So, my car is toast

[Lotek]

Went to the mall today to get some stuff, and it drove perfectly. came back out an hour later, started the subie monster up, and ARRATATACLICKBANGBANG, idle drops to 200rpm, CLACKCLACK. Something is terribly wrong, its at the shop now. I wrote on the kep drop off slip "Towed, motor problems, FML." I drive the thing like a granny, and it just hit 147k. Maybe its toast, who knows. Old impreza rallysport in the near future?

 

Sorry, end venting.

 

EDIT: Hers a pic of the lower left idler pully. Where'd the bearings go! It must have gone off like a grenade on startup.

http://i41.tinypic.com/w3703.jpg

[Platinum_Racing]

Threw a rod? Kinda sounds like it. I've never seen a rod get thrown during startup but anything is possible.

 

Either that or a timing belt let go and the timing skipped a few too many teeth all at once, causing catastrophic engine failure. When was the last time the timing belt was changed?

 

Either way, whatever happened it sounds pretty violent. I pray for you and your Subie....

[Lotek]

from what i remember, i honestly think its been awhile since its been changed. ive only owned the car for one year. it could have quite possibly been that. i started the car and it sounded funny. so i popped the hood and had a friend look at it while i started it again and it sounded so much worse, and im pretty sure i saw a platic cover of one of the pullys jump. I moved the car ten feet (Horrible Idea) and it still moved, but idled very low.

 

thank you so much for your prayers, im going to need it!

[Stang70Fastback]

Pretty sure my timing belt's got at least 60k on it. Time to start worrying, lol.

[rougeben83]

Timing belt should have been changed at 105k. If not, well there ya go.

[Lotek]

Ok, so i just found out that the timing was changing before. And great news! The motor is not toast. They whole timing system basically commited its own death though, with bearings shot everywhere. Somehow, everything else is fine and the subie monster will be back in action tomorrow

 

Quick question, is my car SOHC? Ive been told the GT is DOHC, which is bad for head gasket problems

[New Subaru Fan]

Ok, so i just found out that the timing was changing before. And great news! The motor is not toast. They whole timing system basically commited its own death though, with bearings shot everywhere. Somehow, everything else is fine and the subie monster will be back in action tomorrow

 

Quick question, is my car SOHC? Ive been told the GT is DOHC, which is bad for head gasket problems

 

So what was the cause of the failure?

 

GT is DOHC, and yes the incidence of HG problems is quite high (apparently the chances are higher if you push the car hard). I changed mine at 190 k. The car runs sweet now.

[Lotek]

So what was the cause of the failure?

 

GT is DOHC, and yes the incidence of HG problems is quite high (apparently the chances are higher if you push the car hard). I changed mine at 190 k. The car runs sweet now.

 

No idea. In fact, the mechanic who is also a family friend said that some freak accident happened, and that he rarely sees this. My neighbor down the street has the same exact car, but with only 60k vs my 147k, and her gaskets are cracked. Shes been driving it still but only staying in third gear or lower. Anything related to highway speeds and the car is getting towed.

[Platinum_Racing]

So what was the cause of the failure?

 

GT is DOHC, and yes the incidence of HG problems is quite high (apparently the chances are higher if you push the car hard). I changed mine at 190 k. The car runs sweet now.

EJ251

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Subaru_EJ251_Engine.JPG/200px-Subaru_EJ251_Engine.JPG http://bits.wikimedia.org/skins-1.5/common/images/magnify-clip.png

Flat four EJ251

 

 

SOHC Intake volume is calculated by the use of a MAP sensor, unlike the EJ253 which uses a MAF sensor. Compression ratio is 10.0: 1.

Power ISO: 123 kW (165 hp) @ 5600 RPM

226 N·m (167 ft·lbf) @ 4000 rpm

Usage:

 

• Impreza 2.5RS, 2.5TS 00-04 (US)
  
• Impreza Outback Sport 02-04 (US)
  
• Forester 00-04 (US)
  
• Legacy 00-04 (US)
  
• Outback 00-04 (US)
  
• Baja 03-04 (US)
  

[edit] EJ252

 

SOHC Power ISO 115 kW (156 hp) Usage:

 

• Legacy/Outback 00
  
• Forester 00
  

^^^ From Wikipedia.

 

And...

http://www.theautochannel.com/vehicles/new/reviews/2000/russ0030a.html

 

The 2000 Legacy was SOHC.

 

And every EJ25 variant before 2004 had head gasket problems. Earlier versions leaked coolant into the combustion chambers, later versions leaked coolant onto the ground. Subaru supposedly released an "Updated" head gasket kit to fix these problems, but they tend to get mixed reviews and often need to be replaced again. I was talking to the owner of several 1998 Legacy wagons yesterday while helping a friend with head gasket issues on a 94 Escort wagon and he told me both of his cars have needed head gaskets at one point of another. If yours aren't leaking yet, I'd say just leave them alone unless you feel ambitious and want to change them while you have the car all torn apart. The engine will need to be removed to replace the gaskets.

[New Subaru Fan]

^^^ From Wikipedia.

 

And...

http://www.theautochannel.com/vehicles/new/reviews/2000/russ0030a.html

 

The 2000 Legacy was SOHC.

 

And every EJ25 variant before 2004 had head gasket problems. Earlier versions leaked coolant into the combustion chambers, later versions leaked coolant onto the ground. Subaru supposedly released an "Updated" head gasket kit to fix these problems, but they tend to get mixed reviews and often need to be replaced again. I was talking to the owner of several 1998 Legacy wagons yesterday while helping a friend with head gasket issues on a 94 Escort wagon and he told me both of his cars have needed head gaskets at one point of another. If yours aren't leaking yet, I'd say just leave them alone unless you feel ambitious and want to change them while you have the car all torn apart. The engine will need to be removed to replace the gaskets.

 

It's a bit confusing, but in New Zealand GT is referred to a turbocharged DOHC engine. E.g. my one is a 1st generation 2.0 GT series engine. I was told that this sort of engines is quite robust and is not prone to blowing HG.

 

As to HG problem, I wouldn't bother with them until they start to leak. However, there was a suggestion from one engineer that it could be possible to prevent the HG problem by retightening the head bolts. I don't know whether it is a reasonable approach. But to me is sounds like it could possibly work. Any ideas/comments on that ? It could save a lot of money/effort/time.

[Platinum_Racing]

This car is in NZ? That changes everything. The 2.0 engine is DOHC and isn't prone to head gasket failure. The US engines are 2.5L SOHC motors, and there was no turbo model for the GT's until 2005. The US engines are prone to head gasket failure.

[New Subaru Fan]

This car is in NZ? That changes everything. The 2.0 engine is DOHC and isn't prone to head gasket failure. The US engines are 2.5L SOHC motors, and there was no turbo model for the GT's until 2005. The US engines are prone to head gasket failure.

 

Yeh, this car is in NZ. But we still have heaps of GT Subis with blown HGs here. Is there actually any difference between US and NZ models?