I got my first Subaru the other day for dirt cheap. It's an automatic '97 Legacy GT with an EJ25 with 173xxx miles. It is pulling several codes, O2 Sensor, a fuel temperature code, and an EGR code. It has some universal Borla muffler (with a crack in it) attached to a Home-Depot-home-made midpipe that eliminates the cat, loads of piston slap and a misfire in cylinder one, horribly installed HIDs, and a Weapon R intake that is pulling oil through the PCV. Are there any tips you can give me to make this car work? I am going to clean out the EGR with some carb cleaner, add in the catalytic converter that was eliminated, use some Lucas and 10w-40 to aid the piston slap, and replace the fuel pump (supposedly the fuel temperature sensor is embedded in the pump?).

 

I am thinking about rebuilding the engine because the piston slap is pretty awful. I am also hoping to eventually do a manual transmission swap.

I know I am covering a lot with this thread, but are there any tricks or things you guys and gals could offer with my problems?

Edited November 15, 201114 yr by anthony.sosa11

you might be better off junking the car and saving up a month for a slighty better candidate.

haha, I have considered that, but it will be a project for me. I wanted a project.

I think I'd start with the misfire in cyl 1, and maybe get an exhaust and intake system from a junkyard. not sure really.

 

interesting path you've started down!

By dirt cheap I hope you mean under $100.

First things first. Piston lash? Assuming its making a knocking noise. Does the knocking go away when the engine warms up? That would indicate piston slap which is a benign condition. If the noise doesn't go away, it's probably a rod knock which means you get to rebuild it, or just scrap the engine and drop in another one.

 

Gonna guess that car has an after market header as well, which works but they can cause issues with CEL and I've heard some are prone to cracking. I'd just try to grab a whole exhaust assembly out of a junkyard like Lucky Texan Said.

No, not under $100, but cheap enough. A junkyard exhaust is probably what I will be doing. I have heard it referred to as piston slap by my friend's who own Subarus to whom I have described the issue. If it is knock, wouldn't it throw a code? (the knock sensor is fine, and torqued properly).

 

(sorry, I meant piston slap in my first post, not lash)

Edited November 15, 201114 yr by anthony.sosa11

"Please fix my problems for me"

 

If only life was that easy.

 

You might get a more sympathetic response by saying:

 

Please help me to fix my problems

 

or even better, actually state the nature of your problems in the title.

"Please fix my problems for me"

 

If only life was that easy.

 

You might get a more sympathetic response by saying:

 

Please help me to fix my problems

 

or even better, actually state the nature of your problems in the title.

 

sorry, I was just being humorous. If you read my post, you would see that there are far too many issues to put them all in the title without creating an assault on the eyes.

a thorough compression test might help you decide where to begin.

a thorough compression test might help you decide where to begin.

 

Good idea, that will be my next step. I am still not sure why I haven't done it yet.

I have heard it referred to as piston slap by my friend's who own Subarus to whom I have described the issue. If it is knock, wouldn't it throw a code? (the knock sensor is fine, and torqued properly).

 

(sorry, I meant piston slap in my first post, not lash)

 

Rod knock has nothing to do with what the knock sensor is looking for and generally won't throw a code. The knock sensor is looking for pre-ignition (detonation) in the cylinder, not bearings knocking around. Sure a knocking rod might be detected by the knock sensor, but it just pull timing which reduces power and fuel economy.

 

You will save a ton of time if you can find someone local to listen to the engine and let you know what they think is going on, diagnosing noises over teh internet is generally very time consuming and frustrating for everyone involved.

 

Good luck, but it sounds like you have high hopes for a "project".

As fairtax said... you really need to provide the duration of the noise to determine whether it is piston slap or rod knock. If it goes away when warm its probably piston slap. If not you have bigger problems most likely. I wouldnt go off of what someone told you it was unless you told them if it goes away or not.

If you have a constant knocking and a missfire in a cylinder something could be internally broken causing both issues. Kind of out of luck there.

Sounds like you have a very nice Project for the Coming months...

 

...a Weapon R intake that is pulling oil through the PCV. ...

 

Holy Cow! ... I've never seen one of those, Could you post Pics, please?

 

Kind Regards.

this is a car we would play demolition derby on our lot with and junk it for about 300 bucks.

It should be an interesting project. Do a compression (wet and dry) a leakdown test if you can, and a vac test. That should give you a good starting point as far as the engine goes. I wouldn't make fun of anyone's car. I've restored some of the biggest pos cars you can imagine and just loved them. Have fun!

this is a car we would play demolition derby on our lot with and junk it for about 300 bucks.

 

thats sad.....y would u do that? soob parts are hard to find as it is..... lol i know its fun but cant you do it to mitsubishi or nissans or better yet HONDAS....?

Rod knock has nothing to do with what the knock sensor is looking for and generally won't throw a code. The knock sensor is looking for pre-ignition (detonation) in the cylinder, not bearings knocking around. Sure a knocking rod might be detected by the knock sensor, but it just pull timing which reduces power and fuel economy.

 

You will save a ton of time if you can find someone local to listen to the engine and let you know what they think is going on, diagnosing noises over teh internet is generally very time consuming and frustrating for everyone involved.

 

Good luck, but it sounds like you have high hopes for a "project".

 

okay, thank you for the clarification.

 

Sounds like you have a very nice Project for the Coming months...

 

 

 

Holy Cow! ... I've never seen one of those, Could you post Pics, please?

 

Kind Regards.

 

here is a picture of someone else's: http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/2441/3361/31101680005_large.jpg

 

It should be an interesting project. Do a compression (wet and dry) a leakdown test if you can, and a vac test. That should give you a good starting point as far as the engine goes. I wouldn't make fun of anyone's car. I've restored some of the biggest pos cars you can imagine and just loved them. Have fun!

 

Thank you, I am sure I will have fun. What kind of numbers should I be looking for with those tests, anything specific?

 

As a side note; I was originally going to be restoring a '75 Porsche 914, but the guy sold it out from under me...what a jerk. I ended up saving a boat-load even if I rebuild this engine and getting a car that is considerably more practical since I already own a Miata and having two convertible roadsters would be kind of dumb (especially in winter).

 

To everyone who thinks I should scrap this car, or demo-derby it (though I do like that idea): I bought the car to learn more about how stuff works. I wanted a project simply for the learning experience, so no, I will not be getting rid my Legacy for a better working one. I will make it work no matter what it takes.