Smoke Testing FAILS on WRX + First Startup 🔥

In this episode, we smoke test the entire intake and exhaust system to hunt down leaks before the first start. What should have been a quick verification turns into a deeper teardown when multiple exhaust leaks show up at the flanges.

Instead of chasing sealing issues, I cut off nearly all of the existing exhaust flanges and convert the setup to V-band connections for a stronger, leak-free seal. After welding everything back together, we build oil pressure, verify critical systems, and finally fire the car for its very first startup.

This video ties together diagnostics, fabrication, and startup procedure — showing why validating systems before tuning saves time, money, and engines.

🔥 WHAT YOU’LL SEE
• Smoke testing the intake and exhaust for leaks
• Identifying multiple exhaust flange failures
• Cutting off old flanges and prepping for V-bands
• Welding new V-band connections
• Pre-start oil pressure build procedure
• First engine startup after major fabrication work

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💬 COMMENT BELOW
Would you have chased the leaks or gone straight to V-bands? Let me know what you would have done.

#subaruwrx #enginebuild #fabrication #vband #firststart #turbobuild #smoketest #projectcar

Monster build on a 2010 Subaru WRX.
   • 2010 Subaru WRX