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Ben's EJ207 MY05 WRB STI - Hockenheimring Recap 2019 #838

182K views 838 replies 33 participants last post by  ScoobyGT 
#1 · (Edited)
Index:

--------------2015--------------
#3 3" Downpipe dent to clear steering linkage in tight lefthanders
#7 Studio Pictures
#11 2 Laps Video at the Hockenheimring
#13 Turn 2 and 3 at the Hockenheimring (Full Videos!)
#15 NUERBURGRING Pictures
#24 Hockenheimring Pictures
#28 Oil Cooler mounted
#31 Home made Shiftknob & Shiftknob Extension
#32 Blown Radiator
#40 Mishimoto Radiator installed
#47 Header progress
#55 UEL Header build - ready for welding!
#63 Rolling Shots!
#66 The UEL Header is ready!
#70 Drift Training footage & Car dropped off
#94 Golden TMIC & Oilcooler in
#99 Alignment done
#102 DSLR Pictures Crashbeam & Oilcooler
#150 Anneau du Rhin Monday 10/26/2015 - GT86 Hotlap
#152 Anneau du Rhin Monday 10/26/2015 - more videos & pics
#163 ADR 2 Multi GoPro Videos
#185 Brake Cooling
#195 Last Trackday for 2015 is in the books! - Video
--------------2016--------------
#229 2016 News
#239 New Seats in
#245 Lightweight LI-ION Battery & TPMS incoming
#255 New Resonator & polished Muffler
#264 Race Navigator & Video on a wet HHR
#302 AC Removal & Black Carpet
#318 TPMS fitted & Michelin Pilot Sport Cup mounted
#344 GT3 Video
#350 Switch Panel WIP
#358 Dry Ice Cleaning result
#359 Sound deadening removed
#365 Travel Log
#371 Travel Log
#384 My Buddies Hatchback WRX - Rolling Shots
#438 Corvette Z06 Brake Ducting
#441 Fire Extinguisher & Battery Holder
#451 German Time Attack Masters - Video inside!
#455 GTAM - Race Day Report Inside!
#529 Last 2016 HHR Event is in the books - Videos!
#547 Last 2016 HHR Event is in the books - Pictures!
--------------2017--------------
#558 Battery/Ignition cut off switch
#570 Sweden Video inside!
#577 Sweden Pictures inside!
#580 New Shoes
#588 Rear fenders modified
#593 new Alignment done
#595 Main Brake Ducting
#595 New HHR personal lap record!
#600 HHR Videos
#616 HHR Pictures
#617 The Racecar Steering Wheel Job
#618 ETS TMIC
#629 News & Vacation Pics
#636 AP Racing BBK
#642 Header Heat Shield armored
#647 Harness Bar wip
#651 Harness Bar wip -
progress

#672 AIM MXL in | DEFI GENOME STI out!
#674 Trackday Prep
#681 Trackday Report
--------------2018--------------
#704 CAD Drawings
#713 Friends on Track
#751 Bosch Hockenheim Historic Event Pictures
#758 Autosportlabs Podium Connect & Radium Dual Catch Cans
#771 Simracing fun!
#787 Rallye Fun Day Video w/ Overlay
--------------2019--------------
#802 AIM MXP Strada
#808 Singulär Hood Vents isntalled!
#818 Roof Vent, Quick Latch and Exhaust
#826 an offer I couldn't refuse
#838 Hockenheimring Recap 2019
----------------------------
Since I love following journals on here, especially the ones from Bruce, Idin and David, it's time to make my own not so build-crazy STI journal :cool:

My name is Ben, currently 26 and I'm doing IT Stuff for a small Agency some miles south of Stuttgart, Germany.
My affection with motorsports started most likely after I was born. My dad always watched the Formula One races. In the early nineties his Brother joined BMW Motorsport in the Super Touring Car Championship for some Team Management. Aparently I wasn't really old enough to remember the times we went to the Racetrack back then and cheer for BMW. The only thing I can remember that we went to an STW Race in August 1995 at the N�rburgring.
When the BMWs plans for the Formula One got more precise, they ask my uncle if he wants to join the Formula One Circus for BMW.
Aparently his wife and himself prefered not to travel around the world so he quit his Job at BMW to make a living in France and Italy with speculating on the Stock Exchange Market.
After watching the Documentary ADRENALIN on Blu Ray yesterday it made me quite thoughtful of what might have been if...:rolleyes:

Anyway, my Dad and his Brother were probably the two people affecting me with Motorsports. Before I had my driving license I always used to play the Simulations on PC like rFactor, GTR, Nascar Racing, CART, Geoff Crammonds Grand Prix and what else I got in my hands. I always raced agains my dads times and was usually faster than him. I remember him breaking the steering wheel one time because he just couldn't get close to my lap time on the Hockenheimring in Grand Prix 2 :lol: Good times!

