Taza's Foz 2.0

Well I thought I better start again as it's like a new car since the last journal (here: https://www.offroadsubarus.com/showthread.php?t=2887 - RB).
Modifications have been severe! Damage has been extreme Repairs have been expensive and tiresome After all she and I have been through over the past 3 years and 100+k km. You could say it's really been an adventure :lol: With many more to come

Stock in June 2010

Now as of September 2013

Mods

Suspension

• KYB front SF shocks/struts
• KYB rear SG(04 Forester N/A) shocks/struts
• Heavy duty raised dobinson springs all round
• GC8 WRX STIheavy duty rear swaybar(19mm)
• Whiteline rear swaybar endlinks
• Audi A3 light weight 15" cast alloy wheels(+38 offset, 5kg each)
• Impreza 15" alloy wheels
• 65mm rear strut top lift blocks(made by Stilson)
• 50mm front strut top lift blocks
• 50mm rear trailing arm spacers

Engine/Drivetrain

• Fully reconditioned SF Forester gearbox(170,000km on foz from All Drive Subaroo in eastern states)
• Fully reconditioned EJ25 N/A SOHC block from 2003 Outback
• Custom made front CV shafts with lifted Toyota Hilux CV boots, heavy duty inner joints(cup, balls, grease, etc...)
• 2004 Forester VLSD rear diff
• Grimmspeed lightweight crank pulley
• Grimmspeed Phenolic manifold spacer
• Haltech Platinum Interceptor Piggyback ECU(wired in by myself - apprentice auto sparky) - Manages fuel and ignition timing for the new engine.

Interior

• 2000watt worth of Stereo - Sony headdeck(wth bluetooth, USB, Auxilary), 2x amplifers, Pioneer 12" Sub, Alpine S-Type 6 1/2" speakers
• Dynamat sounder deadener
• Clarkrubber 10mm sound proofing(boot, tailgate, under passenger seat, rear doors
• Repco plain black seat covers
• Supercheap bucket heavy duty rubber mats, front and rear
• Led interior light conversion
• Tint-A-Car Octane 35% on front two windows(drivers and passengers), 20% from B-Pillar back - Darkest legal all round
• Momo WRX steering wheel
• Genuine Dash mat
• 12v auxilary sockets in glovebox
• Uniden UHF radio 80channel(mounted where ash tray goes)
• Hard wired android Samsung phone charger on drivers side A-Pillar

Exterior

• TJM bullbar(to Suit SF Forester - airbag compliant)
• Subaru genuine reece-hitch towbar 40x40mm - rated at 1300kg
• Rhino sportz roof racks
• Lightforce 170's
• Dual battery setup in boot with Redarc smart solenoid under bonnet(100amp alternator)
• Subaxtreme sumpguard
• Resprayed bonnet(faded)
• 225/70R15 Dunlop Grandtrek AT3's(soon to change to Toyo Open Countrys's)
• Uniden 7db aerial
• ARB 2m side awning(stolen one night )

Future Mods

• Gearbox done - L-Series 1.59 low range, front STI 5 speed helical LSD, DCCD centre, taller 5th gear, shorter 1st gear, oil drip feed
• Dyno tune for piggyback computer running EJ25
• Subaxtreme rear bar
• HID kit for Lightforce 170's
• GCD(2004) WRX dash swap(SF dash looks very old fashion and makes car feel old and sad) - This is a major!
• Safari Snorkel (NK Pajero)
• Rear mounted winch
• LED lightbar
• 2 1/4" exhuast from catback with high flow cat and UEL headers for that awesome boxer rummble
• OBDII Computer conversion/upgrade to replace stock ECU and piggyback computer

Damage

• Ripping front end of chassis off(tow point LHS)
• Blown gearbox(chattered first gear)
• Blown rear diff(stripped teeth off spider gears)
• Snapped CV axle shafts
• Dented drivers door due to a sand dune
• Oil rings gone in Engine 1 (EJ20 N/A)
• Oil rings gone in Engine 2(EJ20 N/A)
• Snapped timing belt in Engine 2
• Bent steel rim(15" stock LHF)
• Bent rear struts
• Snapped Dobinson heavy duty coil spring(2x on different occasions 6 months apart)
• Broken spot lights(due to ramming a fence down)
• Stereo amplifer catching fire(evening peak hour traffic)
• CV boot ripping
• Split radiator (while offroad, had to get towed home)
• Clutch burnt out x2
• Bent towbar
• Ripped off front and rear bumpers
• Ripped off trailer plug
• Ripped off passenger side skirting

 

[taza]

Motor is out. Done it Solo in an hr snd a half.
Heads off to get skimmed tomorrow.
Gaskets on order.

Should be done by end of the week.

 

[Fazed]

So be done in time for the 8th

 

[taza]

Ill try....

 

[Scooby2]

Bugger bout the head gaskets taza :-(.... In no time you'll have it up & going again. Be sure you test it well if you can manage before you go tripping. Better slow & steady & check & re-check rather than have it happen again.

Best regards

 

[NachaLuva]

Its great you're getting it done so quickly, just be sure its all done well with no shortcuts :iconwink:

Be sure you test it well if you can manage before you go tripping. Better slow & steady & check & re-check rather than have it happen again.

