1)Learn the maintenance of the car, i.e. fluid change intervals, etc; 2)Learn to drive the car, tons of people think they can drive but can't; 3)TIRES; 4)same as 3; 5)read that list again then you can decide whether or not to actually modify the car. My *is stop buying worthless mods and ask people that know about the car you are modding....love the video guys, keep up the good work.
Im glad i watched this. I have an 04 Forester XT at about 181k miles and the turbo return hose is leaking and also the coolant started leaking a lot. I had a mechanic told me that i can do an engine reseal but they recommend just getting a new engine based of a noise it makes (which is not rod knock, i believe its either a pulley or a belt). Its my daily driver and ive been driving it but topping it off when the fluids run low. Is it find to drive as long as im topping off the oil and coolant? Also, which route do you recommend i go when it comes to my engine?? Any help is appreciated. Thanks
Straight talk is hard to find. Well done gentlemen. With over 300,000 miles on my Gen1 Outback (with original powertrain) ‘its not what you do but how & why you do it’ that keeps the car alive. Keep up the good work!
Same Ej20x powered liberty 285 klicks,still tight as a drum.My Daughter wants it for her first car in 4 years,so will do an s402 clone with the brembo,s skirts splitter and spoiler,not a ricer special.
Yes! I’m always telling turbo EJ owners to check their vacuum hoses and replace if brittle. Another Great video. I’ve started buying from your online store to support cause I appreciate what you guys do. Cheers from San Diego!
I've been watching y'all videos for some months now and I just brought the PCV kit from your website and I had no clue it was you guys until I saw this video 😭
2014 STi hatch EJ257 purchased in 2019 w/ 49k miles. 1) Looked at owners and maintenance manuals performed the time intervals. 30m 60m and 90m IE 2)Coolant and lubrication management 3)Reliable tune 4)Consistently performs all duties as advertised 5)No expired tires Alot of the checks and balances clears most of the things on the car. Coolant 4 update along with all the fluids changes and such was good. Minus some TLC needed spots in paint or interior its a stock 90500 mile STi with a catback because it was muffler delted when I purchased. Do a "Pre Purchase Inspection" or PPI before buying a used car. See how long its sat in a space and if its leaking there during the day. Test drive it. Also get it on a lift at a good shop or check it out yourself and see the underside. If the seller tells you no then you dont need to buy that car.
Good vid, I will say that anyone that has data logged the stock tune on the Wrx or sti can tell you it’s bad for reliability on the car. Lots of knock and ruining lean. I even confirmed this with multiple subaru techs, they said it was to meet emissions requirements. After getting an etune by a reputable tuner the car runs much better than factory.
So how would one go around figuring out if there is some underlying issues with the PCV system? Or that if there is a vacuum leak? Pressurise the crank-case with smoke and hope for the best? Look for some certain values in ECU data feeds?
I honestly thought that the oil pickup tube, as a stand alone part, would have been near the top. When the factory one fails, it doesn't matter what else has been done or how the engine/car has been treated - you'll have a very expensive repair bill on your hand OR selling your Subaru at a big loss.
While you are completely correct about the issues that a cracked oil pickup tube can cause, we have not seen enough issues with them to get them onto this list. We have always run stock pickups and have yet to have one fail. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Love this video glad you guys talked through proper maintenance and driving rather than throwing “reliability” parts out there. My 14 wrx only has a cat back Subaru replaced shortblock less than 20k after I bought it used with approx 45k. I treat her like my baby and I hope she lasts as long as possible. Worry about my trans at times as I suspect previous two owners really beat on this car but I’m very happy w stock power for my DD.
Nice! Keep an eye on your transmission fluid. That may indicate the condition based on what you find on the drain plug, etc. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
The EJ255 stock tune is garbage. Open loop does not turn on until the car reaches 5,000 RPM at which point the car goes stupid rich. Prior to that, closed loop has the engine running 14.7 AFR at full boost. Easiest thing to do is force open loop beyond 90% throttle, lean out open loop a smidge to get it around 10.5:1, and add some high load fuel in closed loop. Makes the engine much safer with virtually no cost to day-day fuel economy. A lot of people get confused about the way ZDDP works, it's an oil additive that gets used up over time. You can use a 600ppm ZDDP oil, but you'll need to change it so much more often than a 1200ppm+ oil. The best way to see how often you should change your oil is to get your oil tested to see how much ZDDP remains at a given mileage. I rebuilt an EJ255 that had 243K miles on it and was oil changed every 7,500mi at the local dealership; there was zero wear to the buckets or the cam lobes. If you have high lift cams and/or heavy springs, ZDDP becomes MUCH more critical. My list: 1.) Oiling (windage tray, pickup, oil pressure and temp logging, bigger volume/pressure as needed, magnetic drain plug, BANJO FILTER DELETE) 2. PCV control (IAG AOS is my fav) 3.) Stock BPV (aftermarket piston type ones leak!) 4.) Silicone hoses for everything (stock turbo inlets are notorious for breaking apart right at the compressor cover, EJ255 guys are well acquainted with the crappy factory TB to intercooler coupler too) 4.) Tune (rich AFR in boost with conservative timing that achieves FLKC of 0)
I bought my 2012 WRX brand new. I will say, it has been an extremely reliable car IF you don't count the engine. I have been at different power levels along the way from stock to 536 whp on water/meth and 91 oct revving up to 8k; the last build lasted 40k miles as my daily driver. Original 5 speed tranny still kicking at 120k. When I bought the car, my skills consisted of being able to change the oil, sparkplugs, windshield wipers, and bolt on intake to a car. Fast forward, and now I can build the engines and tune it too. Knowledge and experience go a long way. Reliability is everything. I will list my thoughts if you want reliability: 1. If you are after big power, buy a v8. I'll agree with the 350 or less comment. 2. Don't abuse the car i.e. slamming gears, launching, money shifts, donuts etc. If you are gonna launch it, be good at it. 3. Change those fluids, especially the oil. Use quality fluids and filter. (My personal advice: Amsoil 5w30 Signature Series or Quaker State 5w30 Ultimate Durability and a Motorcraft, Bosche, Purolator, or Wix filter. Forget the Xw20 or Xw40 stuff. At same pressure 5w30 and high flow pump are better than 0w40 and standard pump; lower viscosity and higher flow, as long as you have GOOD oil pressure, will result in better cooling. Oil directly cools your reciprocating parts! For a 5 speed, my recommendation is 3 qts Redline Lightweight Shockproof and top off with Motul 300. If the engine is built and you are using alcohol based fuels, change that oil every 1,000 miles.) 4. Get a good air/oil separator. I had a catch can originally and still ended up with oil in my fmic. 5. A great tune. 6. If the engine is built, ensure proper clearances, machining, tq specs etc. 7. Good oiling setup. 8. Don't let anyone drive/borrow your car.......... IF I had my knowledge now, and bought a new to me EJ WRX I would just slap a bellmouth dp, a catback that I liked the sound of, a fmic, an AOS, an oil pick up, sways, and some good tires and tune it myself...... or maybe only an axleback and call it a day. Haha.
I can personally attest to the vaccum leak point, especially if you are running a FMIC. So much so, that I actually purchased the Redline Smoke Pro vaccum leak detector to prevent such an occurrence in the future.
