Looks like I have bigger problems than a small clunk in third gear today. I was looking for a parking spot today and found one between 2 SUVs. I pull in and hear a noise that I have dreaded since I got my Suby. The SUVs made a perfect echo. :eek3::wtc: I get out pop my hood and WHAM! My motor is knocking like a bitch. Kind of sucks too. I check my oil EVERY SINGLE MORNING. Never once has it eaten a bit. I am somewhat furious right now. Its coming from the right side of the motor. It was idling and shaking slightly for a few minutes when I started off, but it went back to normal. So, I am in need of some options. Honestly, I am so SICK of worrying about whether or not my motor is knocking, and I guess my greatest fear came true. I really have no clue what to do or how to diagnose this problem to be sure it is my motor knocking... In the case of me needing a new motor, what do I need to get?
really depends on your budget. 2.5L would be my choice but you are looking around 2200 doing the work yourself. If that is too steep, used 2.0 longblock for far less than a grand.
Do you think I would be safe with another 2.0? I want something virtually bullet-proof... I know a 2.5L would pretty much be that motor, but don't I have to buy a lot of stuff to make it work? I really don't know anything about motors to be quite honest. I would be having a dealer do all of the work because I do not know of a single subie shop in Lower Alabama...
Yes another 2.0 is safe, I have ~50K on mine 1/2 of those miles was near or above 300hp. Coolrex has almost 160K and it only started acting up in the last 10K. on the 2.5L you are looking at least 1500 for the block and 750 for all the gaskets and bs needed probably more. Then labor on top of it all
Well that puts me in a pickle. I am in college and this is my only car... Can anyone give me a rundown on what I need to do after I confirm it is my motor going sour?
if it is a rod knock you dont have long so start shopping now. Get a compression test first and go from there.
Could be the front diff. Mine did that in neutral, clutch in, in gear, clutch out whatever. And it was the front diff.
Could be, but I can pretty much tell its coming from the right side of my motor. I'm going to have a shop listen to it tomorrow.
Iirc mine was louder from the right side (passenger side) as well.... Have Subaru of kennesaw check it out
My motor turned out to be just fine. I found 4 holes in my FMIC piping and all the oil was coming from the turbo drain line....the clamp that holds the drain line closed came off and some of the oil was leaking out. My longblock is for sale.
I am not really sure right now. I guess whatever it takes to get it back on the road again. I am going to have a mechanic listen to it today to get me another opinion. Thats the thing. I check my oil every morning before I go to class and it has never once been low. This is my only car right now and I have to get to class so I can't break it down. Whats the difference between a longblock and a shortblock? How much are you asking?
Long Block = complete motor w/ heads Short Block = no heads, just bottom end. Sometimes, pistons can be included but not always. I think.
$500 for my long block. That's the heads with the cams (worth $300) and the block with all the internals.
Has everything been inspected and is in proper running condition? I'm guessing it has since its your motor. Also, what would it roughly cost to build a motor? Like bad ass everything inside the motor.
Well the block is holding compression just great. 155 across the board. But it has a lot of miles on it. If it was me and I wanted to stay 2.0L, forged pistons and ACL bearings will refresh that block totally. Then the heads with STi cams ($150 for cams) will make a nice little 2.0L package that will handle 350hp all day long. If you are going forged pistons I'd at least get STi rods as well. The labor on work will be the cost though.
^^^ labor and machine work shortblock + internals (rings, pistons, bearings, rods, etc) can be as much as you want, but I would guess around $3-4k. Add another $1-2 for machine work. Don't forget gasket kits, belts, tensioners, etc. And if you're going bigger, you'll need new injectors, fuel pump, clutch... It costs a lot...unfortunately I know btw - that's for an all out build, not a little putter. Don't forget heads, too...I'd budget $500 for cheap, $1500 for nice, $2500 for rediculous
I have $4200 total in my build so far and it's not even tuned yet. My build was a 2.5L (already had the block), forged pistons, full bottom end refresh, full top end refresh, STi cams, all new lines and gaskets, machining of the block, GT35R, antisurge housing, rotated piping, rotated FMIC piping, and new OEM stuffs like oil pump, water pump, timing belt and Group N motor mounts. I'm sure I left out a lot. But I gots the hookup on most everything
I really just want a motor that will hold around 250hp all day long so I don't have to worry about it.
If that's all you want, stock EJ205 FTW! Simple bottom end rebuild with rings and new gaskets and call it a day.:clap:
this motor would also swap right in and you'd have a 2.5l (just wouldn't be able to hook up the AVCS) http://www.wrxatlanta.com/forums/showthread.php?p=337641&posted=1#post337641
I have a stock 2.0 still assembled with the intake manifold and everything you could just pull yours out and slap this one in. Ill take $1300 and your old motor for it.
