shellspeed's 04 forester xt

5873 Views 38 Replies 8 Participants Last post by DirtyLoincloth, Jan 25, 2020

shellspeed

Discussion Starter · Oct 26, 2018 (Edited)

3

Hello all. My wife and I purchased this car today. It's our first Subaru and will be a car that we both share. This thread will serve as my photo dump and maintenance log. I'm pretty amazed at the car. It drives really well, feels solid, and has no problem getting up and going.

The car has 153k on it. Plans are to change the oil and check/change other fluids as needed before doing other fun things to it. Maintenance and keeping it in tip top shape is top priority. On to the pictures!

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #2 · Oct 26, 2018 (Edited)

To do list, in no particular order:

Deal with P0457 code
Install shifter bushings

Maintenance:

Replaced coilpack on cylinder #1 (Beck Arnley 178-8392): 163,945
Replaced spark plugs (NGK 2309 LFR7AIX): 163,945
Replaced fuel filter (Purolator F54668): 163,945
Replaced rusted out header with used OEM header, all new hardware.
Replaced broken exhaust with an Invidia catback
Changed oil: 163999, 161450, 158000, 154066
Replaced front passenger caliper: 160,735
Replaced rear driver caliper: 160,735
Replaced front & rear brake pads & rotors: 160,735
- StopTech Street Performance Pads (F: 309.09290, R: 309.10040)
- Wagner E-Coated rotors (F: BD126174E. R: BD125046E)
Replaced PCV valve (11815AB711): 160,735
Changed front & rear diff fluid (75W90 Extra S SOA427V1700): 160,735

Mod List:

Tomioka Racing TD05-16G Turbo
Tomioka Racing wastegate actuator set at 14psi
Sti tmic
Grimmspeed boost solenoid
Perrin air filter
Invidia downpipe and catback exhaust
First gen Crosstrek wheels
Yokohama Geolandar tires,
StopTech Street Performance Pads
Wagner E-coated brake rotors
Aftermarket wing

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 26, 2018 (Edited)

2

Is this wastegate factory? It could be since I'm not familiar with these cars yet but it looks aftermarket to me.

Also, going to be doing research in the coming days and find an axle back exhaust to replace this one. It sounds good but looks hideous.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 29, 2018

Wiped down the interior and changed the oil today. Very happy with how well kept the interior is as it wasn't that dirty at all. I'll take some proper pictures sometime this week of everything.

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Blake Moore

· #5 · Oct 29, 2018

Welcome,

Nice looking Foz! What are the current mods that you've successfully identified?

shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 30, 2018 (Edited)

Thanks! All I have identified is the STI top mount and the forge wastegate actuator. My wife has been taking the car to work because her main car (CRV) is having some small issues at the moment. Between taking care of that and getting another car ready to sell, I haven't had much time with it.

Edit: after closer inspection, the WGA brand is tomioka racing.

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Blake Moore

· #7 · Oct 30, 2018

Looks like you definitely have a turbo-back exhaust, I'm assuming mid-pipe has been replaced along with muffler and downpipe sections that I can see are obviously aftermarket. Are you running any kind of tune or is it running the stock tune as far as you know?

What are your plans for the vehicle? Are you looking to keep it stock, minimum mods for maximum fun, or are you looking to throw everything and the kitchen sink into it?

If you don't get any other mod, the one thing I would recommend is a Cobb Accessport, a V2 will do you just fine if you can find an unmated one for your car that's in good condition, but if the V3 is in your budget ($650), get it, its worth it for the gauge monitoring ability alone.

shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 30, 2018 (Edited)

It does have a turbo back exhaust and it's on the stock tune as far as I know. Mods for it will be pretty minimal to be honest. I'm not new to modding and know what kind of headaches it can create lol. Creating headaches on my personal car is OK but is not OK when the wife also drives this car and she has a long commute

Will be keeping it as is for the most part with small aesthetic changes. An access port will be purchased sometime next year. An aggressive tune to squeeze out as much power as I can is not what I'm after. Would just like to get a tune so it runs more efficiently and not super rich which I'm assuming how it comes in stock form. And yes the gauges on the unit is a definitely plus.

edit: Ordered 2 uncut oem keys and an additional key fob.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #9 · Nov 4, 2018

9

Finally got time to get some proper photos! Took the time to clean the windows, check oil, and check brake pads. Pad material looks pretty low so I'll be ordering replacement pads and rotors tonight.

