Is it normal for a crank shaft in a EJ22 Turbo engine to slide about an 1/8" back and forth when the engine is out of the car? The crank gear is on and the flywheel is bolted on so there's nothing you can tighten up to stop if from moving in and out when you pull and push on it.

 

I bought a car yesterday and ended up giving the guy $500 less than he was asking and he kept the block for now but I got the heads and everything else(heads are off a 2.0 DOHC). A friend of his told him it was the bearings were worn out and needed to be replaced and that was going for be $400 for labor and $50 for bearings. He kept the block and called the guy who sold it to him who owns a subaru shop and he said it's normal for 5 speed engines to have play in the crank shaft like this. He was going to see if the guy would replace the bearings for free for selling it to him like that but he's not going to do it since he thinks the motor is fine.

 

I want to put this motor in my car with a new clutch, oil pump, water pump, tensioner, idlers, knock sensor, crank sensor(someone ripped the wires out of it), head gaskets, etc and I don't want to get this thing together and run into problems or have something break.

 

I may eventually build this motor up and run a bigger turbo on it. I'm not sure but I want it to last and be able to handle power.

 

Is this engine OK or should I go find a new one? It's not worth $450 to have someone replace the bearings when you can get a whole engine for that much.

I don't have a manual for an ej22, but the one for an ea82 states maximum crankshaft thrust is .012 inch. One eighth inch is 10 times that at .125 inch.

 

I would get another motor. That one had an oiling problem (or a super stiff clutch) that wiped out the thrust bearing, assuming the ej22 spec is the same/similar to an ea82.

Alright I called subaru dealer and they told me that if it's got that much play than it's either been driven really hard or overheated and it should never have that much play in it.

 

I looked it up in my haynes manual and it says (if I'm looking at the right spec) that the Crankshaft Endplay should be between .0012 - .0045" and maxiumum service limit it .010 so .125 which is around what it's at now is WAY to much play. It's 27 times more play than it should be without replacing the bearings. Which was quoted to me for $450 from the subaru shop up north.

 

So I just called the guy and left him a message. The guy he bought it from is either lieing or he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Yeah that's what I thought. It moves way too much. So I already have the rest of the motor and I guess now I have to find a block.

 

Anybody know where you can buy subaru shortblocks rebuilt or really low milage or even new for $500 or so?

It's a uncommonly mentioned problem with Phase I EJ engines. Subaru moved the thrust bearing to the rear on Phase II engines for a reason.

 

I'd say crack the case and see if the crankshaft has scraped up against the walls of the block. If it has, you'll notice it immediately. My guess is that it has if it's moving that much.

 

Even if it has, you could probably still get away with just replacing the bearings. Up to you.

Problem with that is, I have to give him the $500 I kept if I want the block and I don't know what I'm doing so I don't think it's a good idea for me to try to open up the block and replace them myself.

 

Don't you think for $500 I could find a good block or even a motor?

Alright so I'm not going to use that block because I don't want to pay the $500 to get it from him.

 

Does anybody know where I should go from here? Or have a suggestion?

 

I have all the rest of the EJ22 Turbo motor except the block with all the internals in it. I have the EJ20G DOHC JDM heads too.

 

Should I try to find a shortblock in good condition or rebuilt? Should I just find a whole engine and put the DOHC heads on it? Should I bother with putting the heads on a motor?

 

Any other ideas are welcome too. I basically need help, don't know how I should get this car running.

 

What about those EJ20 twin turbo motors on ebay for $1000-$1300 with the ECU, wire harness, tranny, rear diff, etc etc? Could I get one of those and just run a single turbo off it without any modifications? Will my USDM ECU for the EJ22 turbo work with one of those engines?

 

Help!

I think my son may still have a turbo block for you, or the long block if you want it. Jdew86@hotmail.com

 

Later, Larry

That's pretty far away. How much would shipping be? Is that his email or yours? Do you know the details on the engine? Milage? Condition? Price?

 

I'll email these questions. Thanks.