Delfonic

3 months ago I bought Blobeye STI with 49,000 miles. My first Subaru.
I've now been told it needs a bottom end rebuild.
Oil is to blame.
It was last checked 70 days ago when it was full. Since then it's used 2.5 litres for 2,000 miles.

I'm being offered two options.

First is rebuild of bottom end for £3,000+
The other option is buying a NEW shortblock for £1,500+VAT, which brings the total to £3,500+.

Is it worth paying the £500 extra to have new shortblock installed rather than rebuild to take advantage of fresh new pistons?

poffer1

With a price difference of just £500 for a new short block vs rebuilt - the new block is a no brainer.

However, before you go putting in new parts, you need to find out where the oil went. Something must be worn for the car to use 1 litre every 800 miles....

Could be leaks (but you should be able to see that), piston/ring/bore wear or head (valves/seals). If it's bores, you are good to go. Leaks or valves and you may need more work (£).

Kaeo

iTrader: (1)

You didn't check your oil for over two months? Whelp, you wont make that mistake again.

Tidgy

3k rebuild sounds too cheap.

scooby2.5maz

iTrader: (16)

I can get a closed decked , 2.5 forged build for less than 3k

Maz

johnlogie

iTrader: (4)

Where? And what kind of power/boost will it be able to run?

Tidgy

That in the car drive away including mapping etc?

The Rig

iTrader: (13)

If you need to check your oil every 2 months your car is ****ed , so don't harp on as if he is an idiot for not checking in 2 months

scooby2.5maz

iTrader: (16)

500 bhp easy !

scooby2.5maz

iTrader: (16)

Drive in and drive out yep , not mapping !!

Tidgy

and what is actually included within that cost? pistons, rods, crank, bearings, head studs, head gasket kit, oil pump, any head work? etc etc

sounds way too cheap to me

ossett2k2

iTrader: (9)

Is this the price for you,like mates rates or will the engine builder do this price for anyone?

TECHNOPUG

iTrader: (1)

The oil could be leaking from anywhere. If the engine was burning it, I'd imagine that you'd notice 2.5litres worth of smoke in a couple of months. If you checked the oil every couple of weeks, you'd notice you were losing some and might have been able to identify and fix the issue before it trashed the bottom end and landed you with a £3k bill. Or at the very least, kept topping it up.

Especially if I had only bought the car 3 months ago - I'd be checking the oil every week! To lose that much though does sound like something pretty terminal has failed and I'd suspect that the previous owner must have been aware of this...

Delfonic

The garage is offering me a NEW shortblock for £1,500+VAT but websites are selling them for £2,000+VAT. Is the difference just profit markup for the online retailers? Is it really possible for a garage to get them cheaper?

The garage is a local Subaru specialist but also sells parts and breaker, they do seem to have good reputation on here. Sometimes I get paranoid that I'm not being given genuinely new parts, or is that unfair?

ossett2k2

iTrader: (9)

Unless it's not been check right in the first place?
Can be a pain and you can get false readings of not done right.

As has been said that's a lot of oil missing not to notice a leak or smoke.

johnlogie

iTrader: (4)

Why didn't the oil light come on when the level got low?

ossett2k2

iTrader: (9)

Fair point.
At what level should the low oil light come on? Assuming it's used 2.5ltr there would be 2ltr still in there.
Does the oil light work on a pressure sensor?
Is it as good(bad) as the Subaru temp gauge which only reads hot when it's cooked?

Gambit

iTrader: (6)

its an oil pressure light.

assuming its run low on oil it will probably still have pressure when at idle and pickup is submerged, but any cornering/accelerating/deaccelerating can cause oil starvation in the sump as oil sloshes around leaving the pickup sucking air.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

That's why mine has a decent oil pressure gauge.

johnlogie

iTrader: (4)

So the oil light is only for pressure and isn't a low oil warning also?
That's a ****e set up!

TECHNOPUG

iTrader: (1)

I think that the oil pressure warning switch is set so low, that by the time it comes on, you've more than likely already caused damage.

I'm not sure how useful or accurate and oil level light would be when an engine is running?

Tidgy

oil level indicator works fine, if it has one. My dads XV has one.

As far as the oil pressure light, if its genuinly low enough to bring the light on just write the engine off straight away.

TECHNOPUG

iTrader: (1)

It should be a "£££" sign rather than an "oil can"

Tidgy

haha yeah abotu right

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Subaru oil light has been lovingly know as the 'Engine fv@ked light' for years... in that it only comes on when the engine is fv@ked.

I used to check my oil every time I filled up with fuel... as it's a really good time to do it with it generally being on level ground and standing for a good few mins.

Pull the bonnet release at the same time as the fuel cap cover, jump out pull the dip stick out and then fill up, after I've paid I then just give it a quick check, adds maybe 30 seconds to the filling up process, plus I live on a hill and my driveway isn't level, it's just about getting into a routine, still do it now with my Golf.

Kaeo

iTrader: (1)

And yet his car is ****ed and therefore my point stands.

scooby2.5maz

iTrader: (16)

Fully forged , 14mm studs and yes it's mates rates