legacycentral bbs

That grill is from like a 97 or something outback sport and assorted other Imprezas (95 2.2L) that I cut out a bunch of fins on the inside. I saw it and immediately though of all the people who hated the 07 Impreza grill when it came out. I figured they looked pretty similar so I figured I would make my own. So after a saw, die grinder, file, paint and 1.5 hours I had my grill.

well you know what i love it looks sick!!!!!!!

i got to get one wonder what the part number is i dont think in canada we had them.

i think it looks fuckin cool. take out the badge from the middle too maybe? red looks great on those cars.

If your so worried about rods, spend the bucks and step up to billet. It might save you money and rebuild later, and you'll have the peace of mind.

I am worried about the rods but not as much anymore. Looking more into this, on setups with thesame turbo I am finding modded and tuned 2.5 Sti's pushing 18 PSI making 350whp and Version 8 2.0 Sti's maxing out at like 301whp, again pushing about 18psi. Both of these cars are taking full advantadge of ACVS for the twinscroll setup, which I don't have. My ecu will also only allot me about 14psi. SO I think I will be making less power than I first thought/hoped, and it should be lower than the level people are seeing these rods pop. That is hopefully... I am still trying to stock up on karma and all that good stuff right now.

This is my first built motor and I am kinda using it to learn. There are a few things I would have like to have done in the first place that I may do if I decide I do want (unlikely) more power, ie lightened crank, 9.0+ compression, different oiling system, different cams, acvs, water injection etc. But I figured I need to start off some where and learn.

Besides my original goal is usable power. I posted fastest time (vs cars w/ street tires, [and not PAX times either]) in every autocross we had last year in a mostly stock RS. How much power is enough till I start heading backwards? Or how much till I kill myself on a mountain pass or gravel road somewhere between billings and denver.
I have gotten power hungry a few times and had to step back. I want a light-ish, well handling, responsive, AWD car that does as well in winter, auto-x as it would driving to work.

My mentallity toward my car my be obscure to some people but... take my grill, thats the closest thing to a body kit I will ever get. I got the RS bumper to house lights so I can see. And instead of painting the car, I am having the lower doors/kick panels Rhyno lined.

SO the next time I bitch about rods, slap me. Unless I blow one then You can all line up to give me one good debilitating shot to the berries and an " I told you so." Sound fair?

I am trying to decide what headgaskets to go with. Granted the stock ecu is about 14psi and depending on how much control I will have with the F-con, I might see 17psi maybe... So I have a stock set at work and have been looking at cometic. Cobb can get the cometic with the gas rings...but that might be over kill.

anyhow here is a pic of the complete short block

bmxpunk wrote:Cobb can get the cometic with the gas rings...but that might be over kill.

My new theory is over build it and it's less likely to fail...

Just had my '98 LGT over heat on me again after rebuilding/regasketing the motor 2 months ago. *sigh* Merry Christmas to me eh?

Dropfocus - I do not think the H/G issue was a mistake/lack of build by you as everyone I know with a DOHC 2.5 Legacy has had repeated H/G problems.

That motor is one to be avoided in my book...

BMX - your build looks GOOD.
I thought the STi RA ECU ('95) had a 16psi target, it should not matter with a FCD as I run 18psi tapering to 16psi on a stock LSS ECU'd EJ20G + ALKY.

Thanks for the boost of confidence Carlos.
I'm either looking at going full EJ205 swap, but I'd truely love to go with another built-up EJ22T (hard to come by in my Subaru infested area). The wife enjoys speed as much as I do. I just can't wait for my LSS build to be done & also the warm weather to arrive once again (diehard old-school sportbiker).


...and yes, BMXPUNK's build is coming along very nicely.

thanks guys! I can't wait to drive this thing. I am also looking forward to the warm weather (autox rallyx and Enduro season ) But I already bought some blizzaks for the car and I want a good 2 months on snow once its running!

Well that and I need time to save up for some summer tires....

My wife hates the LSS, but LOVES the OBS-T & her OB-Slow.
She actually sees potential in the AE86 but just can't stand the SS, she won't even get in it....

I sell good karma by the gallon down here at the ghetto garage. However right now I really really need a decent wagon within the next 72 hours. If you can find me a $1500 driver I will bless your rods and build for free and it will deliver 200k of trouble free miles. Muahahahahahaha?!?!?!?

damn matt what are you up to now? I don't know of any wagons sorry. I am working on a 98 outback but to no avail...

