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JohnnyCanucks JDM T/TB Forester

('98-'00) 
9K views 39 replies 10 participants last post by  JohnnyCanuck 
#1 · (Edited)
I bought my Forester from the previous owner in April 2015, he had imported in in October 2014 and had done some work to it before I bought it. It had 58,890 kilometres on in when I bought it.

As it sits now:


Work completed by previous owner:

Brake pads/calipers.
Timing belt, idlers etc.
Valve cover gaskets.
Spark plug cover gaskets.
Gromets.
Positive crankcase ventilation gaskets.
Half moons.
Oil pick-up o-ring.
Oil pick-up.
Replaced all fluids
Spark plug wires - Magnecor PN 45205
Spark plugs.
OEM block heater
Air filter and cabin filter.
Removed suspension and rustproofed fender liners, removed side skirts and did the same.
Replaced rear wheel seals/bearings.

Want to do:
Install after-market stereo - Done
Replace factory speakers - Done
Add amp/sub - Done
Upgrade rear sway bar, bushings and endlinks - Done
Install Oil Pressure/Boost gauge - Done
Add cruise controls.
install heated seat kit.
maybe after-market exhaust, however the current one is in mint shape so I'm leaving it for now.
 
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#2 ·
Things I've done:

Bought a used 24mm whiteline rear swayer to replace the skinny one on the JDM, hot-tanked it, primed and painted it:
\

new bushings/endlinks:


Comparison to oem one:


Installed:
 
#3 ·
Bought a gauge pod from Ortiz Custom, hard to find a match for my dash color, I call it feces brown :( :
Primed, light sanding and 7 coats:


OEM bracket installed, everything lined up perfectly:


installed, excellent fit, latches like the oem one:


 
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#4 ·
Finishing this job off, the oil sender I have won't fit where current oil dummy light connection is, tried the rear oil gallery plug under the ic and it wouldn't fit so on to plan B; remote mount with grease gun hose:



We use this hi temp (1500 degrees F) loom at work to build pyro harness for gas compressors in the oil patch, this will keep the grease gun hose safe from heat:



Just need to zap strap it on and it should be good to go:



rear oil gallery plug:


new plug for oil sender:


new plug installed:


Sender installed on shock tower:



Water temp. sender:


Shop Manager inspection:


Wires for temp/oil and boost hose:


I soldered/heatshrank all the wiring and used these nifty fused connectors:


Done:
 
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#5 ·
Installed a new stereo as the JDM one only got one station and couldn't play cds. Had to file/dremel the fake wood trim to fit it back on, so nice to have all the radio stations again, usb, and bluetooth for my phone:









 
#6 ·
Wow. I must say, very nice purchase, everything looks pristine. And its turbo. And its right hand drive. And it has sweet-*** floor mats. Wish I could find good deals on the jdm fozzys here in the states. Too bad its auto. Nice job on the gauge install though!
 
#7 ·
Thanks, I sold my 02 WRX for this as I was looking for an auto. I had some health issues and my left leg was giving me issues, especially in heavy traffic and pushing the clutch in/out every 5 seconds.
 
#13 ·
Added an under seat sub-amp combo, sounds pretty decent all in all.







Comes with everything but a male to male stereo joiner; two bottom left connectors.


Also has a remote that has some limited amp/sub function, you also need to run power to the battery.



Fits nicely under the seat, can't see it with my seat pushed back
 
#16 ·
My next project. I pulled the speedo cluster and I need to find a wiring diagram before I install this new one.



I hooked this up today and the odometer is 224,547 kilometres, mine is 84,278. The mileage is kept in an eprom on the speedo clusters so I have to de-solder and re-solder it to the tommy kaira one. :-|
 
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#18 ·
Thanks, I was a bit bummed when I wired it up and saw the mileage, but it looks pretty easy to change out the e-proms so I can keep the odometer mileage on my existing speedo cluster. Or I can always wait until I hit 224,547 and then install it!
 
#19 ·
I went back home this past weekend - Fort St. John B.C. - before we move to Vancouver Island. I grew up on a farm on the Alaska Highway, and the Kistkatinaw Bridge was both a unique bridge and a cool place to hike around. It was built in 1942 and was the first of its kind in Canada, I have driven every one of my 31 vehicles I've owned on it over the years and I stopped there today to say goodbye to it before we move.

Here's a picture of the history sign:


Picture of the north entrance to the bridge, you can see that the bridge deck is also 'canted' or leaning:


Closer picture of the deck:


Pictures of the support structure:






 
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#21 ·
The trip up to fort st john and back from Edmonton was 1,744 kilometres, including driving around when I was there. My Forester ran like a top, I wish I had cruise control so that is my next project once we move to the Vancouver Island. For a car that will be 20 years old in May, i am impressed and proud to own it.
 
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#23 ·
My faithful Powerucc II dash cam had a sensor fail, I replaced it with a Lukas 7950WD which is a two camera setup.

This is how it came packaged:







lots of room to hide the rear camera wire, picture of rear camera"







front camera:





It comes with built in 'parking mode', which records when the motion detector is tripped, also has a low volt disconnect which you can set via the Lukas View app. I'll get a video up in a bit.
 
#24 ·
Spent some time this week trying to pin out this cluster, I can't find a wiring diagram anywhere for it. I put it in today, got it powered up - including the speedo - and went for a drive, but no speed. Next job is to find out which wire is the speed signal coming into my oem dash and tap into it; almost there :)

 
#27 ·
Added this as a reference to anyone else that has similar issues, especially with an SF:

I started experiencing surging/hesitation intermittently, one day it was fine, next day or later on same day surging. No cel, no codes so it was frustrating trying to pinpoint what it could be, especially with how intermittent it was; here's what I checked trying to find what it could be.

Tested upstream 02 sensor - good
Tested knock sensor – tested good but had small crack - replaced
Checked MAF sensor, cleaned
Checked all vacuum lines – all good (broke BOV nipple; repaired)
Checked grounds – all good
Checked alternator/battery voltage
Checked air filter – good
Checked fuel filter – changed
Checked IC y-pipe - good
Checked Plugs & Wires – good
Checked TPS - good

It became personal, man vs machine :mad: and I spent lots of time going over pages from different forums and found a reference to similar problems on an JDM NSX

Basically, the boards on the MAF sensor had an issue where the solder would pull away from the contacts, I pulled mine apart and found one contact that was not soldered tight and when I'd hit a bump on our lovely roads, it would cause the issue I was having. I re-soldered it, put it back together and it is running back to it's reliable self again. After two days I can say it has been resolved.

Here's some reference pictures from my car:

MAF - remove all sealant around the top of the MAF and remove lid:


Remove metal lid:


use a small flat blade screwdriver to carefully pry on circuit boards where it meets the pins; I had movement on pin two:
 
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#30 ·
Just adding this as a reference for anyone else needing to get the DRL's working for a Canadian Out of Province inspection on an SF5 - taken from my WSC thread:
pull the two relays out, make these jumpers - small/large blade - plug them in according to the picture and off you go. Make sure you plug them in exactly as pictured, Make sure you test the leads before hand, as there are two constant 12V. Basically if you wired it to that and started your car you would have a 24V serge... which would be messy. Since the headlight fuses are 15 amp I figured that 14 gauge wire would be appropriate - you could use 12 gauge, but it might be a bit overkill.

 
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