I never though you were implying that Nissan would do it for free. I just said it would be expensive and inconvenient.

And my "waiting 'till 2010" was, at least I thought, obvious hyperbole.

I did it with a black Z for almost a year... :lol:

And how'd that work out for you? :lol:

It wasn't so bad once I cut the roots that it grew into the concrete.

I'm glad you finally decided to get rid of the old albatross. I know it's a hard decision but it's a good one. FWIW the new STI is supposed to get DI in the next model year or two. Might be worth holding out for.

Deciding to sell it, and actually selling it are two unrelated things. I don't think I can get what I need from a buyer to let it go. I think I'll have to drive that bitch until I crash it and part out whatever's not destroyed.

True, but you've taken the first step to recovery.

If you would like I am more than willing to strap myself in and take it past the edge out at RFR.
Then you get a new car and I can tell all my girlies that I rolled a car :lol: just make sure to get it on video, one in car and one from a distance.

If he breaks a leg, I've got second dibbs, just with a bunch of semi fast laps and a dumb easy crash...something like a pacecar might experience.

You gotta total it though none of that pacecar stuff.

I trust Scott's saftey equipment.

This isn't supposed to be so familiar looking. :unamused:

Maybe someone already suggested this but if not

Perhaps consider buying an STI short block (Stock) put it in with a stock turbo, leave the front mount, tune it to stock boost levels, and sell it as a running STI swap, with lots of spares... ?? (and or spares extra) .

hey do you happen to have the WRX rear diff , half shafts and drive shaft still?

I'm probably going to end up going to a stock shortblock, but leave the fpGreen, Hydra, etc. Doing a true "stock" STI swap is going to involve wiring and a new ECU and cost a bit too much to be worth it.

And no, I don't have the rear diff or axles... they got "lost" by S-Squared. But I do have a non-LSD 3.545 R160 out of my SVX. I'd be happy to sell it to ya for cheap, and you're just a LSD carrier away from a spare WRX rear-end.

I dropped the motor off at AIMS this morning. Robert was really cool about looking into the motor and told me he'd be happy to take care of the labor for fixing it if I cover the cost for parts. :cool: The real question will be whether or not the block is salvageable.

Personally, will all the problems I've had with the block, I'd prefer just putting in a brand new short-block and just dial back the boost for the lack of forged pistons. But on the other hand, if I can get the motor running again for just the cost of new bearings... that would save me oh about $1800. :lol:

Either way, +1 to AIMS for being willing to work with me on the situation.

As far as the damage, Robert says that usually if the motor was assembled with the incorrect size bearings or something like that, it either would have failed nearly immediately or even just failed to turn over... not 400 miles into the break-in. But there's still the chance that the clearances were just a touch too tight for the oil pressure I was running, which was MikeW's guess at the issue.

Most likely, according to Robert, the problem was debris contamination in the motor. But AIMS hot-tanked both the heads and the short-block, and I either replaced or cleaned out all the hoses and oil fittings, etc that went back on the motor... I really made an effort to ensure everything was as clean as possible, including throwing out my oil cooler with the knowledge that I would likely never be able to get it totally cleaned out. I can't really see how there would be enough debris in there to destroy the bottom end during break-in.

So, next week they should be able to get the motor apart and figure out what can be saved. If the pistons look like they're okay, and the crank can be reused, I'll probably just order up some Cosworth main and rod bearings and give the block another chance. If the crank is dead, or there's more damage than can be machined away, or if the heads are toast... then I should probably be looking for a 2.0L WRX long-block for cheap to get the car running and past smog and sell it that way to someone looking for a racecar.

F-you credit card!

I just ordered a new STi shortblock from Subaru. Should be in on Thursday. Got it at the wholesale price which is still a bit more than the online price, but even with tax I'm still coming in reasonably when you consider shipping from elsewhere.

And the reason for this of course is that I got the news that my old block is not going to be salvageable. The crank has seen too much damage from the latest bearing failure, and the cylinders are too scored (from the previous wear on them that couldn't be totally honed out because it was already bored, plus what appears to be some wash-down wear from idling too rich in open loop early on).

As far as what caused the bearing failure, AIMS believes it was debris from the previous build still in the oil. Even though I clean the bejesus out of the oil/water heat exchanger, apparently that is *not* a part that can be reused on a block after a bearing lets go. Robert over at AIMS has seen it a bunch of times... reuse the heat exchanger or oil cooler, and you get about 500 to 1000 miles into the new motor and there it goes. He even warned me about not reusing the "oil cooler", which I took to heart and tossed out my old oil cooler while thinking nothing of the heat exchanger which is also sort of an "oil cooler" as well. :unamused:

So, I'm gonna get this thing back together with a fresh OEM block, switch back to 91 octane, crank down the boost to 18psi, and target the retune for around 300-325awhp. Then I have to make the hard decision about whether or not to sell the damn thing.

