Type R Troubles

[DavidH]

Well the time has come to report on my car….

I’ve been through some tough times with my Type R which really put me off Scoobies to the point where it was no longer something I got any enjoyment from. At all. As a result I pretty much left the SS forum in November, not returning until April when things were mostly straightened out and I felt like joining in again.

But I haven’t reported on what’s been happening. I’ve been modifying in secret. But now it’s finished, I can roll it out, a bit like a black project emerging from the skunk works.

PART 1

To start the thread off, we go back to October and an STI v8 scoop from Scoobyworld, not because I like the look of them, but because I wanted to squeeze the most performance out of the stock IC. Unlike lots of aftermarket stuff advertised, it really was a bolt-straight-on part. It’s not a genuine item, they build them specifically to fit the classic bonnet. Oh, and it's made of fibre-glass.

I was surprised how big it was. I can fit my forearm through the slot!





From the driver’s position it dominates the view, which is nice.



I have to say, as an aeronautical engineer I was pretty disgusted with the lack of any effort to control the air inside the scoop to make sure it works efficiently to improve the IC cooling. Left as standard the air will flow in and hit the back of the scoop, which is behind the IC and there is a socking great flange on it round the base for the attachment bolts so the air would have to flow forwards to get to the IC. Utter rubbish. I didn’t want the scoop for show, I wanted function. I’d like to sculpt the inside of it with some suitable filler to smooth the airflow but I’ve not found anything suitable. For now, I have an aluminium plate attached to the back of the scoop to channel the air downwards. It’s still a bit pants, but better than nothing. You can see it well from this pic taken from underneath.



The next mod was to be fitted on the weekend of the Surrey Scoobies November meet. The plan was to fit a lower suspension arm brace I’d just picked up off ebay for next to nothing (20 quid) on the Sunday morning and then set out for Newlands. Anybody else have trouble fitting one? Feck me I did.

I removed some of the suspension bolts to fit it, but found it wouldn’t line-up. After much swearing I managed to get 3 of the bolts in, but the last one just wouldn’t go. Being slightly F’ed off by then I thought I could force it, the result was I buggered up the thread in the mounting, at which point Newlands was a non-starter.

I drove the car slowly over to my local garage dude the following day to sort it all out. Apparently it was a complete pig to do. All the suspension attachments had to be loosened completely and still it needed a great effort to do it. But here it is fitted.

[DavidH]

PART 2

In November I started noticing an uneven rumbling sound. I wasn’t sure what it was but I thought it might be a wheel bearing. I did jack the car up and do the usual pulling the wheels around to look for play but didn’t find any. I took a mechanic guy out in the car and he was fairly sure it was a wheel bearing as well. The noise was most definitely coming from the front of the car, but we didn’t know which side it was. He changed the near side first. The old bearing was very rusty and he had a lot of trouble removing it (resorting to cutting a slot in the bearing then putting a cold chisel in it and hitting it was a lump hammer until it budged). Having done the bearing, the noise was clearly still there so a month later the car went back in again to have the offside bearing changed as well.

Result – 300 quid spent, noise still there.

Whilst all this was happening, I was still fighting poor idling problems, which I had been for months. In the end I bought a replacement idle speed control valve. It was pretty much the only thing I hadn’t changed that could affect the idle. Having changed it, I found the erratic idle problem was no better. When cold the car was pretty much unusable with the Power FC ECU so I had to remove it and fit the standard ECU, which seemed to cope far better with the problem.

By now I was pretty hacked off with everything, especially having spent so much on the Power FC and 2 mapping sessions and now I couldn’t use it and this bearing noise that sounded pretty bad at anything above 50mph. I was pretty sure it was going to be expensive. I assumed it must be something in the drivetrain as it was car speed related, not engine speed related.

After much soul searching and worry I decided the best thing to do was book the car in at API since they have such a high reputation and get them to identify which bearing was probably the culprit. As a bonus, Pat Herborn was there that day so I had him investigate the idle problem with the Power FC fitted.

Having driven up to API and gone out for a test drive they agreed the noise was definitely still coming from the front of the car and was probably drivetrain related. However, I was disappointed they wouldn’t commit to anything more than that. I drove all that way to be told what I already knew. Cheers guys. They offered to inspect and rebuild the box for me, but only on the understanding that they couldn’t promise the problem would be fixed, and it would cost me 800 quid. Their advice was pretty much, don’t bother. Just drive the car until it breaks, then get it fixed! Not really what I had in mind, but there was no way I was forking out 800 quid for a gearbox rebuild in case it didn’t fix the problem. Needless to say, I was not a happy man.

In the afternoon Pat turned up. Having let the car cool down, I fitted the Power FC for Pat to look at the idle problem. Thankfully the car misbehaved with him just as it did normally. Pat had to admit he couldn’t see what was causing the erratic idle either. However after some thought (knowing Pat, probably involving particle physics) he started making adjustments using the FC commander and the idle stabilised. I asked Pat what he’d done, but I didn’t understand a word of it. Neither did David O’Brien.