So when I turned 18 I made my driving license and bought a cheap as Seat Ibizia 1.6 from 1996 to get some experience and from A to B. Two years later the German Government came up with that great idea that they give you 2500� cash if you get rid of your old car (scrapyard) if you buy a brand new car. So in the end I chose the 2009 Fiat Grande Punto T-Jet 1.4L which is quite a fun hot hatch. 1.4 Liter Turbo with quite some torque to have a lot of fun with torque steer. I can't remember how, but one day I found myself on an Airport Trackday slaying tires, killing brakepads and trying to get faster which was quite the fun in a crappy fiat :D

I was on one of the Trackdays where I made myself friends with a Subaru Crazy Couple from Switzerland. I don't know if Carlo ever owned something different than a Subaru, I think if you would ask him he would deny it badly :D
So after more Trackdays also on the Hockenheim, money spend on the car to make it faster and myself improving in driving I came to the point where the "Pizzabox" (that's what Carlo's wife always called it) wasn't pleasing me anymore.
That was 2013.
In 2012 I met my "brother" through my flatmate. My "brother" is from Portland, Oregon, a crazy BMW car nut and from the first day we met, we were like, well, brothers. :)
Same year I went to the US of A the first time in my life. A dream come true! I don't have to tell you guys how beautiful the PNW is.
One thing I kind of didn't expect was: It's Subaru Country!
So go figure where, in my small brain, the idea of owning a STI got incepted. :D
I got to drive Carlo's crazy GC8 STI swap one day. Instantly and 100% sold that my next car will be a Subaru STI.
So skip forward to October 2013 and I sold my Fiat. After reading a lot in the Forums to get familiar with "things & stuff", I found a good option.

2005 WRX STI Type UK imported by the owner, Alex, himself in 2011. NO RUST.
No I'm not lying. It's from the UK and THERE IS NO RUST! Yes, I couldn't believe it either. The only rusty thing is my brothers E30 the STI sometimes parks next to :lol:
Alex spent the Car KW V1 coilovers, OZ Superturismo Wheels, a HKS Super Hi Power TI limited exhaust, Alcantara wrapped Steering Wheel and some DEFI Genome STI Gauges.

This is how she looked after I picked her up:

Subaru Impreza WRX STI


The License Plate was a gift from my buddy from OR. It's pretty cool to have for shooting pictures :cool:

Now, have some more pictures you may have seen around here already:









And the most recent:

MY05 Subaru Impreza WRX STI


What I did to the car:
-Retrofitlab Retrofit Kit H4 with 4300k Xenon Bulbs
-JDM Titanium Strutbrace
-Sparco Pro 2000 Seats on Buddy Club Super Low Down bases
-Perrin Reverse Lockout Lever
-Perrin Wing Stiffies
-Perrin Pitch Stop Mount
-AD08R in 225/40/18
-Tarox F2000 Rotors front, Tarox Zero Rotors rear
-Pagid RS14 Pads all around
-Custom Brake cooling ducts/plates
-Fischer Steel Brake Lines all around

Fluids:
-Motul Power 300v
-Motul RBF 600
-Motul Gear 300 for the Gearbox
-Motul Gear 300 LS for the Rear Diff
-Motul Multi ATF for the Steering once the new Rack is in

Good thing my buddy I met through the Subaru Impreza GT Club knows how to map the Subarus safely. He helps me with tuning the car.
As I don't aim for big horsepower numbers I at least have someone who can adjust the cars mapping if something pops ups.

I have a Spec C Steering Rack at home I wanted to have in for Friday. But aparently the guy who told me he will help me putting it in on his lift told me the day before my appointment, that he has to cancel it. So no Quick Steering Rack installation yet.
Which is a shame as I have my first Trackday with the car on this Friday at the Hockenheimring.
Still excited though!

