Generalized Notes for all Pro-Tuned Cars

• DO NOT EVER FLOOR YOUR CAR IN OVERDRIVE/HIGHGEAR
  A boosted car in an overdrive/high gear from a very low RPM and keep it pinned is a sure way to kill your engine fast. This principle is global on any forced induction vehicle really. Extremely high cylinder pressure and boost levels at low engine speed with exaggerated load times due to the long gears does not make for a happy car.
  
  Rule of thumbs after being tuned on increased boost levels or even stock: 

  • The 6spd cars ideally (5/6th gears are OD gears) you never want to floor it below 4000rpm in 5th and 4500rpm in 6th, so just drop a gear if you need more accelerate to pass traffic. 

  • The 5spd (especially the longer geared 06-07 WRX and 08+ WRX) never ever floor and hold sustained in 5th gear under 4000rpm or even 4500rpm if you like your internals.

• KEEP BOOST BETWEEN 10-13PSI OR LESS
  Half throttle is fine across platforms (*If Part Throttle Full Boost isn't present*) in OD gears is just good practice in lower rpm ranges. If you do end up going WOT through 4th gear's rev-ability and then shift into 5th this is the least likely way to damage something while flooring fifth gear. However, flooring a car to its upper speed potential and especially sustained for extremely long WOT pulls also increased temperature of almost all components, accelerated wear, and massive amounts of long peaky cylinder loads, and also EGT temps EXPONENTIALLY (and equally as iffy) raise,  so it's equally as dangerous. I would pick your "fun" wisely.  
  
  Again, super high loads, in higher/OD gears, and  sustaining in low RPM ranges = rebuilds.  It's also a good way to try and see what fuel cut feels like. 
  I know it's fun for some to put it in 6th at 2500rpm and floor it and feel the turbo spool and propel the car forward to 120mph, but it's definitely not good (especially with a larger turbo) for the car. If everyone would just please stop loading up over-drive gears it would put me at a little more ease. 

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• USE A THICKER OIL
  (Minimum of 10w-30 premium synthetic and 5w-40 during warmer months) in almost any turbo'd EJ-series Subaru motor. For all other cars, please refer to one of my shop locations, for expert advice. 

  • Also, check the oil level every full tank of gas. These cars leak/burn oil mainly via aging turbo/seals  and oils that are too thin. Also check your PCVs regularly when they get stuck open it's a common cause for oil loss.
     

• ​CHECK YOUR DAMN OIL AGAIN! These cars have oiling issues as it is. By the time the dummy light (stock oil light on dash) illuminates it's already too late.

• QUALITY OF GASOLINE
  Where you purchase gas from is very important.  Always use premium brand name gas stations. Stay away from most all military installation gas stations in this area, grocery store name gas stations, or any place named after a person such as "Tony's/Dan's/Bobby's Pit Stop that happens to have a couple pumps outside.

  • Purchase a device (like the AP) that can see realtime knock corrections of all kinds or a knock light or something. Most all cars with busted ringlands usually always have poor quality gas and they went to romp on it and the car is knocking uncontrollable and they never even know it and now it's already too late.
     

  • If you're tuned for 93 octane DO NOT put anything else in it besides maybe 91/92 temporarily (or if out of town) and do not exceed more than 3/4 throttle or 4500rpm while the lower quality fuel is in the tank on the 93 octane tune. Then make sure to refill with true 93 when available. 
     

  • Even with the reserve gas light is on likely still a good gallon in the saddle bags left and around  another  gallon in the fuel lines/rails going to the front of the car from the tank of the old gas. So after pumping in 93 on top of the lower octane fuel give it a few miles (30-40) before going WOT or driving too aggressively. The car below 1.4 g/rev load (8-10psi) and under 4500rpm will not mind 91/92 too much. But ESPECIALLY at full boost and peak torque or higher the car will definitely not be happy.
     

  • As a rule you can always go up in octane as long as fuel specific gravity, oxygenation, and stoichmetric properties are similar, but never down.  Like having a 91 tune and using 93 is 100% fine. In all reality, is likely to have more anti-detonation ability. However, vise-versa it will knock more if tuned on 93 and running 91 (esp ACN91) and  under heavy loads. 

• STOP BELIEVING YOU ARE A RACECAR DRIVER IN YOUR DAILY DRIVER
  Just remember these are not race cars they are your sporty commuters with fragile pistons with emphasis on EPA cold-start emission regulations. Simply, if you beat the shit out of the car constantly you will be rebuilding it as often as a racecars do. There is a difference of having occasional spirited fun and just plain being abusive. Find the balance.  

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Good luck and happy monitoring!

V/R

Anthony J Berry

Drunkmann Tuning-EFI Calibrator and ProTuner