A bit of a long shot I know but I thought somebody may have done this before and will know the answer.
The car is a UK MY98 turbo.
About 300 miles after getting it the car suddenly developed piston slap. The original garage I bought it from did not want anything to do with it, or any of the other numerous problems, so I was left to sort it out myself. I had no.4 or no.2 (can't remember which) piston replaced and spent the next five hundred miles driving it like a nun to run it in. At about the 500 mile point the piston slap noise returned. I took it back to the garage that did the work and was told this is quite common and the bore must be too badly worn, the whole short engine will need to be replaced.
Now heres the dilema, What should I do. Do I buy just a new block and four pistons and rebuild my engine or do I replace the whole short motor? I can get hold a brand new (7km) bare short motor from a STi 9 or 10 for what seems like reasonable money(£800). Will this fit onto my engine and will all my ancillilaries fit (oil pump has been questioned already)? The place selling it says it will and the only difference is an extra breather that needs to be blocked off but they want to be paid cash which set my mind racing.

Any advice would be much appeciated.

Steve.

 

Steve

I've just had a brand new short engine in my MY96 UK Turbo. I would not mess about with a second hand motors, if it were me i would go for NEW !!!!

Can't understand why the garage did not want to know about you engine prob's. The thing is you don't just develope piston slap after 300 miles.

Secondly, Surely the garage checked the bore for wear etc, before fitting the new piston. I would say they are at fault.

Red

 

I would go for a new shortblock.

However, you have to remember that the shortblocks you have mentioned are phase two motors and your UK98 is a phase one block. The phase one piston crowns rise above the block deck at TDC, whereas the phase two piston crowns do not. This means that you will need to fit a thinner headgasket in order to try and keep the static compression ratio close to standard.

 

just got back from a trip away.

Many thanks for the info.
The short motor is almost brand new, only 7 km on the car it has come from.
Any idea what sort of change there would be to the compression ratio?
Will the oil pump fit?

Steve.

 

Hey even i know this one, the answer is no, it wont fit.
First of all, if you have a uk turbo, then the STi short block wont fit, secondly, your car has a phase 1 engine, the STi (MY03/04) has a phase 2 (or even 3??) engine with vvc.
You need to get hold of another Phase one engine and get the parts from that. (yours was the last of the phase one engines, phase 2 engines came in on the MY99 year range).

Tony

 

OK. Thanks,

I am really confused now.
The company that is offering this, (Powerstation in Cheltenham), seems to be well respected by the people who I have spoke to about it and they are adamant that it will still fit and work with no problems.

Help??

Has anybody else fitted or tried to fit a STI short motor to a phase one engine?

Steve

 

I might have a spare 2.5 US STi short engine in about 2 weeks, PM me if you want more info.

Mark A

 

Tony, I don't understand the problem - Moray has already told him what he needs to consider for a short block transplant.

INCORRECT

INCORRECT

Steve, listen to Powerstation.

I've had:

Phase II UK heads and block
Phase II STi heads and Phase I block
Phase II STi heads and STi 2.5 block

.... all in my MY00 UK turbo. In keeping Phase II heads, I reused my pulleys, inlet manifold and all the gubbins on it.

Since you only need to change the short motor you can do the same keeping to you MY98 heads and inlet manifold/gubbins.

Just bear in mind what Moray already said.

 

Exactly as John Banks said.

It WILL fit. And you will NOT have to get hold of another Phase One engine. Powerstation are respected tuners and the chances are the short block is out of a Type 25 Impreza.

Head gaskets are your only issue.

Been there done that, got the T shirt, sweater and the baseball cap.

 

I can't understand why the engine should 'suddenly' produce piston slap, does this do this only when cold or warm as well.

Glad to see someone knows what they are on about, can't see any reason why different version short blocks and heads won't match?

Lee

http://www.wrx.co.uk

 

Regarding the purchase of your car and its engine failure...Have you spoken to your local trading standards..??

