MarkJHarris

The light fitted in the WRX low spoiler I think uses the same LED unit as the STi one. I swapped over and they certainly look the same, except for the housing being painted on one of the them.

Reached the top and there's now plenty to go around. Except I can't afford to bring mine over for a bit. Ho hum...

Which is what I'll do this Summer when I take it down for the cam belts at Alan's.

Hi, I had the same problem. I now have a spare pump as mine was ok and the fault was a seized (open) solenoid valve. If you look at parts 1 and 6 in the abov e picture, these are the two valves, for sending the fresh compressed air into the exhaust ports. They get moisture in them, particularly the front one, 6. This was my fault. It had put the MIL light on and eventually had gone into limp mode restricting boost to 0.5 bar. I got two newer, clean valves from Alan Jeffery at a quite reasonable price of £50 for both. The aft one is easy to change bu the front one is an utter pig. to get to the mounting bolt, it requires the alternator, air con pump, and the guide to the wiring under the manifold to be all unbolted/removed. The back one needs the intercooler to come off. All done and working fine now. Spare pump available if anyone wants it. I could block them off but I have limited access to a mapping agent here so it can wait until I go down to Alan later in the year for the Cam Belt change. The Turbo itself really blocks access to the pipe fitting in the right head, very tight indeed. Probably easier to block off and seal at the other end of the pipe and leave it there.. Only fitted to 2.5 cars and a pain in the arse. I keep my engine bay looking stock which is why I didn't remove them. If it's seized open it will cause lean running and a fault/detune so needs attention either way. Once they are working fine they can be switched off and left on. Now that is a nuisance...

Being Manx registered mine fell out of the system. Back now and waiting. Apparently every dealer has a waiting list and they work down it whenever they get supplied the parts, usually a couple every month. Pretty pitiful from IM but maybe it's a worldwide supply issue rather than them. I should reach the top of the queue in April.....

Coilovers give you adjustment. It's up to the buyer to specify what they want. Beware the sets that lower your car, that's my main point. lower cars with lower roll centres need stiffer springs and thus firmer damping. A set that allows standard ride height, means you can use softer springs and tune the damping to your preference. I can only recommend BC Racing's ER series from my own experience. I ordered them long travel and plush high speed damping. That's just how they came. Mid point in the adjustment of the lower mounts was exactly the same physical length of the O.E. struts. That gave me 40mm of possible adjustment either way. I never run them longer as the headlight level sensors and ABS sensor cables might be damaged if I do. Spring length and helper springs are then tuned for actual rider height. I now run with 6kg front and 5kg rear. Damping is about half way 15 turns out all; round as a start. At 20 turns out the car tends to wallow a bit, below 10 it bangs and crashes on poorer roads. I have much longer 4kg and 3 1/2kg springs for Winter if I plan to use it more. Not bothered this Winter.

Sorry about the delay. Coil overs can be a straight swap but it depends on what you specify. Often Coils are specced to lower the ride height (a bad thing) and give too harsh a ride. The problems with the standard car are simple. Too soft springs and long bump stops that come into play too soon, changing the rate and leaving the damping wrong. Too much anti-dive/squat in the front end causing understeer under load and harshness braking into bumpy corners. Good points are long lower arms and quite upright struts thus having a relatively high roll centre with low Centre of gravity. Low roll torque means they can get away with softer springs and improve ride on smooth roads. Ford's Mondeo had the same thing and transformed the quality of normal cars as a result. Fixes include Whiteline's Anti-Lift kit. Bigger rear anti-roll bar and best of all, coil over struts to give a better spring/damper setup. I use BC ER series coils, specced with 6kg/5kg F/R springs and plush high speed damping. I have the long travel option with helper springs fitted too. This way I can run O.E. ride height or slightly higher for winter as well as dropping it for track work if I wanted. The Pillow Ball adjustable top mounts allow for alternative roll centre changes too, allowing me to trim the roll centres to stop diving when cornering. The Standard car pitches into the back corner too easily... mine rolls flat. Hope that helps. Cheaper Coils just drop the car and need the stiffer springs to stop the increased roll that comes with lower roll centre. Sorry, I do prattle on. Roll centre is the point about which the suspension causes the car to rotate. It is found by finding the line drawn from inner to outer lower arm pivots and extended, with the line drawn perpendicular to the top of the strut and where they intersect, draw back to the centre of the tyre contact patch. Where this crosses the centreline of the car is the roll centre. Centre of Gravity is what it is. The distance from this point to the roll centre determines the roll torque caused by side loads when cornering. The Springs and Anti-Roll bars counter this force. Lowering the car 1" will lower the CoG 1". The Roll centre will drop 3"-4" at least. Thus the roll torque increases. The car will roll more (notice all cars roll more when full of extra people/baggage).Stiff springs are used to counter this. That's the theory.

NO! I do wish folk would stop lowering their Imprezas. It may "look" nice but it plays havoc with the handling. The standard car is bad enough... It's all about the roll centres..

