xt2005bonbon Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 Well, so far taking out the valve cover and everything else has been OK. With the valve cover off, I have even more space to take the cams out. I'll update on how it goes, since at this point, that is all I have left to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heiche Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 yes, with each piece you remove, you get more space! all the way to the crankshaft I joke. I'm sure the buckets are as far as you need to go BtSsm - Android app/Bluetooth adapter. LV, logging, gauges and more. For 05-14 Legacy (GT, 2.5, 3.0, 3.6), 02-14 WRX, 04-14 STi, 04-14 FXT, 05-09 OBXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 . Hopefully yes, buckets are as far as I'd need to go (for now anyway). Before I take the cams though, I'll need to think of a smart way to keep the buckets in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted June 18, 2015 Share Posted June 18, 2015 only take off 1 at a time. only dealing with 4 at a time. You could always jack up one side of the car to put them at an angle. The oil provides a bit of friction. Or you can dab some moly-lube on one edge of each bucket. It was enough to hold mine in easily. Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share Posted June 18, 2015 only take off 1 at a time. only dealing with 4 at a time. You could always jack up one side of the car to put them at an angle. The oil provides a bit of friction. Or you can dab some moly-lube on one edge of each bucket. It was enough to hold mine in easily. yes I was planning to work with 4 buckets at a time. The moly lube idea is a GREAT idea! I may use this method. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 There's room to swap buckets with the engine in the car? Getting the OCV cage off was a real pain for me, and that's with the engine out. why was it a pain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Rtv is like glue Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 Then, if RTV is like glue, I would surmise that the shop did not use any rtv when re-installing the valve covers. They easily came off and there was no rtv residue whatsoever. And passenger side was leaking pretty bad too from day 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heiche Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 maybe they put them on dry. subaru's spec is to use sealant in a few specific areas when installing the valve cover (probably typical leak areas). BtSsm - Android app/Bluetooth adapter. LV, logging, gauges and more. For 05-14 Legacy (GT, 2.5, 3.0, 3.6), 02-14 WRX, 04-14 STi, 04-14 FXT, 05-09 OBXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 maybe they put them on dry. subaru's spec is to use sealant in a few specific areas when installing the valve cover (probably typical leak areas). Yeah. About two months ago, I decided to change the valve cover gasket on the passenger side as it was leaking pretty bad, even though the gasket had only 10k. The thing came right off and there was no RTV residue to clean off. I was surprised. Upon reinstallation, I did use RTV and put it where the FSM says so. So far, no leak.. Oh, and I also checked valve clearance on that side . They were all within specs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outahere Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Could the Subaru engineers who designed this engine made it any more difficult, and expensive, to check and adjust the valve lash? I guess we can be grateful that measuring valve lash does not require a hot engine. Over my lifetime, I must have done a valve lash adjustment about 4 dozen times, on inline-4 and flat-4 engines. None of them were even remotely close in difficulty to what is entailed with this Turbo DOHC engine. I would like to check valve lash on my engine as preventive maintenance, just to avoid premature failure of the exhaust valves. I am not looking forward to it. Your Outback appears to have more working space around the head than does my Legacy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 I would like to check valve lash on my engine as preventive maintenance, just to avoid premature failure of the exhaust valves. I am not looking forward to it. Your Outback appears to have more working space around the head than does my Legacy Actually, I would say that checking valve lash is not really that hard on these cars. Then again, I've only done it on this engine layout so far . The hardest part of all is to take off these valve covers; well to be fair, the valve covers are not that hard to take out. It's just that on each side, there is one or two bolts that are hard to reach and can take a while to loosen and stuff. Other than that, not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outahere Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 …….And of course, exhaust cam is not coming off. Even though I was really careful, the cam bolt slowly got damaged . Bolt material is way too soft………………….. When you put the pulley back on the exhaust cam, will you be using a new OE bolt, or a bolt from the aftermarket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 When you put the pulley back on the exhaust