gooner 1

iTrader: (11)

The only place to start - is at the beginning:

I have been a member on here now since 2007, over the years I have owned a fair amount of scoobs. For a while - I went o the "dark" side and had an evo - but missed the sound of that flat four so came back and decided to take on a little "project".

I eventually found a car with a blown engine - so figured that was a good a place as any to start. I purchased a block from someone on here, which was API built 23.5, found some heads - again bought them off from someone on here (reputable I might add) they were ported and polished etc. and an MD turbo and a 6 speed gearbox.

Next came selecting someone to put the engine and heads together - new cam belt etc - never had a problem with that guy - everything he did was great. Then a mechanic friend of mine started to fit the engine etc back into the car. tbh he was taking too long as he could only do it in his spare time - so ended up gathering it all together and taking it to a "specialist" who was recommended to me!

And so this is where it all went to ****!

the car was put together and was up and running - first map was about 300+ bhp and I wanted more! The MD turbo I bought was 2nd hand died within a few days so back the car went! I went for a brand new SC46 from Scooby Clinic - EXCELLENT. I was SO looking forward to raising those horses.

Had it fitted to the car (by the same "specialist") took it for a map made 424 bhp. Car was lovely - felt good but still not the power I was looking for. After a week or so because I wasn't quite satisfied with bhp - I wanted a bigger turbo - sold the SC and bought a GT35.

Had it fitted, had it mapped - fetched 530bhp. Picked it up from the specialist but noticed there was a bit of smoke - and was told it would clear. Drove it home - used it for about 2 days and the car started running lumpy and the smoke was still there, a compression test showed that it was down on the 3rd cylinder. So back it went, diagnosis was the crank had gone (or along those lines). Had a bottom end rebuild - better crank, bigger pistons etc - as you can imagine - this wasn't cheap. Somewhere along this line I was enquiring as to why the turbo was smoking and was advised by the specialist that the reason for the smoke was the positioning of the turbo and that he would adjust it accordingly to prevent the smoke in the future.

So, collection AGAIN and was advised this time to run it in for thousand miles. for the first 500 miles the car was not taken over 3000 revs but still noticed that it would still smoke on idle - I again brought this up and was told that it would get sorted.. So after running it in for 1200 miles and frequent oil changes, it went back for a map. This time it made 548bhp - which I was more than happy with. But still needed the smoke situation to be addressed.

Brought the car home - took it out a day or two after the mapping and it started running lumpy again and sounded exactly the same as it did when I was told the bottom end went

So back to the specialist it went. Engine was stripped down, was told this time it was the heads and off they went to be rebuilt - although when I first had the heads PUT to the block - they were rebuilt then! Whilst with the guy that was rebuilding the heads I was advised that these heads could not be skimmed anymore and therefore back to SN I went to source some new heads.

Sent them off to the specialist who in turn sent them to be rebuilt. He then fitted them and I picked the car up last Friday.

I asked to see if the turbo had been altered to stop the smoking and was told that yes it had been adjusted.

ITS NOW SUNDAY - two days! Today, in traffic, the car is smoking AGAIN. Had to go on a jaunt to Clacton this evening, little bit of boost here and there and now the hoses are jumping off the inlet manifold.

To say im sick of it - would be an understatement.

The amount of money, time and effort I have spent - I am truly lost for words - I just wanted a car I could enjoy - whereby currently I have a car I can't trust to get me to the end of the road!

It took 14 months to get it back - I don't even know WHY it took him so long - but it did.

At a loss...........................

RS_Matt

I hate it when a Subaru specialist palms everything off as "oh that's normal." The best mechanics are sometimes hobbyists or family (wife.) Hope you get it sorted fella.

53

iTrader: (41)

Holy ******* **** mate, I didn't even think you still had it tbh it's been so long !!!!

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

Gutted for you mate!! Always a p1sser when you going around in circles trying to fix one thing only for something else to break!!

Dont mean to sound harsh here, but dont you think that when you start chasing numbers and more power you get, the more money it costs and the more problems you get, you think why bother, its a waste of money for something that makes you miserable.

Would you be just as happy with a sti with a full exhaust and a remap(still a fast car and with out the headaches)

Hope you get it sorted!!!

gooner 1

iTrader: (11)

Yes mate just ......iv just lost all heart in it now im gutted I just dont know what to do ....

LUCKO

iTrader: (3)

2nd hand engine
500+bhp

53

iTrader: (41)

Last time I thought it was ready was 2011 tunnel run ?

gooner 1

iTrader: (11)

I just wanted a car that when I put my foot down it give me that wow factor . I have seen some ppl on here run big power without any problems .

gooner 1

iTrader: (11)

Yep and the md turbo went the day before I think ... I just put it down to buying a second hand turbo

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

You can't build a 500bhp Impreza with 2nd hand parts. Well you can, like you did. But you now know the results. The better way would have been to hand the car over to a known specialist and get them to supply and fit everything. If you can't afford that route, stop chasing bhp figures until the basics are covered.

