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Want to get 600 hp outa my 04 wrx

13K views 109 replies 19 participants last post by  STI Version6 
#1 ·
Proud owner of a java black 04 wrx for a few months now. Got big plans for her but dont know the list of things needed to do so.. she is stock for the most part, has a borla hush catback and tein coilovers. I know a fair bit about things i wanna do for her but not sure what all is needed to make 600whp.
 
#2 ·
Have about 20K Laying around? That's what it's gonna take reliably, including engine,drivetrain,and suspension upgrades

Start with an STi from the beginning and the number will go to about 16K.
 
#3 ·
No i dont lol but this isnt all gonna be done at once
ill save for what is needed and im ready to make the investment haha and i chose to go with a wrx because its a 5 speed and more room for modding
but can you give me a list of things that are needed? And recomend turbo suited for that use?
 
#4 ·
the 5 speed stinks and there is not more room for modding by any means.

Its been beat to death. search 400whp on here... tons of stuff comes up.

Probably 1 in 50 people that say they'll save up and make investments actually do it.

Turbo? Big. 40R+

What's your budget?
 
#5 ·
I prefer 5>6 speed. Better acceleration. And there is more simply with stuff like the uppipe where the sti comes stock with a catless uppipe and whatnot. But will do , and i guess im that 1 ;) lol and budget isnt really relivant xD ill spend what i need to, just a matter of time to get it is all :p its being built for daily use but at the same time i want it to be a 10s car lol
 
#10 ·
Look. If you want to make 600whp, the STI is a better starting platform.

Even the STI is a terrible choice for that type of power. The Evo would be a better choice. A 2005-2006 GTO would be an even better option. If you really wanted to make that type of power, it would be in your best interest to get rid of the WRX 5MT for the STI 6MT as well as the rear diff and axles. I have no idea why you think the 5MT "has better acceleration" except perhaps the garbage about how the 5MT can hit 60mph in second gear.
 
#6 ·
You're not going to have a 10 second daily driver WRX no matter how much money you throw at it.

Not being harsh, just being realistic.

If you want a daily driven 10 second car buy a mustang.
 
#8 · (Edited)
There's plenty of threads where others have done it. Just takes time and money. It's not something no one else has ever done, it's just something that isn't feasible, and most cars that are that built go up for sale in no time because it's just not what the person thought it would be.

More power to you if you have the money, knowledge, and will to do it, it will be fun, for sure.
 
#9 ·
Your car has roughly 170whp.

Why don't you shoot for 300whp first? 600whp for a 2004 WRX will cost you roughly $30k.

Spending $30k on a car ultimately worth $5-7k is not a great plan IMO.
 
#11 ·
You are going to spend 5k getting a 5mt to handle close to the power a stock 6mt gearset will handle then it will still fail before the 6mt.

Just listen to Zax
 
#12 ·
Yes the sti may be a better platform but i prefer the 5 MT and it does have "better" acceleration.. 5 gears to work through vs 6... and noone has yet to give me a list of what ill need xD i understand there are better choices for making that kinda power but im not interested in those vehicles... subie is where my heart lays and i couldnt justify getting rid of my baby.. and i dont make 170hp? I make like 240.... and i am also aware it is a money dump lol but that doesnt bother me even if the car only cost 7k :p and i know exactly what she will be when shes done. I have the will, time and can make the money needed. And ill make 600hp with a 5MT and ej207 :p im aware that the base gear set and internals cant handle near that.. this is why im asking for a list of things i need to make it hit 600hp and handle it safely and reliably
 
#13 ·
You will have much better luck talking to a shop that routinely builds these kind of motors than to us. Most of the people on here stay under 400whp and are no where near as qualified as professionals to give you a detailed parts list that will get you there. Do your own research. I can tell you this, that 5 speed will not hold up to 600whp. It will shatter. Any shop will tell you that. So anticipate replacing the trans with something tougher, like an STI 6 speed.

Now, in terms of making that kind of power, you are talking a complete top to bottom overhaul. Built block with top of the line internals, huge turbo, front mount intercooler, gauges upon gauges, overhauled fuel system, New ECU, Probably custom wiring of everything, much stronger drive train and chassis components and much more. We are talking 20k+ in parts not including any labor. And after that, expect to be working on or rebuilding the motor and various other parts more often then the car is on the street after it's finished. If you want to do this, don't let us stop you. But we are just helping you to realize the intensity, ungodly amount of money, and overall constant maintenance required to build such a car. In the end, it's not really worth it unless you're bored and have that money to blow. Because after this is all said and done and at some point in the future you want to sell the car, not only will you not get a single penny back from all the money you put into it, you'll have likely torn apart the car so badly that it would be worth more money to a scrap yard than another buyer.
 
#17 ·
One guy that's on a gm truck forum I'm on also had a bugeye he was building. Long story short, even with the sti 6mt and diffs/axles, he was alternating between breaking axles and diffs then having motor issues when those were fixed. It's a constant battle to keep it all together. As far as I know, he kinda gave up on it as I haven't seen any updates on any forums in years. He was over 700 wheel though, but still he had a ton of time and money into it and barely got to enjoy it.
 
