Tehnation Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 I have heard that the exhaust avcs gears are prone to breaking when you try to break the cam gear bolt due to the design. It uses some kind of stupid spring. That avcs is probably shot, good thing your not using it lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KZJonny Posted March 3, 2023 Share Posted March 3, 2023 Broken on the inside, or something about the design where there is a part that is loose without some oil pressure to keep it in place? Since you you haven't tried to remove those bolts, what could have broken anything on the inside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 3, 2023 Author Share Posted March 3, 2023 Yeah.. no idea what happened to it, it came that way. All I did was remove the T/B. It wasn’t forced or anything.. Glad it’s the exhaust one that’s being replaced. I’ll try to open it one of these days see what’s going on inside.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 4, 2023 Author Share Posted March 4, 2023 I measured valve clearance today, they all seem to be within spec. Coincidentally the one that wasn’t closing too much during the test for #4 was a little off.. but still within allowed tolerance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 Looks like you're good to go. Button her up and put her in your engine bay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 4, 2023 Author Share Posted March 4, 2023 Yes, I can’t wait.. But I need a few other things, like swapping the 255 exhaust cams and the tools for the job, which should be getting here hopefully next week. CTA Tools had s fantastic sale, got both of these for only $71 with free shipping. I couldn’t pass up that great deal. Quick shot of the “garage/shop”.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackobxt Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 Get ready to have fun with those cam bolts. Have a back up plan just in case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 5, 2023 Author Share Posted March 5, 2023 (edited) Moving on to other components of the engine until the cam tools arrive.. I was planning on opening/cleaning the ej255 turbo cartridge, still mounted on the car now (since my engine was seized and there might be concern for metal particles having traveled to the turbo). Last thing I want is to install a good working motor and have it ruined because of the older turbo was bad.. I started looking at some turbo overhaul/rebuild videos, but I realized I could be getting into trouble, making things worse since I don’t know what I’m doing (have never disassembled a turbo before) and since the propeller has to be balanced by a shop and and all that.. it doesn’t help either that the FSM makes no mention of the turbo disassembly/inspection or assembly either.. otherwise I’d definitely attempt this job. Anyways, so I goggled 2005 Outback/Legacy new turbo for sale and prices seem to range from around $250 all the way to $1,500 on those nice Tamioka Racing ones.. Since I just want a stock size turbo to get the motor/car running again, what’s a good reputable brand that you guys know and can recommend that will not brake the bank? The ej20x turbo has an engraving on it which reads VF38. Is that the stock size I should be looking for when searching for a replacement? It’s a shame that it is so complicated to use the 20x twin scroll turbo.. it seems to be in really good shape and there’s no play whatsoever on its shaft. Edited March 5, 2023 by RumblyXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KZJonny Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 Reach out to @JmP6889928. He is the LGT turbo rebuilding guru. I can’t speak for him having any fancy extra parts for a VF38, but he does rebuild services for all sorts of other IHI turbos. Could be he either has, or can get any of the parts you need, if the turbo is hurts. If not, it may just need a general servicing and inspection. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 ^ what he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 5, 2023 Author Share Posted March 5, 2023 1 hour ago, KZJonny said: Reach out to @JmP6889928. He is the LGT turbo rebuilding guru. I can’t speak for him having any fancy extra parts for a VF38, but he does rebuild services for all sorts of other IHI turbos. Could be he either has, or can get any of the parts you need, if the turbo is hurts. If not, it may just need a general servicing and inspection. Great info Jonny. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KZJonny Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 NP Dude. I've got a JMP Customized VF40, and I love it. He does both regular rebuilds with better parts, and also does a "secret sauce" version with an inconel shaft and billet wheel. Of course I had to go full beans and get the upgraded version. No regrets, and still less money than buying a new VF40 by a fair margin. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted March 5, 2023 Share Posted March 5, 2023 I also have a JMP VF52. Although a little laggier than the vf40, once it is spooling, it pulls and pulls. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tehnation Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 I think one of those cam tools might be wrong!? Cause the tool for the non avcs cam gear is different. My intake cam gear tool grabs it from the outside by 3 notches like one of the ones u have, and my exhaust tool grabs it by with a completely different design, none of which I see. https://www.flatironstuning.com/single-avcs-cam-gears-04-07-sti-06-14-wrx Thats a bad design for that exhaust cam tool, it grabs by the inside of the snout? That doesn't seem like a great place to apply massive amounts of torque.