I can vouch for the PCV being an IMPORTANT factory in reliability... I'm not trying to throw IAG under the bus but my PCV valve on my AOS failed after roughly 25k miles. It may have had a part in my first engine failing, and I found out nearly before it killed by brand new rebuilt engine. (excess oil in intercooler just after breaking it in)
I literally just had my engine fail from the same thing...... I had 2 pcv valves from IAG fail in a row and the engine ate the internals of the 2nd pcv valve damaging it. I ended up modifying the pcv hose to accept a oem pcv valve.
I bought a brand new 2021 STI from Japaen and my first mod was the IAG v3 AOS. I had a slow leak on a coolant line because the IAG clamp was too weak. I can't stress enough how important it is to check clamps, especially new clamps, and hoses like these guys mentioned. Good thing I checked my coolant levels and as soon as I smelt it in the car through the vent, I knew something was going on (sweet smell).
at this point buying the GD & GR you just basically find a good body & accept whatever mechanical issues happen & fix them. theres no buying a fully stock car in decent shape low miles etc & having no issues with it. its either not maintained & needs work or its modded & needs or will need work. as long as its rust free you got something to work with
Having just pulled and cleaned my IACV on a 2002 WRX with 260K miles based on a welcome recommendation from Mike at Flatirons Tuning, which restored my idle, what is the most common source of oil buildup in an IACV? Is it overfilling the oil, or possible PCV valve issue? Thanks for any help on that! What vacuum hoses are more hidden? A video on that might be cool! I know my evaporative emissions system had a leak with some pretty hardened hoses that cracked. Thanks!
As my dad always said, "It's not whether it will fail, but rather when". Can't overstress the oil issue on the sti atr least. I have discovered personally, the oil level and engine instrumentation package in my 11 hatch, so i assume more broadly across Subaru, is garbage. I suspect i got a little low on oil, not enough to trip the oil dummy lights threshold, but low enough to cross the failed bottom e end (suspect journal bearings (wont know till i break it all down and do the post mortem). This the second motor ive head a bottom end issue with. Mu normal driving is low boost, sporty, but sun-'aggressive'. As i rebuild the two motors i now have, based on lessons learned for myself things i' ll absolutely be changing from stock. Oil separator, analog gauges (oil press/oil temp/water temp), access port immediately for the sensor feeds, better oil pickup/baffle/pan, higher cap/press oil pump. One thing I would like to possibly find/incorporate would by an aux oil pump, for controlled cooldown with the engine off to minnimize temp spike initially at shutdown especially around (#3?, rear passenger piston) hot cylinder and the turbo. definitely interested in any suggestions. Both engines i got were used with suspect./no reliable treatment history prior to getting them. hope this helps
Thanks for the question and thanks for reaching out. I'd say when you are in the process of getting the car back together, reach out through our Live Chat, and we can go through some of the best practices. Starting with a used engine can certainly be challenging as you just don't know where you are starting with. I'll say from a general standpoint, monitoring oil consumption is the best starting point to get a sense of the health of the engine. Once you have everything together, smoke test the car for leaks, and then as you start driving it, keep a close eye on oil level/consumption. Once you get through 2-3 tanks of fuel, you should have a good sense of how much oil (if any) is moving through the engine. You would have enough run cycles at that point to start trouble shooting the oil consumption at that point as well. Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Whats odd with my 2000 model GF8 WRX Wagon it now has 240,000km on it and there is still ZERO Blowby and Zero oil build up in the intercooler or other places only some slight "stains" I still decided to change the PCV valve since it was over 100,000km since i t was last changed and the spring was completely missing and it was more floppy than a 100 year old man, but still Zero Blowby
Easy. 1) Do not mod the car 2) Check your oil at reasonable intervals, change your oil a little earlier than what the manufacturer recommends 3) Have the dealership or trusted mechanic check the car over (including tires) at manufacturer service intervals, fix/repair/replace worn items 4) and 5) are not needed. The car will be super reliable for many, many years and many, many 100's of thousands of miles. Once one starts modifying the car then all bets are off. And in that case, it's probably impossible to put a list together because it really depends on what mods are performed. For example, if it's all bushings, anti-roll bars, and suspension mods...a tune is not necessary, and probably should not be on the list.
Sweet, I pretty much went through the checklist of y’all did and then some. I have been buying through FlatIrons since I bought my 07 STI, it was indeed mistreated and needed full overhaul. My dumbass decided to buy it anyways. It has been a journey that y’all have been with me since I bought it pretty much. And thanks to y’all, it is up and running again. Took some time cause I’m a broke robotics college student now but you guys have helped me soooo much just by having the correct parts available and at a great price and not to mention the Tech tips. Thank you for all the tips, such as replacing the oil cooler after a spun bearing. The PCV video made me decide to buy a new one. Countless amount of times I have ran to your website and watched videos. Thanks guys, keep up the great work! And in the future if you’re looking for someone electronics savvy I’d love to come work with y’all! -Greg
I see there was a couple mentions about radiator caps, and i did see one that actually mentioned radiator. My "personal option" please no trash talk from others, is a great cooling system in general. Id personally want an all aluminum radiator with some nice sensors hoses ,thermostat, right coolant also keeping eyes on temp🤷♂️. Ive had mechanics tell me to keep the oem and ditch the aftermarket(said they were cheap lol) but i wouldnt know too much about that. If the engine happens begins to overheat from just running, to me thats also one the worst as well
Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching. We actually made a video going into detail about why radiator caps are so important and it might be helpful for you. here is that link: ua-cam.com/video/HzjBJz1Zdmw/v-deo.html Stay Tuned!
@FlatironsTuning wow great video! I never knew about the caps being 2way or 1way. Kinda happy I came across this video. As we speak my car is at the shop right now and getting a new thermostat and housing(might as well), sensor and mishimoto expansion tank as well,along with cob radiator hoses. I have the Cobb overflow tanks and personally didn't agree with the cap too much. Kinda just pops in. I called him and asked for him to keep the stock caps on lmao😅😅. Thank you, and great videos
I felt the need to post but mechanic called back and said when they drove it there was a small air pocket and blew the cobb overflow tank cover off.. they lost it unfortunately.. that's a shitty mistake by cobb if u ask me..
Just checked your website. No PCV kit for a 95 WRX 😔 It's all good though. My car wasn't sold here, so it makes sense. I've been replacing them hose by hose.
I have bought Gates silicon hoses of all sizes and systematically replaced hoses. some oem hoses have custom bends, for those just reg gates fuel/pvc hose is more flexible than silicon.
Thanks for the comment. True, we don't go quite that far back. But If you are having a tough time finding what you need, reach out in Live Chat. I'll say that I looked into this for another customer recently on a 2000 Type RA, and a lot of the hoses were either discontinued or backordered. It is definitely more challenging with those older cars now. Thanks for the comment and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning Right on. Mine is even harder as it's the original EJ20g design with the intake running behind the engine and the elephant turbo. My lower radiator hose comes from the 3.3 SVX 😳. No silicone option to be found 😭
I think that you guys coming up with basically the same list just in different spots speaks volumes. Great video. Would you recommend the stock tune on a VA wrx or would a tune be better for longevity while pushing just a little extra power.