So I drove home happy to have the Power FC back in use, but not sure what to do about the bearing noise. At least I returned home only 100 quid lighter.

[DavidH]

Part 3

Still not happy with the bearing problem, I decided to take the car over to Len at Subaru For You towards the backend of February. I’ll tell you, I wish I’d have taken it to him first. API had been such a waste of time.

After a test drive, he thought the problem was also a wheel bearing, but knowing I’d had both changed, out came 7 wireless microphones which he placed all over the drivetrain – on the box, centre diff and rear diff. With the control box on your lap, you can switch between each microphone whilst on the move. One thing was clear, the centre diff was making a right racket and needed attention. I left the car in Len’s capable hands.

After a day or 2 I got the phone call from Len that you just don’t want – bad news. The case hardening on one of the shafts in the centre diff had warn off and Subaru don’t sell replacement shafts, only a complete replacement centre diff for 2600+VAT.

It was at that point I started phoning round all the subaru scrappys I could think off, trying to find someone with a DCCD centre diff. Turns out they’re rare. Very rare. I couldn’t find any at all. Len faired little better, but did find one, but only for sale complete with gearbox. Sadly, with no other options, we bought that for 900 quid, ditched the box and fitted the DCCD to my car.

Len also changed the discs and pads on my car to grooved Black Diamonds with Mintex 1155 pads. Made a huge difference to the brakes. Now I have some that stop the car! Here’s a pic of the new discs fitted.



Having had the centre diff changed you might have thought the drive home from Len’s might have been a happy one. Sadly, as soon as I hit the A34 I was greeted with the same bearing noise! So Len had indeed found a problem and fixed it, but I was 1500 quid lighter and STILL something was wrong with the car.

And so it went on.

[Chris]

kin hell mate hope this has a happy ending

[DavidH]

PART 4

Whilst at Len’s he also pointed out the shocks were warn out. Being somewhat skint, they had to stay on the car until I could afford to change them. The plan had always been to switch to AST coilovers, but including fitting, that’s another 1300 quid. I had to consider other cheaper options. I knew I wanted adjustable suspension.

I saw a group buy on SNET for KYB adjustable dampers. From previous group buys, they’d had rave reviews on SNET. The front shocks have 4 settings, the rears have 8. Here they are on kyb's website:

http://www.kyb.com/products/detail.php?ID=4

The real bonus was the price. I was just totally amazed at the price – 332 quid for all 4, including VAT and postage. That was a full 250 quid cheaper than Camskill sell them for, and they are usually a good on prices. After much deliberation I decided to take the risk and joined the group buy.

Having plumped for replacement dampers I now needed new springs because I found the standard STi ones too soft for me. I’m quite prepared for a hard ride if it means no body roll. So I started searching through the large range of lowering springs available and there are a hell of a lot, but there is one problem. Most of them don’t quote the spring rates and above all else, I wanted specific spring rates, the same as or similar to those recommended by Powerstation for the AST coilovers.

Struggling to get the springs I wanted I did find the spring rates for the STi pink lowering springs for the classic weren’t too soft so I started phoning round trying to get some. Problem was, all the secondhand ones were being sold with the dampers as well. Buying new was also a problem since I didn’t know the part number (and they’d have been damn expensive cos I asked Gary at Cheam what standard springs cost). Thankfully I had a major result when one of the guys on the IWOC scooby forum emailed me from Thailand saying he’d seen a set of pink springs in a local garage up for sale. He bought them for me long before I’d made any payment to him. Total respect to him for doing that for me. Postage was gonna be over 80 quid, which considering I’d got the springs for only 120, was too much. Then by total chance a mate of his was visiting the UK in June and coming to Winnersh on business. So in the end I picked up my springs from Thailand at a pub in Winnersh! No postage to pay. The guy refused to accept any money for his efforts.

So here are the new bits ready to be fitted.



You can see the adjustors on the tops of the front dampers.



On the back ones, the adjustors are on the side so you can change them without taking the rear seats out (great!).



They all went on the car in early July, fitted for 240 quid, except that all the existing suspension bolts were seized. A set of 8 new ones cost me 90 quid from Subaru!

The car sits 30mm lower at the front and 10mm lower at the back giving it a very aggressive look. I find the springs aren’t harder than the standard ones I had on before, but they have a very short travel before they bottom out. They’re okay though. The adjustable dampers are outstanding, given how much they cost and I’d recommend them to anyone for road use. I have set mine to setting 3 on the front and 6 on the rear and the car sits pretty flat in corners without the ride being too harsh for me. It’s so easy to change the settings so I change them to soften the ride when giving lifts and stuff.

