Lockett77 Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 So My engine locked up, from blown headgasket.got it un stuck. Changed gaskets put it back together and like an idiot i used the arrows on the cams to put it back in time. Started it and immediately turned it off once i noticed tons of smoke pouring out. Took it back apart changed rings and gaskets again just in case Put it correct timing now this time and now I'm getting blow by on the pistons and it's dumping oil in my exausht. Ran it for 10 minutes and burned a full quart Fouling my plugs. i used a synthetic blend oil this time tho. I need opinions.before i take this back apart again. Would the sythetic blend get past my pistons since it locked up and has over 200k miles on it or maybe i screwed up putting the rings back in. What do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 You need another engine. If it's an EJ25D (1996-1998 EJ25 or 1999 Legacy or Outback EJ25) then swap in an EJ22 and have 100,000 mile reliability. I wouldn't reuse a Subaru engine if it was locked up due to blowing headgaskets. Even if you get the repair to hold the lower end bearings fail so often on previously overheated vehicles I wouldn't consider it worth the time/money to repair. That said - when the engine was mis-timed:1. did you simply try to re-time it and see what happens? 2. were the valves bent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureSubaru Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 What year/model is your car? No subaru motor takes well to overheating. If it was that bad, you were probably asking for trouble by trying to fix that motor rather than replace it from the start. You've probably got cooked rod bearings in there and posibly cracked head. If it's the 96-99 DOHC EJ25 then as mentioned, finding a good 95-98 Ej22 and replacing it usually lands you with many more reliable miles for the buck than replacing the 2.5 - these early 2.5s were known for their head gasket failures and weak rod bearings. Not a terrible motor, but next to the 2.2 of those years often did not live half as long. If it's the newer SOHC Ej25 then find another one of same generation. The JDM EJ20 SOHC motors can be had cheap and aren't bad. But they are a step down in HP and require a tad more cobbling together to drop it in. car-part.com is a good place to start hunting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockett77 Posted March 27, 2017 Author Share Posted March 27, 2017 I had this engine in pieces nothing is damaged no warping no cracked head rod bearings still good it didn't over heat when it locked up, weird i know. The only thing i noticed was a little score mark in one of the cylinders. Nothing too dramatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockett77 Posted March 27, 2017 Author Share Posted March 27, 2017 I had this engine in pieces nothing is damaged no warping no cracked head rod bearings still good it didn't over heat when it locked up, weird i know. The only thing i noticed was a little score mark in one of the cylinders. Nothing too dramatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 Was it stuck from sitting a long time? that's common. First sentence of your first post says it locked up from a blown head gasket. Warping and cracking is nearly pointless on those heads, but surface finish is not. The idea on these particular heads is that you don't resurface for warping - you do it for surface finish. You haven't told us if this is a phase I or phase II EJ25. What brand head gasket was used? 1. How many plugs were fouled? If all four Id say check the oil level (see if it's unusually high) and intake for oil and make sure it's not drinking it's own oil. If its one cylinder then do a leak down test and verify it's the rings or valve stem seals. Although with that much loss I would assume it's piston rings, but best to confirm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockett77 Posted March 27, 2017 Author Share Posted March 27, 2017 It's the ej25 DHOC when i mistimed it, it didn't foul any of the plugs but i was using regular oil when i re did everything i used sythetic same weight 10w-30 i used OEM aftermarket headgaskets and rings. but i just pulled the last plug on the cylinder i didn't do any work to and that one is also fouled. Cylinders didn't have oil in them until i used sythetic even with a blown headgasket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Sorry man but if you split that engine and went down to the rod bearings and "checked it out"..... Just stop and get another engine or another car. This isn't an engine you can do that with. It's clear from your posts that you have no business inside an engine let alone an aluminium block close tolerance engine like the Subaru boxer. It's probably already trashed but if it's not it soon will be. Cut your losses and get a used running engine. You don't have the skills to be doing this and you have already caused severe damage that is going to require a line hone, rebore, new crank, pistons, and rings..... at a minimum. I have been doing this a long time now and I can tell you that anyone that tries to do a "home rebuild" WILL fail at least the first few times. This is a very steep learning curve with these motors and there is no literature or manuals out there on how to do it. It's not a small block chevy that you can just buy a book or watch a youtube on how to rebuild. The secrets of the process are hard earned and those of us that do this on a regular basis aren't giving that info away for free nor do we have much time to give classes on how to do it. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureSubaru Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 (edited) It being a DOHC you're so much better off with a good Ej22 anyway. Easy way is one from an automatic transmission car so EGR all matches and wont throw a check engine light. Any motor that's been run until is seizes is a gamble. A subaru motor abused in such a way is either scrap metal or a boat anchor. Edited March 28, 2017 by AdventureSubaru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 (edited) did you position the ring gaps correctly? maybe there's excessive crankcase pressure now? leave the oil filler cap off and check for strong pulses? I dunno much about these engines internally. very few folks seem to get past the heads. anyway, at least consider an engine from a wreck - it was probably running well before the wreck right? - put a timing kit on it and run it in the car while you go thru your present engine as a project. Edited March 28, 2017 by 1 Lucky Texan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockett77 Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 GD i think I'm doing just fine as this being my first engine rebuild. Anyone with a little common sense can do this. Trust me if i had the tools and money to re surface spoob and buy a bunch of parts i would it's not that hard to work on an engine. The hardest part is diagnostics The way i see it i took an engine that was completely locked up and got it back to running condition as it was prior for Less than 80$ but thanks for your input as well as everyone else's you guys have been plenty of help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Great learning experience but it will not end well. Trust me don't depend on that engine. You don't understand what it takes to get these reliable. I'm sure you think it's fine but that doesn't make it so. I could write a book on exactly what you did wrong but it's not going to matter. You will still think you did the right thing. Till it eats itself. It will start knocking in 5k miles or less. If you stop posting here we can safely assume that's exactly what happened. