savage bulldogs

I use Alyn at Asperformance for my brake stuff , he's a very knowledgeable fella who finds the time to discuss whatever your budget and needs are 😉 Definitely worth a ring before you buy elsewhere imo

Well after a very merry pi55mess and a happy new beer , I've finally realized that there's only a couple of months till show season starts 😲 So i thought although the scoobs still hibernating I'd waken the never ending build thread too 😉 I finished cleaning the v4sti heads , to a standard that the wife will allow them into her kitchen 😋. Covered the trusty dinner (engine building) table and started off by checking the current valve clearances. Happy to find that they're all within factory spec, I made a start on the right hand head inlet valves . Unfortunately, I didn't manage to achieve a great deal and only removed the right hand intake cam , retainers, collets, springs and valves .😏 But I did check the valve and valve seats over and although they're also within factory spec , I did re seat them by lapping them . So not too much progress but hopefully tomorrow I'll do the same to the exhaust side and at least I'll have one of the heads ready for pat (my trusty engineer) to pressure test and skim 😊 Few pics of Saturdays lunchtime preparation and me "lapping " up some tasty v4sti heads for lunch 🙄😂

There's not much difference between a v1 and v2 , as they both run a phase 1 set up . So engine loom plugs (bay ) , interior loom plugs (ecu) inlet manifold/fuel rails and auxiliaries are the same .(straight swap) Afaik the only things that might differ would be the speed sensor in the gearbox (if the v2 has a electrical speed sensor) And the power steering pump or lines , I've not checked the dimensions but they can look visually different (square or circular reservoir) , the pump and pipes could be the same though 😉

What year /model is it ? Think the classics tend to run safer than newage, with a few minor mods . As my v3 UK ran fine with a sports cat and cat back for 10k or so , until I got it mapped . But you can never be 100% sure what's going on with un mapped mods, until its dyno health checked . If you need a new cat and want to buy a aftermarket sports cat ,as its probably cheaper than a new subaru one ? Then I'd say fit the sports cat and get a dyno health check asap . If you want to just fit a sports cat to get "gains" I'd say buy it and wait to fit it until you have the money to get it mapped in . As although the ECU will adjust the map a little bit (learn) it won't add timing and change fuelling for more power . It will Just add fuel (drown power) and pull timing to lessen the chance of knock /detonation, to "try" and stop the engine eating itself if it detects something dangerous and outside the oe map parameters.

Hi n welcome, nice looking fozzy 😎 Any plans for it or just maintain and enjoy ?

No bud not at all , it was sold as a car with a £12k built engine . I was just pointing out that even if it was built for a employee ,you'd expect at least a minimum level of skill to be used by tuning company engine builders . I'm a self employed plasterer that apparently builds to a better standard on the wifes kitchen table 🤐 . Will be interesting to see what they have to say about it, though .

Tbh I didn't think you'd have shared the findings on here before showing them , just wondered what they had to say about this apparently thrown together "built" engine . I understand if it was built in house for a employee, that you might use what's to hand but most of the faults are from bad engine machine and build practices. Not from re used measured ,checked and cleaned second hand parts . I also understand that if you work on a lot of cars that the law of averages will mean you'd have a chance of having more unhappy customers (ratio) . As performance cars get pushed and parts can fail but imo the workmanship/labour should always be on point in any service/ business. Best of luck with it, Jay .

Echo as above but I wouldn't turn the engine over with the crank sensor unplugged to pump out the old oil . This might cause the bearings to run dry and damage other internal parts. Think the removal of the crank sensor plug ,once refilled with oil is to insure the oil filter and oil pump are primed before start up . If your thinking about changing the fuel filter too , maybe just let it idle and pull the fuel pump fuse . This will eventually cause the engine to stall ,empty the fuel line pressure (allowing fuel filter fitting eaiser) . It will also mean the engine will turn over but not start ,to prime the new oil in the system before refitting fuse on 1st start up 😉

Gutted for you jay , I dare say you were sold the car with the understanding it had a strong built engine. I've only built 5 or so boxer lumps but those machine faces , honing angles and sleeve fitments are shocking. With only 6k on the engine (if it was built right first time) it should only just be run in ,not needing a rebuild 🤔 With the same parts list in the block ,I find it difficult to believe that it's been replaced ,especially as the block has sleeves (badly) fitted with probably a cheap diy "ball hone" at the wrong angle 🙁 Looks like they threw a few high spec parts in a block just to keep their driver happy and didn't do a clean high £12k spec build after all 🙁 Have you sent s.c a copy of the teardown report and if so have they replied yet ?

Tbh I only just re read the beginning once you posted and had forgotten who supposedly built the block in the first place . Looking at the tear down results thread , Seems like it's the same spec block ,with the same parts and with sleeves fitted 🤔 Think this thread is more about the new build he's going to have to do and not what he's inherited from the previous owner /builder .

