Working on the donor

[wallace18]

I thought it would be cool to have a thread about some of us working on our donors. I dropped the entire engine, transmission, rack and lower front suspension in one unit. This makes working on disassembly much easier IMO. Good luck to all with their donors.



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[riptide motorsport]

Great tip............thanks.

[Mechie3]

Unfortunately I don't have a lift. I'll be pulling my motor separate from the trans just like all the other times I've done it. I thought about dropping everything and using the hoist to lift the frame, but then I have no way to move anything anyways. :lol:

[RM1SepEx]

Can't do that with my 4 post lift either!

I'm thinking that I use the lift to disconnect everything and pull the engine out the top. (like you see on Car Warriors) At least I'll be able to use the saws all to cut radiator supports etc... I'm thinking that pulling the engine and trans as a unit should work for me. I'll make a rolling storage pallet for the assembly to get it out of the way while other stuff is done. I'm hoping that I can dump a shell at the recycler for $ per pound after a weeks work. Took a hydraulic ram to the bent control arm today... still needs more "adjusting" :-)

BTW the Subaru WRX seats SUCK!!!!

[Kalstar]

Unfortunately I don't have a lift. I'll be pulling my motor separate from the trans just like all the other times I've done it. I thought about dropping everything and using the hoist to lift the frame, but then I have no way to move anything anyways. :lol:

I pulled my Camaro drivetrain out the bottom, big cast iron V8 including the overly large (and heavy) k-member. Engine lift on the nose support and out the bottom it came. Simply used (4) $14.00 Harbor Freight furniture dollies. Two under the block, one under the trans and one under the driveshaft, more than did the trick. If fact the whole drivetrain set on those dollies for a year while I worked on the engine. When the time came to reinstall, rolled right over no problem.

Lifts are over rated.

[RM1SepEx]

I'm sure that there are 50 ways to do it, each with advantages and disadvantages

lifts big advantage is time, you can position the car for better access and avoid wierd body positions.

At my advanced (50+) age that is extremely important!

I've also done everything without a lift in the past, just rigged with jack stands, roller dolleys, come alongs, big pry bars, pipes to roll heavy weights, an ATV winch etc... with some creativity and fixturing almost anything can be done safely

[Mechie3]

Here's where I'm at as of tonight. Got a little side tracked autocrossing the last two weekends. Wife has tennis tomorrow night so that means guilt free garage time!

[wallace18]

Wow! You are really far along. I noticed when I was taking the engine from the trans that a lot of vacuum lines were very brittle and hard. A few just broke apart. I am going to replace all hoses both coolant and vacuum. This is a good bit of money I did not think of originally. Just a word to the wise if your donor is high mileage.


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[Mechie3]

I've been wrenching on this car for 6 years, so I know where most of the bolts are to quickly take stuff apart. That mess of tubes with the black saucer shaped bit on the manifold is part of the evap purge system (in case you didn't know). If FFR isn't reusing the charcoal canister it can probably be ditched along with the solenoid underneath it and those ports capped off. A few have done it on their WRX's. At certain times, the solenoid opens and under vacuum the saucer bit opens allowing it to pull fumes from the charcoal canister and get better emissions and minor improvement on the mpgs.

[wjfawb0]

I tell everyone that both of my 2005 STis were like snap tight models. They're super easy and fast to take apart and put back together. If I was demolishing a WRX and not putting it back together, that would be quick work. I've been working non stop on fabricating a car sized offroad buggy in my garage for the last eight months, so my wrenching skills are at their best right now.

[AJW Performance]

Wallace18, looking good!
Responding to your email shortly

[Mechie3]

My friends gave me the idea of doing a time lapse video. I mounted my Go Pro Hero 2 to one of the garage door openers and put in on a 30 second photo lapse. Too bad I didn't have this idea a week ago!

EDIT2: uploaded better quality to Vimeo.

https://vimeo.com/44358087

[riptide motorsport]

man..your storming along!!!

[Xusia]

Love the time lapse!

[apexanimal]

makes it look so easy

nice work

[Mechie3]

Thankfully the video hides the part where I forgot to undo one of the engine harness connectors and had to stop and pop it apart. haha

[Mechie3]

Added on to the video. Changed pic rate from 30s to 10s and modified the playback rate accordingly so that time passes at the same rate in the video. Gives smoother motions now though.

https://vimeo.com/44557615

[SkiRideDrive]

Thanks for sharing.

[Mechie3]

Got some more done this afternoon.

https://vimeo.com/44583620

[Mechie3]

Started cutting the front end into bite sized pieces.

https://vimeo.com/44637064

[metalmaker12]

I sold the roof too

[Xusia]

Started cutting the front end into bite sized pieces.

https://vimeo.com/44637064

Just out of curiousity, what is the reason for doing this?