On Saturday we went to a good friend who is a total Subaru Car nut. We went there for some corner balancing.
Put the car on the scales and this is what the computer showed to us:


Turns out I did a pretty good job setting the suspension with the measuring tape :lol:
She still is a FAT B!TCH with 1450kg. 3/4 filled fuel tank.
I hope we can drop around 100kg through removing unnessecary weight like sound deadening, replace the battery for a lightweight one, Carbon Fiber drive shaft, myself getting rid of 10kg of body fat ?, Spec C Windows, replacing the front and rear crash guards with lighter ones, removing the U-Subframe, AC, and whatever we can find...
But without getting rid of the rear seats and carpet.
I mean, you gotta have reasons to spend money on the car, right? Right? :lol:

Good thing my Girlfriend supports me. I'm not sure which one of us is more excited for friday. :cool::tup:

Turns out this is the only interiour shot as of right now:


My buddy from Oregon is visiting, he'll get to drive the STI on Friday at the Track too :cool:

So, that's it so far from myself.
I hope you enjoyed reading my little story and I hope I can keep you guys satisfied with future updates.
Feel free to ask me any questions!

Cheers from Germany,
Ben :)
 

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#118 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR time

What's pink and causes understeer?
...
Coolant.

So after maybe 9-10 laps today, I noticed some understeer. At first I thought I was pushing the tires too hard. Did a slower lap to have the tires cool down, went back on it, still understeer.
Figured it's gotta be the tire pressure being to high.
Back to the pits, stopped the car: Steam coming out of the hood scoop.
Oh shit, not again was my initial thought.
Popped the hood and found a VW Diesel...wait, no...I found my EJ207 having spilled coolant EVERYWHERE in the Engine bay.
My face then: :mad:
You can't do much with a boiling hot engine so I had to wait for it to cool down.
Other guy found me some tools in the meantime.
After removing the air intake I figured the Number #2 Fan cut the hose from the water bridge to the radiator. :tup:
Friend suggested to call the nearest Subaru Dealership.
"Hey, I'm at the Hockenheimring and my coolant hose is done, do you guys have a spare part in stock?"
Answer:
"Sadly we don't carry those special items..."
Me: :lol:
Well, in the end, Fred saved my day.
He's far away on holiday and read my forums post about the problem, called me and told me if I can drive to his Garage (10km away), he'll have someone unlock the front door and I can take on coolant hose from one of the cars resting behind the shop.
Drove there with my Friends E36 M3 Trackcar, found the front door unlocked, found the said GC8 STI Swap, loosend the clamps, pulled the hose off and went back to the Hockenheimring to fix my car.
Hooray for knowing the right people :cool::tup:
So many thank you's to him!

In the end, I'm glad I was able to drive the car back home. I REALLY hope that incident did not damage the engine. Car was running normal, no weird new noises.

In terms of the oilcooler:
I feel that thing might be a tad too effective.
I never saw temperatures going higher than 90°C while driving. Highest temp the Defis had stored was 97°C. Taken at Cylinder #3. (Hot car standing in the pits, engine on)
Maybe a 100°C Thermostat would be better than the 90°C?
Read some things about condesated water in the oil not being able to evaporate and things like that. Can anyone enlighten me on that?

On another topic, my Sparco Pro 2000 is crap. No matter how I set the seat I always have a bad seat position in terms of arms to steering wheel, arm to shifter, feet to pedals. The only legal way to have my steering wheel closer to myself (swap it with an OMP/Momo/etc one) is to get a cage & 4 point harnesses mounted all the time.
If I'd know how to finance that I'd do it I guess.

The worst part is...I should have never driven that 991 GT3.
I'm spoiled. :lol:
My car just feels so mushy and numb in terms of suspension response and I always thought it's doing alright. I might need to get KW V3 or alike.

And...it needs to loose weight.

Also I almost got dive bombed by a Porsche 996 GT3 Cup. I guess my experience saved me. I overtook him on the Parabolika because he had a bad line through the Parabolika Entry / wasn't quick anyway. So I went for a clean pass and prepared for the hard braking for the Spitzkehre (Hairpin). Stepped on the brakes, heal toe downshifted like a boss and in my peripheral vision the GT3 wasn't where I expected him to be. He was almost outside of my right mirror. So I reached the turn in point and was about to turn in when I turned my head slightly to the right to see where the GT3 is...at the same time I realized he's WAY to quick to make a solid overtake on the brake and opened up my steering.
Otherwise he would have dive bombed into my driver side door.


