Adam

Its a fuel delivery issue so the block design isn't part of the problem. The cylinder is last in line in the fuel rail so can sometimes run lean and as the petrol vapor helps cool the piston it gets hot and melts. Depending on how much you want to spend, upgrade fuel pump, fit a new fuel pressure regulator and get the car mapped to give the correct fuelling for the above. The next step if you have the funds is to fit a parrellel fuel rail system.

Just remember that power is a drug! You say 400bhp is more than enough for now, but once yo start tuning you always want more. If you spend more now getting a stronger bottom end you can always upgrade the top end and turbo later for more power when you want it. A closed-deck on it's own will not give any more power, it will just be able to hold more boost without the bore walls deforming. They also have oil squirters under each piston to help with lubrication and these are not found on semi-closed or open deck blocks. On the down side the water circulation is restricted as the water chambers around the bores are solid metal for strength, so budget for better cooling. As they were only built upto the early 1990s they are becomeing hard to find and the cost is very high, and also they were built before the rear thrust cranckshafts were introduced on phase 2 engines (Legacy Gen3 and Impreza version 5) so all are centre thrust. They can be convired by a machine shop if you want to use a stronger rear thrust crank, but again that is extra cost, and if you are looking for super strong it would be silly not to. Doing this will also let you fit an EJ25 crankshaft (all are rear thrust) to stroke the engine out to 2.1 litres (anyone who says it gives 2.2 litres can't do maths!) but you will need adapted pistons too for this as the standard ones will hit the oil squirters. I would suggest a semi-closed deck block is a better compromise as it gives some extra strength without much of the extra cost. They are all rear thrust from new so no worry there, and they are still in production now so availability is not an issue. They don't have the oil squirters but they still have the open water chambers around the bores for better cooling. Semi-closed deck blocks built after 2010 have thicker bore walls for even more strength and these are sometimes called heavy duty semi-closed deck blocks (available as EJ20 or EJ25). One thing to note is they all have extra breather ports so if you upgrade from an open deck you will need to add a bit more pipe work... A good time to fit an oil catch can! Not a problem with a single turbo, but the extra port in the centre gets in the way on a twin-turbo set up so it will need to be plugged.

Subaru say every 60,000 miles or every 3 years. I have two near misses with friends cars and cambelts. First was my (then) girlfriend who bought a Legacy GT-B and was told it had a new belt. We took the word of the dealer and took no further action. 18 months later she decided to have it changed early and it was clear it had been fitted badly and would not have lasted much longer, so she dodged a bullet there. Story two was my mate Rich who bought a fresh import Legacy Blitzen. Again he was told it has a fresh belt, but I told him the above story and he decided to check it out as soon as he took delivery. Good job he did as the belt had started to fall apart... It was so bad the garage that changed it hung it on their wall to show other customers what could go wrong! I would say always do the full kit if you can... The tensioners can and do fail and when they do it's game over for your engine.

Did I miss understand your first question...? Are you looking to identify the exact model of your car? If it's a Japaneese import it may well say GL on the V5 but be a WRX or STi. The way to find out is to read the chassis plate on the passenger side suspension tower and enter the code HERE. About the engine... Buying a second-hand engine is very much a lottery as you need to strip it down to make sure you are getting what you pay for, and if you are doing that you may as well strip your old engine down and rebuild that. David from API has a good reputation, but if I may also suggest... give Bip a PM on this forum. His Dad builds Subaru engines and Bip now works for him. It's a new start business but his Dad, Graham, has been building them for years as a hobby and as they work from home the costs will be lower. They are based in Coventry but will come to you, within reason. Re the Closed deck block suggestion... An Oped-deck block is good for 400bhp, semi-closed for 500bhp and closed-deck for 800+bhp monsters. So unless you are looking for epic power you should be able to keep your old block cases.

I have H&S on my GT-B and the quality is very, very good. I would recommend them any time.

It's not easy to identify where the block has come from as they all use the same case, and it's easy to take a standard 2.0 engine from a non-turbo car and fit it with heads and turbo etc from a turbo car for a quick, cheap fix. If the engine is out of the car take the heads off and look at the pistons. If they are flat then the bottom end is from a non-turbo and the compression ratio will be too high and it will fail with a turbo. If the pistons have a large scoop cut in them then they are from a turbo car (the cut-out in the pistons is to lower the compression ratio). You still wont be able to say if it's a WRX or STi, but its a start.

