Mr B

400+ is the middle point between the 2, tmic solutions can handle it if that way you want go, Lot of sti's run around the 380 to 420 on standard tmic but I would use water injection and thermal barriers with it or upgrade tmic core to keep thermal stress minimal & safety & tuning potential good .

360 to 400max at close 400 they really can start struggle on hot day or heavily heat soaked car, bar & plate larger core solutions & ones with new scoop designs can handle closer to 500hp if have to but ideally want water injection to run with it so intake temps are kept very safe allowing push ignition mapping more . Modern controlled water injection uses very little water so you would only fill up when filling fuel for example. over 400hp then front mounts tend be best solution and cost to potential hp handling is way cheaper . What power do you require & what changes to the car do you want make !? It not just about cutting/trimming, some people don't like loosing the design feature & function of the top mount & scoop or like fact car can be returned totally stock with simple nut, bolt, screw removal . Horses for coarses and personal choice within reason .

360 to 400max at close 400 they really can start struggle on hot day or heavily heat soaked car, bar & plate larger core solutions & ones with new scoop designs can handle closer to 500hp but ideally want water injection to run with it so intake temps are kept very safe allowing push ignition mapping more . What power do you require & what changes to the car do you want make !?

A good bar & plate top mount can work well . splitter fins & aftermarket scoops can help airflow. Lag/throttle response is not a misconception, V design front mount concepts were products of massive R&D and designed to reduce pipe run lengths & amount of bends . Indeed you can have more safety scope with front & front can exceed capabilities of a tmic but tmic is still very capable .

It's best if it needed . If you can cool efficent enough for power with a top mount then they can be best performance solution . Some people fit them at power level that pointless . Also have a lot of owners who don't want trim anything for front mount & keep car as stock as possible . Both solutions are best when used in right scenario .

they should be ones . Want know what size they are, standard or oversize ?? would need work out compression too as don't build an engine without doing so to a specific comp ratio goal . Price in set of rings at say £120 .

Top mount has 2 benefits. more direct better flowing pipe route less chance of damage from stones or parking nudges or grounding issue. Water spray can be useful & if have aftermarket ecu it maybe controlled on throttle rpm etc. You can get stand alone controllers which help make most of water spray system . we see a road car at 460ish hp on recored top mount with water spray and water injection and intake temp drops are excellent and heat soak minimal due to thermal solutions under the hood . Newage STI tmic can handle mid 400hp easily & custom cores with water injection 500hp, classics benefit from fmic more as design limitations make it hard work improving the tmic without big changes & bigger money than decent fmic . Thermal control under hood is important too so adding thermal barriers & improving airflow will reduce heatsoak for top mounts . Ice in the water spray bottle does wonders too & great for drag runs when setup with controller . Top mounts on sti newage tend be well underrated . turbo sunny had same issue but modern bar & plate max sized recored unit on those with water injection can do serious decent power and airflow on sunny core is awful compared to the impreza .

Quality top mounts can work fine and good choice in lot of instances balanced on power & usage & maintain standard characteristic/functions, another top option is chargecooler . no point having front mount if power & usage will be cooled enough buy a top mount implementation, top mounts work better than given credit & more so for uk climate .

legacy also but but get number off yours before buying one .

If just motor get motor but do check mech runs nicely & not worn & lubricate it a bit to give smoother operation & motor less load . Changing just motor is easier as can just remove 3 philips head nuts internally with decent philips bit in a bit ratchet spanner, remove 4 motor bolts & loosen other fixings so motor can be wiggled out, pulling whole lot means glass coming out .

* Trade plates only cover vehicle for no tax, it does not cover no MOT. Only way round no MOT is if use on road directly related to MOT issue, IE work related to repair, testing or a booked MOT itself . Reasonably easy for trade bend rules to work but it obviously would not be legal for example to drive a car hundreds of miles with bald tyres & no brakes just because you hang trade plates on it ;-) Trade plates have many myths ...

