Post 1: Introduction and Current Mod List Post 2: History and previous setups Post 3: Current Projects
UPDATED 3/24/11 - new pics, lots of engine upgrades, updated mod list
4" intake and greddy turbo insulator
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updated engine pic with new fuel system and greddy oil cooler/filter relocation
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and one final one of the car:
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Older:
My name is Chris and I have been on here since 2004, but didn't sign up til 2006
I have a 2000 Silverthorn metallic 2dr 2.5RS. I am the 2nd owner of this car and purchased it from Anchorage, Alaska back in 2005. I searched for a 2dr 2.5RS for a year and a half and finally settled with this one because it only had 42k miles on it. I hope you enjoy the progress of this car (5years) because I love it and it is really fun to drive No shop has ever worked on this car. I did everything myself from the engine build, to the hid retrofits, to custom fabricating brackets and odds and ends to make this car what it is. I don't have a garage and work in the street in front of my house in the snow, rain, and sun (if im lucky ). My kitchen is my workshop and more car modding gets done in there than cooking haha
I would like to dedicate this build to all the people who have gone RS-T and not done the swap. It is not a route for everyone, but those of you who have succeded with building an RS-T know its so worth it. One thing I hate about forums is the negativity to new ideas or ideas that are not what everyone else is doing - I have posted some ideas several times and been shot down, so it has discouraged me from sharing my findings, but I figure now is the time to let you guys see what I've been working on. I wish i had a dollar for every post I've seen that says "omg just another reason to do a swap" or "my experience with RS-T sucked, don't do it" ....you guys know who you are. So on with the show!!!
Here is a random assortment of recent pics (stuff changes almost daily right now so all these are slightly dated):
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a quick vid of how she sounds...cant really see anything though
BMW M3 Retrofit HID projectors/ballasts/ignitors/capsules
Blacked Housing Corner Lights
Blacked Housing Bumper Turn Signals
Brake vents painted black
Blacked Housing sidemarkers
Blacked out tails
Genuine JDM STi fog covers/brackets
Genuine JDM STi rear spats
Rear Window Visor/Wing
20% black tint all around
Debadged Trunk
Interior Modifications:
AEM UEGO wideband A/F gauge
Greddy 60mm mechanical Boost Gauge
Greddy 60mm peak/warn EGT Gauge
Greddy 60mm peak/warn Oil Temp Gauge
Greddy 60mm Electronic Oil Pressure Gauge
Scangauge 2
05 WRX black seats
Custom upholstered door panels - black wrx material
greddy heavyweight shift knob
MOMO V6 Chrome/Black steering wheel
MOMO hub adapter
Custom black rear deck
R1 Racing Pedals
STI floormats
OEM gauge housing (holds the UEGO + Blitz SBC-DC EBC)
1 off black w/ silver flake painted trims
Performance:
Engine:
Built EJ251 with:
Mahle "powerpack" piston kit (8.7:1)
Sti forged rods
ACL race rod + main bearings
Cometic mls headgaskets
ARP pro head studs
ARP pro rod bolts
Delta camshaft turbo cams
Gates racing kevlar timing belt
GFB lightweight crank, and alt pullies
Greddy oil cooler and filter relocation kit
Apexi Grounding Stabilizer
catless MIL eliminator
OBX breather catch can
Obnoxious Motorsports vacuum manifold
NGK turbo spark plugs
Induction:
GReddy T67 25g Rotated Turbo
Flipped N/A ej251 intake manifold (custom polished and shaved)
CX Racing FMIC
Greddy Type RS BOV
K&N cone filter
custom 4" intake
custom i/c piping
Exhaust:
STi Header
Grimmspeed ceramic coated up pipe
Greddy Type R08 47mm external wastegate
Greddy 3" downpipe
Greddy EVO2 Catback
Kartboy Long Exhaust hangers
Tuned with:
Greddy Emanage Ultimate w/ wideband 02 harness and aux pressure sensor
Blitz SBC-DC dual solenoid ebc
Suspension/Chassis:
JDM HKS Super Sports lowering springs
Otto Racing Rear Strut bar
Otto Racing Front Strut bar
Cusco Rear Diff brace
Cusco Rear Sway mount brace w/ diffuser brackets
Drivetrain:
OEM STi Short Shifter kit
Kartboy front shifter bushing
Kartboy rear shifter bushing
Spec stage 3+ clutch kit
5Zigen FN01R-C 17x8's
Electronics:
rockford fosgate TYPE RF 5.25 component system
rockford fosgate power t3002 component system amp
rockford fosgate power t3002 sub amp
2 rockford fosgate P3 10" subs
custom built sub box
custom built amp rack
Tsunami Nickel battery terminals w/ stereo inputs
Optima red top battery
battery relocated to trunk
4ga big 3 wiring upgrade
Security System
Here is some history of mods (starting when i decided to turbo it in 2006....im sure nobody wants to hear bout my N/A mods):
Setup 1
Bone stock ej251
vf11 turbo (7 psi)
jdm eq length liberty header (not cast like usdm manifolds, rare piece...never seen anyone else with one and clears N/A water pump!!)
