Chip?

Some of you may remember a while back I was asking about Imprezas because a buddy was getting one well he got one a new 2005 silver 2.5RS A/T, a few weeks after he got it he wrapped it around a telephone pole. his insurance company bought him a black 2006 2.5i A/T. He was put on driving probation for 195 days, his probation is over. He got a job and calls me all the time about when what we can do to it. So I was looking around and I came across these chips on EBAY there are like 4 different ones from $5 to $20. Has anyone bought one? Do you think they work? I know 20HP is very generous and real gains may be like 5HP. But for $15 5HP is pretty good. Here is a link to one of them.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ULTIMATE-PERFORMANCE-CHIP-SUBARU-IMPREZA-1993-2006_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33597QQihZ011QQite mZ320002364069QQrdZ1

We are also planning on a cold air intake from WSS as well as WSS exhuast and possibly their race headers as well.

From the seller's feedback: "thankyou for the 2 cent resistor"

Smells like a scam. Yes, it probably boosts the power a bit by tricking the ECU somewhere. Is it worth it? Most definately not.

Okie, let me help save you even more beyond just what Jay tells you, which is the truth.
Those chips are a gimmick and a waste of time.

Subaru have a range of parts through their SPT group, they're good value for money and don't effect the factory warranty.
If you want an intake, get the SPT one, it's good value for money IMO.

Secondly, do any exhaust mods BEFORE you mod on the intake side, there is NO point in giving better flow into the engine if the engine still has to fight to exhaust the spent gas.

http://www.subarugenuineparts.com/

Thanks it did soud way to good to be true. WSS is my company and I working with the local Subaru dealership to make sure I don't break his warranty. As for suspension and aero I looked at your SPT link. Will STi suspension and chassis peices from SPT fit the 2.5i as long as the year is right? Like the SPT STi rear underbody diffuser? SPT seems to be very affordable and I haven't heard any thing bad about them.

While the 2006 drivetrains are clearly distinct, the 06 Impreza chassis is the same across all models. STi, WRX, and any aftermarket suspension or chassis parts intended for either will work on a 2.5i.

Can I get SPT parts through the subaru dealership? So I can pay cash there and not pay the high cost of individual shipping?

Yes, any dealership will be able to get you SPT parts.

And none of the SPT parts will void the warranty? They don't make an Intake for the 2.5i, nor do they make headers or a full exhuast. So those parts would be made by me, plus they would be cheaper. However how is Subaru with bolt ons? Will those three simple parts, not from SPT void his warranty?

Also is the 2006 2.5i SOHC or DOHC?

Good lord, didn't the car come with a handbook??

It's a SOHC, just like the 2.5 has been for years.

Driver Handbooks are pretty lame. I bet it doesn't say.

But we should still wag our fingers at you for not looking at your timing cover! ;)

My handbook on my '06 WRX does tell you, it has a ton of engine details, bore and stroke, compression ratio and the whole shebang!

My buddy is in Florida, and he lives a half hour away plus I can't get into the car. So there is no way I can access the Manual or pop the Hood. Thanks for the help I talked to him today about SPT and he is stoked. I am going to call the Subaru dealer ship tomorrow and see if they are an SPT dealer. Do you think the STi rear underbody diffuser for $67 is a good idea/deal?

Be careful with that rear underbody diffuser. The STI has mounting points welded to the underbody, the RS does not.

If you're buying the diffuser to go on an RS or WRX you have to buy the diffuser kit which comes with the full mounting kit, it's a lot more than the one you've got a price on there.

Any Subaru dealer can get SPT parts, they come from SOA direct - if they tell you they can't get the parts, they're too lazy to try.

Okay the Diffuser with weld on Mounts is $79.02. I called Beechmont Subaru today but the dealership closes at 5 and the parts department at 1. Hard to pull off when I got up at 1:30, needless to say, not parts were ordered today. Here is a list of stuff we came up with. I am posting it so you can recommend against stuff, suggest better, tell me it won't fit, or agree. I know alot about Mitsubishi and Nissan tuning but modding a Subie is a shot in the dark, this forum is a lot of help.

