Legacybt 6mt Compromised Autocross Build

I would spend the $4k on something stronger. celtic motorsports here in Orange County has a fully built closed deck short block for $3,750. You could then port your heads, with new cams and valves and be good for about 700whp (on the block).

 

Even if you don't do the extra steps you're still getting reassurance and safety from a closed deck for a good price.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Subaru-Rebuilt-Closed-Deck-Shortblock-EJ257-2-5L-STi-Block-Forged-Pistons-Rods-/330735882670

 

Vader from NASIOC is running a closed deck at 900whp..

 

 

The $4000 is total cost including gaskets, head machining, timing belt, etc etc. The new OEM short block costs $1650. A $3750 short block is way out of budget unfortunately.

 

So you had air coming out of the filler cap? Isn't that normal? If the car is running and you remove the filler cap you'll get constant puffing of air there.

 

 

The car wasn't running, I had the intake system pressurized to boost pressure on a warm engine. There should be a small amount of air leaking past the pistons through the filler cap, but air was rushing through and the system wouldn't hold pressure for more than a couple seconds (a healthy engine should lose about 1 psi/sec).

 

My oil is also filthy at 800 miles (I've been on a 1000 mile OCI for the last year and it hasn't changed), and I'm losing about a quart of oil every 1000 miles as well. Pretty bad signs in my book.

Wow great build. I'd have the compression and leak down check done, it may not be bad enough to need a build now.

Source a jdm Sti 2.5l short out of a foz Sti or auto Wrx Sti

My mechanic is taking a look at it tomorrow... fingers crossed!

 

JDM 2.5?

th euro 2.5L have the same issues

seriously use a stock sti flywheel and jdm ej207v7 and enjoy. seriously it is a great motor

th euro 2.5L have the same issues

seriously use a stock sti flywheel and jdm ej207v7 and enjoy. seriously it is a great motor

 

I agree that it's a great, potent motor. However, there's even more work involved (and likely even more cost than the USDM shortblock route) due to the head/AVCS complications. I need my car daily, and downtime is expensive considering insurance rates here. I'll look deep into the options if things turn out poorly tomorrow - the 2.0 will be in that list of considerations.

I have been researching it. if you swap your intake cam and use your sensors and everything off your motor. basic long block swap it will work. V7 is single acvs like our cars.

If you want a 2.5 see if you can get a oem ej257 and have cosworths put in. Very quiet and very tough piston. expensive but cosworth has that magic sauce that just works.

Thats only if you need a new motor. hopefully not.

Well, the results are in...

 

Leakdown: 10% - 10% -8% - 10%

Compression: 140-140-145-140

 

The short (1000-mile) OCI I've been on for the last year actually improved my numbers! Looks like I won't have to post a bunch of interesting content here. Phew.

If you are doing hard driving (autox, lapping) the normal OCI goes out the door. I used to change before every track day. At day's end, if it was black, I'd change it again. Seemed like cheap insurance at the time. At one point, my OCI was 600 miles

If you are doing hard driving (autox, lapping) the normal OCI goes out the door. I used to change before every track day. At day's end, if it was black, I'd change it again. Seemed like cheap insurance at the time. At one point, my OCI was 600 miles

 

So you're saying I should change the oil on the Miata?

So you're saying I should change the oil on the Miata?

 

Miata? I've changed it thrice. Well actually I never did. My crew chief changes the oil when he needs oil for his lawn toys. As he is unpaid, I guess $40 of oil is worth it.

 

It was changed before the start of racing this year. And it was changed twice last year. Once at the start. And again when I mis-read the dipstick and added more oil to "empty engine" - that time I cried, as something like $100 of oil went in/out in a 2 hours.

Uppitydate.

 

I noticed a stumble on throttle the other week. I watched the boost gauge when I stepped on it, and guess who banged on the door?

 

Boost creep. 25+ psi of it. No, Mr. Creep, you're not welcome in my car.

 

Sea level and near-freezing temperatures are taking the fun out of the daily commute. On the positive side, fuel consumption has improved as a result of me not stepping on it

 

Looks like it's time for an EWG setup - porting the wastegate on the VF52 wasn't enough. May as well grab an AVO TMIC while I'm getting a re-tune... annnd here we go again.

Uppitydate.

 

I noticed a stumble on throttle the other week. I watched the boost gauge when I stepped on it, and guess who banged on the door?

 

Boost creep. 25+ psi of it. No, Mr. Creep, you're not welcome in my car.

 

Sea level and near-freezing temperatures are taking the fun out of the daily commute. On the positive side, fuel consumption has improved as a result of me not stepping on it

 

Looks like it's time for an EWG setup - porting the wastegate on the VF52 wasn't enough. May as well grab an AVO TMIC while I'm getting a re-tune... annnd here we go again.

 

The Grimmspeed TMIC comes out in a few weeks (or at least they will start accepting payment for it) might want to wait for that. I think the group buy pricing will be around $800 for the TMIC and the splitter.

The Grimmspeed TMIC comes out in a few weeks (or at least they will start accepting payment for it) might want to wait for that. I think the group buy pricing will be around $800 for the TMIC and the splitter.

 

Thanks for the suggestion - I was looking into it, but it just doesn't fit into my non-existent budget right now. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for a used AVO TMIC that stays under my $400 CDN limit. Maybe people will be upgrading to the grimmspeed units and getting rid of their AVO's...

