FUEL QUESTION FOR ALL CLASSIC JDM WRX OWNERS!!!

Lads & ladies,

Can anyone tell me if there are issues with running a JDM WRX classic on 95 RON sh*t fuel or issues with de-resticting 112kmh limiter and running them at higher speed/revs. I know STi's are a no-no... but I never thought WRX Imports where mapped as agressively for 100RON fuel in Japan!..I've being contemplating buying a JDM Wagon (BTW are these all 260bhp....?) as there are more around than a standard Irish cars... but have concerns over fuel det problems! Just read the below on Scoobynet which got me thinking...

I believe a major cause of import WRX's going bang is not the fuel quality but the smallish top mount intercooler losing all efficiency over 100mph. Due to Japanese Law the imports were designed to shut down at 180 km/h {112mph} and the first thing we do when we get them over here is change the speedo output to read in miles per hour. This effectively moves the 112mph limiter on the ECU up to 180mph. Over 100mph, especially on the early cars, the intake charge slowly rises due to the brick shape front end and small aperature that the intercooler has to rely on to get air to pass through the intercooler. Fit an air temp meter to the intercooler/throttle and watch it slowly climb to quite scary figures when pushing on over the ton. I believe this in conjunction with the poor positioning of the fuel pressure regulator is biggest reason why the JDM cars go bang in this country and not down to the grade of fuel

It was never in the JDM cars design brief to exceed 112mph and thier priority was accelaration. The UK/Euro cars had a design brief/spec that had to include high speed runs over 112mph and this could only be achieved with any reliability by resrticting the ignition advance/power output to the 215bhp region. This level of timing advance/power output, along with more sensitive knock correction and longer gearing, would give the performance car type figures and keep the Subaru reliabilty trait intact. When Subaru introduced the Turbo 2000 to the UK in 94 they could have quite easily to save money just straight imported the JDM cars and developed a ECU that would give close to JDM power output on our fuel but i believe this would have put thier whole reliabilty reputation on the line. So they gave the UK cars a more sensitive but softened down ECU, to cope with UK fuel grade variations, and longer gearing, to give the higher top speed.


Considering 90% of my daily commute is M11/M50 motorway... I'm a little conerned bout buying a Jap WRX! Anyone any thoughts on info on the above... or anyone had any problems with JDM WRX's shitting themselves

Don't drive over 100mph

Larger top mount would help surely?
I have a Jap Wagon, but have never removed the limiter so never really had to think about that issue to be honest!
Perhaps if you were concerned about charge temps running high, a larger scoop (to draw in more cold air) and some cleverly devised ducting from the front of the car directly to the topmount would be an option?

Buy a V1 to V3, they are designed for 98 RON

[quote author=Scoobymaniac link=topic=25065.msg296398#msg296398 date=1279201236]
Buy a V1 to V3, they are designed for 98 RON
[/quote]

These would be the 240bhp JDM cars Phil..?

no matter what car you go for jamie weather it be a wrx or uk spec, your looking at cars that have around 100k or more on them so there always a chance the engine will go bang.

weather the top mount is to small or not your never going to be going over a tone for to long so i think your man from scoobynet is talking sh*t aswell,

they used the same size top mount in the uk spec and jap sti in the classic and one was restricted to 112mph and the uk car could do 150 so i dought subaru would send a car out knowning that you couldnt drive it at 150 mph without it going bang.

if i were you i would go with a uk car for fuel issues alone even doh even the uk cars are maped for 98 oc

As far as I know, swapping the Classic Intercooler for a New WRX intercooler is pretty simple, and it's much bigger!
Again as far as I know, Jap WRX's are all 240bhp irish/uk turbo are 215bhp
If you didn't want to map her, maybe just upping the fuel pressure a bit and running a knock link would give you the reassurance of reliability!
I would cruise along at 100 (kph of course ) But I would rarely find cause to be full throttle over a ton!

I really think a jap would be grand, A hard driven and highly stessed and modded STI or type R would be way more likely to have problems!!
Dan

[quote author=DUFFMAN link=topic=25065.msg296407#msg296407 date=1279202781]
no matter what car you go for jamie weather it be a wrx or uk spec, your looking at cars that have around 100k or more on them so there always a chance the engine will go bang.

weather the top mount is to small or not your never going to be going over a tone for to long so i think your man from scoobynet is talking sh*t aswell,

they used the same size top mount in the uk spec and jap sti in the classic and one was restricted to 112mph and the uk car could do 150 so i dought subaru would send a car out knowning that you couldnt drive it at 150 mph without it going bang.

if i were you i would go with a uk car for fuel issues alone even doh even the uk cars are maped for 98 oc
[/quote]

Yeah... I'm well aware any of the old yokes I'm looking at are not long from going wollop Johnny! I reckon a JDM one may not be as reliable to as standard Irish car that's average mileage and reasonably well maintained!

I'm only thinking of a JDM at the mo as there is such a shortage over here of UK/Irish car and I'm just getting impatient and not too keen to take a trip to UK either!! 4 Years of driving shitballs takes it's toll after a while.

Fuel consumption on UK model I gather is a little better than JDM too... another good reason to avoid a JDM car!

Jesus the fuel consumption on my V3 is grand.....
Im gettin 300 - 350 kms out of a tank at the moment!!
Wouldnt see the UK / Irish version bein much more than that!!!!

