Uk2000 Impreza turbo gc8 (FIXED... for now)

Yeh the headlights are right for your car. So are the sidelights, any google image of a 99-00 model has crystal headlights, normal sidelights. Even the run out model P1 is the same.

So MOT day. To say I was a little nervous is a understatement. Obviously it looks a solid little thing but I'd not had chance to get under it. And other than a 15 minute pootle back to work hadn't driven it either. Lights work, it starts stops and steers but I wouldn't normally take summat to test I'd not looked over at all.

Well. Time was now. Let's go and see what craic is.



Tester got it up in the air and asked if it was a recent import. It really is that solid. Don't get me wrong it's well under sealed and stone chipped. But it's been done well before rot set in not after! I was more than slightly pleasantly surprised. With that potential elephant in the room (and feeling rather smug) out the way. I stayed out of way and let him do his thing! Pleased to say..... It passed!!!!!!!! (Never doubted a thing haha)



Paid up and got the car back to work. Eventually 🙈🙈. the poorly battery bailed out pretty much altogether. Had to borrow test stations jump pack which was embarrassing. Especially as the stupid god forsaken horrendous Clifford alarm was doing it's best to lock me out and embarrass me! That's goin in bin soon as I'm feeling brave!

Back at work phoned our supplier and got price on a battery. Figured I'd run down and collect one in car cus I was like a giddy child. All was well in the world til it wasn't. 2 minutes from supplier temp started to climb. Then heating blew cold. Then the world fell out of my . Not again!!! 😭... Limped in to battery places yard. Switched it straight off. Opened bonnet. To nothing. No steam or burst hoses so whats going off. Left it sat while I went and grabbed battery and came out to a puddle under bottom hose!!

Now every hose has been changed for silicone, but theyve used the naffest cheapest jubilee clips and I'm guessing they've settled slightly. Not helped by the 600 mile in last 2 year (it was less than I thought).. managed to tighten bottom hose slightly using my penknife n key as a flat screwdriver, filled it up with bottled water and got it back to work without incident.

Back at work figured I'd check it properly along with every other water hose I could find! Well I'm glad I did cus pretty much every one had another turn on the clips!! There all gettin replaced with proper jubilee clips next week!! For reference it was this one leaking.



Back up top chucked new battery in. Pleased to report the slow starting issue is gone. And better stil under the battery tray thing it's solid too! My mate popped in for a nosey and he was impressed how solid it is! (Ignore the fact he filmed me swearing a lot haha)







So its watertight it starts and it's all legal. Time to take it home then. The long way maybe with a bit of abuse. But not without the obligutary first fill of super plus (I've no idea if it's mapped or owt better safe than sorry)




Tank full. To the back roads... Once I'd fired the jet wash at it (don't worry I didn't use the brush haha)




So what's the verdict. Well it goes. Surprisingly well. It sounds amazing (but that exhaust isn't staying, especially as it's only 2.5 inch pipe) and it made me smile like a teenage boy who just discovered what it's for 🤣🤣 ! But it's fun. And I thoroughly enjoyed it!

And the handling. It's on terrible coilovers and "arrowspeed" tyres and you cant unsettle it! It goes where you point it and doesn't stop. Junctions are hilarious, plant noisy pedal stear and your there! Occasionally as it comes on boost it falls on its face briefly. But I'm sure il figure that out. It's boosting to around 13psi according to Chinese gauge. Not sure how that compares to standard. Think it needs the final bits sorting and properly mapping.

Got home and kids wanted to go in "silver Choo Choo car"... Well I think we've got 2 more fans.






Been and done some shopping with em and they think it's brilliant. And while there giggling I was smiling again so that's good!! Then they fell asleep in back haha

It's not all good tho. The alarm is horrendous. It does it's best to lock you out every time you open doors. So I need to sort that. Passenger window doesn't work. And did I mention the ride quality 🤣🤣

Before I left work earlier did some digging (regarding ECU and turbo).. can't see a label on turbo unless anyone recognises this. Also the ECU. Is this a standard uk2000 turbo ECU. Or something fruitier..







Also realised passenger front window is clear, drivers is bronze (guessing from an import) so this needs to be fixed.

