Subaru engine

[Scooby Jon]

Hi guys new to this forum need some advice. I own a 2003 Subaru wrx it’s done 157000 miles so high mileage , been told the head has become porous , the garage said the most cost effectIve option would be to get a second hand engine  but the same could happen again , or I could get it refurbed. The only other option would be to get a newer better condition one on finance and hopefully not have reliability issues that I’ve had. Cheers guys 

[GeoffLeggy]

Welcome!

Head has become porous? Do they perhaps mean the head gasket has gone? @Mr B @savage bulldogs 

[Scooby Jon]

Cheers m8 Yeah I think so apparently it’s a rebuild job or new engine 

[GeoffLeggy]

Well if the rest of the engine is in good order a head gasket isn’t the end of the world.

[Scooby Jon]

I think he meant that the head needs re skimming sounded like a major job 

[Mr B]

What reason it being looked at and what tests been done

One would assume it overheating.

Heads don't exactly go porous, you could have failed head gasket or you could have cracked head or even crack block and exactly what usable or not will not be known unless heads pulled off.Your real negative is fact it close to 160K so unless already had some work done a rebuild probably wiser than just refreshing heads and gaskets .

I think used engine could be good option, it all really depends on exactly how good your engine is bottom end and what exactly wrong with heads as simply cleaniing them up and skimming not a big deal, although at 160K doubt they going be great serviceable condition

 

[Scooby Jon]

It’s been smoking for quite a while had seals done but it still kept leaking and one day it’s just lost loads of oil , but the coolant and water levels stayed the same and had no oil in them. The Garage said it wasn’t pressurising. it had the. Cambelt done a month ago and the temp gauge never really moved over half way so don’t think it was overheating. I’m thinking about getting a completely refurbed engine seems like a better investment hopefully should sort the problem.

[Mr B]

turbo seals gone and taking oil into intake and burning it perhaps ? what seals been done ? what not pressurising ?

If just loosing oil it pretty easy conclude where and why .

[Scooby Jon]

The turbo and the rocker cover gasket I think. I presume he meant the head.

[Mr B]

I think you need get better idea of what been done and expected faults before making decisions.