Orestes's 2011 STI
I've already got a journal spanning more than a year for my car so so I'll try to keep it as short as possible (Read: wall-o-text incoming)
Shortly after returning to the states in 2011 I was finally in the position to purchase a vehicle that I've wanted since 2004. Two days after landing in 'merica and still heavily jet lagged I went to a local dealer to discuss the vehicle I had sent them so many emails about in the prior two weeks only to find that the vehicle wasn't even scheduled to arrive at the dealership for another 2 weeks. Slightly disappointed I negotiated my trade in and deal on the car and left 4 hours later in an LGT. 4 days later I got a very excited call from my salesman informing me that the car had just arrived in a closed trailer and I could come and pick it up.
This was probably in the top 10 happiest days of my life.
I drove the car home and flashed to stage 1 on 19OCT2011 and so begins my story.
19OCT2011:
Picked up my brand new 2011 Sedan in Obsidian Black Pearl. I've got some pretty big plans for this car over the course of the next few years but I'll be taking things kinda slowly for a while since I'm pretty tapped out after the initial purchase
Driving it home was a blast - basically re-learning how to drive a standard. The clutch was a lot different than any other standard I've driven before. Its also the first manual transmission vehicle I've ever owned so I plan on making a tool out of myself for the first few months haha.
I got it home and promptly flashed it to Stage 1.
25OCT2011
Installed Cobb Adjustable Short Throw Shifter.
Installed Cobb SF Intake.
After getting the front of the car up on jack stands and locating the cam bolt hole trigger pin cable line assembly arm-a-majig and placing a hex key in there I pulled out all the stuff and ripped out the old shifter (i would SERIOUSLY recommend buying some c-clip pliers...needle nose did the trick though). Ran into 2 speed bumps. The first was the c-clip which was just being difficult. The Second was the reverse lockout assembly. I'm pretty sure whoever designed that was either a genius or a retard. Getting everything to line up correctly and then actually replacing the pin that you have to punch out to remove it is a huge pain in the ( Y ). Overall it took about 1 hour 45 minutes (being done by someone who had no idea what they were doing). I really wanted to get the downpipe installed tonight, but that'll have to wait until tomorrow. The guy is basically loaning me his garage for whenever I might need it. Really cool guy :tup:
The intake also went on. Turbo spools quicker and I feel like its got a bit more torque now...but could just be placebo. We'll see!
26OCT2011
Hit 500 miles today.
Installed the Cobb Downpipe today and took it for a little spin with the Stage 2 + SF Map. Turbo starts spooling just over 2k RPM. I was thoroughly surprised when i heard it start to whine at around 2100 or so. Install went pretty smoothly. Busted my face up on the transmission though while trying to remove the downpipe. Still have Front and Rear shifter bushings that I need to install and the Defi Red Racer boost gauge.
28OCT2011
Boost Gauge Installed. Really hated doing this. So simple...yet so aggravating.
30OCT2011
1000 Miles! Drove to Asheville, NC for Moogfest this weekend. Had a great time in downtown Asheville but most of the artists they had playing weren't really my thing.
31OCT2011
Went down to Epic Motorsports today and scheduled a tune for 0900 on 5OCT. Also having them whip up a Walbro pump and Grimspeed EBCS to throw on before we start tuning. Kinda wishing I had waited to go Stage 2 right now so I could have had a CBE/Headers on as well...but its only $150 for a retune after the initial $400 tune. Hoping for 300whp this week!:tup::tup:
05NOV2011
Protune by Robbie @ Epic Motorsports; Wasn't able to get the Walbro or EBCS done. Pump is sitting in the car right now waiting for a home.
Post with Dyno Graph
08NOV2011
Happy B-Day to me. Installed Cobb Heat Shield and Red LED Dome/Map Lights.
09NOV2011
Windows tinted 35% all around and tail smoked out. Looks mean now
Subaru Impreza WRX STI Forums: IWSTI.com - View Single Post - GR Sedan: The Turboturtle: Phase Ω START!
12NOV2011
Went to Southeast Faceoff. Met some cool guys and learned some good stuff.
13NOV2011
Southeast Faceoff Day 2 @ the Fayetteville Motorsports Park. Mostly saw an asston of beastly Evos running.
20NOV2011
Installed Cobb Front and Rear Shifter bushings. Trying to diagnose a scraping/vibrating noise coming from the shifter. I'm assuming I just need to remove the STS and grease up the ball and lower shifter arm thingy really well as I probably removed a lot when installing the rear shift bushing.
