help with swap
 

Hey guys, Ive got a 2005 forester xt. Over the past year Ive picked up some swap parts for the car. I have a vf39, STi intercooler, STi upipe, and invidia downpipe with a stock STi cat back.

Im kinda of looking for some things that Ill need to make the swap as smooth as possible.

I have new gaskets for between the uppipe and turbo and between the upipe and exhaust manifold. new gaskets between the turbo and downpipe and between the downpipe and catback.
I saw on an install video that there was some type of sealant or something that was being put onto the gaskets...any insight?

Ive read the intercooler will rub against the AC lines, so I can either bend them and wrap the lines in some thick rubber or I saw someone that put a grommet/spacer of some sort under the intercooler tabs to lift the intercooler a little and didnt have to mess with the AC lines. Has anyone else heard about this second method?

I have an STi recirculation hose too...i guess the forester one is part metal/part rubber and wont fully reach to where I need to go...

Any other extra nuts/bolts/lubes that come to mind that you think will make this intall a little smoother? Id rather pick them up and stock them instead of having to run back and forth during the event

Thanks a bunch!
~Scuba

Oh I forgot, Im planning on getting it tuned at K-Speed. Anyone have experience with their tuning?

I haven't changed my IC yet, but I did do the uppipe, downpipe and catback on my own. I didn't need any sealant for any of the gaskets. I used the Grimmspeed gaskets and everything seems to have sealed well. I would get some PB blaster or something similar and soak all the bolts (including the ones on the heatshields) the night before you are going to start working on it.

I also got tuned at Kspeed after the parts went on, I feel like Matt did a good job and knows what he is doing. He had to change the restrictor pill when he did mine, so you might ask him about that. I had my car back the day after I dropped it off, so it was pretty fast.

cool, good to hear about the tuning. Im looking forward to it!
Thanks!

I ran into this problem with a larger intercooler in my old WRX. If you take some left over hose (that preferably has a similar inner diameter size as the outer diameter of the AC lines) cut it down the middle, wrap it around the metal AC lines that are going to be in contact with the intercooler, then zip tie it on. It worked great for me.

Thanks man!
I appreciate the input, I think I read something similar... Ill let ya know how it goes

good link talking about almost the same thing on subaruforester.org

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulle...21/index2.html

if anyone else needs some good pointers...

Woo Hoo! Its done and tuned! It is a whole different beast. Very fun to drive!
Props to Matt at KSpeed for the tune!