Thanks for your question. I'd say that a well proven and tested tune like the Cobb Stage 1 would be fine in terms of reliability. Or a tune from a good tuner as well. If you just want a little more performance, and reliability is a priority, I'd say sticking with the Cobb tune would be a good option. They do much more testing with their tunes, so they are generally very reliable. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Magnetic oil dran plug, better fluids (engine, gearbox, rear end, brake fluid, steering fluid), silicone hoses and clamps (specially on harder vacuums ones), better battery and keep studying even you think you know everything.
Jon's list okay, Nigel's list bunk. First of all, stock is never good enough. No matter how fast or well the car handles, you always want a little more. Next is drive like granny. If you are going to drive like granny, buy a Prius. No one buys a Sti, Wrx, Mustang, Corvette, Porsche, et al to drive like granny. What you are saying is the car is not up to the image. If that is true (and I don't think it is) but if you believe that then the Sti/Wrx is not the right card for you. I agree on the dry sump, I love everything about them except the price. If we can run a tank for the IC sprayer, there is no reason we can't put a tank in the trunk for the dry sump.
Thanks for the comment. Take your time when looking for a used Subaru. Finding a car in good condition that was properly cared for will save you tons of money in the long run 🙂 Stay Tuned!
Just shy of 100k on my FA20DIT powered 18' WRX and never once have I consumed oil in a measurable ammount. Penzoil ultra platnum 5w30 Changed at about 3000 miles, less milage if driven very aggressively. Probably overkill but car runs amazing. -Also I don't get into full boost until I reach ~180F oil temp - Typically wait until 120F oil temp before i even drive. - absolutely no lugging, no wot unless im ~3500 or above. -AOS, EGR delete Also intercooler i never romp on her when manifold temps get high but the aftermarket intercooler fixed that. Change plugs about every 20k though im late rn because its winter and cold here😅😅 waiting for a warm day. Regular walnut blasting is also a must on the DI engines obviously not an ej. 323whp on cobb protune since ~30k car has been so good to me but ive been good to her as well. I dont baby her she gets driven "hard" but i dont ABUSE her. There's a difference. Also even if engine is warm i dont beat on the trans if trans is cold either. Gotta wait til she warms a bit. I've blown holes through transmissions before when cold learned that lesson long ago😬🤣🤣 Metal can snap easier in winter temps. Theres other things too but those are the main ones off the top of my head. So many of them are "driver mods" I dont want to sour anyone but a lot of people in this community do not heed the warnings of the subie gods of the do's and don'ts and people have no right to call subarus junk when they caused the issues themselves through poor driving, maintenance and poor modifications choices/tuning. I just saw someone post a 300k mi wrx the other week. An FA20DIT car. Original engine and trans. Stage 2 protuned car.
@neo_horizon2313 I do have an update on that however. The car is not consuming a bit of oil here and there. I think it's either turbo seals or exhaust valve seals. Probably turbo seals. Doesn't upset the car at all just sometimes after driving hard and sitting over night the next day she'll puff a little bit of smoke on the first take off. Oil is leaking a bit then when warm it burns it off, ya know?. I'm not worried about it.
Not gonna mention why unequal length are also unreliable once subies start reaching 160k or 180k? Famous ringland failures? About Exhaust Gas Temperatures (EGT’s)? Equal length headers are the way to go
do you guys have a video about "reliable mods SOA accepts under warranty"? I've been told about the AOS numerous times, but i was also told "if it alters the performance of the powertrain, it voids the warranty." trying to keep my '21 STI in good reliable long lasting condition.
Thanks for your question. That is definitely a complicated one. But we'll add it to the list and give it some thought. There is certainly a lot to discuss there. Thanks for your business and Stay Tuned!
@@ekimo56 Very good point. It is actually pretty hard to get a warranty voided, but that also doesn't mean that every failure would be covered. It is definitely a bit more complicated than it would seem on the surface. And you are correct that awareness of the Magnuson-Moss act is definitely helpful. Thanks for the comment and Stay Tuned!
I have a 05 Subaru legacy gt limited that makes 500 daily driver I love it..but I don't beat on it constantly and it has 70k since rebuilt and has 100mm.piston and alot more done everyone told me not to go that big. but best car I ever had and reliability has been amazing except recently my fault fuel pumps both brand new burnt up from crap fuel
But, will an OAS and/catch can affect the air volume/pressure going in, which would then be an emissions mod, thus for street car not legal and Subi could deny warranty repairs that could be r/t the aftermarket kits?
Thanks for your question. I can't speak to how easy or difficult it is to get a CARB certification for an AOS or Catch Can. I will say that a properly designed one should not interfere with the normal of flow of gasses from or two the engine. The warranty question is almost more difficult. Ultimately I would say that if warranty is your primary concern, then you would be best to leave the engine as stock as possible. Thank you for watching and Stay Tuned!
i got misinformed on the pcv bit, i have 3 out of 4 pcv pipes torn, was wondering where my boost went to only after this vid did i tie it to the pcv, long story short, silicone replacements inbound.
As a Subaru owner: 1. Good tune by someone, who tunes only Subaru's! 2. Frequent oil change and constant monitoring of your oil level. Only expensive oil! 3. Only 100 octane fuel 4. Learn what a Subaru engine can and cannot do - for example, Subaru engines don't hold high load, so don't smash the gas pedal to the floor on high gears 5. Aftermarket cooling radiator, the factory one has plastic sides and they tend to open
Thanks for your question. When you add it to a car that didn't come with it from the factory, finding a place for the tank is fairly involved. Ours makes a lot of noise for sure, and having a couple of gallons of oil needed for a change would increase the cost of an oil change pretty significantly. Not to say that it can't be done, but there are a lot of compromises you are making to make this modification for a daily driver. And beyond that, the need for this type of change on a car that is driven primarily on the street is really minimal. On street tires, and especially on streets, you aren't going to be putting enough stress on the stock oiling system to require switching to a dry sump. Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Thanks for your question. We actually just talked about this :-) Here is a link to that discussion: ua-cam.com/video/pXQdgxHWFwk/v-deo.html Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Thanks for your question. The Cylinder 4 cooling mod is not a bad idea, but I wouldn't say it is required. We have not run them on any of our cars to date. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
If i'm understanding the gentleman on the right one should buy a Subaru to drive it like a Corolla. His points are all valid but your shop wouldn't exist if people didn't like fun.
Sounded more like don't abuse it constantly. These are street cars at the end of the day and weren't designed for that. You don't need to get hard into boost on the way to and from the grocery store.
Can you talk about tuning a JDM EJ20? I dont wanna dive in deep and get a stand alone ecu then pay another 1200 on a tune from someone I dont know or trust.
Thanks for the question. We have talked about that a bit here: ua-cam.com/video/3ZwcQRsUI2M/v-deo.html And also here: ua-cam.com/video/UkU8UqxDspc/v-deo.html But we can add that to our list. Basically, if you do go with a standalone and work with a good tuner, that is most likely the best way to get full control over a tune on an older car or a JDM WRX/STI. Thanks for the comment and Stay Tuned!
Oil wise, would valvoline vr1 or ams oil be a good oil to use. Swapping my ej22 for an ej25 due to rod knock. And adding a catch can because when I pulled the intake off, it had oil coating the manifold.