You won't like to hear this but this is all your own doing. In fact, I'd like to know which specialist went along with fitting 2nd parts on such a high power application.

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Sorry for your frustration gooner
Has been a discussion before about some builds smoking a little .
How excessive is it ? Is it constant on start up or permanent on drive .
If it's constant , then yes I would say something isn't right .

gooner 1

iTrader: (11)

Thing is there is no second hand parts in it as he rebuilt the block. And heads had a rebuild . And new turbo ... when I got the block at first it had done about 2k ..

scoobyboy1

iTrader: (16)

Yeah I understand the wow factor of 500bhp, Ive been in a couple of scoobys running that power and would love my own car to run that power, But ive got no patience and as soon as something broke, the car would be stripped and gone!!!!

gooner 1

iTrader: (11)

Nothing on start up some on boost and somtimes on idle ...

MattyB1983

iTrader: (51)

Who's this 'specialist' you speak of Gooner ??

RedScoob

I don't agree with "second hand means you can't hit 500hp" - That's just naive. If there was a problem with specification while you were putting the unit together, the specialist should have warned you.
Sounds like a lot of bad luck, coupled with the fact that the kind of power output you're looking for is inherently unreliable.
Having said all of that, there is at least one well respected tuner on here that won't get my car again. If you do things on a budget, expect to be looked down upon. It shouldn't be like that, but it is.

sssssteeeee

I can relate to your frustration here, I had brake problem and cost a lot of money in the end after 4 garages couldn't fix them, I found out slave cylinder on rear drum was drawing in air! to build engine and box for 500 plus bhp u need a special lump , closed deck with full stroker kit like lateral performance or rcm. im at limits on my standard ej20 at 350. anyway hope u will get it sorted at some point, its a different ball game cost wise for 500 plus, good for track use not so good for road applications etc..

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

So is your main concern the smoke / you did say it's driving lumpy
I'm guessing 2-3k ?

stonejedi

iTrader: (51)

It's not just a specialist job to take a customers money,but to give a customer the right advice if he feels that there decisions or wish's are wrong and will not benefit them or there car in the long run,isn't that the reason we pay a specialist to do work?as you trust there expertise and professional opinion.SJ.

gooner 1

iTrader: (11)

The main concern . Now is why is it smoking ?? Is it the turbo although its done less than 1500mins and 1200 running in .....
And the pips popping off the inlet manifold

gooner 1

iTrader: (11)

jazzyjembreaze

iTrader: (11)

Yea when I said lumpy was referring to 2-3 rpm
Smoke could be many things
Glazed , seals , rings , turbo , your fuel & intake set up etc etc

sivo

iTrader: (30)

Wow !

Serious run of bad luck I would say !

I would of been well pi$$ed buying that stroker only for the crank to let go.
AND i would of been going back to where I bought it for sure !
Feel for you mate

Siv

bustaMOVEs

iTrader: (31)

Well it's about time these threads came out (well done gooner for speaking out) too much of this going on behind closed doors but no one comes out to tell.

I suppose if it had been taken to someone reputable then it would of been done right first time and probably saved money compared to where you are now.

Chin up fella, hope you sort it

Welloilbeefhooked

iTrader: (3)

Once thought my old scoob was knackered when it would smoke badly on and off. It was my own fault as I had kinked a breather pipe and it was building up crankcase pressure.

scooby2.5maz

iTrader: (16)

Nothing wrong with chasing numbers

To the op , hope you get your issues sorted

deanb1980

you should name and shame as if they were a true specialist they wouldnt of taken that long surely

sivo

iTrader: (30)

I've never been shy in naming people who have or try to **** me over, sometimes the old fashioned offer of a knuckle sandwich is the only way with some people.
We should have a sticky of tuners taking the pi$$ and a list of people to avoid !

Might help a lot of us out !

There's a lot of decent folk on SN, I've met loads, and pretty much everyone I've met has had a bad experience with a reputable tuner !

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

the pipes are probably popping off due to the amount of oil in the inlet pipes.

4evernewbie

iTrader: (3)

Ah man, I really hope you get a good result out of your car in the end. I bought a car with a 2.1 stroker kit and the engine is now playing up. Could be simple, could be fatal. Either way, things like this shouldn't happen when you spend time and money on research and service.
I've just took my car to the most reputable tuner I've used despite now being a 500mile round trip. Crossing my fingers everyday...
Paul.