Trade plates don't cover no MOT, same laws on MOT as normal, ie driving to booked mot or related work . I always trailor non MOT unless very local & is indeed going to me for repairs or our MOT mans bay . Any cars we sell always have MOT and if not on first day advertised within 2 days, traders who let you test drive with no MOT are taking the p1ss on your licence .

Well a plus you got the cat :-) Could get garage give quote (add re mot & bit more just in case :-S ) and see if worth your hassle . If want easy route try eBay (buy it now) but don't give it away if rest of car VERY good/clean as these faults are super easy put right for diy enthusiast or someone in trade .

No if it the U frame it reasonably easy remove (12 bolts on frame itself) , some can be a right rusted mess. You can get aftermarket frame-brace all in one or hunt down A1 used preferably from jdm import if current one like a wet weekabix . Crossmember more awkward but it normally the U subframe rusts at front due to moisture trap issue . new part or labour on old one going add up along with other bits . Doubt she see more money at end of day with MOT but sale possibly quicker if did ! Some people actually remove the U frames (invalidates insurance though) .

You looking at new discs and pads plus calipers checked as expect pistons partially seized hence disc worn more one side. Rear suspension bushes cat refitted (hopefully you kept that :-/ ) Subframe all depends on how bad it is, if removed they can be blasted, cut & welded with new steel & coated with epoxy paint for better than new long term repair . hard say how much without looking ... If not doing work yourself garage bill for all of it going mount up a bit, Put it on here for your wanting price & on eBay for little more (not as auction as too many idiots). Will sell it easily if rest of car good as those failures easy & cheap for any DIY enthusiast ...

ej255 ej257 are same gasket sets icp do cometic kit, you can get a lot via blueprint which good stuff or oem . 150 to 250 should cover top end gasket required pending on whether get set or mix blueprint/OEM with specific brand HG . I get my parts varying sources, local main dealer, local blueprint stockist & online blueprint/OEM part sellers when prices super low, Got a lot of bits off eBay too when factors shifting excess stock, use ICP at times also, cosworth HG are good, cometic newer HG are better than older design. OEM gaskets for things such as rocker covers, valve stems, crank/cam seals etc are hard beat & hassle free (Nok are oem for lot of seals so can source from many places), we tend use oem & blueprint mainly & cosworth or cometic HG, Blueprint VR or OEM HG in more run of mill repairs . Check out you bores well for ovaling & piston skirt & ringlands for issues, we like CP pistons for higher power mainly street use and they affordable option when standard ring/pistons shot . Just nail down some part numbers & hunt prices, if you got family in trade then blueprint and cometic should be good prices via local motor-factors possibly.

Sounds likely just generals deposits built up as description doesn't sound overly worrying. Who knows when coolant last done or what junk been in it, leak inhibitors inc subaru's magic one makes right mess in expansion tanks over time . Good flush, expansion bottle clean & refill with good coolant should do job . Do check for leaks after as things like waterpump if old can start leaking after a proper flush, also if leak additive been in it the cause may not of been resolved so keep eye on things for few days ...

Debris scoring mixed with lucubration issues (oil gallery head restrictor partially block or contaminated oil) & excessive head heat probably. Once get some scoring & deforming in the cam journal bearing well the cam journal starts drag & wear rate increases drastically, Excessive head heat softens the alloy, also reduces clearances worsening journal drag . Line honing the head bearing bores works well when damage not to deep, is possible polish cam journals if not too bad but for best assembled clearance new cams & lining honing or just polishing head bearing wells works best & is not silly money either . If heads test good in all other ways it works out better do mirror finish skim & rework cam bearings & valves so better spec than new or used (Do need good reputable or proven machine shop for the work as lot of your run of mill engine machine shops are simply not good enough in surface tolerances & finish) If scoring real deep, head got cracks or been skimmed to limits already then it time junk it .