Thanks for your question. As long as those oils have a high amount of zinc, you should be okay. We haven't used either of them so I can't speak from experience on them unfortunately. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Thanks for your question. We don't have any first hand experience with that, so it is a little hard to say. Killer-B only recommends them for high side-load situations (more than 1.6G cornering force) so it would only come into play on a race car with lots of grip. I have talked to a couple of people that have had good luck with it though, but I think that the pan would be a more essential part of it. Something like a Killer-B Super-G pan. Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
If the upgrades need a tune, it is best not to drive the car until it is calibrated for it. You can also talk to your tuner about getting you something like a break-in map which would ideally be a calibration that would allow you to drive the car to your Tuner. It may not be possible depending on how many changes you have made, but it would be worth asking. Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Thanks for the question. In terms of reliability, I wouldn't say that the Cylinder 4 cooling mod is essential. There are more importing things to check and be aware of as discussed in the video. And in terms of cooling, I'd say that correct radiator caps and locations are much more important than the cylinder 4 cooling mod. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
How important is the zddp on a type RA. Any api sp oil is going to have a lower zddp content including Schaeffer’s even though you mentioned it in this video. Or is any api sp oil good. So many different opinions out there. My vehicle is tuned I tried Motul xcess 5w40 and my vehicle hated it, dam dropped and was pulling timing odd I know, switched oil and problems went away. These days I’ve been using redline 5w30 or Amsoil 5w30 I’ve also used PUP 5w30 but people hate how thin it is either way I change every 3k so I think anything I use probably won’t shear down in 3k. Been thinking about switching to Castrol edge euro 5w30 K which is more affordable.
Hello great videos!!! Question I have (don't laugh) a Crosstrek with a 2.0L engine (he he) . Would you recommend full syn oil such as Schaeffer with high zinc content for it? Currently I'm running Mobil 1 0W20 and changing every 4 -4500 miles. Any input would be great appreciated.
Thanks for your question. First, are you having to add any oil between changes? And second, have you done any oil analysis? Running an analysis (if you haven't all ready) is your best first step. There is no need to guess how your oil is working when you can actually get a lot of good data with a test. That will also give you a baseline too. If you see anything with the Mobil 1 that is cause for concern, then you could try the Schaeffer's or Motul 8100, etc., do the analysis again, and you will know what the differences are. Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Thanks for your question. We actually talked about this a bit a little while ago. Here is a link to that video: ua-cam.com/video/BWAB-CCeBYo/v-deo.html Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Take the valve off and poke it (make sure it can move up and down) Make sure the hose connections on the pressure side can pop off when needed (i.e. no hose clamps)
Thanks for your question. This is going to be our next Question of the Week, so Stay Tuned! You should take a look at our crankcase pressure video in the meantime if you haven't seen that all ready: ua-cam.com/video/HAvxjSdQsXI/v-deo.html
Compared to the things that we talk about in the video, the Cylinder 4 Cooling Mod does not have as much of an impact, and there is still a bit of debate about how much of a difference it makes. It is certainly not going to hurt anything, but it is difficult to measure the improvement that it makes. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Dont take a 10 year subie, stick a bunch on ebay and Autozone junk on it, never check fluids, and drive it like you stole it then complain Subies aren't reliable.
Are you guys aware that the cylinder 4 cooling mod shown in the thumbnail is a blatant rip-off?? Anybody who knows Subaru should be well aware that the cylinder 4 cooling mod was pioneered and launched by Dominic Acia, and that every other product on the market is a (usually poor) imitation. Don't support copy cats, people. Oh and Dominic advocates the relocation of IAT sensors to a location post-intercooler, which is arguably just as important as far as improving reliability. Also LOL at thinking a stock tune is better for reliability... Maybe if emissions standards weren't a thing! Not a bad list by any means, but slip ups like this lower your credibility.
What they said is true, the stock tune is the most tried and tested by Subaru, and sure they need to factor in emissions, but the fact is they have much more research and development and data for creating the stock tune that a one off tune just can't ensure that same reliability. Even when getting a protune, you are at the mercy of your tuner's knowledge and know-how for how to make the tune more reliable while increasing hp, balancing a fine line between advancing timing and mitigating knock. I think flatironstuning is the most credible for knowledge on this platform, this is not a slip up by any means.
Ah yes , go for an economy car instead. Bro all sport and track cars will have weak links , running away from the problem won’t help addressing the problem will . Building and buying sport cars that you want to push hard and have fun with comes with problems .
1)Learn the maintenance of the car, i.e. fluid change intervals, etc; 2)Learn to drive the car, tons of people think they can drive but can't; 3)TIRES; 4)same as 3; 5)read that list again then you can decide whether or not to actually modify the car. My *is stop buying worthless mods and ask people that know about the car you are modding....love the video guys, keep up the good work.
Awesome comment Keith. Totally agree.
Stay Tuned!
What if you know you suck at driving but just wanna have fun?
Im glad i watched this. I have an 04 Forester XT at about 181k miles and the turbo return hose is leaking and also the coolant started leaking a lot. I had a mechanic told me that i can do an engine reseal but they recommend just getting a new engine based of a noise it makes (which is not rod knock, i believe its either a pulley or a belt). Its my daily driver and ive been driving it but topping it off when the fluids run low. Is it find to drive as long as im topping off the oil and coolant? Also, which route do you recommend i go when it comes to my engine?? Any help is appreciated. Thanks
1) changing your fluids on time
2) a good tune
3) cylinder 4 cooling mod
4) aftermarket oil pickup
5) keeping the pcv in check
Thanks for the comment. Stay Tuned!
How to fit water pipes on engine oil.cooler on Mitsubishi outlander
Straight talk is hard to find. Well done gentlemen. With over 300,000 miles on my Gen1 Outback (with original powertrain) ‘its not what you do but how & why you do it’ that keeps the car alive. Keep up the good work!
Thanks very much for the comment. Stay Tuned!
Ayyyy!!! 300K club member here too. 02 WRX 368K and climbing daily
Same Ej20x powered liberty 285 klicks,still tight as a drum.My Daughter wants it for her first car in 4 years,so will do an s402 clone with the brembo,s skirts splitter and spoiler,not a ricer special.
Anyone out there with 300,000 miles on a stock sti ???
Yes! I’m always telling turbo EJ owners to check their vacuum hoses and replace if brittle. Another Great video. I’ve started buying from your online store to support cause I appreciate what you guys do. Cheers from San Diego!
Thanks very much, and we really appreciate the business!
Stay Tuned!
I’m happy to see you guys listed things to do without seeing each other’s lists. One of the best videos in the series. Thanks
Thanks for that comment. Really appreciate it.
Stay Tuned!
I'm in total agreement with a good tuned first and foremost.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
I've been watching y'all videos for some months now and I just brought the PCV kit from your website and I had no clue it was you guys until I saw this video 😭
reliability mod is to leave the car stock, unless you're tracking it. Which basically throw reliability into trash can.
