Different air flow meter

Does anyone know if it is possible to get another air flow meter that is shorter than the subaru standard one, or is there another setup that removes it ? I am trying to reduce the length of the intake tube so that the air cleaner is not behind the back wheel.

Depends what Type it is, Plazmaman sell one that works with the later model wrx AFM's, the 2 screw in ones. I think its what steve used on his 1303 theres a pic on page 8 of his thread below. Its on there site under subaru. Can only run without it with after market ECU, I'm pretty sure.

Yeah, mine is a 98 version. I'm not really wanting to change the ECU.

Thanks for your reply.

Hey Mark, what about using a later model inlet manifold?
I see the later model STi inlet manifolds have a very compact plenum chamber (almost non-existent) which would make the whole setup more compact.

Yeah, but then I would have to pay to get another manifold modified! I dont know enough about this stuff, but I am guessing the wiring and water plumbing would all be different, but maybe not.

Yeah sorry I dont think there is any options out there to replace that one and they don't come apart, All you can really do is plumb it a different way. I'm having the same difficultly trying to fit AFM, pod filter WAIC all under the hood.

Bugger !!

Hi

I bought one of these from GCG turbos for my bug, I'm not sure if its the same for your model motor, mines a 2003 model.

Steve

That is a nice setup, but mine is the older style AFM which is in the plastic housing, Looks like you cant modify them or replace them with anything, so now I am looking at getting a different air cleaner pod.

Thats a 3A racing pod filter, have been tested against all the expensive brands and came out on top should get one for around $30. Also have you thought about reversing intake manifold or putting an elbow between the manifold and throttle body (like joel did) to change direction of the air intake. Just a couple of options.

I lost my pictures server so cant put one up to show you how this is currently setup, but I have a modified inlet manifold with a pipe coming into the centre of the manifold and then going out to the right of the buggy. By the time I put a pod filter on it is out too far. The 3A racing one looks about the same size as what I currently have. I am looking for something shorter but fatter I guess.

I have now rebuilt my server, so here are a couple of pics that might explain what I am trying to do.

Mark, explain to me again why you can't flip your alternator over to the left?

For reference - here is a procedure for creating a left-flip alternator on a Subie engine. Reproduced from
http://www.vtpete.com/vw/labels/engine.html

The appropriate length belt :



With the rotated coolant manifold the stock location of the alternator no longer works. Slowly, I built up a bracket that would bolt into the location of the old power steering pump. I mostly used 3/4" square tubing, with a few pieces of spare metal that I had laying around also. (There are some pieces of old bumper brackets and bed frame angle iron in there 🙂



This is the pivot side of the alternator. I needed to make sure the oil pressure sensor and throttle body preheater hose would fit around the bracket.



This is a mock up of the adjustable side of the alternator. The OEM bracket bolts from the other side, but I'm planning to bolt through in this direction because it is less fabricating and material needed.



This is the front side of the adjuster. You can see here it adjusts like normal, just from the other side. I had to pay a lot of attention to the min and max adjustments of the alternator to be able to get the most travel possible. I ended up having to grind down the intake and alternator a bit to get even more travel.



This is the roughly finished bracket (minus paint of course). I added some gusseting to make a little more rigid.

Because he is missing something that every car and buggy should have, the A/C compressor. 🙂

The issue is not the alternator, the issue is that when you flip the inlet manifold around it hits the A/C compressor and wont bolt down.

He also said this "With the rotated coolant manifold the stock location of the alternator no longer works". Dont know why, I have been running a rotated coolant manifold for the last 3 years without any issues with the alternator in the stock position. Maybe is motor is a different model to mine.

Just heard from the K&N supplier and the pod that I want that I think will fix the issue will not be in Australia until mid to late November !!

I guess that gives me time to install the new Subarugears mounts, which is going to move the position of the motor anyway 🙂

What was wrong with the way you had it before the manifold was modified by Paul?

BlueV2 wrote:He also said this "With the rotated coolant manifold the stock location of the alternator no longer works". Dont know why, I have been running a rotated coolant manifold for the last 3 years without any issues with the alternator in the stock position. Maybe is motor is a different model to mine.

It's just a typo, he meant intake manifold.

my air flow metere is about 1 1/2 foot away from the throttle body , I used rubber hose and 2 1/2 exhaust pipe.
to extend it.

11CAB, with the fitting of the Subaru gearbox the motor ends up higher, and because the back panel ("firewall") of the buggy is on an angle, the higher you go the less room you get. As it is, the gearbox is not really as far forward as it should be, and so when I put in Subarugears new nose and cradle mount I will have even less room. I dont think I have ever had full throttle because of the angle of the position of the throttle body in relation to where the accelerator cable comes through.
On the motor that was in the buggy, I had to cut the back off the reverse manifold to get it to fit.



So as you can see I have to make some more radical changes if I want the motor to move further forward.

Thanks Joel, that makes more sense.

