When you ruin your daily driver to the point you need to get another one...

[Cookie Monster]

nice score!! those hoods were always boring.

Thanks!

A SUS grill would look good on your car

I like this grille:

[MexicoCityM3]

Seeing the title of this thread I was SURE it had to be about Sporty's cars. #coilovernation

Anyway, congrats!

[BimmerM3]

Eh I'd rather have ever a wagon than an SUV.  Just as practical while still having good driving dynamics.

Except for outdoors/hiking stuff, I'd agree. I'd probably even be fine with an Outback or Forester. For the few times, you'd need to haul something taller, it'd be easier just to rent a truck from Home Depot or something.

[FoMoJo]

Starting to look better.

When are you going to fix that 130 bhp problem?

[93JC]

Terbow!!

[giant_mtb]

Is the clear coat peeling on the scooped hood or is that water?

[Cookie Monster]

I washed it. It's water, though some clear coat is peeling on the scoop.

[Cookie Monster]

Seeing the title of this thread I was SURE it had to be about Sporty's cars. #coilovernation

Anyway, congrats!

I'm the forum ricer. Sporty doesn't have shit on my poor choices.

Starting to look better.

When are you going to fix that 130 bhp problem?

It's really not that terrible. Maybe it'll be different with more people going up a mountain, but for now it's fine.

[giant_mtb]

If 130bhp was enough when it came out, it should be enough now.  Though I imagine age has taken at least 10 of those horses away.

[68_427]

Thanks!

I like this grille:

You can have this grill if you're ok with a gap between the bottom of the grill and the bumper

[Cookie Monster]

I found a set of intact fog lights at the junkyard last weekend for $26. I also ordered some Lamin-X and painted the fog grilles and installed everything today.

I like it a lot more now:







I found a super clean bumper at the junkyard online, but when I went there today, someone had broken the shit out of it.

The rest of the pickings weren't that good, but I did get a taillight and windshield molding trim. I'm pretty amped with the fogs tho.

[veeman]

I didn't know you had a manual transmission.  I'd love a new Outback with a manual tranny but alas... My Crosstrek has a 5 speed just like yours.  The one complaint I have about my Crosstrek is that the engine RPM is too high around 70-80 mph.  At 80 mph, it's around 3500 RPM which makes the car a bit noisy.  It's not horrible but I wish it was geared a bit taller (although that would probably hurt acceleration) or it was a 6 speed (which would have solved everything). What RPM are you at 80 MPH?   

[MX793]

I didn't know you had a manual transmission.  I'd love a new Outback with a manual tranny but alas... My Crosstrek has a 5 speed just like yours.  The one complaint I have about my Crosstrek is that the engine RPM is too high around 70-80 mph.  At 80 mph, it's around 3500 RPM which makes the car a bit noisy.  It's not horrible but I wish it was geared a bit taller (although that would probably hurt acceleration) or it was a 6 speed (which would have solved everything). What RPM are you at 80 MPH?   

That's typical of 4-cyl cars with MTs.  They gear them that short so that cruise control has enough power on tap to be able to scale slight to moderate inclines without requiring a downshift (which cancels cruise).  Automatics can downshift without cancelling cruise, so they can get away with taller top gear ratios.

[FoMoJo]

Starting to look really nice.  Just kidding about the bhp.  If the engine is good, leave it alone for a while.

[2o6]

That's typical of 4-cyl cars with MTs.  They gear them that short so that cruise control has enough power on tap to be able to scale slight to moderate inclines without requiring a downshift (which cancels cruise).  Automatics can downshift without cancelling cruise, so they can get away with taller top gear ratios.

My Sonic isn't like that. GM wants you to actually use the gearbox to change gears

[veeman]

That's typical of 4-cyl cars with MTs.  They gear them that short so that cruise control has enough power on tap to be able to scale slight to moderate inclines without requiring a downshift (which cancels cruise).  Automatics can downshift without cancelling cruise, so they can get away with taller top gear ratios.

Ahhh.. that makes sense.  But the Forester still comes with a manual option - a 6 speed.  I'm sure at higher highway speeds in 6th gear it's at a lower RPM.  At least I think it would be.

[MX793]

My Sonic isn't like that. GM wants you to actually use the gearbox to change gears

Isn't your Sonic a turbo?

[2o6]

Isn't your Sonic a turbo?

Yes. (I also realize it's geared to stay out of boost/use boost effectively) But the very tall gearing is one of the best parts of the car.

[MX793]

Yes. (I also realize it's geared to stay out of boost/use boost effectively) But the very tall gearing is one of the best parts of the car.

Turbo also makes more torque at lower RPMs, meaning you don't need to rev it as high to pull an incline.

That said, the 1.8L 5MT Sonics appear to be geared slightly taller than the turbos, which is surprising to me.  Turbo Cruzes were geared slightly taller than the 1.8L models.

[2o6]

Turbo also makes more torque at lower RPMs, meaning you don't need to rev it as high to pull an incline.

