Steve's Bugeye WRX PPP

[NL03Scooby]

Been great fun spannering in your company and getting to work on your Scoob. Whilst nothing we did required a rocket science degree it was a great learning experience removing and replacing the turbo and that dreaded inlet pipe, we certainly learnt a lot along the way.

I’m proper chuffed after everything the car is running right, I really thought after the power steering and ridiculous indicator bulb issue someone had it in for us with that car, in the end it all seemed to iron out nicely, long may it stay that way.

As for the tea drinking... it was tasty and in good supply and the humour was not so tasty but matching in supply, if you can’t use endless innuendo and double entendres working on cars when can you use it!

[scotty]

Good work chaps car still looking good steve not planning on puting a vf tubby on her .

[Rdlangy1]

Excellent update steve and glad everything is back to working order

[555_Si]

Intake is a common problem had to do mine on bug just before nurburg the first year i went, absolute pig to do, for anyone in the future, it is a lit easier to just take inlet manifold off to do. Don’t try to fight it, it is the far easiest method!

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by 555_Si

Intake is a common problem had to do mine on bug just before nurburg the first year i went, absolute pig to do, for anyone in the future, it is a lit easier to just take inlet manifold off to do. Don’t try to fight it, it is the far easiest method!

It probably is easier to remove manifold, but its all the other ancillaries attached to that... we really didn't want to get into!

A little fairy liquid rubbed on the new silicon hose stops it gripping up on everything it touches as you're sliding it in. And the first time it gets warm, the car smells lemony fresh

[scooby doo]

Good to see it's all happy again ,
I two had a split intake pipe in the same place as yours on my uk300,
I struggled , shouted and got super angry but with fairy as an aid the silicone pipe slid in just!

[Rdlangy1]

Can’t beat a bit of lube




Commence the abuse

[Scott.T]

Glad to hear it's now all sorted and the turbo was the culprit.
You can attack the ring again this year with a bit more confidence......but not too much eh!!!!!

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by Scott.T

You can attack the ring again this year with a bit more confidence......but not too much eh!!!!!

Unless I break it at Bedford

[Steve_PPP]

Rob and I were bored this afternoon and looking for something to tinker with.... so operation track scoob has commenced





Also removed front speakers and head unit as it never gets used and they're old and naff. Whilst the door cards were off, I discovered (and remembered) that when I got the car I fully dynamatted the outer skin of the front doors about 10 years ago. Probably made sense at the time, yet its unnecessary weight now

It's certainly not coming off though, sticky as hell that is

[Rdlangy1]

Nice work gents

[SpecB]

If you warm the dynamat with a hairdryer you can get about 20% of it off and cover yourself with the stickiest black goo known to man!

[NL03Scooby]

http://seiboncarbon.co.uk/s-style-ca...ront-pair.html

[scooby doo]

Very clean car!!!

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by SpecB

If you warm the dynamat with a hairdryer you can get about 20% of it off and cover yourself with the stickiest black goo known to man!

Yep. Don't think i'll be bothering with that, horrible job!

Originally Posted by NL03Scooby

http://seiboncarbon.co.uk/s-style-ca...ront-pair.html

How much!? There's going to be less weight saved in a pair of carbon door cards than a race battery for a lot less money

Originally Posted by scooby doo

Very clean car!!!

Thanks mate. She's not bad for 15 years old...

[Granby]

Originally Posted by SpecB

If you warm the dynamat with a hairdryer you can get about 20% of it off and cover yourself with the stickiest black goo known to man!

Dry ice works well, a bit difficult for the doors though unless you fancy putting the car on it's side

[Anger]

What someone did on my old Blob


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[Steve_PPP]

lol

At least you had the superlite stuff... but it looks like someone spent about 30 quid on each door!

[Red Baron]

Dynamat on a door panel is nearly as effective as the snow chains I spotted on this Peugeot a few years ago.

[Anger]

Originally Posted by Red Baron

Dynamat on a door panel is nearly as effective as the snow chains I spotted on this Peugeot a few years ago.

Made it easier for me, I just changed door cards


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[Steve_PPP]

So Bedford didn't happen as they had 8 inches of snow across the circuit... We've been given a replacement date of 23rd Jan so just waiting to confirm if both Greg and I can make it....

In the last couple of months during the tinkering, the car has also had:

New PFR7B plugs (at 99,500 miles)
New neutral position sensor
Replacement crankshaft sensor
Oil/filter at about same mileage as plugs.

Think that's all I thought the above list might help with my service history records when i need to check back!

[Rdlangy1]

[scooby doo]

Car feels nice now??

