My First Hiccup, finally put this to bed after the 3rd try Options

[DBCooper]

I would say I owe you a set of rears but you built the car and just tossed me the keys. So I blame you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Ha ha ha, he did that to you? Very cool, that's what I do, too. Especially to people who "can't imagine" a Subaru powered car. It's not possible to explain, they need to experience it.

[76-914]

You drove it like it was yours, Rick. Proud of ya. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif) Another cause might be the constant pressure on it from running smaller coolant lines. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) I'll install a pressure gage afterwards to monitor max developed pressure and go from there. I pulled the drive train last nite but I was too tired to tear into the engine afterwards. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slits.gif) However, when perusing the net this AM I found that I can buy a Brand New Subarau short block for < $2500. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif) That ain't much for a 200K mile engine. If the heads are good and I keep machine work and misc parts/seals < $1000 that will work out to about 1.5 cents per mile to own. This may become a no brainer. I'll know more after a tear down. More later. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[rhodyguy]

2.5k. Wow. These are units sourced from Subaru by a secondary vendor?

[ThePaintedMan]

Cometic gaskets are all MLS, or multi-layered steel. On a properly prepped surface they're supposed to be far superior, if not bulletproof compared to stock gaskets, which are called "composite" gaskets, produced with a bunch of soft metal material that crushes when it's torqued down.

Google it - most of the serious Suby tuners use them on those 450+ hp WRX motors.

George, tell me more about the Cometic gaskets. Haven't heard of them before.

[76-914]

2.5k. Wow. These are units sourced from Subaru by a secondary vendor?

Yeppers. Check it out and Happy Birthday. http://parts.renicksubaru.com/a/Subaru_200...B12-003-01.html

Cometic gaskets are all MLS, or multi-layered steel. On a properly prepped surface they're supposed to be far superior, if not bulletproof compared to stock gaskets, which are called "composite" gaskets, produced with a bunch of soft metal material that crushes when it's torqued down.

Google it - most of the serious Suby tuners use them on those 450+ hp WRX motors.

George, tell me more about the Cometic gaskets. Haven't heard of them before.

Found them. They offer 3 different thickness'. Hmmm! Also noticed the article mentioned that OEM gaskets contained asbestos until the 90's and that it took Subaru a few years to develop a suitable head gasket. I wonder what I will do if I find the existing gaskets are OK. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[r_towle]

I love how the engine cradle is also the drivetrain dolly...

[rhodyguy]

A thing of back saving beauty.

[rick 918-S]

Cometic gaskets are all MLS, or multi-layered steel. On a properly prepped surface they're supposed to be far superior, if not bulletproof compared to stock gaskets, which are called "composite" gaskets, produced with a bunch of soft metal material that crushes when it's torqued down.

Google it - most of the serious Suby tuners use them on those 450+ hp WRX motors.

George, tell me more about the Cometic gaskets. Haven't heard of them before.

I'm running Cometic gaskets on the Alien. First because the heads were cut one too many times. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) I had a custom thickness made to bring the valves up off the pistons. Second because of the superior sealing. Weird things. Layered stamped steel riveted together to keep alignment while installing. They can stack them to what ever your needs are.

[ThePaintedMan]

Yup, they don't sound like they'd seal, but they're good for some serious boost. It is really nice that you can get them in different thicknesses too, as deviations from stock deck height on a Suby motor also means varying cam timing from left to right banks. In my case, I had .004 taken off the heads at the machine shop, so I oversized the HGs from Cometic by the same number.

Quick question Kent - on the front of your cradle, does it bolt directly to the "early" style rubber outer engine mounts, or to the little stamped steel half-moon shaped pieces found on the later cars?

[76-914]

I love how the engine cradle is also the drivetrain dolly...

Thx Rich, I can't remember who I stole that idea from. Musta been DBCooper or BIGKAT. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Cometic gaskets are all MLS, or multi-layered steel. On a properly prepped surface they're supposed to be far superior, if not bulletproof compared to stock gaskets, which are called "composite" gaskets, produced with a bunch of soft metal material that crushes when it's torqued down.

Google it - most of the serious Suby tuners use them on those 450+ hp WRX motors.

George, tell me more about the Cometic gaskets. Haven't heard of them before.

I'm running Cometic gaskets on the Alien. First because the heads were cut one too many times. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) I had a custom thickness made to bring the valves up off the pistons. Second because of the superior sealing. Weird things. Layered stamped steel riveted together to keep alignment while installing. They can stack them to what ever your needs are.

I'll need to find out what the stock thickness is then. I want to keep the CR stock which is 10.?:1. I'll look it up.

Yup, they don't sound like they'd seal, but they're good for some serious boost. It is really nice that you can get them in different thicknesses too, as deviations from stock deck height on a Suby motor also means varying cam timing from left to right banks. In my case, I had .004 taken off the heads at the machine shop, so I oversized the HGs from Cometic by the same number.