[Mechie3]

Just out of curiousity, what is the reason for doing this?

I'm hungry, and can't eat a whole car at once.

The only trailer I have is a 5'x8' with a load limit of 800 lbs. It's the trailer for my Fmod and I'd rather not damage it hauling scrap. I also have no way of lifting an entire chassis onto a (too small) trailer. Cutting it into manageable sized pieces lets me easily load the trailer, use my existing trailer, and makes it easy for me.

A local builder of Locost7's uses S2000's as donors and said you can title the 818 in Indiana as a WRX, albeit heavily modified. To do this, you need the original VIN stamps on the car, and the original chassis must be cut up. You need to get the car appraised though for insurance purposes. Haven't looked into all the details myself though.

[WonderDude]

https://vimeo.com/44358087
https://vimeo.com/44557615
https://vimeo.com/44583620
https://vimeo.com/44637064

MAN YOU WORK FAST! ...LOL!
Have you considered opening your own shop?

[metalmaker12]

Subarus come apart easy man, took me 12 total hours to strip one clean

[Nuul]

A local builder of Locost7's uses S2000's as donors and said you can title the 818 in Indiana as a WRX, albeit heavily modified. To do this, you need the original VIN stamps on the car, and the original chassis must be cut up. You need to get the car appraised though for insurance purposes. Haven't looked into all the details myself though.

It looks like you might be able to get a new VIN as well.
http://www.ffcars.com/forums/50-insu...n-process.html

[WonderDude]

Subarus come apart easy man, took me 12 total hours to strip one clean

Yeah, but if you watch Mechie3's videos, he took it apart in like a minute and 35 seconds!

[Mechie3]

Ha! I could speed the videos up and do it even faster! One thing that has been slowing me down is not knowing what I need to keep so EVERY last bolt goes into a baggie that gets labeled. That itself takes a bit of time.

As for old VIN new VIN, I haven't decided which is easiest or best. One reason the builder might do the old vin is because he doesn't need to inspect every car they make.

I've considered opening a shop, but haven't for various reasons. I get paid rather handsomely at work as an engineer and they allow me free reign of the machine shop (lathe, mill, CNC's). It would be hard to quit that. I'm also not quite 30 yet, so don't have the capital to open a shop.

[NicksPapaw]

Wow Mechie3, I am impressed. You make that car look like a big tinker toy. I would be photographing every part and putting in a baggie with a label since once I go to bed I tend to forget what the heck I did the previous night. Apparently, this ain't your first subie tear down. It will be mine.

[Mechie3]

My first full teardown, but I've owned the car and put lots of wrench time into it over the last 6 years. Plenty of bolts I can just look at and know where they go. As someone else said though, Subies do come apart rather easily.

[wallace18]

After doing a 5 year resto on a Corvette, I can't tell you enough how much it helps to label wires, Bags of parts and take lots of photos for future referance. It will make things much easier. Also buy one of the PDF manuals for your donor. It has been a big help to me.

[Mechie3]

I have an 06 specific FSM and if you search Ken Gilbert STI on google you'll find one specific to the 04STI (mechanicals are similar, wiring is different).

I did use tape/marker to label every connector too. It would be a nightmare otherwise. Wait...it probably still will be, just not as long.

[metalmaker12]

DSC_0152.JPGDSC_0153.JPGDSC_0189.JPGsecuredownload-2.jpegsecuredownload-3.jpegsecuredownload-12.jpegsecuredownload-11.jpegsecuredownload-9.jpegsecuredownload-4.jpegsecuredownload-5.jpeg

I have some more to upload later

[Mechie3]

You may have mentioned before, but is that a twin scroll from a spec c or JDM model?

[Xusia]

Those are some very nice looking parts. You are very lucky that nice lady hit you!

[Mechie3]

I think you confused me (guy with totaled wrx due to lady running red) with metalmaker (guy posting pics of clean parts).

[metalmaker12]

It is a late Jdm version 8, with the vf37 twinscroll, it has the c markings on the block casting, for the block, but the true spec c gets ported heads. and yea no lady hit my donor lol, it was bought to strip,, though that is a great story to tell your grandkids.

[shinn497]

how did you obtain a jdm car to strip?

I would love to do that, but I don't want to deal with importing one or the sti tranny...

[Mechie3]

Pulled the exhaust, rear bumper, bumper beam, and trailer hitch. One of the weld nuts broke off and caused some trouble. Had to do some cutting to access the inside of the frame and get the nut off.

https://vimeo.com/44781094

[NicksPapaw]

You might want to save the trailer hitch. Looks like the 818 might be a little short on luggage space.