[Is this bad for my transmission?]

Hey guys

Had a little incident today. Was boosting hard in 2nd gear and then went to shift to third. Do this all the time no problem at around 5,000 - 5,500 rpm and usually smooth, but today my foot got caught and I basically dropped the clutch too fast and accidently slammed the car into third gear really hard and the car made an awful Clunk/Thud noise.

 

I have seen people talk about shock load and that is what breaks transmissions. Is that only when launching or is it possible to shock load when travelling at around 70km and then slamming into third gear.

 

It only happened once and car seems to drive fine but I just worry about this stuff, especially since the vehicle has done 225,000km and so I know that eventually I am going to need to replace the gearbox.

 

How would I know if I have damaged something? Car is due for a service soon, is there anyway they can look at it or would they have to strip it down and that would just cost too much and not be worth it?

 

If the gearbox does blow (Have a 2002 WRX), what are the best options. I am trying to research but it is hard to find pricing, if I should buy second hand, rebuild, what model I should get a 5 speed from, how much labour should roughly cost?

[Safe Horsepower Limit on stock 5 speed?]

13 minutes ago, boon said:

Yeah that's a realistic power level for a TD04.

 

Safe limit on the box will come down to how you drive it, but there are plenty of GC-era STIs running 5 speeds with around that 280whp mark without issues.

 

If you launch the car and drive it hard, you'll break boxes with factory power. It's not like they hit exactly 293.2hp and all the teeth fall off the gears.

 

So would it be better to put in say a VF30 or TD05-16g and STI pink injectors? That is the only extra thing I would need to add to get a good chunk more power? Or is sticking with the stock TD04 still gonna be great?

 

Ah I see yeah I don't launch car and I treat the box like it is glass so am trying to look after it.

[Safe Horsepower Limit on stock 5 speed?]

Hey guys

 

Sorry for all the posts recently.

 

I am getting ready to have my 2001 WRX tuned.

 

What is upper safe limit on the 5 speeds? I am keeping the stock TD04 and doing DP, Fuel Pump and STI TMIC, but decided to keep TD04 rather than put on a VF30 like I originally planned as I did not want to end up pushing too much power that would cause tranny to blow.

 

I have seen that I should get around 230 - 240whp with a stage 2 tune on a TD04? Does that sound about right?

 

And what sort of horsepower level would be considered the "safe limit," for the 5 speed tranny?

 

Cheers

[How much does a 5 speed replacement cost?]

15 minutes ago, IZichard said:

Maybe look at if the noise is coming from the clutch pedal or the gear linkage. It’s pretty hard for me to speculate without hearing it. If the shift is still smooth I probably wouldn’t worry about it.

 

I would say 3-6hours depending on how quick they are and if there are any rusted fasteners on the turbo or downpipe.

 

 

6th gear in my v7 STi is almost the exact same overall ratio as 5th in a 4.444 5-speed. It is definitely usable on the street within the speed limit.

Not really on topic though as the question was about the 5-speed.

 

Thanks man! And yeah even if you don't use 6th speed, you still get the smaller ratios which makes driving more fun.

 

So I am putting money aside right now incase my trans blows. What should I be looking to get? Should I just buy a used 2005 wrx trans? Or should I upgrade it to something else? Or is it better to rebuild?

[What does a Stage 2 WRX feel like?]

On 14/09/2020 at 12:32 PM, boon said:

Without wanting to be ruthless about it... you don't want to spend $2000-$4000 upgrading to an STI, but you're happy to spend more than that to get a car that is objectively worse than an STI?

 

Unless you have any particular sentimental attachment to the car, starting with an STI is the best thing you can do.

 

hey man

 

I paid 8k for my WRX, and will end up having spent another 4.5k to go stage 2, with sti spoilers etc. Overall. that is only 12.5k on car.

 

An V7 sti is generally going to run you 15 - 18k. yes I have seen them pop up for 10 - 12k, but they are generally thrashed or in poor condition. Also, when I eventually go to buy an STI I want a V8 or V9 Blobeye, which will run me around 20 - 25k. Which is a huge difference between an 8k WRX with 4k of mods.

 

I definitely want an STI, but I do not plan on taking my WRX any further. It be my daily for a few years until I get a house, then I will look to buy an STI. That is why i feel like stage 2 for my WRX will be worth it.

On 14/09/2020 at 10:06 AM, Gripless said:

Get the sti. The newer the better. 
don’t get fixated on a generation get the newest you can afford. 

more gears better brakes and has the intercooler already fitted. active diffs as well even at the same power it’ll walk away from the wrx
 

 

I will enetually get an STI, but I am definitely not getting anything past 2005. I am not a fan of Hawkeyes and definintely do not like any from 2008 onwards personally.

 

I want to get a V8 or V9 Blobeye.

 

But for the momenet I cannot afford an STI and thus looking at stage 2 for my WRX in the interim for the next 2 or 3 years until I get a house etc :).

