Hi All

Looking to get a hawkeye sti but heard a few problems with the engines, pistons and head gasket. I heard to get the engine forged and have had quotes for 3.5 to 5k from subaru4u and fb tuning.

I'm not looking for power gains but just reliability and have been advised I can get the head gasket done and just drop in aftermarket pistons for 2k.

Would this cure the common problem or would a full forged route be best way to go.

 

Hi,

If you're planing on keeping the car, fully forged is the way I'd go and I'm a big believer in do it right and properly the first time.

Fully forged 2.5 is near bomb proof

 

I was thinking just to have the car for a year or if maybe longer depending on how I get on.

 

As said do it right do it once. It's better to use hone to fit pistons, not drop ins, you can't guarantee perfect wall clearance that way.
With that in mind you could see how it goes for now whilst you save up for a proper built engine. If a ring land goes sooner than expected you can bore out to the next size anyway - most of the time that is.

 

So if the engine goes, i could just go ahead and get it forged afterwards. Can you forge a blown engine of will i need a new one.

 

There's no guarantees your engine will be useable after ring land failure. But plenty of people can and do rebore and fit forged pistons after ring land failure. Along with the possible block damage it is possible for a piece of piston to damage the head aswell.

It's detonation which kills the ring lands along with using the wrong fuel. Along with a known poorly designed piston

If you run on v-power/ momentum ALL the time and go and get a safe tune from a respected mapper, you will minimise the risks of failure in the first place.

 

Got a forged 2.5 for mine for £1500 from a very respected breakers and sold my other engine for £1000 ,, so £500 quid later iv now got a forged hawk 2.5 ,,, if it hasn't gone bang then don't rush and you might be able to save quite a bit as they do pop up second hand every now and again

 

Yh that's a very good idea. How much did it cost in total to have the conversion done.

 

New engine cost £1500 -£1000 for old engine so £500
Brought a new cambelt £150
New up rated oil pump £200
New oil and filter £60

Done all the fitting myself so was under £1000 in total but as I'd saved a few quid I added a few extras like reprinting the manifold and cam covers

Before it went in

 

I wouldn't be able to do that myself. Is very common for these engines to mess up as I see some wid 50\60k with no work done or does it just come down to your luck I guess.

 

Its all a matter of opinion really ,, and going in with your eyes open and all the facts ,, my moto is hope for the best but plan for the worst ,,, so with me buying a 2.5 I had it in my head that one day it COULD go bang ,, there is nothing to say that it wouldn't of lasted till 100k but I wasn't willing to wait till my other engine was worthless and I had no choice but to build a new engine (5k to do it properly from new),,, there a quite a few standard 2.5's that have lasted really well and have high miles but you tend to hear about the problems rarther than people posting up saying "yep still fine" so searching the net will only cause you to worry more IMO

 

spot on advice.SJ.

 

Ive been mad busy with 2.5's recently, ive stripped/built 7 in the past 2 weeks, some came in for a forged upgrade but were running fine, a couple have knocked the crank out. None reported any ring land/oil usage issues. However 6 out of the seven had between 1 and 3 pistons with cracked ringlands, even though they had no physical evidence of the issue.
If you do have a failure with a broken piston it can cost alot more to forge, eg block, rods, modine, turbo damage etc etc.

 

I don't wana get the rebuild done unless I have to but have planned for the worst. Hopefully the one I get is strong and reliable like with some.

 

speak to Paul Finch if you want some honest answers and recommendations if caught early will cost lest but I was more due to other upgrades on the car all in I was 3k

 

Who's Paul finch.

 

http://www.finchmotorsport.co.uk/page.php?a=2&s=63&p=63
Paul Built my engine after it suffered Ringland failure hes a top bloke worth the distance, I travelled over 600 miles one way to get him to do my engine

 

Where is he based

 

Spoke to them, seem well nice and gave good advice. Would you guys vouch for them for honest work.

 

Had to be done lol

 

I will
Trev

 

That's good to know. If a Scooby has 5/6 owners, Is that quite common and would you consider that safe to purchase as it has fsh. I going to look at one this week.

 

I would vouch for Paul 100% did a fantastic job on mines bloody strong engine now

 

Any advice on the above. Also what would you consider is better color for hawk, black or blue.

 

any 7 year old car will be a gamble, for instance ive had mines over 4 years and 1 previous owner, had full service history and I changed all fluids between services. Still had major ringland failure but ran fine just the odd hesitation, moral of story is their not new cars its a gamble as always, if its the car you want and its the right time get it, as for colour that's your own decision mines is black would love white but love my black one

 

Not fussed about the engine problems as I have that covered but was finking of resale.

I seen a blue with 50k miles and black with 60 so cant make my mind up. Both have 5/6 owners at similar price.