Category Archives: STI

What Forums Do I Frequent?

I’m not sure if you guys are curious as to what internet forums I frequent (in relation to Subarus), but I’m a member of the following forums:

IWSTI.com

NASIOC.com

ClubWRX.net

Flat4va.com

i-club.com (registered tonight)

Of the above, IWSTI is my favorite by far. ClubWRX is the next favorite but I rarely post on that particular forum.

Regarding NASIOC, I mostly read there. I’ve a post count of 2. In my first post, I immediately had a run-in with Unabomber…he tried to be a dick to a poster regarding a him asking questions about a Setting Saver (Unabomber said they were non-existent) and I provided a link showing that they indeed existed. Unabomber never responded. This berating of new Subaru owners turned me off and I stopped using that forum as a resource. I’ve only just started using it as a resource again. There’s a gold mine of information there (there’s so much of it that it’s rather disorganized). And they’re extremely rough on anyone that’s not deemed part of the popular crowd.

I’ll be reading up on i-club.com the next few weeks, just to see how it compares to the other forums I frequent. It is not a quiet forum, so I might actually find good info there…I’ll let you know.

I usually go by either ‘unixfool’ or ‘NoVaSTI’ on those forums.

EDIT: I forgot about Flat4va.com, so I added it. Also, I registered on i-club.com and the site gets a fair amount of traffic, as it’s been around awhile, but on a day-to-day basis, it’s a bit quiet. Also, most of the traffic appears to occur from California users. Does it matter? It depends on what I’m looking for. It’s obvious I can’t use that site to arrange local meets or ask if anyone has local parts, but for general information, it may suffice (it’s certainly no NASIOC or IWSTI, though).

Motor Week Video Review – 2015 Subaru STI

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I’ve always loved Motor Week…they aren’t always the most technical, but they cover LOTS of cars. And check out the 1/4th mile run: 13.2 @ 104 (they don’t always give their cars “the beans” when they run them hard). 0-60 in 4.7 sec.

Rally Sport Direct’s 2015 WRX & STI Review

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I’m going to let this video speak for itself, but Rally Sport Direct (RSD) has both a 2015 WRX and a 2015 STI that they’ve recently reviewed. The review is more off-the-cuff in nature (it is not a technical review by any means). They’re also a good vendor to purchase parts from, too.

Without further delays, here it is!

Shift Knobs

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If you’ve an STI or WRX, I’m sure you’ve either looked at or purchased aftermarket shift knobs (or even purchased SPT versions).

Here are a few that appear to be worthwhile to own.

http://fastwrx.com/kadeshkn.html (in fact, Mach V has a crapload)

http://www.killerbmotorsport.com/index_files/DelrinShiftKnob.htm (5 listed here)

I’ve a very heavy Razo knob that I used in my Eagle Talon awhile back, but the threads are different between the cars, so I can’t use it in the STI. I might find a new one and mount it in my car, though.

The cool thing about Delrin is that it won’t get hot or cold like metallic knobs typically do (but I tend to like metallic knobs better).

There’s also Flossy knobs, but I will not link them. Flossy shift knobs are highly desired, but I wouldn’t order one directly from the vendor, because customer service sucks to the point that you might not ever get your knob (it’s a crap shoot). If you want a Flossy, I recommend you check for For Sale ads on Craigslist or your favorite Subaru forum F/S threads. Order directly at your own risk.

Do you have a favorite shift knob? If so, share the maker/model!

2015 – Car Photos

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I’m going to try something different.

I’m attempting to document each color option of 2015 STI/WRX with real-world pictures. It’s very obvious when looking at the site states that people are interested in seeing pictures of the 2015 STI and WRX, so I’ve created galleries of each color:

Crystal Black Silica:

Crystal White Pearl:

Galaxy Blue Pearl:

Ice Silver Metallic:

Lightning Red:

World Rally Blue Pearl:

I’m still trying to determine how to reference the galleries (each color has it’s own gallery), as I won’t always want to post 20 photos into one blog entry. I’ll figure it out soon, though.

Aftermarket Heat Shields

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I posted earlier about my turbo heat blanket research and my findings. I mentioned in that post that I would look at aftermarket heat shield solutions. My plan is to use both a good turbo heat shield and the turbo heat blanket.

My choice will be one of the following:

Nameless Performance Downpipe Heat Shield

CB Titanium Heat Shield

The Nameless Performance example is normally $85 (subject to change, obviously) but there’s also the option of a ceramic coating, which adds $40 more to the cost. There are also free color options.

The CB example is fully titanium and is $4 more than the Nameless version.