#18 ·
Give your local tuner a call and have them lay out a plan for you. But this whole "budget doesn't matter" mentality suggests that you just don't have a budget. Someone who has the funds to waste on a car in this manner would understand the futility of wasting funds on a car in this manner.



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#23 · (Edited)
Why bother asking for advice if you're not willing to listen to it?

Major_Crispy said:
this is why im asking for a list of things i need to make it hit 600hp and handle it safely and reliably
Let us put this to bed: 600whp / Reliable / Subaru. That will NOT happen. Regardless of budget, it's not feasible in what is currently offered by Subaru. Not even the STI will be reliable at that power level.

No one is going to waste their time because you can't afford it. If you could've afforded it, you'd have bought a newer STI, which would be a better starting point, and have a reliable DD in the driveway for when (not if) the car breaks.

If you think you can afford it, you need to sell your twelve or thirteen year-old WRX and buy a 2015+ STI before considering this type of build; you'll start with a better transmission, engine / engine management, suspension, chassis rigidity, and steering.

5M/T has better gearing than 6M/T? A working 6M/T will be faster than a blown 5M/T (even with upgraded gears, 600whp will produce enough torque to blow 5M/Ts); there's a reason the big HP cars all run the 6M/T.

As said, you're looking at $20K+ on a vehicle that has a NADA value of $6-7K on the open market. Unless you are independently wealthy, you'd be a moron for spending that amount. You will never get your money back; builds like this aren't "investments" (it's like lying on your back and pissing in the air). There are a ton of vehicles for sale with big builds for high dollars that sit for months because no one wants to buy your half-assed project car you're listing when you run out of funds and it's still having problems. You have to understand that you're not increasing the value of your car, you are decreasing it, and need to be in a financial position to afford that. Most buyers are going to finance a car; lending institutions aren't going to give more money than the vehicle is worth. You'll likely need to find a cash buyer, and good luck with that if you don't own a shop with proven results.

What happens if you crash the car? Are you going to carry coverage for the additional $20K+ in parts on the car or would you eat the cost to replace? Even if you did have coverage for the additional modifications, 600whp would make your car illegal on any public roadway (no way you're getting there with the three factory catalytic converters); the insurance company has an "out", they'll deny your claim, and you're left SOL.

Major_Crispy said:
and i dont make 170hp? I make like 240....
You used "whp" in your original post, so responses have been used accordingly. Unless you're being disingenuous about the modifications of the car, you're making NOWHERE NEAR 240. A catback adds basically no power on an otherwise stock vehicle. On a 600whp vehicle, you can make ~15whp on pump gas by bypassing the CBE with a cutout (READ: your exhaust isn't a restriction). Your Borla Hush is not giving you anything but a slightly louder exhaust note.



Enjoy your car for what it is: upgrade it to StageII, replace all mount/bushings (they're wear items anyway), upgrade to a quality strut/spring or coilover setup (the Teins you have are garbage), and sell it to a high school / college student when you've had your fun.
 
#24 ·
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but too many people come in with high expectations without understanding the implications.

You're young and have the opportunity to start saving towards retirement...that's more important than a fast (and unreliable) car right now.
 
#25 ·
Seeing as how all im getting is dont do it, get a different car, or its a waste of time/money, or its not feasable. How about we drop it down to 400... and i am running a fluctuating psi in my turbo due to a previous owners idiocy.. i run 15-17 psi. That why im not sitting ay 170whp.. when i fix the problem in a week i will be back down there though
 
#29 ·
i am running a fluctuating psi in my turbo due to a previous owners idiocy.. i run 15-17 psi. That why im not sitting ay 170whp.. when i fix the problem in a week i will be back down there though
What on earth are you talking about?

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#27 ·
I'm shooting for around 550 whp as a dd WRX but it's a very long and expensive road. I'll be adding a STi 6spd, brakes etc... as well as dropping in a closed 2.5 deck with forged internals, fuel rails, 20g or whatever my tuner recommends etc... It should be reliable since a pd officer here has an 04 STi dd that's sitting at 570ish and it's his dd
 
#30 ·
A previous owner cut one of the hoses for the turbo and it somehow caused it to only be limited by what the turbo can withstand... and it also caused it to fluctuate between 15-17 i dont really understand what is going on in there... but i do know what its causing it to do
 
#32 ·
If you are building the motor and getting a new turbo and all that jazz, why are you trying to fix the problem at hand. Would just be a waste of money. Park the car and start your 600whp build. If you can buy everything you need it should be ready to drive by the end of next spring.
 
#33 ·
Like others have said you will spend more money that it will be worth. I know its cool to want a rally car like the pros and have that HP but they have an endless amount of money and trained techs who fix their vehicles on the spot. You are young and ambitious and that's good but maybe you should start with a stage 2 build and work from there. I second the retirement statement because even if you contribute 50$ a paycheck it adds up in the long run.
 
#35 ·
I don't think the R160 will pose much issue unless you are shooting for more than 400wtq.

Robin, it's no secret you are especially hard on mechanical stuffs.

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#39 ·
Yup
I dunno.. I had the weakest of the weak early 02 AA code stock 5mt for seven years and 90k miles, and when I pulled the gears out they still looked virtually brand new.
How many engines have you been through? Lol

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