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KZJonny Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 This. Great price. Yeah, it’s more turbo than stock, so it may be worth asking if it will be fine to replace a normal VF40, but since you’re going to have to tune the car anyway… (i assume you’ll have to adjust the tune to compensate for the EJ20!) Easy enough to adjust wastegate duty cycled if you want ‘stock’ power levels, or whatever magic the tuner wants to do keep the power down. Also, I can hardly believe I wrote that last sentence. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 (edited) 18 hours ago, Tehnation said: I think one of those cam tools might be wrong!? Cause the tool for the non avcs cam gear is different. My intake cam gear tool grabs it from the outside by 3 notches like one of the ones u have, and my exhaust tool grabs it by with a completely different design, none of which I see. https://www.flatironstuning.com/single-avcs-cam-gears-04-07-sti-06-14-wrx Thats a bad design for that exhaust cam tool, it grabs by the inside of the snout? That doesn't seem like a great place to apply massive amounts of torque.... I haven't yet removed the ej255 from the car. Is it not like the one on this pic? If so, the exhaust fixed gear Company23 tool I have, seems to be the one for it no? In regards to the ej20x exhaust AVCS tool, I went by the FSM, then Googled it based on that number, that’s the one that came up.. is it not that one? These are the tools I have now.. Edited March 7, 2023 by RumblyXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tehnation Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 So u have 3 tools? That company 23 one is right. The others are probably right as well. I was just thinking ur missing a tool, didn't realize u already had the non avcs exhaust tool. My bad, carry on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 7, 2023 Author Share Posted March 7, 2023 No worries, it’s all good. You might have not seen my previous post about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 8, 2023 Author Share Posted March 8, 2023 (edited) Well.. I had to order the tools again. Looks like I got f*n scammed by some fraudulent website posing as CTA Tools. I'm usually good at eyeballing this f*n scammers, but they have gotten pretty good at copying other websites.. Had to file a claim through PayPal, it wasn't much and they are good at refunding you the money. I did find it weird that CTA Tools had such a big discounts and even free shipping that day. The receipt I received for the purchase was totally weird. Now I have to even get a new debit card.. Thankfully it wasn't much. Be careful out there.. Edited March 8, 2023 by RumblyXT 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 (edited) This is the website that scammed me.. Check out how similar it looks compared to the reputable/legitimate CTA Tools site.. https://www.shopctatools.com/ <----- FAKE https://ctatools.com/ < ------ real website I was in a hurry that morning after leaving the kids in school. Looking at it now on the computer, you can spot it as a fake right away, it doesn't even have a company contact info, or the same menu up top, but on the phone and in a hurry, it's easy to dismiss this. Fokers even sent me a receipt! Argh! lolll Edited March 9, 2023 by RumblyXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 On the bright side.. I got another stand in great condition very good deal to make working on the ej255 easier.. and one of the cam tools is already on the way. Hopefully there's not too much damage on the old motor, but it felt seized for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 (edited) Made some progress today.. gotta love a country where you can get tools delivered even on Sunday. We have it so good here and many times we take it so much for granted. Anyways, right after lunch I got to work on removing those tedious bolts. I was able to remove 3 by myself using a 4x4 on the floor as support for the AVCS exhaust cam tool. This tool actually can somewhat work for the intake bolt too, provided the bolts are not too tight. Mine were tight but not the point I needed an extractor. However I couldn’t remove the Right intake one as the key which the tool grabs onto is kinda worn out, someone has been there already.. Once the other Intake tool arrives, it should be easy to remove. I also removed the filter from the last banjo bolt. Remember the plastic/metal sound the right exhaust AVCS gear was making? It turned out to be rear plastic dust cover that was cracked. Will need to order one of those too. Edited March 13, 2023 by RumblyXT 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xt2005bonbon Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Good progress and no bolt extracting drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumblyXT Posted March 14, 2023 Author Share Posted March 14, 2023 (edited) On 3/13/2023 at 9:29 AM, xt2005bonbon said: Good progress and no bolt extracting drama. Yes, those three came out without much effort thankfully. It's been pretty busy, haven't had much time to work on the 255.. finally dumped the oil today and removed some components, there's definitely internal damage, found some gold flakes, a very fine glitter like amount at the bottom of the tray. I honestly thought there would be more/bigger metal shavings based on how the car behaved/felt that way. Of course no way to tell the extent until it's opened. Edited March 14, 2023 by RumblyXT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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