On 14/09/2020 at 9:13 AM, calebwrx said:

 

One of these is true 😂 seems to be a universal distaste for "stage x" tunes

 

My V7 was tuned with the same list of parts + a VF30 at 200k and has been beaten on at the track for years now. Sitting on 220k now I think.

If your baseline is solid i.e. a well serviced/healthy engine then the EJ205 can last a while. It just depends how long you want to keep it and if you have the money to replace it when it eventually gives up.

 

 

Thanks for the response man! Good to see that others have had success at that mileage. I was originally going to do VF30 as well but decided not to as I knew that would push car to about 250whp and I did not want to risk too much power.

 

Also, it meant another $500 for parts and some extra labour, so I just decided to do DP, Pump and Intercooler and tune to get the horsepower a bit safer (aiming for 280 - 290bhp or 230 - 240whp).

[How much does a 5 speed replacement cost?]

3 hours ago, IZichard said:

Anywhere from $200-700 is about typical for a 5-speed.

As long as you don’t drive it like a muppet and know how to change gear properly it will be fine. The 5-speed typically only breaks from abuse and/or putting a ridiculously aggressive clutch in. 

The “ting” could possibly be that the synchros are getting a little tired. I’ve never heard it described as a “ting” before but usually when the synchros get worn you can feel the gears engaging poorly through the gear knob (or hear a slight grind/crunch). If you move it into the next gear more slowly it should help them do their job better. Changing the transmission fluid also may help them last a bit longer.

It is fairly common for the synchros to wear out over time in both the 5 and 6 speed gearboxes.

 

Cheers man! I look after my car, never launch and try and shift as smooth as I can.

 

Yeah, I don't quite know how to describe it. The gears don't engage poorly at all and shifting slower actually makes it more pronounced. The faster I shift, the less I notice the sound and sometimes not at all and there is definitely no grind or crunch.

 

SO around $200 - $700 for a 5 speed? What about labour costs as I don't have the expertise quite yet to put it in myself.

2 hours ago, Joker said:

& next step would be a 6-Speed (+ associated costs & equipment starter & drive shaft etc)

 

I do understand 5 Speeds from a certain era on are worth looking for as the changed the construction slightly (more for race application / constant throttle abuse etc) obv's anything with less kays is always more ideal

 

So can I put a 5 speed from say a Hawkeye WRX in? Or are the ratios etc all different?

1 hour ago, Loren said:

Does the WRX still come with a 5 speed manual? That might be an option... the GC and bugeye 5 speeds are soo old now and Subaru do not make parts for them... so "fixing" means replacing with more old parts.

 

Otherwise you are looking at a recent 6 speed sti gearbox or buying an aftermarket gearset for the 5 speed. Both options will be very expensive. 8 to 10 k when all said and done with the sti 6 speed... more for the aftermarket gearset.

 

 

Hi, thanks for the reply! I would not bother putting in an expensive aftermarket gearbox in as I'd just buy an STI at that point.

 

So if my Bugeye 5 speed broke, what is the best option at the lowest price? Is getting another 5 speed box off a wrecked vehicle not a good idea since they are old as well?

 

What would you recommend?

 

Cheers

[How much does a 5 speed replacement cost?]

Hey guys

 

Planning on doing a tune soon to my Bugeye WRX. Vehicle has done 200,000km so I know that putting more power into an old trans may eventually cause it to go bang. I am only planning on running roughly 230 - 240whp on a conservative tune (currently running 200whp), so I am not planning on pushing insane power.

 

But it got me thinking that I should put some money aside incase the tranny blows which I know it will eventually.

 

Question is, how much does a standard 5 speed costs to fix? Is replacing it with a second hand one or rebuilding the current one better? If it blows, is there a slightly better transmission that can be put in the car that is not too much more expensive? I am not planning on swapping in an STI trans because at that point I would just buy an STI, I just wanna make sure that after tuning I have some funds set aside incase the trans goes bang.

 

I also notice that when shifting gears, it sometimes makes a little "ting noise." It usually only happens from 3rd - 4th and 4th to 5th but sometimes as well when downshifting to 2nd. I noticed this noise when I got car actually over a year ago, but sometimes it is more prevalent. I don't know if anyone knows what that means? There is no crunch, and no noises other than when changing gear.

 

Thanks all!

[What does a Stage 2 WRX feel like?]

Hey guys

 

I have a Version 7 WRX that currently runs a stock 200whp and have planned to do following:

 

Aftermarket Downpipe Install

STI TMIC intercooler install

3x Gauges (oil pressure, temp, A/F wideband - Supplied with adapters and pod)

Walbro 255 fuel pump install

Stage 2 conservative tune around 17 psi.

3 port boost solenoid

 

I keep tossing and turning between getting a V7 STI or modding my current WRX. I know an STI is going to be better but it would mean having to sell my car and spend probably between 2 - 4k extra to get one.

 

Will I be disappointed in a stage 2 WRX? I recently drove a Version 8 STI and it just blew my stock WRX out of the water.

