I think it is partly the rally heritage too, if you look at the rally car versions of these cars, they look almost identical to the stock cars. Hondas and other JDM cars are trying to copy the aero packages of their race cars. Another cool thing is that Subaru sells a lot of the components that go into the group N rally cars, my WRX has all Group N bushings from Subaru, they are basically spherical bearings covered in rubber. With my 02 ECU, I can even flash the Group N map onto the car and get 2 step launch control and anti-lag.

I love Subarus, they are known for having engine issues, but up until around 300whp they are pretty solid on a stock motor that is only 2L and as long as a 2 cylinder engine. They would make an excellent candidate for a Fiero swap, and one I may do one day. My personal WRX has equal length headers, larger injectors from Subaru, an exhaust, TGV deletes (intake mod), STI intercooler, lightweight flywheel and upgraded clutch, lots of handling bits, and I have tuned the car myself. Using a dyno app that you can input logs into, mine makes about 250awhp which is about 320+hp at the crank. That is almost 100hp more at the crank than stock on a very lightly modded engine. I have 305,000 miles on mine, 170,000 of which I have put on the car since 2014, and the car is going strong with maintenance. The only issue I have had with it is melting an exhaust valve twice, but that is only because I was too lazy to do valve clearances, and I drive the car real hard. With the STI sodium filled exhaust valves this is not an issue but I have been too cheap to buy them.

To make big hp these motors do need to built very differently from other motors, once the case halves are split they need to be decked and the main bearing surfaces align honed, and they really need to have their machine work done while the motor is bolted together, since the case halves warp when you bolt them together. Most shops do not do these things which is why so many Subaru's blow up, but if you build them right they can make good power reliably. IAG makes fully assembled short blocks that are built perfectly for $3000-$4000 that are a great option. Subarus also need to have the oil level at max all the time because the capacity is low and in high g turns the oil accumulates in the heads since the motor is a boxer. They also eat oil because they are boxers. I am planning to add an accusump to mine to mitigate this issue and increase overall oil capacity. Also as emissions have gotten stricter, the factory tunes are way too lean and this is another issue. An easy problem to fix.

Asides from spark plugs being difficult to get to, they are extremely easy to work on with basic tools. They are also like legos and if I ever total my car, I could easily swap the entire drivetrain into a lighter GC chassis car (from the 90s). They are a great option for Fiero owners who seem to work on their cars more than the average person. I would recommend an STI 6 speed transmission however as the 5 speeds are nowhere near as robust, though my original 5 speed lasted until the car was 303,000 miles old. I never launch it except in the snow. I also recommend making them make power at higher RPMs because making max torque down low is a recipe to blow them up. I have mine tuned to limit boost before 3000 rpms. Many tuners try and make them makes gobs of torque low so they can claim their numbers are better, but for actual real world performance it makes no difference and the motors are much happier revving out. They are quite particular.

Pic of my bugeye next to a random red blobeye.



Sorry for the hijack!

[This message has been edited by zkhennings (edited 12-15-2022).]

quote Originally posted by zkhennings: ...and the motors are much happier revving out.

After owning/driving American V8s (and 2.5/2.8 Fieros) for 50 years, I still can't get my head around the fact that the red line on the EJ20K in my '98 JDM Subaru Impreza WRX STi is 8,000 RPM. I can't believe the power this basically stock 2000cc (122 cu in) engine produces.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 12-15-2022).]

Subarus and Mazdas are the only Japanese cars I really like- can't stand hondas and toy-otas (Yes the NSX and S2000 are good)...I especially like the WRX WAGONS....more room, better weight dist', and better aero.

Most Subaru owners seem to be well-grounded and use a bit of common sense in their thought processes...

Honda Civic owners (Especially young ones) seem to be completely brain-dead; "I'll add another wing- if I have 12 wings the car may go super-zonic!!!" or "I'll tilt the wheels out at a 15* angle- I'll corner better than the F1 cars!!!" and of course, "The more my car farts, the bigger a boy I am!!!"

And the proof that Honda embraces this idiocy, is the 2017-on Civic Type R.....(R you kidding me?) Wings, angles that don't work or mesh, scoops and vents everywhere- I think there may be a car under all of that crap....(Who would want to be the designer of that....thing?) ("YOU designed that civic R? Alright boys- get a rope!")