2014 STi hatch EJ257 purchased in 2019 w/ 49k miles.
1) Looked at owners and maintenance manuals performed the time intervals. 30m 60m and 90m IE
2)Coolant and lubrication management
3)Reliable tune
4)Consistently performs all duties as advertised
5)No expired tires
Alot of the checks and balances clears most of the things on the car. Coolant 4 update along with all the fluids changes and such was good. Minus some TLC needed spots in paint or interior its a stock 90500 mile STi with a catback because it was muffler delted when I purchased.
Do a "Pre Purchase Inspection" or PPI before buying a used car. See how long its sat in a space and if its leaking there during the day. Test drive it. Also get it on a lift at a good shop or check it out yourself and see the underside. If the seller tells you no then you dont need to buy that car.
Thanks for the detailed comment, and thanks for watching. Stay Tuned!
Good vid, I will say that anyone that has data logged the stock tune on the Wrx or sti can tell you it’s bad for reliability on the car. Lots of knock and ruining lean. I even confirmed this with multiple subaru techs, they said it was to meet emissions requirements. After getting an etune by a reputable tuner the car runs much better than factory.
So how would one go around figuring out if there is some underlying issues with the PCV system? Or that if there is a vacuum leak? Pressurise the crank-case with smoke and hope for the best? Look for some certain values in ECU data feeds?
Thanks for your question. We are going to cover this with our next Question of the Week. Stay Tuned!
I honestly thought that the oil pickup tube, as a stand alone part, would have been near the top. When the factory one fails, it doesn't matter what else has been done or how the engine/car has been treated - you'll have a very expensive repair bill on your hand OR selling your Subaru at a big loss.
While you are completely correct about the issues that a cracked oil pickup tube can cause, we have not seen enough issues with them to get them onto this list.
We have always run stock pickups and have yet to have one fail.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning Oil sloshing in corners is why they do the oil pick up / baffle as well as a new pan.
Love this video glad you guys talked through proper maintenance and driving rather than throwing “reliability” parts out there. My 14 wrx only has a cat back Subaru replaced shortblock less than 20k after I bought it used with approx 45k. I treat her like my baby and I hope she lasts as long as possible. Worry about my trans at times as I suspect previous two owners really beat on this car but I’m very happy w stock power for my DD.
Nice! Keep an eye on your transmission fluid. That may indicate the condition based on what you find on the drain plug, etc.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
The EJ255 stock tune is garbage. Open loop does not turn on until the car reaches 5,000 RPM at which point the car goes stupid rich. Prior to that, closed loop has the engine running 14.7 AFR at full boost. Easiest thing to do is force open loop beyond 90% throttle, lean out open loop a smidge to get it around 10.5:1, and add some high load fuel in closed loop. Makes the engine much safer with virtually no cost to day-day fuel economy.
A lot of people get confused about the way ZDDP works, it's an oil additive that gets used up over time. You can use a 600ppm ZDDP oil, but you'll need to change it so much more often than a 1200ppm+ oil. The best way to see how often you should change your oil is to get your oil tested to see how much ZDDP remains at a given mileage. I rebuilt an EJ255 that had 243K miles on it and was oil changed every 7,500mi at the local dealership; there was zero wear to the buckets or the cam lobes. If you have high lift cams and/or heavy springs, ZDDP becomes MUCH more critical.
My list:
1.) Oiling (windage tray, pickup, oil pressure and temp logging, bigger volume/pressure as needed, magnetic drain plug, BANJO FILTER DELETE)
2. PCV control (IAG AOS is my fav)
3.) Stock BPV (aftermarket piston type ones leak!)
4.) Silicone hoses for everything (stock turbo inlets are notorious for breaking apart right at the compressor cover, EJ255 guys are well acquainted with the crappy factory TB to intercooler coupler too)
4.) Tune (rich AFR in boost with conservative timing that achieves FLKC of 0)
I bought my 2012 WRX brand new. I will say, it has been an extremely reliable car IF you don't count the engine. I have been at different power levels along the way from stock to 536 whp on water/meth and 91 oct revving up to 8k; the last build lasted 40k miles as my daily driver. Original 5 speed tranny still kicking at 120k. When I bought the car, my skills consisted of being able to change the oil, sparkplugs, windshield wipers, and bolt on intake to a car. Fast forward, and now I can build the engines and tune it too. Knowledge and experience go a long way. Reliability is everything. I will list my thoughts if you want reliability: 1. If you are after big power, buy a v8. I'll agree with the 350 or less comment. 2. Don't abuse the car i.e. slamming gears, launching, money shifts, donuts etc. If you are gonna launch it, be good at it. 3. Change those fluids, especially the oil. Use quality fluids and filter. (My personal advice: Amsoil 5w30 Signature Series or Quaker State 5w30 Ultimate Durability and a Motorcraft, Bosche, Purolator, or Wix filter. Forget the Xw20 or Xw40 stuff. At same pressure 5w30 and high flow pump are better than 0w40 and standard pump; lower viscosity and higher flow, as long as you have GOOD oil pressure, will result in better cooling. Oil directly cools your reciprocating parts! For a 5 speed, my recommendation is 3 qts Redline Lightweight Shockproof and top off with Motul 300. If the engine is built and you are using alcohol based fuels, change that oil every 1,000 miles.) 4. Get a good air/oil separator. I had a catch can originally and still ended up with oil in my fmic. 5. A great tune. 6. If the engine is built, ensure proper clearances, machining, tq specs etc. 7. Good oiling setup. 8. Don't let anyone drive/borrow your car.......... IF I had my knowledge now, and bought a new to me EJ WRX I would just slap a bellmouth dp, a catback that I liked the sound of, a fmic, an AOS, an oil pick up, sways, and some good tires and tune it myself...... or maybe only an axleback and call it a day. Haha.
Thanks for the comment! Stay Tuned!
this aint it chief
Donut Media should’ve watched this first before starting the WRX hilow
Ha! Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching. Stay Tuned!
I can personally attest to the vaccum leak point, especially if you are running a FMIC. So much so, that I actually purchased the Redline Smoke Pro vaccum leak detector to prevent such an occurrence in the future.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
I can vouch for the PCV being an IMPORTANT factory in reliability... I'm not trying to throw IAG under the bus but my PCV valve on my AOS failed after roughly 25k miles. It may have had a part in my first engine failing, and I found out nearly before it killed by brand new rebuilt engine. (excess oil in intercooler just after breaking it in)
I literally just had my engine fail from the same thing...... I had 2 pcv valves from IAG fail in a row and the engine ate the internals of the 2nd pcv valve damaging it. I ended up modifying the pcv hose to accept a oem pcv valve.
I bought a brand new 2021 STI from Japaen and my first mod was the IAG v3 AOS. I had a slow leak on a coolant line because the IAG clamp was too weak. I can't stress enough how important it is to check clamps, especially new clamps, and hoses like these guys mentioned. Good thing I checked my coolant levels and as soon as I smelt it in the car through the vent, I knew something was going on (sweet smell).
Everyone was recommending IAG AOS. But I bought the Perrin AOS and putting it on soon
Not checking your oil level is incredibly popular in the Subaru community.
It just works
But it should definitely not be 🙂
Thanks for the comment and Stay Tuned!
How about the CAT in the uppipe before the turbo in some early 00 Subarus, they later removed it themselves in later models.
