It's finally time to go stage 2 and get a downpipe. I've really been out of the loop for the past couple of years. So, whats the best option for a downpipe to connect to a stock catback? I will be upgrading the catback at some point (probably to a Borla) The cheaper the better. Also what is a standard install price for a downpipe? Oh, and completely unrelated but I seriously need to get my car buffed properly. Spent a year opening a restaurant and kinda ignored the paint. Got some oxidation that needs to be fixed. Anyone know anyone good?
Replace the downpipe yourself. Its 5bolts on top where the turbo is. Then jack up car from the passenger side and theres two at the end of the downpipe. Done! Make sure your gaskets arent old and rusty, if so buy new ones. Its like 17 bucks for the turbo to downpipe gasket and 12 for the dp to midpipe. You just saved maybe 150 to 200 bucks. Ooo just remembered you might have the stupid stock heatshield. Theres a few 10mm bolts on that which is easier to take off with the tmic removed. Bring the car down to warner robins and ill do it all for 50bucks! Btw i have an hks flat flange downpipe identical to the one i run on my car now.
It sounds easy and I do consider myself fairly handy, but I just don't have the space to do the install. My condo complex is fairly strict about car repairs in the garage. So...downpipe arrives wednesday the 8th. So any tuner shops that can do an install after 5 on thursday or friday or Saturday morning?
You're in midtown, so you're closest place is going to be Six Star Service over in Decatur. Otherwise, you have TopSpeed out in Alpharetta, and Forged or Kill Shot in Marietta. Juston @ Six Star - 404-377-7874 Cicio @ TopSpeed - (866) 94-SPEED Ryan/Tray/Decker @ Forged - (770) 792-0202 Andy/Mike @ Kill Shot - (678) 232-8829 Cheers,
No worries, it made me decide to make a post showing our shop location, address and hours so that there was no confusion.
Thanks Alex. I took my car to Six star for my 30k service recently. They did a great job. I'll start making some phone calls.
Guys at Killshot installed the downpipe this morning. Went with this one. http://www.erzperformance.com/ERZ_CNT_Version_2_performance_02_07_Subaru_WRX_a_p/1024.htm Apparently it went on fine. I have a question though, how loud should the turbo whine be? It's a lot louder than I expected. Stage 2 power is nice though, just feels like a much earlier and wider powerband.
My bellmouth downpipe was much louder than stock. If it bothers you, you can always wrap it with heat wrap and gain the benefits of the heat reduction in the engine bay as well as the noise reduction.
I would vote to wrap it. Hard to beat that baking bread smell the heat wrap puts out for the first week Also, it helps when the summertime hits.
Ive seen cars catch on fire due to heat wrap on headers and downpipe. Id be weary as to which heat wrap you use. Im a first hand experience on the fire issue so you can take it for what its worth. I had a small oil leak from one of the valve cover grommets and during a racing it ignited. The second time my engine blew (stock 2.0 sucks lol) and oil went everywhere and fire once again from the heat wrapped header. There is a heat wrap out thats not made of fiber glass and fabric but im not sure if that works for something hitting 1200 egts on a daily basis.
Been doing some research and I think I may just go with some serious sound deadening on the interior. It's something I've always meant to do and this gives me a good reason to do it.
If you get fluid spewing out on to the exhaust it can catch fire regardless if it is wrapped or not. Geoff at full race experienced this on their race car when power steering developed a leak and it caught fire on ceramic coated exhaust.