#4 in a series of fairly dumb questions from a technically clueless man:

I've got a 2005 WRX. In February 2009, the engine failed, and I replaced it with a brand new unit from Subaru, which cost stupid money.

In November last year, one of the tumbler valves failed, and I had to replace both, for another £1,500 or so in parts and labour.

Questions are therefore:

1) Are the tumbler valves a part of the replacement unit, are are they separate from the main engine block?
2) If the latter, would this failure be covered by the 3 year warranty on the new engine block, which the dealer informed me that I had?

and unrelated to the above:

3) Is there a decent independent WRX specialist in South East London? I'm sick of using a main dealer that is miles away and costs the earth...

 

The TGVs are in two little extra (riser) sections of the inlet manifold and therefore I doubt that they'd be covered by the engine warranty though they should have a 12 month parts warranty of their own.

Usually when the TGVs throw an error it just the sensor or the motor - the valves themselves are just spring loaded butterfly valves so rarely stick open/closed on their own.

Not something you want to hear now, but you can replace the motor and sensor for each bank without needing to remove the manifold (I did mine in a couple of hours)... £1500 is a ridiculous amount so don't blame you for wanting to move away from the main dealer!

 

Plus if you wanted to delete the valves you could have DIY it yourself / or at worst cosworth do delete kit for £500 /
£1500 to remove:/ replace manifold
They must be grinning ear to ear

Sorry

 

The TGV's would not have been replaced when the new engine was fitted as the new unit from Subaru would have been supplied as a bare engine... Items such as the inlet & exhaust manifolds would have been swapped over from your knackered unit... The TGV's would have had a 3yr warranty applied from the date of registration, so that would have run out sometime in 2005.... The only parts to carry a guarantee (12 mnths) after a replacement engine is fitted will be the engine itself + any other new parts that were fitted at the same time... Everything else that was transferred to the new engine is now 10yrs old and would not be covered.

 

Read what he said...

...assuming the TGVs were replaced with new items, which for £1500 they damn well should have been, then they will be covered by a separate parts and labour warranty to that of the new engine.

 

PS 2005 -> 2012 = 7 years, not 10

 

Cheers for the responses all.

I was primarily checking to see if I could chuck in a post-dated claim against Subaru for the engine problem, but from your answers it's not an engine problem so I guess not.

I realised that I could have modded them away by deleting them and replacing them with a part that does not contain the valve, rather than replacing them just after I had the car towed (I wasn't taking any chances with an engine light - this is what cost me £5k for a new engine in the first place!). However I am an utter know-nothing when it comes to making such mods myself, and I didn't want to make the car non-standard for fear of even higher insurance premiums - fast cars and SE London don't mix well for insurers...

Obviously £1,500 is robbery, but the parts themselves are £450 each (according to the stealer), and the valves were allegedly stuck in the wrong position for the engine to operate properly without fixing the valve (again, allegedly).

Thanks again

 

The TGV won’t be covered, it can be removed or fixed for a snip of the price quoted.

Happy to help on this one, not too far from you

 

Thanks, but that ship has unfortunately sailed (along with all my money!).

I do need a service shortly though - I've seen your website so I'll give you a shout later this week.

 

He's a very nice man.
Plus you can walk to Brands Hatch to while away your time if he is dealing with your car.