S204 - Daily / occasional track-hack

[McDoof]

Over fill your oil. That's what was recommended to me.

[boon]

 nastnas said:

Hi. Thanks for entertaining this thread. It's quite interesting reading. The r205 looks quite interesting but I think I prefer the sedan....

Lachlan, you are correct. I tried to change it but couldn't, realistically it's about 6-10 per year. I wish I could trackday once a week. That's definitely a goal for me. Haha

I've heard that subaru seem to have an oil issue on the big right hander at Hamptons. Last turn before the straight. Can anyone comment on that? Is it an easy fix?

If you have the dosh, getting an oversized baffled sump and then keeping it well filled will help reduce the chances of oil starvation. There's still a very good chance you will dump oil out the breathers, and the factory breather setup means this gets gobbled up by the motor and you go full batmobile smokescreen on the guy behind you.

The proper solution if you're going to track it regularly is a decent catch-can arrangement, ideally with a drain-back to the sump. Some events will require a catch-can setup regardless so you may as well do one.

[nztintin]

 boon said:

If you have the dosh, getting an oversized baffled sump and then keeping it well filled will help reduce the chances of oil starvation. There's still a very good chance you will dump oil out the breathers, and the factory breather setup means this gets gobbled up by the motor and you go full batmobile smokescreen on the guy behind you.

The proper solution if you're going to track it regularly is a decent catch-can arrangement, ideally with a drain-back to the sump. Some events will require a catch-can setup regardless so you may as well do one.

Plenty of subarus and even mitsis have died at hampton downs, IMO I wouldn't drive a subaru on hampton downs without a decent baffled sump, my car can blow 500ml of oil out of the breathers each session and I've got a fully baffled and enlarged sump (I'm running slicks tho) there is a massive difference if you go up a gear/drop revs for the last corner ie my issue dissappears if i'm in a higher gear.

and as long as your breathers are factory and return to intake you'll be allowed at trackdays, only if it's breathing to atmosphere you need a 1l catch can.

[newsuba]

overfill and run a higher gear - classic advice given to me by an early clubsubbers many moons ago.

if you really have deep pockets drysump the bugger

[loner]

or just pretend you are in a rear wheel drive and coast through the corner.

[chulozumo]

I guess chipmunk got lucky, he had 4 people in the car and fukin thrashed it, only had a pbms sump

[nztintin]

 chulozumo said:

I guess chipmunk got lucky, he had 4 people in the car and fukin thrashed it, only had a pbms sump

4 people in the car at once on the track?

[chulozumo]

Yep, power cruise

[newsuba]

4 up would be more like a like party cruise ?

[Scoobydoo]

 chulozumo said:

Yep, power cruise

But that wouldn't be track speeds though.. ??

[nztintin]

4 people in a car is never going to be full track speed or g forces.

A PBMS sump would be ok on street tyres IMO

[nastnas]

Hmmmm. The oil issue is a bit of a set back. Will look into it further.

Thanks for the great tips.

[chulozumo]

Lol everyone is basically off the clock any chance they get, it wasn't a slow day that's for sure.

Twinscroll sump should be fine for Hampton then? pBmS is just a little rubber flap and 2 pieces of steel on either side, not actually much to it

[GC8E2DD]

An oil cooler is also a sensible addition if you're planning on regular track days. Oil gets thinner as it gets hotter, which makes it more sloshy. There are a few plug and play kits around with thermostats for less than a PBMS sump. Gives a bit more capacity at the same time.

[AdamOst]

I went to HD twice in my v6 with stock sump D: V line the last corner instead of hugging it and you should be fine. Had RE11 tires which arent quite semis but pretty grippy.

[Guest]

 GC8E2DD said:

An oil cooler is also a sensible addition if you're planning on regular track days. Oil gets thinner as it gets hotter, which makes it more sloshy. There are a few plug and play kits around with thermostats for less than a PBMS sump. Gives a bit more capacity at the same time.

Do you have an oil temp guage sam? Or anyone else on here who runs on track?

[GC8E2DD]

My oil temp gauge is bung right now. I have a scavenged sensor to wire in thanks to a local competitor, but haven't gotten around to it. People like Matt, Tony, SBT, Rick, maybe Craig etc will have logs for China on track oil temps I'm sure.

[Guest]

Love to see some along with oil spec and log showing rpm/usual crap.

[chulozumo]

S203/4/ra-r etc have factory oil cooler. I really Wana track it, but I don't Wana ruin it with my luck hahaha

[AdamOst]

Mine was peaking around 125 after 10 laps at taupo.

[WRGT04]

 D1Style said:

Would that be the white one i see out by my place in West Auckland? I remember seeing it on the Fast 4's car yard a while back. Was down in Wellington at some stage too...

Is that the white one on silver rims and fairly low? Cos if it is, I just seen it around Te Atatu South by countdown, and its ****ing gorgeous!

[scooby-wrx]

Here you go mate, you could land an S204 in NZ for A little under 32k excluding duty etc.

https://www.tradecarview.com/used_car/japan%20car/subaru/impreza/18127823/

There's a Spec C Type RA-R too! Although its a little more expensive!

https://www.tradecarview.com/used_car/japan%20car/subaru/impreza+wrx/18373600/

[chulozumo]

Shiet I'm lucky I got mine for what I paid by the looks

Only 125 in white though

[Munkvy]

 nztintin said:

Plenty of subarus and even mitsis have died at hampton downs, IMO I wouldn't drive a subaru on hampton downs without a decent baffled sump, my car can blow 500ml of oil out of the breathers each session and I've got a fully baffled and enlarged sump (I'm running slicks tho) there is a massive difference if you go up a gear/drop revs for the last corner ie my issue dissappears if i'm in a higher gear.

and as long as your breathers are factory and return to intake you'll be allowed at trackdays, only if it's breathing to atmosphere you need a 1l catch can.

Completely agree, I wouldn't go near a race track these days without a baffled sump and a decent catch can setup. Just not worth the risk given the cost to rebuild a motor vs buying a sump and catch can. Especially in an expensive later model WRX where the engines aren't exactly a $50 pick a part job.

Plenty of people have run bearings on road tyres too at HD, so if you aren't running a bearing on a stock sump you are either not driving fast enough or you are lucky.

[hunter951]

About the oil starvation.... why not install a accusump? + PBMS baffled sump... problem eliminated right...?