when to upgrade?

[ben1272]

I love seeing all the great upgrades that folks are making on their projects, but I wonder which (if any) I should be considering? I figured the 818 would be so capable just using the stock gear from the WRX. For instance, do I need to install a limited slip differential? Is this something I should only be considering if I want to autox? How many 818 have been made without, and do they run well without?

I could keep going down the list....bigger turbo, bigger brakes, AWIC, etc. Since the 818 is so much lighter than the WRX, it would seem that almost every aspect of the car's performance would be improved. It would be as thought you HAD upgraded all these things on a WRX, which is itself a pretty decent performing car.

I know all the answers are out there, I was just looking at my transaxle wondering to myself whether I need to split it open and drop in $600, or whether it will be a nice ride without. It all just got me thinking.

I see lots of great work out there! Keep it up everyone! I'd post pictures of my own project, but it feels like everyone has seen it before and it woulnt be much help to anyone.

Regards,

Ben

[Mechie3]

A lot of upgrades have been for looks or reliability. Awics came about because the FFR setup doesn't work. You canake an air to air IC work, just not how FFR did it. Other things like engine mounts were because the motor shakes a lot with stock mounts.

[FFR-ADV]

There are 6 categories which I considered in determining upgrades with my partial personal 818SR upgrade list:

1: Reliability ( Timing Belt, Water Pump, KillerBee Oil Pickup, 2007 STI Oil Pan, AWIC, New Radiator, PS and A/C Delete...)
2: Control ( RaceLogic traction Control, Quaife LSD, Wayne's Heim Control Arms, Seats that fit me, FFR Street Splitter, Diffuser and Spoiler - Balanced Aero - See Wind Tunnel Testing... ) Very important considerations but does not need bigger brakes for my street use
3: Assembly ( Mechie's Installation Upgrades including the Hood Hinge, iWire Harness, Steering Install Bracket...)
4: Utility ( Coupe Top for New England Weather )
5: Performance ( TGV Delete, SS Header, COBB Tuner, KillerBee Oil Baffle...)
6: Aesthetics ( New Coupe Front - Personal Choice, FFR Staggered 818 Wheels...)

Of these most of my upgrades went into control and reliability followed by assembly aids ( thanks for saving me so much time and also contributing to the build quality )

[billjr212]

I think any "does it need xyz" should be answered first with, "it depends how you plan to use the car and what you expect from it." Otherwise the answer is opinion with no context (aka meaningless).

For reference, I use my car driving around town, occasionally to work, and once a year (first time is later this month) for an hpde day at an area track.

For street driving, my opinion is that the wrx motor and components need no upgrades, except upgraded motor mounts and properly staggered tire sizes. The car is a rocket by street standards. Awic is unnecessary for driving around town, and the limited slip would only come into play way beyond the speeds you should be driving on the street if you like having a driver's license.

Just my 2 cents. I suggest expanding on your intended use, expectations, and performance car history to get meaningful responses.

Cheers and good luck.

[ben1272]

The truth is, I will probably use it for driving on the street 98% of its life with me. I think trying an autox would be fun, but having never done one I imagine I have a ways to go with this car 'stock' before I worry about modifying it too much. Billjr212, your response is most inline with my thinking. One nice thing about building your own car: when it comes to modifying or upgrading anything you most likely have the confidence to tear the car apart to perform the work.

So far I have not upgraded anything. Since the turbo on my 2004 stock engine has a cracked flange, it will probably get a new turbo, but otherwise, I am very curious how the 818S will perform with a bone stock subaru setup. I have a feeling it is not going to disappoint!

[Mechie3]

One nice thing about the 818, if you bolt the body on vs riveting it you can remove the body in about 20-30 minutes and it's much easier to access parts than if it was in a full WRX.

[Wayne Presley]

Have to do's
Killer Bee pick up with either 2.5 L pan or KB pan
VCP air to water intercooler
upgraded brake pads
VCP ECU and harness OR Iwire harness
VCP K-Tuned shifter

Nice to do's
Pre bent radiator lines
TGV deletes
Wilwood pedals
SS brake lines
aluminum radiator
seats
6 point harness with harness bar


Really cool to do
4 piston Wilwood FR&RR brakes (6 piston not needed)
big turbo
equal length headers
bigger injectors

[TouchStone]

I got mine driving recently and I'm basically running stock a little less actually due to some ignorant choices. As far as I can tell I currently have the worst performance on this forum. This will be fixed eventually! Here is my current setup.