Hope Sebastian snapped some good pictures during my few laps I had today.
I need to sleep. Up since 0430am, only had 2 hours of sleep last night.
Story time over.
Cheers Guys :)
 
#119 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

So yesterday, Lars came over to weld the Flexpiece into the Uppipe & the Compensator into the Downpipe.
While we were doing the teardown, we also removed the Turbo to inspect it.
Shaft play is at a minimum which is good and the overall condition of the Blades and everything looked allright too.
Put everything back together and then I filled the coolant system one more time and waited till all bubbles were gone.
Drove back home and on the way I figured, if I boost over 1 bar, a weird wining noise appears. Not sure what's the cause yet. Car is fine on power though and boost comes up nicely.
I suspect maybe something with the inlet pipe is off. But I doubt it would cause that noise. I'll replace the inlet pipe soon. Have a 3" silicon one laying around since a long time.
Just need to source proper hose clamps that don't eat up the silicone when you tight them down.

Will stop by the stealership this week and order a new coolant hose and clamps so I can give it back to Fred.

My brother suggested I should just cut the fan blades so there's more room between the hose and the blades. The ends of the hose are already cut so there is already more room, I just want even more room.

Tbh I'm a bit confused about the coolant incident at the HHR.
There was NO indication that the car ran out of coolant. No smell, no steam while driving, nothing. No temp indication...Just the understeer I thought was the tire pressures not right.

Would monitoring the water pressure help? Is there enough pressure in the coolant system to be monitored? I don't want such a stupid thing happen again causing damage to the engine.

Not sure if I should just skip the club trackday and call it quits for this year.

Well, sorry again for the crappy phone pictures. There was no time pulling the DSLR out yesterday.



 
#127 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

I had a very similar incident after doing a short pull when I first got my STi, the upper coolant hose got cut by the fan blades and I'm still not sure how because there's plenty of clearance. That was the first problem I had in a long line of problems and mistakes on my end (don't switch the upper reservoir and radiator caps if you flush your coolant!) that led to my eventual head gasket issues. However my car got hot at this time and other times after.

Glad to hear nothing serious happened. the fact that you were still losing coolant when you go back to the pits makes me think you didn't lose too much on the track. Coolant probably got on your power steering belt and allowed it to slip, resulting in the understeer. If the car didn't get too hot I wouldn't worry about it too much.
 
#128 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

Kyle, I'm pretty sure the understeer was caused by the coolant being spilled infront of the wheels. The side of the brake calipers facing to the engine are all dirty from coolant.
A slipping power steering belt would have been felt as a loss of power steering, there was no such thing.

Yeah if you mix up the both caps you're gonna have a bad time.
To be precise, when I opened the hood in the pits, there was spilled coolant in the engine bay and nothing more coming out of the hose.
After I filled it back up all the way there was still some coolant in as the water mixed with the pink coolant. I poured a good 5-6 Liters in there.

Looks like I got away with it without any serious damage.
Now I just need to locate the weird whistling noise I have on full boost.
 
#131 · (Edited)
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

Damn, you lucked out with likely not causing any damage. I'm honestly surprised that happened. It's great that you had people helping you out in a pinch and such short notice like that. Glad to see things coming along. And, yeah it definitely looks close to lifting a wheel:)
 
#132 · (Edited)
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

So I ordered new hoses from the Dealership. Upper and lower hose are 26€ each. +4 Clamps + 10 Liters of Subaru Coolant.
Hope I can pick it up tomorrow.

Here are three Pictures from Friday:

Here's the Porsche behind me after I overtook him on the Parabolika:

20151009.SoR.HHR.4244 by Ben M., auf Flickr

Maximum brake force applied (well I guess the KW V1 aren't that stiff lol):

20151009.SoR.HHR.4246 by Ben M., auf Flickr

Well thank you Porsche for almost dive bombing me:

20151009.SoR.HHR.4252 by Ben M., auf Flickr
 
#133 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

Maximum brake force applied (well I guess the KW V1 aren't that stiff lol):

The lean from braking is more spring than it is the dampers, dampers only resist "movement" so continual braking ends up having your dampers doing nothing after the first second or so...

Besides a setup stiff enough to not lean under braking that hard would be spine-shattering on regular roads... LOL

Although it looks more like the rear lifted rather than the front diving to me ( I could be wrong...)

Nice pictures tho! Even if that porsche did try to play bumper-cars...
 