Thanks for the comment and Stay Tuned!
at this point buying the GD & GR you just basically find a good body & accept whatever mechanical issues happen & fix them. theres no buying a fully stock car in decent shape low miles etc & having no issues with it. its either not maintained & needs work or its modded & needs or will need work. as long as its rust free you got something to work with
There is definitely a lot of truth in that. But the completely stock unicorns are out there 🙂
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
@Wolgang You can get such a stock car with very low miles as you have described but have you checked the price they go for at Japanese Auctions?
Having just pulled and cleaned my IACV on a 2002 WRX with 260K miles based on a welcome recommendation from Mike at Flatirons Tuning, which restored my idle, what is the most common source of oil buildup in an IACV? Is it overfilling the oil, or possible PCV valve issue? Thanks for any help on that! What vacuum hoses are more hidden? A video on that might be cool! I know my evaporative emissions system had a leak with some pretty hardened hoses that cracked. Thanks!
Very glad we could help you with your issue!
I'll add your questions to our list for sure.
Thanks!
As my dad always said, "It's not whether it will fail, but rather when". Can't overstress the oil issue on the sti atr least. I have discovered personally, the oil level and engine instrumentation package in my 11 hatch, so i assume more broadly across Subaru, is garbage. I suspect i got a little low on oil, not enough to trip the oil dummy lights threshold, but low enough to cross the failed bottom e end (suspect journal bearings (wont know till i break it all down and do the post mortem). This the second motor ive head a bottom end issue with. Mu normal driving is low boost, sporty, but sun-'aggressive'. As i rebuild the two motors i now have, based on lessons learned for myself things i'
ll absolutely be changing from stock. Oil separator, analog gauges (oil press/oil temp/water temp), access port immediately for the sensor feeds, better oil pickup/baffle/pan, higher cap/press oil pump. One thing I would like to possibly find/incorporate would by an aux oil pump, for controlled cooldown with the engine off to minnimize temp spike initially at shutdown especially around (#3?, rear passenger piston) hot cylinder and the turbo.
definitely interested in any suggestions. Both engines i got were used with suspect./no reliable treatment history prior to getting them. hope this helps
Thanks for the question and thanks for reaching out.
I'd say when you are in the process of getting the car back together, reach out through our Live Chat, and we can go through some of the best practices. Starting with a used engine can certainly be challenging as you just don't know where you are starting with.
I'll say from a general standpoint, monitoring oil consumption is the best starting point to get a sense of the health of the engine. Once you have everything together, smoke test the car for leaks, and then as you start driving it, keep a close eye on oil level/consumption. Once you get through 2-3 tanks of fuel, you should have a good sense of how much oil (if any) is moving through the engine. You would have enough run cycles at that point to start trouble shooting the oil consumption at that point as well.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Ya’ll clickbaited me with that cyl4 coolant mod in the thumb nail and KB oil pick up
Sorry man, had to be done :-)
Stay Tuned!
That’s what I came for too 😂😂😂
Whats odd with my 2000 model GF8 WRX Wagon it now has 240,000km on it and there is still ZERO Blowby and Zero oil build up in the intercooler or other places only some slight "stains"
I still decided to change the PCV valve since it was over 100,000km since i t was last changed and the spring was completely missing and it was more floppy than a 100 year old man, but still Zero Blowby
Easy.
1) Do not mod the car
2) Check your oil at reasonable intervals, change your oil a little earlier than what the manufacturer recommends
3) Have the dealership or trusted mechanic check the car over (including tires) at manufacturer service intervals, fix/repair/replace worn items
4) and 5) are not needed. The car will be super reliable for many, many years and many, many 100's of thousands of miles.
Once one starts modifying the car then all bets are off. And in that case, it's probably impossible to put a list together because it really depends on what mods are performed. For example, if it's all bushings, anti-roll bars, and suspension mods...a tune is not necessary, and probably should not be on the list.
Sweet, I pretty much went through the checklist of y’all did and then some. I have been buying through FlatIrons since I bought my 07 STI, it was indeed mistreated and needed full overhaul. My dumbass decided to buy it anyways. It has been a journey that y’all have been with me since I bought it pretty much. And thanks to y’all, it is up and running again. Took some time cause I’m a broke robotics college student now but you guys have helped me soooo much just by having the correct parts available and at a great price and not to mention the Tech tips. Thank you for all the tips, such as replacing the oil cooler after a spun bearing. The PCV video made me decide to buy a new one. Countless amount of times I have ran to your website and watched videos. Thanks guys, keep up the great work! And in the future if you’re looking for someone electronics savvy I’d love to come work with y’all!
-Greg
Thanks very much Greg! Really appreciate that and glad that we could help.
Stay Tuned!
I see there was a couple mentions about radiator caps, and i did see one that actually mentioned radiator. My "personal option" please no trash talk from others, is a great cooling system in general. Id personally want an all aluminum radiator with some nice sensors hoses ,thermostat, right coolant also keeping eyes on temp🤷♂️. Ive had mechanics tell me to keep the oem and ditch the aftermarket(said they were cheap lol) but i wouldnt know too much about that. If the engine happens begins to overheat from just running, to me thats also one the worst as well
Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching.
We actually made a video going into detail about why radiator caps are so important and it might be helpful for you. here is that link:
ua-cam.com/video/HzjBJz1Zdmw/v-deo.html
Stay Tuned!
@FlatironsTuning wow great video! I never knew about the caps being 2way or 1way. Kinda happy I came across this video. As we speak my car is at the shop right now and getting a new thermostat and housing(might as well), sensor and mishimoto expansion tank as well,along with cob radiator hoses. I have the Cobb overflow tanks and personally didn't agree with the cap too much. Kinda just pops in. I called him and asked for him to keep the stock caps on lmao😅😅. Thank you, and great videos
@@Segar1991 Very glad we could help!
I felt the need to post but mechanic called back and said when they drove it there was a small air pocket and blew the cobb overflow tank cover off.. they lost it unfortunately.. that's a shitty mistake by cobb if u ask me..
Just checked your website. No PCV kit for a 95 WRX 😔
It's all good though. My car wasn't sold here, so it makes sense. I've been replacing them hose by hose.
I have bought Gates silicon hoses of all sizes and systematically replaced hoses. some oem hoses have custom bends, for those just reg gates fuel/pvc hose is more flexible than silicon.
Thanks for the comment. True, we don't go quite that far back. But If you are having a tough time finding what you need, reach out in Live Chat.
I'll say that I looked into this for another customer recently on a 2000 Type RA, and a lot of the hoses were either discontinued or backordered. It is definitely more challenging with those older cars now.
Thanks for the comment and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning
Right on. Mine is even harder as it's the original EJ20g design with the intake running behind the engine and the elephant turbo. My lower radiator hose comes from the 3.3 SVX 😳. No silicone option to be found 😭
I think that you guys coming up with basically the same list just in different spots speaks volumes. Great video. Would you recommend the stock tune on a VA wrx or would a tune be better for longevity while pushing just a little extra power.
Thanks for your question. I'd say that a well proven and tested tune like the Cobb Stage 1 would be fine in terms of reliability. Or a tune from a good tuner as well. If you just want a little more performance, and reliability is a priority, I'd say sticking with the Cobb tune would be a good option. They do much more testing with their tunes, so they are generally very reliable.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Magnetic oil dran plug, better fluids (engine, gearbox, rear end, brake fluid, steering fluid), silicone hoses and clamps (specially on harder vacuums ones), better battery and keep studying even you think you know everything.
