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Can anyone recommend somewhere to purchase a re-manufactured motor with a warranty?Also,any idea what labor costs I could expect for a swap out?Thanks again for taking the time to help me with this.It's greatly appreciated! The rest of the car is in REALLY nice shape.NO rust at all.Brand new tires,brake system and total exhaust system a year and a half ago.Brand new alternator.I also have new struts,bushing set,tie rod ends and links waiting to go in.My only concern would be the Trans.How many miles do the Subaru trans typically make it to before problems.This one has been serviced several times over the last 10 yrs.

it was an external hg leak.Saw the old gasket.Mechanic told me the cylinders tops were so clean that he could still see the cross hatching on them.He was pleased with how clean it looked.I also wanted to mention that I happen to be outside when i activated the auto start and it failed to engage on the first attempt.Never noticed that before the work was done.That sways me toward a timing problem.Is it possible that the timing could be off so slightly that I wouldn't notice it on flat ground?But be enough to cause a rod/and or bearing to go in the bottom end?

No check engine light.I replaced the knock sensor in Sept. along with the battery,alternator,plugs and wires.I even unfastened the grounds around the engine compartment,wire brushed the connection points and applied an electrical anti-oxidant coating to them.Just an example of how I maintain my vehicles.This Forester should have seen 250k.The service/maintenance records for this car are almost as thick as the Chilton manual.I'd say 60% of them are from the mechanic I took it to.He knows the car was in tip top shape.He serviced it for years on a routine basis.Garage kept at home,parking garage at work till 2011.It's VERY clean.Everything works without flaw.Even the pull out cup holders are in mint shape! LOL.Had a guy ask me one morning at the deli,if I'd sell them.I'm beating myself over the head for not getting it back into the shop when I noticed the fuel economy drop and the dip in top end power.At the same time,I can't help but think that I'm not deserving of eating the whole cost of a motor swap or rebuild.There's a link between the work that was done and the "blown rod",as I'm being told anyway.As luck would have it,the owner of the shop who did the work on my car,has double pneumonia and I can't seem to get a return call.Any opinions on whether I should force the issue.I've been told by a few different qualified people that I should have an oil analysis done?

Firstly.Thank you both for your replies.The initial problem was an extrnl hg leak.Not quite an eighth" gap on the drvrside rear cylindr.He showed me the old parts,which was a nice suprise.He totally seems like an honest guy.I don't doubt his craftsmenship in his trade.I am absolutely guilty of procrastination whith having the symptoms addressed.Set aside my neglect and I ask this.The noticed loss in mpg and the lack of "zip" in the upper rpm range.Could that have anything to do with the valve work the machine shop did?The receipt says,"clean and reface valves,repair guides,install new valve seals and cam seals,clean check and tech two cylndr heads." It didn't seem out of time to me.I have previous exp with that.Idled good.Started good.Shut off smooth.Really just the inclines and when you had to get on it alittle.I could use your third party,uninfluenced opinions:) Do I have a leg here?How do I prove that the two shops work was not the "initial" cause of the problem?Is it resonable for me to feel that they should meet me half way with the repairs/replacement of a motor?Thanks again,really.Thanks.

I bought '02 Forester L in July(2013),off a close friends mother.Original owner.Garage kept for 9 years.Impecable service records.179k miles on it.All recommended interval maintenance performed as suggested.It was VERY well maintained.Had intermittent external Head Gasket leak.Took it to mechanic(@182K),which had been serciving vehicle for years and diagnosed leak prior to my acquiring car.Changed head gaskets,timing assembly,water pump and sent heads to be cleaned and spec'd.They refaced valves,repaired guides,installed new valve seals and cam seals.I was told two valves were dropping out of spec.The week I got it back,I noticed that it didn't seem to have the same 'zip' that it did.Especially under load.Going up hills.Calculated mpg week two at 16.7.Down from the 24 mpg it was getting before surgery.Due to circumstances with new job and harsh winter weather.Which the AWD was a must have for.I didn't bring it in right away.It never gave me any reason to be concerned about a major issue.No knocking,or tapping or surging.Just lower feul economy and what seemed to me as less pep.Well 1500 miles later.After racking up a whopping 41 miles a day commuting.It started losing power on a light incline,while in Cruise control at 68mph.Within a minute of noticing how the car wasn't maintaining Cruise speed.It shifted down twice and rev'd the rpm's up.That's when the tapping started.Then upon canceling Cruise and removing throttle input.The tapping became more like clattering.Pulled right over and called AAA.The same mechanic now tells me it threw a rod.???When he told me,after asking how the bottom end looked when he had it apart,that it was in great condition,That the cylinder heads were very clean.He could still see the cross hatch marks on the cylinder tops.He even said he inspected the Main Seal and it looked good.Sorry this post is a like a 'Short Story' but this is my first Subaru.Not the typical overhead cam that i've always owned.It seems a little odd to me that the bottom end,per say,went right after he told me how clean and good it looked.I pulled the dipstick after it shut off coming to a stop on the side of the highway.The oil appeared normal in color,but had a fuel like smell to it.Any one have any advice on this?He is taking the approach that this is the 'Luck of the draw' type thing.Said he was sorry that this happened to me and he'd make some calls to see what he could come up with for some options to replace/repair my motor.The bill came to $2,620.00! At 184K miles.Something doesn't add up to me.Any suggestions on what I should be asking this mechanic?What problems with the valves could cause the motor to blow a rod,if any??