#134 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

Had a talk with one of my driving instructor friends about the Suspension.
Basically what you said, Blue. :)

He'll drive the car soon and will give me advice about the suspension.
Off to the garage, to do list:

-Find source of whistling noise on full boost
-Maybe replace inlet pipe :eek:

-Drain coolant
-Remove Radiator
-Dremel the #2 Fan Blades for more clearance to the coolant hose
-put Radiator back in
-Use NEW Hoses :D
-Coolant in & vent

-Dremel Mudguard openings for 100mm brake vent hose
-Make Foglight covers be able to have 100mm brake vent hose connection
-Put stuff together

-Don't freak out
...at least the Beer stays cool at these temperatures (~50°F) :D
 
#136 · (Edited)
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

Holy guacamole...
Inlet pipe...what a f*in pain.
And that thing doesn't even fit properly.
I wouldn't be suprised if the power breaks down on full boost. I mean, it has the rings to strenghten the hose but because of that bullshit fitment I really wouldn't be suprised.
Guess I'll figure it out tomorrow once I have the car ready.
Need to vent the Power Steering again because I had to remove the hardline from the pump.

Looks like the RHD Cars have wiring running over the Inlet Pipe between Intake Manifold and PS Hardline which the LHDs don't have?!
At least in that how to from Mishimoto there is no such thing.

If that thing doesn't run well on monday I'll rage quit :lol:

Edit:
Any recommendations for an inlet pipe with confirmed good fitment?
Aim for a hardpipe?
 
#137 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

What brand is the silicone inlet you're installing? I had to trim the silicone Gimmick inlet I used to have a bit on the air intake side to get it to sit right.

All inlets are a pain to fit, unfortunately. Hard inlets are worse. I have an AMR hard inlet and the fitment is garbage, especially when combined with a 3" inlet turbo. I've heard the APS isn't much better, and the Agency Power is about the same as the AMR.

Us LHD owner have a wiring harness under the manifold there too. I had to leave mine unbolted from the bottom of the manifold to fit with my AMR. I believe it was as big of an issue with the silicone gimmick inlet I had previously.
 
#138 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

No idea.
I got it off ebay two years ago brand new and had it laying around.
Well, test drove the car just an hour ago.
It runs. Tomorrow I'll connect the laptop and do 1-2 logs for Alex to check the map. He'll be at the Trackday on Monday too.

Back home the car pushed coolant where the return line from the reservoir at the turbo connects to the radiator.
Will try to source a proper hose clamp and hope it's fixed then.

Aparently the car still makes a weird noise under boost.
I tightend the nuts on the uppipe, downpipe, header and the v-band on the header-uppipe connection.
It builds boost nicely and feels as always. So I just leave it as it is. If it affects the car itself I/Alex will see it in the log.

If it is the flexpiece Lars welded into the uppipe I'll have a word with Stepjan who recommended the piece.
 
#140 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

Well, a Litchfield Hawkeye would be pretty sick. There's a guy from Switzerland selling one...for like 35000€ :lol:

Engine wise I have enough Subaru Knowledge with Fred and Alex at Hand so I'm not worried if I have to rebuild.

Well, bring yourself and TBAG over here, we get that thing to work and can test it at the Nordschleife and Hockenheimring :D
 
#142 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

Well, a Litchfield Hawkeye would be pretty sick. There's a guy from Switzerland selling one...for like 35000€ :lol:



Well, bring yourself and TBAG over here, we get that thing to work and can test it at the Nordschleife and Hockenheimring :D

Thats s lot of money!
Type 20 is essentially a light tuned spec C

Type 25 is a bit more with a Cosworth short block and a GT30 ish turbo.

Yeah right, test my brakes at Hcokenheim and the suspension at the Nordschleife?

I will think about it :p
 
#141 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - HHR Storytime...

Well, a Litchfield Hawkeye would be pretty sick. There's a guy from Switzerland selling one...for like 35000€ :lol:

Engine wise I have enough Subaru Knowledge with Fred and Alex at Hand so I'm not worried if I have to rebuild.

Well, bring yourself and TBAG over here, we get that thing to work and can test it at the Nordschleife and Hockenheimring :D
 
#145 · (Edited)
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - Anneau du Rhin Monday 10/26/2015

Coolant leak is fixed.
Car is all packed up with Tools, Jack and everything for monday.
Got a Sabelt 4/6 Point Harness for my GF so she's properly secured too and won't kiss the Dashboard under heavy braking :D

I got 4 GoPros and a Drift Box from Sebastian, upgraded my Harry's Laptimer to the Petrolhead Edition and mounted my Gopro to my helmet including a proper mic.
So I'm ready to capture some videos for you guys :)

Have a good weekend folks!

Cheers
Ben

edit:
Track: https://goo.gl/maps/UiymJWsZMmt
 
#146 ·
Re: Ben's MY05 WRB Type UK STI - Anneau du Rhin Monday 10/26/2015

damn, ben. i wish i was having half as much fun as you are. I'm excited for you.
 
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