Panda's Ultramarine FR-S DD/WW

[pandamancer]

I named her, Jules.

Update - 7/17/15:
Some changes to be had. Got my JDL headers, swapped 'em and re-tuned to the stage 2 uel ots e85 map. I honestly feel like this upgrade could be the best $1k you can spend on the car, other than tires. In my opinion it makes the car what it should have been from the factory. The exhaust stays nice and quiet below 3.5k RPM with just a little rumble added but when you go WOT it really opens up. Enough for me to consider no more upgrades for the exhaust. I also snagged a K&N drop-in air filter FWIW.

I will probably call the power upgrades complete for now and just enjoy the car for a while. Once I roast off the stock rubber I'll get some new, stickier tires that can double duty for daily driving and some 7-9/10 track time. I'll also get a set of track pads, probably XP10's, to swap between for track days.

I'm also going on a trip where e85 isn't available so I swapped to a stage 2 UEL 91 octane tune. Thanks to Shiv@OpenFlash and Wayno for their hard work on tuning the platform and making their tunes available to the common man. I can see through the logs that the advance is just a touch lighter-handed in Wayno's tunes. Maybe a touch less power but maybe a little less knock too. I was seeing a little bit of FLKC coming in and even had my IAM reduced with the OTS tunes so I am hoping that dialing things back just the littlest bit cleans it up and makes it a mostly knock-free experience.

My plan of attack:
This car is going to be a mix of mostly daily driving with some weekend warrior track action, maybe the 86CUP stock class and/or autocross. In that spirit, I am not planning on going HAM with the power mods and suspension upgrades. I think I will do some general track survivability mods and a tweak of power to support a couple added lbs from gauges and tech/video gear. Plus a few cosmetic tweaks to make it my own.

List of Mods(x - owned, in use, p - purchased, s - scouting):
[x] - OFT
[-] - e85 EL Stage 2 tune
[-] - e85 UEL Stage 2 tune
[x] - 91 UEL Stage 2 tune - when no e85 is available
[x] - e85 Custom tune using Wayno's mods combined with latest OFT D00C build with FFS/LC
[x] - Go Pro Hero3+ Black
[x] - 2x Suction Cup Mounts
[x] - JDL UEL catless header, black ceramic coating
[x] - Yospeed Rear License Plate Bracket and Center Console Plaque GT86 Piston Logo
[x] - Grimmspeed Front License Plate Tow Mount Relocation Kit and Hood Strut Kit
[x] - K&N Drop-In Filter
[x] - OEM BRZ Subwoofer

[p] - Mishimoto Oil Cooler Kit
[p] - Mishimoto Oil Catch Can Kit
[p] - Clear JDM side markers

[s] - TRD Catback Exhaust
[s] - Open Face Helmet
[s] - Higher performance brake pads, Project Mu or Carbotech?
[s] - Michelin Pilot Sports in 225, stock wheel re-skin



Thoughts on OFT:
Logged about 50 miles now using e85 and I do think the car feels faster. I have recorded and reviewed several logs and from what I have gathered things are looking pretty clean throughout the band. Butt Dyno is happy too, but really wants the UEL headers in with the tune swapped to really enjoy no more torque dip.


Thoughts on JDL UEL Headers:
What a difference. To be fair, I did the swap and retuned using the OFT so there is some synergy there. Torque dip feels gone, the car just pulls linearly through the RPM band. My not-highly-scientific measurements are showing better than 1 second gained in 0-60 speeds from this upgrade and my supremely scientific butt Dyno agrees. Build quality, as expected, is top-notch.


Exhaust Sound comments:
With the UEL headers swapped in and an otherwise stock exhaust, running an OFT UEL tune with the AVCS adjusted, and a K&N filter, I feel like the sound of the FA20 is really coming into it's own. The changes to ignition and cam timing really do a lot to waken up the quality of the engine noise and if you are a fan of UEL headers, then no need to say more about that. Purely anecdotally, the exhaust at high RPM and WOT doesn't sound...congested.. and so I don't think there is a significant flow issue at a stock-block NA power level beyond the headers and possibly the second cat. Further, I think the volume by keeping the other exhaust components stock stays way down. I don't like the wrong kind of attention, so I like this aspect.


Subwoofer comments:
Definitely high gain in it's as delivered condition. Will be buying the $15 solution from OEM Subaru Parts. That said, it does greatly increase the bass quality, and after some adjusting of the stereo settings, seems semi-balanced. Installation was not too painful and I really like the factory-ness of it.

Thanks for checking out my build thread, hope you enjoyed it!

[D_Thissen]

Off to a good start!

[pandamancer]

Self bump for update.