Yay for new shortblock!
fuck your credit card...and crickets too!(for Dean).
I want to see you at the autocross, for the first time since I started going, not competing....just going:)

Well, MattR and I are event chairs for the August event, so if we ever get a location squared away, I'll at least be at that one, with or without a car. :lol:

Auto-X the SVX.

Just what I need, two busted cars!

You know you should sell it... :|

That's the problem... I don't know.

If I sell it, sure I'll likely save myself some money the next time it breaks... but at the same time, if I want to go racing, I'm going to have to buy something else (like a SBC powered Z-car)... and who knows how much cheaper that will be. The WRX is still probably my cheapest option for going racing, as it's already paid for.

Really, the decision here is not whether or not to keep the WRX, it's whether or not to keep racing. It's been over a year since I last drove the car, and I'm really missing it.

Welp... it just turned over twice and started right up. :cool:

I'm still missing a cap for the water injection port on the intake, so I can't just go drive around under boost (plus it's a little late to drive something so loud)... but the car is running!

Awesome! when are you going for a tune?

Awesome!

Well, I gotta get some miles on it as is to get the initial break in done (like 20 miles or so). Then I can try to wire up a stock ECU w/ RomRaider to build a map that will pass smog. Then it's back to the Hydra for 1000 miles of real break in time, which is why I need to pass smog, so I don't have to drive it around for 1000 miles w/o registration.

Once the break in is done, I'll probably just head out to a Fernley test-n-tune day and tweak the map that MikeW made for the car, since the car is basically unchanged aside from the last of forged pistons... so I can just dial back the boost and the timing a little, and I should be okay. I'm not looking for a ton of power, I think the car will be plenty fast.

You can probably get 1000 miles in in 30 days, which means you can probably get by with just a tweaker tag.

Glad to hear it's living, man :)

After 6 hours of messing with wiring trying to get the proper voltage to the flash jumper (for whatever reason, lots of '02s seem to have problems seeing the proper 12V at the jumper and of course I happen to have on of the early '02s with the problem :unamused: ) I've got a map on the stock ECU allowing the car to idle, and *not* throwing any CELs (so far).

All I remapped was the injector latency and the injector scaling for my PE800's using some data from Cobb, and then I turned off all the CELs associated with all the missing EVAP, EGT and O2 sensors that aren't on my car anymore. I'm dying for a standalone wideband O2 sensor... I've got one built into the Hydra, but I can't use it with the stock ECU plugged in. I may have to go pick up a Innovate LC-1 which will work with RomRaider's logger... or better yet an LM-2 which works with the software *and* has a hand-held display making it actually useful without a laptop, but costs like $400 :mad:.

Anyway, the wideband is needed 'cause the MAF tables are still bone stock for the '02 WRX, and I'm running a 2.5L block with a FPGreen blowing thru a 70mm MAF housing... :lol: Not exactly what the original map was intended for. The car starts right up and runs, but the idle is a little rough (though it does idle better than the Hydra did in the past :lol: ). The bottom line is that it looks like I'll be able to put together a map for this thing on the stock ECU. It's going to be a PITA, 'cause this RomRaider software and OpenECU flasher stuff is so damn flaky and underdeveloped (the Hydra is pretty crappy itself, and it blows this free stuff away). But I think I'll be able to get this bitch registered and on the street for a proper break in, even if it means I'll likely miss the remainder of the trials season.

You shouldn't need a wideband O2 sensor to get the car the run and drive (and pass emissions). The stock one is fine above 12:1 AFR and the ECU uses it for closed loop anyway.

Am I going to need the front and rear stock O2 sensors? Or does it just use the second one for checking for cat efficiency?

As I understand it, the rear O2 is mainly for DP cat efficiency but I've heard it's used for fine fuel trim or something like that too. I can tell you that I removed mine and replaced it with Ed's wideband last time he tuned my car.

The front one is the main one it uses for closed loop. I have read that the rear one does some minor trimming too ( along with cat. eff.), but the front one is the one to log. Also log the fuel learning #1 & #2 along with MAF voltage. In closed loop you want the learning to be near zero and you tweak the MAF table to get there. To tune the lower end of the MAF table (what you need to pass smog) I usually log idle and a few progressive part-throttle runs staying in closed loop (less than 5psi boost or so). Then I put the logs in Excel and make some graphs of total learning versus MAF voltage. Focus on trends and ignore noise. Call me if you want to discuss or need help.

*** Stay out of open loop until the Hydra is back on.

Great info!

I'm definitely not going to get into open loop at all on the stock ECU... I'm pretty sure it won't like the MBC, even with it set to minimal boost. Besides, I set the red-line to 4000 rpm already, so I won't exactly be hauling any ass.

The ECU will be fine with the MBC - it will have no clue about it. Keep in mind that even though the MBC is tuned all the way down your turbo will still be able to boost to whatever your wastegate spring is calibrated to (prolly 14-18psi on that FP Green). You can also just jumper the boost hose directly to the wastegate for minimum boost, but the spring still is the factor.

