WRX motor post mortem

[Rightseat]

dead Rex waggie motor after Rally NY (well, it still ran, it just clattered and knocked and shook like hell)

extended autopsy revealed BAD internal damage

rod bearings on #1 and #2 cyls, pooched

bearing journals on crank, pooched

oil sump full of bearing debris

pistons damaged from hitting heads, pooched

cylinder walls scored, pooched

our team's expert engine builder said after looking at the damage, "this here motor has been rode hard and put away wet a few too many times."

I now have a collection of burnt blackened engine parts for souvenirs--EJ20T block for boat anchor; piston paperweights; crankshaft as basis for a super cool desk lamp, etc.

can anybody say, "new factory shortblock" ???!!

schize.

DG :

 

[gearsoup]

tittywop

sorry to hear about the block.

 

[Runnah]

that's terrible!

It got put away too wet? ???

 

[Evan]

i thought it was impossible to overwet something?

sti shortblock is the way to go.

 

[Rightseat]

that's terrible!

It got put away too wet? ???

'rode hard and put away wet' is a horse racing term used to describe horses that have been run hard and put back in the stable without being properly cooled down. it refers both to not the best long-term maintenance and hard short-term duty

for an engine builder tech, it's another way of saying "this motor has led a hard life"

STI shortblock is NOT the way to go, stock Rex ECU would be all confused by 2.5 block and the combo would likely result in lowr power outbut than stock. It might be OK with aftermarket ECU, but I want/need a daily driver, not a daily tuner. EJ20Tshortblock arrived today from Subaru New England warehouse....should be on the road by next week (he said hopefully)

DG

the other thing to realize is that the times we were turning in at Rally NY in a basically box stock WRX wagon would have placed us the top 20 of the rally cars. So, small wonder something blew!