cam, will you be using a new OE bolt, or a bolt from the aftermarket? I think I'll use the aftermarket one. I'll have to replace the intake cam bolt as well. The bolt came off but I can see it is a bit rounded inside now. Junk bolts . Technically, if I used the method with the bolt extractor from the beginning, I would not have damaged the bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Yeah. About two months ago, I decided to change the valve cover gasket on the passenger side as it was leaking pretty bad, even though the gasket had only 10k. The thing came right off and there was no RTV residue to clean off. I was surprised. Upon reinstallation, I did use RTV and put it where the FSM says so. So far, no leak.. Oh, and I also checked valve clearance on that side . They were all within specs. Based on a discussion with Sgt.Gator (of racekor fame), in the PNW there is only one machine shop trusted to do the heads right for dealers & race shops. The FSM is very clear on how to remove, inspect, re-assemble the heads. The tolerances are beyond the limits of Amazon or HF measuring tools, too. The FSM has also held their instructions constant for a number of years (been reading STI valve clearances from MY04 to MY14, all are same with same inspection criteria and even more exacting as time went on). That said, Subaru produces buckets in a much larger range than listed in the FSM, according to Hueberger's parts list - http://parts.bestbuysubaru.com/showAssembly.aspx?ukey_product=49225674&ukey_assembly=6030615&ukey_make=0&ukey_model=0&ukey_driveline=53361&ukey_trimlevel=110485&modelYear=0 Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 thanks for the link from Heuberger. 20$ a bucket is better than 27.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted June 19, 2015 Author Share Posted June 19, 2015 Alright. Trying to take off the cams right now but indeed, the 'ocv assembly' holding the front of both cams, whatever the correct name is, is really glued! I am a bit scared to pull hard on it... Any tips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore5 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 There is RTV between the head and this piece. Find a safe place and pry it up.. It is held by the 4 smaller bolts that are on the outside of the valve cover and the more obvious 4 inside the valve cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 boxman (home machinist) suggested using a rubber mallet to tap the sides of the cage. We ended up using the base of the plastic handle of my deadblow to free it up. Be careful when smacking it so you don't break off the ocv ear. the pry bar method works, sort of. Be sure to wrap your pry tool in a cloth. Rather than levering it, try quick hard taps on the end. And move the prying end around to spread the load. IT's all aluminum and will mar easily. Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore5 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 The RTV is at the seal end so that will be the "stuck" end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outahere Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Actually, I would say that checking valve lash is not really that hard on these cars…………………….. Yeah, I agree checking valve lash does not really look that difficult. But adjusting valve lash looks to be a much greater challenge, especially with the engine still in the car. As you are discovering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outahere Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Based on a discussion with Sgt.Gator (of racekor fame), in the PNW there is only one machine shop trusted to do the heads right for dealers & race shops…………….. What is the name of this machine shop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boxkita Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 What is the name of this machine shop? Immaterial. They don't talk to you unless coming from a known shop. However if you must know pm Sgt.Gator as he hadn't told me either. Build my car Boxkita Track days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 boxman (home machinist) suggested using a rubber mallet to tap the sides of the cage. We ended up using the base of the plastic handle of my deadblow to free it up. Be careful when smacking it so you don't break off the ocv ear. the pry bar method works, sort of. Be sure to wrap your pry tool in a cloth. Rather than levering it, try quick hard taps on the end. And move the prying end around to spread the load. IT's all aluminum and will mar easily. Ok I will try these methods. Haven't had time to work on the car today . All cam bolts are off though, except a couple holding the intake cam shaft. Anyway, I'll update when I make some more progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmoore5 Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 I don't mean to state the obvious. The piece you are trying to remove holds the sprocket end of both cams. Just leave the bolts in the back journal caps. I think I pryed on the snout of the cam and the surface the OD of the seal goes against. Take precautions not mar the surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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