Forester sti

Howdy,
I was hoping you guys could help me out, lots of big power cars over here,
I am having some issues with my 2006 forester STI,
She has been blowing up consistantly since I had a 2.5 forged engine and big turbo fitted,
One thing goes, fix it, then something else goes pop!
Scooby shout out last year saw the lambda sensor fail and and break up and it found it's way form the headers up into the turbo and smashed it up!
Got everything put back together, and she proceeded to fall apart again very shortly there after! (5 miles)
Anyway, Finally made some BIG changes and found a reliable setup and she hasn't blown up this year yet!
I might still be having side effects of when she ran very hot due to the lambda senser failure at SSO '09 , I was told it was safe to drive on, so I did! vigerously!

My RCM headers first split at the manifold to up-pipe joint, and then at the slip joint across the front on both pipes,
We tried gently to pull the slip joints back together and she split at the 4 into 1 collector!

I'm concidering going for Harvey smith ported headers and up pipe,
Or a fresh set of RCM headers re-enforced in the 4 spots that have failed!
So Question 1 is, How do you think the ported headers would compare to the RCM tubular items regarding how she drives??
I know the ported are better on a 330bhp car,
Anyone running a 2.5 with a 321t+ with standard or ported headers??

Also, at the moment she is making 511lb/ft @ 2850rpm and 1.6bar+TMIC,
The engine and hence drivetrain wobble a lot when going on and off throttle, I tryed group N engine and gearbox mounts but they where just too harsh, sending all the vibrations from the engine into the car!
So swapped back for standard,
So second question is,
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stablize the engine from twisting, that doesn't send all the vibrations into the car,
Extra brackets somewhere???

Thanx very much lads, I do greatly appreciate any suggestions you can pass my way!
Dan

Fleetwood

Wow, not many replies. I have a 2004 FSTI so I am interested in the outcome but not running the big power you are tho.

I have seen many skylines run engine dampers like these:
http://www.japspeed.co.uk/Nissan-Sky...it/p-1-73-289/

but I don't know how you would go about attaching to the EJ25 block. Looking for a subaru one all I get is this:
http://www.scoobytuner.com/products/...productID=1338

As for the engine failures, are you running aftermarket EGT and lambda sensors with gauges, might give an early warning? Also, what injectors are you running as I think Mog had some problems with 740 side feeds so had to reduce to 550's.

I assume yours is the youtube forester running at mondelo? Do you ever get over to the forester site http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f75/

Anyhow, hope you sort out your headers.

fastboyslim

iTrader: (2)

Wow! Love the 511lb/ft at 2850rpm!!!

bigarf

iTrader: (67)

i'm getting the feeling that some of these failures just might be the way you drive your car(no offence).i was watching you at the shootout last year and i thought that you had just stole the car and come to take it for a joy ride.you are one craaaaaazy driver.

Mus

iTrader: (2)

511lb/ft thats a lot of torque out of the md321T if i knew foresters make that kind of power i would of bought one, what kind of times did you get on the strip if you dont mind me asking Dan.


mus

NorthDownsScooby

Have you tried posting on here yet:

Subaru Forester Forum - Europe Section

aggs

Powerstation may be able to offer advice,they import and have vast knowledge of these cars.

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

511lb ft from a T+?!! You sure that's not Nm, therefore c.378lb ft?! Mind, that lb ft figure would then seem far too low.

If it IS 511lb ft, then wow!


EDIT: Thinking about it more, you'd expect at least 470-odd... so maybe not so much of a stretch, after all.

71/200

iTrader: (2)

I dont think Dan will be anywhere near Powerstation again!!

New engine has been sourced as this current engine failed.

Very Hard to get a good reliable build in the South of Ireland, few places in the North and thats it.

Anger

iTrader: (4)

Joz my normal T made 457bhp 505lbs/ft on 15% methanol

joz8968

iTrader: (13)

Yeah sorry, I was far too premature with my incredulity.

There's every chance of a T+ easily making over 500+ lb ft on a some funny juice. (Plus just seen that it's on a 2.5 anyway!)