JDM cars have a 112 mph limiter because that's the law in Japan. The TMIC is not a limiting factor unless you are going for more power so this guys argument is nonsense. The JDM ecu cannot suiffciently retard timing and ignition for our lower octane fuel and that's why they suffer det at high rpms. The fuel pressure regulator ensures a reliable delivery of fuel to the injectors at constant pressure. Again unless you are going for increased power this is not a limiting factor.

I love the unsupported reliance on statements like "more sensitive but softened down ECU" to try to introduce some credibility into what is obviously this guys own personal theory. Sounds like a tag line for a dating agency! Buying a high miler JDM and running it on 95ul is a recipe for disaster especially anyone intending on taking it over the tonne for any length of time.

[quote author=Hammie link=topic=25065.msg296412#msg296412 date=1279204296]
Jesus the fuel consumption on my V3 is grand.....
Im gettin 300 - 350 kms out of a tank at the moment!!
Wouldnt see the UK / Irish version bein much more than that!!!!
[/quote]
Thats mad thats the same as im getting in my V5 STI type ra

How big is a tank in an Impreza again... is it 50 litre Being a while since i filled one!

[quote author=Paul555RA link=topic=25065.msg296425#msg296425 date=1279207344]
[quote author=Hammie link=topic=25065.msg296412#msg296412 date=1279204296]
Jesus the fuel consumption on my V3 is grand.....
Im gettin 300 - 350 kms out of a tank at the moment!!
Wouldnt see the UK / Irish version bein much more than that!!!!
[/quote]
Thats mad thats the same as im getting in my V5 STI type ra
[/quote]

My car is UK spec, with a good few mods, including uprated fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator (running higher fuel pressure than standard), 3inch decat, induction kit, VF28 turbo, boost controller (running 1.2 bar boost) and a few others. And my car got 283 MILES to a tank last week, which is 455 kilometres.

The UK gear ratio's make a huge difference.

Steve.

As Steve said, the UK spec has smaller injectors and a longer final drive. Your 1,500 RPM lower in a UK spec at 120 KMH

Jamie TBH all classic shape Impreza's TMIC are sh*t over 100 mph .

When i say sh*t , they don't take in the air correctly . I remember seen a test with a few lengths of string ,
attached to the bonnet infront of the scoop and ya once you go past 100 mph the bit's of string are actually been forced
over the scoop and not into it , due to the aerodynamics of the classic shape ...............and that's all modles from 22b to WRX

something that was corrected in the newer shapes ......................

That said i have driven plenty of times form Cork/Dublin , Cork/Belfast and ya the the oil temp dose rise to about 120 degrees +
but the knock sensor wasn't reacting in a negative way ......................other than an oil change and the risk of two penalty points
i couldn't see any other issues .

Niall.

[quote author=Scoobymaniac link=topic=25065.msg296432#msg296432 date=1279209017]
As Steve said, the UK spec has smaller injectors and a longer final drive. Your 1,500 RPM lower in a UK spec at 120 KMH
[/quote]

Yeah... so much of my driving is Motorway driving... don't fancy higher revving JDM! I haven't forgotten how painful the Type R was commuting on M50...

[quote author=Niallyboy link=topic=25065.msg296434#msg296434 date=1279209287]
Jamie TBH all classic shape Impreza's TMIC are sh*t over 100 mph .

When i say sh*t , they don't take in the air correctly . I remember seen a test with a few lengths of string ,
attached to the bonnet infront of the scoop and ya once you go past 100 mph the bit's of string are actually been forced
over the scoop and not into it , due to the aerodynamics of the classic shape ...............and that's all modles from 22b to WRX

something that was corrected in the newer shapes ......................

That said i have driven plenty of times form Cork/Dublin , Cork/Belfast and ya the the oil temp dose rise to about 120 degrees +
but the knock sensor wasn't reacting in a negative way ......................other than an oil change and the risk of two penalty points
i couldn't see any other issues .

Niall.
[/quote]

Had this problem with Type R Niall... I actually fabricated a little deflecting blade that sat inside scoop that spead the airflow over the intercooler a little and saw a marginal decrease in the oil temp... but at high speeds it made fook all difference, as you where saying!

[quote author=JAMIE-TYPERV6 link=topic=25065.msg296438#msg296438 date=1279209932]
[quote author=Niallyboy link=topic=25065.msg296434#msg296434 date=1279209287]
Jamie TBH all classic shape Impreza's TMIC are sh*t over 100 mph .

When i say sh*t , they don't take in the air correctly . I remember seen a test with a few lengths of string ,
attached to the bonnet infront of the scoop and ya once you go past 100 mph the bit's of string are actually been forced
over the scoop and not into it , due to the aerodynamics of the classic shape ...............and that's all modles from 22b to WRX

something that was corrected in the newer shapes ......................

That said i have driven plenty of times form Cork/Dublin , Cork/Belfast and ya the the oil temp dose rise to about 120 degrees +
but the knock sensor wasn't reacting in a negative way ......................other than an oil change and the risk of two penalty points
i couldn't see any other issues .

Niall.
[/quote]


Had this problem with Type R Niall... I actually fabricated a little deflecting blade that sat inside scoop that spead the airflow over the intercooler a little and saw a marginal decrease in the oil temp... but at high speeds it made fook all difference, as you where saying!
[/quote]
I have a large bonnet scoop and a intercooler splitter (think thats what there called) fitted i wouldnt be sure but id say it would help with the airflow

I'm sure it captures more of the airflow Paul... probably does help!

Sorry to say though... Not a fan of them on Classics! I'd rather go the FMIC route!

What about uk spec Sti??
Or using a jap on e5. for the money i would be looking at sti, brembos, 6spd etc etc..