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Alan Cesar
Alan Cesar Associate Editor
2/26/13 10:30 a.m.

Oh yeah, they'll be resized, no question. I dropped the block and rotating assembly at a machine shop today. When they get to it, I'll know if we can even use the crank, nevermind the rods.

But the most I can find for undersize bearings is 0.25mm, which they said is unlikely to be enough if it spun bearings. We'll see.

gamby
gamby UltimaDork
3/1/13 12:42 a.m.
The_Jed wrote:
Alan Cesar wrote:
"If you seriously hand me that ratchet I will beat you with it until your I.Q. is in the low two digit range!" "Seriously though, feed me or there will be murders."

Such a cute kitty.

Sorry to hear about the engine.

Alan Cesar
Alan Cesar Associate Editor
3/15/13 9:40 a.m.

A few more updates: Cam bolts on Subaru engines are notorious bastards. The oil pan did not have good news.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/2002-subaru-impreza-wrx/troubles-camshaft-bolts/

And, once we finally got the whole thing apart, here's one of the things we found. This is not a thrust bearing.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/2002-subaru-impreza-wrx/look-inside/

Alan Cesar
Alan Cesar Associate Editor
3/22/13 10:06 a.m.

Though we put a new clutch in it, the thing still chattered. Once the engine was back out, we found the problem and a solution.

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/project-cars/2002-subaru-impreza-wrx/unchattering-clutch/

Gasoline
Gasoline Dork
3/22/13 10:26 a.m.

Sideburns rule!

Alan Cesar
Alan Cesar Associate Editor
3/22/13 10:41 a.m.

Thank you, thank you.

AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
3/22/13 10:59 a.m.

ok, i'll bite. if it's not a thrust bearing, what is it?

Alan Cesar
Alan Cesar Associate Editor
3/22/13 11:47 a.m.
AngryCorvair wrote: ok, i'll bite. if it's not a thrust bearing, what is it?

The answer is in the caption for one of the photos:

We spun three rod bearings—all except No. 4—but No. 2 showed signs of being hammered by detonation. The force worked the bearing like a blacksmith, causing it to squeeze out the sides of the connecting rod journal.
Ojala
Ojala GRM+ Memberand Reader
3/22/13 9:11 p.m.

I assume you guys put in a sleeve? I have put a couple on, but they were only on high mileage subies. I am thinking that it might be a good preventative maintenance idea for all the 02-03's that are getting up there in miles.

EDIT: sorry, I'm an idiot, just saw the link

Teh E36 M3
Teh E36 M3 Dork
3/24/13 9:32 a.m.

So what's the cost/benefit tradeoff of E36 M3canning the 2.0 and starting with a 2.5 short block (~$1800 from Flatirons)? It would be really neat to see the project/details of building the 2.5/2.0 heads hybrid and perfect for the magazine- don't know that I've seen it in print anywhere.

Ojala
Ojala GRM+ Memberand Reader
3/24/13 1:33 p.m.

In reply to Teh E36 M3:

There is some difference (of course) in the bore and in the chamber shape which affects CR and leaves you with shrouded valves. Nothing that can't be helped with some machine work. The STI heads are a better starting point, but sometimes you do what you can with what you have.

Alan Cesar
Alan Cesar Associate Editor
3/24/13 11:49 p.m.
Teh E36 M3 wrote: So what's the cost/benefit tradeoff of E36 M3canning the 2.0 and starting with a 2.5 short block (~$1800 from Flatirons)? It would be really neat to see the project/details of building the 2.5/2.0 heads hybrid and perfect for the magazine- don't know that I've seen it in print anywhere.

My estimate shows a rebuild, soup to nuts, costing $1700 in parts and machine work including the heads. Buying a shortblock means I still need head work, valves, head gaskets, cam seals, etc. And shipping a shortblock ain't cheap. For that, I had estimated $2600 based on the price of an OEM EJ205 shortblock. I didn't know about the deal Flatirons was having, so knock $200 off that estimate.

