Repair or Sell?

Keep the car, pay them to fix it right, get the car off the factory tune.

That's an easy one.

These cars are hard to find and they don't make cars like these, great bang for the buck.

Max,

What way do you suggest getting off the factory tune without adding a bunch of aftermarket parts? Sorry for my noobness

The stock tune has a poor power delivery first off, but it advances timing on cyl 4 because it's closest to the knock sensor. The result is knocking most often on cyl 4 putting most of the wear there, thus it failing most frequently.

A pro street tune picks up extra HP and if you ask, evens out the timing on the motor.

This motor and all H motors should have two knock sensors to avoid this problem.

Get a catless up pipe if you don't have one.

remove the EGT probe and put a 2.2k ohm resistor in the connector in the shock tower. Radio Shack sells them for $1.25 for 5 of them. That will cancel the CEL for no probe.

Make they tighten the fuel line clamps under the intake manifold, grease the starter shaft,

do you need a TSK3 kit for the TOB ? how is the clutch ?

Max,

What way do you suggest getting off the factory tune without adding a bunch of aftermarket parts? Sorry for my noobness

The factory tune can cause you problem's like you have. Burnt valves are common from it.

The stock tune has a poor power delivery first off, but it advances timing on cyl 4 because it's closest to the knock sensor. The result is knocking most often on cyl 4 putting most of the wear there, thus it failing most frequently.

 

A pro street tune picks up extra HP and if you ask, evens out the timing on the motor.

 

This motor and all H motors should have two knock sensors to avoid this problem.

Ive always wondered why and this explains it perfectly.

Thanks for the input everyone. Turns out it was a broken ringland. Getting fixed now.

I figured once they told you lash issues that the ringland had probably failed Bummer, are you going to buy a shortblock or have them rebuild yours?

yeah my old 06 LGT Limited 5MT that even at 10K mileage would have nasty hesitation/stumbling on the factory tune, factory everything. especially when it was colder. had it re-flashed at a dealer twice and it never fixed it. I ended up trading the car in , regret it, but oh well.

That sounds like a nice car. Low miles for the age. It sucks you have to pull the motor to get the heads out, but it is what it is now. while it's out, Inspect the exhaust valves well. Sounds like you caught it before it could've destroyed the entire motor, which is a great thing. Are you just getting the #4 piston replaced or are you going to drop in a set of forged pistons? or new OEM pistons? If one ringland was going, the others could be very suspect.

this is the first car I bought on my own, and have grown attached.

Definitely keep it. 90% of people I talk to wish they still had the first car they bought on their own. I bought my 93 Impreza when I was 17 and still have it 11 years and 280k later. After I bought the wagon, I kept the Impreza as my Lincoln. (I call it this as it's now mainly a Town Car as I use it for all my errands around town )

OP if it was me I'd have all 4 pistons replaced. Discuss with your shop if going forged makes sense.

I'm going forged on my current rebuild for added safety. The rings aren't actually stronger on forged pistons though.

The stock tune has a poor power delivery first off, but it advances timing on cyl 4 because it's closest to the knock sensor. The result is knocking most often on cyl 4 putting most of the wear there, thus it failing most frequently.

 

A pro street tune picks up extra HP and if you ask, evens out the timing on the motor.

 

This motor and all H motors should have two knock sensors to avoid this problem.

I've definitely experience this 'poor power delivery.'

The OP and I are apparently both pretty new; where can we get a "pro street tune," and what exactly do we ask for? I feel like there are a lot of variations for tuning, and I wouldn't be sure what to ask for on my 05 LGT...

I've definitely experience this 'poor power delivery.'

 

The OP and I are apparently both pretty new; where can we get a "pro street tune," and what exactly do we ask for? I feel like there are a lot of variations for tuning, and I wouldn't be sure what to ask for on my 05 LGT...

You can go "open source" tuning if your good with a lap top and get the $30. cable, contact a Tuner like my Tuner, http://www.tuningalliance.com and he'll send you a MAP that you can load.

Or buy a Cobb AP v2.

Check the Tuning Forum here too.