Frustrating that the "built engine " wasn't very well built in the 1st place but at least you know it will be done properly this time around.

scoobies looking as upset about not being driven as I am about not driving it . Looking all grumpy with its bottom lip poking out 😥 So I got a list of parts together that are needed to rebuild the v4sti heads in January

Hi n welcome, Paul . Can't say it's a common symptom but maybe if it had been remapped at some point ? It might have gone back to a different map , as some software allows duel maps . Could be another fault ,misfire ,boost leak ,collapsed cat ect . Any dash lights staying on ? Maybe a ECU code read might help pin point any issues

No probs, just thought if you knew what part you needed a aftermarket one might be cheaper than subaru one . Oe stands for original equipment.😉 So if it's a aftermarket part that's oe spec, it should be a direct replacement that doesn't require "mapping in "

If you definitely know what section you need try messaging cobrasport (in Sheffield I think) . Ask them if they sell a oe equivalent part that can be fitted and won't have to be mapped afterwards . At least that way you'll have a new exhaust section and something to come back on if after fitting it does require mapping . I run a cobrasport 3" trackday friendly cat back and for a midrange price range system, I'm happy with the quality

Hi n welcome, liking the charger too but I'm sure the blobeye will be much more drivable in the ice n snow down the untreated county lanes 😉

If it was mine and not worth about £30k in original condition .... I'm sure I'd be fitting something turbo in there lol . A mate has a classic mini with a metro turbo lump in😊 but when he floors it in 4th, the torque steer from the 200hp is horrendous and it will change lanes on the carriageway without any steering wheel input 💩👖😂

Just in case he replaces the exhaust section and the code comes back , the google results said it was a o2 sensor fault . I've always just unplugged the sensor from the loom and used a open ended spanner (possibly 22mm) to undo the o2 sensor (so the sensor wire doesn't get in the way)

Well scoobies hibernating, so haven't done anything to that today 🙁 Does Look like I've been volunteered to do a classic mini engine rebuild for my farther in law before I start on the scooby shenanigans 🙄 So I Did remove the engine and box from a 1960 Morris mini project today . 10 bolts to undo the front subframe, then I picked the body up (by hand) and walked it over the subframe ,with the engine and box in situ 😂. Not as much fun but Much eaiser than working on scoobies lol

No probs, I don't like giving advice unless I've done it myself and know it's right the "bank " bit in the code was bugging me and seeing as Subaru's are my hobby , I wanted to research it a bit myself (I like learning subaru stuff) . As for whether a scooby newbie can replace a o2 sensor, I'd imagine so if you have a jack, axle stands and the right size spanner but only you'd know if you have the skills to do it tbh bud .

I know may way round most marques or motors and I've only ever seen the term "bank" used to describe each side of the engine in either flat or V engines . Hence why I kept saying it might be Tgv's lol . Hopefully the replacement exhaust section will sort it , as the next thing to try (according to the google results) is the sensor . Even though it does say that the sensor code is for the sensor in the manifold and not in the secondary cat or centre section 🤔 Progress isn't always a good thing ,so I'm gonna stick with my old skool 94 sti ,with its 1 sensor and 1 cat lol

I gave the code a quick google , as it wasn't making sense that it applied to 1 bank if it was a o2 issue. As I said before when a bank code come up its normally Tgv's or if accompanied by a misfire code , its coilpacks, plugs or injectors. I only checked 3 of the googled results but they all said the same thing , which still makes no sense as its nothing to do with a particular side or bank of the engine lol . So your mechanic could well be right by saying if there's a hole in a bit of the exhaust it could cause a o2 reading fault . As the sensor readings might not be the same ,due to gasses escaping through a hole . heres a screenshot of one of the posts that came up with a google but I'd suggest replacing exhaust section first before changing a sensor . Best of luck getting it sorted ,bud

I'm fairly confident with my classic spec but my bug onwards is a bit sketchy. Afaik you'll have a sensor in the up pipe (pre turbo),one in the downpipe neck (just after turbo) and one in the centre section. All these sensors are in the exhaust system after the gasses leaving each cylinder /bank have been mixed together. So as siluro also pointed out ,for the code to mention 1 bank I'd have thought it's a tgv issue . As the Tgv's operate on each side (bank) of the engine and quite often get stuck .I could be wrong but theres only a few things that would cause a single bank code and Tgv's are top of the list if not accompanied by a misfire code . Maybe ask the garage to unplug the tgv wires ,spray a bit of brake cleaner or wd40 on the tgv arm and give it a bit of a wiggle to try and free it up . If they appear to move more freely afterwards, clear the ECU codes and see if that resolves it .

I've only ever owned a few classics and a v7sti , none of them have Tgv's, so can't speak from experience. The Tgv's or tumbler generator valves are flaps that are supposed to make the air entering the heads "tumble ". To help the air a fuel mix better ,giving a cleaner burn during cold start enrichment. So if they stick or the solenoid that operates them is faulty , the flaps (or butterflies) can block the air entering the head on that side (bank) of the engine. Think other than a bank lean or rich o2 code, its likely to cause rough idle (hunting) and maybe stuttering or hesitation on boost . Just thought it would be worth mentioning ,as it's a common fault on bug onwards WRX's classics and sti's don't have Tgv's by the way .

I haven't posted much on this thread as you boys seem to be on the ball . I'm not 100% sure about the secondary cat as my bug sti had a aftermarket system. Just thought I'd pipe up as I know that a single bank o2 sensor code is more likely to be a tgv issue . If the garage has just read the code rather than interpreting the code it can easily lead to thinking it's a o2 or cat issue . Plus it's far more common for the Tgv's to be at fault than the cat failing.