Big end a common issue in Spec B or Sti?

[Newbie GT]

Hi guys,

Is this a common issue ? At any given amount of Kms?

Thanks

[Stu]

In my absolute seat of the pants layman's opinion - No, not without a heap of boost and/or a bigger turbo. Head gaskets are more common failures.

BTW Our 2.5i (no turbo) threw a big end at about 80,000 kms after guzzling oil continually. Once the clacking sound got loud the oil light finally came on! Might as well call it a "You're F$#KED" light

[paggaz]

In the Liberty SpecB or STI, no, I do not think it is a common problem.

With Subaru, I've only heard of one case of common big end bearing failures. There was a bad batch of engines which went into the 2008 Subaru Forester XT (very first of the SHXT model) which have had a common fault of big end bearing failure. Subaru have noted the engine numbers and there is some sort of warranty which covers engines from that batch...

[Dropz]

You tend to see a few big ends around the 2-300,000km mark. sometimes earlier if the vehicle lacks regular servicing or gets thrashed alot.

[senator]

You tend to see a few big ends around the 2-300,000km mark. sometimes earlier if the vehicle lacks regular servicing or gets thrashed alot.

I know 4 big end failure on gt-b and tb sti...... all cars ranged from 8k to 70k on the clock, the with 8k on the clock was bone stock

Subaru have even covered headgaskets under warranty on modififed car..... FMIC, tuned with 200kw atw

they even offered to cover my headgasket and big end failure under good will 8 months outside of warrranty

It's common and Subaru knows it

[<GB>]

I've had a few through work and if isn't the bottom end, it's piston slap or leaking head gasket on the rear passenger side externally

[Nalnoc]

Big end bearing issues are a common issue with Subaru motors. Mine went at 83,000km ('04 Lib GT, EJ20), bone stock motor. I have had another 3 mates with WRX's with big ends go on them (although these were all worked motors).

That said, if these motors are serviced by the book (with regular oil checks) you shouldn't have an issue. Only problem is if you're buying used, how can you be really sure the car has been looked after?

[ZeroPants]

Mine Also did a big end @ 8,600, found out in the end it was due to a fault in the OEM Oil pump

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwnZFHjgULQ&feature=plcp

[SegR]

holy shit.

[Boostaddict]

Mine Also did a big end @ 8,600, found out in the end it was due to a fault in the OEM Oil pump

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwnZFHjgULQ&feature=plcp

Uuuuuuummm.... Oww!! My ears are hurting from that!!

I remember when my B4 dropped a big end. It sounded like someone was hitting the block with a hammer every revolution. But then came a stroked and forged 2.2litre sooooo me no complain, except for some forgie piston slap when cold.

[dja]

Big end bearings go all the time.
But i have always found knock and oil starvation to be the leaders on this.
Also too much boost.

Some engines go for 400000k's with just basic servicing though, its usually caused by misuse/no servicing, but you can also get unlucky, or have contaminents in your engine.

Hard to say definitavely one way or the other, but i have seen heaps of them.

[ZeroPants]

Mine Also did a big end @ 8,600, found out in the end it was due to a fault in the OEM Oil pump

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwnZFHjgULQ&feature=plcp

Uuuuuuummm.... Oww!! My ears are hurting from that!!

I remember when my B4 dropped a big end. It sounded like someone was hitting the block with a hammer every revolution. But then came a stroked and forged 2.2litre sooooo me no complain, except for some forgie piston slap when cold.

Yea mine is now Sporting a Few Upgrades and Forged internals now =P but yes its noisy

[Dropz]

My piston slap continues slightly when hot. Just waiting for the boom to upgrade

[Martymuso]

I hope its not a common issue!

I have only really herd this kind of thing under uncommon conditions i.e. A car thats raced and hammered a lot or a car that's neglected. I think this bearing failure only occurs if someone is pretty unlucky if the car is kept in normal usage conditions... ( you know a blat here and there but not caining the crap out of it every day). If oil levels are low, or not changed regularly enough + filter its possible that one of the pistons could get oil starvation and heat up... this will ruin the big end and effectively the engine. Most people replace the engine as the labour & parts for a total strip down and replacement of the failed big end etc would out weigh the time for an engine swap. Plus I have been told that the machining of said parts to fit a used engine could cause problems anyway due to size and weight that even if it was rebuilt problems may still occur.

All this talk scares me and for the next few days I will be driving slow and no revving higher than 3k... lol

[Robbks]

there were issues with the stock oil pickups in the 2.5's which cracked and wouldn;t let the oil pump suck oil from the sump,
starves the big ends then goes bang.

http://www.killerbmotorsport.com/index_ ... pStory.htm