10DEC2011
Ordered Cusco Catch Can, Iridium Plugs, and a GS EBCS. Going to install them when I get back home from christmas on the 1st.
1JAN2012
Motor blew while driving home from vacation while using Mobil 1 Suspecting a ringland failure due to thick exhaust smoke and white smoke from the oil fill/dipstick.
3JAN2012
Confirmed that warranty work would be denied due to recent ECU reset, asked dealership to go ahead and perform a compression check while the car was there.
4JAN2012
Went to Cross Creek Subaru to pickup the car and see the results from the compression check. Dealer failed to perform the requested services and instead charged me for a diagnostic which they said "showed nothing, the codes were all cleared" after I told them not to bother because the codes would all have been cleared.
4JAN2012
Took the car to Epic Motorsports after I picked it up from the dealership. Had a compression check performed which confirmed that I had not 1, but 2 ringland failures (Cylinders 2 and 4 @70psi; 1 and 3 at 135-140psi). Requested that they get me a quote on an engine rebuild; said they'd email it to me.
4JAN2012
Took the car to Spec Ops Motorsports to check out the shop and talk with a few people about getting the motor rebuilt. Fujiwara sat down with me and we got an invoice for the rebuild right there. I was also able to talk with rek888v2 about the rebuild. Beginning AER Paperwork to have money advanced to me to pay for repairs and hopefully have the car in the shop by Friday.
6JAN2012
NSTR
24FEB2012
Car is at Spec Ops Motorsports. Motor pulled. Beginning engine build.
25FEB2012
Heads are off. Cylinder walls look good but it's unclear as to whether the piston rings caused it. Will be sending off to a separate shop for full dis-assembly of the heads and block as well as honing the bores and verifying that the heads are ok.
05MAR2012
Authorized Spec Ops Motorsports in Fayetteville, NC to purchase parts and initiate the rest of the labor involved in the building of the short block and replacing of the fuel pump and injectors.
08MAR2012
Paid invoice for motor rebuild in full
13MAR2012
All parts ordered and received by Spec Ops.
18MAR2012
Ordered an Invidia N1 Race CBE from Import Image. I've noticed a lack of actual photos/video of this exhaust on the 2011+ Sedans. As soon as the car is out of the shop and I can get this thing on I'll have plenty of photos and get some video of it on this main post.
I've already got a journal spanning more than a year for my car so so I'll try to keep it as short as possible (Read: wall-o-text incoming)
Shortly after returning to the states in 2011 I was finally in the position to purchase a vehicle that I've wanted since 2004. Two days after landing in 'merica and still heavily jet lagged I went to a local dealer to discuss the vehicle I had sent them so many emails about in the prior two weeks only to find that the vehicle wasn't even scheduled to arrive at the dealership for another 2 weeks. Slightly disappointed I negotiated my trade in and deal on the car and left 4 hours later in an LGT. 4 days later I got a very excited call from my salesman informing me that the car had just arrived in a closed trailer and I could come and pick it up.
This was probably in the top 10 happiest days of my life.
I drove the car home and flashed to stage 1 on 19OCT2011 and so begins my story.
19OCT2011:
Picked up my brand new 2011 Sedan in Obsidian Black Pearl. I've got some pretty big plans for this car over the course of the next few years but I'll be taking things kinda slowly for a while since I'm pretty tapped out after the initial purchase
Driving it home was a blast - basically re-learning how to drive a standard. The clutch was a lot different than any other standard I've driven before. Its also the first manual transmission vehicle I've ever owned so I plan on making a tool out of myself for the first few months haha.
I got it home and promptly flashed it to Stage 1.
25OCT2011
Installed Cobb Adjustable Short Throw Shifter.
Installed Cobb SF Intake.
After getting the front of the car up on jack stands and locating the cam bolt hole trigger pin cable line assembly arm-a-majig and placing a hex key in there I pulled out all the stuff and ripped out the old shifter (i would SERIOUSLY recommend buying some c-clip pliers...needle nose did the trick though). Ran into 2 speed bumps. The first was the c-clip which was just being difficult. The Second was the reverse lockout assembly. I'm pretty sure whoever designed that was either a genius or a retard. Getting everything to line up correctly and then actually replacing the pin that you have to punch out to remove it is a huge pain in the ( Y ). Overall it took about 1 hour 45 minutes (being done by someone who had no idea what they were doing). I really wanted to get the downpipe installed tonight, but that'll have to wait until tomorrow. The guy is basically loaning me his garage for whenever I might need it. Really cool guy :tup:
The intake also went on. Turbo spools quicker and I feel like its got a bit more torque now...but could just be placebo. We'll see!
