effnakedteeth

Year, Make and Model: 2005 Subaru Legacy GT Limited Wagon

Color: White

Miles: ~182,000 Body/Chassis and ~2,100 on engine and turbo

Transmission: 5EAT

Title: Clean Washington title

Lien: No

Location: Mount Vernon, WA

VIN: 4S3BP676457326806

Seller's email address: e_larock@hotmail.com

Asking Price: $8,000

Bought in October 2022 thinking that the seller having recently replaced the turbo was a good thing. First oil change in my care and it was a glitter party. Sucked, but I've always wanted to pull and engine and put one back back in, so I used this as the time to do since I was working virtual still for the most part. Pulled the engine and removed everything from the shortblock (still have and you can have it if you'd like). So here is a list of what I've done or purchased to get this running again.

New EJ257 Shortblock

Reworked heads

ARP head studs

Rebuilt VF-52 turbo by JMP

Grimspeed 3 port boost controller

Grimspeed up-pipe (resistor mod for no check engine light)

Cobb catted downpipe (have OEM as well)

New gaskets

New engine wiring harness

New coolant, vacuum, and fuel lines

IAG air/oil Separator

New OEM intercooler (have original untested stil)

NGK one colder spark plugs

Cobb Accessport - E-tuned with Cryotune

Killer-B oil pan

Primitive Racing Skid Plate

New fluids in transmission (and filter), differentials, and brakes

New power steering pump (have original for rebuild I'll include)

New oil cooler

New oil pump

New water pump (Aisin) and timing belt kit

New AVCS solenoids

Aluminum AVCS cam pulleys

IAG AVCS  and turbo oil line

Silicone turbo oil drain tube that connects to the air/oil separator as well

That is all I can think of at the moment, but I can go through my spreadsheet and answer questions if needed.

Interior is tan and all there. No cracks on the dash. Replaced the radio with a JDM dash kit and Atoto head unit for wireless android auto.

Needs:

Driver inner CV boot has failed (have replacement)

Suspension all around is drivable, but is needing refresh (have all parts to include in sale that also includes a Whiteline front and rear sway bar kit)

The interior air blend door is starting to click which means it should be replaced. Still works and moves the air where wanted, but clicks and vehicle shut down.

Rear passenger door lock works, but is getting to a point I think it should be replaced.

I'll get some interior pictures up soon.

Exterior is clean, but is a parking lot warrior, biggest dent is rear passenger wheel arch that can kind of be seen in the picture.

If I can get full price, I'll include the Enkei RPF-1 wheel set.

 

2 hours ago, SubOperator said:

Take a little break and have some rest. Not worth losing a car with that much done to it over a split CV axle boot. It would be coming out for suspension refresh anyway.

White turbo wagons are not easy to come by these days.

 

I appreciate your response and encouragement along with those of others. I replaced the power steering pump today and it just reinforced I've got other priorities I need my time for.

I'll be listing it for sale locally in Mount Vernon, WA if you or anyone on here may know an interested person. I'll work on creating a for sale post sometime this week or next weekend.

I think I reached my endpoint today. Lifted the front end to start a suspension refresh and power steering pump replace. Saw some oily fluid leak evidence and the inner driver cv boot had split and flung grease around. Must have been recent as it looked ok when the engine was out 2000 miles ago. I'm done working on this thing. Thinking of parting it out or selling. Coming here to get thoughts and experiences on parting a car out. 2005 white wagon with the 5EAT, new 257 short block, reworked heads, JMP VF52 rebuild, new engine wiring harness, all new vacuum and cooling lines, Cobb downpipe and accessport, IAG canister, tuned by Cryotune with 2000 miles on engine. Have all new suspension components to replaced bouncy bits and control arms, and whiteline sway bars. Oh, also has the JDM radio bits. Runs fine, steering pump has starting squeeking on full lock at low speed.

1 hour ago, boxkita said:

Olde guys driving sports cars and kids driving wagons. So much fun. 

If you are local to western Washington, you owe it to your car to go on a @Febreze Mee tour.

 

Are they posted in the forum somewhere? Or more important for me, are they ever up in the north sound areas?

3 hours ago, tehspud said:

Will be embarking on putting in the new radio + JDM air controls/double din adapter this weekend. Shouldn't be a problem unless my electrically-dumb self can't figure out how to wire up the adapter harness properly. 

I did this couple weeks ago. Let me know your thoughts on the brightness of the HVAC display, I think it is pretty dim in the day.

Pulled the trailer hitch off the car finally. The exhaust post Cobb down pipe is together, but I'm wondering for how long? That will have to wait for another time as the suspension and control arms are shorter for this world and the Whiteline sway bar kit is just hanging out in the garage.

