Yamazaki's '04 FXT / 28Mar16 upgrade!

[Yamazaki]

Anybody know the answers to these questions...?

That's cool about the ECU. What years STI ECUs work like that? Will the immobilizer cause any issues? I'd swap the ECU from my Impreza to the Forester to check it out if it weren't so heavily tuned....

[Dead91silvia]

That's cool about the ECU. What years STI ECUs work like that? Will the immobilizer cause any issues? I'd swap the ECU from my Impreza to the Forester to check it out if it weren't so heavily tuned....

2004 was the only year without the immobilizer. If you go to 05-up, you will also need a few other tid bits, but I'm not sure what all you would need.

[86bratman]

The top picture posted there is legacy gt and 08-14 wrx style, the ej255 in the Baja turbo, FXT, and 06/07 wrx is setup very much the same as the traditional ej205/ej257 in regards to the turbo and intercooler fitment.

[Yamazaki]

The top picture posted there is legacy gt and 08-14 wrx style, the ej255 in the Baja turbo, FXT, and 06/07 wrx is setup very much the same as the traditional ej205/ej257 in regards to the turbo and intercooler fitment.

Yeah, that's basically what I just said a couple posts back. Although I said the S402 engine bay is also like that and after I looked at the pictures again, it turned out that I was wrong. The big intercooler threw me off.

[86bratman]

Sorry I had typed up that post and had to put my phone down for a while, I forgot to refresh the page before posting.

[98legwag]

I believe it would be an 04 STI ecu that would work. I think they didn't have the immobilizer. But I am not 100% sure on that.

[Yamazaki]

Even though winter is over, it was Christmas today!



Christmas part 1 anyway. I am still waiting for the turbo and I have to order the ECU. I'm having trouble finding one for what I am willing to pay.

[Dead91silvia]

Why do you need an ECU?

[dodik]

and which ECU are you exactly looking for?

[Yamazaki]

Why do you need an ECU?

and which ECU are you exactly looking for?

To respond to these two questions, I will just repost what has been discussed in this thread so far:

Since it's an 04 you have a ej257 with a catted up pipe, td-04 turbo and a Forester Ecu. It's exactly the same as an 04 STi ej257 except for the differences I just mentioned. Same wiring harness and what not. From what I know you can swap the turbo and the Ecu is plug and play for the Ecu for the STi one and then you are running your 300chp. It's cheaper than tuning it. At PMP you can get an STi Ecu for 150 bucks and an STi turbo for about the same. Then just run an aftermarket uppipe and your good to go.

That's cool about the ECU. What years STI ECUs work like that? Will the immobilizer cause any issues? I'd swap the ECU from my Impreza to the Forester to check it out if it weren't so heavily tuned....

I believe it would be an 04 STI ecu that would work. I think they didn't have the immobilizer. But I am not 100% sure on that.

2004 was the only year without the immobilizer. If you go to 05-up, you will also need a few other tid bits, but I'm not sure what all you would need.

Reading over on SubaruForester.org, I see some of the same discussions. Therefore, it would be easier and MUCH cheaper to swap ECUs than get an Access Port and tune it. After all, this is for my wife. She's not exactly a street racer. She thought the H6 was fast...

[Dead91silvia]

Ahh... ok, I see. You just want it for the factory STI tune rather then actually getting the stock one tuned, right?

[chevyman1968]

Have you tried PMP auto group? Sorry I haven't jumped in in awhile. The '05 up FXTs are tuned off of a LGT style Ecu. As far as I know only an '04 STi Ecu with work because of the i mobilizers.


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[chevyman1968]

It is cheaper. 150 versus buy an Accessport for 300-600 depend on if you get it used and another 300ish to have the car protuned.


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[Yamazaki]

I checked PMP auto group, but no dice. The only ones I can find are on ebay for $350. No thanks.

[Yamazaki]

I might be a little upset right now.....

The turbo came today so I set out taking everything apart.

The screen in the banjo bolt is still intact and fine, the turbo has no shaft play and other than some old oil buildup seems fine, and there was a torn hose going to the T-section above the turbo. If that stupid little hose was the reason I just dumped a lot of money into new parts I'm going to be sad.

On top of that, I somehow broke my 3-ton Craftsman jack. NO idea how that happened...

[Yamazaki]

So I've been looking online regarding the loss of the EGT sensor in my cat-less uppipe and what to do about it. It seems like I have to get an Access Port after all so I can have it tuned out. Does anybody know if the STI ECU does the same thing? After all, the STI has a cat-less uppipe too, right? I feel like I am not understanding something correctly, but I don't know what it is.

