Mad Gypsy

Is a car ever the same after a rebuild? My car has only done 24,000 miles and this will be it's second rebuild! API did the first one, not sure at what stage of the car's life.
If I decide to keep the car Barretts will do the next.
API must not have done a very good job for this to happen again.
Perhaps the car is a lemon and I should walk away, what do you lot reckon?

krazy

Difficult one.....
I would guess the cause of the problem wasn't fixed first time round if its exactly the same failure?
Have a good read through the board...use the search function..then make up your mind..(after you get even more confused).. its certainly not an uncommon failure. although there may be many causes..
Perhaps subaru have fixed the big end failure with the new (sti 7&lt engines with the cross drilled crank for extra oil flow etc. and a short block from one of those could be good if they fit?
If it was me, much as I like impreza's, I think i'd go for the refund...sorry

Leslie

When you get the car back, do a really good running in job, don't be tempted to wind it up until you have completed the 1000 mile and even then build it up slowly until you have done another 1000 miles. The difference to your engine is enormous and it will perform better and be more reliable.

Thats when you will be glad you stuck with it.

Les

john banks

What model/year is it and what are the modifications? What gauges if any do you have?

As krazy said more likely to be a common fault which damaged both engines rather than a fault with the build.

Detonation will kill any engine in time, and this is easily avoided by setting the car up right (I don't mean the engine build here).

Edit - just seen on your other thread that it is a V4 STi and been run on SUL only. Detonation related failure is therefore quite common. They need between 3 and 5 RON higher than has been used (100-102 RON). If you want to run an import on SUL you should make other modifications to it to allow this to be done safely (many ways of doing it). However, really it was the previous owner that needed to be told this as the damage was most likely gradual over time if it is a detonation related failure from inadequate octane.

A stronger engine build will also not solve the problem permanently unless you remove the cause. Please do this after the engine is rebuild - knocklink, boost gauge, Optimax AND a good octane booster or you could fit a front mounted intercooler and/or fit water injection and/or replace the ECU with a custom mapped reprogrammable unit.

[Edited by john banks - 12/07/2003 13:24:43]

Leviathan

I agree with John 100%
With respect, if you were running the car with sul and no octane booster, your asking for trouble!
Im not sure how many people know it but even with Optimax AND O.B the fuel is still some way off from 100-102 ron.
Said it before and il say it again, the safest thing to do is to get the ECU remapped to run on UK fuel.

submannz

I have found almost all Jap engines after a rebuild use more oil than they did from the factory.

lambo7

where can I get ECU remapped to run on UK fuel. ????
also how much would it cost..???
cheers
steve

Andy McCord

have a look here just pick the nearest to you, england & scotland

cliveyboy

i agree with you on the ap[i subject,i had my subaru blow 3x and i had gauges knocklink,re-mapped ecu,the lot!!my car was a wrx 98,did 50thou miles aT 289BHP,I then started changinig this and that and ok the bhp was well over 300,but even with octane and super,still the engine went!so i had the rebuild done 3rd time by api,and guess what,yep 5300mile it threw the crank,i was well pi**ed of and out of warranty,i threw well over 5grand at the engine and re-map,and the other bits,so i waved goodbye,i regret it now because running a cavalier and miss it so much,just wish i had gone to mark at lateral before i got rid,it's now got a legacy turbo engine in so been told and running perfect,but i wold recommend mark as all the info i had of him was and his reputation was the best,hope all goes well but stay away from api thats my verdict,cheers clive.

Mad Gypsy

API did the first rebuild, I'm not sure of the mileage when this was done though. I think everyone would do well to give API a wide birth.
I'm starting to wonder that if the rebuild was recent, perhaps the engine had not been run in properly?

john banks

I do not have any connections with API, know none of their cars and have never had contact with them, but I think it is totally unfair to blame the engine builder necessarily for the problems you've had, especially if another engine on the same car has also failed. Just as in the same way it is not always fair to blame the mapper, your oil, a failed part, Subaru design etc etc.

Suggests far more that there is something else about your car that is causing failure?

[Edited by john banks - 7/14/2003 9:16:10 PM]

Turbo_Steve

I'm completely with John. I've had dealings with API, and don't doubt their engine building ability. I suspect that they are a little less comfortable with some of the engine ancilleries (i.e. MAF, Lambda etc) but this is in no way a negative reflection on them.

If you run an import on anything other than Optimax it IS going to blow unless you remap it / add octane booster / water injection. No engine builder in the world is going to prevent that.

I might comment that Mark at Lateral is the considered authority on Subarus, so his opinion would not be amiss if you have any doubts. Perhaps you should get your MAF tested, as this can cause lean running, and combined with your completely inadequate fuel this could easily result in a big bang.


IF you are spending money on a rebuild, then coughing up a couple of hundred extra for a knocklink, oil pressure gauge and perhaps a remap (pre 97 cars can be remapped for under £100!!!) is surely a good investment.

At the end of the day, engines rarely let go of their own accord.
The failure is symptomatic of another problem: wrong oil, improper running in, MAF failure, apparently incorrect fitting of the headers can cause some serious issues.

In addition....are you running everything else standard?

MikeSTI7

Interesting thread. I have a Sti4 which has recently been had a major rebiuld (including upgrading the internals) and the fitting of a HKS front mount. I try to run the car on 102 most of the time but occasionally have to dip into the lower octanes. I immediatly reduce boost to no more that 0.8bar from currently a max of 1.2bar. I am considering a remap but see that ECutek don't do 98 and early if I read there web page right. So what altenatives are recommended

Turbo_Steve

ECU swap for something like a PowerFC?