HKS uppipe for WRX
HKS downpipe for WRX
Apexi N1 catback
notched x-member
stock 02 wrx TMIC
split second timing controller
split second map voltage clamp
Greddy RS bov w/ adapter
Ran great for a year like this....then I wanted more....
The engine management is KEY with these setups, and mine was lacking. So i went Emanage blue.....sux for map based cars. Went Emanage Ultimate and it worked way better. Top mount intercoolers suck to try and fit to an RS-T. the FMIC was way easier and would rec. that even though everyone says its too big for such low boost because of the headache u will save.
Setup 2
Same as setup 1 except:
Emanage Ultimate w/ aux pressure sensor and wideband
TDO4L (9psi)
CX racing FMIC
Results: Car was WAY fun!!! really came to life on the occasions when id push 11 psi, but head gasket went after driving it turbo'd on stock bottom end for 1.5 years this way. RS-T's can be reliable!!! its all about the tune!!! when the head gasket went is when i built the engine and is at the current setup I'm at now.
pic of old setup right before i slapped the 18G in and relocated the battery to the trunk:
here is a video of a launch at 7.5psi with the td04
you will notice that it doesnt have "boxer rumble" because it has an equal length jdm liberty header on it still... i love how it sounds now with the STi header and grimmspeed external gate
now here is what I have in store for the coming days/weeks/months....
Just came in today:
Greddy T67 25G rotated turbo kit
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This kit will be going in over the next few days. Plan to make good power with this setup, but full potential won't be reached until i go full standalone (looking for one btw! was thinking megasquirt if anyone could get a confirmed working setup with the new pnp kits coming out)
Also doing what was told can't be done (saw proof it can be done from another member though!!) and flipping the N/A intake manifold. Im sending it to Grimmspeed to have them do PNP work on it, but in the mean time I hand sanded from 60 thru 2000 grit then polished it and shaved all the unused tabs. Can't wait to flip this and modify the intercooler piping to be shorter. Will look extremely clean IMO. And yes, this is the famed '99 manifold with no air assist that wrx style injectors fit like a glove in
This manifold will be setup with a custom fuel system I am working on. I fab'd some adapter brackets to bolt on some Perrin V1 fuel rails then I am setting it up to go with an AEM fpr and fuel filter with earls braided 6an lines... pics of that to come in following posts as work isn't 100% done yet
For sure. I'm definitely going to have to see this in person. They treat you alright at Hooters? Haha I went to high school with like half the waitresses.
You're car looks wonderful! I love na-T setups. I had one on my 95 Lexus GS300. Monstrous power for almost no boost pressure (7psi, 300whp lol)
Quick questions for you. In your mod description you say you have painted stock wheels, but what are the wheels in the first few pics? The black ones with the chrome lip? Specs?
You're car looks wonderful! I love na-T setups. I had one on my 95 Lexus GS300. Monstrous power for almost no boost pressure (7psi, 300whp lol)
Quick questions for you. In your mod description you say you have painted stock wheels, but what are the wheels in the first few pics? The black ones with the chrome lip? Specs?
Lets get to the point.
Donor car: 2005 sti slightly modded.
Was fun while it lasted.
Fun in the snow.
And on the track.
Then some water happened along with a crazy idea and this was purchased.
and the FUN begins.
The time has finally come for me to organize a members journal! Ive been a member here since I purchased my 98 2.5RS in late December of 2005. My car, not unlike myself, has been through a lot since then and made many changes. And now, upon organizing parts and information for my swap, I...
This is going to be the tale of my second rs build.
I purchased for 2k the catch is that it had a blown head gasket...12/1/14 also found some rod bearings were bad too. instead of putting more cash into the current 2.5 i went apeshit AND bought a jdm full sti swap and copious amounts of clean...
So..
picked me up another chassis. $600 and it runs, mostly!
Still have the ej20g, gearbox, RobTune and iWire harness, stance coilovers (I had just bought to replace my godspeed crap) and lots of other parts... so here we go again!
From the ashes, she will rise!
past build for...
This is mostly the progress of my srp 2001 L coupe, but also some 98L and 2018 brz stuff.
Backstory:
I got the car in August 2011 with 100,500 miles. It was my first car, and it had lots of problems at the start. Almost sold it a few times, but once I read about all the swap stuff, I...
A forum community dedicated to Subaru Impreza GC8 and RS owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, troubleshooting, turbo upgrades, maintenance, and more!
No shop has ever worked on this car. I did everything myself from the engine build, to the hid retrofits, to custom fabricating brackets and odds and ends to make this car what it is. I don't have a garage and work in the street in front of my house in the snow, rain, and sun (if im lucky 
