'Budget' DIY Engine Rebuild
 

Welcome to my 'budget' rebuild thread. I'll be posting up photos and progress notes as I go, hopefully it'll be useful or interesting to others. The engine in my MY98 WRX Wagon was rebuilt a couple of years ago at 112k miles by a firm that rapidly went bust and I've never quite been sure of the standard of the work. It recently started rattling half an hour after a (very rare) trip to the rev limiter. Money is very, very tight but I have plenty of evenings available and a decent garage and tools, plus the confidence to do the job myself because of all the encouragement I've had on here from other Snetters.

Current spec is:

• FUELLING - Walbro 255 l/h pump, DIY parallel & heat-shrouded fuel lines, SARD adjustable regulator @ 3.5 bar, STi 440cc yellow injectors serviced/tested by Lateral
• INTAKE - K&N induction kit, Nismo Z32 MAF, Samco v4 inlet hose, TD05-16G front entry turbo, Autobahn88 FMIC with insulated pipe return & STi charge temp sensor, mildly ported throttle body & phase 1.5 inlet manifold, Carl Davey header tank & manifold spacers
• EXHAUST - Harvey Smith wrapped & ported headers & up-pipe, Graham Goode sports catted downpipe, H&S straight-through centre, Prodrive WR Sport backbox
• ELECTRICS - Apexi Power FC mapped by Zen Performance to 1.45 bar boost, 3 port boost solenoid, NGK PFR7B plugs
• ENGINE - Standard 2.0 EJ20 WRX block with early WRX heads

It's always had compressor surge problems and never made the power it should have even though the boost is there, detonation is well under control, air/fuel ratio is right, etc etc. I have always suspected something not quite right with the previous build so this will be a good chance to see exactly what I paid for even though it's far too late to do anything about it now! At this stage I'm still not decided on whether to replace my current block with an EJ257 or to stick with 2.0 power where I could reuse a lot of what I already have. I want to avoid having to go down the path of 'to do this you must first do that' as David at API wisely warned me about! If I had my way I'd do a forged 2.5 build with a 6 speed gearbox but I have to keep costs right down and do as much as possible myself. If I can do the whole job for under a grand I'll be very pleased.

My black wagon:

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...47740049_o.jpg


Bonnet up, battery out:
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...21900128_o.jpg


Hope it all goes back together again!
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...21900137_o.jpg


FMIC pipes off, coolant drained, oil drained:

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...21900148_o.jpg


Manifold off, breather pipes everywhere!
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...21900162_o.jpg


Close up of TD05-16G and manifold spacers. Note the very short inlet pipe flange on the compressor because it was a brand new 90 degree 16g that had been machined down to front entry. This short flange along with 10mm manifold spacers makes it almost impossible to get any inlet pipe to join up to the turbo, if it's still constrained under the manifold:
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...21900166_o.jpg

Doesn't look too untidy at the moment. Almost ready to try and lift the engine.
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...21900176_o.jpg


What came out so far:
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...21900182_o.jpg


Top side of my modified inlet manifold - I've taken all of the hard pipes out underneath while doing my parallel fuel rail job, so the turbo inlet hose is now completely separate from the manifold. Also you can see the regulator which usually lives on the n/s of the manifold now that I have no hard pipes there to get in the way:
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...21900185_o.jpg


Underside of manifold showing fuel pipe routing and heat insulating sleeving, particularly on the offside where it runs very close to the turbo:

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...21900191_o.jpg


Now I've just got a few more bits to remove, really just to clear all the pipes and wiring away from the actual engine, then I'll take off the water pipes and disconnect the loom on each side, and then I suppose remove the headers/up-pipe/turbo/downpipe? Or maybe just unbolt it at the downpipe and that will be enough?

Hope everything goes well mate.

Wayne.

Good luck, have fun !

Silent,

Check out ebay for this item (removed to keep it secret)

Its a 2.0lt closed deck block that needs bearings and crank. It laready has forged pistons.

Wayne.

Nice one! I've already sent off a message. Looks like I'll be living on ebay for the next few months. If I can pick up a CDB cheapish then I might as well.

the fun part is putting it back together.
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...nun/car007.jpg

have fun:D

You need to be a tad more organised than that lol.

http://www.scoob.co.uk/inbits.jpg

One thing I will say is don't try and build the engine on the floor. I built mine on a tool chest before I spent £40 odd on an engine stand.

Storing stuff on the floor is ok just make sure its well out of the way otherwise you might kick it or something into it which as sod's law dictates will be in the one place that does matter like a mating face etc.

When you first start assembly clean clean clean and then clean again!!

Good luck and I'm here to help if you need me :)

Daz

I've got a pallet ready and borrowing my mate's stand. Where does it bolt to the stand? The gearbox side? Any particular holes, or just the ones round the perimeter that actually hold the box on?

Yes thats right.

the blue looks good!

I'm still toying with the idea of various 'options' while I build up the engine - a hammerite white inlet manifold, a set of Samco coolant pipes etc. But then I reminded myself this is supposed to be budget.

ah feature creep. Mine started as a budget rebuild now look at it!!!!

http://www.scoob.co.uk/rebuild/engineoct.jpg


http://www.scoob.co.uk/rebuild/enginemay07.jpg

Lol, a slippery path!!