I got a smoke machine (leak tester) and a nicer OBD2 computer (bi-directional communication). I want to smoke test my cars more often.
That is a very valuable tool for any turbocharged car for sure.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Same here
Jon's list okay, Nigel's list bunk. First of all, stock is never good enough. No matter how fast or well the car handles, you always want a little more. Next is drive like granny. If you are going to drive like granny, buy a Prius. No one buys a Sti, Wrx, Mustang, Corvette, Porsche, et al to drive like granny. What you are saying is the car is not up to the image. If that is true (and I don't think it is) but if you believe that then the Sti/Wrx is not the right card for you. I agree on the dry sump, I love everything about them except the price. If we can run a tank for the IC sprayer, there is no reason we can't put a tank in the trunk for the dry sump.
💪🏾 Great topic guys! And if I buy used I expect to dump money😩
Thanks for the comment. Take your time when looking for a used Subaru. Finding a car in good condition that was properly cared for will save you tons of money in the long run 🙂
Stay Tuned!
Just shy of 100k on my FA20DIT powered 18' WRX and never once have I consumed oil in a measurable ammount.
Penzoil ultra platnum 5w30
Changed at about 3000 miles, less milage if driven very aggressively.
Probably overkill but car runs amazing.
-Also I don't get into full boost until I reach ~180F oil temp
- Typically wait until 120F oil temp before i even drive.
- absolutely no lugging, no wot unless im ~3500 or above.
-AOS, EGR delete
Also intercooler i never romp on her when manifold temps get high but the aftermarket intercooler fixed that.
Change plugs about every 20k though im late rn because its winter and cold here😅😅 waiting for a warm day. Regular walnut blasting is also a must on the DI engines obviously not an ej.
323whp on cobb protune since ~30k car has been so good to me but ive been good to her as well. I dont baby her she gets driven "hard" but i dont ABUSE her. There's a difference.
Also even if engine is warm i dont beat on the trans if trans is cold either. Gotta wait til she warms a bit. I've blown holes through transmissions before when cold learned that lesson long ago😬🤣🤣
Metal can snap easier in winter temps.
Theres other things too but those are the main ones off the top of my head.
So many of them are "driver mods"
I dont want to sour anyone but a lot of people in this community do not heed the warnings of the subie gods of the do's and don'ts and people have no right to call subarus junk when they caused the issues themselves through poor driving, maintenance and poor modifications choices/tuning. I just saw someone post a 300k mi wrx the other week. An FA20DIT car. Original engine and trans. Stage 2 protuned car.
Thanks very much for the comment and thanks for watching.
Stay Tuned!
Are you running a front mount interior or a top mount?
@@neo_horizon2313 top mount verticooler and chargepipe
@neo_horizon2313 I do have an update on that however. The car is not consuming a bit of oil here and there. I think it's either turbo seals or exhaust valve seals. Probably turbo seals. Doesn't upset the car at all just sometimes after driving hard and sitting over night the next day she'll puff a little bit of smoke on the first take off. Oil is leaking a bit then when warm it burns it off, ya know?. I'm not worried about it.
Not gonna mention why unequal length are also unreliable once subies start reaching 160k or 180k? Famous ringland failures? About Exhaust Gas Temperatures (EGT’s)? Equal length headers are the way to go
No oil pick ups?
No catch cans?
No cylinder 4 cooling mods?
Are we still talking about Subarus?
Don't waste your money. All these mod are marketing bullshit
do you guys have a video about "reliable mods SOA accepts under warranty"? I've been told about the AOS numerous times, but i was also told "if it alters the performance of the powertrain, it voids the warranty." trying to keep my '21 STI in good reliable long lasting condition.
Thanks for your question. That is definitely a complicated one. But we'll add it to the list and give it some thought. There is certainly a lot to discuss there.
Thanks for your business and Stay Tuned!
@@ekimo56 Very good point. It is actually pretty hard to get a warranty voided, but that also doesn't mean that every failure would be covered. It is definitely a bit more complicated than it would seem on the surface. And you are correct that awareness of the Magnuson-Moss act is definitely helpful.
Thanks for the comment and Stay Tuned!
I have a 05 Subaru legacy gt limited that makes 500 daily driver I love it..but I don't beat on it constantly and it has 70k since rebuilt and has 100mm.piston and alot more done everyone told me not to go that big. but best car I ever had and reliability has been amazing except recently my fault fuel pumps both brand new burnt up from crap fuel
That sounds like a very fun daily driver for sure. Hope it is easy to get it back up and running.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Main thing with a subie is driving it right, you gotta be one with the car
For sure.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
But, will an OAS and/catch can affect the air volume/pressure going in, which would then be an emissions mod, thus for street car not legal and Subi could deny warranty repairs that could be r/t the aftermarket kits?
Thanks for your question. I can't speak to how easy or difficult it is to get a CARB certification for an AOS or Catch Can. I will say that a properly designed one should not interfere with the normal of flow of gasses from or two the engine.
The warranty question is almost more difficult. Ultimately I would say that if warranty is your primary concern, then you would be best to leave the engine as stock as possible.
Thank you for watching and Stay Tuned!
i got misinformed on the pcv bit, i have 3 out of 4 pcv pipes torn, was wondering where my boost went to only after this vid did i tie it to the pcv, long story short, silicone replacements inbound.
Very glad that the video was helpful. Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
As a Subaru owner:
1. Good tune by someone, who tunes only Subaru's!
2. Frequent oil change and constant monitoring of your oil level. Only expensive oil!
3. Only 100 octane fuel
4. Learn what a Subaru engine can and cannot do - for example, Subaru engines don't hold high load, so don't smash the gas pedal to the floor on high gears
5. Aftermarket cooling radiator, the factory one has plastic sides and they tend to open
Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching. Stay Tuned!
How does a dry sump system reduce the daily drivability of a car?
Thanks for your question. When you add it to a car that didn't come with it from the factory, finding a place for the tank is fairly involved. Ours makes a lot of noise for sure, and having a couple of gallons of oil needed for a change would increase the cost of an oil change pretty significantly.
Not to say that it can't be done, but there are a lot of compromises you are making to make this modification for a daily driver.
And beyond that, the need for this type of change on a car that is driven primarily on the street is really minimal. On street tires, and especially on streets, you aren't going to be putting enough stress on the stock oiling system to require switching to a dry sump.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
@@FlatironsTuning thanks!
you guys are really taking the fun out of some of these cars. not driving like you stole it isn't a mod lol
Ha! Well, it had to be said 🙂
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
How do you know if you're having a PCV issue? I have an IAG AOS, so I'm wondering if I'm helping or harming things.
Thanks for your question. We actually just talked about this :-)
Here is a link to that discussion:
ua-cam.com/video/pXQdgxHWFwk/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
That last one 100% yet I keep making the same mistake 😅
Ha! Excellent!
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Is a cylinder 4 cooling mod necessary or no? Do you guys run them?
