engine work

Apparently the leak I fixed in the coolant hose was not what was causing me to lose coolant. No puddles of coolant in the garage but I'm certainly losing about a cup of coolant a week and the sweet smell of burning coolant after shutting the car down is making me think a head gasket change is in my near future. Still have to do some tests to be sure but it may be coming.

I'm guessing the gasket is just part #10105AA860 from Subaru (engine gasket and seal kit) but are there better options than just the OEM Subaru gaskets? I'm looking more for something that can put up with a little more stress from the turbo kit. If I do this I'll be pulling the engine so are there any other things I should be looking at while I've got it out? I've been toying with getting an EJ253 block from i-Speed (I think Doug Havir is running one of their blocks in his rally car) and selling mine off to an L owner or something. Haven't decided yet but I guess I'll have to decide soon.

Ugh, semi-closed deck. I think that's gonna precipitate the need for a new gearbox though [xx(]

 

I plan to use these
http://www.cometic.com/index.htm

 

since your car is a SOHC, you could use the updated DOHC triple layer gasket (yes it works im 100% positive) it would lower your compression a hair, but your running boost, and thats not a bad thing

 

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RallyNavvie

Apparently the leak I fixed in the coolant hose was not what was causing me to lose coolant. No puddles of coolant in the garage but I'm certainly losing about a cup of coolant a week and the sweet smell of burning coolant after shutting the car down is making me think a head gasket change is in my near future. Still have to do some tests to be sure but it may be coming.

I'm guessing the gasket is just part #10105AA860 from Subaru (engine gasket and seal kit) but are there better options than just the OEM Subaru gaskets? I'm looking more for something that can put up with a little more stress from the turbo kit. If I do this I'll be pulling the engine so are there any other things I should be looking at while I've got it out? I've been toying with getting an EJ253 block from i-Speed (I think Doug Havir is running one of their blocks in his rally car) and selling mine off to an L owner or something. Haven't decided yet but I guess I'll have to decide soon.

Ugh, semi-closed deck. I think that's gonna precipitate the need for a new gearbox though [xx(]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

what model? turbo?

 

Actually I stopped by Morries and talked with Brett about the gasket kit. They sell an entire kit for the SOHC engines because they apparently have to replace so many of them, even if the plant isn't turbocharged. Subaru has updated the design and material of the gaskets so they look a lot tougher than what I was thinking would be OEM. The kit has far more than just the head gaskets though, it has all the engine gaskets so that's kinda nice.

I'll be talking to Quirt at Crawford about which engine would be right for me and what the cost/timeline would be on one. It looks like the one I'm looking at has the STi forged internals with their own forged pistons in it. I swap my heads and all the other garbage on and I'm done. And since they're preparing a new block I can have them tap it for my GM sensors for the Haltech instead of the crazy thread adapter Todd and I made for the coolant sensor.

Unfortunately all this comes at a time when cash has been tight. I haven't been getting any business at the studio and my day job only pays the bills (and health insurance and retirement savings). I'm waiting for a new position to open up at the company which means I'll be able to afford the Evo RS I'd like to get this year as well as keep my Subaru to tinker with. However if I don't get that I'll have to sell the Impreza to afford the Evo. If I plan on keeping the Subaru I'll be doing the engine swap since I'm absolutely certain the cash I spend in an engine swap will not equate into that much more I can ask on the price of the car. If I sell it I'll just finish up the work I've got going on it now like the gaskets, plugs and wires, gauges, and put the interior back to as stock as I can get it.

 

i'll buy your old pistons

 

i heard evos are falling apart also, trannys. there has only been one STI tranny broken in the US, well one that isnt a race car and that was at my work (mtk subaru) and he was a 16 yr old kid

 

I'd be selling the whole shortblock if I go the swap route.

I'm waiting for the 2006 Evos to come out. Apparently they're doing away with the MR edition and making the powertrains the same on all trims, the only difference will be the comfort crap like stereo, sunroof, spoiler, etc. So that means every Evo will have the DCCD 6-speed and the LSDs all around. I think the reason we're seeing so many toasted Evos is because there are AWD n00bs driving them. Though I haven't seen many Evo 8s on the rally circuit yet they've more than proven themselves there over the Subaru counterparts. First of all the USDM STi didn't fit into Group N so it was right into Open class, second Subaru is only now getting better gearboxes in their cars with the STi 6-speeds. Biggest difference between the STi and Evo RS? 10/100 warranty. Brett was getting me interested in the new GT, a base model going for about what I can get an Evo RS for. However until Subaru can match Mitsus warranty I just can't get a new Subaru.

 

Some dude in Woodbury vaporized a Subaru 6MT in his WRX last summer, AFAIK. bikerboy might know more about it, I know it happened though. Guess the guy is a real butcher. His car was at RS at last year's dyno day awaiting its 3rd engine I think? LOL

 

EJ257T+6MT > EJ253T+5MT
and the warranty thing, yeah. I've done the modified car thing, unfortunately it's about time for some security when things go wrong with the car. Even the 5/60 bumper to bumper is pretty nice, even though the Evo RS is gutted so it's not like I'll have a power window motor fail. I love it :mrgreen: