engine re builder Herts

engine re builder Herts

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vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Monday 5th September 2016
quotequote all
hi as above , any one know a good engine rebuilder in the Herts area or a sensible difference from here , some ones said API , quite a few builders are very busy with work , the fsti is burning quite a bit of oil on start up

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Tuesday 6th September 2016
quotequote all
the fsti is on 75 k miles , it appears to be piston or piston ring issues , I'm just seeing how things go , oil was slightly high so I've reduced it a bit but I don't think that that is the problem , the 2 litre appears to be the stronger engine , the 2.5 is the better driving engine , it' has a load more torque , and it is not so much a case of right gear right speed as it is with the 2 litre lump , the car is an 05 so it's 11 years old and so engine not been out before , costly but one of those things , off the start line the fsti destroys the jdm 2 litre bugeye wagon , when wagon gets on boost then it probably levels the playing field again , but over a short distance fsti is much quicker ,this is based on the same mods of exhaust and a basic re map

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
quotequote all
I think it was a 5 / ? by previous owner , a bit thin for me but no point spending money on an oil change if it's toast and needs a re build , I have to check the oil on a slope where I am but what works for one fsti does not work for another as far as dipstick level is concerned , I've reduced the oil amount but I don't think it was the problem

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
quotequote all
I appreciate what you are saying , I measured oil at work on a flat surface and then noted the change in dipstick location for the slight slope where it's parked and that how I base it , it needs to be slightly over max to be level be full , I will see how things go , the two other subarus same place for checking oil and no issues , the fsti I had before , crank bearings went around 85k miles

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
quotequote all
I spent about 4300 ish £ last time , I think it went south around 90,000 miles I'm not sure , if head gaskets go always do the whole engine as it will fail normally not long after , it cost me a lot not doing the whole thing I ended up effectively paying twice , the minimum is better crank bearings , possible new crank , Mahle ? pistons or like , arp or like head bolts and cosworth or like head gaskets , water pump and oil pump a maybe , clutch is probably a good idea , once that's done and a sensible tune then it should be fine for a long time , plus an oil pick up pipe as they are known to fail , and valve guides ? plus adjusting the valves as the seats wear , I'm keeping fingers crossed it was oil , not as much smoke you do often get a little on start up , if it's gowing wrong I will probably go to subaru4u as they did a good job last time and I know what to expect

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
quotequote all
on not such a good note an area to check , open the rear drivers side passenger door and check the jacking point going up towards the door a common rust point , it's an easy fix with a plate of metal , there also seems to be a paint or lacquer defect on the same side to the furthest window at the back of the car , the bottom part of the window where it meets the body work , both seem to be common issues , my 04 is on 145 k plus miles and still currently (touch wood ) going strong , only ever issues have been engine related which is easily solved just not that cheap

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
quotequote all
one re built engine , another thing worth doing top and bottom rad hoses , I'm happy with a sensible map and correct engine mods then the 2.5 is a good lump , and I like the fsti that much I bought another lol

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
quotequote all
other than servicing , I changed one 02 sensor and one Maf , more precautionary on both counts , plus changed suspension to coilovers but original suspension was fine at that mileage , drivers electric window a bit slow but still working and much better after a strip down , water got in the window motor cog, cog came loose a touch of weld all sorted , I have only ever had engine issues , as stated above if hg goes then do whole engine , they will last longer with out a re map but I would rather have the map , from builders the iffy time is 60 to 80 k miles many have had no issues at all , fsti has a smaller turbo so less strain on the engine , slight gear noise but nothing to worry about , plus did change a rad , best route was an original Subaru one , it lasted as long as it did why not put the same back on , I can't think of many other problems

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Wednesday 7th September 2016
quotequote all
I'm hoping it does last too , don't be put off by engine work may never happen but it's a good chance to improve

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Thursday 8th September 2016
quotequote all
the problem seems to have cleared up , I will try it again today and see what happens , I'm thinking it must be more sensitive to the oil level compared to the other one , so fingers crossed see what happens today

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Thursday 8th September 2016
quotequote all
I'm assuming it was over filled ? it was probably 300 ml removed so not a lot , it will get an oil change in a few months no point at the moment as only done 4 k miles on the current change , I normally do 5 to 7.5 k

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Friday 9th September 2016
quotequote all
I normally do the jdm service schedule , I don't track it but give it an occasional boot , I think 5 k is too often , the jdm one is what Subaru recommend , I know oils are better but at 10 k that oil will look very dirty , the current oil in mine is a good quality , I tend to use a thicker oil 300 v motul 15/50 due to the heat generated in the car plus two of the three Subaru engines are forged , oil loss with a thicker oil is less , I think the 5/? that Subaru say is too thin and not very protective of the engine and more intended for better fuel economy , the most important bit for me is at this time I'm not looking at a re build

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Saturday 10th September 2016
quotequote all
I agree 5/? is too thin , with forged engines I use the 15/50 only on advice from the re builder , neither car seems to use much if any oil

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Sunday 25th September 2016
quotequote all
unfortunately following this on , hg seem to have gone , dropped off at Subaru4u today , and looking at a complete re build as a false economy just doing hg , especially on a 2.5 lump with 75 k miles on it

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Monday 26th September 2016
quotequote all
I don't look forward to the rebuild cost lol , they did my other fsti and that's still running well , I hate being with out my car especially for probably over a month

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Sunday 2nd October 2016
quotequote all
the other fsti went around 87 k hg done , by about 95 k miles the bottom end knocking , full engine rebuild , it's done around 75k miles since , the newer foz on 75 k miles , the hg is beginning to go as coolant is not returning to engine after it's cooled down and engine left with air in it , i don't want above case of a hg job then a rebuild a year later , on earlier fsti the bottom
end was fine when hg done the first time , len at subaru4u said if hg done bottom end tends to go within a year to a year and a half , a rebuild gives better peace of mind , always sort out oil pick up pipe and head studs not bolts , my fsti was just a sports exhaust cat not changed and a remap , litchfield had a lot of problems with the ones they are selling with the remap , ring land failure is rare in the engine i'm not saying it does not happen but i've not come across it , a fellow fsti owner same issues as mine at the same sort of age

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
hi still no news , i don't think it's been started yet there was a bit of a back log , i would rather wait as i'm sure they will do a good job , it has been agreed hg are the issue , possibly done end of november to early december based on earlier time scale

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Thursday 27th October 2016
quotequote all
i will post when it's done , and yes i must be unlucky both fsti engines going , they were around similar mileage , 75 to 83 k miles

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Wednesday 9th November 2016
quotequote all
well a small update , it's currently being stripped down , the block rebore is about a month in turn around , mahle pistons arp head bolts cosi gaskets oil pick up pipe weld or replace race crank bearings at least once it's done it's done just not cheap

vxr2010

Original Poster:

2,565 posts

160 months

Thursday 10th November 2016
quotequote all
hi , not looking for big power , tuning wise with a cat back system and remap , its still destroys by sti bugeye off the lights , the spool up is quicker , the mpg is better , a friend with the same car ruined his in his own admission he did turbo injectors etc , mpg was terrible it would be interesting to know if it's quicker and if it was how much , i'm expecting around 330 bhp same as the other one i have , it maybe slightly more power due to big bore exhaust which i will be doing a centre section silencer delete , the only way i can do that is cut silencer out and reweld a section of pipe as the exhaust is not standard