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The truth of the EA82T and intercoolers


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Is there a rev limit in the ECU? It's way up there if there is. I have also had mine up that high... It pulls strong until 8k; this is with TD04, TMIC, and 3" exhaust. Before those mods, the engine was choking out at 5k.

 

The stock GL-10 4EAT TCU shifted at ~6k, the Legacy TCU shifts at 6k as well.

 

 

Doesn't that seem a little too cold, 145 deg? You do have a thermostat, yes?

 

I dont think theres a rev limiter, just the fuel cut.

And I have a OEM t-stat ready to go in, the current OEM is just over a year old.

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I dont think theres a rev limiter, just the fuel cut.

And I have a OEM t-stat ready to go in, the current OEM is just over a year old.

 

Fuel cut, as in too much boost (air flow vs RPM) fuel cut, right?

 

Hmm, recently I had my OEM thermostat that wouldn't fully open after only a few months old... I replaced it with some aftermarket (not stant) and it seems ok so far.

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Fuel cut, as in too much boost (air flow vs RPM) fuel cut, right?

 

Hmm, recently I had my OEM thermostat that wouldn't fully open after only a few months old... I replaced it with some aftermarket (not stant) and it seems ok so far.

 

Taking your engine's life in your hands there, friend.

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Fuel cut, as in too much boost (air flow vs RPM) fuel cut, right?

 

Hmm, recently I had my OEM thermostat that wouldn't fully open after only a few months old... I replaced it with some aftermarket (not stant) and it seems ok so far.

 

The 12lbs of boost, fall on your face cut :-\

 

If you had a problem with a OEM t-stat, a aftermarket one might fail even quicker.

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The 12lbs of boost, fall on your face cut :-\

 

If you had a problem with a OEM t-stat, a aftermarket one might fail even quicker.

 

Ah yes, that boost cut I am familiar with. :lol: It's not such a bad thing, it's just attempting to keep the engine from going lean when the boost is too high.

 

Aftermarket != cheap or bad. All the Stant thermostats that I've seen are junk. While Stant is one of the most popular aftermarket thermostats, that doesn't mean all aftermarket ones are junk.

 

I can't see a thermostat failing for any reason other than a manufacturing defect/poor quality, being worn out, or overheated.

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Is there a rev limit in the ECU? It's way up there if there is. I have also had mine up that high... It pulls strong until 8k; this is with TD04, TMIC, and 3" exhaust. Before those mods, the engine was choking out at 5k.

 

That is the chief complaint with the EA82T. The turbo is so small that it can't feed enough air to the engine at higher rpms. I am still running the stock VF7, although I have mine pushing 11psi on the boost gauge and I'm only running 2-1/4" exhaust from the turbo back. Sounds like it may be time for an upgrade.

 

Patrick

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I tried searching, but didn't come up with anything specific, so here goes-

I know the theory and operation of forced induction and why aftercooling is good. Now, would it be worth my time and effort to throw a newer top mount intercooler and scoop on this thing? I know people have done it, but is it really worth it, and does it extend the life of the EA82T noticeably?

I plan on running this thing till I kill it, then it'll probably get an EJ (Or an EG if I see one :brow: )

 

Intercool your car by all means. Read this old thread on inlet temperature comparison with and without an intercooler. It changed my life-->

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15554&highlight=inlet+temp

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See, That's the problem with the VF-7... It's a great turbo, if you want factory response, and you never hit redline... I was a believer in keeping it "ALL stock" until it happened upon me to install a TD04, which was free ( cause I'm kind of a money grubbing cheapskate like that) and at that time, with nothing to lose, I did so... along with the top mount intercooler from the same WRX I got the TD04 from.

I think the intercooler had a lot to do with the change in powerband, or at least the 'percieved' change. Without the I/C, I used to run into a dead zone after 3rd gear, regardless of what boost psi I was at. Now after intercooling it, I dont have that 'dead' zone after 3rd... it just keeps pulling.

When it was all said and done, I could rev to 7000 rpm and not lose boost, in any gear, and not feel like the car was choking out....yeah, it spooled a little slower, but I had an extra 1000 rpm of power band to play with...

Tell ya what... Losing 300 rpm on your spool time is well worth being able to push boost till 7000 rpm... the top-end gains of un-choking your intake are well worth it..and the intercooler DOES help tremendously in maintaining that "boost" pull when you really get in it for sustained periods...

Just my .02...........

88RxTuner

Edited by 88RxTuner
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Yeah, my wagon was my first turbo car, although I had been working on other turbo cars for a couple of years beforehand. I wanted to see what the VF7 could do, but I made sure that I intercooled it before I even got it road worthy again. But now I have a compressor upgrade for my VF7 that I want to play with until I can muster the money(or con the wife) for a TD04. But I guess only time will tell. I'll have 4 years in Cali coming up to find out, so we'll see. :lol:

 

Patrick

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I lost 300 rpm on my spool time to full boost, and it's not because if the intercooler... it's because of the TD04 swap which has a larger exhaust turbine that takes more exhaust gas to get going, installed on an engine with less displacement than it was designed for... in laymans terms for the layman...

I dont think 300 rpm is all that big of a deal, for being able to gain 1500 rpm on the top.

By the way, your stated "Crappy intercooler" is what the OEM installs on their production performance car... I know plenty of people running WRX TMIC that seem to think it functions more than adequately, including those who own the WRX...

 

Flamer...

Edited by 88RxTuner
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Sorry about that, I didn't read your last post fully. When I made that post, I thought you were talking about someone else, and didn't know you had named the parts as being specifically from a WRX. I'm using the same IC with a VF-11, when I get around to making up the brackets and welding a new flange on my header.

 

While the WRX IC isn't bad as far as efficiency, about 80% maybe a little higher, there are certainly more efficient designs. Subaru DID install a different on the STI.

 

You only lost 300 RPM for your boost threshold going from a VF-7 to a TD04? That's really good! Not bad at all, makes me look forward to my VF-11!

Edited by carfreak85
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Apology accepted, and yes.. I only lost 300 rpm. I custom designed and welded up a 2-into-1 header and up-pipe for my car that virtually eliminated boost lag (while still keeping that Oh-so-good Subaru noise coming out the back) and seemed to help the TD04 spool up nearly as quickly as the original VF7... Course, the 3" catless/ no muffler/ no restriction exhaust certainly did it's part.

 

And for the price point, the WRX intercoolers are just fine. Cant justify spending a grand on some fancy intercooler when I only have 800bux into the car... Rex intercoolers are a dime a dozen.

 

88RxTuner

Edited by 88RxTuner
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Ummm... I dont know for sure if my header is "picture-worthy"....Yours is so pretty...

 

It's naught more than some cobbled together pieces of pipe and a bunch of ugly welds.. but it's functional, at least 1000% more functional than the factory "T" pipe ( It can hardly be called a "Y" pipe...) before the turbo. I uprated it to 2" for the primaries and a 2 1/4 into the turbo, but same basic design as yours, with the "Y" moved up to right under the turbo and the r/s header tube making a loop back up and into the "Y".

Edited by 88RxTuner
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