Next I bought a rear strut brace from ebay. Only 30 quid. Fitting them is a bit of a pig because the wiring loom on the drivers side also needs to run through the same hole as the strut brace. As per the fitting instructions posted on a thread on Surrey scoobies, I managed to get the loom to run through the middle of the fitting.



Here it is fitted.

[DavidH]

Originally Posted by Chris

kin hell mate hope this has a happy ending

It does mate. And you'll laugh.

[Chris]

good on ya

[DavidH]

PART 5

This is the last part.

Still trying to sort out the bearing problem, having done the wheel bearings, fixed the centre diff and checked the rest of the drivetrain, I just couldn’t think what else mechanically would be linked to vehicle speed only. Then I had the idea that it was an aerodynamic buffet noise.

I’d first noticed the noise at about the same time as I’d fitted the STi 8 scoop, so I needed to investigate the scoop. But was the noise due to airflow inside the scoop or was it the airflow around it? The first test was to drive around until the noise was very obvious, then stop and cover over the scoop intake completely using duck tape and then drive again to see if the noise was still there. After a number of tests I decided it didn’t seem to make much difference, so it wasn’t due to internal airflow. To test the external airflow I refitting the standard scoop for a week. I also test-drove the car without any scoop at all. In both cases I was fairly sure it didn’t make any difference, the noise was always there. After a few weeks of testing, I decided it probably wasn’t the scoop.

The next idea was perhaps it was something to do with the mud flaps? A bit unlikely? Probably, but I couldn’t think of anything else I’d changed that would have any effect. I didn’t like the idea of going to the trouble of removing the mud flaps so I didn’t rush to test them. Whilst thinking about the mud flaps I did wonder about the tyres. Perhaps the tyres were uneven or damaged in some way. I’d had trouble with tyres in the past, so I checked them by switching the fronts to the backs to see if the noise moved to the back of the car, but there was no difference. The noise was still at the front.

There seemed little else I could test. I was pretty much ready to give up, when I remembered the rally air scoop on the roof (see pics at the top of the thread). It wasn’t something I ever really noticed and it had always been there. Perhaps the noise was something to do with that….didn’t seem likely. Again, duck tape was used to cover over the front. The result? Noise completely gone!!

So, after 8 months of searching, spending lots of money and worrying about the car, all it was was air passing through the rally scoop. D’oh!!! Total anti-climax, but the best possible news. No more money to be spent. No need to worry anymore.

The next and final change to the car (for the time being ) was to get the wheels refurbed. Water had got in underneath the existing paint and lifted it up in the centres. I’d promised myself I was going to get them refurbed in the summer. Unfortunately the spare wheels I had kept (from my previous WRX) wouldn’t clear the 4 pot calipers on the front or the twin pots on the back so I was a bit stuck for a set of wheels whilst mine were being done. Massive, massive thanks to Dan (dd1) for lending me his old set. Made everything possible. For 260 quid I now have a lovely set of shiny gloss black alloys (I've ditched the gold). As you can see in the photos below I kept the rim unpainted, but polished. I just need to find some new centre caps from somewhere.







Lookin nice innit.

I’ll have to get my SS garage updated with these latest mods. I'll have a set of new pictures too.

[dd1]

looks sweet mate!

and no worries with the wheels, glad i could help

[Mark]

Wow, that saga is bigger than Ben Hur mate

Glad it had a happy ending though

[RobVXD]

Sorted!

Looking good!

[Chunk]

That is looking good.

I like

[DavidH]

Thanks guys. Yeah it was a bit of a fight. You just gotta keep coming out fighting until you win....

[DavidH]

Just updated the garage with new pics and updated the mods list:

http://www.surreyscoobies.co.uk/foru...p?do=view&g=11

[The Gimp]

Looking Good David.

I know how you feel in terms of ownership when things go south. But stick with it.

Steve

[Puppetmaster]

Looks bleeding marvelous mate

Did you ever sort out the air flow problems with inside of the air scoop? I always planned on resculpting the internal so that it would go straight to the cooler - rather than get trapped by the flange... and have to go forward again :/

[DavidH]

Originally Posted by Puppetmaster

Looks bleeding marvelous mate

Did you ever sort out the air flow problems with inside of the air scoop? I always planned on resculpting the internal so that it would go straight to the cooler - rather than get trapped by the flange... and have to go forward again :/

No. I did buy some of that stuff you use to fill large gaps in diy stuff. It comes in a spray can and it expands to fill whatever gap you squirt it into. I tested it but found when you cut it afterwards (to the shape you want), it doesn't give a smooth finish. I just don't know what to use.

[StevieP]

Looking good fella..........

[wrxsub]

Liking the black wheels with the polished lip

[teaforvicar]

"The more complicated the challenges are the more satisfaction you get from overcoming them.."

Respect for sticking with the project..the end result looks lovely..