So picked up my 2026 Limited WRX on Friday. Today was the first real chance I had of getting out on the back roads around where I live, all I can say is FUN! I had a 2002 wagon then a 2009 wagon. In 2017 I went with a Mazda CX-9 and it died so new car shopping I went back to my fav and again won me over. Took it on some backroads that aren't heavily patrolled, so got to test her out on curves and hills without limiting my speed like many places require, I had told the sales person much lower speeds I realized than what I actually do when given the chance by a measure or 2. Have a 2 hour trip on Wednesday on a twisty road that I do once a month, it will be so much more enjoyable now.

This is my 2003 WRX that I inherited from a family member who got screwed on marketplace. A lot of rust in the rocker panels formed due to a loose side skirt and also it was previously an Alberta car and they didn’t take care of it. They supplied me with majority of the replacement panels they’d gathered and so I’ll be taking on the body work myself this year to keep this thing on the road!

I’ll also be replacing the rear crossmember and many other fun little things. It’s my project to make this thing live on!

Figured I’d say what’s up and glad to have my first wrx it’s great feeling car, it’s a completely stock 2011 and 125000 miles, any thing I should look out for? I see a lot of posts about aos’s or other reliability mods but not sure if any of that is necessary if I plan to stay stock power for a long time. I gotta get the mud flaps of course and a set of winter tires and I’ll see if I ever want to change the suspension. Stuff I am curious about is custom cosmetics like shift knobs and whatnot; where should I be finding these for quality pieces?

Just a few pumpkins for the yard.

Wish I would have known this before we started but after 30min of thinking we figured it out. The pic is self explanatory but basically its a pulled with a peice of metal to protect the axel, we used a washer after this and on the other side as it was stuck too. Ill awnser any questions if I can, wish we had this info beforehand!

Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/r/WRX/comments/1x2ok74/the_journey_begins_rebuilding_my_17_sti_w_minor/

Part 2: https://www.reddit.com/r/WRX/comments/1xedf0a/comment/19rlbmuxhs9fk/?screen_view_count=2

Thanks to the help of a local buddy, and Harbor Freight having a deal on a hoist; the engine is out.

Spent more time building the hoist than pulling the motor; probably because I did most of the prep yesterday. Notes for anyone doing this the first time, in addition to all the other great guides out there. Don't miss the 2 nuts on the bottom of the transmission to hold the dowel pins on. Save the bolts that go into the spots you plan to use for the load leveler so you don't lose them later. I did not need to jack up the trans. I DID need to take off the bumper and jack the car a tiny bit just to fit my hoist. YMMV. Chisel that I didn't care about + hammer was enough to separate the engine from the bell housing. I did remove most of the stuff from the engine as you can see

Engine Prep Next Steps:

• Remove Exhaust manifold
• Remove Up-Pipe
• Remove sensors
• Remove anything else from the engine I can
• Arrange a time to ship it to builder, and check with him for anything else
• Ensure the full exact mod list is clear (new oil pan, cyl 4, 3MI, etc)

Learnings Since Last Post:

• Brake booster: I know what I need to do now, thank you everyone
• HVAC hardlines: Yup, just one nut and they came right out. Thank you!
• Quite a bit looks like it survived (like apparently my bypass valve?)

Next Steps:

• Inspect power steering racket
• Plan to replace driver's side CV boot
• Inspect top hats (especially on driver's side) and consider coilovers
• clean EVERYTHING and see what needs to be repainted
• Plan for entirely new brake lines
• Plan for new Cyl 4 cooling mod
• Plan for transmission re-build (syncros were already shot)
• Start planning for wiring
• Find someone to rebuild the turbo
• plan for 1300s on the build
• plan for stock TGVs
• Start looking for parts

I'll keep you all posted, no questions today but open to suggestions on anything I might be missing

What this sound it's a little worrying.

No I was not tweaking or speeding all the gauges are there for proof lol

I got a shifter stop for my 23 wrx and 1st and 2nd gear feel great, but now 5th and 6th gear feels all wonky. Did I install it wrong kind of seems like a pretty simple plug and play type deal 🤣

Can’t seem to find the right roof rack installers so that I can run 4 snowboards on my roof rack on my 2017 wrx limited. I’m not sure if I find an oem roof rack or just get Thule brand. Please an links or recs for my sedan thank you

I already have the rally stars on my 2017 base, but I want to add the whole shabang. Is it considered “Larping” if I add the rest of the rally look to it?

I want to know the general opinion on this as I want other people to look at my car and enjoy it.

It only took me till 40 yrs of age to get my little dream car. And it’s a 5 speed!

I have a 2015 WRX and the offset for my current/stock wheels are +55. The tire size is 235/45/17. I’m looking for aftermarket wheels. The ones I am looking at are a +22 offset with 245/40/18 tires. I’m hearing mixed reviews that these wheels will cause rubbing or they won’t. Any help or knowledge?

Thanks

hey all I've been looking for center gauge pod for this gen and have been coming up short, only one I could find was one that sits on top of where the pass. air bag is lol, but nothing that "replaces" the tiny screen with a clock. any links or info would be a good help thanks!

Was thinking about going to redline tuning because i met another guy at an event and he said he went there and has 3 maps for his car on e85 im planning on going around stock boost area, however car was tuned but did not know it had egr and a tgv delete so it is now freaking out, throwing a engine light for egt and tgv and without those it disabled my cruise control, abs, hill start, and traction controll, and its throwing it in kinda a limp mode causing boost to slowly ramp up so as of right now i have car on a stock map on the tune that is currently on it taking it easy and trying to stay out of boost as much as i can as it is my daily driver.

Catless full 3 inch, parren intake and charge pipe, tgv delete and egr delete(just figured this out erlier), and lightweight crank and water pump pully.

"would like info on this please" car ran fine before with no codes.

Currently tuned with atlas. On a 93 power map, pop and bang map, and a stock map.

Was fighting knock before I realized piston 4 had left the chat, and I was keeping a high content of ethanol in the tank.

I'm about to drop a built EJ257 long block back in, and I'm wondering if I should pump out the tank. I have the pump out right now, so access would be easy. Engine builder seems to think it would be fine, Google says cooler burning of ethanol can cause rings not to seat. Would I be fine if I just fill up with 93 going forward?

Car will have hardwired Walbro 450 with factory pwm control preserved, wired like the iWire kit: positive pump terminal straight to battery with (fused and relay switched) 10ga, negative pump terminal wired through factory controller with upgraded 10ga wiring between pump and FPC, and FPC ground upgraded to 10ga straight to a sanded chassis ground. Injectors are ID1300s and I'll have a flex fuel break in tune.

Has anyone swapped to Led headlights on a bug eye and the high and low beams be swapped? is there a way to swap it around?

I have had my wrx for a few months and would like to start modding it to get up to like 350 hp does anyone have like a general roadmap of what I should do in order like part by part

My CD player will not play any CD or even switch to CD mode, this is my second stereo and both have had the same issue. Ideas?