26OCT2011
Hit 500 miles today.
Installed the Cobb Downpipe today and took it for a little spin with the Stage 2 + SF Map. Turbo starts spooling just over 2k RPM. I was thoroughly surprised when i heard it start to whine at around 2100 or so. Install went pretty smoothly. Busted my face up on the transmission though while trying to remove the downpipe. Still have Front and Rear shifter bushings that I need to install and the Defi Red Racer boost gauge.
28OCT2011
Boost Gauge Installed. Really hated doing this. So simple...yet so aggravating.
30OCT2011
1000 Miles! Drove to Asheville, NC for Moogfest this weekend. Had a great time in downtown Asheville but most of the artists they had playing weren't really my thing.
31OCT2011
Went down to Epic Motorsports today and scheduled a tune for 0900 on 5OCT. Also having them whip up a Walbro pump and Grimspeed EBCS to throw on before we start tuning. Kinda wishing I had waited to go Stage 2 right now so I could have had a CBE/Headers on as well...but its only $150 for a retune after the initial $400 tune. Hoping for 300whp this week!:tup::tup:
05NOV2011
Protune by Robbie @ Epic Motorsports; Wasn't able to get the Walbro or EBCS done. Pump is sitting in the car right now waiting for a home.
Post with Dyno Graph
08NOV2011
Happy B-Day to me. Installed Cobb Heat Shield and Red LED Dome/Map Lights.
09NOV2011
Windows tinted 35% all around and tail smoked out. Looks mean now
Subaru Impreza WRX STI Forums: IWSTI.com - View Single Post - GR Sedan: The Turboturtle: Phase Ω START!
12NOV2011
Went to Southeast Faceoff. Met some cool guys and learned some good stuff.
13NOV2011
Southeast Faceoff Day 2 @ the Fayetteville Motorsports Park. Mostly saw an asston of beastly Evos running.
20NOV2011
Installed Cobb Front and Rear Shifter bushings. Trying to diagnose a scraping/vibrating noise coming from the shifter. I'm assuming I just need to remove the STS and grease up the ball and lower shifter arm thingy really well as I probably removed a lot when installing the rear shift bushing.
10DEC2011
Ordered Cusco Catch Can, Iridium Plugs, and a GS EBCS. Going to install them when I get back home from christmas on the 1st.
1JAN2012
Motor blew while driving home from vacation while using Mobil 1 Suspecting a ringland failure due to thick exhaust smoke and white smoke from the oil fill/dipstick.
3JAN2012
Confirmed that warranty work would be denied due to recent ECU reset, asked dealership to go ahead and perform a compression check while the car was there.
4JAN2012
Went to Cross Creek Subaru to pickup the car and see the results from the compression check. Dealer failed to perform the requested services and instead charged me for a diagnostic which they said "showed nothing, the codes were all cleared" after I told them not to bother because the codes would all have been cleared.
4JAN2012
Took the car to Epic Motorsports after I picked it up from the dealership. Had a compression check performed which confirmed that I had not 1, but 2 ringland failures (Cylinders 2 and 4 @70psi; 1 and 3 at 135-140psi). Requested that they get me a quote on an engine rebuild; said they'd email it to me.
4JAN2012
Took the car to Spec Ops Motorsports to check out the shop and talk with a few people about getting the motor rebuilt. Fujiwara sat down with me and we got an invoice for the rebuild right there. I was also able to talk with rek888v2 about the rebuild. Beginning AER Paperwork to have money advanced to me to pay for repairs and hopefully have the car in the shop by Friday.
6JAN2012
NSTR
24FEB2012
Car is at Spec Ops Motorsports. Motor pulled. Beginning engine build.
25FEB2012
Heads are off. Cylinder walls look good but it's unclear as to whether the piston rings caused it. Will be sending off to a separate shop for full dis-assembly of the heads and block as well as honing the bores and verifying that the heads are ok.
05MAR2012
Authorized Spec Ops Motorsports in Fayetteville, NC to purchase parts and initiate the rest of the labor involved in the building of the short block and replacing of the fuel pump and injectors.
08MAR2012
Paid invoice for motor rebuild in full
13MAR2012
All parts ordered and received by Spec Ops.
18MAR2012
Ordered an Invidia N1 Race CBE from Import Image. I've noticed a lack of actual photos/video of this exhaust on the 2011+ Sedans. As soon as the car is out of the shop and I can get this thing on I'll have plenty of photos and get some video of it on this main post.