Merc6 Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Unless I missed it, you swap out oil cooler? 2005 Satin White Pearl Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT Unlimited 5EAT (Project Car) 2019 Agate Black Ford Explorer XLT 4WD (DD) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted May 24, 2015 Author Share Posted May 24, 2015 Well go ahead and check those next, as well as the passenger AVCS oil feed line for cracks. Thanks for the tips, everyone. In the meantime, and to tide over my car bug while this Legacy's problems continue to plague me, I picked up an '04 Volvo V70 R yesterday. Dark grey metallic, with a 6 speed manual? Don't mind if I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted May 24, 2015 Author Share Posted May 24, 2015 Unless I missed it, you swap out oil cooler? I take it these commonly fail? Do they clog or simply shit the bed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travrach Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 ^They can clog if the vehicle has not been cared for or something else blew stuff into system, bearing material, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted May 25, 2015 Author Share Posted May 25, 2015 The oil pan was dropped and inspected. The oil is free of particulates, and the pickup and screen are intact. All good news, but still no idea what's causing the oil pressure issues. Oil cooler is next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted May 26, 2015 Author Share Posted May 26, 2015 The clog is somewhere in front of the oil cooler, before the oil is able to get into the heads. Time for a dye injection test? Any suggestions are VERY welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 http://people.csail.mit.edu/ilh/vacation/ In the back of the service manual there are flow charts that show how the systems work. You'll find the oil system there. Check around page 5600 if your is a 05. 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted May 27, 2015 Author Share Posted May 27, 2015 I cant see that on my tablet, but I cant wait. Thanks a ton for the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Okay, so the shop and I were talking yesterday, and they're now saying that I do in-fact need a new motor. Obviously not what I was expecting. Well, at first I was, but not after 5 months of being told that this motor is savable. Can anyone help me out here? Here's where I'm currently at. The motor runs fine. It doesn't knock, it doesn't do anything otherwise to tell me it needs to be replaced. Compression is good, leak down is good, oil pressure is good, but apparently, and verbatim per the shops diagnostics sheet... "During road test noted engine still running poorly. Additional diagnosis found low engine volume and damage from previous oil starvation. Engine replacement is required." I'm all for replacing this engine, if that's what I need to do. Aside from the fact that I've already paid to replace the turbo, uppipe, and several other parts which would all have to be undone to replace the motor, I'm out 5 months with this car when I could have just considered the engine shot from the jump. I bought this car expecting to flip it, as I got it for a pretty good price, and currently I'm on the cusp of making/losing money depending on which way I go. Should I... a. Get a second opinion on the motors ability to be saved? b. Sell the car as-is? What's a good asking price? What do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Spoke with another shop this morning who advised me that the motor "running poorly" (per the 1st shop) could be due entirely to a lack of a tune. Yes, I know it's not a good idea to run the car with aftermarket parts without tuning, and we've been babying this car since we got it up and running, and I was planning to get it tuned as soon as I knew if the motor was still good. I could hope and pray that it's only lacking a good tune, but with how things have been going lately, I wouldn't expect it. Aftermarket parts include... VF52 Turbo Perrin intake Perrin catless uppipe Invidia catless downpipe (previously installed) Invidia midpipe (previously installed) A big part of me wants to source all the stock parts I can find and revert the car just to see what happens. Everything but the turbo, I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holla Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 You're running all those aftermarket parts on a stock tune? And this is your 20th Subaru? I wouldn't even start my car with the vf52 on the stock tune. Just get a base map e-tune, much cheaper and easier than throwing more parts and labor at it. In it's current state the car is only worth maybe a couple grand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 Yes, 20th Subaru. 1st post-OBD1 turbo motor with aftermarket parts, save for my '05 FXT, which I was the original owner of and only installed an intake following the front of the car being crushed. I'm more of an enthusiast than a technician. The learning curve is steep with this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holla Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Lol, yeah, definitely a different ball game with a turbo ej25. You need a tune to run that setup. I wouldn't even try and drive it until you get one. How is the oil pressure currently? What does 'low engine volume' mean and how/where did they see damage from oil starvation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted June 3, 2015 Author Share Posted June 3, 2015 I've been wondering those things myself. He just told me over the phone that he hears a distinct knock once the car is up to operating temperature, but I never heard it. I personally won't even rev the car past 2,500 RPM. I sure hope they haven't been. L"Low volume" apparently means that the clearances between the bearing journals and the crank are too great, and it's not allowing the oil to be pushed past the block into the heads. Does that make sense? I know it doesn't to me. :-/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Capacity Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 No. If the bearings were to tight then may be you'd have oil flow problems. If the bearings were to loose you'd have low oil pressure. You need to get a tune before you drive it much. No telling how those shops drove it...? 305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD). CHECK your oil, these cars use it. Engine Build - Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CjZeppy Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I would first go and find a Cobb V2 Access Port to start the tuning process. Then find a Subaru tuning shop in your area that will inspect and tune the car so that it will run properly with the added performance parts. Then when it's running great sell it for however much you can. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted June 4, 2015 Author Share Posted June 4, 2015 I let it warm up yesterday, and did finally hear the knock. It appears at this point that returning the car to a stock configuration with a good used motor may be the smartest option fiscally. The motor does have to go, and I can always recoup some of the money by selling the aftermarket parts. and good engine bits once the car is back in stock mode. Since this motor has been torn apart once before, there's no telling what the real situation is with the bearings. Would them being too tight result in a light knocking as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike07LGT Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 I would just put a new shortblock from heuberger in it get the headwork done and call it a day. Either sell or get a new tune and drive it. Car will last awhile after that. Best of luck 03 WRB WRX (RIP) 04 JBP STI (sold) 07 DGM Legacy GT (RIP) 12 OBP STI (DD) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drivesabox Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 Okay, so after babying this thing for a few weeks, letting it run every few days, and then getting it inspected by both another independent mechanic, then by Annapolis Subaru this motor may be okay after all. All in all it's still worth more money in parts than I'm into it for, and the knock doesn't appear to be there any longer. And I think what I was hearing may have been the timing belt tensioner. Compression and leakdown were good. There was one final CEL for the MAF, which was apparently due to some wiring, but is now staying off. So, no check engine lights, oil pressure is stable, and the engine sounds pretty quiet. I think it's time to throw a tune at it and see how she responds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.