All in all a successful first day. And I've a full weekend of use ahead... Less said about what Mrs thinks the better 🙈

Cheers

For 2nd hand parts like the window and maybe rear lights try Matt at mb developments. He specialises in breaking Subarus

You may still be able to get some good parts from Japan (buyee, yahoo, Jauce) but I can’t imagine there’s much about now, I had a v3 type r for a few years sold it 3 years ago and even back then it wasn’t easy finding proper parts. A lot of it is to do with the American market being open to early gc8s now.

Well... It's started. Haha. Cat back section of exhaust is only 2.5 inch, and the tip is about 6 inch. Honestly it's ridiculous. The noise isnt particularly offensive or loud but it's a bit boomy.

So last night, after a beer or 5 I made an offer on a proper 3 inch cat back system. With a more respectable 4 inch tip, also has a resonator so may help with the droning. Offer accepted quick trip over to thurnscoe this morning with a kid in tow before there swimming lesson and I'm now the proud owner of this..







Doesn't look much as its all wrapped up. But il grab some pics when I fit it..

I wonder what tonight's purchase will be (it's dangerous Mrs getting a weekend off work I can have a beer haha)..

More soon I'd imagine.

Cheers

Good looking GC8! At my work we do a lot of mechanical work like transmission and engine rebuild on Subaru's. I can dream those EJ's!

this is the td05 i have on the temptress in case it helps , off a 555 ..

Please don't talk about engine rebuilds. It gives me palpations thinking about it haha.

But cheers everyone whose seen it seems impressed with it.

Ahhh it's good to be back.. less than a week into ownership and we have the first calamity! Intrigued.. do read on 🤣 but first. You know it's gonna be a bad day when the water beading has frozen, youve no scraper and the deicer is in the van you've left at work. Didn't need my bank card anyways 🤣




So got to work this morning after a spirited back road blast (it does turn you a bit asbo haha). Got my real work out the way and had an hour spare. My dodgy knee is playing up again so rather than crouch in the pit, i figured fitting a bolt on exhaust would be easier on my back. So up it goes...



Old exhaust came off very easily, and it was as I thought only 2.5 inch. offered it next to the new one and although the new one has a wonky J can, layout looked right. Ish... 🙈 Noticed couple of hangers looked a bit off but maybe it's just my eyes. Maybe..



Offered it up under the car, and although it may be close, it wasn't right... Agghhhhh!! As it looked 2 hangers weren't right, one a bit short one completely wrong! Not end of world, I could get metal hot glue gun out and make it work. It looked better in my humble opinion too!

Old. (6 inch tip 🤣)



New (4 inch.. plenty)



Now I could have sorted the hangers easy enough ish. But the bigger problem is the downpipe end. The exhaust uses one of those conical wire gasket things... The one on the downpipe is 2.5 inch (not much good considering down pipe is 3 inch up to this point). And obviously the taper on the new exhaust is 3 inch (so it seals as well as damp newspaper).. i.e it won't.







Now problem one is the downpipe needs altering so it's 3 inch all way through, and the exhaust doesn't bolt up like it's meant to.. so I'm making bits. It's also a bit short for my liking and finishes just under back bumper.. if I'd wanted to make an exhaust I'd have ordered tube n bends n saved some money 😭.. did some digging and turns out the exhaust Ive Been sold is for a gd8 (the model after mine, the bug eye) and although they sort of fit. The issues I had were all issues people have had before trying to fit the later exhaust to the earlier car..

Feeling a bit narked I messaged the seller and tbf to the bloke just said take it him back and he'd give me my money back.. can't really fault him for that (I think he knew it wouldn't fit either). Dropped it on my way home and gave him a tenner back for a drink for doing right thing..

Bunged the old exhaust back on for now, did do one tiny job. There's some corrosion on a random spot inside the boot lid also where the rubber buffers sit on the lid. So I cleaned up and rust remedied them. Will touch paint up when I get a dry/warmer day. But if that's the only "rust" I find, I'm chuffed haha






So money back In pocket we have a new plan. They've got complete turbo back systems listed on eBay. Turbo back in 3 inch. So they will definitely bolt together.. so should be as easy as bolting it on. I'm gonna have to modify my current downpipe regardless so it's 3 inch all way through. And I wanted to remove it to heat wrap it anyways. So as pay for stainless tube and a new clamp for bottom. Plus gaskets. I may aswell order a full front to back new system that comes with all the gaskets and what not and do it in one hit.
I've made an offer on a couple cus we all like a few quid off. So wel see what happens.

Hopefully some actual progress soon!

Cheers