[ABWRX]

Just spent the last couple of hours reading through the whole thread. So much work done to the car I’m glad you didn’t get rid because of suspected head gasket issues. I’ve seen you’re also in Burgess Hill and it got me thinking I believe I parked next to you outside the dentist by Maccy D’s in town around June time, was it you?


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[Steve_PPP]

Thanks for taking a couple of hours to read through the thread, its been a long old journey having had the car for 12 years....

No idea if that was me parked there or not, might have been but I don't use the scoob much these days so not sure. Last year it did less than 500 miles between MOTs... probably should update this thread because I haven't posted in nearly 2 years!

Instead i spend my time driving around in the daily:
http://www.southeastscoobies.co.uk/v...ad.php?t=23338

I've certainly seen you about before though, if you get a wave/flash from a white beemer in future you know its me

[ABWRX]

I’ll keep an eye out and will read through the Beamer thread later.


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[Steve_PPP]

So.... I should probably update this as lots going on....

I've been pondering an engine swap for a long time, but never quite got round to biting the bullet and doing it. Mine has had a hard life, sounded slappy when cold, needed a full cam belt change, had leaks from both rocker gaskets, and generally wasn't worth spending the money on.

A few years ago, I'd been up to Jap Performance to enquire about a JDM STI7 long engine with VF30 which at the time would have set me back about £2.5k, but then it would have brought the extra issues of AVCS on WRX wiring, an ECU swap, immobiliser/key swap etc. I worked out at the time that it would see me in at around £3.5k in parts before I got labour costs added in. I decided to sit on it and not bother.

Anyway, back to this year. In May or June as we were coming out of lockdown, I saw Benji advertise his WRX engine from a lower miles car which had run standard power on a TD04 nearly all of its life. It would be a straight swap and also came with:

- Brand new genuine 11mm oil pump
- New water pump
- New genuine thermostat
- New Gates cambelt kit with all tensioners/idlers
- New twinscroll sump fitted
- Tumbler butterfly valves removed
- Brand new alternator
- Recently cleaned and flow tested pink injectors.
- New later style plastic coolant header tank (my metal one is going rust and looks rubbish)
- Few other new hoses, shiny bits etc.

Basically a drop in engine. I jumped on it, along with a few other nice parts Benji had, and set about planning an engine swap. This is where the fun started...

I wanted to tackle it myself in the garage as I'd never done an engine swap before, but was in no rush. It would also give me the chance to learn a bit more on the spanners, clean everything in the bay up nicely and replace any other tired looking parts as I go, with no problems if I needed to stop for week here and there whilst ordering parts.

Big thanks to CJ for the lend of an engine stand & hoist, plus Dave for another stand for the old engine while I stripped it for parts.

Anyway.... next post will have some photos of progress so far.

[Steve_PPP]

So, the replacement engine....



Shiny bits...



I checked a few things over and decided to replace the modine seal as that's failed on my scoob before. For £7 its a lot easier to do it now and clean everything up.

Old seal doesn't look great.



Cleaned, seal replaced and back together.



So, onto the removal of my old engine. I've done a fair bit of reading online and it seems there's nothing you can't learn on Youtube these days. I found a channel by some US guy who goes through every single step to pull a newage engine, which helped with advice and the best order to do things in.
https://www.youtube.com/c/SubaruONLY/videos
I know some of you can do this with your eyes closed but watching the process on youtube gave me the confidence that I wasn't going to screw up!

Anyway, this is where we started...



Battery, washer fluid bottle, air box etc removed, coolant dropped and radiator out. Then onto the crankshaft pulley bolt - which was seriously tight! I'd read online that it was easier to remove whilst the engine was still bolted down, and to use the old aux belt wrapped around the alternator to stop the crankshaft from spinning. Worked in the end



You can see the general condition of the old engine. Surface rust, grime. Not terrible, and it worked fine - but just looked a bit tatty.

[ABWRX]

Good luck. Will you be keeping this engine standard in the hopes it will last?


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[Steve_PPP]

Next job... removing the alternator (which I wouldn't need), the air con compressor and power steering pump.

Both the a/c compressor and PS pump I left connected to hoses, but moved aside to allow the engine clearance to bit lifted. You can see the PS pump held in place with a bungy as it didn't want to stay there on its own!



Finding things like this.... not confidence inspiring when I think about the possible implications of dropping fluids on the Nurburgring. This is the hose at the back of engine (normally hidden under intercooler) that connects the heater matrix.



Out she comes

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by ABWRX

Good luck. Will you be keeping this engine standard in the hopes it will last?

Standard-ish. Nothing changing on the internals. But I'll be sourcing a different turbo and getting it mapped to suit to hopefully get into the 300's.

[Steve_PPP]

So.... looking at the old engine that i'd just pulled.

I'd been lucky. The old cam belt had been rubbing the guide for years by the look of things.





