Help for a potential new owner - Hawkeye engine reliability.
 

Hi,

Hoping you guys can help steer me. I am a potential new owner.Currently have an S2000 which I just run insummer.Fancy an STI as a day to day car– always admired them.

As usual I read for hours on here trying to learn about thecars and what to look for. I have seen anice STI hawkeye, 2006 – 75000miles.Itsstandard as far as owner knows.

Only thing worrying me is the horror stories on 2.5L enginesand ringland failures. Feels like thekind of thing that people report when something goes wrong but there are surelymore people with a good experience.

I was hoping you guys could give me a steer on if I shouldbe overly cautious of a 2006 with 75k miles. It’s the original engine etc.Icalled Subaru dealer to ask about any maps that should be flashed on it.They said the car has never been to them fora flash but at the same time they have no recall listed on it either.

Should I consider the hawk or should I just look for ablob. Its really a standard STI in theAberdeen area I want.

Hopefully you can help, I did use the search but found goodand bad stories.

Thanks,
Mike

I had the same thoughts as you when I was buying my hawk STI...It's used as my daily, I drive it quite hard and now done 92k on original engine pistons and head gaskets and still going strong!
I know a lot of people have had issues but it's not all of them!

As much as people will say they are good or bad...it's pot luck at the end of the day, I've known standard cars break with standard power and also modded ones, the safe money is in the 2.0l or a JDM hawk which are the same 2.0l but price differences can be quite a lot.

I'm asking a similar question on another thread but about the newest model cars. Getting answers to these questions is always difficult, especially as you never know about mods and how much a car has been abused, and owners who have had issues are the ones who come on here to complain and skew the picture. All those owners who've never had issues rarely shout about it. My experience: Hawkeye from new, never had an issue and it has been driven hard at times (Ring trips, track days etc) but it is standard, looked after and only just done 60k miles. I think it's the hatch onwards when the problems really started.

It's really difficult isn't it. I find that there is always an issue with every car. Take the S2000 for example - on s2ki the lads all claim post 2008 is a ticking time bomb yet plenty of people have them and the command big money.

I guess the whole 2.5l is just making me nervous. Any +100k Hawkeyes on here on original engine?

Like Pink Ninja said, think its pot luck at the end of the day really, i went for an standard one with loads of history and fairly low miles(57k) on an 06 plate, not been any bother thus far

Bit of a lottery really, some people are running 100k+ on standard internals - others have had HG failure at 30k.

Best off looking for a 2.5 forged build or a 2.0 JDM if your budget will stretch to it.

Not sure if you like the Spec D model, but this one seems worth a look.

http://hjmotors.co.uk/vehicle/name/s...orged-375-bhp/

I wouldn't worry too much mate!...most of the people who end up with those problems is because they've pushed the engine further than it should go. If you wanted more power, the safest way to go would be to forge it which should prolong the life.

I just want a standard STI. To be honest I was surprised how much quicker it was than my s2000. Don't feel the need for more power. I just want that burble!

That spec d was floated for its forged internals rather than the extra power, but that is a significant bonus, in fact that is a stunning Hawkeye...£11k of stunning? I guess it's what anyone wants to pay for it.

I wouldent be too surprised bud, that's what torque feels like :lol1:

I had a UK hawk Sti before my current spec C. Totally standard and mint, had 33k on the clock when I sold it to a friend. He's now covered a couple more thousand and it's still running perfectly. Engine is as quiet as a mouse. Unfortunately, even against my recommendation not to, he's put an HKS dump valve on it. :cry:

It really is hit or miss with the 2.5 though. I'd just say look for the lowest mileage example you can and buy standard. Or buy a forged example. Or buy a JDM.

It's a 75kmiles one I'm looking at. Had timing belt changed twice and recent clutch. Engine sounds fine. No smoke or anything and pulls well.

I hear you on torque. However I'm keeping the s2000 too. Can't part with it.

That ad is terrible!
No commas, full stops or paragraphs!
In the heading they quote 375bhp, but in the write up 351bhp!

2.5 ticking time bomb
All the lucky owners will come on defending g them though

Check out the hundreds of posts on scoobynet on the engine
Basically it might go pop then You neeed a rebuild and forge which will set you back 3-5 k so do you need that cost of a car approaching 10 years old ?

Don't listen to half of on here mate the 2.5 makes a great road car bags of torque I've owned a 2litre blob and now own a 2.5 hawk sti mine is forged though couldn't go back a 2 after this drive both yourself and see for your self my advise is buy a well maintained standard one or a well looked after tuned forged one I'm lucky mine is the latter love it to bits

Hi there I have a hawkeye sti 2006 I had the head gaskets go on mine but that was just after I got it remapped I dare say if I left it alone it would have been fine i got Roger clark head gaskets and arp head studs done and haven't had a problem since I'm from the aberdeen area and there is a nice rb320 at kintore car sales just now

I seen that one! Very pricey! Too high for me afraid but a very nice looking car.

How many miles did yours do before head gasket went?

I went down the UK Hawk with forged engine route. Very happy. The JDM cars don't have the burble, which for me, is what the Scooby is all about. Plus being a 2.5L you get more torque lower down.


That Spec D looks very nice to me (at face value). My car cost me north of 11k. It was the 7 grand's worth of recent engine rebuild that got my attention. Mated to a billet turbo and running 355bhp, 375lbft that seemed sensible power for a daily runner.


If it was me, I'd always be worrying about engine failure if running on stock internals. If you go down that route, start putting money in a piggy bank just in case you need it somewhere down the road.

Mine went at 65000 miles

OP - If your heart is set on this car, I would advise a compression / leakdown and sniff test.

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/2-5-lite...formation.html

Personally, I would still look for a forged build. If it all goes Pete Tong you're looking at up to £5k for a proper rebuild. :cry:

Decided to pass on the hawk. Car was really nice but few things in the paper work made me feel uneasy. My search continues but I feel ok about my decision so it was the right one.

Man I will say buying a hawk is a daunting experience. I spoke to four independent garages and they all said headgasket and ringland. It seems like that engine is fairly well known. Wonder if that's why blobs cost so much?

I think I'm correct in saying you won't get the "full burble" from a JDM due to the equal length headers?

I missed the burble but With a blitz nur spec on along with pops and bangs you won't miss the burble at all it's still there:thumb:

Mines up for sale at a £14k full uk history been in country since new a lot of rare mods won't find one like it blah blah blah:D :thumb:

You got a link to an ad?

Not advertised mate but on thread "e2 any JDM WIDETRACK" 41k miles full history if I ever sell I'm putting in another 4K for a S203 I have my eyes on then put a hole in its roof :thumb:

At the end of the day everything has its price mate and mines £14k as it is not taking nothing off:D

God so many inconsistant and incorrect "myths".

2ltr v 2.5.

2.5 suffers more reliability issues due to numerous design faults, mainly being piston, oil feed location, ecu map and more prone to cylinders cracking.

Torque.
2ltr UK engine, least torque
2ltr JDM twin scroll, most torque, produces this lower down the rev range over any of the others.
2.5 ltr single scroll, in the middle, not normally felt under 3.5-4k.

Burble.
The 2ltr twin scroll still burbles slightly at idle, its sound is far more "rally car" than any of the others due to the rally cars running equal length headers (these give more torque and lower down the rev range).

Overall drivers car for on road drivability?

1st by quite some margin, JDM 2ltr Twin Scroll.
2nd 2.5 if its running well ;)
3rd 2ltr UK.

Couldn't have put it in words any better spot on tony:thumb: