StkmltS

↑ one of my kids trying to get away with taking food off the counter before dinner is ready

This weekend I found a new scratch on the rear bumper from one of the kids' bikes. It doesn't appear to be through the clear coat so hopefully I can clean it up. I'm surprised it took this long (5 years) to get a scratch from the kids, considering we have 5 of them now and they ride bikes like Tasmanian devils. The car is also leaking coolant somewhere by the turbo. Not a ton, but enough is "venting to atmosphere" through the hood scoop that fellow drivers get a little curious... when they put their phones down long enough to notice.

Do you have any close up pics showing what you did at the ends of the wrap? When I wrapped my header I couldn't find an aesthetically pleasing way to fold the end under, so I kind of just shoved it in there and clamped 'er down with the SS zip tie. I know it's under the car and nobody ever sees it, but... "if it can be perfect, it should be perfect" It's been a few years and the cheap-o wrap is falling apart so I might redo it later this summer.

The helicopter or the guy climbing the ice?

Good job sticking to it and fixing your problem! I wonder how your wastegate got that bent in the first place. That's crazy. The resistor fix is easy if you don't have a tactrix cable or an AccessPort. If you have a tactrix cable then disabling the code is as simple as clicking a checkbox. I'm not sure how to do it with an AP.

Seems like maybe something I should do to (all of) the connectors in my engine bay to try to address my misfire.

I'd love to give it to you but it's incomplete... or at least it's not complete enough to be helpful. I took a million photos but the software didn't recognize enough points. Maybe this weekend I'll try it again with different lighting to see if I can get better results. Covering the entire scoop in masking tape (a matte surface) might do the trick.

That's exactly what I was searching for here in this deep part of the forum. Thanks!

I've thought about this idea quite a few times, and I'm sure many other people probably have also. I've even gone as far as 3d scanning the scoop area. Time is my biggest restriction at this point because it's hard to justify spending hours upon hours designing and printing something that most likely wouldn't look as good as it does in my head.

Nice job

empty post to subscribe

When you pick a shop to rebuild your heads, make sure they understand how Subaru buckets work... the shop will either need to grind the new valves to work with your current buckets, or they'll have to use new/used buckets to make your new valves work. If the shop is familiar with Subaru then they'll know what they're doing.

Nicely done finding the root cause of your issues. Can you take a close up pic of the odd bucket? If you gently feel the unusual spot with a pick (or something else with a small round end), does it feel like there's a step there?

What about a breaker bar on one of the FW bolts, with the bar handle resting on one of the engine stand arms? Like a combo of what you two said. Might not work if the FW bolts are Torx+.

The 90° end of a flat crowbar (or something similarly wide and strong) works good to keep the flywheel from spinning. A good place to wedge it in is between the flywheel teeth and the top left corner of the block (where the starter goes). It can even be a 1-person job if you can manage to keep the prybar stuck in there just right.

Putting that much money into a nearly 15 year old vehicle sounds crazy, but beautiful cars are worth keeping on the road

At this age, the most sensible thing to do is to not look under the car

I love your updates and pictures. The way you're keeping everyone updated makes is easy to help you if/when you have questions. Reading through your posts kind of makes me want to rebuild another motor (in a sadistic kind of way). Fuel line: My unsolicited advice is to replace all of the hard lines (under the manifold) with new hose. Looking back at my rebuild not doing that is a regret. Turbo: If nothing else, talking to JMP would be a good idea because he's rebuilt 100,000,000 turbos and he's very easy to talk to. He rebuilt mine, and I fully believe that if yours doesn't need rebuilt he'd say so. Heater core: Repeat after me "The service manual is my best friend". You can ask him the same question over, and over, and over, and over, and he won't ever make you feel stupid for not understanding the first time. He's always there when you need help, and he knows everything about the car. Cam sprocket bolts: Start by praying, then lock down the sprockets really good (co23 tool, vice grips, etc), put a good hex bit in the bolt, and gently apply force until you think "this can't possibly be right". The most important thing is to not strip the stupid hex head, as you clearly already understand. Make sure the bit stays in there deep and strait. Don't let it twist out at an angle. Then REPLACE the OEM bolts with FU bolts from TurnInConcepts. I know that $40+ for four bolts sounds insane, but the guaranteed no-headache is worth it. Oil pickup: Moroso makes a good one and it's about half the price of the Killer B.

Hopefully the turbo isn't new. If the timing belt and components haven't been replaced yet definitely factor that into your decision. It's reasonably simple and inexpensive if you know your way around a toolbox. I'd be surprised if they're willing to do the work required to get compression and leakdown numbers. A super dirty engine bay would set my mind at ease (evidence suggesting that the motor hasn't been modified and later returned to stock).

If you're concerned about reliability, I'd suggest to stay away from a used turbo Subaru. Not because the cars are bad... because the previous owners are (can be) bad. Unless you manage to find a clean, well maintained vehicle at a reasonable price.

Replacing the inlet is a good idea for two reasons: 1) the stock inlet is 14 years old, and probably close to needing replaced anyways 2) replacing the inlet is a piece of cake while the motor is out (vs. a nightmare when the intake is still attached) I can't tell much from that photo other than your turbo isn't obviously destroyed. Feeling the shaft play (in/out and side/side) is a better way to get an idea of how your turbo is doing, but close up pics can be helpful if you're not ready to take off the exhaust and inlet.

Yep, swap the injector to another cylinder and pray the misfire moves with the injector. Good luck.

Option #5 for $2000 sounds like a deal. If you pass up on it let me know and send me the seller's info

$4-5k is a reasonable estimate if you do most of the work yourself. Rebuilding the motor 100% DIY only saves you a few hundred $ vs. simply replacing it with a new shortblock.

best price... for the seller