General condition. OEM exhaust heatshields barely hanging on.



Yuk. Rocker cover gasket failure on both sides.

[Frenchie]

Well done Steve for having a go at this. Not having to keep to a timescale must help.

[Steve_PPP]

Now it was onto the cleanup phase of the empty bay. Everything was just grim. I started removing every bracket, fixing, anything that could be unbolted and cleaned it up. Metal brackets with surface rust were sanded down, rust treated and painted with metal paint.

Ended up draining the power steering fluid and removed all of the hoses/bottle for that to clean out, then separated the pump from the bracket to be cleaned and painted.

Then decided it was necessary to get the AC degassed (not to atmosphere) and remove the condenser. At the front of the car, it has a hard life. It looked grim, and the metal fins were all flakey. Another part to replace....



And this is where the fun really started. Underneath the AC condenser, hidden from view, and behind part of the wiring loom, I found this.





I've since done research online and found its a common newage problem - some people with blobs and hawks are in much worse condition than mine. After all, its been garaged most of its life. You know its a common problem when Subaru release a genuine repair panel!
https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/parts-info?id=11459


The problem with this.... its weld in, not bolt in. So i've got to strip the front end down further and see what I find, and organise a mobile welder to come and help. And this is where I am at this point.

Bumper will hopefully be coming off this weekend and hopefully the rust is limited to the lower radiator support bar. But either way, it looks like the U-cradle will be coming off too for a checkover and cleanup. Might get it power coated before re-fitting.

Car as it sits today:


And replacement engine sitting ready to drop in. Power steering pump and AC compressor cleaned up and fitted.


Fun times! The receipts from ICP are certainly stacking up

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by Frenchie

Well done Steve for having a go at this. Not having to keep to a timescale must help.

Thanks mate. It's the only way I'd ever be able to do this myself. I was tempted to get Brent to just do the swap, he knows what he's doing and would probably have it done in a day. But then I'd learn nothing and this way gives me the chance to go through the whole front of the car, bit by bit.

[Red Baron]

Good job Steve, this is the state mine would be in if I had room to work around the car in the garage. I was worried I was going to find the same rust on mine when I pulled the radiator out but it was actually solid with minimal surface rust, the same panel is available for the classic which made me think it would be bad.

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by Red Baron

I was worried I was going to find the same rust on mine when I pulled the radiator out but it was actually solid with minimal surface rust, the same panel is available for the classic which made me think it would be bad.

Not scare-mongering but the majority of the rust on mine was hidden by the AC condenser, even once the radiator was removed. Only because apparent when the condenser was out and the wiring loom pulled back out of the way.

Hopefully yours is fine, but I guess they get bad as nobody usually moves the condenser out the way due to the hassles of degassing the system.

[Red Baron]

You can see under the condenser on the classic, twas all good.

[Scott.T]

As Shane says, its alot more accessible on the classic.
When i swapped my radiator I just wiped my panels down with a baby wipe

[Leight]

Started my one today and I never done anything like it before but as you said its good to learn and get to know your car. Im goingvto pull the gear box on my one as seals are leaking so ill get that done and have a gentle clean up but its rust free so not to bad a job.

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[scooby doo]

Good right up, and looks like your deep in it now, if you want advise on doing the repair panel let me know, ive replaced it properly using the oem lower panel.
Most uk newages will have gone or starting to go there, its a water trap, all the spray when driving in any wet weather goes in there and the grit etc rubs against the loom causing it just to rot out. The good thing is you can replace it like for like, its no way a structural point its simply there to hold the rads.
Good shout with the modine seal not something id seen before so very well noted.

EDITED: That camblet tho! You have been lucky ducky on that one...

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by Red Baron

You can see under the condenser on the classic, twas all good.

Originally Posted by Scott.T

As Shane says, its alot more accessible on the classic.
When i swapped my radiator I just wiped my panels down with a baby wipe

Nice, I didn't realise there was so much difference in the front structure. They should have stuck with that design on the newage!

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by Leight

Started my one today and I never done anything like it before but as you said its good to learn and get to know your car.

For sure. And if you've got the time and aren't rushed, why not. Saves paying someone else to do it.

Originally Posted by scooby doo

Good right up, and looks like your deep in it now, if you want advise on doing the repair panel let me know, ive replaced it properly using the oem lower panel.
Most uk newages will have gone or starting to go there, its a water trap, all the spray when driving in any wet weather goes in there and the grit etc rubs against the loom causing it just to rot out. The good thing is you can replace it like for like, its no way a structural point its simply there to hold the rads.
Good shout with the modine seal not something id seen before so very well noted.

EDITED: That camblet tho! You have been lucky ducky on that one...