Coil overs are the answer. Damping and spring rate are what you spec. First you need to know more about what is fitted as O.E. On my 2006 STi, the stock springs were 4kg and 3 3/.4 rear. I have 6kg/5kg now fitted. I specced long travel plush high speed damping for my BC ER series coil over package.I use normal springs and helpers, switching to longer 4kg and 3/3/4kg springs for Winter if I'm using it a lot. (not bothered this winter). I can go from bouncy and undamped to rock hard with a few clicks so it's tunable as I so desire. Your new version is different at the back but I think, coils are available with seperate Bump/Rebound adjusters. Otherwise- You got the wrong car/Wife? Get her something she likes and keep the Scooby for yourself.

Still need to wire it up but have the circuit drawn out OK. A pair of 10 minute rear heating circuit relays on order and found a switch that goes into the blank where the headlight levelling would be. The aim is to wire the light in it up to the output so when it goes off so does the little switch light. Shame I couldn't find a momentary latching switch instead but might find one before I get the chance to do it. Back at work now for a few days of lovely standby....

Hi all. i know this topic crops up every few years, going by the searches... I've just had one fitted into my Spec D 06 STi. Very nice it is too. View is just like a ford, only oncoming sunlight gives a slight view of the filaments. Two separate elements in this one from Ricky Evans Motorsport. £250 odd, but went through my insurance as I had a large chip in the original. Downsides? No gap in the screen printing for the chassis number plate. No spotted tint between the sun visors either. Best bit is the wires come from the bottom edge so you can wire it up outside the car instead of messing about under the dash save for the switch. Used universal edge trim that is close to the O.E. style. Will finish the wiring tomorrow. Still sorting the I.C.E. out right now....

I have a nice French sourced Wifi one. Cleared a few codes on my Espace and will show sensor data on my phone app too. Also used it on my STi to clear out the codes when I replaced the Starter air solenoids. Very useful tool.

Is it standard? Not much difference underneath to a Saloon except Wagons tend to be narrower in the body. Roll is a factor of The Centre of gravity in relation to the roll centre giving rise to a roll torque when a side acceleration is applied. In English, When you turn the wheel it will roll more if the roll centre is lower, i.e. the car is lowered, or the springs are soft, or anti roll bars smaller. The cheapest way to reduce roll is a set of slightly stiffer springs. This in itself will lift the car a touch raising roll centre and reducing roll. Second hand saloon WRX parts maybe? Probably a bit obvious. sorry.

A bigger bonnet scoop and paint the skirts and she's done.

what's an MOT? :-)

To sign off on this topic. I'm Home! First day Ankara (-12) to Izmir. Second day spent in Izmir with a mate. First proper day I went first North to Canakkale, via Troya. (Had to visit as I was going past!). Then Ferry to Europe...well, across the Dardanelles to Kilitbahir which was all of a mile and a bit away. Then North (I'll stop saying that now) to Edirne and an hour spent stripping everything out to get the car X-Rayed by Turkish Customs as a leaving present! Better packed afterwards, so Bulgarians just prodded the pile and said Welcome. Got to the same Motel as last Time South of Sofia for the night. Next day the fun happened! I've been using Silkolene Pro Boost additive in Turkey, but Bulgaria was 100 Octane, filled just after the border and again just before I got to Serbia. Serbian Customs is usually as bad as Turkish but I got a huge ugly face in the window say " Do you have any drugs" is a heavy accent instead. "No" I said. " Ok2 said he, waving me on. Nothing like motivation.... Anyway Once I was onto the Motorway all seemed plain sailing. In Turkey the cart had been pinking once over 0.5BAR and I had blamed that on the fuel not mixing with the additive properly. On 100 it had run better and just the odd hiccup at 1.0BAR. Now the crunch. I needed fuel in Serbia. The memory of 100 being available was shattered when I found only 95 at every garage I sopped at, until at 322 miles on the trip gauge I gave in. Mixed in some additive and filled up. Immediately I pulled away I got pinking, not at 0.5BAR but any time I got near Atmospheric zero boost on the gauge. Oops./ I'd used plenty of Octane in the mix so it should have been ok to 0.5BAR anyway. So, I limped on. I needed to get 300 miles to empty this crap out before I could press on again and was sooo careful, yet it got worse and worse. And of course, after 50 miles I started seeing stations with 100 fuel again! Bugger. Anyway, as I reached Croatia, I crossed over and carried on limping until the toll booth near Zagreb. Then it happened. Flashing Engine light and rouch running. I'd lost a plug........ at 5pm on a Thursday. Near Zagreb. In Croatia. eek. I stopped in front of a Truck on the hard shoulder (for cover) and asked him for directions which was very helpful; the first turn was a motorway and second for the town. Into Zagreb I spotted a shopping centre and limped there to ask a local where a Motor Factor or garage was. 1. They all speak perfect English. 2. They have virtually the same shops and keep the same hours as we do. 3. they look just like us. Funny that. I found a factor and he had plugs! and a garage local who could help. So the mechanic came out and led me back to... the Shopping centre. The Garage was in the underground car park! Who knew. Yes, I'd found a great little service garage, who spoke perfect English, worked till 10pm and had a spare ramp for me. 170 Euro and 2 hours later I was on my way. Guilty! All four were shot. Should have serviced the car before I left.... Anyway. Made it to Graz that night and didn't sleep for long. On the road at 03:00 and by 02:15 I was in my cabin on the Steam Packet ride to the Island. Questions: Why is my car more economical at a steady 110mph on the Autobahn than at 70 on UK motorways? Why do the Germnans have such a good reputation for driving? The ones I saw were aggressive, impatient and unable to judge closing rates well at all. All full throttle and full on braking. No concept of looking ahead to see if the car in front actually had any space to pull over into before you rammed them... dickheads. Dear Manchester, please when you are doing roadworks give some idea of how to actually get from the M60 to the M6 Northbound on your signs.

