Ownership Verified: CraigB's Correct-Wheel-Drive Lesbaru (2013 Subaru BRZ)

CraigB

Ich bin ein Kartoffel
DONOR
Joined
Feb 14, 2007
Messages
17,813
Location
SWMO
Car(s)
Mustang SVO - Frontier Pro-4X - BRZ - D21 Hardbody
I have to give most of the credit to @EyeMWing on this. He bought the car new, put an ungodly 266k miles on it in 7 years, then sold it to me. Where I go with it from here? Hard to say, probably drive it, auto-x (when they are allowed to again), rally-x (maybe?), drag race (duh), take it across the country (maybe?).

First, the formalities.

brz_5.jpg



How she came to me, a bit dirty from driving cross country.

brz_4.jpg



After a quick wash and highway blow dry. Still need to give it a good clean and wax, but doesn't look bad for a quick driveway wash.

brz_1.jpg


brz_2.jpg



Could use some @nicjasno style love underhood.

brz_6.jpg


And all of the front lenses need a good polish.

brz_3.jpg



First impressions after a couple short drives:
Seems to be a really strong runner for 266k miles.
Handles great (I've been driving a pickup for 6 years, so not a particularly high bar).


Things that need attention:
Cruise Control doesn't come on.
Fender needs replaced (came with parts).
Loud noise while moving, I think it's a wheel bearing or two, just need to get it up in the air and give them a spin.
Transmission a little whiny.


Other than that, it's going to be a fun project and driver.

Still need to get it registered, but I have 30 days to do that. Just need to find a good place to do the inspection. My guy quit doing them.
 
Nice! It still looks really good for having lived in PA for a while. Curious how this fairs against the coveted Jeep Patriot. :D
 
Hey that exterior dirt was pre-covid vintage!

When I manage to find the bin I'll let you know what parts I've got and I can stick them in the mail or on the moving truck as appropriate.

Parts that were in the car aside from the obvious:
Unlock-on-approach BRZ drivers door handle (the one on there is an FRS door handle that doesn't have the electronics).

The door wiring harness to suit. The modules on the harness and handle are already paired to that ECU -they are original. Sometimes the car will fail to detect the key if it's in your left pocket because the antenna module on the harness in the door is missing or the incorrect one.

Driver's side interior kick panel (the connectors for the door harness are behind it)

Assorted bolts for the door assembly (these are probably unnecessary) and the fender.
 
Oh. The cruise control. I literally forgot that doesn't work normally because I've lived with it so long. Pretty sure that's the stalk. You can get it to work by:
Pushing the stalk down into the decel/minus position and pulling it towards you into, IIRC, cancel (or sometimes pushing it away -there is no position there, just physically pushing it) and pressing the on/off button. It's the contacts for the button that are wonky, the rest of the positions are 100%.

Sooo many of those miles are cruise control miles...
 
t8gxv7603ec41.jpg


Safari BRZ?
 
No problem, if it didn't go to you I was going to strip the interior to nerf it for any purposes but racecar and punt it at 24 Hours of Lemons ($500 car my ass!)
 
WHAT IN THE FUCKING FUCK

FUCK YES

I’M HERE FOR THIS

FUCK

YES
 
Oh that crash was totally my fault, I was very much asleep when I tried to drive under a FedEx semi truck. Caved in the door, fender, and it's steer tire lug studs tore a beautiful circle in the wheel on that corner (I've got the original as wall art, you've got a replacement from an FRS)

Is the noise you're thinking is a wheel bearing the absolute all pervasive racket or something buried under that? Because the all pervasive racket is one of:
- the weird speed holes in the flywheel https://www.ftspeed.com/part/fr-s-b...6-subaru-brz-2013-toyota-86-2017#.X2LzuFNlCh8
- vibration transmitted from the transmission to the body by way of the poly insert in the transmission mount
- maybe something to do with the short shifter
- something inherent to the exedy stage 1 organic clutch and pressure plate (the car is on its second set of these so that's unlikely)

All that work got done simultaneously and thats when the all pervasive racket appeared... Like 200k miles ago.




Traction control disable is easy. Just press and hold both buttons for like 10 seconds. It'll flip the SPORT and TCS OFF lights both on.


The TPMS just needs to be relearned by a tire shop with the tools. My tire shop replaced the sensor in one of the wheels but didn't note either the serial number they replaced or the serial of the new sensor, so I couldn't reprogram it with my tool (which requires you to know the serials).

My winter steelies are the ones currently programmed into the ECU.
 
I wouldn't think the noise is the flywheel, as it does it once up to speed and even you push in the clutch and let the car coast it still makes it.
Yeah. My bet if we're talking about the same thing and I didn't manage to completely ignore a bearing going out on the way is the insert in the transmission mount just transmitting a huge amount of noise. It's a polyurethane brick that slides into the void spaces in the rubber trans mount and makes it damn near solid. If memory serves you should just be able to unbolt the mount and the insert will slide out (assuming the lube is still good).

https://www.ftspeed.com/part/fr-s-b...6-subaru-brz-2013-toyota-86-2017#.X2L5QlNlCh8

Note the reviews praising the bonus NVH.

There's also one of these in there. Again, more NVH by removing play in the trans mount.
https://www.ftspeed.com/part/fr-s-b...6-subaru-brz-2013-toyota-86-2017#.X2L5uVNlCh8

I think the original is still floating around somewhere...

I suppose the easy way to rule those out would be coasting in neutral with the clutch in. I... Can't recall ever having tried that.
 
Last edited:
@EyeMWing - I'll try coasting with the clutch in this evening and report back. And maybe I'll quit being lazy and drag the jack out...

So is mokan now where FG cars retire to? :p

Yes. Do you have a cheap Cadillac to sell? ?
 
Last edited:
Top