Welcome to our featured cars section. Here we give you the low down on on some of the cars that we have upgraded and engines that we have built or rebuilt and even give you a chance to have your say about what mods we have done to your car. If you wish to be named then let us know otherwise names will be changed or removed to protect the guilty!!

FIrst on the starting grid is an 02 model UK spec 2.0L STI. The customer had heard about Len building a 2.5L from scratch and was interested in swapping out his own 2.0L for a 2.5. Len set about building this in August 2007 with a 2.5L block, forged pistons, steel conrods, race series shells and 2.5L steel head gaskets. Here we hand you over to the owner to tell you about it......

Having spent the last 3-4 years modding the car based on the UK 2.0ltr engine, I had pretty much gone as far possible. The engine had done 100,000 miles and was still going strong, albeit a little smoky on hard acceleration. Peak everyday power was 385bhp utilising the TD05/06-20G turbo. The engine had cracked 400 on an extreme cold day on rollers.

So what was my next step ? Plenty of research followed,scouring the forums and asking plenty of people. I pretty much convinced myself I wanted to go down the 2.5 route primarily because it would produce more torque which would suit my style of driving. Remember my car is a daily driver.

I had recently started to use Len (Subaru4You) for my servicing and was aware that they were in the process of building their own 500bhp 2.5 engine. Knowing that S4U had built the engine for someone's Time Attack car, I knew I could trust them with my build.

So I went and visited Len and sat and had a good chat about their build and also what I would want from mine. To start with I would stay with the 20G, but ultimately I would look at the MD321T turbo. The max target power I intended on wanting to run would be 500bhp. Len explained the build to me and also pointed out that my standard clutch wouldn't be up to the job if I intended on going down the 321T route. X!X!X!, more money ! But it made sense to change it whilst the new engine was going in. Len then set about giving me a quote for the build right down to the last nut and bolt. I accepted the quote and Len set about sourcing the parts.

Once Len had the parts he built the engine up and it was just then a case of sitting back and waiting for the phone call to tell me it was built. The phone call came a few weeks later and I arranged with Len to drop my car off.

Arranging a time with Len was tricky as I was also trying to arrange for the running in map to coincide with Len fitting the engine. The date was set. 13th October 2007. I dropped my car off with Len and the remap was set for 21st October. The 21st came around pretty quickly and back up to Lens I went.

Len was very happy with the job he had done (show off). After quite a number of checks we finally set off to do the running in map. Len and the mapper both gave me very specific instructions on how to run the engine in. The engine was currently running with mineral oil for the 1st 1000 miles. No problem, I'll have that done soon... (9th November I was back at Lens to switch to semi synthetic oil).

My full remap was set for the 22nd December, so I had plenty of time to put more miles on the engine whilst running semi oil. On the 20th December I visited Len once more and we switched to Motul 15/50 fully synth oil. At this point I had put nearly 4000 miles on the engine ! The remap goes really well on the 22nd. and the mapper comments that the 2.5 engine is overwelming the 20G turbo and really I should get something much bigger. I can't afford that at this stage so the 20G must stay. Anyhow, 410bhp and 430lbs isn't bad from the turbo.

Roll forward to April 2008. I'm getting bored with the current power level !  There just isn't enough top end power for me. I want more!! The general concensous out there is that the MD321T turbo is the one to go for, along with the 80mm turbo inlet pipe and corresponding cone filter. A visit to the Turbo manufacturer to discuss the 321T and we end up talking about their new (still under development) sucessor to the 321T.  Two hours later and we both order the newer model.

Speaking with the mapper he advises that the current 650cc injectors most likely won't be up to the job and recommends 800's along with a special Walbro fuel pump.

8th May and I'm back up at Subaru4You with my new Turbo [MD555] and pipework, induction kit etc to be fitted. On the 10th May I am back to Subaru4You to collect the car and also to have the remap. So exciting, can't wait.

Oh dear. The first run and the turbo is so good that it exceeds the factory ecu and the ecutek software can't cope with it. X!X!X!! I'm going to need an aftermarket ecu. Looks like I'll be getting a Simtek then. The mappper leaves me with a temporary map, no more than 5000revs and 1bar boost and strict instructions.

A few weeks later and I'm back having the Simtek fitted and mapped.   The car is now holding 1.8bar boost and pulls like a train.  As for spool times, in 5th gear it hits 1bar at 2600rpm, 1.25 @ 2700 and 1.82 @ 3200rpm.

Thanks for the updates on your build.

2009 saw this car back at Subaru 4 You to have the first newage twisted up and down exhaust set up fitted for a standard flange turbo. The owner of this car has kindly allowed Subaru 4 You to use the car for developement of this twisted up and down exhaust system. The only other one currently on the market that we know of is for the Garrett turbos. The new system developed by Subaru 4 you allows a standard turbo to be rotated.

We had to remove all of the FMIC pipework, the existing turbo, up pipe and down pipe and headers. The new turbular ceramic coated headers were fitted and the car taken to the exhaust manufacturer with one of our classic up and down set ups. The angles required for the newage up and down pipes were calculated to ensure it cleared the larger six speed gearbox. The jigs were made and an exhaust produced. The car returned to the Subaru4you workshop and the exhaust was then sent for ceramic coating.

The FMIC pipework had to be re-routed to match the new position of the turbo (see pic) and this was then powder coated and a new cone filter fitted. The alternator and power steering pump was also glass bead shot blasted in our machine to bring them up looking like new.

Now over to another owner who also has a JDM Subaru Impreza STI Wagon 2002..... NEXT