Munkvy

I think you miss the purpose of a WRC car, which is to go over any sort of roads at great speed, with unreal suspension travel to soak up virtually any surface and turn and stop better than anything else. And have massive grip. To get point to point you won't go quicker, as long as point to point involves some proper corners... All these things mean that it is utterly wasted on the road and as you say, in a straight line not that quick. Although I would say upto 200km/hr they would still eat your average road car due to the gearbox shift speed, lack of lag and ability to get off the line quickly... Ohh and don't believe the 300hp BS, even the modern 1.6L ones running a tiny 32mm restrictor made more than that (have now gone up to bigger restrictor and more power since). Either way, the guy driving one on the road has clearly got too much money or a really small willy that he needs to compensate for. It's a travesty that the car isn't being used properly... But I would say that, as I am a little biased and get frustrated about how many people pose in performance cars, when they should be out racing their cars and using that performance. Grumpy old man racer rant over.

Yes, I was referring to radiator. Which will help keep everything cooler in the engine bay if it's sealed off properly. I have only ever used FMIC really, and always wrap the intercooler piping. IAT is typically under 40 degrees even in summer when racing.

Ahh yes, I may have done that before... They are good and cheap. Although if you don't like curbs you have to drive tidily (personally I just run over them). There is also one on the 18th at Manfeild, which I will probably go to

http://manawatucarclub.org.nz/event/envirowaste-manfeild-4-5km-sealed-autocross/?instance_id=1037 4.5km autocross, which is about the longest autocross you will ever do... Basically drive round the whole Manfeild track, both front and back at once. With some chicanes to keep the speed down. Due to only doing 1 lap at a time you are much less likely to break your car too... Do it! I will most likely be there in my E30 BMW (as WRX is in bits). Good cheap fun in a low key environment, with no requirement for a race license. Do it!

Which autocross events?

I found a drop in coolant temp by going round the edges of the radiator and sealing them to the chassis, so that air can't flow around the radiator. I was having issues at idle on start lines in my rally car with the coolant temp getting too high in summer. This fixed this. Otherwise, as EVERYONE has said, FMIC will significantly drop IAT, it is worth it. And as you can see from my profile pic, not like the FMIC is that noticable...

Seems rear internal diameter is either 170 or 190mm and mine are 190mm. Going back to 4/2 pots as I am selling the car and Brembos don't add value really on a rally car.

Sorry, should have said R180 rear end. I have a BH5, so might nick a rotor off that and see if it fits. Now to find some 2 pot rears to put on the car then.

I have a GC8 that had V7 Brembos and hubs on it and I am converting back to regular STI 4/2 pots. I am trying to work out what I need in the way of rear discs and callipers. Reading the 2 pot rear brake thread - I think I have the narrow mount and should fit V4-6 rear 4 pots fine on this, but I wanted to see if anyone knows for sure? And by the looks BH5/BE5 rear rotors should fit? Having measured the hub it's definitely 190mm inner diameter.

Go on the last orange, use the rev limiter (that's they they are for) and hold the clutch against the handbrake, don't just drop the clutch from fully on the floor.

