ashwinearl

Heads made it to Eastwoods via FedEx. They thanked me for packaging them well. I went overboard. Now deciding on which oil pan/pickup package, whether to get a specific ancillary hose replacement set (SAMCO for WRX or ebay one for LGT/Liberty, and whether to go new shortblock or just put the refreshed heads back on existing block.

This is a that goes into the weeds on oil pans.

I am almost done packaging the heads to ship off to Eastwoods Auto Machine. I put them into a garbage bag first, then wrapped with heavy duty cardboard and placed in one box surrounded by packaging material. That box when into a bigger box with more packaging material. Both boxes wrapped with duct tape, labels on both boxes and on the heads directly. I hope it is overkill. I keep hearing horror stories of people's heads getting dropped, or boxes coming open and one head floating in the wind with at a shipping station with no info on it. I've been buying parts, a lot. Only a few have been upgrades or luxuries. Most everything else is just stuff that needs to be fixed or things that are easier to do now while the engine is out. I am not even to a new short block decision yet, and the parts total alone is at $4k. Not including any labor yet, or the machine shop costs. Luxuries and the "might as well" things include: JMP VF52 (VF40 has suspect hot side oil seal) new tune - when it is put together Grimmspeed Uppipe, current one is cracked Exedy Stage 1 Clutch kit, OEM single mass flywheel, TSK3 (clutch is worn) group N engine and transmission mounts Killer B Oilpick up. I may go for that Killer B full pan/baffle/pickup kit ARP engine studs My hoses are hardened, oil pan, and oil cooler hardline rusted, timing plastics cracked... Hose (PCV) 99071AC020 Vacuum Hose 99071AC320 Vacuum Hose 99071AC670 Vacuum Hose 807403542 hose 99071AC720 brake booster to manifold 11861AA030 Drivers side valve cover breather to PCV pipe 99071AC240 Passenger side valve cover breather to PCV pipe 99071AC010 Drivers side valve cover breather. 99071AC230 hose 99071AC220 (1/8) SILICONE VACUUM HOSE VB-012 Black (3/8) SILICONE VACUUM HOSE VB-038 Black Turbo oil return hose 807515712 PIPE-OIL COOLER 21328AA011 COVER-BELT,FRONT 13570AA045 COVER-BELT NO.1,RIGHT 13572AA092 COVER-BELT NO.2,RIGHT 13573AA131 COVER-BELT NO.1,LEFT 13574AA094 COVER-BELT NO.2,LEFT 13575AA130 Cylinder head Half Moon camshaft plug 11051AA070 turbo inlet 14459AA340 OEM Gasket and Seal kit 10105AA720 OEM 10mm oil pump/bolts/seal/crank seal - Amazon packaged deal Spark Plugs NGK 4212 I still need to order a timing belt kit, make decision on the oil pan/pickup parts. At that point, the only thing left is the full new shortblock. After spending this much, what is another $1800 on the new SB? Is there a line to be drawn when emotions are driving the bus?

AZP recommends the whole Killer B package of oil pan, baffle and pickup.

Heads are off. I've been ordering parts like crazy. Whoever said this ends up a nickle and dime death was right.....group N mounts, clutch parts, OEM hoses, various silicone hoses lengths, broken UP, gaskets, plastic timing belt cover pieces, oil pan, pickup.... if the block 'looks' good, does anyone ever just drop in OEM pistons/rings back in? vs going full shortblock?

My engine is out and the oil pan looks a little rusty. What is the current recommendation for oil pan replacement? I am assuming changing the pickup is a good preventative measure too? I've seen recommendations for Killer B, Moroso oil pickups, and STI oil pans but it is confusing which model year STI, or should I stick with OEM for a pan? If changing oil pans, do they come with corresponding dipstick. This is for a daily driver application, not track, or hill climb racing. 2005 Legacy GT wagon, VIN: 4S3BP676X56337331 thanks.

I posed this question in the other active thread on hoses, whether an ancillary kit for a 2008 WRX would fit our cars, as the engine bay looks very similar: the autobahn88 kit seems to be one of the few existing and ready for purchase.

There is an Amazon kit for a 2008 WRX. The engine bay looks very similar to 2005 LGT? Do you think it could work with some minor modifications for hoses that are longer? For ones that are too short, probably SOL. The other major brands, like Mishimoto are for earlier year or later year WRXs.

both actually. I have read about Tuning alliance's approach for testing boost leaks: removing pipe from air filter, plugging it with can, blowing in the BPV hose. And I have read a write up at boost leak testers, but they are vague about removing some lines from the turbo inlet and capping them, or clamping lines. It would be nice to see exactly where the smoke is fed into for the two types of tests and what lines, are capped, or clamped.