Rear quarter panel rust kind of bothering me. Might go get a quote on repairing those. The rust on the passenger side is worse than the driver side.

What is the name of this pipe that has exhaust wrap on it? I want to remove the wrap because it looks pretty terrible.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #10 · Nov 4, 2018

6

Here's the 3" exhaust if anyone can help me identify what brand it is

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Womprat57

· #11 · Nov 4, 2018

Nice ride, welcome! I love the Crosstrek wheels on it, but man those floormats...any plans for WeatherTech or Husky?
That mummy is the Header. I would clean all that wrap off it as it doesnt look like its helping ..if ever.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #12 · Nov 5, 2018

Thanks! Yeah eventually we'll grab some weathertech floor mats. Thanks for the info on the header. I'm going to take off the wrap for sure cause it looks terribad.

shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #13 · Nov 27, 2018

Our first adventure in the Suby! Spent the weekend in the mountains located in Charlottesville. More photos to come.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #14 · May 13, 2019

2

Been MIA for a while dealing with family things and stuff. Just now getting back on my to-do list for the Subaru. Only issue since my last update is the exhaust it came with separated so it was extra loud for a bit. Picked up an Invidia catback and installed it over the weekend. Just ordered a PCV valve kit (with the hoses), Extra S trans/diff fluid, and exhaust hangers to replace the current ones as they're really old and saggy.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 2, 2019

2

Dropped the car off a couple weeks ago at my friend's shop and picked it up today. Suby's got new front and rear brake pads and rotors, new front passenger caliper, new pcv valve, front and rear diff fluid changed out, and a new wing. Brake components used are Wagner coated blanks with StopTech Street Performance Pads. PCV valve and diff fluid is from Subaru.

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Inactive_55959

· #16 · Jul 2, 2019

Nice looking Foz! Looks like you have the original plastic OEM radiator in there. Those are known to fail after ~100k, and cause overheating. Good item to replace because: the cluster does not exactly light up like a Christmas tree if/when you run low in coolant and overheat: so if your radiator fails and your engine overheats you may not notice it until your motor is totally hozed.

Looks like you scored a manual? Nice.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 9, 2019

Inactive_55959 said:
Nice looking Foz! Looks like you have the original plastic OEM radiator in there. Those are known to fail after ~100k, and cause overheating. Good item to replace because: the cluster does not exactly light up like a Christmas tree if/when you run low in coolant and overheat: so if your radiator fails and your engine overheats you may not notice it until your motor is totally hozed.

Looks like you scored a manual? Nice.

Yeah. Didn't even notice how hard it is to come across a manual XT until after our purchase. Thanks for the tip on the radiator. I'll have to put it on the to do list. Surprised ours is the original at ~161k lol. I'll most likely shop around for a full aluminum one.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jul 15, 2019

Changed the oil today @ 161,450 miles. The stock header, which the previous owner used header wrap on, has a hole in it. No surprise there. Ordered and received an OEM header replacement from eBay and it's in pretty good shape. Got all the gaskets from grimmspeed. I've been hitting the hardware with pb blaster every other 2-3 days or so. Not sure when I'm going to tackle it but I'm really afraid the studs are going to snap lol. Been fortunate my other car's haven't given me so much trouble with rusty hardware. The subaru says my easy streak is over.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #19 · Aug 26, 2019

4

replaced the header over the weekend. everything went smoothly. the wife was really curious about how the exhaust putty and band-aid (installed on july 4th) held up on the old header and surprisingly it's still intact. just the pieces around the repair flaked off if you chipped at it.

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shellspeed

Discussion Starter · #20 · Sep 25, 2019

A few weeks ago, we took the car on a 800 mile day trip to go pick up another forester xt (wife's idea, she's hooked lol). Car made it to destination and back home without a hiccup. So the car has turned into my daily since I got rid of my daily. I'm trying to figure out if I want to keep it or not right now. My thought is not right away since I'd like to enjoy it since having to put in so much time and effort to getting it to its current state.

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