Official jdm conversion/aftermarket body thread

That's a different grille - yours is the JDM Sport Mesh like the one I have on my Outback. It looks yours is the D-F version though.

It's A-C.

Ah, yep it looks like I got my info wrong. I found a comment of yours from a decade ago going over the same thing.

 

This is a correct grill for JDM A-C cars, but only fits SpecB, 3.0R and Outback bumpers. I have this grill on my USDM Legacy with JDM SpecB bumper conversion.

 

It does not fit regular JDM GT or USDM cars (except 05-07 USDM Outback).

 

EDIT: Incorrect info above. Does not fit USDM Outback.

Hey Famaya,

 

Do you feel like selling the D-F Spec B front bumper as well as the headlights?

 

If Famaya does not, I can sell you a bumper . I have no use for it. I can provide a pic or two.

When you guys added in JDM HIDs, did you use a relay harness to power them? If so, did you use the OEM provisions for it? I'm gonna pick up some JDM A-C lights while I save up to buy a D-F front end and noticed there's an empty spot in my fuse box labeled for the HID relay. I'm thinking of trying to make a factory-like harness that runs there without having to chop the USDM wiring.

When you guys added in JDM HIDs, did you use a relay harness to power them? If so, did you use the OEM provisions for it? I'm gonna pick up some JDM A-C lights while I save up to buy a D-F front end and noticed there's an empty spot in my fuse box labeled for the HID relay. I'm thinking of trying to make a factory-like harness that runs there without having to chop the USDM wiring.

 

Interesting. I should check my fusebox now...

 

I did not use a relay harness at all. I simply connected the positive wire from the HID headlights to the V+ wire out of the three wires from the USDM harness (the other two are grounds going through the DRL module). Then I grounded the negative terminal from the HID headlight directly to the chassis of the car.

I also unhooked the white plug from the DRL module. I just did my first test drive tonight and everything worked just fine.

So with the way I have wired everything, the HIDs only come on when you have turned the combination switch two notches.

And FWIW, I did not chop the USDM harness at all. I kept everything so that I can revert back to UDSM headlights easily and quickly. I also kept the JDM headlight plugs too so I can easily plug/unplug these headlights as well. Hope this makes sense without pictures...

When you guys added in JDM HIDs, did you use a relay harness to power them? If so, did you use the OEM provisions for it? I'm gonna pick up some JDM A-C lights while I save up to buy a D-F front end and noticed there's an empty spot in my fuse box labeled for the HID relay. I'm thinking of trying to make a factory-like harness that runs there without having to chop the USDM wiring.

 

 

 

I just connected mine to the factory wiring and they've been working perfectly.

 

 

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When you guys added in JDM HIDs, did you use a relay harness to power them? If so, did you use the OEM provisions for it? I'm gonna pick up some JDM A-C lights while I save up to buy a D-F front end and noticed there's an empty spot in my fuse box labeled for the HID relay. I'm thinking of trying to make a factory-like harness that runs there without having to chop the USDM wiring.

 

 

 

Buy a set of USDM headlight wiring and make a custom harness so that you don’t cut up the jdm lights or the car side wiring.

Buy a set of USDM headlight wiring and make a custom harness so that you don’t cut up the jdm lights or the car side wiring.

 

I actually just got a few sets of USDM wiring from a junkyard. I was actually going to buy a spare set of USDM 05-07 lights to retrofit since I've got a couple sets of parts sitting around, but the only headlights there were smashed, so I just took all the wiring and found some cheap JDM housings on eBay I'll modify.

I just connected mine to the factory wiring and they've been working perfectly.

 

 

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You have an 08 though. Your car uses the high beams as drl. On ours, the low beams are used as drl. If you keep this feature enabled and connect to the usdm harness, it may mess up the ballasts(hid flickering when combination switch is on the off position). But if the drl feature is disabled, you should be good as you suggest.

You have an 08 though. Your car uses the high beams as drl. On ours, the low beams are used as drl. If you keep this feature enabled and connect to the usdm harness, it may mess up the ballasts(hid flickering when combination switch is on the off position). But if the drl feature is disabled, you should be good as you suggest.

 

 

 

Yep, I disabled my DRLs long ago.

 

 

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To those who swapped their front end, do you recall having some kind of OEM USDM heat shield installed at the back of the radiator? Both of my cars did not have that. The JDM front end I got had it. So I installed it on my car. Will provide a picture later. Just curious though.

