Baja engine rebuild question

[suebee60]

This is probably an easy question for someone who understands engine repair.

About a year ago the engine on my 04 Baja was destroyed when the belt jumped time after a bad timing belt replacement. The car was driven less than 1K miles since then, during the holidays we were preparing to take it for an extended trip and checked the oil only to find it empty!

I took it back to the place where I had the rebuild done, and they told me it was the rings. Ok, so my question is does it make sense that the rings were not done, or at least checked to see if they were leaking when they rebuilt the engine?

They did the valves "Grind (complete) valve-both" would this not include replacing rings? I just can't believe I spent 5K having an engine rebuilt and now it is leaking oil, with less than 1K miles.

Would the rings not have been part of this job? I just don't understand enough about engine repair to know.

Thanks for all the information and help

[wtdash]

Hi,

Hopefully one of the experts will reply, but a broken timing belt won't necessarily destroy the engine.

 

It'll usually bend/break a valve or two (yours has 16), and sometimes a valve will hit the piston ('interference-type engine'). In this case the piston can be damaged and need replaced, including rings.

 

But to answer your question, No, the valve grind has nothing to do w/rings. However, $5K for just a cylinder head replacement/repair is excessive. 

 

Ask the the shop that did the 'rebuild' to explain what $5K covered....or post up your invoice for the work done. If is says engine rebuild vs. head rebuild you should have a case - meaning an ENGINE REBUILD will include new pistons, rings, rod bearings, and other things I can't think of tonight.

 

If you have limited access to decent Subaru shops in Texas, it might be time to find another car.....although Subarus are easy to work on, they seem to fare better (and the owner's wallet) under a dedicated tech.

 

Also,no oil on the dipstick doesn't mean it's out of oil. IIRC, if it's down 1.5-2 quarts (out of 4.7?) it won't register. If the OIL LIGHT has come on or flickered you're probably too late, otherwise, fill it up and start checking it @ every fill-up. 1 quart/1K miles isn't excessive for some cars....even on Subarus.

 

GL,

TD

Edited January 27, 2016 by wtdash

[ccrinc]

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

[1 Lucky Texan]

could be breather and PCV hoses are misrouted.

 

I think having the engine checked out at a different shop might be a good idea.

 

ask for a recomendation in a new thread - maybe someone knows of a reliable mechanic in your area.

 

 

joke;

 

Hill country farmer number 1; "you got any rocks at your place?"

 

Hill Country farmer number 2; "Yeah, we got some the size of pick-up trucks. And we got some big ones too!."