Rebuild or replace my engine (for Forester 2010)?

[shootthebreeze]

Hey all, 

I'm new to the forum and I am in need of some help and guidance. 

My mechanic has told me that the engine to my 2010 Forester is dead and gone due to the crankshaft Shell bearings going kapoot!

I have been told I have two options, which are:

Rebuild or Replace

However, the cost of buying a new engine is looking like a £2,500 price tag plus labour. 

Any input on the matter would be greatly appreciated as I don't know too much about these things. 

Thanks again - David. 

 

[Tidgy]

First off are you planning to keep the car?

Next question is has the engine been stripped to ascertain exactly what the damage is? it can make a massive difference to the price, worst case, block, rods, pistons, heads can all be junk and need replacing which will cost alot to replace, or if most is ok then it wont be anywhere near the cost.

Also you need to decided what your future plans are, do you plan to modify it for more power or are you just wanting it back on the road?

[Mr B]

diesel or petrol ?

assuming going be diesel ... but best assume nothing :-)

[Jay762]

wotcha and welcome - sorry to hear about the failure - if you are going to keep teh car do a rebuild - if you are planning on getting rid in 12 months replace

[DaveMc]

Along similar lines, I have heard many nasty tails of the diesel engine self destructing in this way.  I also notice that Subaru no longer provide the option of a diesel engine. I have a 2009 Diesel Forester with just over 80.000 miles on clock, so therefore getting a bit concerned.  Can I ask how big the problem is and if there is a pattern as to why this is happening? 

[Mr B]

1 hour ago, DaveMc said:

Along similar lines, I have heard many nasty tails of the diesel engine self destructing in this way.  I also notice that Subaru no longer provide the option of a diesel engine. I have a 2009 Diesel Forester with just over 80.000 miles on clock, so therefore getting a bit concerned.  Can I ask how big the problem is and if there is a pattern as to why this is happening? 

Big enough issue that they will all do it given enough time .
Even revisions of crank and block not resolved it 100%

Pattern is just fatigue and generally like one incident like a downshift or something creating a final load that causes crank fail .
I had one towed in off of motorway end of last year, down shifted wrong gear and kaboom,
What a mess that was, both block halves damaged around broken journal, valve bent on one cylinder as obviously one side of crank is no longer attached to cambelt lol .

Generally they never worth rebuild and design fault not fixable even if rebuild with newest revision crank, boxer design also reduces machine work can do to block main bearing wells.
Used engine hold silly money and obviously have same design fault, best way forward is using early 2011 and swapping parts so common rail and dpf etc match your cars electronic modules .

The diesel was absolute disaster and pretty much writes your car off, new crank costs us just under 500 and all parts/materials to rebuild is between 1400 and 2k, add to that labour for removal, strip, machine shop, rebuild, refit and test and you got a silly bill. desirable used engines are 2 to 3K .

I can buy super clean low mileage diesel subarus with crank failure all day long for about twice scrap value, nobody wants them and not many owners want or can afford cough up cash to put it back on the road ...

 

[discodas]

Hi Sorry to jump on to this I am just in the process of buying a 2013 facelift "13" plate forester Boxer 2L 49K on the clock FSH.

I'm just wondering if this problem is inherent on all Diesels and is there anything that I should look out for ask, or is it just a time bomb? Not a heavy driver and do not tow that often, bit my work does take me into rough terrain and mountain roads, having reviewed these and making general enquiries I believe they are a robust vehicle and last, yet this does throw a question into the mix, I normally hold on to my cars until the death so it needs to last. I am just waiting for my car inspection report as the car is not local to me and so far I have just had videos of the car standing, running and driven, and they all appear to be ok

Any advise comments thought would be much appreciated

[Mr B]

If you not doing the mileage get a petrol, the diesel is a PITA between dpf issues, injector learning issues and crank issues.

[discodas]

HI Mr B, Thanks, I do around 18k per year and some weeks can do 250 miles, I work for the water board so travel up to remote reservoirs.

Whats PITA?, could you expand on the learning issue, is it something that a firmware upgrade or service could address, dpf , don’t know previous drivers style, can check the codes to see if a force regen, or try and let it do itself? Are they quirky.

Im a hardened SAAB owner current 57 9-3 from new has just covered 150k but feel it’s time to change and I like these a lot.

Main question is crank, is it all boxer engines, and it’s the luck of the draw? Is there any poss way of identifying if you have an issue,

the first things I will do is full service, all fluids and filters, I’m a bit ocd in on these things.

[Mr B]

PITA pain in the ar5e 🙂

Injector learning seems not be the best, could actually be injector wear issues and computer algorithm simply doesn't deal with it well.
symptoms from that is rattly noises, diesel knock, rough idle ... none of firmware versions seems fully cure it and expensive trying improve it via software or common rail part swapping

2013 is model less prone to problems but they can still happen, dpf issues is much same for all manufacturers as the concept is flawed environmental engineering.

Crank is the big issue but as mentioned 2013 is better than 2008 2010 era .

Just don't pay too much for one as they not worth a lot due to these issues on used market plus you want reserve funds for potential issues if arise .

Maintenance wise plenty oil changes, if doing 18K a year I would say 3 oil changes a year be good ( not too pricey if can do that yourself, quality oil and filters is a must)
Other thing you can do is use likes of millers diesel fuel treatment that improves the burn and cleans/lubricates injectors .

Just don't expect 300K from engines like the old boxer 2.0 petrols from late 90's early 2000's been know to do, all newer cars are lower part quality and even japan cars not as reliable these days due to this .

[discodas]

On ‎3‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 1:09 AM, Mr B said:

If you not doing the mileage get a petrol, the diesel is a PITA between dpf issues, injector learning issues and crank issues.

Hi Mr B, I do between 12k and 18k per year, and some months I can do a few 100 mile trips, could you just expand on the learning issue please, can it be checked out on fault codes? dpf, could this be done of a force re gen? are all engines potential crank one

Hi Mr B, Great thank your help, advise, the car I'm considering has 49k pearl white, one owner, and appears to have been very well looked after, it wad advertised at 12450, but it's now at 11500 after some haggling. This appears to be a fair price I think, it got a few extras detachable tow hitch, which has not been used, sat nav upgrade boot liner, mud guards, rear bumper protection all genuine and aftermarket window tint. Good tyres service history need to see book. Passed all MOTs so far. In your opinion is this a fair price no part x cash sale?

[discodas]

Hi Mr B, I'm a mobil one fan, would still need x3 changes per year, ok with DIY general service items, what are the pads and discs like for life expectancy not heavy on the peddles are they a standard push to reset, or wind in pistons. Any recommendations for pads that don't shower your wheels with dust fir these forester's