9 hours ago, idosubaru said:

What did you end up doing about the scored rod?

That was from the junkyard motor I pulled... Basically took a $350 gamble to avoid having to do another rebuild... didn't pay off.  Was hoping I coulda at least have used the heads, but the cam journals were shot.  I ended up using the valves from the junkyard motor, everything else was from my original motor.

Been slacking, haven't worked on the subaru much. I did read somewhere last week that if you see any wet on the tensioner it's time to replace it.

I saw a little bit of wetness and I don't have any record of it ever being replaced, so I went ahead and threw on a new Aisin replacement tensioner. Did the plugs and now the motor is ready to drop in. Still have some work to do on the body. I think the torque converter needs to be pushed in. Also, the CV boots were leaking as I used zip ties to clamp them on. I gonna do some cleanup of grease and oil, and then re-clamp the CV boots with the proper tool.

Also, this piece fell of something during the engine removal. Anyone know what it's from?

I also replaced a tensioner with oil on the top. But, I have seen a document from Subaru saying it's OK. I don't regret what I did, just wondering what GD, Ido, others think is going on?

Yeah, I'd love to hear what others do as well.

I wasn't able to push it in by hand or anything (I've read some accounts where people were able to push it in with their thumbs).

 

Anyway, I finished putting the motor back in on Saturday, started bleeding the coolant over the weekend and today.  Noticed a few random plumes of smoke, thought it might have just been left over crap on the exhaust from the rebuild.

 

But no, there's a nice little leak right underneath the lower crossmember (right where you jack up the front). It looks like oil, seems to be coming from the camshaft cap RTV seal, dripping down the motor mount and onto the cross member.   I used permatex ultra grey this time around as I couldn't find the 3M 08672 I used 4 years ago.

 

It never ends 

I definitely would have replaced that tensioner. It has a hydraulic damper in it, which can leak and fail. I have had a Gates tensioner blow the damper and just operate from the spring, and it would slam closed and sounded like an engine knock. I can't believe it didn't jump timing.

Yeah, I didn't experience anything sounding like a knock.  But I'm glad I caught it before it got worse and while it was easy to repair.  Took like 15 minutes with the motor on the stand.  

The oil leak turned out to be a lose cam cap bolt.  I guess I missed that one.  Torqued that one up and double checked the adjacent bolt, and no more leaks or other issues to report.  

Been using the car more and more around town, no hiccups.  Hoping that the broken belt and bent valves will soon become a distant memory.