I have a (Subaru) Phase II ej25 with rather loud piston slap on startup.

I want to use the engine in my rally car. The engine has ~110,000 miles on it. Can I expect the engine to last, or am I just asking for problems?

If the general opinion is that I can expect another 10,000 miles out of the block, I'm good with that.

I'm at the point where I need to make a choice. Either I use one of the two eg25 blocks I have - both are in similair condition - or I suck it up and run the good condition ej18 I have. The ej18 has 110hp and 120ft/lbs - Wooo Hooo...

Thanks

Alternatively... anybody have a good condition ej25 for cheap in Ontario?

The pistons used in the Subarus are kinda cheesy.
Cast with no reinforcing struts cast in.

What's a set of pistons cost?

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Subaru pistons are very short so they slap around. Just run it hard 'till it blows!

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- RWD rocks -

My mom's 2004 Legacy had slap so bad that Subaru replaced the shortblock with barely 60,000 kms on it. Tech said the engine would not have lasted another 10,000 kms. The car sounded like a diesel at idle.

I say run it till chucks. Its a rally car, blow it up, get a new one, rinse and repeat!

They ALL have some degree of piston slap. Don't worry the valvetrain will drown that out soon enough. It's fine, run it.

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Gone fishing

Okay, thanks!

It seems that the general oppinion is to drive it like I stole it - I'm good with that!

Feed it Rotella.....

bounce it off the rev-limiter....

It will be happy.

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Chris

the only bad thing about that, is if it happens while on stage somewhere, then you're screwed for the weekend, and out all the travelling money, and time to drive there and back..

Unless you've got a new spare engine at service, just waiting for it to happen...



--sarge

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---** To be in compliance with the Anarchy **---
Jorden R. Kleier
Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA
1990 Mazdog Protege 4WD
1973

compression test?

my only problem with 'running it until it blows up' is many times that will take the heads/valve train with it.....suddenly its a lot more expensive.


if you've already got a 2.5block sitting around, its not too expensive to build it out....I say get one of those, bore it out, splurge for some nice new oversized (high CR) pistons and rings, new bearings, rods will be fine, and go from there.

then if you want to go crazy, when you've got it all apart, upgrade your cams for some real NA power

(all easier said than done, of course)

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Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/

Jon Burke Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > if you've already got a 2.5block sitting around,
> its not too expensive to build it out....


Huh? that depends... what's your version of "not too expensive"?

Becuase the price of a timing belt kit and head gaskets is sorta freaking me out...


I say get
> one of those, bore it out, splurge for some nice
> new oversized (high CR) pistons and rings, new
> bearings, rods will be fine, and go from there.
>
> then if you want to go crazy, when you've got it
> all apart, upgrade your cams for some real NA
> power
>
> (all easier said than done, of course)
>
> Jon Burke - KI6LSW
> Blog:
> 'Holy Shit!' @ 4:10


On this note: what does it cost to rebuild an engine? I have no intention of doing the measuments or machine work, but I could dissaseble it and perhaps reasemble a good chunk of it.

EDIT: by rebuild I mean rebuild... not upgrade.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2010 01:49PM by Daniel Buehler.

Daniel Buehler Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Jon Burke Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > > if you've already got a 2.5block sitting
> around,
> > its not too expensive to build it out....
>
>
> Huh? that depends... what's your version of "not
> too expensive"?
>
> Becuase the price of a timing belt kit and head
> gaskets is sorta freaking me out...
>
>
> I say get
> > one of those, bore it out, splurge for some
> nice
> > new oversized (high CR) pistons and rings,
> new
> > bearings, rods will be fine, and go from
> there.
> >
> > then if you want to go crazy, when you've got
> it
> > all apart, upgrade your cams for some real
> NA
> > power
> >
> > (all easier said than done, of course)
> >
> > Jon Burke - KI6LSW
> > Blog:
> > 'Holy Shit!' @ 4:10
>
>
> On this note: what does it cost to rebuild an
> engine? I have no intention of doing the
> measuments or machine work, but I could dissaseble
> it and perhaps reasemble a good chunk of it.
>
> EDIT: by rebuild I mean rebuild... not upgrade.
>
>
>
>
>
> Edited 1 times. Last edit at Jan 27, 2010 by
> Daniel Buehler.


It's not worth rebuilding Daniel. We've recently just replaced the gaskets and seals on a couple of DOHC's and the price of the parts from Subaru alone makes it extremely NOT worthwile. And Jon; There's NO way to make any real power with the NA's without spending enough to buy 2 or 3 turbo motors. Get as many motors as you can and get good at swapping them quik.

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Gone fishing

well, yeah...I guess its all relative. I guess if the cost of a timing belt and headgasket is expensive for you, rebuilding an engine is out of the question. But hey, racing is expensive.



And I wasn't thinking of big power, I was just thinking reliability in the long run. You can get a set of SuperTech pistons for a 2.5 for less than $400. Overkill? sure....but you know they'll last forever in your application.

when I built my engine last year, I basically built it to 500whp specs, knowing it'll never see more than 350whp. So as long as something major doesn't fail (ie oil pump, water pump, etc for a prolonged period of time) I know the engine can handle whatever I throw at it on stage.

But yes, to 'rebuild' the engine (NA or turbo)...it can get up to a few thousand, depending on what expensive or cheap bits you use. Cosworth pistons, for example, go for $1200/set, or something like that (but hey, they're good for 900WHP!!!)

But if you don't go crazy, boring out an engine, new pistons/rings, bearings and a few other things....should be able to do for around $1500??? depends on who does the labor....this assumes YOU'RE pulling the block out and putting it back in.


David A is probably right, since you can find decent used short blocks for cheap on NASIOC.....

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Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/

Cosworth told a local shop that they've sold more sets of their bearings than Subaru made 2.5 turbo engines. Just saying...

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Grant Hughes

Funniest thread evah!!!!!!!

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Ted Mendham
www.rensport.net

The cost of a fresh engine or head gaskets, timing belt/idlers/waterpump wouldn't bug me IF I planned to run an NA Subaru indefinetly. But, I don't. So, I guess I'll just start burning through the pile of POS engines I have sitting here...