Afterward, the 2.5 hybrid would require tuning. Add that to the cost.

Benefit: More headroom, power-wise. Fatter powerband. But it's a 200k-mile car pushing a lot more power than stock just from 2 liters. If the power goes any higher, I'm going to start breaking driveline components.

So, for the sake of preventing breakage-induced project creep and saving me $700+, it's keeping the EJ205.

And besides, putting a block together is satisfying.

Alan Cesar
Alan Cesar
7/21/14 7:39 a.m.

Reasonably capable tow vehicle. ~60 mile tow, didn't go faster than ~50 mph. Definitely glad I installed the Brembo brakes on the front. Even with those, braking performance wasn't spectacular.

The ZX2 is a fix and flip project for me. Mechanically perfect; needs front cosmetics and a radiator. The profit will buy me a HANS device.

I know someone's gonna do the math, so I'll spare you the trouble. The WRX hitch is rated for 2000 lbs. I towed a ~2400 lb. car, plus dolly. I saw this thread on WRXTuners where a guy flat-towed his Porsche 944 race car ~3000 miles annually with his WRX, so I felt OK going for this trip.

http://www.wrxtuners.com/forums/f71/towing-my-race-car-wrx-23886/index2.html

Woody
Woody GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
7/21/14 7:51 a.m.

Do you have any air in those tires?

Alan Cesar
Alan Cesar Dork
7/21/14 7:56 a.m.

Yeah, they're all fully inflated.

MrJoshua
MrJoshua PowerDork
7/21/14 7:59 a.m.

The main truth I see in all the tow capacity arguments is liability in the event of a wreck. Exceeding the rated capacity leaves you legally vulnerable if something bad were to happen. You minimized your risk through cautious driving and upgraded equipment so for whatever it's worth I'm ok with it.

I really dig the wagon. Thanks for the updates.

Adrian_Thompson
Adrian_Thompson PowerDork
7/21/14 8:36 a.m.

I'd have no issue towing like that. IT's the American thing "Oh, well, you can tow your 4'x6' utility trailer with something less than a long bed power stroke Superduty if you want, it's your life..... I towed a TR7 on a tandem axle the length of England with a 1.8L Cavalier and didn't think twice, nor did any of the thousands of other people on the road. I've seen Smart cars towing 3'x5' utility trailers in Europe, but that's too far even for me.

NGTD
NGTD SuperDork
7/21/14 9:56 a.m.

A Rally guy up in New York used to tow his Impreza with an Impreza on a light-weight Trailer (not a dolly).

It also provided him with a source of spare parts!

ssswitch
ssswitch Reader
7/21/14 10:53 a.m.

Oh wicked, this thread is still going. I'm glad the WRX is still in the family.

I was going to start a project to do a 2.5/2.2 hybrid NA engine for a Legacy with a chewed-up bottom end, but the guy selling it decided to sell it to the neighbor's kid for his first car instead as I was getting ready to leave the house with cash in hand. Have fun, kiddo.

Alan Cesar
Alan Cesar Dork
9/23/14 10:42 p.m.
jstein77
jstein77 SuperDork
9/24/14 9:34 a.m.

It would be funny if Woody bought it back.

EdHigginbotham
EdHigginbotham Editorial Assistant
9/24/14 10:06 a.m.

Alan, passed you twice in my travels to and from work yesterday. The Suby sounds awesome.

Harvey
Harvey GRM+ Memberand Reader
9/24/14 10:18 a.m.

Ze wagon, she is ready.

SilverFleet
SilverFleet SuperDork
9/24/14 11:57 a.m.

My offer of an even exchange of my totally awesome Shelby CSX still stands*.

*Some (actually, a lot of) assembly required. Batteries not included. See store for details. Game cards do not actually talk.

Woody
Woody GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
9/24/14 10:48 p.m.
jstein77 wrote: It would be funny if Woody bought it back.

The thought crossed Woody's mind before you posted this.

But no, I don't need it, and for the record, it was not my car. I was the middleman who made the arrangements and delivered the car.

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