So, if I do get a bottom end rebuilt, can some other components such as bearings and stuff be replaced with higher quality ones? I want the stuff that usually fails on a 2.0 to be replaced so I can have peace of mind because today has been hell. Went to a local shop today and had them listen to it. They say it is probably oil pressure being lost because I am turbo'd and the turbo is heating the oil a lot. He tells me I need to run a 10w-40?? What do you guys think?
Unfortunately there is no miracle oil. Everyone on here runs a different brand, weight and viscosity oil and every one of them will swear by their oil. So you won't get a genuine answer. Some will tell you not to use synthetic some will say use a blend some will say 0w-30 is the best oil evar! Some will say to change each season you weights others wi say don't change weights ever. Just get good qualty oil and a weight/viscosity youre happy with and stick with it, period.
I have run Castrol Syntec 5w-30 every 3,000 miles religiously. Oil has never been low and is checked everyday no lie. Aside from the usual Subaru-tick, how much knocking should have me worried? It is only really audible from the driver side of the motor and when idling... Iv'e been doing some research and found that it could be my timing belt tensioner. I just hit 100k yesterday. Any insight? I will definitely have a video up tonight.
It is when its plug and play...and just so you know, I've had two othere 2.0 longblocks that I sold for $1500 each.
dude you are just paranoid, that fucking tick is in my shit and I have half the mileage and 100 more ponies. castrol is like water as is my mobil 1 I rund and I hear all the bs noise coming from the engine. Tell you what take a long as screwdriver or phillips and touch the engine just inside the head while putting the other end up to your ear. In case a retard reads this the handle side goes to your ear. lol if it is a knock you WILL hear it loud and clear.
I did do that but Im not sure I put the screwdriver in the right place. I put it on the driver side of the motor right underneath the intake manifold. Is that the right place? I only heard the usual tick there. I also put it on the timing belt cover and heard more of a knock coming from there...
Pull the timing belt covers off and check to make sure everything is ok. I wouldn't drive the car any more until you do.
Is this hard to do? I'm not quite sure what I would be looking for either. After driving it for a couple days, nothing has gone terribly wrong, and I haven't even been gentle with it. It still has the sound though. Not quieter not louder. So can anyone give me specifics on to where to place the screwdriver to ensure it is not coming from my block? Seriously though, Thanks a TON. You guys have honestly been an great help. :bowdown:
Pull the timing cover....it's just a few bolts. It'll be tight with the radiator fans but you should be able to manage. A lot of the times one of the pulleys will wear the bearings slap out.
^^^ Affirmative on that. I'm interested to see what comes from this ordeal. I wish we could hear the car in person. I've gone through similar worries... my car occasionally sounds like ass on startup... especially on cooler mornings and when the car has not been driven for a couple of days. I can sometimes hear a knock-like sound, but it disappears after about 10 to fifteen minutes of driving. Afterward, the noise abates and the motor seems as quiet as any other boxer Subaru (of course, it still won't be confused with a Lexus). At other times I'll drive for a week and never hear the noise, even at startup. I'm about to do a leakdown test, and if the results are positive, I'm going to do the belt and tensioner and see if the issue goes away. I'm thinking you may be in a similar position, and you have mentally psyched yourself into writing off the motor too early. If you are really concerned, I would: A: Have a leakdown test performed B: Gather an oil sample and have it sent in for analysis to test for excessive bearing wear. Then just use those results to decide where you want to go next. I maintain the heck out of my car, but since decent used 2.0 motors are relatively cheap, I plan to ride mine until it assplodes. I might use it as an excuse to go hybrid, but as you've mentioned, you have different budget goals. Unless a bearing is borked, you'd be surprised at how long an injured 2.0 will keep limping along.
if you're worried about a blown motor, why would you drive it? more specifically, why would you drive it hard?
Thanks K. Marx Well, it is my only form of transportation and I have to go to class. I am not driving it hard, but rather driving it normally. I have read that after a spirited drive, if the timing tensioner needs replacing, it will sound like a knock coming from the timing cover. Go till she blows I guess. I was unaware that timing belt, tensioner, water pump, etc. were supposed to be replaced at 90k as I just passed 100k. I am going to have the 90k service very soon.
The 90K service will cost close to $1K (unless you are doing it yourself). That would get you on the way to a new engine. Something to think about.
You can tell. The pully will wiggle and be loose. Many times you will see the bearing themselves fall out.