Oh you know... just EJ25T things...

"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
05/09/2018 at 12:55 • Filed to: None

The dip stick is also really hard to read sometimes. Even my local subie shop owner agreed that it wasn’t just me, and recommended doing it with a cold motor if possible. Still a PITA, can’t tell much beyond whether or not one or both of the holes on either extreme of the scale is full.

Just a routine check, this engine was perfectly designed. They definitely don’t tell you to check the oil every other fill up in the owners manual if you have a turbo car. That would be ridiculous! And so would needing a specialty tool (flatblade hammered into socket...) to reach a self-loosening hose clamp. That’s totally not whats going on here.

I’m dancing with the devil. [Insert David Lee Roth scream here]

Granted, the questionable throttle body to intercooler hose design is generally fine until it gets old or you crank the boost up or both. At that point it becomes the #1 things forums will tell you to check for a leak if it sounds like there is a tea kettle or a bull frog in your engine bay. Call it an anti-tampering device. This one is still loosening itself a little despite being a brand new install when I did the downpipe but that’s what happens when you’re running several more peak PSI (18-19 depending on the temp) than stock (15 ish).I do have a replacement ready but that’s just not gonna happen anytime soon, I’m very done with tearing apart this engine bay for now and happy to turn a screwdriver a tiny bit every so often instead. Granted, I’ve taken the damn intercooler off so many times I can do the job in 20 mins. It’s just triggering AF at this point lol.

This is just waiting on my parts shelf. I like to think of it as having a concealed carry firearm. Its there just in case! But realistically I hope I never have to use it.

DISCUSSION (24)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/09/2018 at 13:16

My guess is that subaru engine designers came over from the dirt bike industry since their engines burn as much oil as a 2 stroke. I just hope that it doesn’t ruin the cats on my outback. But I have a PZEV with I believe a 100k warranty on emissions equipment.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/09/2018 at 13:17

What other cars have you had? I found the EJ25t to be much easier to do work on vs many American brands. Less unnecessarily complicated than Germans. And the oil dipstick is way better than what I see on Hondas. Spark plugs, tho...

Noah - Now with more boost. > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
05/09/2018 at 13:21

Oh I loved working on it actually. I just like stuff with character so I’m making fun of it in good spirits. I couldn’t believe it, all 5 of the turbo to downpipe nuts were easily accessible from the top via the engine bay. Nice job Subaru!

Noah - Now with more boost. > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
05/09/2018 at 13:23

Unless you have a turbo motor you will be fine! My parents’ old 2001 had the same cat for 175,000 miles no issue :)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/09/2018 at 13:31

The cats died on my 2002 NA impreza at 100k, same for my mom’s 2001 2.5RS, and then her 2009 NA Impreza.

404 - User No Longer Available > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/09/2018 at 13:35

This is just waiting on my parts shelf. I like to think of it as having a concealed carry firearm . Its there just in case! But realistically I hope I never have to use it.

Ehh... sounds more like having a fire extinguisher.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/09/2018 at 13:52

You know, I had my WRX until 160,000 miles and it never burned that much oil. A little with the Pennzoil, but when I switched to Rotella it stopped pretty much completely...less than half a quart between (4000 mile) oil changes. Leaks, on the other hand...I had to replace the gaskets in the oil cooler and the valve cover gaskets were due when I got rid of the car. Not going to complain about getting 160,000 miles out of the valve cover gaskets, though.

punkgoose17 > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/09/2018 at 14:01

What about switching to T bolt hose clamps with nylon locking nuts?

BeaterGT > Aaron M - MasoFiST
05/09/2018 at 14:19

Not a WRX but I also had to replace valve cover gaskets at ~95k miles. The turbo heat really does eat away surrounding components.

Junkrat aka Rick Sanchez: Fury Road Edition > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
05/09/2018 at 14:25

I’ve worked on a few, and have to say there is not a horrible wrench position on the while car. The spark plug thing is a real pain, though. Luckily only every 75,000 or so.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > BeaterGT
05/09/2018 at 14:30

The valve cover gaskets went on my (supercharged) Bonneville too...another car with underhood heat management issues.

BeaterGT > Aaron M - MasoFiST
05/09/2018 at 14:36

Always wondered how fun those cars were. Was it the Bonneville, Grand Prix, and Regal GS that got the supercharged 3.8?

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/09/2018 at 15:36

You gotta love Subaru’s short little hoses. The tiny fuel line above the no*1 cylinder on my 2001 Outback used to shrink just enough in the winter to leave a nice little pool of gas on top of the cylinder. Airflow used to take the fumes out the back of the hood and straight into the HVAC intake.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > BeaterGT
05/09/2018 at 15:59

And the Park Avenue Ultra, Monte Carlo SS Eliminator, and Impala SS. The Bonneville was a riot when you romped on it, and comfortable. On the other side was some pretty serious body panel fitment issues. I had a salvage title car with a rebuilt front end, so at least some of it was from that, but...the door gaps were so uneven that the body cladding could get caught when you opened the door in cold temperatures. The hood flutter was terrifying...I wrote on a forum asking if it was from the reconstruction and got the response “nah, they all do that”. The parking lights popping out of their housings was the most constant annoyance, but that was almost certainly from the reconstruction.

My friend who recommended I buy the car in the first place recommended after I sold it that if I want another L67 to buy a Regal GS...apparently the Windsor plant had a dramatically lower defect rate than the Flint plant.

BeaterGT > Aaron M - MasoFiST
05/09/2018 at 16:21

Park Avenue Ultra! Totally forgot about that ride. Sounds like it had an interesting personality. They are still one of the greatest sleepers in my opinion.

DipodomysDeserti > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/09/2018 at 17:15

Those TB to intercooler hoses blow off on brand new engines. Blew mine off on my FXT with like 5k miles on it.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
05/10/2018 at 23:10

Maybe it was me beating on it as a teenager? Lots of high RPMS? Shot in the dark here lol. I am planning on another outback very soon because that was so great to slide around. Massive hatch on the back compensated for the 60/40 split and low power.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Aaron M - MasoFiST
05/10/2018 at 23:11

Yea its fascinating that oil makes so much of a difference. I didn’t know Mobil 5w 30 was terrible. It was alarming how quickly it degraded. Everyone says to avoid it so I do.

Noah - Now with more boost. > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
05/10/2018 at 23:13

Hey I learned to drive on a 2001! Loved that car. The shift knob and outlet plug are in the WRX 17 years later.

Noah - Now with more boost. > 404 - User No Longer Available
05/10/2018 at 23:13

lol. And its not even in in the car.

Noah - Now with more boost. > DipodomysDeserti
05/10/2018 at 23:14

WTF! What climate do you live in? Lots of temp changes? TBH I wonder if the hose clamps are partially to blame. Probs as cheap as possible.

Noah - Now with more boost. > punkgoose17
05/10/2018 at 23:15

I like the thought but then when it blows off anyway its not a 20 minute fix anymore!

DipodomysDeserti > Noah - Now with more boost.
05/11/2018 at 00:28

Extremely dry and extremely hot in the summer, so big temp swings between night and day. It’s a pretty well known issue with the intercooler hoses on the EJ25. The hoses have a weird dual wall design on he end, so if the clamps aren’t really tight the hose can slip off.

Noah - Now with more boost. > DipodomysDeserti
05/11/2018 at 22:32

yea the dual wall is a disaster. The last time mine came off, the main hose had such a good pinch in it from some dumbass (<—- me) trying to tighten the clip when it had already come off that I had to bend it back several times to get it to work. Brand new part haha SMH