It's a sickness, isn't it?

[PhyrraM]

So my brother texts me Friday with a blurry pic of an Outback and a quick message saying "98, manual. Clean, needs motor. $500. Interested?" Before I even really comprehended what was transpiring, I texted back "Hell yeah. Get it, I'll pay you back".

WTF? I'm either sick or an idiot.

So, now I am the relatively proud owner of a fully loaded '98 Outback Limited 5-speed in Black Granite Metallic with severe rod knock, but otherwise really nice condition.














I've already got a phase 1 EJ25 crank and bearings, so a connecting rod, rings and gaskets should do it. Not sure if I will keep her or flip it.

[kimokalihi]

I would jump on that in a heartbeat. Such a good deal. Nice score! Now what is up with your SS?

[07Evolved]

It is a sickness and I have it too! Car looks good. I would have jumped on that too.

[92ss satinsvoice]

ha! my uncle just bought a 97 227k mi out back limited for 500 smackers but the interior is in not as great a shape like yours. engine needed new head gaskets so i bought the motor off him for $100 and hes pickin up a new one for it.





extremely nice find! cars in great shape.

[93forestpearl]

Screw you and your rust-free environment. Anything of that vintage from up here is starting to show some cancer.

[Rubasu]

Not a sickness or im in denial, by far one of my favorite cars, looks good.
Oh and i have a 4 inch lift i made specific for that car, if ur interested?!?

[PhyrraM]

So Uhaul doesn't trust it's customers to properly load a trailer and forces you to load it all the way to the front. This, of course, puts way too much weigth on the tongue and needlessly loaded down my Montero. Either way, other than dragging chains, she made the 400 mile trip to my (temporary) worksite in Stockton.




So, out comes the motor. No issues there other than a few rusted fasteners. It must have spent a few winters out of state or in the mountains. Without the motor, an untrained eye would have a hard time telling what year or generation of Subaru it is.



After a quick, uneventful teardown, suspisions confirmed. #1 rod bearing is nowhere to be found but the bottom of the pan and the big end is beat to hell. Crank is trashed. Pistons look OK, but we'll see how they measure out.

Notice that the chamfer at the journal side is completely worn away. You can see a normal one on the journal above in the pic.


Check out how much material has worn away compared to the good rod on the bottom! It was run a long time with the "knocking" I would think.


Bottom of pan - One well thrashed rod journal.


Biggest surviving pieces.


Next up, parts sourcing....

And props to Motorola for doing a great job with the new Atrix 4G phone. I wasn't sure how the photos would turn out, but they are pretty darn good for a phone camera. Every photo in this thread was shot with it.

[TurnNburn]

It is definitely a sickness. A rally blue 98 impreza RS was the first to bite me and iv been infected ever since.

OMG, the devitstation. That is one sick subaru. And i dont mean that in the good way. lol.

[Grayguy]

As a man who bought 10 cars last year, yes, it's a sickness. I've only bought 1 this year so I'm doing good, and I don't go near craigslist anymore.

[PhyrraM]

So, over a year later, she runs again.

Greg at Millenuim Motorsports did a great job, even if it was only a stock rebuild. New pistons and rings. 1 new rod, and then all 4 rods were balanced and blueprinted. Reground, blueprinted and balanced crank. Decked and line bored. New OEM oil and water pumps. $1200 on just the shortblock. Heads got a complete valve job, resurfaced, 3 new valves, all new guides and reshimmed for proper clearances. $800 on the heads. All OEM gaskets and seals, new timing belt and idlers, new Edexy clutch kit. Prolly $500+ for just the ancilliaries. I'll admit I did reuse the alternator and A/C belts. Yeah, it was too much for a stock build - but I have 100% confidence and that's worth something.

Now to troubleshoot a CEL and non-funtional speedo. I assume they are the same problem. Also, I noticed the power antenna doesn't go up, some of the dash lights are out, the eyeglass compartment doesn't latch closed, and the left turn signal blinks too fast (even though all the light bulbs are good).

I'm hoping to clean it up enough to get $4000-$4500 for it. Craigslist ads support the asking price in this area, and if gas prices stay high I might actually get it.

[Apex3]

I'd flip it, then again I don't have the sickness you guys speak of. No interest in other Subarus, barely interest in mine, it's quickly becoming an appliance.

[rallyak]

It is a sickness, my wife will tell you, I'm bad. One day I bought two cars and brought them home, she was not happy, we sold one and kept one.