Subaru WRX Forum banner

ShadowPR gets a new hobby and learns a few things

17K views 76 replies 17 participants last post by  Heide264 
#1 · (Edited)
ShadowPR's build thread

I bought my 2009 WRX in July of 09. She's been stock until now. Last month I decided to install the STI short throw. That was the beginning of my new hobby. This is my DD, and I have no real plans on ever bringing her onto a track, but I might want to try a lap or two once just to see what she can really do if allowed.

A little background. I know nothing about cars, except how to drive them. My last three cars were a 97 Pontiac Sunfire, 01 Hyundai Elantra, and then a 03 Mazda Protege. All three died in crashes. I installed my own headunits and speakers on them, and maybe changed a few light bulbs. I never had the chance to do any mods.

Now back to the present. After doing the short throw, I felt good and proud. I wanted to do more. I joined this site, and I knew it was on.

I decided to break up all the mods I want to do into "phases" in order to make things easier.

Phase 1: Bushings, swaybars, endlinks.
Phase 2: shocks, springs, calipers, brake lines
Phase 3: Wheels and tires
Phase 4: After warranty is up, CAI, and TBE followed by a tune.

Phase 1:
I've had the car on jack stands for a week so far. I'm going slow because I'm only working n it a few hours a day, and it's been cold.

This is what I ordered and have/will be installing:
Whiteline 22/24 R/F swaybars: done
Kartboy f/r endlinks: done
Group N engine mounts: done
kartboy pitch stop: done
Group N trans mount: done
TiC crossmember bushings: done
5mt holy shift kit: done
whiteline subframe inserts: done
whiteline rear diff inserts: DONE
WL front control arm bushing: done
wl rear trailing arm bushing: done
wh steering rack bushing: done
TiC rear lower control arm innner bushing: done
WL alk: done
wl front roll center adjustment: done
wl rear camber adjustment: done
wl rear shock lower bushing: done
Flapatax mud flaps: done
Black caliper paint: phase 2.

I did take a few pics of the parts and the car, but not too many. It was too cold, and I was busy with the car.

I'll update this first post with what else I manage to do to my baby. It's been frustrating, and fun along the way. Probably would have gone faster and smoother if mother nature decided to cooperate, but what can you do.

My next posts will talk about what I thought/remember about installing each part. Might help out someone else.
 
See less See more
#35 ·
I have a bunch of pics, just need to upload them to a site and share. (I'm lazy)

As for the reflectors, I would like to do away with them/paint them completely black, but I want to stay legal. I'm not worried about a cop giving me a ticket, but more about if there is n accident and the insurance company trying to deny a claim because of that.
 
#36 ·
But painting it black would be just as visibly reducing IMO...just saying. I understand the concerns :)
 
#37 ·
Ok. I finally got the headlights painted, but since i did a two-tone thing, I tried to get the line between them to be smooth, but messed it up completely. I then used paint remover to take it all off so I could try again.

This is not a good idea. I'm now about to paint the entire piece instead of just the chrome so that it will still look good. If that doesn't work, then it's off to get it powder coated.

As for the front emblem, I removed all the paint, and most of the chrome, but it's foggy as all heck. Going to try a headlight restoration kit and see if that fixes it.
 
#38 · (Edited)
Ok, headlights are finished and reinstalled.

I put on the sports grill.

Koni inserts, rce yellows installed.

Extra-s is in the tranny, and rear diff.

I also installed the ss brake lines, stoptech pads, and ate blue fluid. The calipers are also painted black.

Tactrix cable is ordered, and I have a aem cai waiting to be installed. Next to be ordered is a wideband.

One problem I'm having right now though is I have a rubbing sound coming from the brakes. Not sure what to do.

I'm also almost done with a custom front plate delete, and waiting for a new black perforated leather shift boot and ebake boot, and a black bride armrest. Both with red stitching.
 
#44 ·
I had some brake issues that was fixed with more grease. Right now I need to get a squeak fixed from the rear suspension somewhere, but it's not a big deal.

I just received new shift/ebrake boots and a cover for the armrest. I also have a smy gauge cluster and a innovate afr gauge. Waiting for my defi boost, pressure and temp gauges to arrive. Put them in, and the aem cai then get a protune.