I’m obviously biased since I’ve several Nameless products on the car already (a Nameless product would better fit the current motif, and with the option to add different coloring, I can better coordinate a desired look). I’ll more than likely go Nameless, but I wanted to mention the CB option, since they’re close in price and because titanium is one of the more exotic materials to use.

Turbo Blankets – We Know the Pros, But What About the Cons?

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A week or so ago, I bought a used Perrin turbo blanket ($50), thinking that I’d use it instead of having to buy an aftermarket heat shield when I install my CNT downpipe. I did not want to have to modify the stock heat shield (cutting is involved, which would make the heat shield less effective).

So, I’ve been doing a lot of research, trying to determine if there are any real consequences in using a turbo blanket. The premise of using a turbo blanket is to keep the radiant heat of the turbo inside the hot side of the turbocharger, which would make the heat stream more effective. A possible consequence would be that the resulting heat would put the heat level outside the normal heat range of the hot side of the turbocharger, which could cause premature failure of the turbocharger. Another possible consequence would be that the additional heat could cause an engine that was recently stopped to coke any oil that is in the cooling system on the hot side of the turbocharger (this could be debunked due to the fact that modern turbochargers usually are cooled by both oil and water, such is the case for GR/GV Subaru STIs).

My finding is that there is no solid evidence that a turbo blanket will kill your turbocharger. Turbochargers are built to take very large measurements of heat, so adding a heat blanket should not overburden the turbocharger. Heat also makes the turbocharging system more efficient (the more heat, the better the turbo reacts to the demand for boost).

The main reason I want to use a heat blanket is so that my IC won’t be heat-soaked, since it is above the turbocharger (it is top-mounted). A heat-soaked IC would more than likely cause a pull in timing during the hot months of summer or in stop-go traffic, or even at local track events.

There’s a crap-ton of information regarding this topic and I can’t seem to find any solid consequence for using a turbo blanket, so I’m probably going to install my used example when I go to Stage 2. I’m also going to buy a top-tier heat shield, and I’ve evaluated a couple here.

Also, note that I’m well aware that there are cheaper variants of this style of turbo blanket (PTP). In doing my research, I also found that Perrin has allowed PTP the right to sell what is essentially a Perrin design (when I find that URL again, I’ll link it here). As well, there are apparently new versions of these blankets. They’re essentially made from ground lava rock, which allows these variants to retain heat more efficiently.

Subaru UK to attempt to set new lap record at Isle of Man TT course

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https://plus.google.com/114005208860575868874/posts/VsXChe47HPc

+Subaru UK has announced plans to attempt to set a new lap record at the Isle of Man TT course with the 2015 #WRX #STI.

Set to be driven by British rally champion Mark Higgins, the model will attempt beat the previous record of 19 minutes and 56.7 seconds. That particular record was set by Higgins in the previous-generation WRX STI in 2011.

As a refresher, the 2015 WRX STI has turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 227kw and 393nm of torque. It is connected to a six-speed manual transmission and a symmetrical all-wheel drive system.

While Subaru says the car is a standard production model, it will be equipped with retuned springs and dampers to “minimize any potential damage when the car encounters the many bumps – and jumps – at high speed along the course.” The model will also be outfitted with a roll-cage, a racing harness and a fire suppression system.

According to Higgins, “Setting the record was totally exhilarating and one of the highlights of my career – Bray Hill certainly added to the thrill! As a Manxman, I love the TT Races and I have a huge amount of respect for the TT riders and what they do. It will be a real honor to attempt a new fastest car lap.” (WorldCarFans)

I Did Some Debadging

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I hadn’t planned to do it today, but ended up removing a badge from the trunk of my car (and removed a dealer sticker too).

I was outside and had just finished some yard work when I stopped to do a quick walk-around of the car (I do this from time to time). I went to a car meet this past Friday and there were a few WRX and STI owners there. I saw that the majority of people had done some level of debadging and I’d thought about it for awhile but never got around to it, so I immediately started toying with the dealer sticker. It came off easily but left very sticky glue residue on the trunk. I was able to get it off with WD-40. I then looked at the “Impreza” badge and decided to see how tough that one would be to remove (because badges are more than just stickers). That was a LOT tougher to get off. I ended up using dental floss to cut the badges off but that left not only glue residue the material that the glue sticks to. It was a BITCH to get that off and I didn’t have any Goo Gone, although I did have something similar to it (just not as strong).

Here is a “before” pic:

Here are “after” pics:

I will more than likely remove the “SUBARU” badge next, or the line below it (Symmetrical AWD).

2015 STI – CWP Photos

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In looking at my hit stats, it’s become apparent that the pictures I posted of the 2015 DGM STI are very popular, so I’m going to post some photos of the STI in CWP (Crystal White Pearl).

UPDATE: I’ve also added more STI photos into galleries (by color). I’ve posted about them here.