Forester sti

Wow,
This thread got busy all of a sudden!
Thanx for your interest lads,
Yeah, 511lb/ft on a Dyno Dynamics then she went limp because of charge temps, I'm still using an STI 8 top mount!
and there was only a crappy little fan that couldn't be aimed at the scoop!
Using E5 which is like your Tesco 99 and I use third bottle of NF per tank, AndyF mapped,
Using 740cc side feeds, 550cc's would be to small!
The "forester at mondello" are back when she only had 327bhp 330lb/ft
This clip is with current spec, Camera car is and '03 Spec type RA with coilovers and slicks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJFVeDqTtl4

Engine problems where a result of an inexperianced tuner, never having built anything powerful before, lessons learned now! moved to the owner/driver of the above spec c

I didn't get to the strip at SSO '09, because she was already in limp mode when the car arrived late with the first tuner!, Was told it was safe to drive, so I was just having the craic on the handling course, and got asked to quieten down (sorry again simon )
Engine completely **** herself a couple of weeks ago, there was always issues with her like Seriously excessive piston blow by, and uneven compression, so I have sourced a nice run in linered 2.5 with 14mm headstuds, to go into her,
I'll just put new STI engine and gearbox mounts in her, and I got a set of GT Spec II headers with harvey up-pipe which seem much better quality then the origonal ones,

She's all going back together in the next few weeks so I'll let you's know how I'm getting on!

Dan

Fleetwood

I know there are bigger power impreza's out there but this must be one of if not the most powerful Forester STI's out there. The only Foresters I know that are at that kind of power are in the states:

400WHP (don't know what that translates to at the crank)
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...b-plano-77012/

And VinnyD's 430WHP Forester XT
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...-crp-xt-48588/

I think there was a powerful one up in Finland over in the Forester forum but I can't find the link. None of them are FSTI's tho.

Good on you for plugging on with the Forester for a track day tool tho. Most people would have given up by now and gone with an impreza, evo or other common trackday stuff. Unfortunately it means you are the cutting edge for Forester STI tuning tho!

Al

Forester sti

Hey, thanx man!
Yeah that first forester clip that has 400 Wheel HP! he is running a 20G
So she's probably 400bhp at the crank!
Vinny's one looks interesting, he's running a rotated GT35R, so big power possibilities there, But He doesn't make power untill after 4500rpm

I've got 511 lb/ft at 2850 now, and with the linered motor, I'll be hoping for maybe 550lb/ft by 3000rpm! because I can run more boost (2 bar)

Looking forward to it!
Thanx again man!
Dan

Fleetwood

Just one quick question on the Torque.
Are you still running the original FSTI heads or did you do a complete engine swap? The FSTI engines seem to make good torque, just wondering if this is normal for an ej25 or if the heads are slightly different to the STI ej257.
Tomei does a comparison of the ej257 with the ej207 and the heads/cams seem to be quite different (as you would expect), wondered if there where subtle differences in the ej25 heads for different cars.
http://www.tomei-p.co.jp/news/Report-EJ25-V1.html

KAS35RSTI

iTrader: (73)

I was using GT spec headers after i wrecked a set of japspeed headers on my 2.5/321T & it was perfect.

Mus

iTrader: (2)

511 lb/ft sounds nice what kind of times did you manage on the strip?

Forester sti

The car has only reliably from november last year untill when the engine failed a few weeks ago,
As above, when the car arrived at Scooby Shout Out '09 she was already in limp mode, so no strip action with this current spec!!
But the car is 1500kg so that holds the quarter mile figures back a bit, ie. when she had the AFP TD05 20g and 386bhp 408lb/ft she did a 13.4, which was the same as a Spec c running about 340bhp and a type R running about 320 bhp,
I would have been running in Ten Of The Best in august, but not going to happen now!

To be fair, the new set off Headers I got from Lateral seem alot better quality than my old ones! So I'll see how they get on,!