The car feels so different it's amazing. I might stiffen up the shocks a bit just to se if I like it that way instead of on the softer setting.

more pics will be up soon, but you can find some of the new ones with th rear badge, trunk trim, and front plate done in the Victory thread.
 
#45 ·
Installed the defi oil temp and pressure gauges. They are in the smy cluster. The cluster makes the gauges stick out a bit more than I would like. I may eventually try to grind the opening down a bit to get them to sit further back.

I also just finished installing a Aeromotive 340 stealth fuel pump.

Waiting on my boost gauge, and a amr turbo inlet. Have a avo big maf hose to use with it and the aem intake.
 
#46 · (Edited)
ok, update time. The boost gauge is installed.

I also have installed a Grimmspeed Air/oil separator, and grimmspeed light weight crank pulley. The pulley took a bit to get on, but the install tool made things so much easier.

As of now, I either have or am waiting on the following:
DW 1000cc injectors
GS tgv deletes, coated
GS turbo shield
GS EBCS
Invidia catted dp
Nameless cbe
aem intake
amr turbo inlet
process west tmic.
forged bpv

Soon as I get the parts I'm waiting on, I'm going to go stage 2 with both 93 oct and e85.
 
#47 ·
ok, update time. The boost gauge is installed.

I also have installed a Grimmspeed Air/oil separator, and grimmspeed light weight crank pulley. The pulley took a bit to get on, but the install tool made things so much easier.

As of now, I either have or am waiting on the following:
DW 1000cc injectors
GS tgv deletes, coated
Invidia catted dp
Nameless cbe
aem intake
amr turbo inlet
process west tmic.

Soon as I get the parts I'm waiting on, I'm going to go stage 2 with both 93 oct and e85.
I'm honestly way too lazy to go through...did you upgrade the turbo?
 
#53 ·
Installed my Forged BPV today. Was super easy to do.

Going to install/put on some rear tail light tints, 3rd brake light tint, and the chrome delete on the doors.

As a side note, I've been having really bad gas mileage lately. I'm not sure if it's from the light weight crank pulley, or from using the ac so much this past week. I'm going to keep my eye on it for a few more tanks and as the temp goes down. Will report back.
 
#58 ·
Ok. took the intake manifold off, and sent out my tgv's to grimmspeed for a coating and the deletes.

Installed a new koyo radiator today.

Also took off the old midpipe and installed my Nameless. So now I have their entire catback.

I started to take the downpipe off. Got the heatshield off, and started to break the bolts loose that connect the dp to the turbo. broke a bolt. going to just cut all of them off tomorrow and buy new ones.

I really hope I remember where all the hoses go when I put the manifold back on. Between that, and the fact that I removed the air pump, alternator, and moved the air compressor, and ps pump, I have a lot of hoses and wires just dangling.

Does anyone know if the AMR turbo inlet will fit on an 09 wrx? I'm trying to get this verified by AMR now, but just curious as to what you all think.
 
#59 ·
cut the damn bolts, and got the dp off. took it to the muffler shop and got the a/f bung welded in.

goal for tomorrow is the wrap the dp, install it (except the 2 bolts that are cut.), tighten up the rest of the exhaust, and wrap the turbo.

also going to try and fix a spinning nut on one of my motor mounts.

after that, i just have to wait for grimmspeed to return my tgv's.
 
#61 ·
ok. everything is back in, and the car is running.

i got rid of the amr inlet and went with an avo inlet instead. also got rid of the innovate a/f gauge and went with aem.

Things i noted about this install. the engine mount was replaced, and was actually easy to take out and put in.

the nameless midpipe isn't my favorite design. would have liked a 2 piece instead of 3. made it a bit of a pain in the ass to work with.

the avo inlet had to be trimmed about an inch off of the turbo side.

remembering where all the hoses go is a pain. that took me a while.

the ebcs was easy to install.

only thing i wish i did with all this was change the radiator hoses. make it look all "pretty"

currently doing the tuning with sti mikey. once we have the 93 oct tune down, we should be doing the e85 tune.
 
#65 ·
Wow nice set of parts there bud :)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top