Unique Motorsports

In a nutshell – not much. I don’t think this is all too fair though as I consciously drive in a way which keeps the inside of my engine clean. Here is a list of steps I have developed over the years to keep my engine running as clean as possible.

- Change oil every 5000-6000 miles (mostly highway)

- Redline (shift just below RPM cutoff) at least a few times a week. *This is great for the engine; however, make sure the engine is fully warmed up, not just the water, but the oil as well to avoid a blown head gasket or excessive engine wear.

- I run name brand gas exclusively. If there is a filler truck at the station, I’ll not fill up that day.

- Lucas fuel injector cleaner every 40k or so.

- Change the spark plugs every 40k. Check them every 10k or so.

- Let it cool a few minutes to turn it off to keep the oil from coking with hot spots. Coking is common in turbos when the turbo is glowing hot, the oil gets shut off and the oil remains on a glowing red hot surface. This will steam the oil causing a thick film to build inside the turbo. The Aveo doesn’t have a turbo; however, driving gently a minute or more before shutting it down will help avoid hot spots in the engine where the oil can burn.

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Another spring install on a WRX along with a Downpipe install. This time its a 2009 Impreza WRX Hatchback. Not only do these Epic Lowering Springs give the car a much nicer stance, it’s also a great suspension modification to improve the handling of the WRX without sacrificing ride quality.

Scroll through and click on the images for descriptions of the install.

Installing a pulley on an Subaru with an EJ engine such as the Impreza or Legacy is pretty straight forward. Basically just lock the engine either by putting the car in gear or using something such as my pulley removal tool to lock the engine as you loosen the crank pulley. Once the bolt is loose, work the pulley off and replace with your new lightweight pulley.

This is the original article from when I built up my original kit in 1999.

Disclaimer: This article is written for information purposes only. In no way do I suggest doing this. If you do… this information should be interpreted as a tool or learning device, not a “how to.” I take no responsibility for what you do on your time. That being said, this information is correct to the best of my knowledge.

Introduction:

After seeing turbo cars pop up in magazines and after owning a 1990 Eagle Talon TSI Turbo, I decided to look into turbo charging the Impreza even more. Once Minnam Racing came out with a turbo kit for the Impreza, I realized that it is possible to feasibly turbocharge an Impreza. At this time the thought of 4 spinning tires, neck-break acceleration, and the quarter mile times of a Porche 911 turbo were mostly just fantasy. Soon after however, something pushed me over the edge. The March 1999 turbo magazine. On page 130 lies Byron’s now 500+ horsepower daily driver Impreza.

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In Part two of the series we do a little more advanced modifications.

Race Cat: Having a CAT right after the exhaust manifold is great to help your car warm up and fight cold start emissions. It’s not so great for good exhaust flow. Here are some pictures and results of replacing the Cat with a straight pipe. I also did some light porting of the exhaust manifold, most of which was on the outside to remove casting marks.