2.5L hybrid (rebuilt)
TGV deletes
perrin intake
godspeed turbo air inlet hose
aftermarket up-pipe
vibrant muffler
stock air to air inter-cooler
stock radiator
stock ECU
TD04L turbo (too small for a 2.5L)
Stock WRX injectors (also too small)

Due to the last two items I only have 200hp. However, having no experience with performance cars, to me this thing feels like a roaring rocket. My brother sitting shotgun has even told me he has changed his mind about ever wanting to be a racecar driver :). So I do not think a stock setup will disappoint anyone looking to drive primarily street.

[Buzz Skyline]

Upgrades are very individual choices, but since you're asking about when, rather than what, I'll tell you my philosophy.

It's always easier to make as few changes at a time as possible. I started out with a running car. So I dropped all the donor pieces in the kit without making any mods. That is the quickest, easiest, and safest route to a running 818. I suspect that had I opened the motor or tranny to make upgrades I would have dramatically reduced the odds that my car would have fired up as quickly as it did. As Mechie noted, it's relatively easy to pull these cars apart if you plan ahead. So now I'm going spend time upgrading the car, instead of having wasted time chasing down problems that might have come from changing too much at once. Personally, I find that to be the more fun and satisfying order to do things.

[wallace18]

The white 818 I built for Kalstar is basically a stock 2002WRX setup. Car ran great after a tune and is very good road car IMO.

[Tamra]

I think even a stock NA build in the 818 would be a ton of fun on the street, and more reliable than the turbo platform.

If you're going turbo and think you might EVER autox it, I would install an AWIC from the beginning. Metalmaker blew his engine after one single autox event due to the heat issues with the stock top mount intercooler. There's just not enough airflow back there in the 818S. There's a few very nice drop in AWIC kits here on the forum, or you can do a DIY job using Frozenboost.

Just keep in mind that replacement parts add up. You probably won't want to re-use a lot of the old rubber hoses off of the donor car, so budget for many OEM replacements.

I would say must haves are an AWIC ($500-$1500), Killer B pickup ($170- the OEM ones are notorious for cracking and causing engine failure), upgraded Group N engine mounts ($75), an upgraded brake pads ($200 - EBC Yellows or equivalent). Those should cover the general safety/reliability areas for a street car that's occasionally autocrossed or driven hard. There are many other nice convenience items offered on the forum as well, like the wiring harnesses, hinges, shifter, etc.

[Buzz Skyline]

I agree that AWIC is a must-have item. But it's easy to install after the motor is mounted and tested. I suggest putting the car together with the stock intercooler in place and go karting a bit to make sure the everything works as it did on the donor. Then be sure to put on an AWIC before you do the body work and aluminum.

The motor mounts will have to be changed, so that's one upgrade I would recommend doing right at the beginning. They aren't hard to swap in after the motor is in place, but there's also almost nothing that can go wrong as a result of installing them, provided you go with Group N mounts or something else with the same height as the stock mounts.

[ben1272]

Will coupe top with ducting solve any of the cooling issues experienced when using the stock intercooler? Seems like it would go a long way towards helping? Wont it essentially provide same sort of ram air that the stock hood scoop provided?

[Buzz Skyline]

It would be interesting to compare the dimensions of the coupe ducting to the scoop on a standard WRX or STI. I would hope that it gives enough air flow - I assume that was the intent.

For all the 818S people out there, though, who don't plan on the coupe top, AWIC is vital if you will be on boost much at all.

[ben1272]

Then there is always the possibility that a coupe top owner decides to go topless, an option that is preserved due to FFR's nice design. Maybe I should be thinking AWIC from the start....

[ben1272]

Me (and my pocket book) like this approach as well. This is what I will do.



I agree that AWIC is a must-have item. But it's easy to install after the motor is mounted and tested. I suggest putting the car together with the stock intercooler in place and go karting a bit to make sure the everything works as it did on the donor. Then be sure to put on an AWIC before you do the body work and aluminum.

The motor mounts will have to be changed, so that's one upgrade I would recommend doing right at the beginning. They aren't hard to swap in after the motor is in place, but there's also almost nothing that can go wrong as a result of installing them, provided you go with Group N mounts or something else with the same height as the stock mounts.