ccrinc

Blouch Turbo in Lebanon, PA. Good company. Emily

Indeed, as Fairtax said, that was the other (most convenient) option and I'm glad it worked out for you. Emily

Which direction did you "move the motor"? As facing the front, clockwise or counterclockwise? If you rotated it counterclockwise, it is possible, although unlikely, that the timing is slightly off. Also, rotating the engine with the timing belt on also rotated the cam. It is now not in the same position as it was when you took off the rocker. When building heads, the cam needs to be adjusted into just the right position or the rocker won't bolt on correctly, and that's with lifters that aren't pumped up. I think this is what happened to you. Luckily, you have a non-interference engine. If you take off the valve cover, very slightly loosen the rocker bolts and slowly rotate the engine clockwise, the assembly should snap back into place. You can then retorque the rocker bolts (15 in. lbs. if I remember correctly). Emily

I recommend replacing your PCV valve first. Use a Subaru Genuine, NOT an aftermarket. Also, clean out the PCV hoses. It may really be as simple as that. Emily

Nobody has mentioned that most parts stores will check your battery and alternator for you, free of charge. If you can get it there.

Hole in the block = thrown rod. Period. "Why" can be complicated, but it's usually oil related. Bad PCV valve. Low oil, lack of changes, wrong oil are the usual culprits. It's possible that the circlip for a wrist pin on a piston broke. All kinds of things are possible, but the fact remains that you now need a new engine. You will also now have metal all through the rest of the engine AND (NOTE!) all through your intake manifold as well. Be sure the manifold is professionally and thoroughly purged before putting it back on or it will ruin the next engine as well. Several people have given you info: what you do with it is your choice. Emily

Permatex Ultra Grey RTV Gasket Maker (9.5 oz) Are any of those sealers comparable to the #599 product? Is there one product that I will be able to use for the valve cover gaskets, oil pump gasket, and water pump gasket or will I need a particular one for each? Also, do you use Loctite on all the screws and is there a particular Loctite product number to use? Thanks for your replies. That's the one you need. BUT, you don't any sealer on any of the items you mentioned above. Just make sure you get the metal water pump gasket and not the paper one which frequently comes with them. Emily

Two things: 1) Are you absolutely POSITIVE that the Impreza engine is the same? I ask because a '97 Impreza would have had an EJ18 or EJ22 in it, UNLESS the engine was swapped. http://www.cars101.com/impreza_archive97_98.html#1997%20impreza Definitely not the same as the EJ25 in your Outback. It is "swappable", but you'll need a single port exhaust header, not the dual port the EJ25 has. 2) I wonder why nobody ever mentions this: ONLY rotate an interference engine clockwise (as seen from the front position). Rotating the engine backward will cause it to jump time. FYI. Emily

Again, I suggest this resource: http://forums.nasioc...d.php?t=1215617

From what you're saying, I don't believe you had a complete "rebuild". They did only the heads. The heads (left and right) bolt onto the block (center). The rings are on the pistons inside the block. So, no, if they did not split the block and replace the rings and bearings, they 1) did not do a rebuild, 2) what they did would not include the rings. Here's where things get more complicated. Rings only "leak" if you're driving the car. If you've only put 1,000 miles on it, there's either a leak from some place else, or you didn't check the oil during that 1,000 miles. (Even off the showroom floor, some engines will burn oil and some won't.) Did they replace other seals? What is the overall mileage of the car? Is it a turbo? If not, $5,000 is quite a lot for that engine. We do them all the time, so I should know! Emily

When you've been in the business of remanufacturing Subaru engines for over 21 years, come back and talk to me about how I don't know what I'm saying. With enough time, money and PITA, nearly anything is "possible". True enough statement. As the old saying goes, "How fast do you want to go? How much do you want to spend?" Crap ton of money is right! (Close to one of my favorite sayings, actually.) The items you mention (upgraded rods, pistons, crank) are all internal, not external and therefore, easier to do and have nothing to do with aspiration. HOWEVER, one must still stick with what fits the engine, or make something that fits. At this time, there are very few aftermarket upgrades for that engine and certainly no cranks for a 6 cyl. turbo. Much would need to be fabricated and made to fit. Here's a link to someone who actually has turbo'd the EZ30. (Note that he works for a tuner.) http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1215617 Frankly, if you want to do this kind of thing, NASIOC is where you'll find more and better info. Most people here are more concerned with how to keep their current cars running. (No, I'm not trying to kick you out: just that it's a better place to look.) Emily