If the standard exhaust was any good you wouldn't be looking for another one now. If you must have a standard one you will have to go to Subaru and it will cost huge amounts. Get an aftermarket stainless steel one and it will last for the rest of the life of the car. Aftermarket does not mean you have to go loud, just let the fitter know what you want and they should be able to make or supply you with one that fits your requirments.

Ive been trying to sell a pair of RCM door cards on eBay but nobody seems interested, so its time to do a bit of advertising... eBay item number 181156585128 Surely they are a must-have for any track toy!

I am assuming the system is simular or the same on your newer Legacy as my older one... The transfer box is cable operated so my guess would be that the cable has broken or come loose. The cable goes from the lever into the gearbox bell-housing at the top near the engine, you will probably have to remove the air box to see it clearly, but get someone to sit in the car and pull the lever. If all is well you should see the cable operate the linkage on the top of the gearbox, if not remove the interior trim to see if it's still connected at the lever end.

I was always a big BMW fan but then I started dating a Subaru girl. We split up a few years ago now, but I decided I still needed a Subaru in my life so I soon bought myself one, then another, and another, and the rest is history!

+1 for Andy Forest. He has a top reputation.

Hello, I'm in Worcester and I think I may have seen that Forester about in the Evesham area. Would that be you?

Just had a brake seize on my Legacy GL and it's clear the caliper has passed to point of no return. I am therefore looking for an OEM single piston caliper for the front of a Legacy BG5 non-turbo. The type that fits the 260mm discs. I believe these were also used on the non-turbo Imprezas of the same era. I need the O/S as that is the one that has failed but as the N/S also looks a bit iffy I will take the pair if anyone can help. And before anyone suggests I fit a nice set of 4-pots, this car is being restored to factory original so I will be keeping the tiny OEM wheels! Thanks, Adam

Interesting that's it's a Toyota switch as the one in my Legacy says Nissan on the back!

Likely to be one of two things... As said above, a MAF sensor failure can cause this and is most common on early phase II engines that used a cheaper sensor. Although if this is the cause you would probably have some hesitation under power too. The other thing that can cause this is an air leak from the inlet manifold or supporting componants. Check the dump-valve first as these can get weak over time, and if it's the type that bolts to the intercooler check the gasket seal. Next check all the airline pipes for cracks as they can perish over time.

Seen a few about but never up close. Never sold in the UK so any you see with be a JDM import, but the USA got the Impreza Outback which was similar.

They made an auto version of the WRX??

Vent-to-atmosphere dumvalves pay havoc with Subaru's twin-turbo system so standard all the way for me. I do have an STi panel filter though.

Not sure I've managed to get the shade of gold right here, but it gives an idea...

Orange could work...

From past experience that could very easily be true. Certain exhaust parts are impossible to get hold of anywhere else. In this situation most people go to an aftermarket "custom" exhaust center and get something made by hand. Still expensive but depending on the part you could save 50%. Or keep an eye on eBay and the scrap yards to get second hand.

That price was with a private recovery firm, RAC didn't want to know. As seen in the video, we were busy removing all the aftermarket parts while waiting for the RAC (or ADAC acting for them) as there was a real risk he would never see the car again.

I drive a lot of different vehicles for work and I sometimes forget what I'm in and end up confusing poor Subaru driver when a van, bus or some other random vehicle waves! :(

I use Photoshop a lot but never that function. However, I am always up for a challenge so I will have a go at it over the weekend.

Nope, he had been with them for several years. Going a bit off topic now, but just to highlight the risks with track days and autobahn running, plus the need for good breakdown cover when you go. We were running video cameras in the cars at the time and I've just found the results on YouTube... http://youtu.be/iVjP0MwRQmA I was the one driving the chase car and shouting "STOP!" into the CB when I saw the smoke. We later discovered a hole on #2 piston the size of a penny! Another top-tip if you do a club meet overseas (I have done dozens) is to get a CB in each car. You can see why in the video. A good rig costs less than £100 and you can plug it into the cigarette lighter and take it out when you get home.