Bolt-on's for '04 WRX

[Mercureie 10+ year member]

Just got a WRX and have got a list of the bolt-on's i want to do, just wanna know if anyone would do anything else.

For power- Cat-back exhaust, Piggy-back ECU, Cold-air intake.

For handling- Rear sway bar and endlinks, front strut tower bar.

I will also be gettin a set of 17 or 18's soon. Is there anything here that would not be benefical or is there anything more that would be nessecary? thanks for any input, i only have limited knowlege about this sort of thing.

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[wErd 5,000+ posts]

get a whole new exhuast from the headers to the downpipe all the way back, that is where turbo charged cars benefit the most.

 

[dbhittin 5,000+ posts]

get a boost controler to help with turbo lag and turn up the boost. Front mount intercooler. My friend has a 2002? wrx and has exhaust and boost controler and runs 13.4 in the 1/4

 

[UndercoverPunk 5,000+ posts]

the thing that I would get for a 04' WRX to make it faster is the STi package... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

 

[dbhittin 5,000+ posts]

thats just a diff. turbo and intercooler

 

[UndercoverPunk 5,000+ posts]

ok the thing I don't get about what you said is why a front mount intercooler? what's wrong with where it is now...? not trying to be a dick, please educate me (I drive a Caprice... I know NOTHING about turbo cars... except I love the STi)

and don't the STi's hit 13's off the lot?

 

[Mercureie 10+ year member]

This car will be a daily driver for me and my brother so i am not trying to get tons of boost and mess with the everyday drivability of the car. I was looking at a few piggy-back systems that also have a boost controller in them. But before i do that i will probably get a new uppipe and downpipe to replace the factory ones, like wErd said. The only question i have is that replacing those will eliminate two of the three factory cats, is this still legal to drive with on one cat? There are three cats in the system on on the up-pipe, one on the downpipe and one on the final exhaust tube, is it still legal to drive with only the last one, or should i get down and up pipes with high flow cats?

 

[wErd 5,000+ posts]

with one cat you should be fine depending on state laws. also you might want to get a turbo timer, it keeps your car at idle after you park it so it will keep the turbo spooling a little so it has time to "warm down" and increase the life of your turbine.

 

[Bryce M 10+ year member]

More air in more air out

I would run a completely new exaust set up with a high flow cat or cat's

Ecu for sure you have alot more boost you could be making this will increase that and change your A/f as well. you could run a manual setup (which is what I would do but you have to be careful and you would absolutely need a A/f gauge a good one too not a cheapie)

cold air intake would be a good idea

underdrive pulley

you can go farther but those are all basic mods that will give you a good amount of power without sacficing much and they all support future mods

 

[Mercureie 10+ year member]

i thought about a cold-air intake but have heard that it will make the wrx run lean and should not be added until the proper fuel adjustments are made. So i prolly would nto want to get that cold-air intake until afte i get an ecu. How much do turbo timers usually go for, and are they easy to install?

 

[wErd 5,000+ posts]

your computer should fix the a/f mixture by itself.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

thats just a diff. turbo and intercooler

correct me if im wrong but i believe the STI has a completely different engine. its not the same as the wrx. i could be wrong but im pretty sure im right.

 

[trungthiendo 10+ year member]

front mount are bigger than the stock intercooler. The stock intercooler also lays right on top of the engine itself, hot air rises, so that has some affect on how cool the intercooler can cool the compressed air.

 

[goalieman24 10+ year member]

front mount are bigger than the stock intercooler. The stock intercooler also lays right on top of the engine itself, hot air rises, so that has some affect on how cool the intercooler can cool the compressed air.

but umm... the scoop on the hood isnt there for looks. right under that is... you guessed it... the top mount IC. Plenty of cooler air coming from outside

 

[trungthiendo 10+ year member]

but the stock intercooler is smaller than a front mount...front mounts depending on what u get have like 3 rows for cooling...it is for running higher boost.