My DD 2001 Subaru Forester needs a new engine, which I have a JDM engine for it to swap right in but I don't have time until october.
Right now I'm running 20W50 oil in it which seems to make it run better but it isn't great.. And the oil is getting contaminated quickly. Seems to be thinning with gasoline probably from blowby, then once it's thin it smokes pretty bad until I change it again.. It will go about 1,500 miles before I need to change the oil. It comes out jet black too. Since it uses oil too, it's hard to determin how much it's actually thinning since upon drain it's about on the full mark
Is there anything I can do to the PCV system to try and pull more vac on the crankcase?. The PCV is located in the intake manifold and the line runs to the crankcase, so it essentially runs 'backwards' from a normal PCV.
"Restore" does what it says on the can, used it before on a really high mileage 2.8L Ford V6. Worked well enough it allowed me to continue running the truck for another year until I could rebuild, cut the blowby down from full tilt chimney to a wisp. Just be aware that the additive gets consumed as the engine runs and all the performance you gained will slowly disappear once it's gone. One can probably lasted about 6 weeks in my case, essentially the motor gets addicted to it since it will run so well after treatment you will buy another can.
Can't say it works on bearings but it sure works on worn rings, pretty amazing actually. I didn't use any viscosity improvers after using it, worked fine all by itself.
Restore helps. But this engine is beyond help. Do what your doing until you can get the new one in.
I highly recommend you resfresh all the seals, do timing belt, hard to replace sensors, and such on the new engine now.
Have the transmission input seal and such ready so you can throw those in while the engine is out.
On your egr about all that you can do is take an air hose and clean out the tubes, replace any parts that may be plugged. It is just good maintenance to keep that system breathing better. Your engine is where it is cleaning the egr won't do much. But it would be foolish to stuff dirty lines on a new engine when it will cost next to nothing to clean them.
EJ25 boxer engine are notorious for bad head gaskets pulling oil into the cylinder. The valve stem seals are pretty good about leaking as well. Either would be best done by pulling the engine. That's only about 4 hours work but in your case a mechanic in a can is prolly yoru best bet to get buy next month.
While you can go JDM for a replacement also try talking to Southwest Machine in Seattle. They specialize in boxer engines and they know all the little details that your typical V8 shop may not know like the specific honing procedures for example. They are great people to work with and for. Ask for Mike and tell him I sent ya.
Thise boxer Subaru motors are great motors until theheads warp and the head gaskets leak. It should be SOP to pull the heads to get them planed every 75K as normal maintenance.
I looked into rebuilds but the $3k+ price tag was just too much. Cheapest rebuild available is $1,600 but the guy has really bad reviews..
I ended up with this package for about that cost of cheapest rebuild
It's actually an EJ205 from a 2001 Forester STI ( A JDM only sub model ) as is the transmission.. 9:1 comp ratio, rated 227hp. It runs the same type of electronics as my car unlike USDM WRX EJ205. So with a piggyback controller and a plug in harness for it, it will run pretty nice. I bounced around the idea of a used USDM EJ25 but they are a gamble and $800-1,500.Plus I would still need my USDM intake manifold then, and it has seen better days.. A JDM EJ20 without a turbo would be a severe HP cut and since I sometimes put a lot of stuff in the back ( fold the seats, it's practically a small truck ) low HP would make it painful to drive.. Slightly reduced MPG and the need for 91 or better octane, I'll live with
Well, the closest comparable vehicle built by Chevy would have been a Cavalier so yea, no thanks lol. I guess the closest car to the Forester would be the HHR, but it didn't come till later and it is still a FWD.
This is just my DD/ parts chaser..
Subaru's are the only Japanese vehicles I will own. Partly because they are AWD but also because they have the interchangeability of Chevy/GM.. The same drivetrains were used across all models for several years with very small electronic ( swappable ) differences, so parts are actually Everywhere and the cars are extremely easy to work on.. I just didn't want to buy a high mile engine since that's all that's available in the local junkyards.. I probably could have spent the day in the pick and pull, taken an older EJ22E short block and later EJ25 heads and assembled an engine in the back of a van for something that would cost $300 or less and last a very long time. Just have to have heads machined and new head gaskets.. I opted not too because I couldn't get the time when the yard was having a 50% sale since $150 is better than $300
Really 30 MPG?.. My GF's '04 WRX that's stock except a cat-back gets 19-20 MPG.. I've never really looked at MPG figures on what they are supposed to get.
Not kidding. It's an '11, mostly stock with the exception of a reflashed ECM, its actually 28mpg steady state highway at 60mph or just below boost.
There's also a 05' she keeps at my house with some go fast parts but isn't as fast and get's around 20mpg.
The '05 is the one Sunwest Machine did for us when it spit a rod bearing in the we hours of the morning on the interstate. It took 3 weeks to get back but came with Cometic MLS headgaskets, Gates Performance timing belt, their own belt tensioner and a few other small things they do to increase reliability all for $3200. It was involved in a 5 car piles up where it rearended and pushed into two other cars. Now it's at my house getting a face lift over the winter.
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