Hi All - am back after quite an absence!

Noticed yesterday that I have the start of the typical rear door shut rust on the sills, where the door seals dont protect them which was a bit gutting, but to be expected of a 145k mile, 20 year old Subaru I guess. Structurally seems solid though and I think Ive caught it in fairly good time and expect its probably nothing compared to similar aged examples!

For now Ive liberally applied a couple of coats of Kurust to it and will keep an eye. I envisage its been like it a long old while and probably not progressing very quickly but I guess im gonna look to take the sill covers off at some stage and see how the sills are in general.

Following the welding it had for the rear shock tower, it flew through the last MOT with no advisories so Im sure they are fine but you never know.

Ill be honest, its such a good example on the whole that I'd like to get anything like that sorted and undercoated.....just the costs likely to be prohibitive....we shall see!

Still on the hunt for a Y pipe....also what are peoples opinions on snorkel removal and panel filters. I did fit a Pro R to my old SF but cant say it did much, the Y pipe I noticed much more. I contemplated snorkel removal on that car but sold it before I got the chance. I think a snorkel removal will add a bit of intake noise but assume there are likely some downsides (intake temp increase possibly). Opinions welcomed!!

Also.....does anyone on here have a good TD04 they might be willing to let go for reasonable money......I have it in mind to map it eventually, but now thinking I might TD04 it on the stock map for a short time then get it mapped with that. I cant help but think a mapped TF035 will be nice with low lag and decent low end punch, but the possibility of being able to make higher 200's is definitely a draw......

So I done the snorkus delete the other day and noticed no difference whilst travelling the mile to work. Took her to town today and felt her cut out now and again. Thought to myself I'd better turn back. Got home quickly refitted the snorkus and started the journey to town again. All was good car felt fine and no cutting out whilst getting there but while sitting at traffic lights she cut out and wouldn't start.
Pushed her round the corner with the help from a young lad who I flung a tenner at once we got her in a safe place so I could further investigate.
No error codes, checked fuel pump connections as couldn't hear it prime, checked relay as it sounded funny unplugged and plugged back in. Tried to start and the relay just clicked like mad (even with the key off and out).
Left the car for a few mins whist I tidied up and tried to start her.... She wanted to go but kept cutting out, eventually she started and idled kinda but with no increase in revs when I gave the accelerator a push.
Plugged in my JOBD reader and saw 4 codes ( I wish I noted them) one did read throttle position etc, so I cleared them, switched her off, waited 10 secs and started her again and she ran fine.... I promptly drove home.
What the freak was that all about? 😳

Sorry for the thread hijack but just thought @don1952 may be able to help with what went on.

Edit... I'll start my own thread on this.

Loving the car, since sorting out the rad cap issue and fuel pump its not using any coolant, not using so much oil and it definitely drives better (smoother).

Next big mechanical thing to sort is the rear suspension. I plan to get a full set of KYB Excel rear shocks and heavy duty springs for it and have them fitted soonest, i'll then look to renew the fronts in the same way down the road. I however want to get an oil and filter change and the gear and diff oils all renewed first as its done c 6k miles since its service late last year and I dont suspect its had the gear and diff oils done any time recently.

One big issue I did have was wind noise coming from the passenger side mirror gusset. It was horrendous and would appear at low speeds and when there was little to no wind. Ive sinced fixed it....transpires it just needed reshaping so liberal use of a hammer onto a folded cloth on the gusset inside and out enough to close the seal gap and its golden again. Just need to remind people not to close the doors by the windows lol. Anyone suffering the same, just let it be known you dont need to change the gussets, just get a hammer to them (though of course be careful!)

In my search for a y pipe, I have ended up buying a full early newage WRX (off a 2002 bugeye) tmic from eBay, as it was v cheap considering it came with a prodrive y pipe (pipe alone seems to be selling used alone for 2 - 3 times the price)....it also comes fitted with a bailey bov - wish it had the stock item but beggars cant be choosers! As the IC is basically what is fitted to stock Fsti's, I may well look to get it fitted, along with a OE bov though I may just burgularise the pipe and part off the rest......decisions decisions......if anyone has a suitable recirc bov they want to let go of let me know!

