matt167 Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 A good friend of mine, finally got her car to me after the last person she had working on it gave up... Back story is we have always been really close, sorta complicated friendship... Head gaskets blew on her '04 WRX and I told her that is what was wrong. I was busy at the time but would have done the job. She did not want to bother me and had someone else she thought she could trust, attempt it. All he did was probably $1-2k in damages as well as the car was keyed while on his property. Pulled intake and couldn't figure out how to get engine out.. She picked a real winner Rotated the engine over with timing covers and belt removed. I'm not really sure why that would even be considered removed at that point. The engine has to come out anyway. But now, probably some valve issues at least. It has spun over 100% disassembled the intake, pulled A/C bracket entirely. Various sensors ect... Pulled A/C pump rather than set aside... Now, I'm the lucky one that gets to fix it, and the cheapest way for her is to buy my EJ205 off of me, and I'll long block it for her The shop was humid enough that the aluminum on the block is getting corrosion and all the timing components are rusty, so I'm fairly positive the A/C system needs a drier at least Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 with teh belts off, it's unlikey that the valves were open far enough to bend. They ussually don't hang out fully open against a lobe. Do some legwork before you condem it. Valve clearance check? Leakdown? Unless you are just trying to sell an engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Agreed, if it was turned over by hand, it's fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt167 Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 (edited) Deff not just trying to sell an engine, but I popped the hood and it was a "WTF" moment.. A normal shop wouldn't touch it the way it is. I wouldn't doubt he may have bumped it with the starter.... I can pull it and check it though. She had bought a full gasket kit for it. Edited July 28, 2017 by matt167 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Even with the starter, there's a pretty good chance the valves were closed. It sounds like in it's current state of disassembly, it's not much extra work to pull the heads and check for damage. And a very good chance it survived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt167 Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Even with the starter, there's a pretty good chance the valves were closed. It sounds like in it's current state of disassembly, it's not much extra work to pull the heads and check for damage. And a very good chance it survived. Yeah, I'm going to pop them off and see.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureSubaru Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 (edited) Cute girls with car trouble attract every pompous know it all wanting to show off for her. I was helping a friend in college with her car and three different buddies of mine each started acting as if they knew all about motors when i knew they were mechanically illiterate. One even took the "flux capacitor" bait. But yeah, chances are he just wasted her time and yours and that motor doesn't need a whole lot more than it did originally. If he was enough of a dolt to do as he did, he was hopefully nervous/hesitant enough to not do anything reckless. (Fingers crossed anyway) Edited July 29, 2017 by AdventureSubaru 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt167 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 (edited) I know he was cranking the engine over trying to remove the bolts from the back side of the flywheel.. She had told me he needed a " special tool " to get those bolts out, with a pic he took of it, and I was like " Uhh, NO that's backwards ".. It was shortly after that he gave up because he couldn't figure it out, and she had to work on getting car up here. He also made her buy head bolts because he thought they were one time use. I had told her to tell him, no they were not and to take the car from him if he refused because he could mess up the torque sequence since he didn't know chit. and I had also provided the FSM for her car to her, so that she could give it to him. Still he made her buy them, and they are cheap aftermarkets I'm not sure I want to use anyway. How it happened was, he ran a local detailing/ minor exterior repair shop for a short time. She knew him vaguely and had an appointment to have him install her headlights she got. Head gaskets blew earlier that day, and she still went to the appt on her way back to her house, and then he started helping her with it doing amateur stuff ( thermostat, try bleeding ect... ). Then said he could do the head gaskets for little money. So he really did use his business model, to realistically wreck the car. Edited July 29, 2017 by matt167 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Agreed that's bad. I also think she made a bad decision but I get that the majority of people don't know how to do that but if someone knows you they have somewhat of a resource for vetting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt167 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 She knows she made a huge mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 A 13 year old turbo car doesn't sound like the best choice for her. These are neither simple nor cheap to maintain. Fix it and get something more suited to her budget would be my advice. GD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt167 Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 I agree, but she was dead set on a WRX when she was looking. Would not take a regular Impreza. But she was also more financially stable then. She also owes the bank for another year.. I'm actually the one who told her to get this car when I looked it over. It was all stock in and out. She got 2 years nearly trouble free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt167 Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 (edited) I think the best bet for me, is to get a new set of pistons for her EJ205, and check the valves, buy a set if needed. Looks like at best it would be around a $250 setback... I wouldn't be using any aftermarket hop up stuff.. This way I won't be giving up my engine Edited July 30, 2017 by matt167 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 What's wrong with the pistons? GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt167 Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 It was drinking oil. Just figuring they probably have ring issues. Could have been head gaskets doing it though. I knew the engine was gonna have an issue at some point and then it did.. I think ill re ring them at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 (edited) Just install new rings. Don't hone it or replace the pistons. It may also need a new turbo cartridge. GD Edited July 30, 2017 by GeneralDisorder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt167 Posted August 3, 2017 Author Share Posted August 3, 2017 I've now pulled the engine and chucked it up on my stand. Went through the parts she has in the way they left them. Everything is there except the new timing belt she bought and a few bolts I know are missing... But, pulled clutch to put the stand on, and it's junk. Factory exhaust manifolds are junk rusted crap. Up pipe is the stock catted pipe so it's junk even if it's not. Turbo has oil in it, so it needs a cartridge. Becomes a point of, get it running cheap or send it down the road.. The car itself is still good in appearance and the underside is spotless but I feel the rocker covers are hiding ugly since there is slight evidence as it is with them on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted August 3, 2017 Share Posted August 3, 2017 Ebay chinese turbo cartridge. Used non-catted stock uppipe. I wouldn't cheap out on the clutch - Exedy is pretty reasonable really. Might get by with a disc and the bearings. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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