alright here is my story.. i've been a subaru happy owner for the past 3-1/2 years.. but im in love with speed and power.... and want another car to mess around with. i've always been in love with evos and respect them as much as i do for subarus.. the only problem with subarus is that they are soo damn expensive to maintain and make fast.. everything just costs more.. so far i blew 2 wrx transmissions till i decided to drop 2800 on a sti 6spd that can handle everything i've been throwing at it..i have a 2.5liter block matched with wrx heads and full bolt ons making 340whp and 365wtq on 20psi on a stock sti turbo with meth.. i wanna get an evo. .but how are the transmissions on this cars? i've heard the mr trannys suck.. and the 5 speeds are much stronger.... im currently looking for a evo9 but ive seen many evo 8s in my area for just 15000-17000.. i've also read that many like to spin rod bearings or throw rods through the block..now this is a concern.. cuz in the 3 motors i've blown in the suby one was a faulty oil pump.. and 2 were a bad tune.. but only resulted on a blown piston and a quick rehone.. and problem solved, im planning on keeping the suby .. but using the evo to make lots of power.. my goal is around 500whp on E85 which is really easy to get in my area.. in the suby world.. ive tune many subys in the local meets and also built a few motors for a few friends.. but for evos .. my mind is empty and ready to learn..
.my plan is to add forged pistons and rods to this motor... but how is the crank?? do i need a crank too... subys have forged cranks..
-also i would like a 5spd.. any particular year has a strong tranny or they are all strong as long as is a 5spd?
-also for the spun rods topic..i read many were 03-05 evos.. not that many 04s.. seems like those owners didnt check their oil or used too thin oil.. or ran too rich and affected the oil viscosity.. but any advise on using a better oil pump?
and do this cars have those chain balancers in the oil pan??.. subarus dont have anything to blalance their motors.. but i've seen srt4s and other inline 4s with this.. do u guys remove them? does it affect the main bearings?..

 

Damn that was long. The 6spds aren't that bad, fourth gear tends to go bad under hard prolonged racing conditons. The 5spd is defintely the stronger tranny and most ppl have their 5spds built with evo ix 1st/2nd, evo 8 3rd/4th gears and they take some abuse.

We have balance shafts in our motors that usually get removed once built or replaced with a race shaft. No need for anything other than OEM fuel pump.

500hp on e85 is easy and many ppl do it on the stock block. I'd recommend a built block first though.

For reference I made 373/369 on the stock evo ix turbo/meth with maxxed out stock injectors. 28lbs

If I was to do it again I'd buy an 8 and just build the motor for the money I'd save not buying a IX

Finally, the shop I go to down here is nothing but blown subys and still going strong evo's, lol. Hope this helps a little.

 

I think you mean oil pump and yes the OEM pump fine.

As long as it's properly modded, tuned, and not abused Evo's seem to be pretty reliable. Generally like any other AWD car if you launch it frequently you will be replacing components. Usually the clutch and TC are the weakest links.

Also like any other performance car you want to make sure you aren't buying someone elses headache.

 

ya it was long.. but it was 4am..lol.. and i wasnt tired.. i know abuse will destroy anything..lol.. i drive my suby like i stole it every day.. they are very reliable .. they dont have iron blocks. or can handle past 33psi unless u sleeve them.. problem with them is the dumb owners which i know many at the meets.. they cant even check their oil. and expect the oil levels to last 3000 miles till they go back to the shop.. while they abuse it daily..lol,or they have a 02-03 which have glass transmissions.. even the 04-07 have a lil stronger but not by much.. now .. by u saying they built the 5spds with evo 9 1and 2nd.. and the rest evo 8.. that means the evo 8s got weak 1&2?.. i have no problem rebuilding engines.. but i dont have the tools to fix transmissions.. now i drove the 5spd in the wrx.. and lasted me 3 years and lots of track runs.. but i never dumped the clutch or powershifted.. that changed after i went 6spd.. but it seems like the contrary on evos..lol

 

I think you meant to say that most people don't need to have their transmissions touched, but some folks who drag race and abuse their cars have their transmissions built with the gearing mentioned above.

 

+1, it all has to do with the gearing.

 

but this is only for 5spds only right?? my friend had a MR 6spd.. and blew his tranny twice..and then switched to a 07 STI, im just gonna keep my eye on 5spd evos.. and probably get a evo 8..

 

i know everythign about the gearing..lol.. i miss my 5spd sometimes on my suby.. 4th gear went to 125mph..lol. but on my 6spd.. i only hit 100mph..lol..

 

Damn u went through a lot with that suby, I thought their tranny was stronger

 

05+ evo, 5spd -

 

It's the drivers.

 

04-05 STI trannys have 5thgear sychro problems if u powershift too much.. but they handle over 700wtq.. the 06+ have better synchros.. and can handle the same.. but WRX trannys are Basura!!! but they have good drag race ratios..lol

 

i agree.. but also when u do a 3rd gear pull and rip a gear while tuning.. thats lame!

 

Depends. If your friend blew his 6-speed on a road course, overheating 4th, perhaps, then it was due to a design flaw. OTOH, if your friend blew the 6-speed and its stronger lower gears enthusiastically driving around town, then it was likely due to abuse.

 

idk how he blew it..but i met him after he got rid of the evo..