legacycentral bbs

Almost done, but I ran out of daylight and have to wait for the JB Weld to cure.

I tried flipping the coolant tank, but the upper large nipple (turbo coolant return?) broke off from being shoved into the throttle actuator thingy. I went ahead and got new fittings, but put them into the sides rather than the back of the tank. This should leave me with enough clearance to leave the tank in stock orientation but still have everything plumbed properly.

To facilitate installation, I removed the TB and shaved it as BAC5.2 did for his. That gave me oodles of room to work with, as well as enoguh room to put a leftover rubber coupler split in half to serve as padding.

I also ordered a set of eBay cast aluminum y-pipes. This has made life much easier. It has a silicon 90 degree elbow coming right off the turbo, so I can angle it much more easily and without cutting anything like I would have to with the stock plastic y-pipe.

I pounded the center little ignitor pedestal around the sides, but likely didn't have to as much as I did. Turns out how I had the t-bolt clamps from my y-pipes oriented was causing them to be the hang-up. The ignitor has been relocated to where the stock cruise-control actuator is situated. Also, I removed the cruise actuator (crescent thingy the cable hooks to) from the TB, since I have long since given up cruise control.

Also, while I had the TB out, I performed the TB coolant bypass mod since I live in the south. One of the stock spring-type hose clamps wouldn't come off, so I just cut and replaced the line from the IAC valve. When removing the cut portion of hose from the TB, the same hose clamp that had given me such trouble earlier popped out of the pliers and hit me in the mouth. Needless to say, but that annoying clamp got put in the vice and crushed.

Once I find out what leaks, I will get some pics. It looks incredibly OEM, because I painted all my homemade fittings and adapters with semi-gloss black paint.

Funny story, though. I originally just went out to flip the coolant tank, but bit by bit as I did other things, I ended up deciding to just install the whole damn thing.

IronMonkeyL255 wrote: the same hose clamp that had given me such trouble earlier popped out of the pliers and hit me in the mouth. Needless to say, but that annoying clamp got put in the vice and crushed.

that gave me a good laugh

I laughed after the fact, too.

When doing a WRX swap on a friend's Impreza wagon, many parts got thrown far into the wood because they frustrated us......


The verdict: It's still not done. The coolant reservoir looks to be solid, but there simply isn't enough room between the i/c and the intake manifold to fit it. It almost fits, but not quite.

I had to cut and re-angle the elbow, as well as add another bend, but I have it to just the right angle. It kept kinking just before getting to the cast pipes, so I put some hose clamps around where it was kinking, and that was enough support to keep it formed correctly.

I am ~80% there. I just need to figure out how to fit this coolant reservoir, and it's just a matter of tightening stuff from there.

TIME FOR PICS!

Nice overall pic. Note the skinny engine cover. I felt like putting the engine cover back on, but with everything I've done to it, it wouldn't fit right anymore.


My ignitor in its new home. Nothing touches it, and I've had it like that for quite a while, so the position itself won't hurt anything (or hasn't yet).


The fittings I JB Welded on in their new home on the left side of the tank. My tanks currently isn't bolted to anything, but it is held in place quite securely.


My BPV in its new home on top of the TB. It sounds so hilariously funny now.


Here's my solution for plumbing the y-pipe to the turbo. I cut some off of the silicon elbow, then slid a piece of radiator hose with a piece of metal pipe in it into the elbow and t-bolt clamped it. It is crazy secure. If you look closely under the corner of the i/c, you will see hose clamps I used to keep it from kinking.



Adding it up, I came in just under $150 spent on everything. I was originally trying to do it as cheaply as possible, but $#!% happened, and I decided to do it as well as possible instead of as cheaply as possible.

Pretty cool.

Are you sure the intercooler won't hit that ignitor? The engine and intercooler move around alot, especially when you are driving hard. I am sensitive to this issue because my ignitor got killed right after I installed my WRX intercooler and I had to drive 300 miles home on only 2 cylinders.

Do you have a bracket holding the intercooler to the firewall?

No. It is pretty much just wedged in there right now. It's really tigh, especially with my scavanged rubber connector on the top keeping it from hitting the hood.

I am planning on coming up with something a little more elegant, but for now I'm just glad to have it in.

Update!

Everything is still great.

No leaks of air or coolant (I am thoroughly surprised). JB weld is holding those barbs well. I would highly recommend going this route for anyone who breaks their coolant reservoir.

I cut apart and strategically placed bits of my scavenged rubber hose connector to stop rattles. This stuff is like a medium-high density foam rubber almost, and is absolutely great. I couldn't have found a better material if I had tried.

Pulls like it did @ 8 PSI unintercooled, even though after pressure drop it's only running ~6.5-7 PSI peak. I can't wait until I make my MBC and turn it up to about 10 or 12.

Awesome job with the photo's.

As i'm doing this myself this weekend, it's very nice to have some clear, up close photo's to refer to.

I like where you put the ignitor... looks pretty safe.

I haven't quite figured out what to do about the BPV... i have a Blitz atmospheric unit that i am going to attempt to recirculate... if not, it will probably end up being the stock BPV welded on.

The engine cover is a riot!

Looks odd because we know what it looks like normally, but if a cop pulled you over and asked you to pop the hood, looks just like you said... OEM...'ish



Good stuff man.

Finally broke something....

On the way to work this morning, I noticed my temp was higher than normal. I expected the JB weld had broken, but it was the other end of the turbo coolant return hose (from the turbo to the reservoir). It was being pushed down by the turbo->i/c plumbing, and finally gave up the ghost.

At least I only have to replace a hose.....

Fixed it.

Didn't even have to remove the intercooler.

It turns out that the hose was basically rotted, and that the outer portion broke, but the inner portion was still mostly intact. Not intact enough to not leak, but intact enough to not fall off.

I just used a little less than a 2' section of 1/2" heater hose, since none of the molded hoses there could satisfy me. Doesn't interfere with anything, and fit like a dream compared to the overly large hose used previously.

when i changed my resevoir to an aluminum WRX one, i ran into a similar situation with the big coolant line running to the block. Hose rotted out, and split.

I'm gonna see about switching to a different tank later (got plans in my head for a pretty pimp one). If my plan doesn't work out, I'll just relocate the battery to the trunk (I can get a killer deal on an Optin-like battery) and put a WRX tank where the battery normally is.