That, my friend, is a rod knock. No doubt about it. Emily

You do realize that you will also need the ECU, all the wiring, sensors, air setup, different exhaust, etc? Right? There's nothing about this that is plug and play. Not. One. D*#n. Thing. Even putting one into a 2000+ car that's more designed to handle it is more of a challenge than most people would ever want to face. Have you ever looked under the hood of a Subaru with an EZ30 in it? What do you mean by "boost"? Turbocharge it? Um, no. No way you can gerry rig a turbo to that engine. There is no way to mate it nor is there any room for it. Oh, and have fun doing the spark plugs on it later. Reaching those 2 rear ones is a plumbing job. You know: the kind where you get half way into it and wish you had called a pro? (True of any Subaru 6 cyl.) Emily

Bill, There isn't a smiley face on this board that expresses my reaction, but it there was, it would be rolling on the floor, pounding it, laughing! (ps: you know I love you) Emily

Torque converter. They are known to wear out much faster than the old ones did. In fact, we recommend that anyone doing an engine replacement who has an automatic also replace/rebuild their torque converter. This would also explain why you have no issues in neutral or park because the converter is not engaged. Emily

If you know the color of the bottle they used, you can find out which one it was on Valvoline's own website and whether it is compatible. Here's a great article on the subject: http://donsnotes.com/home_garden/auto/antifreeze.html Considering how little you say they used, I wouldn't worry about it. Emily

^^^This.^^^ Emily

Those pulleys are strong but sensitive. If one gets accidentally dropped on the floor while cleaning in our shop, we won't reuse them. Glad you got lucky! Emily

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, but... The inner timing cover behind the pulley isn't damaged and the bolt area looks totally intact (not even any scratches), so I'm thinking that you're good to go with that head after you swap out the pulley. Of you grab the bolt area and try to move it front/rear, does it move at all? Emily

I agree. We use the Permatex Copper Gasket spray on everything up tthrough 1999. With the EJ25 SOHC engines, we use turbo head gaskets, so no copper spray. Emily

From doing this after many EJ22 installs with new/bled down lifters: You can idle that thing forever and they won't pump up. What you need to do is go out and drive the hell out of it. Get the engine rpms up to at least 4500, then let off, then rev up again. (Like you're getting onto a freeway on ramp). Trust me: if nothing else is wrong, they'll quiet down in a few miles. Emily

Did you bleed down the lifters while they were out?

What year is the Forester? The '99 Outback will have the EJ25 DOHC engine. The Forester went to the SOHC engine earlier than any other. While many parts do swap, keep in mind that the Forester is built on the smaller Impreza chassis, while the Outback is on the larger Legacy platform. Yes, there are differences. Emily

At that age and mileage (and the fact that it's a Subaru), accept the fact that's it's going to leak fluids somewhere unless the owner has really kept up on maintenance. With that in mind, open the hood and look for any evidence of seeping oil and/or antifreeze and signs of corrosion. Are the rubber parts (hoses, belts) in good, flexible condition? Is there sludge in the coolant overflow bottle or radiator? I trust my ears a lot when looking at a used Subaru. That's not going to help you because you aren't as familiar with how the engine should sound, but if it has knocks, walk away. Taps and ticking can be fixed: knocks need major work. As for the AWD vs. 4X: I must prefer it unless I need to climb a tree. Emily

The most common issue we see in that engine with the problem you're describing is cracked ring lands on the pistons. This is most frequently caused by running too rich. Over revving can also affect it. Have you ever had the screen filters for the cam phasers cleaned or changed? What kind of oil are you using? How often have you been changing it? Do you have the factory turbo or a bigger one? Why didn't they do a compression check on all 4 cylinders since you've had misfires on all of them? Aside, from all the questions, yeah...you need at least a new shortblock which is what Motion Labs is offering. Emily