Bottom end faliure - WRX STI Type r 1997
 

Can anyone give me the symptoms of a knackered bottom end on the above model?

When mine went, it started off as a noticeable ticking noise that you could hear inside the cabin, then became a loud rattle at certain revs, then eventually by the time I limped home, a loud rattle all the time. It's the sound of knackered big end bearings allowing your con rods to bang up and down on the crank pins with every stroke.

As described above, starting as quiet noise, turned engine off then restarted to be greeted by the loud banging noise of a bottom end failure. Make sure if you get it rebuilt you have uprated parts used otherwise its likely to happen again