 

Another consideration is the STi strut bar - it looks like the AVO is the only aftermarket TMIC that fits with the bar installed, and handling comes first in this big wagon of mine.

 

 

On another note, I grabbed a new-to-me 6-speed knob. It's way heavier than the Cobb knob (which I love) and adds a whole new smooth feel to the transmission.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=197383&stc=1&d=1416697960

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=208493&d=1431361635

 

 

I went out to my first autocross of the year two weekends ago- an AutoX 101 introductory event capped to 20 drivers with a high instructor:student ratio. I learned a ton throughout the day, and have lots to work on from a driving perspective. Still, it was nice being the fastest novice there

 

I popped onto ebay and found some "lightly used" KW Race springs for $50, and installed them on the RCE Tarmac 1's last night. Hopefully upping the rear springs to 450 lbs from 400lbs should help combat the mild understeer the car exhibits on the course - along with improved driving technique.

 

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=209311&stc=1&d=1432306878

 

Added bonus - I finally got around to using the adjustable oil filter wrench I bought years ago!

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=209312&stc=1&d=1432306878

 

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=209313&stc=1&d=1432306878

 

More to come as the season progresses!

What alignment settings are you running? It doesn't look like you have much negative camber at all.

I need a new alignment (the techs at the shop I brought it to couldn't figure out the whiteline rear camber bushings or the slotted holes in the front coilovers...), but the photo is distorted. IIRC I'm at around -0.5 in the rear and -1.1 in the front.

 

It'll be going in for a new one in the next couple weeks, hopefully dialing in something more along the lines of -2.7F -2.0R

Edited May 22, 2015 by legacybt

what tires are you running again? if you are running an extreme performance summer tire (Z2ss, RE-71R, Rs-3, Rival S), dont bother swapping rear springs. understeer is a lack or front grip, so stiffening the rear wont make the front grip more. Tires will. FWIW the LGT will always understeer when you go over the grip limit. Correct driving habbits wil minimize this.

what tires are you running again? if you are running an extreme performance summer tire (Z2ss, RE-71R, Rs-3, Rival S), dont bother swapping rear springs. understeer is a lack or front grip, so stiffening the rear wont make the front grip more. Tires will. FWIW the LGT will always understeer when you go over the grip limit. Correct driving habbits wil minimize this.

 

I'm running a set of Nitto NT-01. I noticed as I improved over the day I was able to get the car rotating more around the corners. However, on my old suspension setup with rear springs stiffer than the front, it was much easier to induce lift-throttle oversteer. I love lift-throttle oversteer in the rain, and while it may not improve my times to increase rear spring rates, it will increase my fun

 

I appreciate the advice though! If I ever get properly competitive, I'll do as you did and buy a Miata or something similar.

I need a new alignment (the techs at the shop I brought it to couldn't figure out the whiteline rear camber bushings or the slotted holes in the front coilovers...), but the photo is distorted. IIRC I'm at around -0.5 in the rear and -1.1 in the front.

 

It'll be going in for a new one in the next couple weeks, hopefully dialing in something more along the lines of -2.7F -2.0R

 

That's where a big part of your problem lies. That's nowhere near enough negative camber. Changing out the springs at this point is only going to change how the car feels on turn in and in slaloms. Once the outside front wheel gains back that small amount of camber in longer turns, you'll very quickly start to plow.

 

Always maximize your current setup before changing hardware, unless that involves purchasing camber plates, which should 100% be your next purchase.

That's where a big part of your problem lies. That's nowhere near enough negative camber. Changing out the springs at this point is only going to change how the car feels on turn in and in slaloms. Once the outside front wheel gains back that small amount of camber in longer turns, you'll very quickly start to plow.

 

Always maximize your current setup before changing hardware, unless that involves purchasing camber plates, which should 100% be your next purchase.

 

My car sees way too much road use to afford tires at aggressive camber settings. I've chatted to a few shops/people around here that do enough street-driven Subaru autocross setups to claim to know what they're talking about, and that's about the maximum they recommended for a heavily daily driven car that sees plenty of road trip miles. My budget dried up once I purchased an apartment, and $50 for a pair of springs seemed a reasonable bit of change to play with.

 

Outside of going with more aggressive camber settings, is there something else you'd recommend? Driver seat time is the obvious one to me - and is something I'm working on!

SA is right, and the shops you talked to probably dont do real suspension tuning. ther is nothing wrong with running -2.0 camber on the street, especially if you like to drive in a spirited fashion. It will make the car more stable, and increase cornering grip. the only downside is the tire wear issue. I daily drove my LGT with -3.0 camber all around.

 

As for the stiffer rear springs, you are doing it wrong. Save your money, even if its only $50.

Edited May 26, 2015 by whitetiger

Glad to see this moving.

Outside of going with more aggressive camber settings, is there something else you'd recommend? Driver seat time is the obvious one to me - and is something I'm working on!

 

Other than seat time, camber is what you need. That's why you need camber plates. You can get to your event an extra 15 minutes early, jack up the front end, dial in more negative camber with the plates, run your event, and then put it back to your street setting. You can have your shop put marks on the plates for you for street and event settings.

^that's actually not good doing that unless you verify on an alignment rack that both street and race settings don't screw up your toe. You are better off just leaving the plate and a given setting and having it aligned. Just because you move the plates the same distance, does not mean that the toe changes equally.