Had the Scoobs for over a year now UK99 . I've previously resisted the urge to mod before, after being scared away by the "You need a remap" stories.

I've owned a handful of Turbo motors, all older and less complicated then the Impreza. My mate has a 99 Nissan 200sx, and it seems far less complicated. He can decat, and raise the boost (sensibly) with no adverse effects. In his 200sx circle, remaps only get mentioned when huge turbos are replacing standard ones.

I've recently spoke with a Chinese man who tried to sell me a decat downpipe, with a sports cat centre section. Now I know he's trying to sell me something, so he could make anything up. But he said you only need remapping on newage imprezas, and that classics can be safely modded without remaps.

So I guess my question is, can I decat, maybe turn up the boost slightly, but fit a manual controller just for safety (no spiking), without a remap? I'm not interested in an atmos DV (done that to death), but surely these "Old Skool" mods still apply.

thanks

 

Isn't the MAF an issue in your year car?
I know plenty of people with early imprezas who've decatted and raised the boost sensibly (me included) and their cars are fine but you only hear about the people who don't do it sensibly and f**k their cars up and wonder why.

 

So I've heard. But, as you say, I'd be going down the sensible route. I'd get the cats off, and make the boost nice and stable with a manual controller. I wouldn't even go for an IK.
I just need some confirmation, as I originally heard that you can't really mod impreza's without remapping them.

 

You can decat your year of car and turn the boost up a little - to say 1.1-1.15bar relatively safely if the MAF/Fuel pump/injectors/etc are healthy, the ECU will fuel cut after seeing more than 1.25bar for a couple of seconds.

Andrew...

 

Thanks for that.

 

Just bear in mind that a good re-map is way cheaper than an engine
rebuild when things go wrong.

 

I still haven't really got a definitive answer. On one hand someone is saying it OK, which I think it should be. But on the other, you are talking about a remap. Now is that because of things you have heard, or from experience? Don't mean it in a rude way, but since I've owned and Impreza, its almost like people are scared into getting remaps for any mods. Maybe its over hyped. I'm not doubting a remap will help things. But the impression I have been getting, is that you NEED a remap for mods.

 

AndrewC is a remapper and his advise is usually spot on.

The problem is that without getting your cars fuelling checked after making any mods you can't be sure that it is ok. It may have been borderline when standard, but the mods may show up a weakness somewhere. I suspect this is why some people say they've been running with mods for years without a map and others have problems ranging from a slight miss when comming onto boost to complete failure.

If Andrew says it's fine if everything is working as it should then I have no doubt he's seen cars running fine with the mods you suggest, but noone can say for sure if yours will be fine or not.

 

OK thanks, thats a bit more reasuring. Like I said I wouldn't go mad, I'd get it on the rollers anyway, after I've modded it. So that will pick up any fuelling issues.

ta