Unique Motorsports

This is a quick guide to help when replacing head gaskets on a Subaru. The torque specifications for the heads along with the sequence is a bit involved.

1) Tighten all bolts to 29 N-m (3.0 kgf-m, 22 ft-lbs) in alphabetical sequence.
2) Then tighten all bolts to 69 N.m (7.0 kgf-m, 51 ft-lbs) in alphabetical sequence.
3) Back off all bolts by 180″ first; back them off by 180″ again.
4) Tighten the bolts (a) and (b) to 34 N-m (3.5kgf-m, 25 ft-lb).
5) Tighten the bolts (c), (d), (e) and (f) to 15 N.m (1.5 kgf-m, 11 ft-lb).
6) Tighten all bolts by 80 to 90″ in alphabetical sequence.
CAUTION: Do not tighten the bolts more than 90″.
7) Further tighten all bolts by 80 to 90″ in alphabetical sequence.
CAUTION: Ensure the total “re-tightening angle” [in the former two steps], do not exceed 180″.

This weekends install started as Hella Horns, Perrin Endlinks, and Perrin sway bars. Unfortunately, the sway bars have been waiting for about a year so really its unknown whether they came with bushings or perhaps they were lost somewhere in time. At any rate, on to what we can install.

Cobb Catted downpipe

Going with a catted downpipe over the cheaper more popular catless options, allows you to actually not spit fuel out the exhaust and pass emissions, usually without cheating. Installing is not too difficult as long as you can get under the car. I’ll lay out the tools required and steps.

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A month prior to this, we removed a turbo from a Mazdaspeed 3 so it could be sent in for a rebuild. Well the turbo came back a few weeks later all cleaned up, freshened up and a Corksport downpipe as well. The turbo looks and feels new with no shaft play and some decent looking ports. The downpipe by Corksport looks well made, is much lighter than stock, fit’s perfect and appears to be a high quality piece. I can easily recommend the Corksport downpipe.

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Subaru power steering pumps always seem to leak after a few years. On my original Impreza I just let it leak until it got so bad I replaced the pump. If I knew I could fix it for $20, I probably would not have picked up that used replacement.

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What started out as a long day which would include a new clutch, finishing up a gutted stock up pipe and installing a turbo back exhaust turned into a long day, but no clutch install.

Gutting a stock Up Pipe:

Gutting a stock WRX Up Pipe is not easy, but should not be this hard. I have done a couple now and this was more difficult than the first. I no longer have a long air hammer attachment which is able to go all the way through the Catted part so I cut one that’s close and lengthened it by adding some 1/2” angle arm. Well, the cat is stronger than the steel so it took a few different “versions” of the extension, some beating on it with some large screwdrivers and a few hours of work to get this done. Luckily Darin was there to help tag team this as it took a fair amount of time. The end result is a clear path in the up pipe which fits as good as stock and retains the heat properties of the stock piece. As such, it’s unlikely to leak or have any other issues. One other thing to note is I like to weld the egt port shut as it would just through a CEL anyway. A 2.2K OHM resister goes into the plug to resolve the CEL.

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