+1

 

[taza]

Yeah I know. Thats why ive got the week off work to sort it out. Got everything ready just waiting on the heads. Either get them back tomorrow or Friday.
I'll prob get away with the whole job for about $600.
Changing the Timing belt as it has a chunk taken out of it! Coolant, oil, filter, plugs, thrust and spigot bearings and a heap of main seals.
The best thing about being mechanically minded is I can do 85% of the work myself. Saves payong $120 an hr for a shop to do it.

 

[taza]

 

[NachaLuva]

Its great you're doing it yourself, a great learning experience plus you can ensure its done properly :biggrin:

 

[taza]

Yeah ive done it that many times now... still always lesrn though. Now I just remember the bolt sizes so I can smash the jobs out pretty fast.

 

[taza]

Removed the lift kit as it needs some revising.

Here is the foz with 110mm lift in the rear and just raised springs in the front.

My rear bar, measuring and customizing.

Over revving on the freeway. Need to drop the revs a good 500rpm.. only good thing is it makes overtaking easy.

My L-Series gearbox, stripping the low range out .

New to me Bullbar, painting will happen but not for awhile. Gotta fiix the motor and save for my Hawaii holiday!

 

[taza]

Grimmspeed manifold spacers going on with new custom manifold. Got the job done in about 4hours. Abit of mucking around. Had some issues with the ICAV but got it sorted with the help of the other auto spsrky's at work.

New 02 sensor. Genuine was ~$600. I got this one aftermarket at trade price. $232

 

[Fazed]

Are the manifold spacer needed simply for clearance reasons?

 

[taza]

No. They remove 60% of the heat out of the manifold. Making the motor more responsive and more economical. For $100 it was a good upgrade.
Also running light weight crank, alternator and power steering pulleys. They make a huge difference to the respoiveness and torque from the motor, again helping with fuel efficiency.

 

[NachaLuva]

Looking good mate

Lucky I have a plastic manifold so no heat :biggrin: but I would still like the lightweight pulleys some day

 

[taza]

Motor is back together... did the tappets/valve adjustment this morning, rechecked the timing, Hand cranked a few times... dropped it in and by lunchtime I was done.

Not much change left over out of a grand :sad:

Had to use a new timing belt as my other one had a chunk taken out weirdly enough. Was a weeks downtime, I did all the work myself(zero cost in labour).

Got the heads skimmed, acid bathed, valves and rocker arms checked to spec, pressure and vacuum tested and new valve stem seals...
Needed a new engine mount also.. While I was at it I did a full service including; timing belt, head bolts, oil/filter, coolant, spark plugs and leads, engine mount, head gaskets, cam front and rear seals, intake manifold and exhaust gaskets, new thermostat, new coolant temp sensor, gearbox oil, rocker cover/spark plug seals and installed a new Exedy thrust bearing.

All in all the cost wasn't too bad considering the engine has had a full overhaul and most fluids done.

I'd highly recommend Head Torque in Osborne Park for their well priced service and fast work. I sent the heads off to get done(they picked them up from my workshop) and within 48hours they were dropped back off.
They said that both of my head gaskets were leaking and had been for sometime. I said it was rebuilt 20,000km ago.... the issue was I reused the original head bolts. With Subaru's all the bolts need to be changed as they stretch. Once stretched they never torque up the same due to the aluminium heads and block.

Drives really good now, pulls like a train, idles good, revs very freely and seems thirsty when I'm lead footed. Very happy now and won't be touching the motor for a bloody long time

Now for the gearbox

 

[Ratbag]

^ Good to hear, Taza :ebiggrin: :biggrin:.

At least you have wheels while the Brumby is repaired or replaced ...

 

[crazydave]

Taza

Good to hear it is all back together and working well - without major head damage.

What is the story with the trust bearing? Didn't you replace that when you did the motor/ clutch - it is a bit hard to keep up of what bits you have replaced and when. And 20k seems very early for a thrust bearing.


I ask because my original thrust bearing seized solid a couple of weeks ago with only 150k km on it. The 2nd question why use Exedy v OEM?

 

[catchya]

Good to hear you got away with that for under a G.

Could of been a lot worse, especially if it was forced inducted. Generally you throw used stock headbolts away and replace with brand newies or ARP headstuds which are designed to be re torqued.

Kudos also for using Head Torque...Now that's customer service

I also find the 2.5 NA quite thirsty as well back in the day when I had the my04 liberty and from what I hear it is still the most common complaint. With the 2.5XT, I avg 1 litre / 10ks on e100 with my driving style to give you some comparison.

Got to have a chat with you soon about your gearbox / diff upgrade. At the moment I can't get my head around all the possibilities of what fits and what doesn't.

 

[Ratbag]

^^ Throw away head studs?

What kind of nonsense is that !!

I'm not arguing about it; just horrified by the whole concept.
That's even worse than the throw away wheel bearings ...

 

[catchya]

^^ lol.....Ratbag ....next set of wheel bearings or headstuds I do, ill pm you before "throwing them in the bin?

only thing is they will be Toyota items, not Subaru!!