Just picked up 02 wrx, what mods?

[Skyline_R32_Canada]

Hey,

I just picked up a 2002 subaru wrx today with 80 000 km (~50000miles)
It drives like a beauty and handles really nice

it's got aem intake, turbo timer, bov so far

what do you suggest getting next? im thinking of an EBC to up the boost a bit, any one have a good brand they want to brag about

any tips would be appreciated thanks

[moger21]

take the bov off and the intake off dont get the EBC. get an EM like an accessport, then get an uppipe and a TBE.

[donkeyboy]

i say leave whats there play with the suspension some then u can really see it handle, either that or and exhaust...wrx's sounds sweet with some room to breath....

[Skyline_R32_Canada]

whats a nice sounding exhaust for a wrx?

nothing too ricey keep in mind

i heard that if the CAI pipe is the same size as the stock pipe it will not mess with the air mass sensor, so i will keep it on as of now

as for ebc's, what do you all suggest?

examples: greddy profec a, greddy profec b, apexi, etc...

[WRXdriver05]

Uppipe, downpipe, reflash the ecu and a good catback exhaust. That is where I would start in terms of go faster but the first thing I would change is the tires. Don't get me wrong the the re-92's are alright, good drag tires actually, but worth nothing really on the twisties.

[Skyline_R32_Canada]

explain the reflashing of the ecu, how is it done and what does it do.

thanks

[WRXdriver05]

What reflashing is, it is when a shop takes the ecu and modifies the way it works basically. They take it and up the boost, so there would be no need for a boost controller, they also mess with various other specs like fuel, timing, etc. So you should expect to get a decent gain of hp and torque from a reflash, various websites offer it. You send them your stock one and they will send you back a reflashed one, for a price of course.

[donkeyboy]

reflashing is just retuning the stock ecu, it plays with the fuel maps, timing, etc... as for an exhaust hks sounds really good go to there web site they have a sound clip of it on a wrx, and you'll never get that ricey sound because its boosted the turbo chops up the noise so most boosted cars are deep and mellow

[Skyline_R32_Canada]

thanks for the info so far guys

i just checked out the hi-power hks exhaust for the wrx and it sounds pretty nice

now should i get the exhaust system or just the muffler? what's beneficial from getting the whole system over just the muffler

[SabreKhan]

Take off the CAI and the BOV. Until you're making considerably more horsepower, both of those are detrimental to your WRX. The heat of the turbo negates the cooling of the CAI, but the CAI does give bad readings to your ECU, so I'd take it off and replace the stock one.

The WRX comes from the factory with a recirculating valve rather than a blow-off. The recirculating valve blows air back into the intake rather than out into the atmosphere (like a BOV), thus reducing the amount of turbo lag. Your BOV is actually causing you more turbo lag. If you like the noise, keep it. If you want your power back, go trade for a factory part.

As for muffler vs. cat-back, if you can afford the cat-back get it. Almost anything short of a Folger's can will sound awesome on a WRX (actually, I'm sure a Folger's can would sound just fine until it rusted off), so get something that looks good and is affordable for you. The boxer engine, asymmetric heads, valve timing, and turbo combine to make a beastly sounding exhaust, no matter how cheaply done. I have one of the cheapest mufflers on the market in the United States, mounted up with mild-steel crunch-bent 3" tubing from the cats, and it sounds like it would rip the throat out of a GTR (it wouldn't, but it sounds like it would). A mandrel-bent system (like in an HKS or most other brands of cat-back) allows air to flow more freely than pipe bent by the factory or an exhaust shop (regular exhaust pipe has those little ripples in it). Plus, the stock pipe is restrictive to keep noise levels down. Bigger pipe = bigger power on a turboed car. So, if you're looking for more hp and have money to burn, get the HKS or Borla or something. If you don't have a lot of cash, have a muffler shop weld up some 3" pipe and a Flowmaster or Magnaflow muffler (and don't let them tell you a Magnaflow is better... with your current modifications a baffled muffler is just fine).

[Skyline_R32_Canada]

Yes i'm probably going to go with the hks exhaust system.
Now about the CAI i was told that if the piping is the same diamater as the stock intake then it will not affect anything, it obviously cannot lose power output because of it...

Is it wiser to just get the ECU reflashed (to up the boost) or just to buy an EBC?

[WRXdriver05]

If you got 400 bucks laying around get the reflash. The EBC will give you more power in terms of turning up the boost but what it doesn't give you is the improvement on the timing and fuel mapping on the car which equates into even more power. If you look at it that way the decision is obvious, get the reflash. The EBC is gonna cost you upwards of 300 bucks anyway.

Also, I know the blowoff sounds cool but take it off. It's killing your power. Also with the exhaust, go with HKS. I had HKS carbon/TI catback on my 03 and boy was it badass. Loved it, to bad I didn't take it off the car before I sold it.

[SabreKhan]

I second that reflash opinion. ^^^

[Skyline_R32_Canada]

where would i go to get my ecu reflashed? and also i have heard of this COBB access reflash that is pretty decent, which is more affordable with the best results?

[moger21]

the accessport will cost you the least, it costs $595 i think, mostlley because you wont have to pay to get your car tuned also