To Subaru, or not to Subaru?

[Humble]

I guess I'll toss in my $.02. I've been tracking, hill climbing, autoxing, racing, and generally driving fast super beetles for over 10 years now. I've had a 1776 T1, 2L T4, high CR 2L T4, high CR race ready 2165 T1, and my current turbo 2165 T1 race motor. I built all of them, except the first 1776, with my own hands and none of them ever blew up (maybe that means I could have pushed them harder). I have probably spent close to $50k in motors, if not more, in that time. I've have stock suspension cars to full on porsche swapped high grip monsters. The reason I'm going subaru is because I've reached the limitations where high hp and air cooling meet. I just can't keep the head temps down for longer sprints. Even 8 back to back autox runs about a minute long each can spike the head temps over 400F.

The EJ25T STi motor should give me similar power and more torque than my current race motor, in stock form. The sti motor weighs a lot yes, but not significantly more than my aluminum case race motor now. I know that VW T1, T4, and even wasserboxer motors can make crazy power but I haven't seen them do it under circuit race conditions. I'm talking about 15+ minutes of hard, on boost, full throttle time during a 20 minute sprint. I know NA motors can do it but they don't make the power I'm after. That's what I was trying to accomplish with my current setup but it's not quite there.

[Wally]

Originally Posted by Humble

I know that VW T1, T4, and even wasserboxer motors can make crazy power but I haven't seen them do it under circuit race conditions. I'm talking about 15+ minutes of hard, on boost, full throttle time during a 20 minute sprint.

I guess you totally missed my posts about my track days and race participation then?
I've run Spa-francorchamp more then once full-on at 20psi (=400+hp) with the type 4 turbo untill I ran out of gas...
Might have been a little too much for type 1 heads probably, so I see where you're coming from.

[Humble]

You've also said that you don't think you drive as aggressively as I do. :P I have been following you and your car for years, I just wish you'd get a couple gopro cameras already! I would love to swap cars with you and compare them back to back. As for my problems, it could be a limitation of the heads or that my combo isn't dialed in as well as yours. I'm sure the lack of intercooler isn't helping me either.

[Wally]

Originally Posted by Humble

You've also said that you don't think you drive as aggressively as I do. :P I have been following you and your car for years, I just wish you'd get a couple gopro cameras already! I would love to swap cars with you and compare them back to back. As for my problems, it could be a limitation of the heads or that my combo isn't dialed in as well as yours. I'm sure the lack of intercooler isn't helping me either.

I think the simple reason is I use a type 4 with alu cylinders and - as you mentioned also - a huge intercooler and water-meth injection plus knock control. Cooling abilty of all that is enormous.
Its a deadly combination on th track with mostly all stock type 4 engine parts, safe from the alu cylinders.
Not for everyone I totally agree, but just showed to me it CAN be done. Thats all I wanted to convey, whereas your post suggest that it could NOT be done. Thats just not true.

YMMV