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93 impreza "bad motor" any ideas?
#1
Posted 10 April 2005 - 03:39 PM

#2
Posted 10 April 2005 - 04:53 PM
If it only turns so far and then stops, that has nothing to do with the timing belt. Pull the spark plugs, I'll bet that if you spin the engine with the spark plugs out you will spray water out one of the spark plug holes. The EJ18 is a clearence engine, so there will be nothing interfering with the crank rotation. I wouldn't touch it if it is a 2WD, but that also depends upon the asking price (free would be nice). If you really thing it is a timing belt, pull the cover by the battery, turn the engine over by hand and see if the belt moves. That is also the side that has the cam angle sensor, so if that cam isn't turning that the engine will not get that correct signals and it will not fire.My GF and I looked at a 93 impreza that supposedly has a bad motor. The girl said her sister was driving it and she was coming over the summit and it just died. I turned the motor over by hand and it will turn to a certain point and then it will stop. If you turn it and then crank it it will crank for a little bit and then makes a solid thunk noise. I didn't see any holes in the block like it had thrown a rod or anything, and it has plenty of oil and antifreeze. I'm leaning towards a timing belt, but not entirely sure. It's an EJ18, are those an interference motor? If it does indeed need a motor, anyone know where I could get one? Would an EJ22 swap in? It';s in really nice condition so I'm thinking if I get it goign just turn around and sell it and get an AWD 5 speed Legacy or Impreza (It's a 2WD Auto
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#3
Posted 10 April 2005 - 05:31 PM
cylinder(s)
i doubt it, but it could be a timing belt if something strange is happening. pull the left and right timing covers (just a couple 10mm bolts) to check the timing belt. i could forsee a rare case where a timing belt pulley seizes, brakes or separates and somehow causes the timing belt to turn into a tangled mess where it's still wrapped around the crank sprockets preventing it from turning. removing the covers would be really easy and tell you in a matter of minutes whether that's the case or not.
#4
Posted 10 April 2005 - 09:37 PM
So ya try pulling the plugs.
Shouldnt be too bad to yank it, and reseal it.
#5
Posted 11 April 2005 - 02:44 AM
As to EJ22 swap, It would probably fit w/o much trouble, but I would guess you'd have to swap the entire engine control system.
#6
Posted 11 April 2005 - 03:05 AM
The car is worth something for sure! I would get it and either re-seal , or find a 1.8 or a 2.2 and fix it. The 2.2 would need a harness though. I would stick to the EJ 1.8. Less work and not a heck of a lot of difference from th 2.2.
#7
Posted 11 April 2005 - 08:00 PM
One other thing I was brainstorming last night was the possibility of something being stuck in the hydraulic pump in the transmission, since that is directly driven off the motor, if it was siezed or had sometihng caught in it, it would not allow the motor to turn.... At any rate, if it needs a motor, in the condition it's in it's worth a little over 2 grand in running condition, and I doubt a motor will cost me $1500...
I jkinda wanna get it running and sell it and my red POS Mirage and get a AWD 5 speed Legacy or Impreza, since I'm not too keen on Automatics, much less FWD in Laramie, although I guess it's better than RWD

#8
Posted 11 April 2005 - 11:50 PM
http://www.franticfour.com/garage.html
This is where I bought the 1998 black impreza that I used to have from too.
maybe without some of the extras like clutch and stuff you could get it for $350?
I could pick it up for you if you wanted and get it down to portland at least.
#9
Posted 12 April 2005 - 07:10 AM
To SUBARU3, I said that I wouldn't touch, I didn't say there was anything wrong with 2WD Subarus, just that I won't own one.
#10
Posted 12 April 2005 - 01:23 PM
Todd
#11
Posted 19 April 2005 - 12:36 AM
I did not think that looked good at all, since hydrolocking didnt' do THAT to a spark plug. My next thought was that perhaps it jumped time and a valve hit the plug, or something got sucked into the motor and snapped a valve, or phungled the spark plug somehow. So after some more wrestling, and running back and forth between the shed and the car, we managed to get the head off. And this is what we found:
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Funny thing is, the rod and the wrist pin appear fine (Although I will be fully tearing the motor down to determine the cause of failure... My theory is she hit something, since there is a nice 2" or so deep dent in the front of the oil pan, smack dab in the middle.... Kinda weird cuz it appears that the piston cracked right around the wrist pin....
Oh well, new motor is $350

#12
Posted 19 April 2005 - 07:57 AM
No, that doesn't appear to be hydrolock. I'm not sure where a dent in the oil pan would cause this either. It seems like a case of piston failure. Kind of strange how the valves are broken off so far up the stem, it is like they were snapped off when the valves were wide open, but if they were, the piston (or rod and wrist pin in this case) would have been at the bottom of their stroke. I hate to think what the cylinder walls look like.
#13
Posted 19 April 2005 - 12:16 PM
#14
Posted 19 April 2005 - 03:18 PM

#15
Posted 19 April 2005 - 06:26 PM
Next engine leave off the Nitrous kit.
Oh come on, how are we gonna beat those hondas?
Ok, it was a honda wetdream.
#16
Posted 19 April 2005 - 10:02 PM
#17
Posted 20 April 2005 - 09:07 AM
I think that you must use the EJ18 intake manifold though.Putting in an EJ22 doesnt require a wiring harness change. THats what I would do.
#18
Posted 21 April 2005 - 08:23 PM

#19
Posted 21 April 2005 - 09:22 PM
Is that possibly the result of ping or predetonation over time?
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