I also found out that the hose that was broken and separated was a vacuum line. So I'm guessing that WAS the reason I had lost boost and the engine sounded funny when I tried to accelerate. Crap. I also broke a few more hoses and bolts. So I have to order those too now. I know I'll appreciate the job when it's done, but the journey sure sucks.

[86bratman]

If I'm not mistaken the sti wasn't equipped with the egt sensor, so you shouldn't have a problem with that aspect of it.
If it does there is always the old resistor mod the wrx guys use to fool the ecu, you'd have to look at that on nasioc though.

[Yamazaki]

Okay. I'll go ahead with the STI ECU purchase then. The vehicle should still work with the Forester ECU though, right? I mean, enough to move it out of the garage so I can move the S401 back in?

[86bratman]

Yeah it'll run just fine for that, the only thing you'd have problems with is in boost fueling.

[Yamazaki]

So it turns out the VF48 is pretty much plug and play. I had to bend a pipe up a little because it was longer than the one on the TD04, but other than that it fit fine. I am still waiting on the dealer to get the parts so I can replace the hoses and bolts that I broke when taking everything out. I was told Tuesday at the earliest. I have everything pretty much buttoned up other than that stuff. The wife even helped change the fuel pump! I was surprised by her offer to help. She was bored out of her mind though...

I attempted to change the spark plugs and I got a coil pack stuck between the engine and fender. I can't get it out... I've already changed the plug, I was trying to put the coil pack back in when I got it jammed in there. After helping a friend change the plugs on her Nissan Rogue, and remembering how easy it was on my Miatas, I am convinced that Subaru hates people who change spark plugs.

[Yamazaki]

Huge thanks to Hinyo for coming over and helping out. I'd seriously still be cursing and stressing if he hadn't helped out (and, he pointed out, I would've ruined some more hoses). Everything is buttoned up now and waiting for the hoses and lines I ordered from the dealer, which are estimated to arrive tomorrow.

[Yamazaki]

Replaced the hoses, changed the oil filter, put some oil in it and started it up.... But it sounded a little odd. Just changing the uppipe shouldn't've given it such a loud rumble. I double checked the exhaust fittings and I can't find a leak either.... huh.

Also, I had to turn it off because there was smoke coming from the turbo.... I don't know what to do now.

[Yamazaki]

So the smoke turned out to be just oil and coolant that I had spilled burning off. However, I took it out for a drive and the engine temp gauge says it's overheating. It also throws code P0545, but that's expected since it doesn't have an EGT sensor anymore. I still haven't tuned it or swapped the ECU, but if I'm not boosting or driving very hard, then I shouldn't be having issues, right?

[xoSubieLegacyxo]

Sorry I haven't read this earlier then now. I'd highly suggest getting the tune asap! Even if you stay out of boost the ECU has no idea of the bigger turbo or up pipe installed. We'll talk more on Saturday.

[chevyman1968]

Yeah you shouldn't be running the vf48 with running the STi Ecu or a tune man. Swap the td-04 back in man.


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[Yamazaki]

The turbo wouldn't be causing the overheating, would it?
Also, how does the new (larger) fuel pump figure into everything? I remember that my STI fuel pump was the same size as the WRX, which happens to be the same size as the Forester XT. So if I put in a larger pump, aren't I running too rich now for the STI ECU?

I will call IAG and Agile Auto later today for answers to those questions, but I want to see what people here say first.

[chevyman1968]

The fuel pump isn't going to cause the car to run rich as long as the fuel pressure regulator is doing its job. They only way that you would run rich is if you bumped up the fuel pressure in the fuel rails. Then the injectors wouldn't meter properly.

I can't help you with the overheating problem. I would check and make sure to burp the coolant in the car really well before assuming that something else is causing it. I had an air pocket in my car and it over heated off and on till I burped the system.


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[Hinyo]

@Yamazaki we may need to just burp the system. I can come over this afternoon if you want and we can give it a shot. Its a little different to burp on a turbo car that on an NA car but same process. Did you add any coolant and remove excess air post turbo swap?

[Yamazaki]

So, yeah. The coolant just needed burping. Car runs fine now except for an exhaust leak that got worse, so now I know exactly where it is. I'll take care of it tomorrow before the meet.

[Yamazaki]

The wife brought the Forester to the meet. No issues. However, she will continue to use the Merc as a daily driver until I source an ECU.