Thanks mate. I got the front bumper off today and there's a few little rust spots but generally the rest of the front end/crash structure looks OK. Bit of rust treatment on a couple of areas and then a coat of stonechip or paint and will be fine. I'll definitely be getting the OEM repair panel and fixing it properly, but I've never welded before so not going to try myself - rather pay someone who knows what they're doing!

[Steve_PPP]

So... 6 weeks later and today was the first decent chance I've had to get out in the garage and crack on. Since my last post in this thread, I've basically had to work stupidly long hours (first couple of weeks were 100+ hours) due to an IT related disaster. Been a complete nightmare and I nearly quit several times but stuck it out in the end - mainly because they would force me to work my 3 months notice even if i left! The joys of working in IT Infrastructure.....

Anyway, enough of that. Scoob progress below

Bumper off to start the front end tear down.


Not much rust hiding elsewhere thankfully, just filthy dirty.


Front crash bar removed.


Need to work out the best option to replace this - its where the external air temp sensor goes and is rusted to feck. Its spot welded to the lower radiator support panel which is being replaced, but the new panel didn't come with one. Might be able to fabricate something but I've never really worked with sheet metal before. Either that or just cable tie the temp sensor up somewhere afterwards!


Front U frame removed, surprised how easily all the bolts came off. I was dreading one of them snapping but all good Not sure whether to get this blasted and power coated or just try and find a replacement. It'll clean up alright but there is some internal rust that the blaster won't get too. Nothing bad but still....


Front subframe cleaned, few rust spots treated and then painted to keep the moisture out.



And then the fun started... drilling out all of the spot welds to remove the old rusty section!



Hmmmm... never done this before



New section held in place with a couple of clamps and ready for welding.





And a photo of the junk that came out!



Hopefully once all welded up and painted, I can start putting things back together. What started as just an engine swap has morphed into a bigger project than expected...

[Frenchie]

Well done Steve, all the more because it doesn't look like you have a lot of room in your garage.

[Leight]

Any progress with the car Steve?

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by Leight

Any progress with the car Steve?

Not too much, work is still winning the fight for my time over the last month. The lower repair panel is all welded in now, thanks to CJ. I've flattened back the plug welds and etch primered it to keep the moisture out and that's how it sits at the moment.

Hoping to get some time out there this weekend and I'll try and get some pics up of progress as I go

[Steve_PPP]

New Year update! It's been cold and wet and my enthusiasm for getting out in the garage isn't really there at the moment. But on the plus side, some progress has been made here and there... the engine came out 3 months ago and I'd hoped the car would be on the road before Christmas. Well, that was the plan until I found the rust. Anyway, its all sorted now

New section welded in (thanks CJ!) and then etch primered.



And then a coat of black.



Followed by a coat of stonechip and then two coats of heavy duty lacquer.
Both front chassis legs, the new welded in section, and the front crash beam (once painted) were then all treated to a couple of internal coats of cavity wax as well. I don't want this rusting again!



Wiring loom run back in place with new clips, with the new radiator supports/rubbers. Finally, things are going back on the car rather than coming off!




Front crash bar was cleaned down, rust spots treated with converter, then etch primered, painted and then two coats of heavy duty lacquer. The paint was ordered online and is supposedly Subaru 'True Blue' - colour code CS31, which is what the WR blue cars have as their internal engine bay colour. At least according the the info I could find online.

Either way, the match is nowhere near. It's not really as purple as it looks in the below picture, but its still not close.



And refitted to the car - see how much darker the paint is.
Oh well, its not actually visible once all back together so it's not a problem. At least it'll keep it corrosion free for the next decade or so!



Other things done.... power steering cooler has been stripped, primered and painted black as it was all chipped, now back on the car. Horns have had the same treatment. Pretty much all fixings are being replaced as I go with shiny new ones.

And bumper refitted yesterday. Well, hung on the car anyway. Have all the plastics clips ordered new from ICP so they'll be getting done and arch liners clipped back up tomorrow hopefully.



Only other stuff done lately.... rusty old front ARB (oem Subaru) is in the bin and new whiteline upgrade fitted. Droplinks were already whiteline adjustables and have just been cleaned up.



Getting there, bit by bit! The struggle now is going to be remembering where everything goes - and where I've put all the bits while they're off the car!

[Red Baron]

Take your time Steve, not as if there's any rush to get it finished so you can continue to do do things properly. Mine came out of the garage earlier so I could work on the Passat and then went back in again, considering SORNing it seems pointless paying the road tax at the moment.

[SpecB]

Just a point on the front support - Having seen the state of mine on the Legacy Hallie made a good point that you should paint the bolt on radiator support brackets as well as the welded in piece as they rust and transfer it to the cross member - don't leave them as bare metal as that where the rot starts.