I was just looking. There was potentially a set from overseas but it looked extremely expensive.

Can you post a link to the one you bought, and a picture of which evap lines you remove and put the smoke into?

I have had this issue. It is referenced a lot in the Outback forums. There are many theories floated ranging from steering rack bushings, subframe bushings, covering the lower part of the spring with tubing, LCA, top hats, ball joints. I've tried a lot of those but not in the trifecta combination that you did. Axle, Ball joint, hub...hmmm

I'm working with my local shop to go through this process. I regret it sometimes when I think that a dedicated performance shop with an appointment would be a 1-2 week in/out. But in this approach, I am in an active role, thinking, researching, learning, and responsible for purchasing the parts, from the smallest thing to the big stuff. It's like I'm doing it myself, without the actual wrenching. Which in reality is best for me. Changing the oil and looking for boost leaks I can do. Getting off stuck rusty bolts, laying on my back with 2" of space to generate 50ft-lbs doesn't work well for me. I've been ordering parts and in replacement hose hell looking at the diagrams for some of the odd formed hoses of the PCV and others that are hardened and falling apart. Rolls of 1/8, 3/8, 5/32, 3/16, 1/4 tubing will get the rest. The current step is to get the heads off. We are pretty much decided on mailing them to Eastwood's. I'm resigned to, and want to do the full short block. The mechanic still wants to see how the block/pistons are.

I've just been going through diagrams and past posts. Here are things that came up for reference: This is a good post on hoses near the PCV This was an old post on a group buy for some Venair Ancillary Hoses and it lists OE part numbers of hoses that it replaced. 99071AC020 11861AA030 99071AC260 99071AC320 99071AC670 807403542 99071AC720 11861AA030 99071AC240 99071AC010 99071AD100 99071AC230 11852AA090 99071AC220 This was from a NASIOC post I think of a WRX owner that replaced his hoses: "General Silicon Hose tubing - order from http://www.siliconhose.com 13mm x 8 feet 6mm x 6 feet 4mm x 8 feet Heater Hose: 0.31"" x 8 Feet" also there is a Vibrant Silicon Vacuum Hose kit from http://www.fastwrx.com. When I set my vehicle as a 2005 Legacy GT the web page says that it fits on a 2005 Legacy GT 5 ft. of 1/8" (3.2mm) I.D. hose 10 ft. of 5/32" (3.75mm) I.D. hose 4 ft. of 3/16" (4.5mm) I.D. hose 4 ft. of 1/4" (6mm) I.D. hose 2 ft. of 3/8" (10mm) I.D. vacuum hose

I reached out to Eastwood's per MaxCapacity's recommendation about head machining. They say hi by the way. This was their reply:

Shopping List Work in Progress: Real-time shopping list on google sheets

I stopped by the mechanic's tonight. He had pulled the engine and it was on the hoist. I'm never sure if I'm a pain in their rear because of all the overanalyzing Subaru quirkiness. The stuff I ask them to do is project car nonsense compared to their daily focus of keeping regular folks on the road. But the head mechanic/owner is a gear head and into it. I suggested Plan C and B and he seemed genuinely hurt that I'd think that. He wants to finish what he'd started. Right now we are going to first pull the heads and see what they need. A clutch makes sense to do now. From research here, I am leaning towards: -07-09 LGT 5MT Single Mass Fly Wheel -Exedy Stage 1 or Spec 2+ I had emailed Eastwood earlier today referencing MaxCapacity's real name. I'll call them tomorrow. I know MaxCapacity has had good luck with the Spec 2+