If you check up .... even if an item is sold second hand, it still has to be fit for purpose, and moreso if it came from a licensed trader.

I would do some ringing to your local trading standards mate, i think you might be in for a surprise as to what your rights are ..... I bought a second hand engine, from a trader, whose headgasket failed after just 6 miles...this trader tried to get out of it - claiming i had seen the engine running and so it was sold as seen, but i cant see inside an engine, so how could i have detected a fault??... i have given them time to compensate me or help me repair it, which they havent, and so the trading standards have advised me to act - so now im going to head for small claims court.

Trading standards are very helpful...


Frank

 

I tried trading standards but they were of little help.

I originally phoned from work and gave my works postcode to trading standards. This was in Worcestershire and they were quite helpful, they sent sample letters for me to copy and send to him. This did help in me getting the brake calipers replaced which were ceized but somehow passed his MOT. Worcester trading standards said that if I got no joy from him then they would contact him on my behalf.
When further problems arouse (with the engine) the trader basically said "take me to court if you want, I have already spent enough fixing your car". I contacted TS again to see if they would get involved but this time gave them my home postcode, they said I need to contact Herefordshire department as this was where my tax was paid. Herefordshire trading standards said they do not get involved in this sort of thing on behalf of people as they just do not have the staff. All they would do is send me information on how to take him to court. I live right on the border of the two counties and could not believe the difference in service.

Anyway, this is a year ago now and I just want it fixed.

The pistion slap was not there when I purchased the car but quickly developed within 700 miles of me owning it. I had the no.2 piston changed and all was quite again. I had not finished running in the new piston and the noise returned and was quickly as load as before. (both cold and hot)
I think the garage (or person who had the car before me) changed the piston and did not drive it before selling it, hence no noise when i bought it.
The garage that changed the piston for me did explain that the bore may be damaged but thought that as it had just started I would be OK. It wasn't but they did explain this to me so I guess my fault for not getting more checked at the same time.


Steve

 

Steve, Moray & John Banks know there stuff and are quite correct in agreeing with powerstation's recommendations. I also have an STi 7 short motor for sale, from a JDM STi 7, under 10,000 km on it, £900 no vat.

 

Is the STI 7 the last of the STI blocks with forged pistons rather than hyperutectic (sp) cast pistons? Maybe that was the STI 6, not the STI 7.

 

essential the short motor can be seperated from the heads/inlet manifold in terms of compatilibity. Provided you still have the correct heads to take the correct inlet manifold (with the correct throttle etc) you can sort the rest out by choosing the correct head gasket.

So a phase 1 full engine will fit (provided yours is before about oct 98 I think), or you can get a phase 1 short engine with standard head gaskets, or I'm pretty sure a phase 2 short engine with phase 2 head gaskets.

Roger Clark Motorsport have a good knowledge of what gaskets to use with what combination of heads and short engine, although they may come up pricey for parts themselves.

As for the water pump, water link pipe, oil pump, flywheel, cambelt tensioner, cambelt idler pulleys, sump and oil cooler, they are all transferable. All you need is to block the extra breather, and make sure you swap the whole cambelt tensioner assembly over from you old engine, or use the whole assemble from the new one.

Keep your original heads, cam pulleys and cambelt covers.

As for gaskets, the main thing is to keep the piston/head clearance in check, provided you do this, the compression will be about right, although you have a few options on this still I believe.

Paul

 

Steve

I have dealt with Herefordshire Trading Standards, and had the same response as you.

Red

 

hiya have just been advised that MY01 needs a new short motor(under warranty),was wondering if this is the same as urs but called short engine

can u pse let me know ur situation eg what caused ur prob,mine was under fuelling??



andy

 

Write to your MP and copy trading standards and BBC watchdog in on the letter.

Nothing like a bit of publicity

 

short motor = short engine = engine block assembled with crank, rods pistons etc Needs heads and anclillaries to make a complete engine

Paul

 

Valeturcar

What went on your motor ? Melted piston .

Red.