I have a very non-standard MY02 Bugeye WRX with the following mods, and had always planned to go TD05-18G, but I've since been offered a cheap VF35 from a guy here who is going for a 2.5l conversion after destroying his 2.0l STi engine. As the budget won't stretch to a TD05 at the moment (well rather, I've got the money but I can't afford the turbo and the divorce that would go with it )

Is this worth doing as an interim (or possible permanent!) step to deliver more HP?

I already have some STI pink injectors ready to go in, so wouldn't need to buy those. I would also go from Unichip to ECUtek at the same time, as a fomer MRT tuner has arrived in Dubai, so I can get it done with some level of confidence (famous last words!)

The car is currently running 280bhp (dyno'd) - any ideas what sort of target I could acheive? Fuel here is 98RON, with no access to 'exotic' additives unfortunately - although the fuel is so cheap it doesn't matter so much!

Current mods

JE pistons
Eagle con-rods
Uprated big end bearings
APS 3" cat free exhaust
APS Front mount intercooler
APS High flow air filter + cold air kit (filter in front wing)
Intercooler water spray
Gruppe-S Helix flexi up-pipe
Forge re-circ dump valve
Walbro fuel pump
Mocal oil cooler
Unichip 'piggy-back' engine management

 

A couple of questions spring to mind.

1) How did the bloke flogging the turbo blow his engine?
2) Have you budgeted for a gearbox? TD05s can eat std Uk boxes if you use their potential.

Ns04

 

Neil,

My friend has a 02 WRX like you and hes went down the VF34 route along with pink injectors, ported headers, full decat and panel filter, he gets 320/300 with these mods so hopefully this might help you.

Ricey

 

been there on my 02 wrx got 320/320 but I put on a p18 exhaust housing making the vf35 a vf34 ( bigger)

moved on since to a bigger turbo - a vf35 can blow the gear box pretty quick if you drive it hard

imho I would go bigger than a vf35 with those nice forged pistons but can you handle the lag ??

 

Interested in the gear box scenario - I was under the illusion that the TD05 can have an adverse effect on gear boxes as opposed the VF series. I have a VF35 on MY02 WRX and drive the car fairly hard without any undue stress.

Not that im technically minded but im not sure i'd go running high boost (i.e >1.4bar) on a BIG turbo on a WRX.

 

As NS04 queried, after some questioning of the workshop where the 2.5 build was going on, the VF35 was declared 'fooked' in a dodgy French accent, so that plan is up in (oily!) smoke

I'm starting to get a bit concerned about the reputation of the Subaru gearbox - the original mantra was 400bhp's the limit, any more and you may as well walk somewhere because you'll certainly walk back, then there was the PAR gearset million horsepower warranty (immediately voided when you actually put the cogs inside the gearbox), the current PPG fascination (no slur intended, but again we have the answer), the indestructible 6 speed STi box (only requires changing everything else - and by the way your engine will now overheat).

Realistically a VF35 would have given me (tops) 340BHP,a TD05-18G would be expected to give 380BHP (again probably less) - and suddenly I have to budget 2.5K for a new gearbox...

I wonder how many actual failures of circa 350BHP gearboxes there have been, with no other extenuating circumstances? I accept that drag racing it could cause issues, but street and track use - shurely shome mishtake ?

I'd better stop now as I'm starting to sound like PS Lewis

 

i be been running 320/320 for over a year now running 386/320.. only time will tell but im not rushing to any drag strips

BUT I find my self beening very carefull and you always know in the back of your mind your only one gear change away from a shafted gear box

 

i fitted a vf34 on my bug eye wrx, and had it re-mapped today at powerstation, made 311bhp. and i didnt need to fit sti injectors as it was getting plenty of fuel.

 

What sort of torque figure are you getting with that and do you have any other mods?

I've already had mine mapped by Powerstation and have assembled some decat exhaust sections to go on (up and down pipes) and am think of a new turbo too. Any help would be appreciated.

(also a bugeye wrx).

 

Best some body starts a group buy for gearbox rebuilds soon, circa 300/300+ will with out dought put strain on your gearbox when down shifting to 3rd agressively, but this has also been known to happen when upshifting to 3rd aswell, the point being why spend your money on increasing your bhp/lbft, when you have to drive like you are on the way to church on a sunday morning..

John

 

its got a full decat exhaust, ported headers and up pipe, sti intercooler, 3 port boost solenoid valve, walbro 255 fuel pump and the ecutek remap. it made 311/290 and its great.

 

6 Speeds, PPG and PAR are well proven for your quoted outputs.

PPG is the current 1st choice and has been used in a few mega-powered cars.

6 Speed has been very reliable too, again in cars with mega power- ratios not ideal for everyone.

PAR gearsets used to be very popular until some high powered failures in higher gears. Phased out by PPG now.

The boxes will always have parts that will wear and tear like syncros, forks etc.

6 Speeds can be had for under £2k.

Its not very reasonable to expect a gearbox designed to handle 215lbs/ft to handle 50%+ more torque without causing problems. I think its easily forgotten how much 300/350/400 actually is...