Happy Birthday!: My 2002 WRX

Well, the car is tuned. I got back from South Bend about 1:30 this morning. I got up there about 6pm or so Saturday night and we tuned until 4am Sunday morning. We then picked it back up at around noon and worked on it straight until about 930pm or so. I'm happy with the results, but disappointed the local tracks are closed now. We ran into some issues, but he got them figured out the best he could with the time we had. It's mostly idle and off boost stuff. All things considered, there weren't many hiccups we had to contend with. I do have a short list of things I need to take care of, but other than that I am good to just go and drive it.

I don't have any power numbers, but he estimated 550-600. It's tuned on about 30-31psi of boost and pulls like a raped ape. The best part is it builds 20-25psi on the launch control, which is enough to do a nice, smoky 75-100 foot long AWD burn out. He said he has never seen anyone build that much boost, that quickly, on the launch control. I was going to do another launch and record it on the GoPros, but am glad I didn't. I was sitting in the middle of the road waiting for a car coming up from behind to pass me. I jokingly said something about it would be funny if it were a cop, and it was. Needless to say we didn't get to do the launch, haha.

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The tow rig, chucklehead!

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Just a little bit of bad news to report.

The other night I was out doing some logging to get the BCS duty cycles dialed in and to get a log for Virtual Dyno. Well, at about 30psi and just over 7100 rpm, 3rd gear decided to let go.

I did manage to get this dyno chart from a previous data log, although I don't know how accurate or correct it is.

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Started working on pulling the trans out last night.

Here is the drain plug, about as expected.

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And here is the trans out of the car, which I managed to do in just over 2 hours, without a lift or trans jack, on the floor, by myself. :manlyman:

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I tried to get it split open last night, but the case halves were being stubborn, I was hungry, and there was gear oil everywhere. I finally got it to cooperate this morning.

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It even broke this, which is probably why it was locked in gear.

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I found the missing piece up in the front diff.

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Sucks to see that happen man! Was the trans built at all? I'm too lazy to go back and read

Yea, but I am also the third owner, so it is was just a matter of time before it went. I just hadn't expected it to be this early. I'm not even to 1200 miles on the motor yet and that wasn't all at full boost either.

The upside is it happened now, and not this Spring when it's nice and I want to drive it. I already have a line on the parts I need to replace it. So I will be doing that and some other stuff this Winter.
 
Well if there is an upside, you have all winter to get it up and running even better aonyou can enjoy it come spring time. Looking forward to some videos of this thing too!
 
Well if there is an upside, you have all winter to get it up and running even better aonyou can enjoy it come spring time. Looking forward to some videos of this thing too!

I have some video, but my computer needs more RAM before I can edit it. I figure I'll get off of my ass in the next couple weeks and get some.
 
So, it's been a while since I posted an update, but this was put on the back-burner due to some personal goings-on I was having. However, I am back working on it and wanting to get it on the road very soon.

I have decided, after much debate, on my new transmission setup. I will be using an 05 STi 6mt transmission. The OE gears will be replaced with the Rallispec Spec B gear set. While the transmission is open I will be having the other synchros and parts inspected/replaced/refreshed. I am having a one piece driveshaft made in lieu of using an STi or Auto shaft. For the rear end I am swapping in a 3.9 r180 out of an 05 STi. Axles will be hybrids using the SuberDave hybrid races.

All of that will hopefully keep the axles the weak point. I prefer this as they are cheaper and easier to replace than transmissions and clutches.


On to the progress pictures.

I pulled the front lip off because it will be getting replaced. I don't remember the last time the lip was off, but it sure does look weird and naked without it.

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I will be swapping in an r180 so obviously the r160 had to come out, and this required that the exhaust be dropped. I took this opportunity to take some pictures of the back side of the "muffler" since I apparently had failed to get some before I installed it. Here it is, in all of its glory.

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I also don't remember the rear diff coming out this easy last time I did it. Maybe it's because it's only been in there for 1,300 miles?

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Just ordered my gears. Hopefully it's smooth sailing from this point.

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I also had my friends from Fathouse Fabrication pick up this trick piece for me at the DSM Shootout. It's a Magnus billet oil filter. It's serviceable and can be taken apart to easily inspect the oil and clean the filter element. There is also a magnet on the bottom of the filter to catch any errant metal.

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Tonight I started prepping my rear axles for the hybrid conversion.

These are the "hybrid" axles I bought. I didn't buy them to use them, I only bought them to rob the inner r180 CV off of them. It is an interesting way to make a hybrid axle, but definitely wasn't thought through for torque load.

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You can see where the sleeve actually twisted under the stress from torque.

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I'm not an engineer, but I think the main error was in the thickness of sleeve used. I would think a thicker sleeve would have worked better, as well as drilling holes and welding the sleeve to the shaft in more places than just on the ends.

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And here are my WRX axle shafts and outer CVs prepped and waiting on the hybrid races for the inner r180 CVs.

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My gears were delivered on Saturday and I dropped them and my transmission off to my guy yesterday. I'm hoping he will have it done this week.

My hybrid Suberdave races also showed up a couple days ago, I just haven't had a chance to get the axles put together. I'm hopefully going to accomplish this today.

This is what they are. r180 on the outside to fit the CV and r160 on the inside to fit the WRX axle shaft.

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Just got done with getting the axles together. All that is left is to crimp the boot straps. It was a bit of a chore without a press, but I managed to get it done.

The hybrids are in the front, stock WRX are behind.

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