So today i was on my way home and my 97 subaru legacy 2.5 just dies on me. Quietly. Threw me off guard it's never just died while driving. I go to start my engine again and nothing. I can hear it trying to start but something's jammed or seized i can hear it. I got it towed home and i look under the car and my entire drivers side wheel well is covered in oil and coolant (headgasket maybe) but no coolant in my oil and no oil in my coolant. I try to manually turn the crankshaft and it doesn't budge. I work on it awhile and it broke free but it's still really hard to turn and it only turns counter clockwise. Doesn't the crankshaft supposed to turn the other way? My question is, would anyone think i have bad internal damage? And would it be worth fixing?

sounds bad - rod cap might prevent turning one way vs the other.

 

you need to pull the timing covers and check cam/crank timing and components first I'd guess.

The timing is right. Maybe spun a bearing? This puzzles me. Update: It'll turn clockwise but maybe like 10° then stops completely. Still turns counterclockwise fully

The timing is right. Maybe spun a bearing? This puzzles me. Update: It'll turn clockwise but maybe like 10° then stops completely. Still turns counterclockwise fully

if you pull the plugs and use a 'stick' or something inside the plug holes to monitor the depth, you might find that, as you turn the crank, all but 1 piston is moving. That would be a 'thrown rod' situation.

Sounding like a thrown rod. Often on these motors they punch a hole through the top of the block right behind the engine stamp.

 

Assuming so, the next step cost effectively is finding a good used motor. You can use a 96-99 dual overhead cam 2.5.

 

Most of us prefer the more reliable 90-98 sohc 2.2 motor. They cost less than the 2.5 and last longer and are simpler to work on. The 1995 2.2 motor from a legacy or impreza will be direct bolt in. 96-98 require that you get the y pipe for the exhaust along with the motor as they switched to single port. The motors from manual cars run fine but will throw and egr code. There is a workaround with an egr intake manifold if needed. Ditto to the 90-94 motors.

 

I have a write up on a complete remove and reinstall on here. Takes about a day the first time. If you put a 2.2 in there, keep thebflex plate from the 2.5. Slightly larger diameter so it matches yoir trans.

When i turn the crank counterclockwise all the pistons move and compress. I'm going to pull the engine today and take a closer look. My theory is: headgasket blew hince the oil and coolant over the wheel well and dropped the oil pressure then starved the engine of oil. Hoping it's something fixable and not a thrown rod. But Any more ideas of what it could be would be greatly appreciated.

Generally this is how they fail. Headgaskets are a common and often recurring problem on these motors. The headgasket leads to failing rod bearings and eventually a thrown rod.

interesting about the pistons, but I suppose it could still be a rod cap or rod bearing issue of some kind

 

 

pull the oil drain plug and examine the oil for particles????

Best way is to cut the filter with a filter cutter and look in there. 

 

GD