Cleaned my Subaru but it still has (is) an STi

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
01/25/2018 at 12:08 • Filed to: None

Like the title joke?? I need to come up with better STI as a disease puns..

Finally got around to doing a nice bucket wash with my STi. I still need to get a second bucket to get a real wash in, but this is much better than just doing the pressure wash at the coin op (I will NEVER use the brushes on this car). Additionally, the car could really use a nice clay and wax since there are quite a few stuck on spots that would really clean up nicely. White paint and the garage lighting helps hide that junk but it most certainly could be cleaner!

I did at least get around to cleaning the door jambs too as those were filthy and often overlooked. This included the interior paint of all four doors as well as inside the trunk lid. I was nice and thorough here!

Miata is especially dirty though, having not been washed in probably a couple months now. I think I just washed it once since driving 4000 miles in November. Considering it has no paint, I havent seen the point in cleaning it much! It is due for a wash though considering how dirty the wheels are.

I have it on two jackstands (one out of the image to the right of the jack) so no do not yell at me for relying on the harbor freight jack, that is just there as a backup, not currently holding any weight.

I also finally got around to doing an oil change on the STi since I had driven it about 2500 miles or so since buying it in November. I probably could have changed it earlier since who knows when it was last changed (always assume undocumented maintenance is not done maintenance) but it was pretty clean looking on the dipstick so I wasnt too worried. No metal flakes in the used oil and it wasnt crazy dirty so it worked out fine. The bottom of the car is quite nice and clean though, I enjoyed that in comparison to my Miata! The oil filter was fucking gorilla tightened on so I had to make a side trip to Autozone to get a filter wrench which was mildly inconvenient. New filter went on with hand tightening to make my life in the future easier.

I went with the Shell Rotella T6 Diesel oil based on suggestions from Nasioc/iwsti forums and past use in my Miata. I have always used Mobil 1 extended performance in the Miata but for some reason Mobil 1 is universally panned in the WRX/STi community for being dangerous. Idk how much I believe those claims but I wanted to try something else anyways. I had to buy two jugs to get that extra quart needed but thats okay since Subarus always lose oil and I will need the extra anyways. On amazon two jugs came out to $50 and shipped in 1 day for free, so that was perfect! I of course used a blue Subaru filter, also found on Amazon for $10 and a new crush washer (2 for $3).

Hoping to actually start tracking oil loss now so that I can figure out if I am losing a significant amount and then sort out where it is going. I know I have some blow by ending up in the intercooler but apparently the amount I found in there was perfectly normal. Not finding any else in any weird areas (nor any loss in coolant) so I am envisioning the blow by is my only loss. I would like to add a catch can at some point if that is the case. I am thinking oil in there just makes the intercooler work worse anyways.

DISCUSSION (7)

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/25/2018 at 12:38

Didn’t it have. That little trunk spoiler on when you bought it? I like it a lot

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
01/25/2018 at 12:40

Oh yeah I havent changed it at all other than the tires since buying it. It was dewinged by the previous owner. I wouldnt have done that myself but I do like that it is much more “under the radar” like this. Even my Miata is more ostentatious what with the roll bar and red racing seat. I wouldnt call it a sleeper but its just nice to be a bit more understated like this. I like that it looks factory like this.

Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/25/2018 at 13:40

Glad I’m not the only one using T6. My car will occasionally throw a timing/CPS code if I don’t.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/25/2018 at 13:56

Damn California and your super clean Subarus.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Jarrett - [BRZ Boi]
01/25/2018 at 14:04

I think that may actually be my issue in my NB as well. I went back to running M1 and am considering switching it again to T6. Plus its easier to have both cars on the same oil anyways. I replaced the cam position sensor but the check engine light came back, although without any symptoms. I doubt its another bad sensor so I am thinking the oil or the wiring could be at fault.

MonkeePuzzle > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
01/25/2018 at 14:13

I washed my impreza and it caused an STI.

i.e. gave the bay a wash, and now my knock sensor is fubaru :D

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
01/25/2018 at 14:19

Craigslist sellers thought I was nuts for being so obsessive about rust when asking about a car. Its like they’ve never even heard of cars rusting. Like desert patina on 60 year old iron is the only sort of “rust” that exists in their world. Rocker panels with fist size holes eaten into them and crumbling frame rails are just some bad nightmare or Sci fi B movie that doesnt happen in reality. It was amusing to me and rather relaxing to find that everything is just so clean on even the cheapest of cars.