Blueprint is best option . 22056-AA091 = ADS77210 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sensor-Camshaft-Position-ADS77210-Blue-Print-22056-AA091-/232026129282 22056AA062 22056AA063 = ADS77204 (few others do this one - Intermotor 19214 less than £50 . Jakoparts J5637000 ) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLUE-PRINT-Sensor-camshaft-position-Fits-SUBARU-LEGACY-IMPREZA-FORESTER-ADS77204-/191776791695 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-INTERMOTOR-FRONT-CAMSHAFT-POSITION-SENSOR-19214-/391217652128

You can do 2 things with score marks in cap & head bearing wells. 1. if not deep can be polished out . 2. if deep, head cap face is machined down a fraction making hole fraction smaller & then it line bored & polished . Lot of machine-shops will say can't be done but it because they can't do it, not got the kit or experience. You need a proper machine-shop do this work and fussy one too (not many PROPER ones about) If cams scored get new . Have done this on couple builds we done & finish & spec spot on but does need expert & fussy machinist for proper worthy end result . Cam journal load is minimal compared to say crank so it easier rework & tolerances although important have more scope . With cams like that I think you will need crank bearings for sure, we can normally judge by pre strip oil pressure, stethoscope check, oil condition, head gasket leak internal/external & condition of bores/head & cam journals how good bottom end going be ...

Bearings normally damaged if water in oil & been like it long time. Would take hell of a lot of water in cylinder overload bearings due to hydraulics (water injection for example doesn't kill bearings) & you would bend rods too. Do any cylinders show signs of water ingress ( look nice & clean) As situation unknown and seller obviously sold knowing had issues & been too tight nip it in bud it needs strip down & full check, Rebuild with new waterpump cambelt etc, oilpump seals and shells if needed, check pistons well & bore spec too . If rest of car A1 then probably will work out good in long run, more an issue with seller really, subaru boxers are pretty solid for ragging they get .

Disco not great on reliability & indeed quite a size jump. good if need size, tow class or more off road ability . You either go with your heart & make good effort find a nice early FL2 at sensible money or look at something else, forester diesel is in budget although the diesel engine not subaru's greatest achievement. I really like the Mazda cx5 2.2 AWD and good mpg figures too , XV nice to but indeed over budget ... I wouldn't want spend more than 6K on FL2, FL2 is over priced for what it is. FL1 facelift 2005-2006 td4 can be had with 4k or a monkey more if real mint 1 owner sensible miles. They can be good buys & cheap way get a bmw diesel/suv package. very practical just reliability gamble but at 4K you could easily afford sensible tweaks & diesel remap and odd repair without breaking bank . I would bank rest of budget & run freelander for while & plan on a cx5 upgrade down the line perhaps ...

Yeh I like them but not sure on his needs or intended purchase price .

Forester 2.0 petrol or if really doing high miles a diesel forester :-) You do really need be doing some serious mileage to make up for diesel extra purchace expense & running/maintenance expense . If buying a freelander i would go for late fl1 revision model 2.0 td4 & manual if want be able get sensible mpg, also tyres with superb fuel rating to help scrape extra mile or 2, 35 is common for general short running about & 45 on longer runs at sensible speed & sensible tyres Late facelift fl1 (2004-2006) td4 top spec models are sensible money & have huge amount around which means it well under your budget and plenty to look at so will find good one if keep at it, plus you got reserve funds for possible couple issues if unlucky. td4 manuals sell easier too which handy . fl2 is classy looking suv & has a sort of range rover class about it, transmission is bit better on these but they still get huge amount of elec & other silly faults which can make them very costly . xtrail or cr-v are other diesel options from japan. fl2 is good visual design but not much more, I would rather try my luck with a forester diesel :-) Have odd few people who been lucky with freelanders & missed out on big issues but have a few customers who been hit hard by it's faults & you got feel sorry for them when repair bills escalate near or in 4 figures ...