Silver_03

Hello everyone, still new here and I might get flamed to search before asking a question like this. But I've been perusing the dyno sheet threads and I still am not sure what would be the best course of action.

My wife and I just picked up an '03 WRX that is stone stock. It's OK powerwise, but I'm looking to get in the range of somewhere between 250-285 WHP. I'm also looking for this to have a nice powerband so it's useable around town.

With those parameters, what are some possible soloutions to get me there? I'd prefer a reasonably priced one as well, but you can't have everything. I'm not a name-brand *****, so I'm open to parts that might be cheaper just because they're not known.

That being said. Does anyone have any helpful suggestions?

thanks and I truly appreciate the help. I'm very automotive experienced, but I'm new to the WRX world and there's so many choices that I don't want to make a mistake and waste my money.

Sky

AJBoost

iTrader: (17)

Hmmm, well honestly 285 HP will be pushing the limits of the stock WRX internals. You can make it, but reliability is sacrificed. Some might argue that but there is evidence which demonstrates at 300 whp you can expect the internals to fail under load.

250 WHP is easily achieved though...VF-34, Pink Injectors, Fuel Pump along with UP, DP and EM.

Invest in a good suspension setup and up-grade the brakes. Going fast won't do any good if you can't stop! lol

VRT Gump

iTrader: (4)

FP Green, new manifold, new fuel pump, new injectors, FMIC, pro-tune

just call up one of the local shops and talk to them about setting your car up. I highly recomend Gruppe-S, but there are others out there that are good.

I would go with a good suspension set-up and make sure you have the brakes and tires to go with the power also.

MO REX

iTrader: (2)

What’s your budget and do you plan on any autoXing?

I’ve been running a 02 Cobb stage 2 + an upipe (only around 224-230 whp) for around 80k and the car has been very reliable. An Accessport can be had for $600 and a decent TBE and upipe (helix) can be had for around $850 (w/ cat + $110). I know this isn’t the 250-285 WHP you’re looking for but I think it’s a great setup if you’re trying to balance performance with reliability. If you went with a Cobb stage 2 and you weren’t satisfied you could always find a tuner that can Pro tune your car (If you live near one) and add whatever is needed to reach your goal but that will cost quite a bit more since you will need to pay for dyno time, upgrade the turbo, injectors, fuel pump and possibly a bigger intercooler.

Here’s a link to Cobb http://cobbtuning.com/wrx/accessport.html , I think you might be surprised with the difference a reflash, TBE and upipe will make.

Here’s a link on the TBE and upipe http://www.mpjperformance.com/cgi-lo...ry_Code=SUBEXH . I don’t have this setup (I spent a bit more on a TXS DP, STI upipe and Stromung catback) but I’ve heard a lot of great things about it.

Good luck
Joe

Jakes02

iTrader: (1)

lightweight flywheel and crank pulley won't add hp but will get the car going a little quicker. Chasing a hp number isn't always the way to go.

WRX409

+100 On the Cobb stage 2!
I have been hearing super reviews on it and you should be
very happy with the power.You should also consider a catless
uppipe so you can make quicker boost.

ride5000

why on earth would you use a green to net <300whp?

any of the larger vf series IHI turbos (vf30/34/39/23/22), retune, catless exhaust, and injector upgrade will get you 285whp.

meilers

We're talking about the 2.0l, not the 2.5l. 300whp is around 380-410 flywheel HP, not an easy goal for a 2.0l engine on pump gas with an open-deck design. A VF34 with 550cc injectors, fuel pump and an upgraded intercooler will net you about 330 crank HP reliably (+ or - 10hp), far short of 285whp. 93 octane and a VF22 will get you further, but with a narrower power and torque band. When you are taking a stock engine 200hp past the HP it shipped with, you can't just bolt on a few things and hope for the best.

I'd think at the least you'd need a TD05/16G or an FPRed, a full 3" exhaust, 660cc injectors, fuel pump, a good FMIC and a whole bunch of supporting mods (suspension upgrades, bushing upgrades, engine mounts, clutch disc, pitch stopper upgrade, perhaps even fuel rails and a fuel pressure regulator) to make a streetable WRX with that kind of power. I've driven a local shop's 290whp WRX (an 03) and it had the setup I described above; it would make 330whp on race gas. It was *fairly* streetable, but you had to keep the engine at 3000 RPM almost constantly to have good throttle response and power, and it was LOUD. It was also not a stock motor; it had been sleeved and the rods upgraded, and the oil system had been ported in some fashion for better flow. The car has gone 40,000 miles without a single breakdown, so there is much to be said for a "conservative" tune and supporting mods vs. a bolt-on nightmare that will blow up on you because it is pushed past a safe tune.

tekgnosis

I've seen a dyno sheet of 282 to the wheels with a vf34, pinks, fuel pump, catless up pipe and downpipe, 3" back exhaust, and cobb accessport.

it IS possible with the VF series. It's a lot easier with different setups, but everybody likes different things...

ride5000

meilers, you're wrong. to get 285whp:

you do not need a 16g
you do not need an fpred (like that's in any way shape or form anything like a 16g--they don't belong in the same sentence)
you do not need a 3" exhaust
you do not need 660cc injectors
you do not need suspension upgrades
you do not need bushing upgrades
you do not need engine mounts
you do not need a clutch disc
you do not need a pitch stopper
you do not need fuel rails
you do not need an FPR

do you sell parts or something? lol

there are MANY MANY MANY people running "stage 4" setups with lots of miles on them. i am one of them.

what's on YOUR car?