 

I have been told that a tuned WRX will have better torque curve, throttle response and about 30 - 40 more horsepower?

 

I have never driven a tuned WRX so I was wondering if I am wasting my time with it, or will I be more than happy and getting an STI is overkill?

 

I should also note that my engine has 202,000km on it which is why I am wanting a conservative tune if I do end up getting it done :).

 

P.S, if anyone has a Version 7 Bugeye STI for around 12k, I'd be intersted in potentially trading up my WRX

 

[Tuning a WRX vs an STI]

5 hours ago, Gripless said:

for that price you are getting close to v11 money.

 

No matter how much money you put in to a car pre 2008 you won't make up for the chassis improvements and door with frames around the windows.

even the stock 2016 shocks are noticeable improvement over 2014 ones fitted to the older car.

 

No matter what you get you'll still spend money on it anyway.

Not a fan of V11s. Only like up to the Blobeyes so not interested in any past 2005.

 

I'm more deciding if it is worth me spending 3k to get downpipe, STI intercooler, gauges and tune all done.

 

Total cost I would have put into car would be 13k, but I am feeling like it is better to spend 15k to get a bugeye sti instead.

 

That is more what I was trying to get info on. I was hoping so others on here have had their WRXs tuned and was hoping to get some responses from those who have done it :).

2 hours ago, Timmah said:

I replied to your previous thread:

 

IMO - sell and and get an STi, they have more potential at the end of the day and you'll probably spend more $$ trying to get your WRX to feel like an STi.

Yeah that was what I was thinking. When I originally bought WRX I only had the funds more it, and now part of me wishes I waited and saved for an STI but the WRX is still a good car. I originally bought it for 8k, and have so far put an sti spoiler on it and sti hood scoop which brings total to 9k (had to get them painted).

 

I was planning on doing the following:

1. X force High Flow Downpipe

2. 3x gauges

3. STI TMIC

4. Tune

 

Total cost would be 3k including materials and labour and tune, which would mean I would have spent around 12 - 13k on car. It seems like it would be a good car, but compared to an STI I just feel like might be wasting my money

[Tuning a WRX vs an STI]

Hey guys

 

I have a 2001 JDM WRX running stock 247bhp. I was planning on taking the vehicle to a tuner and to go downpipe + tune route and was hoping to bump car to 270 - 280bhp and increase response/spool etc.

 

However, I had the chance to test drive a 2005 WRX STI a few days ago. I was expecting a slight increase in power, but the difference was night and day. The handling, power range, everything just felt so much better. I know the STI is definitely a step up, but I was not expecting it to hit me that hard!

 

Now I am not sure if it is even worth tuning the car. Thinking of selling it and buying a V7 STI since I have seen them pop up for around the 15k mark.

 

It is going to cost me 3k to buy my downpipe, get my tune and do a few other little things, and was hoping that there were some others on here who have gone the downpipe/tune route on the WRXs, and could tell me if it does make the car feel totally different, or if I should just get the STI?

 

How did you find the WRX before and after the tune? Did it feel totally different, or just a little faster but not much different? Do you wish you bought an STI? Or was the increase in power all you ever needed?

 

Thanks all!

[Bugeye WRX turbo upgrades]

Hey guys

 

Been having a good browse on forums and speaking to some really helpful people on NASIOC regarding turbos for my V7 WRX.

 

I was hoping that some others in NZ could provide some insight on their own turbo upgrades. Anyone done any turbo upgrades on V7 WRX? I was going to get a VF30 but I have been made aware of the TD05-16G turbo, and I quite like the look of those. Any other great turbos to get me around the 300bhp range with 565cc Pink injectors, Walbro 255 fuel pump and STI TMIC?

 

Also, does anyone have a VF30 or TD05-16G for sale?

 

Cheers!

[JDM vs NZDM vs USDM]

Hey guys

 

First time on this site! Good to find a New Zealand site so hopefully there will be some people here with the knowledge I am looking for!

 

I have a 2001 WRX JDM, and am looking at upgrading the Downpipe. As far as I know, the USDM and NZDM V7 (bugeye) wrxs have a cat in upipe and downpipe and the JDM only has one in the Downpipe.

 

Also, as far as I am aware the JDM downpipe is short compared to the USDM downpipes and the midpipes on the JDM is longer compared to USDM.

 

My question is, all I have on the vehicle is an STI Genome axelback. If I am looking to upgrade the Downpipe, where do I begin as trying to find JDM parts seems extremely hard.

 

I was looking at these downpipes https://www.google.com/search?q=invidia+downpipes&rlz=1C1GCEB_enNZ876NZ876&oq=invidia+downpipes&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l2j69i61l3.3919j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on

 

But after messaging them they told me they won’t fit my JDM WRX as they told me they are only for NZ new/Australian vehicles.

 

What to do? Can these be modified easily to fit? Should I just replace the whole exhaust set up with a NZ/US Turboback system?

 

Thanks!