That said, the 1.8L 5MT Sonics appear to be geared slightly taller than the turbos, which is surprising to me.  Turbo Cruzes were geared slightly taller than the 1.8L models.

Which set of gear ratios are you looking at? The RS model cars are geared shorter than the other 6MT cars (with a 4.18 final drive). My car has the 6MT, and the final drive ratio is taller than the Turbo Cruze and and Cruze Eco. (3.64 for my car).


The 1.8L is geared at (3.94) and even 5th is shorter than my 6th.

[MX793]

Which set of gear ratios are you looking at? The RS model cars are geared shorter than the other 6MT cars (with a 4.18 final drive). My car has the 6MT, and the final drive ratio is taller than the Turbo Cruze and and Cruze Eco. (3.64 for my car).


The 1.8L is geared at (3.94) and even 5th is shorter than my 6th.

I was looking at the RS.  Couldn't seem to find gearing for a non-RS 6MT turbo.

[2o6]

I was looking at the RS.  Couldn't seem to find gearing for a non-RS 6MT turbo.

Yeah RS cars are geared very short. It's also why they're like a second quicker than my car, but they're 6MPG worse on the freeway.

[2o6]

For the Record, my car and the Cruze ECO have the same ratios, but the final drive is taller in my car. (3.64, versus 3.83 for the Cruze ECO)

[Cookie Monster]

I didn't know you had a manual transmission.  I'd love a new Outback with a manual tranny but alas... My Crosstrek has a 5 speed just like yours.  The one complaint I have about my Crosstrek is that the engine RPM is too high around 70-80 mph.  At 80 mph, it's around 3500 RPM which makes the car a bit noisy.  It's not horrible but I wish it was geared a bit taller (although that would probably hurt acceleration) or it was a 6 speed (which would have solved everything). What RPM are you at 80 MPH?   

I think mine is somewhere around there as well. The only problem right now is that 75 on the car is like 80 actual according to my phone. I'll need to try with another phone to confirm, but I'm thinking about going with smaller tires next time around to get the speedo to be more accurate.

I'm not sure why it's so off... stock size is 205/70/15 and I have 205/60/16 right now, which should be 2.3% smaller than stock...

[Cookie Monster]

I just want to rant a little...


Why the fuck did Subaru decide to essentially glue the tail lights in? Jesus Christ. Not only is it a bitch to even get to the nuts holding the tail light in, but once those are off, you have to pry the tail light out and fight against the metric fuck ton of silicone sealant they stuck between the light and the body. I was somehow able to pull a light off a junkyard car, but destroyed my already broken light trying to pull it off my car. It might be due to me pulling the junkyard light off during the day when it's a lot hotter than trying to do this shit at night.

I still have to clean the tail light and body of the car but I got pissed and just left it. I also installed my new aux/USB ports in the interior.

[AutobahnSHO]

LOL that's crazy. Sorry d00d!

[MX793]

Are you sure the silicone was a factory job and the previous owner didn't just goop it because they were getting water in the tail lights?

Also, the properties of silicone don't change drastically over naturally occurring summer temperatures in North America.  You'd have to chill it to well below 0F (properties are often rated to -50 or colder), or heat it to well over 400F, before you noticed its properties changing.

[Cookie Monster]

Are you sure the silicone was a factory job and the previous owner didn't just goop it because they were getting water in the tail lights?

Also, the properties of silicone don't change drastically over naturally occurring summer temperatures in North America.  You'd have to chill it to well below 0F (properties are often rated to -50 or colder), or heat it to well over 400F, before you noticed its properties changing.

Yeah, I broke several tail lights at the junkyard trying to pry them off due to the sealant. I just practiced on already broken ones before trying it on a good one to actually buy. Reading online also confirms that there is sealant, and the lights have a little channel to apply sealant. The factory service manual also just says to use a screwdriver to pry the lights out after removing the nuts.

I'm surprised the silicone doesn't soften with heat. I hit some of the remaining sealant on the body of the car with the heat gun and it did get very gooey and sticky. I'm trying to figure out how to best clean this crap off without damaging the paint underneath.

[giant_mtb]

Get yourself a plastic razor scraper.

[MX793]

Yeah, I broke several tail lights at the junkyard trying to pry them off due to the sealant. I just practiced on already broken ones before trying it on a good one to actually buy. Reading online also confirms that there is sealant, and the lights have a little channel to apply sealant. The factory service manual also just says to use a screwdriver to pry the lights out after removing the nuts.

I'm surprised the silicone doesn't soften with heat. I hit some of the remaining sealant on the body of the car with the heat gun and it did get very gooey and sticky. I'm trying to figure out how to best clean this crap off without damaging the paint underneath.

It's probably not silicone if you can soften it without getting it hot enough to badly burn your hands in handling.  Silicone is well known for its ability to tolerate high temperatures (you can get silicone baking trays and sheets) without melting or breaking down.

I'd try a solvent like kerosene.  If it is silicone-based, a petroleum solvent should attack it.