That is a good point Ian, there is no need to have the AFM right with the throttle body, they aren't on an original Subaru setup. However, it would only help me if I could turn the pipe 180 degrees and have the AFM and air filter over on the left side of the motor. I am not sure I have enough room to do the 180 turn though. I will investigate how much room the 2 1/2 inch pipe will take to do the turn.

Thanks to everyone for giving me ideas, it is very helpful.👍

Hi Mark,
Is not wanting your filter behind the wheel an asthetic thing or are you worried about the tyre throwing crap at the filter?

If its the latter what I've done with mine is got a Pod filter that is enclosed and ducted fresh air to it via flexible hose.

It's also nice and compact which may give you abit more room to play.
I can get better pic next time I'm near the bug.

Hi Joel, no its not an asthetic thing as it wont be seen, it is to do with dirt being thrown straight at it and also I have a bar coming down from the back of the rollbar that holds up the rear cage, making it a pretty small space to get something through. I dont have a photo to show what I mean.
What type (brand) of enclosed filter is that you have ? I looked at the K&N ones and they are pretty baulky. I would also think it would stop the sucking noise that you get from the exposed pod filters.

BlueV2 wrote:Because he is missing something that every car and buggy should have, the A/C compressor. 🙂

The issue is not the alternator, the issue is that when you flip the inlet manifold around it hits the A/C compressor and wont bolt down.

What about trying these late model STi manifolds?



Note the small plenum chamber which gets your throttle body (and therefore AFM) closer to the middle of the engine. The angle of it also tilts the throttle body and AFM over the top of your alternator so you would likely not need to flip it.

Where and how much is hitting the Aircon compressor? You can purchase phenolic spacers for the inlet manifolds that go between the intake ports and manifold. They will raise your intake manifold up 20mm.

That manifold would be good, but not sure how easy that could be made to work with my engine. It might be easy, I dont know.

The A/C stops the manifold from swinging around enough for the ports to line up. It is out by about 20 or 30mm, and I dont think raising the inlet manifold would help.

Joel's picture got me thinking that maybe I should approach this differently, just for now until I get the gearbox and motor sitting where they should be.

So I am going to get one of these and put the Pod back over the other side of the motor where there is more room. Not sure what it will do for the airflow, but for now it wont matter.

Adds 5hp. Put a Subarugears sticker on your windscreen - adds another 5hp.

Paint something red, specifically callipers, extra 25kw!

Nope.....Blue is the only colour 🤓

What stops you bolting the throttle body onto the inlet manifold in the new spot and run a rubber 90 degree bend up to the air mass meter? The brings the air mass meter closer to the centre of the engine by the amount in the height of the throttle body

That is certainly worth looking at. I would need to make an adaptor between the inlet manifold flange and the throttle body flange ad they are not the same size or bolt pattern.

Hi

This is the K&N pod I used, its legal as well, my car went over the pits with it on.

Steve

Thanks Steve. That is not a dissimilar shape to the cone one I have. My buggy was engineered and registered with the uncovered, but I know that they are supposed to be enclosed. Are the enclosed ones quieter ? The exposed one I have is quite noisy when you make it pull hard.

I have actually noticed mine under normal driving conditions has a little less intake roar than before but when I sink the boot in it still has the typical Suby bark but it sounds different now, I think the noise is echoing/resonating in the enclosure, sounds mean though.

BlueV2 wrote:Hi Joel, no its not an asthetic thing as it wont be seen, it is to do with dirt being thrown straight at it and also I have a bar coming down from the back of the rollbar that holds up the rear cage, making it a pretty small space to get something through. I dont have a photo to show what I mean.
What type (brand) of enclosed filter is that you have ? I looked at the K&N ones and they are pretty baulky. I would also think it would stop the sucking noise that you get from the exposed pod filters.

Couldn't tell you the brand off hand, the box is around somewhere but its just one of your token cheap Chinese ebay brand names like super happy mega performance booster good time, but its just normal garden variety pod filter once you take the cover off.
Honestly a coffee tin over the top of a normal pod filter would achieve the same thing.

I have seen Better quality larger enclosed ones like this running for the $300-400 on ebay but they also look too big for our applications or the smaller ones are recommended for 1.6L or smaller engines

It would seem that Subaru has listened to your problems and done the job for you.
Here's the engine bay from the new Toybaru. Intake manifold flipped, alternator flipped, aircon intact, drive by wire throttle so you don't need to worry about your throttle cable angles.
Geez - they are certainly customer focussed.

Thats the go, not sure I would be able to sort out the wiring for the new motor though. That would be ideal for what I want.

Hopefully I will finish what I am trying to sort out tonight and get it going. I need to drive it to work Thursday !!

The IACV to A/C compressor interferance with a flipped manifold is only an issue on 90s and early 00s engines.

Subaru have ditched the remote IACV quite a while back and intergrated it with the throttle body.

This is what I have done with the air intake to get the motor going. Will see how it goes once I can get water into the water pump !!