 

READ

Thanks for the advice, I am sure there is not a "cookie cutter" solution to get the most out of the car, but I do drive this everyday for work and want to just step it up some and still drive it daily without a concern on economy, it doesn't matter to me. I just don't want to throw parts at it and find out certain things don't work together or need major mods. I also relaize that there is a BIG world of variables tha can occurr on many levels with anything outside of OEM, but I have to think that there is a nice "Stage1 or 2" package of xyz parts and upgrades. I guess I am being lazy and hoped someone would waive that perverbial magic wand and say, "Do this and that and you will get this" but again, it all depends on what I am looking to do. Last, why is Mobil1 bad for any car?

It comes factory in 911 Porsche and Corvettes, it can't be too bad. I have run it in every car I have built and on every level of driving imaginable and never had a breakdown problem or any adverse effects from the use of Mobil1, but I do listen to advice! I also was having gear grinding problems at high RPM's until I changed it to Mobil1 75W-90, problem solved, 130,000 miles and still good:confused:

^ +1 also since you need to replace your head gasket, maybe thing about changing other things while your in there: ej257 shortblock, or just fully buit it. Of course that'll add more $$ to your project, anywhere from 2000 to 3000 depending on what you do plus $ labor.

 

 

I would also recommend upgrading your suspension...

I am a big advocate of the proper chasis to match the power of the car, as well as braking, so what is good for daily driving with the ability to hang exit ramps at double the recommended speed and still not knocking my kidnees out! I understand that tires will make ALL the difference, but I know suspension too. I hat that the car has obnoxious bump steer and too much rear end squat. Thanks!

I'd buy a sports car to do that.

 

The amount of money you need to drop to make this car handle isn't worth it. I'm going to get flamed, but lets be real here. You don't modify a honda accord to 'hang on ramps at twice the speed' either.

 

I regularly drive ramps at more than twice the speed in a stock GT Limited. Check your lines before you try to mod the car and for the love of God make sure you can actually drive. So many people driving to fast on the streets. Take it to the track.

1st off, what are your skills ? can you do some of the work yourself ?

 

Mobil 1 5w-30 is been shown to break down quickly to a 5w-20.

 

The car should be on a stage one tune. The OEM tune/MAP is not perfect.

 

If your good with a lap top you can close the cables and buy a tune from one of the Tuners, I use http://www.tuningalliance.com for both my cars.

 

I DD my wagon, I have over 7000 miles on the new EJ257 shortblock.

 

I agree with the need to upgrade the suspension. I'm just getting around to doing that. Waiting for the Epic springs to come in on the group buy.

 

I owned the wagon since new.

 

Here, this may give you some idea about replacing the engine. http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/got-some-new-stuff-engine-r-r-184106.html

If ain't broke why fix it?

I'd buy a sports car to do that.

 

The amount of money you need to drop to make this car handle isn't worth it. I'm going to get flamed, but lets be real here. You don't modify a honda accord to 'hang on ramps at twice the speed' either.

 

I regularly drive ramps at more than twice the speed in a stock GT Limited. Check your lines before you try to mod the car and for the love of God make sure you can actually drive. So many people driving to fast on the streets. Take it to the track.

Not sure why you would reference an Accord, but I guess I understand. I have been know to race SCCA IT and Prepared classes as a hired driver over the last 15 years, I think I might know a little about handling and driving a line. I am able to double the suggested speed on many ramps with the stock set up, but the annoying handling charachteristics of the Legacy, well, they annoy me and I need it stiffened up especially in the rear. Most of the cars I have owned and raced over the years have been Hondas, so most of my experience lies with them, handling, tuning etc. Most SCCA Club racing Hondas is a cookie cutter pattern, you do this if you want that, period. But having owned my Legacy for five years, mostly as a daily driver, with some autocrossing, I have come to love and hate it's features, especially hating the sloppy, bumpsteering, squishy rear end cfharachteristics of my Legacy. I have learned how to drive it as is, but I know it is capable of much more, so instead of buying sway bars, spings, end links, bushings, control arm balls, etc, I thought I would emplore the nice people on this forum to maybe help a brutha out and let me know what is a good set up for a more aggressive daily drivable Legacy. All that being said............

1st off, what are your skills ? can you do some of the work yourself ?

 

Mobil 1 5w-30 is been shown to break down quickly to a 5w-20.

 

The car should be on a stage one tune. The OEM tune/MAP is not perfect.

 

If your good with a lap top you can close the cables and buy a tune from one of the Tuners, I use www.tuningalliance.com for both my cars.

 

I DD my wagon, I have over 7000 miles on the new EJ257 shortblock.

 

I agree with the need to upgrade the suspension. I'm just getting around to doing that. Waiting for the Epic springs to come in on the group buy.

 

I owned the wagon since new.

 

Here, this may give you some idea about replacing the engine. http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/got-some-new-stuff-engine-r-r-184106.html

Thanks MaxCap, you and I seem to be cut from the same cloth. I was a certified Honda Mechanic at adealership for ten years and have driven, raced and tuned many pre 2000 Hondas of all shapes and colors. I am more than capable of doing anything mechanical to any car. I just don't know all the littel nuiances of the Legacy. I have already done three clutches in this car (mostly trial end error of what setup worked for me and my driving) and just about everything around it mechanically. I dont know many Subaru Tuners in my area so I feel you guys here are my rescource center I just want to get some more out of my daily driver without building up the bottom end of the engine and going with a giant whistling turbo and crazy loud blow off to let all my neighbors know that I drive a monster. I just want something faster than stock and a chassis capable of handling A the power and B my driving urges when I find a great road to let loose on. I know tires are more important than any other aspect of your car when it comes to lateral performance. Infact, in 2001, when our C prepeared CRX dropped a valve in the D16A6, we took the race tires, put them on our daily driver 1997 2 door Accord LX automatic, and finished our season, still winning PAX and dominating the field, all because of the tires, ande of course, my driving abilities;) So I hope all this deems me worthy and knowledgable, and I hope this maybe helps you all help me to know what I am after when I say "I want more from my car" Thanks!

If ain't broke why fix it?

 

It isn't broke, but I dont like it!

OK, 05-06's need a catless up pipe and 3" DP, a stage 2 tune and you'll be happy for a while.

 

A lap top and cables and you can buy maps, data log, send the log to the Tuner and get a better MAP.

 

Or Cobb AP version 2.

 

Listen to the turbo, learn how it sounds, if it sounds different in boost, get ready to replace it before it goes and takes the engine with it.

 

Busy today, but feel free to ask more if you need to.

 

All the info is on here.

Question: I am going to remove my banjo filter, and I see the peace of mind in putting a catless uppipe in my 05 LGT...but once I get the up in, do I *need* a DP, or just want one for power? I am already running Cobb stage 1+ power map. Thanks for any advice!

Just want one for power.

 

I have put my oem DP to go to emmissions test, then chage it back out to my catless DP.

http://i.qkme.me/3ownn4.jpg

I use them when people pay me per word. What about other forum members?

I do, because I hate trying to read a wall-of-text.

http://i.qkme.me/3ownn4.jpg

Pretty cute, I didn't realize people got ridiculed for the way they form their text! Maybe someone should post forum rules on how to form a thread.