I'll show you the next time you come down this way...

Thought you died bmxpunk, hadn't seen or heard from you in forever.

Sorry just woke up... passed out in shock that Matt doesn't have a subaru. Please tell me your significant other has the RS still


Dan, good to hear from you. I thought the same of you for a while. I was just telling some of the guys I work with about the drive to your house just the other day in fact.



SO you know what.... buying new idler pulleys for my build was probably over kill. any way there are 2 smooth ones and one that is like a sprocket. Well just to let you know I bought new ones. That was dumb. Retail..... remember 3 pulleys.... $230!!!!!!!!!! Thats stupid and my discount from work wasn't much better. Seriously if you can sneak one in you can slap me somewhere between me slapping myself. WHy did I lose the old ones

Simply asked: "How does someone manage to lose pulleys?"

You have obviously never been in a garage like mine! I lost a water pump for the better part of two months. Just found it yesterday by accident while looking for something else.

Tyler,
You can rest easier. I have suffered a change of fortune which is forcing me to keep the '97 Legacy and not get the BMW today. I am sad but it will all work out in the end. I'm not ready to post details but we can chat about it sometime offline...

dropdfocus wrote:Simply asked: "How does someone manage to lose pulleys?"

Well its not too hard. THis motor came out and apart in an hour and a half in mid-march 2005. Since then I have lived in 3 different places, had 3 different jobs and 4 different storage facilities, friends have robbed things be cars their cars "run," and the car has been stored 2 seperate places. THis stupid thing will cost me probably $350 in hardware.

That being said... I am just that good too!!


I love being at a stand still too. I am sitting here at work today trying to find SOMETHING to do to move it closer to getting finished.

Matt Monson wrote:You have obviously never been in a garage like mine! I lost a water pump for the better part of two months. Just found it yesterday by accident while looking for something else.

Tyler,
You can rest easier. I have suffered a change of fortune which is forcing me to keep the '97 Legacy and not get the BMW today. I am sad but it will all work out in the end. I'm not ready to post details but we can chat about it sometime offline...

Hey I think I know which water pump

Whew!! haha. wait those are never good words in the same sentance: suffered, fortune, forcing...


Ok well i am also trying to make some pretty substantial changes and if I am where I want to be by August, I will no longer have the resource that I currently have for doing my car.

Needless to say plans have to drastically change since outside of the tools I have aquired in the last few months, I won't be able to major work.

SO I have decided to go back through and do my best to make sure that I don't have to have an unneccesary teardown for the next ...assume 6 years

So The motor is coming apart and getting torn doawn and new connecting rods will be installed. If anyone out there has a suggestion that would be great. My first question is has anyone had experiecncewith Eagle rods, and are Pauters really worth 2X the price.

Nevertheless I will be without my car for probably another month on top of its current lag time

Also for the time being to get the car up and running I have decided to go with an 07 wrx intercooler (or forester intercooler) as it is narrower and I can still run the 22t throttle body with slight modification. Then I can work out getting a new shaft machined for the ej20H throttle body so that it works with the 22t/20G tps. then I can upgrade the intercooler.

THe only other update that I have is I received a flange from IA performance that I can use to mate to any Bellmouth downpipe to my twinscroll turbo

Well quick update.

I cleaned up the castings on the inside of my intake manifold, and sent it off to be powder coated. I went with White since i went red last time.

Ordered black silicone turbo inlet.

Powder coater is also doing my RS wheels in a brass kinda color, which should be good with a red and black car.

I will post pics this week if i have enough bills left over to pick them up...

Exhaust components went off to the ceramic coater, as well my turbo after it has been ported.

As soon as my tax return gets here connecting rods will be ordered

Here are some things I am still looking for if any of you have them lying around and wanna make some change:

Forester or 07 WRX intercooler
WRX blow off valve with elbow
3"Bell mouth Downpipe
Prodrive or sparco Steering wheel and hub


First rally cross in COlorado is march 30 and I am gonna do my damnedest to drive in it.

^^ good luck brother!! i hope you get to rally your car bmxpunk.

if not i am packing my coveralls and im picking you up in Colorado, we kick the living crap out of my car to get that dam first place ya heard!!!

Not mine but here is one, right Drew?

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthr ... ntercooler

If you need a bov I got one. And if it comes down to needing an 03 IC, I have one of those too.

sweet thanks guys.
PMed and Pmed

WOOT