 

 

Edited November 21, 2018 by xt2005bonbon

interesting. protect the radiator from radiant heat from the crossover exhaust pipe? good idea. all oem pipes are covered though, so i wouldn't expect too much radiation.

 

should send it to Covert for full data analysis!

 

and i'm only half joking. lol.

 

 

In the end though, it really feels like SOA was like, "meh, we don't need this, we don't need that, etc...

Bonbon, if you didnt install that heat shield yet can you post the dimensions here? I have half a mind to fabricate one to try to lower my uphill temps by a few degrees without tossing my oem rad/at cooler.

I installed it this past Saturday . Keep bugging me so that I do this during my next oil change.

My coolant temp climbed to a 222F peak during our 5.5K road trip this past summer. We were pretty loaded. It was the first time I've had to keep an eye on the coolant temp. Going over I70 mountain passes in Colorado, I had to reduce my speed cause the temps kept climbing. Sucked. So I wonder if this thing will actually help a bit....

I hear that, I read just over 230° on the AP a few months back going up the grapevine on I5south in SoCal and never want to do that again, thought i was finished for sure.

It prompted me to clean out my air condensor and rad fins but it didn't do much since they weren't that dirty to begin with :/

 

 

In the end though, it really feels like SOA was like, "meh, we don't need this, we don't need that, etc...

 

They kept doing through the USDM production as well. Examples: covers on the front frame rails protecting paint when removing spark plugs (deleted 09/04), power steering fluid cooler (deleted in MY06)... Glove box light (deleted MY06?).

I hear that, I read just over 230° on the AP a few months back going up the grapevine on I5south in SoCal and never want to do that again, thought i was finished for sure.

It prompted me to clean out my air condensor and rad fins but it didn't do much since they weren't that dirty to begin with :/

 

230F?? Holy crap. The needle must have been super close to the red mark. When I went 222F, The needle was half way there.

 

They kept doing through the USDM production as well. Examples: covers on the front frame rails protecting paint when removing spark plugs (deleted 09/04), power steering fluid cooler (deleted in MY06)... Glove box light (deleted MY06?).

 

pff. Just like this part below I guess. I have it on my 05 but not on my 06.

 

http://i672.photobucket.com/albums/vv87/JoshEAllen/60A8B9B0-FAF5-4779-BEC4-A3F1E24ACF56.jpg

speaking of which, cleaning the rad and condensor fins is legit ans super easy. bought some cleaner for the home AC unit to gain back efficiency and to use on the car radiator and AC. will have to grab the name from the bottle in the garage.

 

hadn't thought specifically about the radiator yet, but did use it on them both at the end of summer.

 

and don't forget the underbody "aero" trays

Edited November 22, 2018 by Flinkly

To those who swapped their front end, do you recall having some kind of OEM USDM heat shield installed at the back of the radiator? Both of my cars did not have that. The JDM front end I got had it. So I installed it on my car. Will provide a picture later. Just curious though.

 

 

 

The part number for the Radiator cover heat shield is 45134AG012

 

It came on the 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy. It could be that your car was missing it from when it was produced or it was removed during service on accident and not replaced.

 

Here is a link for the diagram showing it came on the 05-09 Legacy. You can buy the part at any USA Subaru Dealer.

 

http://opposedforces.com/parts/legacy/us_b13/type_30/cooling_system/engine_cooling/illustration_1/

They kept doing through the USDM production as well. Examples: covers on the front frame rails protecting paint when removing spark plugs (deleted 09/04), power steering fluid cooler (deleted in MY06)... Glove box light (deleted MY06?).

 

Very true!

The part number for the Radiator cover heat shield is 45134AG012

 

It came on the 2005-2009 Outback and Legacy. It could be that your car was missing it from when it was produced or it was removed during service on accident and not replaced.

 

Here is a link for the diagram showing it came on the 05-09 Legacy. You can buy the part at any USA Subaru Dealer.

 

http://opposedforces.com/parts/legacy/us_b13/type_30/cooling_system/engine_cooling/illustration_1/

 

None of my 05 LGT MT wagons has that. Could it be AT only thing?

None of my 05 LGT MT wagons has that. Could it be AT only thing?

 

Looking here, all of the applicable models are AT.

 

https://parts.subaru.com/p/Subaru__/COVER-RADIATOR/49251952/45134AG012.html

So why just for the ATs?