CovertRussian's 05 LGT Build Thread

Is your fuel trim in cell A always that high? You could have a vacuum leak. That could also explain the knock.

 

Yup it's been that high for a long time, even couple weeks ago when it wasn't knocking. I guess I kind of gave up constantly hunting the idle trim, I would fix it for a while, then it would spike back up.

 

High fuel add at idle could also be a sign of clogged injectors or fuel filter, guess it's been a year since I installed my in bay fuel filter, probably is time to swap it.

After doing all that work, I figured it would be a good time to test the car out on the highway. Went to the same city as last time, but today it was half evening half night driving. Got 28.19mpg .

 

For what ever reason, my 100% day trips get much better gas mileage then the night trips. I've been racking my brain on why this is the case, so far have:

• Daytime seems to have more traffic, more traffic = more cars to break the wind infront of you = better aerodynamics.
  
• Day air is possibly less dense (assuming day temps are warmer), thus requires more throttle to maintain the same speed (less vacuum). Some say that keeping the throttle open more helps reduce pumping losses.
  
• Day air is possibly less dense thus less resistant/more aerodynamic
  
• Radiant light warms up the tires more, thus slightly less rolling resistance, but only on one side of the car.
  

 

Just a little frustrating, it's hard enough to get out, and now I need to take off work just to get consistent data?

 

Update: I'm beginning to think headlight power draw is the reason for the night mpg loss. See this post.

Edited October 3, 2016 by covertrussian

I feel obligated to state the obvious.

This car makes me feel it, she's the crankiest lady I've ever owned. I don't believe my other cars were ever this sensitive to temps or day night cycles. But I'll be honest, I wasn't as through before, this car made me be very through haha.

 

 

I just added another bullet point, I think this one also is the reason why fall/winter MPG drops likes a stone too.

• Day air is possibly less dense (assuming day temps are warmer), thus requires more throttle to maintain the same speed (less vacuum). Some say that keeping the throttle open more helps reduce pumping losses.
  

Edited September 13, 2016 by covertrussian

4th gen showing the way to the wee 6th gen.

 

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Pics/General/20160913_115432.jpg~original

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Pics/General/20160913_115205.jpg~original

I'm in my 40's, and I still don't think I'm ready for a 6th gen.

4th gen or nothing. Even the turbo 5th gens don't do it for me.

I prefer 6th gen fronts a lot more then 5th gens, but the 6th gen backs look too much like a Camry.

 

I do like the framed doors of 5th+ also the window motors actually work and raise a window in fraction of a time compared to 4th gen.

Windows aside they still look like rolling lunch pails.

Windows aside they still look like rolling lunch pails.

 

They are ugly and to make it worse, if you want to replace the light bulb, you have to pull the headlight. To pull the headlight you have to pull the bumper, seriously WTF Subaru?

Damn. Sounds like a 2005 cabin filter assembly.

5th gen also no boxer rumble.

5th gen also no boxer rumble.

 

cause more efficient.

 

sorry, but function over form here (ELH TS system with rumble-delete here). for most things.

Since my A learning has been pretty high, figured I maybe the fuel filter is clogged. I thought I had a spare Subaru one in the garage, nope only an aftermarket Nissan 300x "Z32" one.

 

I've been thinking about trying it out anyway, it seems like it would flow better (less sharp turns), its also little longer so should relief some stress off the stretched fuel lines.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Engine/Fueling/Bay%20Fuel%20Filter/Z32_001.jpg~original

 

Fit like a glove, takes less space too.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Engine/Fueling/Bay%20Fuel%20Filter/Z32_002.jpg~original

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Engine/Fueling/Bay%20Fuel%20Filter/Z32_003.jpg~original

 

I wanted to see what the filter looks like, this is not an OEM one but I'm sure OEM is similar design. It's also very clean even after 2 years using Shell 93 only.

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Engine/Fueling/Bay%20Fuel%20Filter/Subaru_AM_Cutaway01.jpg~original

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Engine/Fueling/Bay%20Fuel%20Filter/Subaru_AM_Cutaway02.jpg~original

 

Have some updated virtual dyno logs too. From testing out the timing updates I mentioned in this thread and post lower mileage intercooler & fuel filter update. Slightly different road then in the other post, hence lower base power, but it was done around same time for base run (I do 2-3 logs on different roads at the same time to make sure gremlins or clutch slippage doesn't ruin them)

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=237560&stc=1&d=1473826970

 

Anyway, adding 3* mid range and reducing 2* from high range helped me get another 8HP, you can tell by the power curve that it's not a fluke.

 

Looks like the lower mile intercooler and maybe the fuel filter helped gain a few more, though since it does kind of spike up at the last minute, I tend to not trust it too much (probably a road fluke).

Did some more driving around and logging today, I drove by the road I did the very first dyno log on after buying the car.

 

Quite a power difference, I can't imagine driving the car stock and having fun anymore

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Turbo/Evo%20III%2016g/Stock%20VF46%20vs%20Stage%203%20-%20Big16GTuned.png~original

 

Looks like yesterday's graphs were not a fluke, got two graphs both in 250whp range, temps being finally down into high 60's really helped the power.

Just got back from a 600mile highway trip and got to test a few more cruising timing maps.

 

First I tried running 35* timing, basically trying to find the extreme ranges, this got me 28.94mpg. Since that was easy traffic less day drive it should have been higher, which means that's too far below optimal timing. I then made the timing map run 38* as something to be in between 35* and 40* maps. This got me 29.50mpg with pretty heavy traffic on I-95(big surprise).