The Forester STI heads are the same spec as 2.5 UK STI heads,
Standard Forester STI bottom end is the EJ255 (8.4:1) which has a slightly higher compression ratio than the EJ257 (8.2:1) so that helps torque!
I'm running 8.4:1 at the moment, and new motor is 8.7:1,

Car and motor will be coming together shortly!
Very much looking forward to it!
Dan

Fleetwood

Interesting information on the compression ratio and torque, that explains why EVO's spool so quick in comparison, they are running 8.8:1 I believe compared to the EJ257 you say is 8.2:1. I guess knock is more of a danger in subaru's due to the combustion chamber shape and relative strength of the block.

Anyhow...
Was browsing around looking for something completely different and came to this build with an engine damper:
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...662455&page=10
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...662455&page=11

This is a 5zigen engine torque damper...and is pretty expensive:
£600 + VAT
http://www.ninjapower.co.uk/product_...u-imprezza-gdb

Fleetwood

and now I know what to search for:

Review on the different options:
http://www.clubwrx.net/forums/transm...tch-mount.html

Before and after videos
http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112354

STiFreak

iTrader: (4)

Interesting, I was always under the impression the Lateral and RCM had the same source for their GT Spec 2 type headers.

harvey

iTrader: (48)

A couple of points. The car is obviously driven very hard and you have a high compression ratio for 95 RON fuel if that is what you are using and is certainly the fuel available to you.
I have never heard of a MAF disintegrating before. I can only conclude this was due to serious vibration or some other external factor and poor fitting practice may be partially to blame for some of your issues.
As regards the 3 bolt tubular headers which are imported by Roger Clark Motorsport and made to their design and sold by numerous tuners, myself included, I personally have never had a failure on these header sets but I have seen plenty failures on other copy tubular headers. These header sets are supplied with a solid uppipe which is a bit of a joke on two counts.
1. It does not promote good performance.
2. Being a solid uppipe the whole header system is subjected to considerable strain and stress during repeated heat cycles.

For these reasons I have developed a special uppipe which as all users of this uppipe can confirm, greatly improves performance with no loss of top end power and there are no strain and stress issues.

Forester sti

Hey,
Sorry about the not updating in like a year and a half!!
Things half been pretty great engine and setup wise lately!
As Harvey pointed out above, his up-pipe is great! and I have had no issues at all with the current headers!
All new engine setup since the last (linered) motor I put into her that I mentioned above!
That one that I bought off a lad on here had everything thing wrong with it, from incorrectly gapped rings, overly tight bore clearances, badly fitted liners which ended up splitting!!! All one after another,
That was a very expensive piece of scrap metal by the time I realised that no part of it was salvagable and I dropped the whole lot!

I found a lad to trust, that knows his stuff with plenty of experiance!
Ali Burrows in NI advices and built everything for me this time round and JGM mapped her!
She has 7,000KM on her now at 465bhp and 460lb/ft and that includes a trip to the nurburgring and a couple of trackdays and a drift day!
She pulls really well from full boost and peek torque at 3,000rpm to 7,200rpm which is where the soft-cut rev limiter starts coming in!
This is a revvier setup than she used to be!
Everything under the bonnet is new!
She's a pinned EJ257 block, with 0.5mm oversized GGR cosworth pistons, Ali's own Rallycross spec rods and a good standard crank, and 14mm studs,
We got refreshed RB320 heads and she is finally put together properly,
She is a very quiet motor even from cold!!

In the meantime, My wife decided she wanted her own car as the forester had become to troublesome for her to use as a daily driver, so she got her own car, and the foz is now 100% mine!
So she is going hardcore now, (The Foz, not the wifey!)
Dropping her on firm coilovers comfort is no longer a concern! also fuel consumption isn't an issue as she only gets short trips to local club meets and the track which is 6 miles away! So Going to go for a jap dccd setup!

So if you's know anyone looking for a perfect forester sti 6speed box (strongest subaru box ever and 2,500rpm at 70mph) and a really well researched lowered suspension setup that has her riding nice and low but still great on the road and track! please put them my way!

Chat soon,

Dan

Some more recent videos from the ring,
I was on my road suspension setup but on cut slick tyres, hence the noise!

NorthDownsScooby

Looking good...and good update matey.

Rich