Good luck with the build, looks like you have made a decent start. I always keep a few freezer bags around so I can mark and store all the fixings for the separate bolt on items...reduces the required swearing a little :lol1:

LOL @ 'feature creep'. I'm going to dig out some baggies and stuff for marking everything up. I'm pretty good with hoses and bolts - my system (and probably most others') is that I tag hoses and wires with a written label in masking tape as I take them off and I screw bolts back in from where they came originally so I don't get them muddled up. Most likely too obvious to even mention for the experts on here, but it's helped me reduce clutter and confusion a lot, especially when doing inlet manifold removal and replacement.

just helps remove a little stress from the whole job...

Attachment 49878

You've got funny looking fuel rails! ;)

the irony of that shot is I didn't need any of them because I converted it to parallel and didn't need to reuse the mounting points :brickwall:lol1:

Any tips with the actual craning out of the engine? Situation at the moment is, the inlet manifold's off, wiring and plumbing is mostly out, later on this week I'll remove the rad and any water hoses that are still in the way. So if I'm right that should just leave the engine mounts, downpipe and gearbox to undo. Can anyone give me a quick 'walkthrough' of what to do at this stage? I've never personally dealt with the mounts or gearbox/block interface although I've fiddled with the clutch fork and removed everything from headers to downpipe enough times.

A few pointers.....

-Remove slave cylinder and tape it up to stop plunger from coming out.
-Take downpipe right off (much easier in the long run).
-Bottom x2 bolts between gearbox and bell housing are a sod.
-Removing the hex bolt on the clutch fork allows the whole assembly to stay with the flywheel (someone please confirm, can't remember).
-Support gearbox with jack
-Get car as high and as safe as you can.

Just go slowly lifting it out. It's quite easy once the rad is out,the aircon swung out of the way etc.
Have fun.

Remove the starter motor.
Then undo the hex bolt on the side of the g.box. Then you should be able to get to the clutch fork arm dowel. Use a m6 bolt & thread into the dowel. Then slowly pull the bolt out along with the dowel. Then you can pull up the clutch fork out of the release bearing. This will not cause you any issues later when you try to separate the engine from the g.box.
You dont need to do anything to the g.box or its mounts etc. Other than the slave cylinder mention in the above thread.

There are 2 engine mounting bolts on the crossmember subframe which you need to undo & remove. So you may as well raise the car safely & tackle all the bolts which cannot be reached from above. So undo all the bolts that secure the gearbox to the short block. Dp from centre section & the dp from the back of the turbo. Unless you decide to leave this on. I prefer the dp remove all together.

The rest is pretty obvious, power steering, engine wiring loom connector, fuel pipes, coolant pipes, rad, aircon rad, battery etc.
As you have already taken off the inlet manifold then use the alternator support bracket to secure the clamps for the engine hoist. I would make sure the car is flat to the ground on it wheels when using the hoist.

Another tip for when you put it all back. Jack up the gearbox slightly then try to align the engine back. This way the engine mounting bolts will fall into the crossmember holes easily.

Ticky

As above remove the downpipe altogether, makes dropping the engine back in far easier.
Don't forget to disconnect the electrical connections for the fans before you try and lift the rad out, they are at the bottom.

Silent,

First of all, whats you name? I cant keep addressing you as silent!!lol

Have you seen the prices on - Flat4online.co.uk Subaru Impreza Mitsubishi Evolution EVO Walbro Fuel Pumps Injectors Intercoolers. Dont seem too bad for gaskets and other parts too.

Wayne.

I'm sure you already know about this but as nobody has mentioned it; this is (well for a non-mechanically minded fool like me!), a really good resource for faq...lots of usful pics.

ScoobyMods.com

Brilliant tips so far, I feel ready to get out in the garage now and tackle it. So just to be clear, the only mounts holding the engine in place are the two on the crossmember and the dogbone that goes to the bulkhead?

Wayne - it's Nick. I use my Silent Running handle on every forum I use - Northloop, 205 GTi Drivers etc.

Yep there the only mounts :thumb:

Nick,

A guy a know has an STI short motor from a 96 car. It has spun a bearing so needs a crank and new shells. From what he has said, the block and pistons are still ok.

He wants £200 for it.

I know its not a cbd, but don't know if the EJ20's are semi closed?

Wayne.

More Engine Bay Carnage
 

Just got your PM - cheers!

Latest pics below. I've been skiving off doing anything else for the last couple of days and spent my time pricing up various options, but now I've got the engine crane hired for the weekend and a much needed extra pair of hands will be here tomorrow so I went out in the garage this evening to crack on. Looked at the radiator and thought to myself, hmmm that'll be easier to pull if I just get rid of these massive great ancillaries in the way, namely, the PS tank and pump, alternator and aircon compressor. Bad move! I've spent half the evening fiddling around with them and I bet I didn't even need to until the engine's out. Having not removed the PS or aircon completely before I'm still struggling a bit to see which bolts need to come off. It'll all be clearer in the morning I'm sure, when I'll be tackling the 'underneath' jobs - removing bottom rad hose, pulling the FMIC return pipe out of the way, removing downpipe, loosening engine mount rubbers and undoing gearbox bolts. I'm hoping to lift the engine and roll the car back out of the garage so I can use all the space as a workshop and leave the engine-less car outdoors.

Overview of whole engine bay - wiring/fuel lines/breathers/alternator/PS tank out of the way.

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...23607291_o.jpg


Close up of the block plus aircon compressor. The adjuster for the idler pulley seems to be seized and now I've managed to pull the thread off the rod so I don't know how to get it off!

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/1...23607300_o.jpg

The adjuster won't move unless you undo the locking bolt. The one that goes in from the front that you can see on the bottom pic.

i had to soak mine in WD first as the locking bolt was stuck tight.