05/06 GT TbSTI wagon a few things...

Posts specific to the 2.0 litre Turbo engine

05/06 GT TbSTI wagon a few things...

Postby Boognish » Mon Dec 02, 2019 8:29 am

I’ve just bought this lovely specimen and have been trying to read up as much as possible what it has, what it can have, and what I should do. I understand that being auto I shouldn’t aim too high in regards to power and that’s OK. I’m not going to be tracking it, and I hope to keep it for the remainder of its life as was my intention when I bought a 2015 VW Golf R Wolfsburg wagon (one of 300) from new. Unfortunately I had to sell it to pay for bloodsucking lawyers... :angry2: but I love my sleeper wagons and used to love my first Liberty (MY00 RX) which is also the last car I owned that wasn’t turbo lol. So a TbSTI wagon was a no-brained for me as a <$20k fun practical car.

I like responsiveness, which obvs would’ve been better in a manual, but alas due to physical constraints I cannot get (despite first driving in all manuals and riding dirt bikes as a kid). Is it possible to get the autos on these tuned for tighter ratios as I did with the Wolfsburg? The Wolfie was a DSG so I don’t know if the computer is different for TCs.

I want to take the car to The Rumble Shack as they seem to have good reviews and you guys seem to indicate avoiding MRT. Why is that by the way? What should I be aware of? I would like TRS to do a baseline observation of the car and fix anything that needs seeing to or tightening up (it’s got 164k on clock), before we do anything past that. But I would love to know what things I can bring up with them by having done a bit of research prior. This car seems to be in extremely good condition and owned by car enthusiasts, and I tell you it was miles better than the ‘08 GT we also tested. It’s already got a bunch of cosmetic stuff like strakes(?), STI lip, STI engine cover, upgraded head unit with AC and reversing camera and a few other things the bloke told me but I’ve forgotten. Is the BOV stock? Or added?

I note you usually recommend Whiteline sway bars, new water pump, catback, CAI, possibly new turbo etc. I’m not looking to turn heads on my approach or side by side; that’s why I love my sleeper wagons. :assassin: With Wolfie I had it TCU and ECU tuned by APR with racing CAI - holy shitballs that thing was a mind blowing dirty one-night-stand that lasted two years. Obvs this Lib isn’t going to be a touch on Wolfie, but that’s OK, she can shine in her own lovely light :D Once the basics are seen to, I would like to add a bit of a tune to her, basically as much as is safe on the fun:reliable ratio.

Next step though, getting the controls put in so that I can drive the bloody thing when the companies pull their fingers out! :angry2:

Also:
1. Best way to protect the plastic inside the interior from hard metal (wheelchair) that has scratched my other cars?
2. Possible to make wipers and/or headlights automatic? Def not a big deal, just something that might be nice later.
3. Is the turbo in this car the twin scroll td04? Which turbo would I have had in my ‘06FXT? Is it possible to replace this turbo for other STI turbos as I seem to recall the FXT was interchangeable with 02 WRX STI turbos? Is the twin scroll good coverage across the rev band? I really like power available down low, but I’ve possibly been spoiled with the Golfs which was available from 1500. Or should I just adjust my driving?
4. Which other models can I replace my parts like Intercooler/turbo/exhausts?
5. General notes? Thoughts? I’ve got an ODBII reader coming in the mail, and I’ve been trolling this website, youtube, internet to find as much info as I can with the limited time I have. And I know that servicing on time (or prior), keeping well-oiled, 98 only are the basics.

OH and can you get a turbo-timer put on these? They’ve been stock on a lot of turbos for a while, but it doesn’t sound like there’s one on this unless my partner wasn’t hammering it as much as I hammer my current i30SR lol. And before you laugh, that i30 has a pleasant note and has surprised the nuts off some other cars at times ;)
Boognish
 
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Location: Sydney, australia
Car: Liberty GT TbSTI wagon 05

Re: 05/06 GT TbSTI wagon a few things...

Postby bigBADbenny » Mon Dec 02, 2019 5:26 pm

Welcome!
Location??

1: probably paint protection film or a wrap, line it with suede, alcantara or vinyl, or just buy new interior parts as they’re always getting wrecked or parted.

1a: yes Matt McLeod aka ThrottleHappy (on FB) is one option for ecu and tcu tuning.

2: yes kits are available but you’ll need a subaru experienced installer who is aware that some of the power systems are variable ground, plus its easy to fry the body unit integrated if you don’t know the dangers.

3: td04hla or vf38 dependent on manual or auto. Options are limited to kinugawa td04-19t or 20t.
Or change headers, turbo bracket & dump pipe or dump flange to subaru single scroll stock location (eg postfl 2.5t) subaru jdm STi twin scroll, or single or twinscroll aftermarket in either stock location, twist mount or low mount in twin or single scroll.
As regards the vf38, generally they’re “worse” than the td04hla, as regards ultimate durability, maybe contact eg roserage turbos for upgrade/hybrid options.
My choice: HE221w on the td04hla housing could work with some machining of the housing. Maybe. No one has done it... yet...

