hands smell of grease and coolant.. and lava soap...

**pete25r** · 02-05-2013 11:50 AM

COBB intake? well the part that has the MAF in it was on the car when I bought it, it's called an SF intake or somecrap. It's like $130-something on COBB's site I think? The MAF to inlet tube was like $75. Stock one had some cracks.

Some details on the airbox I made.
I picked up a sheet of aluminium from an ACE hardware, it was something like 28x28. I fabbed up an airbox out of cardboard (pizza boxes work well). Made adjustments to the cardboard until I was reasonably happy with it. Measured cardboard and the cut and bent alum. sheet to fit. For bending it I made a metal brake out of 2 large C clamps and 2 pieces of 1x3 wood, using a rubber mallet to get some decent 90* bends. I cut out another piece of alum to double up on the side that was next to the engine, doubled up for better heat deflection. I took the smaller piece of alum and C clamped it to the main peice and drilled some holes in both pieces. I put some washers inbetween the two pieces as I was pop-riveting them together. A good side effect is that it made it a good bit sturdier. I also cut some pieces to attach to the bottom so I could bolt it down to the frame.

Anyone attempting this will probably want to have these tools on hand...
2 largish C clamps - for brake
2 1x3 boards - for brake
rubber mallet - for using brake
sharp box cutting knife - to cut large/long portions of aluminium
metal snips
drill with metal bits
pop rivet tool with rivets
washers that will fit over rivets
sheet aluminium - steel could be used but would be heavier and harder to work with
dremel with some grinding bits
cardboard and tape for pre-fab
*SAFETY EQUIPMENT* eye protection and gloves are what I'd recommend, don't poke your eye out!

I took me an afternoon and a few hours after dinner to complete. A lot of time is used getting it to fit well. I wish I would have made mine a little taller, the intake/filter is on the high side and is probably still sucking in hot air that accumulates just under the hood. I was planning to make a lid for it but couldn't find a clean way to pull it off. Also didn't want it rubbing the underside of the hood.

**pete25r** · 02-08-2013 07:19 PM

one of my buddies that did an engine swap on his Toyota Tercel, yeh he dropped a turbo engine in it - dude is crazy, anyway he suggested I add this video...

I had some exhaust leaks. I seafoamed my bugeye to find them. The smoke doesn't show up so good on camera but this really helped me track down the bad gaskets.

Seafoam - YouTube

**pete25r** · 02-15-2013 06:21 PM

Got my PNP/rebuilt turbo installed tonight. Wrapped most of my up-pipe too, it has one of those flex joints on it.
Installing the new-ish turbo resolved some exhaust leakage too. Her rumble sounds even sweeter now.

98 more miles of break in on the turbo then its GAME ON!

here's some pics of the practice PNP I did on a questionable TD04, I did a slightly better PNP job on the one I installed. Practice makes perfect.

photo's note- I was using an LED flashlight to shine down in the cavities of the hotside and broke out the flash and all that for the compressor, that's why the lighting looks all weird.
Next time I'll set up the flash(es?) from the start.

These pics are the newds of the TD04 I took to the first DFH meat. I'm bringing the second one I did for show and tell, just will be a little harder to see...

**zax** · 02-16-2013 11:58 AM

Nice Pete!

Beamed at your face at approx. 186,000 miles per second via DROID BIONIC

**jestr** · 02-17-2013 01:42 PM

Wow, you're lucky to find a first gen wrx in such good condition! I got mine last year... 100% stock. :-/ I really like the engine pics you posted. Even without any of your additions it gives me some inspiration for what I'd like to do on mine.

**zax** · 02-17-2013 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by jestr

Wow, you're lucky to find a first gen wrx in such good condition! I got mine last year... 100% stock. :-/ I really like the engine pics you posted. Even without any of your additions it gives me some inspiration for what I'd like to do on mine.

1st gen? The WRX started its life in 1992...

Beamed at your face at approx. 186,000 miles per second via DROID BIONIC

**Rambo** · 02-17-2013 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by zax

1st gen? The WRX started its life in 1992...

Beamed at your face at approx. 186,000 miles per second via DROID BIONIC

This.

**michaelwfox** · 02-17-2013 05:19 PM

Nice!

**pete25r** · 02-17-2013 05:21 PM

I think jestr meant 1st gen stateside. Congrats on finding a WRX with nobody else's funky mods.

Here's an update...

Went for a Sunday drive today. Kept it under 3k, wasn't easy, that VW rEALLy wanted me to pass it. Swapping the turbo gave me a chance to fix some exhausts leaks, new gaskets, new stud to bolt downpipe on with. When I first let it idle I thought I stalled, its so quiet now, I can hear my transmission or CV joints when I use the engine to brake.

50 miles till Boost-city...

**pete25r** · 02-20-2013 11:19 AM

completed break in miles Tues. Need to get some logging done did. Apparently I went back a revision on my OS map. I fixed my timing scaling but stupid me didn't save it or flashed to wrong map. I'm good as long as I don't do any pulls.
I've got a fixed map, saved it twice. Just need to do a couple of logs, bounce off of new map for a sanity check and rock n roll with the new map.

No logs with PNP turbo yet but the butt dyno approves.

**Ruh Roh** · 02-20-2013 11:21 AM

as long as the butt dyno approves

**pete25r** · 02-20-2013 06:36 PM

sways and endlinks ordered...

Next on the agenda is suspension. Nothing crazy just tightening it up a little.
Ordered - Whiteline adjustable 24mm front and 22mm rear and some Kartboy endlinks.

this will be done over time so don't hold your breath...

Planned - bushings (TiC bush refresh), Tokico D-Spec, tophats group N flavor

the main purpose of my car is a DD but I want it to handle a little better. any suggestions or advice is welcome.

**pete25r** · 02-22-2013 02:41 PM

sway bars came in today. They got home before I did.
Ordered latenight on the 20th recieved afternoon of 22nd. That's pretty quick for large-ish items. Turn In Concepts rocks.

**Rambo** · 02-22-2013 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by pete25r

Turn In Concepts rocks.

werd.

Do you have a torque wrench? I wanted to be sure the subframe bolts were torqued to spec on the front install. Don't let it drop on you when you're removing it.

**pete25r** · 02-22-2013 04:45 PM

torque wrech - check
not dropping sway on my fo-head - crossed fingers.

I'm waiting on the endlinks to show up. Can't wait.
Today on the way home from work I was going through an intersection's left turn green arrow and there was a white hatch WRX going the other direction, I had some mad-body roll going on as I chucked dueces. I bet I looked like the biggest dork. ..eh...it was fun.

I peaked under my hood after my ride home. Some of my turbo nuts were loose. Luckily it was the ones on top of the up-pipe. I torqued them down though. I re-torqued them to 30lbs, 22.4 is what the manual says. I'll check them again tomorrow after errands and whatev, in a couple of days too. I used PB blaster on them to help break them free when I did the swap. I figured all that would have burned off by now.