Piston ring land failure @ 82,000 miles. One Cylinder was slapping the piston....#3 Removed everything under the hood, and replaced. Clutch, Radiator, long block, all accessories. Engine was a 2018 Subaru test engine with maybe 10miles on it? Shipped to US from Japan. Youngest son, "Trevor" by the car.
New clutch, throw out bearing, pressure plate and clutch-alignment tool to center everything.... I re-use the flywheel though. It looked fine. (Just a little rust.) .
It is common. Even a few test vehicles for magazines have puked a piston in less than 20k. Known issue for over a decade for the 2.5l turbo motors sold in US and Europe. In Japan they do not use this motor....only 2.0l turbos. The piston are cheap pieces of garbage. I am going to install a new short block for approx. $2200 total cost for the old engine. Then we have a spare, or sell? 2016 with bad piston....6000 miles! https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2844782
Actually 82k out of a Subaru with a teenager driving it is pretty good! lol I usually buy these and sell before 60k on the odometer. Wife has a 2016 turbo Subaru. Her 2nd. I have had around 5 or 6 turbo Suby and use to drag race One of them. I sold that car with a total of 24miles on the odometer. All from drag racing. I had a race motor and race transmission. No wipers or bumper supports. No heat or AC, etc...it lived in a trailer.
Someone has come up with an aftermarket solution with a better piston design? "Actually 82k out of a Subaru with a teenager driving it is pretty good! lol" Good point. I beat the dogshite out of my cars when I was that age. What were the times in the drag Suby?
So easy to work on subarus though! It is a pleasure compared to most other cars. Parts are also cheap! I still like them, even though stuff like this can happen. First time for me. I once broke a rod and that punched a fist-sized hole in the block at the drag strip.
1000 ways to fix the piston issue. All are better than OEM. Cheap fix once you have motor out of car and on the workbench. Crack it like an egg, and install forged pistons. File-fit rings with tighter tolerance than stock. Then you have more power, less oil consumption (Flat-4 eats oil due to being flat! lol) stronger pistons with more (longer) skirts on bottom.
I was in the 10s and right at 130mph. Stick-shift....pulling up front wheels and AWD became worthless. Then, I went back to RWD Turbo Buicks. On my 4th Turbo Brick.
Funny....that guy wanted to trade back! He ended up returning the scanner but I had already sold the Corvette. THEN!! 8 months went by.....He bought the scanner and exocad AGAIN for 2nd time! lol
Scott, thanks for the great news??? Just bought 2 Subaru's, Crosstrek for my kid and an Outback Touring for my wife. lol Both non turbo though.
My 19yr old son and his friends have been beating the shit out of this car for few years. Your cars will run forever and hold value really well! Dont worry. Frenchy i have six water vessels. Two boats and four jetskis
The past year i have rebuilt four forking motorcycles....a totaled Yukon denali and a totaled smart car....now the subaru to finish the year. Oh yeah...also a jetski engine and some trashed golf carts. Pimping sho aint eazy yo. Sheesh.