It's been nearly a year since my treasured green Subaru became disabled by the classic Caput Malus disease. This horrible disease was first noted as affecting the 1998 production models, but as it lies dormant for at least 130,000 miles, it wasn't detected by the general driving public until nearly 2001. And then only those of the general public who were actually driving cars with the EJ25 engine.
In my case, as I purchased the car in 2010 with only 107,000 miles, it took nearly two years for the symptoms to appear. But appear they did, right on schedule at 131,000 miles. Sudden overheating, steam in the engine compartment, sudden panic on the face of the driver. It was necessary to take the car to the official Subaru shop. Their diagnosis was swift and painful: $4,000 to repair. The only alternative was to attempt the repairs myself, using my own strength and skills.
Alas, although I was able to take the engine apart so that I could replace the head gaskets, I was unable to perform this delicate operation without accidentally damaging three of the head bolts. Two of them, I was able to remove. The third and final bolt broke in half during the operation. Half of it still lies trapped within the core engine block. I have tried at various times over the last year to remove it, but to no avail.
So I (finally) gave up and bought a used engine with the intent of dropping it in place.
A good rebuilt EJ25 engine is something in the neighborhood of $1500 - $2500.
A beat-up EJ25 engine dragged from the dead carcass of a wrecked Subaru is only $500.
Guess which one I bought?
Well, it isn't that dirty. But it also isn't in pristine condition. It was literally cut out of the wrecked carcass. So the wires and some of the pipes aren't in the best of shape. And it is a bit muddy.
Happily, I still have the cam pulleys from my old engine, so it shouldn't be difficult to fix 'em up. Assuming that the valve stems didn't get bent. This is an interference engine, after all.
In my case, as I purchased the car in 2010 with only 107,000 miles, it took nearly two years for the symptoms to appear. But appear they did, right on schedule at 131,000 miles. Sudden overheating, steam in the engine compartment, sudden panic on the face of the driver. It was necessary to take the car to the official Subaru shop. Their diagnosis was swift and painful: $4,000 to repair. The only alternative was to attempt the repairs myself, using my own strength and skills.
Alas, although I was able to take the engine apart so that I could replace the head gaskets, I was unable to perform this delicate operation without accidentally damaging three of the head bolts. Two of them, I was able to remove. The third and final bolt broke in half during the operation. Half of it still lies trapped within the core engine block. I have tried at various times over the last year to remove it, but to no avail.
So I (finally) gave up and bought a used engine with the intent of dropping it in place.
A good rebuilt EJ25 engine is something in the neighborhood of $1500 - $2500.
A beat-up EJ25 engine dragged from the dead carcass of a wrecked Subaru is only $500.
Guess which one I bought?
Well, it isn't that dirty. But it also isn't in pristine condition. It was literally cut out of the wrecked carcass. So the wires and some of the pipes aren't in the best of shape. And it is a bit muddy.
But the important thing is that it is mine, it is in my shop, and after a bit of cleanup and some small repair, it will be placed into the body of my old green Subaru (like a new brain in the body of Frankenstein's monster) and my car will live again.
Naturally, there is one small, slight, unimportant-but-vital repair that will need to be made. When the car slammed into the tree, part of the frame connected with the timing belt and busted the cam pulleys on the passenger-side camshafts. So I'll need to get those replaced.
Happily, I still have the cam pulleys from my old engine, so it shouldn't be difficult to fix 'em up. Assuming that the valve stems didn't get bent. This is an interference engine, after all.
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