Thanks for your question. The Cylinder 4 cooling mod is not a bad idea, but I wouldn't say it is required. We have not run them on any of our cars to date.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
If i'm understanding the gentleman on the right one should buy a Subaru to drive it like a Corolla. His points are all valid but your shop wouldn't exist if people didn't like fun.
Sounded more like don't abuse it constantly. These are street cars at the end of the day and weren't designed for that. You don't need to get hard into boost on the way to and from the grocery store.
1. IAG aos
2. 4th cylinder coolant mod
3. Full aluminum radiator
4. good oil changes at 3-5k miles
5. good fuel, maybe a lil octane booster
Thanks for the comment. Stay Tuned!
Can you talk about tuning a JDM EJ20? I dont wanna dive in deep and get a stand alone ecu then pay another 1200 on a tune from someone I dont know or trust.
Thanks for the question. We have talked about that a bit here:
ua-cam.com/video/3ZwcQRsUI2M/v-deo.html
And also here:
ua-cam.com/video/UkU8UqxDspc/v-deo.html
But we can add that to our list. Basically, if you do go with a standalone and work with a good tuner, that is most likely the best way to get full control over a tune on an older car or a JDM WRX/STI.
Thanks for the comment and Stay Tuned!
Oil wise, would valvoline vr1 or ams oil be a good oil to use. Swapping my ej22 for an ej25 due to rod knock. And adding a catch can because when I pulled the intake off, it had oil coating the manifold.
Thanks for your question. As long as those oils have a high amount of zinc, you should be okay. We haven't used either of them so I can't speak from experience on them unfortunately.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
what mods makes it unreliable?
That is a great question. We may have to come at this question from the opposite end.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
What are your guy's thought on oil control valves like those from Killer B?
Thanks for your question. We don't have any first hand experience with that, so it is a little hard to say. Killer-B only recommends them for high side-load situations (more than 1.6G cornering force) so it would only come into play on a race car with lots of grip.
I have talked to a couple of people that have had good luck with it though, but I think that the pan would be a more essential part of it. Something like a Killer-B Super-G pan.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
what schaeffers would you recommend for built street EJ's?
I'd generally recommend teh 5W-40 Schaeffer's for that application.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
agree. got 2003 legacy n blow the head n nodded it for me not how manufacturers set it.
If we install upgrades that need a tune; is it ok to drive the car to a tuner or should we get a trailer to move the car without driving it?
If the upgrades need a tune, it is best not to drive the car until it is calibrated for it.
You can also talk to your tuner about getting you something like a break-in map which would ideally be a calibration that would allow you to drive the car to your Tuner. It may not be possible depending on how many changes you have made, but it would be worth asking.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
what about the 4th cylinder reverse coolant mod?
Thanks for the question. In terms of reliability, I wouldn't say that the Cylinder 4 cooling mod is essential. There are more importing things to check and be aware of as discussed in the video.
And in terms of cooling, I'd say that correct radiator caps and locations are much more important than the cylinder 4 cooling mod.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
How important is the zddp on a type RA. Any api sp oil is going to have a lower zddp content including Schaeffer’s even though you mentioned it in this video. Or is any api sp oil good. So many different opinions out there. My vehicle is tuned I tried Motul xcess 5w40 and my vehicle hated it, dam dropped and was pulling timing odd I know, switched oil and problems went away. These days I’ve been using redline 5w30 or Amsoil 5w30 I’ve also used PUP 5w30 but people hate how thin it is either way I change every 3k so I think anything I use probably won’t shear down in 3k. Been thinking about switching to Castrol edge euro 5w30 K which is more affordable.
Why do turbo Subaru’s use MAF and MAP?
That is a good question. I'll add it to our list.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Hello great videos!!!
Question I have (don't laugh) a Crosstrek with a 2.0L engine (he he) . Would you recommend full syn oil such as Schaeffer with high zinc content for it? Currently I'm running Mobil 1 0W20 and changing every 4 -4500 miles. Any input would be great appreciated.
Thanks for your question. First, are you having to add any oil between changes? And second, have you done any oil analysis?
Running an analysis (if you haven't all ready) is your best first step. There is no need to guess how your oil is working when you can actually get a lot of good data with a test. That will also give you a baseline too.
If you see anything with the Mobil 1 that is cause for concern, then you could try the Schaeffer's or Motul 8100, etc., do the analysis again, and you will know what the differences are.
Hope that helps and Stay Tuned!
Prefer the koyorad over the mishimoto radiator
Thanks for the comment Koyo definitely makes a good radiator.
Stay Tuned!
I was curious if converting to E85 was an overall plus or negative to reliability?
Thanks for your question. We actually talked about this a bit a little while ago. Here is a link to that video:
ua-cam.com/video/BWAB-CCeBYo/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Yeah it reduces temps , and cools pistons.
Im fine with stock tune
how do you ensure the pcv system is working properly?
Take the valve off and poke it (make sure it can move up and down)
Make sure the hose connections on the pressure side can pop off when needed (i.e. no hose clamps)
Thanks for your question. This is going to be our next Question of the Week, so Stay Tuned!
You should take a look at our crankcase pressure video in the meantime if you haven't seen that all ready:
ua-cam.com/video/HAvxjSdQsXI/v-deo.html
What about cylinder 4 cooling mod?
Compared to the things that we talk about in the video, the Cylinder 4 Cooling Mod does not have as much of an impact, and there is still a bit of debate about how much of a difference it makes. It is certainly not going to hurt anything, but it is difficult to measure the improvement that it makes.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Did homeboy just say key bump instead of key note..?
Cylinder 4 cooling such a waste IMO
yep, a lot of people, who don't understand how the cooling lines are on a Subaru, think it's a great mod :D:D:D
Cheap fast reliable....pick 2...
Absolutely.
Thanks for watching and Stay Tuned!
Dont take a 10 year subie, stick a bunch on ebay and Autozone junk on it, never check fluids, and drive it like you stole it then complain Subies aren't reliable.
Do I really need these mods ?? 70 retired
Are you guys aware that the cylinder 4 cooling mod shown in the thumbnail is a blatant rip-off?? Anybody who knows Subaru should be well aware that the cylinder 4 cooling mod was pioneered and launched by Dominic Acia, and that every other product on the market is a (usually poor) imitation. Don't support copy cats, people. Oh and Dominic advocates the relocation of IAT sensors to a location post-intercooler, which is arguably just as important as far as improving reliability. Also LOL at thinking a stock tune is better for reliability... Maybe if emissions standards weren't a thing! Not a bad list by any means, but slip ups like this lower your credibility.
What they said is true, the stock tune is the most tried and tested by Subaru, and sure they need to factor in emissions, but the fact is they have much more research and development and data for creating the stock tune that a one off tune just can't ensure that same reliability. Even when getting a protune, you are at the mercy of your tuner's knowledge and know-how for how to make the tune more reliable while increasing hp, balancing a fine line between advancing timing and mitigating knock. I think flatironstuning is the most credible for knowledge on this platform, this is not a slip up by any means.
There are so, so, SO many things on Subaru we need to improve 😞...
... simply, just BUY Toyota / Lexus
Ah yes , go for an economy car instead. Bro all sport and track cars will have weak links , running away from the problem won’t help addressing the problem will . Building and buying sport cars that you want to push hard and have fun with comes with problems .