I thought it time to start a dedicated thread for my short block journey. This wasn't specifically planned out, but it just seems to be happening in real time. I've almost started test driving new model WRXs and thinking about throwing the towel in, but things started happening today that moved the needle to YNANSB. I love this thing and emotionally still want to throw my money at it. 2005 Legacy GT Wagon 5MT 160k miles This is my car. It has been having some smoking issues after idle and WOT, and has always burned oil, but it seems to have plenty of power. The smoke is blue and a lot of it. My mechanic has sort of looked at it in the past, but not really dug into it. I had my car into my local mechanic for an oscillating hum that I thought was a basic wheel bearing. It turned out to be a driveshaft. While there, the mechanic said he wanted to look into the smoking. We started with the looking for oil at downpipe suspecting the turbo. Next was PCV valve, which he doesn't feel is the issue. He feels it is valves. Another owner here had similar diagnosis but it turned out to be ringlands on cylinder 2 and 4. My feeling is that regardless of what it is, the labor to pull the heads to inspect the valves might has well be used towards full short block replacement at the age on the engine. I've been trying to plan how to approach this. They are good mechanics but not Subaru turbo specialists. So have been in an internal debate on who do use for what elements of this. They were replacing the PCV with new OEM just for good measure, and every hose touched was disintegrating. They also found a crack in the Uppipe at the weld. It's not driveable till we get at least those hoses that fell apart. And might as well change all the bad hoses while its slightly apart.... Then he suggested might as well remove the heads... I said yes without thinking it through totally... So, I guess this is happening. One of my plans was to drive it to a Subaru Specialist I've been talking with in Rochester (Dialed In Performance) and have them do everything. But now that it is apart and getting more in parts, I'm deciding how to approach this reliably while minimizing finger pointing with different vendors. 1) Plan A: -Ship heads to reputable Machine shop with Subaru experience. (Head games, Eastwood, or this Subaru shop) -Source EJ257 crate motor, requisite gaskets, other parts -Having Local mechanic put it back together 2)Plan B: -Ship heads to Subaru Specialty Shop -Source Short block from them -Have them do all machining and assembling of heads with short block -Pick it up or get it shipped back local -have local mechanic put it back together 3)Plan C -trailer it as is to Specialty Shop -Have them do it all end to end

My mechanic was replacing the PCV valve assembly and every hose they touched was disintegrating. When I tapped into a boost line for my boost gauge, it was porcelain. Since it is already at the shop partially apart, we're going to replace the worn out pieces. Some are basic vacuum hoses, some are specific pieces with defined bends in them. Is there a good place for diagrams for ordering the OEM pieces I might need? I am at the Opposed Forces page right now. Does anyone make 2005 Legacy GT specific kits anymore? Thanks.

This is just for reference. When I gave my 2005 LGT wagon VIN # to Hueberger, they said that the EJ257 Short Block was listed. The price is the same for the EJ255 and EJ257: My VIN is:4S3BP676X56337331 This was their parts guy's reply to my question: According to Subaru you already have the EJ257 engine (part number 10103AC870 - $1719.99). The EJ255 is part number 10103AC880 and it costs the same. Shipping for either block will be a flat $110.00 to anywhere in the lower 48 states.

I am in the middle of pricing a short block replacement out at the moment. My road map is the MaxCapacity approach, which is a new crate Short Block combined with refresh heads. This is different than a complete long block. The definition of "new motor" needs to be clarified more to compare prices. The very back of the envelope calculations for a shop to do it are in the $5.5-$7k range. Here are where this ball park price range is coming from: $1829 shipped EJ257 Short Block Part number 10103AC880 $500-1000 Heads Refresh $1500 labor (remove engine, disassemble engine, transfer new components, install engine) Other parts: Timing belt kit, Oil pump, thermostat, ARP head studs, hoses, Gasket kit, misc hosing, fluids

For others researching YNANSB: I checked with Heuberger Subaru (email address is subaruofcolorado.com) on a short block for my 2005 Legacy GT Wagon 5MT. VIN: 4S3BP676X56337331 I sent them my VIN # expecting the EJ255 to come back. I asked for both EJ255 and EJ257 price too and acknowledged that if it probably won't be under any warranty if it doesn't match the VIN. . Surprisingly he said As other reference points: In talking with a Subaru Specialty shop, they suggested some options sourced from them. $2200 for an STI Type RA short block A custom built short block would be $2,600 (Build to order - in house) + add $350 for Manley forged rods. -Forged and Nitrated Crankshaft -King rod bearings -King main bearings -STI rods -Manley Platnium series forged pistons

When you say plenty of life, are you going by a test from an Auto parts store? Or is it a brand new battery. The reason I point this out, is that Advanced Auto said my battery 'checked out' but I was having intermittent starter issues. When my mechanic put a booster on the battery, the starter fired hard and strong. The cold cranking capability was low but the auto parts tester said it was in spec. This was his first check before digging into grounds and power connections from the battery to the starter. Is it a 5 speed? There are also clutch sensors that need to be triggered for the starter to engage, I believe. I do not know for sure, just arm chair thinking here.

Thanks, I got a recommendation for UAP Engine Builders and Burkart Automotive that I'll check.

I am going to go new short block if at all. I am thinking that for all the labor of pulling the engine and heads, I might as well go all the way.