Few suggestions for prepping a Subaru, some of you may see this as overkill, but I have probably killed more Subaru's than most... Oil – bring some spare, you must check it after every session on the track. If you don’t do this, you are asking to run a bearing… Seals – check your rocker cover gaskets are healthy. And if you are in any doubt about any other seal on your engine, check/replace it, as driving moderately fast around a track will stress it. Breather hoses, make sure they are all healthy and firmly clamped down, if they fail, hot oil = fire generally in a Subaru. Turbo oil feed, make sure it is well secured (with the factory mounts) as if it moves around the factory steel line will snap and leak oil = fire. Same goes for the mounts holding the turbo itself, again if the turbo moves, it will f*ck either the up pipe or the turbo oil feed. Check your vacuum hoses are well connected and clamped down, particularly wastegate hose, as if that comes off you won’t have fun, you could potentially have no boost, or all the boost in the world… Exhaust gaskets, make sure your exhaust manifold gaskets (particularly the one going from manifold to up pipe), are healthy, if they leak you lose power, and possibly can melt things. Same goes for your up pipe. Radiator/cooling system, fresh fluid and if you have any doubts about its ability to keep the car cool, get it pressure tested. Leaking cooling system = blown head gasket = S*** day at the track. Baffle the sump if you think you can drive fast. You may well not actually need it, but if you can afford it, it’s a good safety feature. However it won’t save you if you don’t keep an eye on the oil levels. Fit good tyres, Linglongs are fun if you are going to back it into corners, but if you aren’t a hero, then fit good tyres and enjoy going round the track sorta fast. Bear in mind with road tyres you need to monitor pressures/temp/wear during the day if possible. If you start wearing them, rotate them around. Semi’s, be even more careful, especially with pressure as they can overheat so damned easily! Check your brakes during the day, not a bad idea half way through the day (ie at lunch) to pull front wheels off and check that there is still plenty of meat left on the pads. If you have been hard on brakes, give them a bleed too. Playday will no doubt warn you, but if you feel your brakes go funny/off, stop using them, cruise back to the pits and work out what’s wrong. Generally it’s either the pads are cooked/melted, or you have boiled the fluid. Either one will end up with a Subaru shaped dent in a wall if you don’t do something about it… But my biggest tip, get in the passenger seat of someone who knows how to drive, it's an awesome way to see how other people do it differently, sometimes you will learn how they are fast, sometimes you will learn where you are better. But you are pretty much guaranteed to learn something regardless. Of course if you are in a road car, don't go trying to emulate them, you may find your car doesn't do things quite the same!

If you want to go faster, get a light 17" rim... Semi slicks are much cheaper in 17 too. Is this Gregs old car? Ohh and good on you for getting out there and racing, so many talk the talk, but never follow through!

Just drive it like you don't care about it, don't think about the consequences and you will be fine. An EJ20R TT in 3rd/4th gear is generally very close to as fast as an STI. I know when I was young and naughty I definitely surprised a few STI and EVO owners. But really the best feature of the TT wagon is it's ability to go sideways. They are very loose cars if you drive them hard enough on road tyres. Ohh and related topic, I have a BH5 as my tow car, and ended up using it as a safety car on Targa last year, 5 min gap and I still managed to catch some of the Targa Tour cars in some stages... Although to be fair that car does have 4 pots on it, as I had some fire issues with the stock brakes.

14.0 in my 98 BG5 wagon. Stock except for the middle cat removed and replaced with resonator (ie rest of the exhaust was stock) with some ruthless launches. Done at Masteron Drag strip about 8 years ago now.

Where is the fun in that? That is one of the best things about Subarus is launching them!

Thanks Tony, you haven't broken any front axles as a result I take it? I have broken them before on launches, hence I have V7 ones which are noticeably beefier at the hub end.

They have the same spline count, I was able to drop a GDB axle into them both and they have the same count (funnily enough it was a rear axle, so that confirms all 4 corners have the same spline count), but definitely the outside shape of the hub is quite different. Not sure if that means you can put GC8 axles in there or not?

I have some V7 front hubs and some GC8 hubs (off a WRX of some sort, not sure model, but would have had 4 pots). They look similar, but not the same... Pic below, the two without backing plates are from GC8: Does anyone know what the real difference is, from what I can recall the GC8 CV/axle looks a fair bit smaller, but I don't have any GC8 bits to compare to know for sure? Are they backwards/forwards compatible etc?

The year we Sam race again too?

Just buy another factory one. As long as they have the factory mounting bits bracing the turbo they last pretty well. I have tried redline and also making one with an aftermarket flexi in and they still just died. Stock ones seem to last 1-2 years of racing for me before dying. Or if you never want to replace again, buy a brand new one from Partsouq?

Seems like a lot of weights for a basically brand new wheel?

If you got to a bigger aftermarket bar, upgraded links are worthwhile as they definitely break/bend the stock mounts or links. For factory as Sam says, as long as it's all in good nick, you should be fine. Better mods you can do for the money. Like adding camber and caster to the front end.

@Tony might be able to provide some insight on what he has seen on the dyno?

Possibly, although would have to be tonight or tomorrow night as flying to Perth on Friday for a week or so.

Nothing wrong with stock. Still able to make plenty of power with them. Much better mods available for less money in my opinion.