4: see above, some intercoolers eg process wear fit pre and postfl with the right piping. Some parts are common to pre and postfl but not all.
Cat backs interchangeable, dumps have to be auto specific regardless of configuration.
https://www.google.com.au/search?biw=32 ... 8modku468s

5: read the FAQ’s, there’s some handy links in my signature.
Generic obdii tools are a great start, but for ultimate use: Btssm for everyday use and Romraider for flashing tunes.
I have all of them, my Btssm boots on the stock nav screen, LV’s on engine off full throttle press, logs on rear defrost.
It is that good :good:

viewtopic.php?f=56&t=27506&p=388552#p388552

All you really “need” is Shockworks, a DAMD D steering wheel, LCA bushes, Rob Tait tint especially sunroof...
And maybe my proposed nav upgrade :P
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=35068&start=30#p446466
Or contact member hardwarebob for facias and conversion harnesses.
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Re: 05/06 GT TbSTI wagon a few things...

Postby Boognish » Tue Dec 03, 2019 6:38 pm

More amazing advice and info. This is why I join forums ;)

I hadn’t realised you’d meant the FAQs in your sig at first, no wonder it was taking me so long to find all that juicy info about the differences between the models and facelifts!

Location is Sydney, and yeah it might behoove me to get spare interior parts as I go along for posterity, but also get it professionally wrapped internally. I like the addition of suede or alcantara around the joint.

There’s no way I’d do any of this work myself, I have to seek the services of paid experts, sadly. Ill def hit up Matt for the tunes, and it’s great to know the auto box can be diddled with.

I don’t have a stock HU anymore, as previous owner upgraded, but to be honest as much as I wish I were mechanically inclined, I think a lot of the Btssm would go over my head.

I asked the previous owner if they could remember what the first owner had done to it (06-15) and he said the following was all he could remember off the top of his head without seeing the car in front of him:
-STI braided brake lines f&r
-STI lower lateral links
-upgrade Brembos f&r
-STI side skirts,
-STI JDM HU surrounds. So some rice, yes lol. Tasteful though! I’m not interested in changing the look to postFL, as I actually prefer the kind of doughy-but-mean look of the pre-FL, like the fat bully in high school.

Again, dude, loads of amazing info to scour and research and change my mind dozens of times lol
Boognish
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2019 1:21 am
Location: Sydney, australia
Car: Liberty GT TbSTI wagon 05

Re: 05/06 GT TbSTI wagon a few things...

Postby bigBADbenny » Tue Dec 03, 2019 7:32 pm

Well that’s a nice bunch of upgrades.

Iirc you can tell if its an actual tbSTi model either by looking up the vin, or the ecu part number or if it has no sunroof and all black headliner, pillars and eg all seatbelt hardware, STi lip, STi Enkeis, tbSTi mufflers and tbSTi edition number plaque on the centre console. Etc, etc...

There are whole threads with specifics.

If not, it’s been upgraded with tbSTi parts.
Still, nice upgrades.
Its worth asking the PO if it was tuned, and by whom.

Yeah I’d have said the same thing regarding Btssm, Romraider and so on.
I started with an ecu data scan, tried Torque, got Romraider and then Btssm.

So if your HU has video input, you can pipe Btssm in from a tv box that’s plugged into your obdii.
For under $100 plus install. Just sayin. ;)

Boiled frog syndrome, Helsinki syndrome, scope creep.
On the other hand, I know what’s going on with the car and knowledge is a great way to save money whether or not mechanics need to be involved. Or especially when they do. :P

Be very careful where you take your car for service or mods.
Rather than name and shame, I can say G88 and MSR have good reps to uphold.
Read the reviews on the others, starting with the negative reviews lol.

Also re headlights I just keep mine on all the time day and night, they switch off with the car ;)
Tunes on stock turbo, go nuts with upgrades but imho don’t raise boost much over stock.
If you’re getting a tune, inlet and especially throttle body silicone hoses are a must.
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Re: 05/06 GT TbSTI wagon a few things...

Postby scottb721 » Thu Jan 09, 2020 9:38 pm

What's this TV box from the OBD setup?
08 3.0 spec B
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Re: 05/06 GT TbSTI wagon a few things...

Postby bigBADbenny » Fri Jan 10, 2020 7:03 am

I have the stock nav which has a composite video aux in, a TX2 android tv box is plugged into it via a 3.5mm to rca adapter.
The tv box hosts the Btssm app which connects to obdii via a clear blue case vagcom with usb A plug.
If you don’t have stock (or aftermarket) nav, an android phone or tablet with otg can host the Btssm app...
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Re: 05/06 GT TbSTI wagon a few things...

Postby scottb721 » Fri Jan 10, 2020 7:21 am

Oh cool, thanks.
I do have factory nav and this would be more useful than the Chromecast that's connected at the moment.
A shame my kiwi2 OBD doesn't have USB. although using it this week for my coolant problems I noticed it wouldn't stay connected to my phone or tablet for very long.
08 3.0 spec B
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Re: 05/06 GT TbSTI wagon a few things...

Postby bigBADbenny » Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:35 am

Yeah I just found out the android tv box will mirror as well, just need a ground loop suppressor for the audio channels...

I did a quick search and it looks like Btssm does not support Kiwi2 as its an elm327 based device.
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