382 replies to this topic

[Morgan]

Needs powdercoating

[RacerX]

Great Build Mate!!!
Looks so clean, that looked like a hell of a lot of dirt
Nice sound setup

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[JDWhiteWRX]

We just got back from a 1500km camping roadtrip in the Outback, car ran like a dream and gave me no trouble at all. We took a 2 hour dirt road over the mountains coming back up from Vic and into the back of Thredbo, the low range box was nice for the endless switchbacks on the gravel road.

 

 

 

 

[Adam]

Love that part of OZ

[JDWhiteWRX]

Well bad news today, I went for a drive at lunch and when I got back the coolant overflow bottle was overflowing slightly. The top radiator hose was very hot but the bottom was cool. I left it until the afternoon then checked again before driving home and all the fluids were back to their normal levels, so was hoping it was just an airlock or thermostat issue.

When I got home I left the motor running and opened the coolant overflow bottle lid to find smoke and bubbles

Looks like the head gasket has failed once again, not really sure where to go from here as I was hoping to get at least a year from this motor before swapping it to something newer with a turbo. At least it didn't happen when we were on our camping trip!

[Scuba-Roo]

Drill a hole in the thermostat or just remove it

[JDWhiteWRX]

It all ends bad with these bandaid fixes, I got another car to drive anyway although its stripped out and has a roll cage

 

Looking at half cuts now and salvage cars from Pickles.

[Barbbachello]

Looking at half cuts now and salvage cars from Pickles.

Thats what we like to hear

[Shiv]

Farrk that sucks, sorry to hear of your bad luck with those damn head gaskets!!

 

Good luck with getting a replacement motor, and sorting it all out. 

 

Nice pics BTW, the car looks right at home out in the country

[sbv]

Sorry to hear about the head gaskets but glad to hear progress will be made on the turbo front!

Looking forward to seeing this!

[JDWhiteWRX]

I just bid on an 06 STi but it went too high.

[bobbyjimmy]

Was it a repairable write-off or a stat right off?

[JDWhiteWRX]

I can't remember but I don't think you can re-register either type in NSW?

[bobbyjimmy]

Stat write-off you can't, parts only basically.

Pretty sure repairable write-off you can, just has to be ticked off by someone.

http://www.rms.nsw.g...es_reforms.html

 

So, if you want just parts, get a stat write-off, you'll only be bidding against wreckers and people that want parts too as opposed to a repairable write-off where you'd be bidding against panel beaters, car dealers, dodgy lebs etc.

 

I got the 3.0RB via a Pickles auction, was a stat write off. It had 1 bid - mine.

[JDWhiteWRX]

I have been watching the auctions for a while, I have seen a bug sti go for $3.5k and a 05 wrx go for $2.7k but after speaking to the guys at AM Auto about the loom splice it seems less expensive to put a JDM motor in as you don't have to deal with the immobiliser.

 

I have been looking at a JDM MY03 XT Forester half cut, its 2.0L with AVCS but any other info is hard to find about this motor or I don't know where to look. Does anyone know of a reason why this motor wouldn't be a good choice? Would the ecu be re-flashable? would it run on our fuel without needing a tune?

[Scuba-Roo]

Did that bug sti include the r180 brembos and 6speed?

[Morgan]

We never got the 2.0 forester turbo engines here. They are all 2.5

Not sure about the differences. Would be pretty similar to the 05 WRX one you mentioned I would assume?

[JDWhiteWRX]

Did that bug sti include the r180 brembos and 6speed?

 

Yes its a full car just with a hit in the rear so can't be fixed.

[JDWhiteWRX]

Well a deal has been done thanks to Ben at Ichiban Imports for helping me out. It's a MY03 JDM XT Forester half cut. All I know at this stage is its 2.0L with AVCS, big port heads, shim over bucket and fully re-flashable ecu. Miles at AM Auto will be doing the loom splicing, spoke to them yesterday.

 

[Liberty]

That was quick. Well done mate.