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureSubaru Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 (edited) did you position the ring gaps correctly? maybe there's excessive crankcase pressure now? leave the oil filler cap off and check for strong pulses? I dunno much about these engines internally. very few folks seem to get past the heads. anyway, at least consider an engine from a wreck - it was probably running well before the wreck right? - put a timing kit on it and run it in the car while you go thru your present engine as a project. As I see it, there's usually no reason to get past the heads. As soon as you've gotten to the point of tearing down the block, it ceases to be worth it, both in cost and reliability. The relatively long life of most of these motors makes a used short block a very dependable option and it's both cheaper, takes less time, and (unless you're GD or someone like him) probably going to live as long. Lockett - Take GDs advice to heart here. The man does this for a living and has been doing so for a long time and has a great rep. See his post count? That's an awful lot of free, and very well informed, advice that he didn't have to give to any of us. As mentioned, it's a great learning project, but you better have a plan B. Especially if you aren't replacing your rod bearings, you wont be driving that motor for long, even if you do get it running smooth. You'll start hearing the knocking sound just in time for it to punch a hole through the top of the block right behind the engine stamp. When you can get a good EJ22 for 300-500 and have clear skies ahead for a long time, not sure why you would want to be a glutton for punishment. Edited March 29, 2017 by AdventureSubaru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Is it possible the engine locked up from a cylinder full of violent? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 I ment coolent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 ^^^ coolant right? that's what I was wondering - valve dropped in or rod bearing cap failed - what caused it to 'seize' if that's what happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 Maybe it was sitting for a long time,like gross Gary said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureSubaru Posted March 29, 2017 Share Posted March 29, 2017 And am I reading this right? Replaced the rings because you didn't do the timing belt correctly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockett77 Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 It locked up from oil starvation i guess. Within 5 minutes of driving. Oil was everywhere on the driver side tire/axle. It didn't overheat tho. No noises nothing. Died going down the road like my battery died. Here's what i did. Soaked everything in tranny fluid until it unseized. Pulled the engine seeing what damage it's done. Which was Very little surprisingly. Rod bearings/caps connecting rods cylinder walls all looked fine except for a little score mark on one of the cylinder walls. So i spend 2 days sanding everything down hoping the HG'S are still good. And me being a dummy used the arrows putting it back in time. No damage occured nothing was hitting but I've never seen so much smoke in my life lol so i decided well might as well buy a gasket set and piston rings So did all that put it back in did the timing right this time and decided to put sythetic oil in. Which caused bad blow by in the pistons which fouled my plugs quick and burned tons of oil. Drained the sythetic and put regular oil with Lucas oil. And bam runs and sounds just as fine as it did. But I'm definitely not going to rely on this engine this was more of a challenge to see if i could do it. With what little income i have. I appreciate GD's input he has offered a lot of info which has helped a lot along with everyone else on this site. You guys are awesome! But I'm gonna see how long this engine lasts and have a 2.2 standing by when it does crap out. But the cheapest one around is like 900$ with 130k miles lol subaru's are rare around here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 So if oil pressure is lost,do they shut down for safety reasons? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 So if oil pressure is lost,do they shut down for safety reasons? Nope. What would be the fun in that? They let you ride the rods into low earth orbit. GD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Lol,I am not sure but I think my generator does,and some newer vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 . But the cheapest one around is like 900$ with 130k miles lol subaru's are rare around here $450 EJ22 in Alabama: 256-259-2382 $300 EJ18's: 1-800-331-5282 (if you just need it running, get an EJ18 - they do fine in flat land like alabama) Maximize your sourcing: www.car-part.com Here are instructions on swapping to an EJ22 or EJ18: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/153118-ej22-or-ej18-swap-into-ej25d-dohc-vehicle/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveT Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 Fancy generators may have low oil shutdown, since typically, no one is sitting in front of the control panel monitoring the gauges. I have not seen it on a car, but I don't do new cars, so I can't say about the newest ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 30, 2017 Share Posted March 30, 2017 (edited) So if oil pressure is lost,do they shut down for safety reasons? It's the opposite - they do *not* shut down for safety reasons....or more precisely, for liability reasons. Wouldn't take long for a lawyer to blame an engine cutting out for an accident, being stranded on the highway and getting hit...etc. if you like the idea - just go buy one and install it. i believe most people install it in line with the fuel pump or fuel pump relay. Generators have less liability concerns...or very complex ones with compromising environments and weather conditions, back feeding, sub par cords and connections, few ever meet "building codes", extension cords powering houses, CO poisoning... I don't do new cars, so I can't say about the newest ones. you mean new Subaru's like the ones that don't have a temperature gauge? lol they have the super helpful oil light that comes on when you're already dangerously low. Edited March 30, 2017 by grossgary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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