MO REX

iTrader: (2)

Cobb has an off the shelf map (VF34, TBE, STI injectors) that nets 315 at the flywheel. This guy wants between 250-285 whp and I would think that map will get him to 250whp. If he can get 250 whp with an off the shelf map I would think adding a dyno tune with an upipe and catless exhaust would net him at least 275 at the wheels.

Don’t let the post count fool you. I’ve read a lot of posts by ride 5000 (here and other places) and I’ve come to the conclusion that he knows quite a bit about our cars from his own personal experience. I’m not saying that Meilers doesn’t know what he’s talking about (he could be a genius for all I know) but I highly doubt you would need half of the things he listed to get 285whp.

BTW, Vishnu claims they can net you an additional 60-70 HP to the wheels (around 240 whp) with a reprogrammed ecu, power pulley kit, upipe and a TBE.

meilers

The point is not getting to 285hp at the wheels. That may be possible with the smaller turbos if you indeed are willing to accept a narrow powerband, a balky car, a smoked clutch and 90%+ injector duty cycle at WOT.

Let's recap the original post: He said he wanted one that is reliable, streetable and with a wide powerband, using the 03 WRX as a start point. You could indeed strap some STI Pinks, a VF22 and an up-pipe on it and get to the 250whp level on a forgiving dyno. The stock clutch won't survive. The engine will buck and twist in the bay on launch. The car will "lift" on throttle in the front, giving you wheel hop in corners. Cylinder 3 will get terribly hot. The car will make the power of a Civic below 2200 RPM. Once the intercooler heatsoaks, you will be back down to 220 whp (or lower).

If that kind of car is acceptable, if you're the type of driver that can mentally and physically compensate for those quirks, then that's fine. If you want to drive a comfortable, streetable car for the next 5 to 10 years, I've got a feeling it wouldn't work out for you. Supporting mods, as they are called, are a support - a foundation for your other mods. The WRX is a cheapo econo-box compared to the STI, in dozens of ways. If you suddenly ask it to behave like an STI (which often dyno at 220 whp, and we're talking 250-285 here), you'd better be prepared to see something break. At the very least, the transmission is going to be in serious jeopardy suddenly dealing with 120+hp over the power of the stock motor. A very good driver can make it last, but it is still way past the stress they designed it for.

You could also get to 285 with a wet shot of NOS and the stock turbo at 20psi, if you plan on rebuilding the engine and if you only like going in a straight line. It really depends on what you want out of the car. The suggestions I made were to create a WRX that is 100% dependable, smooth to drive and still able to actually apply the power when it matters (such as auto-x or "spirited" driving). If you just want to go out on the highway and beat on Mustangs, so be it.

I don't know what kind of dyno turns 315 at the crank into 250 WHP, but it isn't any I've used. A 70 to 85 whp loss is more common.

Right now I've got an APS up-pipe, APS 3" TBE, h-flow cat, APS TMIC, SPT CAI and the stock turbo boosting to 15.7psi in 3rd (16.6 in 4rth and 5th). It dynos at 210whp, 220 tq. I'm running 80% duty cycle or lower on all injectors; four weeks of logging didn't record a single detonation event. At this WHP my stock cluch slips in 1st and second; the engine moves noticeably in the bay (until I installed the pitch stop) and I can feel the entire driveline flex on a launch. Until I installed a Whiteline ALK and a rear sway bar, I would wheel hop on launch and accelerating out of a corner. The transmission thumped and jolted on downshifts until I upgraded the bushings. Even with the stock turbo the car wasn't "streetable" by my standards until the supporting mods were installed. If you've got different standards, that's fine, but there is more than one right answer to the question.

subie OCD

iTrader: (11)

Thats too dramatic imo, sounds like you need a new clutch also. I run the same setup (minus the intake) 202/204 on the GS dyno and my stock clutch grips like crazy. Its a very streetable conservative tune (low egts), my car is asking for more power. Plenty of wrx owners are pushing over 100whp as daily drivers. As long as you take care of it, it can last.

MO REX

iTrader: (2)

I guess I should have said 245 whp on a Mustang dyno not 250 (315-70=245). If I remember correctly a Mustang dyno reads lower than most.

Wow, I’m surprised you had all those problems considering the HP and torque numbers you posted. My 02 with 98k (80kish @ stage 2) is Cobb stage 2 plus an uppipe which is around 225 WHP on a Mustang dyno and I haven’t had any problems (the original clutch is still holding strong). The first time I did an auto x event the car had SPT springs (very soft), 225/45/17 S03’s and a stoptech stage 2 brake kit. Now I have a Koni/GC setup with GC C/C plates, a RSB and the car has been through quite a few autoX’s and track days with none of the problems that you’re talking about. I don’t slam gears or go out launching my car off the line very much (no drag) so that may be why my clutch is still holding strong but I am very competitive at the track. Maybe it has something to do with tires or driving style.

Don’t get me wrong, I plan on buying a rear subframe lock kit, steering rack bushings, a FSB, an ALK and quite a few other things since I track the car but I don’t think any of that stuff is needed on a street car.

WRX409

A Mustang dyno is 15-20% lower from all the dyno's I have seen.