Aero Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I have just bought my first Subaru, a 1999 Legacy estate with 140,000 miles on the clock, all with one owner. It seems in pretty good condition but recently it has started making a knocking sound which is particularly noticeable when starting up from cold but still there when warmed up. I have my own ideas about the cause of this but I'll leave it until a few owners have given an opinion. Do I have a big problem or is it a common thing which won't develop into a big and expensive problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Wotcha and welcome - sorry you are having to join with an issue... depends on what type of knocking sound it is - it could be the big end bearing gone which can happen, an example of which is covered in the video link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 Thanks for the quick reply, I will introduce myself when I get a few minutes to spare! The knock that I have is not like the clanking in the video, more like someone knitting with large cast iron needles! I'm wondering if it is little end bearings but that can't be very common, surely? Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Sounds more like the top end to me - cams and valves - how is the oil situation, lots of it, recent change? Does it change tone or frequency with revs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Hi mate welcome to S.O.C Piston slap I'd guess from your 1st comment if it is nothing to worry about happens a lot more when cold :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exup1000 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 My piston slap goes away once warmed up,yours has done a 30 thousand more than mine though.i get paranoid with every little odd noise I here on mine due to its old age. I know one day something big will go which wont please the mrs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggs Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Mines on 155k and no knock, I drive like a tit quite a lot too, I have known impreza big ends to knock at 30k, it's more about how the cars treated when cold and what quality of oil is used than miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exup1000 Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 Hello miggs,yeah it goes without saying Good oil and regular changes, and not driving like you stole it from cold.so what's the normal life expectancy of a subaru engine just out of interest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I have seen a few push the 210k miles on one engine and still going strong. Had a member on here sign up with I'm sure he said 185k I've already had a rebuild :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggs Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I've not been into subarus long enough to see some high milers to he honest but I do think you never know if the cars had a rebuild or not, if I was to do a rebuild on mine I'd tackle it myself and all you would see is the receipts for the parts not the labour and that's only if I put them in the documentation, I tend to drive my cars to the end and strip them down for parts when I'm done as there's always more money to be had that way, if someone else has done heir own build and not kept proof you would never know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 I think the problem was something in the top end. I was driving along the A40 yesterday when I noticed that the tapping noise that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago seemed a little louder, and within seconds there was an awful sound of mechanical mangling. I got the car to the side of the road and it wouldn't restart or even turn over. My mechanical intuition told me that this was not looking good... When the AA man turned up he confirmed a seized engine, it wouldn't turn over even with a large ring spanner on the crankshaft bolt. The previous owner told me that the car had had a full service and cam belt change not too long ago done by himself (he is a mechanic) but I am thinking that the belt may have snapped as it sounded like lots of pieces of metal being crunched up inside the engine, not nice. Can anyone recommend a good breakers yard near Gloucester or someone to take it off my hands for parts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 you should be able to see all the belts if you remove the front cover - I would have suggested Adam as a possibility for spares but he is dealing with excess water at the moment so is a little distracted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 :( Not good news, failing that slam it on fleebay as a spares or repairs I'd say you would get more then what a breakers yard would offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Worth 160 to 200 at a breakers on average . Worth being 100% on what wrong before throwing in the towel but does sound highly likely cambelt could of been a poor replacement effort & not all tension pulleys & water pump replaced or just simply fitted badly. Bit of bad luck as the old legacy can run over 200,000mls without too much trouble & see plenty of healthy ones in the 160k & 180k region ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 My local breaker has told me that about £130 is what they would pay as apparently parts prices have gone down, don't know if that's true or not. I think I will try to sell it for spares or repair as the wheels alone must be worth more than that, there are six alloys in all (don't know why there is a sixth one, but it is there). The interior is very clean and all the electrics work fine, all it needs is an engine! https://www.dropbox.com/s/lldck0u3k1399f3/IMG_6192_1.JPG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr B Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 if rest of car above average condition & drivetrain A+ could be worth getting a used replacement engine perhaps ! Shame this happened & one of those used car purchase nightmare scenarios :-S You could recoup quite a bit on basic parts such as wheels, brakes/hubs, alternator, starter, engine sensors etc & even then what left would be worth 130 plus as scrap metal ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 I agree I'd say you will double what they have offered just selling it as a joblot on fleebay. Might be worth listing it on here to might have someone looking around the forum for cars to break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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