Red Crackle on MY00 WRX RA manifold?

[DaveD]

I always thought red manifolds were just an STi thing, but my WRX RA manifold definitely has traces of paint on it. Did all later RAs have red manifolds, or is this something unusual? Just curious!

 

[Artyscoob]

IMO The red manifolds is just an Sti thing to distinguish them from the WRX's. WRX RA's wouldn't have had a red manifold.
Yours must be either a paint job, a manifold change or maybe an engine upgrade.

 

[benji]

Could find theres a sti engine in there.
sti intercooler hose , the inlet, what turbo is fitted?

 

[Burt2000]

Yeah not a standard feature on the wrx ra, same power output on both engines but the wrx didn’t come with a red manifold.

 

[Chris__p]

Wasnt the one at JPP in Crawley was it? That had listed it had an STI engine

 

[DaveD]

Thanks for all the replies!

The car was bought in Bristol as a fresh import. The rest of the car is as a WRX V-Ltd should be, but it does have STi 6 cosmetics, including rear wing, fog light covers and front brace. I would have thought painting the manifold red would have taken quite a lot of effort (especially as lots of the paint has flaked off in typical fashion!) and the intercooler is normal WRX black...

 

[benji]

Thats factory paint on that, so either an sti inlet or engine is fitted.
Silver was the wrx inlet btw.

 

[DaveD]

Yes, benji, definitely factory paint!

I wonder if this could have been a factory option, as it seems like a lot of effort to change this and then not bother to change the intercooler? Standard turbo is fitted; I'll see if I can find any more STi parts in the engine bay!