The tweeter kit I ordered from the dealers still hasnt turned up, so the wait for those continues. I think I'll look to replace the headunit for something half reasonable with bluetooth phone/streaming connectivity (not overly bothered about DAB)....just want something that can be set up to match the dash colour wise and doesnt look like something out of a fun fair 😀

Removed the snorkus just now......jesus its quite a pain to do but as others have said it can be done just by pulling the arch liner down and having the wheels on full right lock. Lower bolt the biggest challenge as lacking tools I had to resort to the smallest freebee 10mm spanner to get it undone which took some doing!

I was on the fence on this one (know people have mixed views on the benefits) but I wanted more intake noise and thought what the heck, the bolt holding my ram air scoop (if thats the right term for it as IMHO ram air my a$s) bolt had sheered so it was held on with a zip tie anyway.

At the moment Ive ducktaped the snorkus hole under the bonnet up from the inside and also tore out the rubber lip on the air box entry (it wouldnt come out in one piece). Its just pulling straight from the arch hole at the moment, will look to stick a bit of silicone pipe and a cheap velocity stack of some sort at some stage probably, but as the original scoop seemed to pull air in straight from under the bonnet (and I cant imagine the snorkus really does that much to lower IATs) and by all accounts there is a form of velocity stack in the stock airbox Im gonna see how it goes for now. Might stick a washable cotton panel in, but again in two minds.

Revving it on the driveway, its definitely alot louder and not sure if its just me but the exhaust seems to be a bit more keen to pop and burble a little.....anyway a bit of sunday afternoon fun to sample a bit later on 👍

Well am happy to report that the snorkus removal so far has proven to be a very positive thing and worth the hassle to pull out!

Each to their own but I rather like the increase in intake noise, which isnt obtrusive at all (not actually that noticable), but its the added turbo spool and wastegate noise thats there now is really quite nice. Before you could barely tell apart from how it went that it was turbocharged, now you can and I like it.....not exactly under the radar stuff as it wooshes and chuffs a gooden now but its all good in my book.

Interestingly Ive been monitoring intake temps at the MAF and on the move regardless of the ambient temperature its only ever 2 to 3 degrees c above which accounting for underbonet warmth is not bad at all. Something I noticed upon removing the snorkus is that unlike the WRXs (which get a rather wide front intake scoop that pulls from the front), the 2.0XT makes so with a much smaller intake that pulls from the engine bay between the rad and drivers side headlamp. Thinking about it logically, your probably pulling warm air from under the bonnet much of the time as theres probably not all that much ram air effect on it on the move....also i cant imagine the air will cool at all through the snorkus either.....not saying Subaru didnt design it for a reason and am no expert in fluid dynamics, but it not being there anymore I feel is only a good thing.

Butt dyno wise, not alot of change of course though I have really noticed that its now definitely keener to rev in the higher rev range (before much past 5.5k it felt really strangled) and whilst power still tails off (as its 5.6k peak) it definitely revs stronger and keener towards the red. Even better, Ive noticed the car hardly bucks under acceleration like it used to (unless you were very particular about throttle input) and has smoothed things out no end, definitely sharpened overall throttle response as well.

So, a success Id say!

Something I am going to look at is if I can better seal the airbox inlet against the bulkhead, gaps minimal and having little effect from what I can tell but I do have an old tailgate rubber from a R52 Mini Convertible I used to have....thoughts are that cut correctly it might act as a decent seal for the airbox against the bulkhead....need to get a bit of time to play around to see if it'd work!

Also ordered the engine bay blanking panel which should be here in the coming days, so the duck tape can come out.

Well [email protected] could be an even shorter run than last time!

Missus and I had for a while been toying with the idea of getting a camper conversion, as we have three young kids and two dogs (and arent urinating cash) we don't get to get away abroad much like we have done years gone by so thought it'd be a nice way of seeing a bit more of the UK, as well as Europe. Anyway, in rather a twist of fate (really was a quick-buck decision I had no idea id be making pre the weekend), Ive since put a deposit down on a rather nice 2008 Toyota Alphard with a kitchen and pop top conversion and given the cost involved sadly somethings got to give and that would be the Foz 😢

Genuinely gutted as if I could in any way justify it id be keeping it, but running costs alone it aint workable.

I'll therefore be putting it up for sale ASAP, willing to give someone on here 1st dibs at a good price before I look to chuck it on FB Marketplace or AT if its of interest to anyone. Certainly for its year and miles its a bloody nice example. Feel free to IM me if you want to know more!