....and in a few days I get to do it all again in reverse...

So, just a few pics. I get to do it all over at the end of January as I make my own way back. This time though, time is no issue, so I'll be meandering my way back probably via Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro and the coast road round the Aegian to Italy and onto France and then home via my Brother in Laws in Limoges. Far more relaxed than the manic high speed dash there. Motorways only when I have to. Can't wait. Softer Springs were definitely the right option, but I've gradually increased damping as weeks have gone on, and it's lovely to float over the bumps instead of crashing over them. 225lb/in/200lb/in. I might try 200/180lb/in just to see next winter. Happy New Year everyone. Drive safe.

Not really an achievement. It's a Subaru. The achievement was spending nearly the whole trip off boost! Still cost a fortune in fuel... I have to say it runs very smoothly on 100 octane fuel... Now to put a bit of camber and damping back in while I'm here. Need to rotate the tyres from to back as well.

I have a very nice custom cover for mine, fits like a glove. Paid about £180 I think if my memory serves me but worth the extra for a proper job. You have to tie the damn things down properly in the wind else the movement causes issues with your paintwork. If only I could remember the name on the bloody thing. It's at home as I didn't bring it out with me due to space on the return journey.

And I've arrived. Motorway from the Chunnel all the way to southern Serbia...after that some breathtaking roads through the mountains... the motorway is being built that will remove that. 100 Octane fuel available until the Turkish border.... who knew! Yep, even Bulgaria has the good stuff. My car has never run as well.... Shame the Winter tyres took a bit of a bash on dry roads at 10-17 degrees. I had to be very careful and light on the right foot...... The softer springs were definitely the right decision. First night just past Brussels (20:20 train). Second in Croatia. Third at the actually delightful and recommended Outlet Hotel just outside Sofia on the road to Plovdiv. Finally arrived 3 days and 2 hours after setting off at Calais. I have a few pictures but most of the interesting places I went through in the dark. Scooby never missed a beat. I think I'll get the ferry back.....

No Space saver has more tread on! The Winter tyres have nearly new tread so should be quite resistant... for a bit. Leaving in about an hour so just in case....seeya!

Had a look at the HID lights today. I can't see how they convert from RHD to LHD at all. The beam is very flat on them so I doubt it's much of a problem but I could get the bulb out easily enough but nothing else. The was a second screw at the bottom but I can't find anything on it on t'web. Hmm. Valeted inside and ready to polish up now...

Plenty of snow in Ankara come late December early Jan so the winter tyres will get a good play. I've removed the rear wing and fog light covers to make it a bit less "in your face". ferries booked and route planned and in the freshly updated Tomtom. beats using roaming data on the phone... I'll post a few pics if I can later next year when I get back.

Well, As I work in Turkey until next Feb, I thought it's getting a pain not having a car there. So........ OK. I think I might just be a bit potty. I have only done 900 miles in the last two years in the Scooby, so it's time for a drive. I leave the Island on evening of the 21st to arrive in Ankara turkey not later than the evening of the 27th. Ferry to Heysham and Chunnel booked. Plus for the first time in my life I've actually bought travel insurance. Result is my own car insurance is valid until the Turkish border where you buy cover as needed. I have PMI once there, so should be safe enough if I can avoid migrants at the Chunnel and along the way through the Balkans. If Alan is seeing this, worry not, I will be buying a good supply of Octane booster to take with me. Current fuel is a bit stale and makes the car run rough anyway so it needs a damn good run. Just got to change the oil and fit the Winter Tyres and offski I go. Wish me luck. I'm only taking it so I can bring the contents of my apartment back safely. (PC and bits of flight simulator rig). Some things don't fit in suitcases.... Before anyone has a suggestion, I'm booked into Demon Tweeks to change the springs over for some very soft long items to fit on the BE coilovers. I knew it was a good idea to get long travel ones....