[This message has been edited by cvxjet (edited 12-15-2022).]

quote Originally posted by cvxjet: I especially like the WRX WAGONS....more room, better weight dist', and better aero.

I convinced myself that getting a WRX STi wagon would be for "practical" reasons. Va-rooooooom!

Since we're talking about exhaust notes, here's what my Subie sounds like (cold start) after I put my aftermarket exhaust on. I don't think it's too obnoxious. (The factory exhaust was much too quiet... and weighed a ton.)

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 12-15-2022).]

Yea that Type-R does not look great and I think Honda knows that as they went way more conservative with the new Type-R and it looks much better even though it’s a boat. My brother got my aunts old car, a stock 98 EK civic with a 5 speed and 80,000 miles, I drove it for a summer and it was wonderful, weighed less than 2300lbs, direct linkage shifter, no ABS, a well designed suspension, you could chuck that thing into turns and it loved to slide around. Not fast however, it had no Vtech, did rev to 7500rpms though.

I debated getting a wagon for the practicality but the GD chassis sedan is a wide body while the wagon is a narrow body. As a kid I loved the wide body and I had to get one once I could afford one.

Patrick did you put an un-equal length exhaust on an EJ207? (Woops just reread you have EJ20K) It does sound good, I miss the rumble since putting the equal length headers on. Love how smooth it makes the engine run though, and the turbo spools noticeably faster. Wish I could rev to 8000, after I put my new motor together it should. Building a 2.1 stroker motor with eagle rods, JE pistons, and an STI crank. Bottom end will be getting balanced and upgraded valve train. Gotta decide if I want to spring for closed deck inserts.

Shem those are horrific lmao, funnily enough I actually removed the wing from my WRX since it had no functional purpose and created more drag. It was my very first “mod” when I got the car. I think the side profile is much sleeker without it. I would love an STI wing or a duck bill lip though, maybe once its got over 350awhp.

[This message has been edited by zkhennings (edited 12-16-2022).]

quote Originally posted by zkhennings: Patrick did you put an un-equal length exhaust on an EJ207? (Woops just reread you have EJ20K) It does sound good, I miss the rumble since putting the equal length headers on.

It still has the factory STi exhaust system (un-equal) from the heads to the far end of the turbo downpipe. The aftermarket free-flow exhaust is from that point back. I understand about equal length headers improving the engine's breathe-ability... but I really enjoy the Subie rumble, and didn't wish to sacrifice that lovely sound.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 12-16-2022).]

quote Originally posted by Patrick: It still has the factory STi exhaust system (un-equal) from the heads to the far end of the turbo downpipe. The aftermarket free-flow exhaust is from that point back. I understand about equal length headers improving the engine's breathe-ability... but I really enjoy the Subie rumble, and didn't wish to sacrifice that lovely sound.

I don't really think the equal length header has a higher power potential or anything, it is just very smooth power, turbo spools early, and it feels much more linear than my unequal length headers. They are also easier to tune for for some reason, spikes boost much less. My 3 port solenoid helps with that too though. Here were the headers I had before switching over to the equal length ones:





They made good power but it was peaky. For example if I am taking an on or off ramp really fast, I push the car until it wants to start understeering, then I back off the gas for a split second to get the car rotating and get the front planted, then it is WOT and steering with the throttle. I used to have a delay between going WOT and when it actually started to make power again with the UEL headers, with the ELH it is crisp and snappy and the turbo is right there ready to go when I am back on the gas, and since I am steering with the gas I can trust the car more and push it closer to its limit.

Also it does still sound good and different, just no rumble, but at the same time it sounds angrier up top it really screams. The rally cars have ELH and they still have a distinct subie sound even though it is not a rumble.

[This message has been edited by zkhennings (edited 12-16-2022).]

quote Originally posted by zkhennings: ...very smooth power, turbo spools early, and it feels much more linear than my unequal length headers.

To be honest, I've never felt any turbo lag with this car. I mention that sort of in past tense, as my clutch is beginning to slip and it's much worse if I get my foot into it... so I don't. And autocross never re-started in this area after the pandemic shut everything down, so I just drive the car rather easy for now. However, at some point I'll need to replace the clutch.

quote Originally posted by zkhennings: My personal WRX has... lightweight flywheel and upgraded clutch

What weight flywheel do you use? 12 lbs?

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 12-16-2022).]