20 replies to this topic

[slimjimbo]

Last November ago I bought this Outback from Andy Pickard in Canberra. I'd been looking for around 6 months for a single turbo Gen 2 or Gen 3 Liberty, and this came along. A big plus was, that while it was living in the ACT, it had SA rego.

Andy picked it up with a cooked 2.5 and dropped a V4 STI engine/box/diff combo in there, along with some bits out of the halfcut (brakes, swaybar, alloy arms). He also de-lifted it but it was still riding reasonably high on a combo of Liberty struts and Outback springs.

This is what she looked like when I got her:



I spent a few months chasing some suspension related gremlins. First thing I did was fit STI struts out of a GDB (2004) STI. Prior to installing I pulled them down and regreased them.

I also fitted an anti lift kit, new swaybar links, roll center / bump steer kit all out of the Whiteline catalog. I wasn't really happy with the way the car was sitting, so we slotted in some 3/8" saggy butt spacers to get her sitting level. The STI sedan struts sagged quite noticeably in the rear.

After all that, she looks more like this:





April-ish I had Billsy from RSLC fabricate a 3" turbo back exhaust, to replace the Frankenstein exhaust the car came with. To continue the sleeper theme it has a Varex muffler at the rear.

While Billsy was putting the exhaust together he also fitted some new FMIC pipework, painted black.

I also got a Turbosmart eBoost 2 in there controlling boost, mounted in the glovebox. I've got two set points - 8psi and 15psi. Tempted to get rid of the 10psi setting.
A little while back I fitted up a JDM tailgate spoiler - Thanks to Mark/CRUISN for sourcing that for me.







Future plans are to get some 2 pot action happening in the rear (I've got some, just need to paint them up) and chase down a new front quarter panel in white/grey. I am also planning on getting a bigger rear swaybar and HD swaybar links.

But all in all, very enjoyable car. Nobody takes much notice of it when I'm driving around, especially while the Varex is closed. Open up the throttle... different story.

Specs:
Gen 2 (1998) Outback
Electric windows, 2 sunroofs, faux woodgrain interior, climate control, etc
V4 STI Engine, VF24, 5spd Box, 4.11 Diff
3" Turbo Back Exhaust, Varex Rear Muffler
600 x 300 x 76 FMIC, Billsy-spec cooler pipework
Turbosmart Eboost2 Controller (10psi / 16psi)
Turbosmart 52mm Boost Gauge
04ish Liberty 17's
4 Pot Fronts
De-lifted
GDB 04 STI Struts, Black Springs
3/8" Saggy Butt Spacers
Alloy control arms
Whiteline HD Front Swaybar Links
Whiteline Anti - Lift Kit
Whiteline Roll Center / Bump Steer Kit
Sweet roof racks

[FR34KO]

That is a damn good sleeper!! Not even the FMIC is noticeable. And I do like the roof racks also cool pics too
Any idea how much power she makes?

[slimjimbo]

Wouldn't have a clue on power really. I would like to get it on a dyno in the next few months just to see how healthy everything is.

Much more concerned about dialling the handling in!

[Morgan]

Fantastic ride, mate!

[aekOne]

nice outback! very unassuming

i like

[Xon]

Always good to see a turbo gen2

Seems Outbacks are the more popular conversion base these days...

[slimjimbo]

Thanks guys.

Seems Outbacks are the more popular conversion base these days...

I reckon they're a pretty sweet base. Delifted they look tough but still don't garner unwanted attention. And they're a pretty cheap buy with a shagged engine.

[skillionaire]

Hi,

Awesome ride.

Outbacks generally have been treated a bit nicer (GENERALLY!) to their Liberty sisters.

Cheers,
Nik

[supapico]

very nice sleeper spec there.

[simon]

nice 1 mate i like it

[alexGT]

nice, but that car deserves waaaay more boost. turn that sucker up!

[slimjimbo]

nice, but that car deserves waaaay more boost. turn that sucker up!

After dyno (and maybe aftermarket ecu + tune), more boost for sure.

But currently have no idea how the engine and JDM ecu are coping with Aussie fuel, so just erring on the side of caution.

[R-Y]

Front mount needs matt black paint, then it will be a wicked sleeper...

[Ben_20EJT]

After dyno (and maybe aftermarket ecu + tune), more boost for sure.

But currently have no idea how the engine and JDM ecu are coping with Aussie fuel, so just erring on the side of caution.

my stock v3 sti motor in my gen3 heritage is loving 15psi daily and thats stock boost. im about to put a duel stage boost controler into it and turn the wick upto 15/20psi.

welcom to the club mate, good to see some more converted wagons turning up around here.

[CRUISN]

Its the evil twin of mine.

[slimjimbo]

Front mount needs matt black paint, then it will be a wicked sleeper...

It's been on my mind. But the finish has dulled and it doesn't grab your eye. I'll get to it when I've got some paint and time.

my stock v3 sti motor in my gen3 heritage is loving 15psi daily and thats stock boost. im about to put a duel stage boost controler into it and turn the wick upto 15/20psi.

welcom to the club mate, good to see some more converted wagons turning up around here.

From the research I've done, JDM STI ecu + 15psi-ish *seems* to hold up on 98 RON.

There was one guy I heard from who did his bottom end only running stock boost, they could only put it down to fueling.

I'd be weary of pushing past 16-17psi with stock ECU. But we've all got different appetites for risk!

Its the evil twin of mine.

Yours is much cleaner, though! Mine will get there...

[Adam]

I've been running 18psi on a V3 ECU/96 JDM WRX motor for over 100 000 ks

Must've got a wednesday motor

[slimjimbo]

I forgot to add in my previous post - take all of that with a grain of salt! Second hand information etc.

More second hand information about to come out of my mouth... there is a 'Built vs Stock' thread over on rslib that lists a bunch of motors people have run, what boost, and what happened. Tonnes of variables of course in that, but the big thing that came out was bad tune = dead motor.

Have you got a wideband or had your mixtures checked out?

[Adam]

Nope. Though from the soot on the back, its probably rich

I'm not going to petend I know anything abot motors and tunes. All I can give is my history really..obviously every situation is different! Which is why my previous post is probably irrelevant!

[alexGT]

I've been running 18psi on a V3 ECU/96 JDM WRX motor for over 100 000 ks

Must've got a wednesday motor

that motor is a freak. that just proves how good Jap ECU's are including aftermarket boost control.

if the ECU detects bad fuel, it will reduce timing. don't be afraid to bump up the boost the VF24 isn't a massive turbo.

all factory ECU's run rich for emissions, there is plenty of headroom.



that is Adam's car with a smaller cooler on it. AFR out of the tailpipe is approx 1.0 higher than in the dump pipe so 10.5 is still quite rich.

edit: that is a wideband from ESP in the tailpipe. this dyno was with the bonnet OPEN and I don't know what ESP were doing with that, they ended up dumping a bucket of water on the cooler haha!