SPT STi Rear Under Body Diffuser
SPT Rear Differential Cover
SPT Subwoofer and Amplifier Combo
SPT Tweeter Kit
SPT Speaker Kit (includes 4 units)
SPT Aluminum Control Arm Kit
SPT Fenderwell Plug
SPT STi Lowering Springs
SPT Front 22mm Sway Bar
WSS Cold Air Intake
WSS Headers
WSS Exhaust
Mr Joshs Light Weight Pulley

Okay, the diff guard is a waste of money unless you plan on going off road, you'll never need it for on street driving.
The diffuser is a cosmetic thing, if you feel you'll like it, add the weight, otherwise it's not worth the add on IMO.

For the lowering springs, depending on what you want I'd recommend either the Eibach Pro-Kit system or Swifts, Swifts are a stiffer spring rate than the Eibach set but both are designed to work with the stock struts and are more reasonably priced than the STI set.
Teins aren't worth the money either way.

On the speakers. Do you have a Best Buy or Circuit City near you? You can go to either of those and get higher quality speakers to fit the car for the same money.

$189 for a sub/amp combo sound pretty good.

The Eibach springs cost more than the SPT parts. THe SPT setup is $233.
The rear underbody diffuser will not improve handling?
Also will these non-subaru parts void the warranty?
I looked at springs, here is what I found:
Matrix Springs 1.8inch drop $153.93
Arospeed Springs $176.18
B+G Springs 1.4 inch drop $242.10
Eibach Pro-Kit 1.3/1.0 inch drop $269.13
Gold Line Springs 1.3-1.0 inch drop $158.40
H&R Springs 1.4-1.3 inch drop $369.55
Progress Springs 1.8/1.5 inch drop $178.56
RS*R SUS springs 1.8-1.2 inch drop $226.35
Sprint springs 1.8 inch drop $225.25
ST springs 1.25 inch drop $278.29
Tanabe NF210 springs 1.5-1.0 inch drop $310.20
Tein S-Tech springs 2.0/0.7 inch drop $241.68

You can pick up a set of Eibach Pro-Kit for $194.00, you just have to look around.

Do you understand the function of a diffuser?

Non-Subaru parts will only void warranty on the part which they effect, and only if you're silly enough to leave them on if you have an associated part fail and try and get them to warranty it.

Example - lowering springs will void the warranty on the strut, buy not on the whole suspension system.

I thought the diffuser increased downforce?

"To improve overall downforce of the APR Evolution EVIL-R Widebody Aero Kit, the rear carbon fiber diffuser helps keep the EVIL-R planted through the turns. Diffusers work in conjunction with other aerodynamic components of a car to help produce downforce. Because a car displaces air as it moves forward, the air molecules in the rear of the car get disrupted causing a vacuum of low pressure air. To help channel the high speed air flow coming from underneath the car, diffusers redirects the high speed air flow to transition smoothly transition into the low pressure vacuum in the rear. This encourages a smoother flowing air flow underneath the car and allows better performance from other aerodynamic components such as aerodynamic wings. "

Diffusers only truly work effectively when the whole underbody of the car is covered in flat or aerodynamically shaped panels - the diffuser on the Subaru has a practically non-existant effect due to the fact that it's working on its own under there.

Have a look under the Impreza and look at all the nooks and crannies under there - all those are creating eddies and disturbances in the airflow - by the time the air gets to the diffuser there's not much a diffuser can do with it.

You guys are probably gonna ban me and delete this thread... the car is an Automatic. Sorry it wasn't my decision. Do you think a small transmission cooler like a $32 unit from flex-a-lite is a good idea? He drives the car hard and it sounds like a good idea to me. Is the Cuzco lower arm bar for $82 worth it? The SPT sway bar at $156 sounds cheap and sway bars are usaually very beneficial, your thoughts?

Sway bar is a major plus, but unless you're doing a lot more with the suspension I wouldn't bother with lower arms.

I wouldn't bother with the trans cooler either.

Automatic = sissy box :lol:

I told him that but after his first accident it was decided that he stay with the automatic. My Fiero has a 5-speed muncie/getrag, I know whats up. Does anyone make a sway bar that will fit for less than $156? Sorry about that 360 thing, forgot to read the dates.