Quick question Kent - on the front of your cradle, does it bolt directly to the "early" style rubber outer engine mounts, or to the little stamped steel half-moon shaped pieces found on the later cars?

Here ya go George. A pic is worth a 1,00o words. Scroll thru these shots........ http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...776&st=120#

[ThePaintedMan]

Yeah, you'd need to find the stock thickness - I believe it's .040, but it'd be better to check with Subaru. Then, have the heads inspected and whatever machining is done to them will determine the thickness of the gasket you'd order from Cometic (0.040 + 0.0xx).

Thanks for the pictures. Now I remember how you did it. In my case, the stock engine mounts for the EG33 are shot and prohibitively expensive. So I'm looking at using solid mounts from the cradle to the engine and early 914 engine bar mounts to provide some movement/give for vibration.

[Chris H.]

I have ONE good mount (and one bad one) you can have George but you really don't need them in the middle, especially for a race car. Too wobbly and you'd definitely tear one open pretty quick. You're on the right track with the early mounts at the stock location up front. You could weld extensions to the stock Subaru engine mounts or fill them with urethane for mounting to the cradle (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) the urethane thing sounds too easy to work permanently...maybe it'd be OK.

[malcolm2]

a head install video i like


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddFsFfiyOvg

needs some OIL on his tripod, the camera is squeaky.... nice video tho.

[flmont]

I need a engine cradle,..too...!!!!

[76-914]

Thx for the video Jim but mine is a six. I do have the factory manual which is super! So this is what it looked like fully dressed sans the idler laying on top.



And with her bra off (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif)



Stripped off her chains



A peek inside the water pump housing. Take a close look a see that the 4 bolt holes are 6mm. You can also see the thermostat in the background.



Now look at the size of the holes on the flange of the water pump. They're 8mm and 2 of them are tapped. Once you unscrew the 4 6mm bolts that hold the pump in place you still need to get it out. All you need are 2 8mm bolts that thread into the flange and push against the case. Then you just tighten each a little and walk it out. No "pulling or prying or crying or cussing". 15 seconds and out. Brilliant! Gave me a DUH moment when I thought about it. Why aren't similar pumps all engineered like this?



Here's one showing the smaller screw against the larger hole in the flange.



Stopped here now with the cam gears removed. Tomorrow I'll pull the rear cover off (which is basically a mirror image of that cover laying on the floor) and next the heads then off I go to find a good machinist. Some of you may remember my past experiences with some of these local machinist's. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[colingreene]

Kent is that really the best you have?
Obviously im remarking on the Irony that subaru people swap to these motors because its more reliable and so much better yet here we are.
Along with the hard fact that they are problematic motors at the best of times in performance situations.
Best of luck with getting it fixed but after seeing whats inside your timing cover id just get a brand new motor because that thing is dirtier than a alcoholic priest in in a whorehouse.
Though ill never not find the plumbing pipe cooling system funny.

[rick 918-S]

Wow! Arnolds tractor oil? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) That thing will run 5 deg. cooler once all the sludge is removed.

Word of caution. My cooling system gauges read safe with the occasional spike in temp when I forgot to switch on my fans in stop and go traffic. Ended up cooking my oil as the oil temps were hotter than my water temps when they spiked. Cooked the viscosity enhancers out of the oil. Caused a drop in oil pressure. Castrol GTX. The bike racers call it Castrol brown. They can cook the oil in half a dozen laps. Turns the inside of your engine brown.

[914_teener]

Wow! Arnolds tractor oil? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif) That thing will run 5 deg. cooler once all the sludge is removed.

Word of caution. My cooling system gauges read safe with the occasional spike in temp when I forgot to switch on my fans in stop and go traffic. Ended up cooking my oil as the oil temps were hotter than my water temps when they spiked. Cooked the viscosity enhancers out of the oil. Caused a drop in oil pressure. Castrol GTX. The bike racers call it Castrol brown. They can cook the oil in half a dozen laps. Turns the inside of your engine brown.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Holy crap....I thought you powder coated that black at first Kent.

[Chris H.]

Sheesh Kent I better finish mine up if you're gonna move this fast.

All that mess is probably your oil pump leaking a TINY bit at the seal, or an O-Ring, something like that. It's just Subaru RTV (use grey RTV) sealing it to the block. Doesn't last forever. The oil has nowhere to go since the timing chain cover is sealed. Just gets flung around by the chains and then baked, especially since the pump is kinda high up.

Wow the shop manual does a great job of describing break down/build up with color pics and stuff!

[914forme]

Poly mounts to the -4 mounting point are easy. I have a set made up, that I don't need anymore if you want them.

Or you just use these and build your own.

A couple pieces of steel your done, also work for the rear trans mounts.