Yeah, I know. My point was that running the stock ECU w/ the MBC in open loop leads to that whole pesky partial-throttle/full-boost kerblamo situation, specifically because even with the MBC set to minimal boost, wastegate boost is around 16psi which is still too much boost for the stock WRC fuel maps.

I think that turbo is big enough you won't get that part-throttle/hi-boost going on. But definitely watch out for it - any boost above 5psi.

can't you just put your bcs back in?

It's actually in there and wired to the ECU to prevent CELs... just not plumbed to the turbo. I just don't need it for boost control, since the car should never see boost on the emissions map.

I've heard leaving it connected can cause it to destroy itself and make an annoying ticking noise (like you'd hear it...) so I disconnected mine. The CEL is defeatable with Protuner, that much I know.

Um... okay.

I'm sure I can turn off the CEL with RomRaider... I just haven't gotten that far. It's not like I'm driving the car around. I put a whopping 2 miles on it around my neighborhood on the Hydra right after I first fired the motor to check for leaks and to warm it up under some light load, rather than just at idle like I did the last time.

If I end up tuning this thing myself, I'll probably go to a GM solenoid, assuming the Hydra can control it. I'd rather be able to program my boost, than to rely on a fixed setting with the MBC, even if the MBC give me faster response. With an EBC on the Hydra, I can do stuff like anti-lag, flat-foot shifting, etc. :cool:

Um... Okay.

If your Wideband uses a Bosch sensor, you can get away with a LC-1 control module only. A LC-1 is basically the same as a LM-1 minus the box. It has analog and digital outputs to feed either type of gauge in addition to a serial line obviously. I run an analog gauge because they are cheaper. :)

You should be able to rescale any of the maps for your configuration. You don't have as many tables as the STI, but should have plenty of latitude to make a closed loop and even low boost open map.

If you have the injectors mapped, mapping your intake is the next challenge to get it to hunting less or not at all at any point in open loop.

I have a spreadsheet that does double interpolation from logs to try and build the intake map based on trims and targets. It still requires some manual trimming of idle and off throttle data, but works for me.

LC-1 you say? Greg Benson welded a bung for the O2 sensor for it on Sunday, and I did half the wiring last night, but the install is taking a while because I'm cutting a dash piece for the stereo area to mount the display in (along w/ the Defi control box, the DCCD control box, and a few switches). Unfortunately, the Hydra's WBO2 is not a Bosch (it's a WEGO) so I couldn't just get the LC-1 controller. But I figure, having two WB's isn't total waste, now I've got one for the ECU to log with, and an independent one to compare against that's got a display in the dash (plus I can log with it on the laptop as well for OEM ECU tuning).

How'd you run the O2 sensor itself on your install? I like being able to drop the DP w/o having to take out the O2 sensors, but that means installing the "lambda wire" control box under the car where it's exposed to all sorts of water/oil/rubber/rocks/etc just so I can unplug the sensor... so I mounted the control box under the center arm rest and ran the O2 sensor through the shifter boot to the exhaust... so only the sensor itself is exposed to the elements, but I'm gonna have to unscrew it every time I take off the exhaust.

My LC-1 controller is just inside the firewall with the cable coming through one of the bulkhead grommets. Sensor is just behind the turbo in the DP basically under the side of the top mount.

Sensor must be removed to remove DP.

So that whole "the sensor ideally should be 2-3 feet from the end of the exhaust, 6" after the turbo is *not* a good location" recommendation got ignored? :lol:

http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/v...r_content.html

That is where the bung in the DP already was and it has to be in the DP somewhere as I still have a cat after the DP. If I get a new exhaust, it will likely move down the DP further. I did make one of the large copper heatsinks as described in the manual which should be getting plenty of airflow being right under the IC.

Replacement sensors are about $50... It is a standard VW part.

I wasn't really concerned with the location... I figure, if the stock narrowband can survive in the header 6" from the block for 100,000 miles, the WB can survive anywhere in the DP... but the hotter it runs, the more often you should pull it out and recalibrate it to free air. As long as the EGTs are <1300F and pipe temps are <900F it's within operating range, right? Either way, you gotta be ahead of the cat... since I'm catless, I just used the rear O2 bung that was already in the back of the DP for my WEGO... then had a second bung welded right next to it for the Bosch.

And Greg was telling me the Bosch WB are like $38 from the dealerships. :lol: That's cheaper than a narrowband sensor for the SVX.

I concur with the LC-1 vote.

My controller box thingy is mounted to the side of the transmission brace. Been that way since the LC-1 came out. No problems. It's a pretty fast reading setup. I use the XD-1 digital gauge (replaced by the XD-16).
One of the analog outs is setup for narrow band O2 sensor simulation and wired to the ECU. LC-1 is in place of the Stock rear O2 at the end of the downpipe.



I think the issue with the rear O2 sensor trim problem people were/are having is only related to the 32bit ECUs.

I noticed that the analog out 1 simulates a narrowband... I wasn't going to bother to wire it up to the ECU... but that may be an option if the car drives oddly. However, changes are with the limited use I'm going to be getting on the stock ECU, ever if things are "off" it's probably not an issue anyway.