 

For the return trip I figured I would keep the 38* map since it was night time and MPG would be vastly different from daytime anyway. With no traffic at all on I-95 I got 28.69mpg, pretty decent for 2/3 night and 1/3 morning driving. Finally daytime rolled around and I finally found a Shell gas station (MD guys really hate them, luckily WV has one on every corner like VA). Morning driving with low traffic on I-81 South got me 31.26mpg.

 

Car seems to like 38-40* of cruise timing, since these are not A-B-A styled trips like I usually do, take these numbers with a grain of salt, but this as usual gives me a baseline to play with.

 

Update to this: did an A-B-A day-evening no headlights test with 38* highway map and got 30.85mpg, which is in top 3 for best mpg to that city ever.

Edited October 3, 2016 by covertrussian

Finally got tired of the fogged headlights, I buffed them out with an electric buffer and compound last year but that didn't last at all. Figured I would try out the $8 Turtle Wax polishing and refinish kit that's sold at Walmart.

 

Passenger headlight was the worst:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Exterior/Headlights/20151115_162307.jpg~original

 

I didn't grab any pictures of the process, but it's really straight forward, just follow the directions on the box...

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Exterior/Headlights/20151117_084422.jpg~original

 

 

Before:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Exterior/Headlights/20151115_162258.jpg~original

 

After:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Exterior/Headlights/20151117_084458.jpg~original

 

It's surprising by how much newer the car starts looking by having nice and clean headlights. Hopefully this kit lasts a while and keeps them looking this way for a while

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t188/covertrussian/Cars/05%20LGT/Exterior/Headlights/20151117_084345.jpg~original

When are you going to get rid of that plastic intercooler? Mine had a pretty major leak and was causing me to hit 1-2 psi less than my target. I found a used Avo for $200 off of Ebay and let me tell you, it definitely helped out quite a bit with my high end acceleration. I might be crazy but I swear my throttle response is better now. I did the Mishimoto turbo inlet at the same time. And my intake temps actually lowered significantly. Based on an 82 degree day, going the same route I was showing an intake temperature drop of 20-22 degrees. And I haven't even screwed with the splitter yet.

Take those headlights and spray a UV resistant clear coat. That will keep them from fogging.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

When are you going to get rid of that plastic intercooler? Mine had a pretty major leak and was causing me to hit 1-2 psi less than my target. I found a used Avo for $200 off of Ebay and let me tell you, it definitely helped out quite a bit with my high end acceleration. I might be crazy but I swear my throttle response is better now. I did the Mishimoto turbo inlet at the same time. And my intake temps actually lowered significantly. Based on an 82 degree day, going the same route I was showing an intake temperature drop of 20-22 degrees. And I haven't even screwed with the splitter yet.

 

I hate the plastic intercooler, but I can't argue with the fitment and ease of use. I actually hate top mount intercoolers, and bought a front mount kit from a local subaru guy two years ago. The problem is fitment and space usage of FMIC's piping makes it a royal paint to do any other work on these cars so I've been too lazy to install it. That plus my other two cars always need work too For $200 though, I probably would just buy a better TMIC

 

The intake temps doesn't make sense since the he IAT sensor is part of the MAF and is before the intercooler.

 

Take those headlights and spray a UV resistant clear coat. That will keep them from fogging.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

 

I've tried spray painting headlights before and it didn't work out at all, I wont deny that it was probably me being incompetent with clear spray paint

Forgot to post this in July... I took the Legacy to throw away some scrap metal, mostly to get the car weighted.

 

With a full tank of gas, no driver, full size spare wheel, the car came in at 3,450lbs. Curb Weight for the car is 3,365lbs.

 

I'm a little surprised at the weight difference, especially since my aftermarket downpipe is miles lighter then the stock one. I guess bigger turbo, full size spare, extra oil, tow straps, bigger rear swaybar, strut bar all added up.

 

I updated my Virtual Dyno calculations to this new weight of course, that "increased" my WHP by about 3-5whp. All the graphs that I've been posting since end of July have had the more accurate weight.

Forgot to post this in July... I took the Legacy to throw away some scrap metal, mostly to get the car weighted.

 

With a full tank of gas, no driver, full size spare wheel, the car came in at 3,450lbs. Curb Weight for the car is 3,365lbs.

 

I'm a little surprised at the weight difference, especially since my aftermarket downpipe is miles lighter then the stock one. I guess bigger turbo, full size spare, extra oil, tow straps, bigger rear swaybar, strut bar all added up.

 

I updated my Virtual Dyno calculations to this new weight of course, that "increased" my WHP by about 3-5whp. All the graphs that I've been posting since end of July have had the more accurate weight.

 

16 gallons of gas weighs nearly 100lbs.

Curb Weight as the EPA defines it is supposed to include all fluids including oil, coolant, and a full tank of gas, and all normal extra equipment like spare tire and jack.

 

Per my VA registration mine has the same 3,365 curb weight, but it's also just listed as a Subaru Legacy. No differentiation of it as a GT, or of trim level, so that might be the curb weight of a 2.5i non-limited. Turbo + intercooler + supporting bits would probably account for that difference. Never put my LGT on scales but being a Limited it also has heavier power seats and whatnot.

Correct, by definition curb weight has to have all fluids, I thought the same as you rebourne, until I researched it.

 

According to cars.com GT Limited is 3,365lbs, GT is 3,300lbs, 2.5i Limited is 3,335lbs.

 

Cars101 unfortunately doesn't have any weights.

And an '05 GT limited 5mt wagon is 3,435 lbs