I just bought a 1994 wrx import that had the camshaft siezed. Or so the guy thought. I striped it down yesterday and found this. Now the story goes.. Heads were rebuilt 10 miles before this happened on a homer. Started it for work the following morning, left it idling to warm up and it stalled. Went out to start it... Nothing.

So i stripped it down and found the cam, cap and head scored on the drivers side head top shaft, cap closest to the headers....

I have also striped down the bottom end and all bearings are fine not scored at all neither is the crank.... All other cams and caps in teh ehads are perfect.. no scoring... Valves all seem ok as well... and teh heads are newly rebuilt... Seems as if the oil gallery up to that part is blocked and scored it... Now would this be enough to sieze the cam. If so im a bit puzzled as to why all valves are not bent. Well, they maybe... only a pressure test will tell.

Any thoughts from you guys..

 

think new head, cam and cap are in offer here. LOL

 

If the oil gallery was blocked then yes it would be enough to seize the cam but it’s also possible this was blocked by the debris afterwards I would also expect to see a little more wear towards the middle of the journal. The caps are also marked for exhaust and inlet it’s possible they where mixed up giving one a tighter clearance.

 

Whoever overhauled the heads in the first place didnt clean the oilways out properly - there is a restrictor in the main oil gallery in the head and will block up if not removed and cleaned after the head has been reworked.
The restrictor has a 1.5mm drilling and it only takes a bit of old sealant/swarf to block it and destroy the head.

 

AAAhH, i knew it was a blocked oilway. Seems strange that the valves aint completely bent dont you think.... New head time me thinks...

 

I thought Scooby heads were non-conflict...i.e the valves dont cross the pston swept space?
...could be wrong I guess

 

aaahh. Im not sure mate... Im a bit of a scoob newbie. Im a Honda technition so im on unfamiliar territory here...

 

subaru NA Engines and heads are non-conflict...turbo ones will contact the valves (twin over head cams per cylinder bank)

If the cam seized it must have snapped the cam belt? surley would have bent the valves if it did.

 

nope... belt is still like new... No slip marks on belt or plastic cam pulleys...

Its puzzling... Ive stripped the engine and all seems fine apart from this....