I polished my headlights and installed the JDM kit for a replacement head unit. The hvac module is pretty dim. Anybody else install and think the same thing? If I turn on parking lights or headlights, the display almost disappears during the day it gets so dim. I also have a clicking going on now behind the radio.

As an update to my dipstick tube leak, I was able to remove and replace with the Small Car Performance flexible dipstick. It's a bit long for this application, which was expected, but its workable. The o-rings were noticeably larger than the Killer B o-rings on the tube I removed. The gauge markings appear pretty close as well.

3 hours ago, Enlight said:

Take a breath. This is likely something you can take care of yourself in a weekend. If you're only doing local driving you are probably fine, just check your dipstick after each trip until then and top off as needed. I use @Max Capacity's method: after stopping the car, pull out the dipstick, wipe it down, and lay it across somewhere safe in your engine bay. When you get back to your car, inserting the dipstick will give you a clean reading - just don't forget the dipstick and drive off without re-inserting it. It's a good thing you were vigilant... better than me.

@killerbmotorsport mentioned it's almost impossible to insert the dipstick tube correctly without removing it. I wish I knew that the first time I installed an oil pan. Pick up some extra o-rings in the likelihood that you tear some in your attempts.

I think I found a solution to try first...

https://smallcar.com/vanagon/subaru-vanagon-conversion-parts/flexible-dipstick-kit-for-subaru-engines/

2 hours ago, Enlight said:

Mis-installing those o-rings is likely what cost me my short block, be careful. The oil pan/crankcase is pressurized by blowby that will push oil out of the dipstick tube, even more so if your engine is already tired. I know those o-rings are difficult to install... even with the engine on the stand. It took me multiple tries (and trips to the dealer) to install them without tearing.

@killerbmotorsport (link) :

 

That's bugs me now as mine offered no struggle. Lubed up and slipped in. I'm calling shops now to see about them doing a pan removal and reseal. I don't want to screw around with this on my back under the car.

I've done nothing physical to the car today. I've only been thinking about it and feeling regret. I performed my first oil change after a short block rebuild and since I am running a Killer B oil pan, I'd go up the 6 quart fill instead to the 5 quart I did for the initial fill. Pulled out of the garage to go to work last week and noticed a new spot on the cardboard I've been keeping under the car to check for leaks. When I pulled back in, looked under the car and saw a drip forming on the pan. I was dreading it possibly being from the fumoto valve or stripped threads in the pan or something. I ignored the car until the weekend when I planned on lifting it to put a skid pan and mud guards on. Turns out that the oil was coming from the spout where the dip stick tube installs. Thats where the real regret comes, because when I installed it with the o-ring(s) (can't remember as its been awhile, but I used whatever came with the pan) I thought the tube went in way too easy compared to how difficult it was to remove from the OEM pan. I was in follow directions mode and didn't think much more about it. What a bummer. Tried cleaning the area and applying some RTV knowing full well it likely wouldn't work (it didn't), but it was some action I could take to make myself feel like I maybe helped the situation. Now internet searching, I'm dreading the thought of what it takes to correct this properly.

After way too long in the garage I was finally able to take my new shortblock rebuild out for a 15 minute data log drive. Have a P0458 code popping up. Installed an IAG AOS, so wonder if that has something to do with it? There was a slight squeal coming from the transmission or possibly steering pump. I think its worked itself out by the end of the test run. Man it's pretty nerve wracking to start up your first engine out job.

12 minutes ago, cheeseenlo said:

I'm so over budget, it really hurts to see the grand total. Majority of it is just parts. Everything just costs so much and it adds up quick. The labor is actually fairly reasonable if you get a long block vs short block. 

I just wrapped up a parts buying extravaganza for my engine replacement, even with my spreadsheet its crazy to see the current total. I'll be about a grand over my projected budget when I get the turbo and PCV hose not replaced by the AOS. I'm not doing anything special either. I don't know how the hot-rodding / racing people can do it constantly.

I thought the 2005 uses the sub-002?

Picked up a full set of coolant hoses, head gaskets, valve stem seals from a local shop. Dropped the valve stem seals and my heads off at a machine shop. Probably going to wait for Thanksgiving sales now for other parts needed to get get the engine back in.

I pulled my first engine out of my 2005 auto. Unfortunately I think it may be a one step forward and two back moment. Amongst all the shaking and pulling, my transmission support moved, so when I got the engine studs out the trans dropped a little down to the cross member. The torque converter popped out a bit, but enough to leak some ATF. I’ve got it back in place, but am I pretty hosed on seals? Any way to test the seals aside from waiting for a leak after the rebuilt engine is back in place?

I appreciate the information provided here. If only I'd read this before hopping into a "new turbo" 2005 LGT wagon. Oh well, live and learn. Time to start reading through the engine rebuild threads. Heading towards an OEM short block most likely.