Legacy GT engine fail.....rebuild or sell for scrap?

The car is only worth around 6 to 7 grand with a working motor but currently the engine has failed. I had the oil pan removed so to take a look at the crank and #4 piston rod was loose on the crank. It’s evident of bearings on the crank failure. The question is to have someone rebuild the engine or sell the car for scrap. I love the car and I bought it with the long-term reputation of Subarus in mind. But spending 5 to 8 grand on a car that’s really worth 6 to 7 is questionable. Any ideas?

 

 

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Wow, another one this week

 

Depends on how much you like the car. Read my click here link in my sig to see what I did before I had any problems. This has become recipe to others for how to do it right the first time.

 

If your heads are rebuild able and you have the tools you can do this. My wagon is ready to have its timing belt replace since I installed the ej257, The engine has given me over 100,000 trouble free miles.

If you get to spend 7 grands - why not convert it to electrical?

 

At least it would be a challenge.

Difficult decision and one which I've contemplated myself (thankfully mine is still running good).

 

I've had two trains of thought on this:

 

1. Rebuild what I know. Doing so provides a new motor which, if done properly, should last many years to come. This assumes the rest of the vehicle is in good shape.

 

2. Replace it. The question is: With what? I think the generation four Legacy / Outback was unique with its turbo charged engine. Sadly Subaru doesn't make anything comparable to it today.

 

I know I'm not being much help but I think this is something only you can decide.

The above poster is correct, this is a decision only you(or your spouse) can make.

 

I bought my car over a year ago with close to 200k knowing it was going to need an engine soon.

 

I would up replacing the short block over the winter, as well as some performance improvements, brakes and bushings/ball joints. Yeah I have a whole lot more money into the car than it is worth on the market, but there isn’t anything else out there that meets my requirements that I can go buy for $15k and expect reliable service. Once I get my overheating situation sorted out I plan on having a car that only needs basic routine maintenance for the next 100k with a likely 5EAT overhaul thrown in.

Echoing the above, which is that you need to decide how much you like the car, along with what putting $5-7k into it will get you for reliability versus other options, such as taking on a car loan or buying a used car with that same money.

 

How solid is the car other than the motor situation?

 

I'm just digging out of a similar hole myself, where I picked up an '08 Legacy GT, only to need a new short block after a few months of owning it. Since the car was otherwise in great condition, I decided to spend the money.

 

All said and done, your estimate of $8k was spot on for me, although that included a built short block with forged pistons, IAG air oil separator, rebuilt heads, VF52, catted downpipe, tune, incidentals, and shop labor.

 

 

Either way, good luck with the decision!

Difficult decision and one which I've contemplated myself (thankfully mine is still running good).

 

I've had two trains of thought on this:

 

1. Rebuild what I know. Doing so provides a new motor which, if done properly, should last many years to come. This assumes the rest of the vehicle is in good shape.

 

2. Replace it. The question is: With what? I think the generation four Legacy / Outback was unique with its turbo charged engine. Sadly Subaru doesn't make anything comparable to it today.

 

I know I'm not being much help but I think this is something only you can decide.

 

 

 

What I mean by replace it is replace the engine basically with a used junkyard dog. I’ve heard from a lot of Subaru techs that you don’t know what you’re getting.

 

 

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Echoing the above, which is that you need to decide how much you like the car, along with what putting $5-7k into it will get you for reliability versus other options, such as taking on a car loan or buying a used car with that same money.

 

How solid is the car other than the motor situation?

 

I'm just digging out of a similar hole myself, where I picked up an '08 Legacy GT, only to need a new short block after a few months of owning it. Since the car was otherwise in great condition, I decided to spend the money.

 

All said and done, your estimate of $8k was spot on for me, although that included a built short block with forged pistons, IAG air oil separator, rebuilt heads, VF52, catted downpipe, tune, incidentals, and shop labor.

 

 

Either way, good luck with the decision!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The car is only worth around 6 to 7 grand with a working motor but currently the engine has failed. I had the oil pan removed so to take a look at the crank and #4 piston rod was loose on the crank. It’s evident of bearings on the crank failure. The question is to have someone rebuild the engine or sell the car for scrap. I love the car and I bought it with the long-term reputation of Subarus in mind. But spending 5 to 8 grand on a car that’s really worth 6 to 7 is questionable. Any ideas?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

 

The only bad thing for me is that I had a stroke shortly after I bought the car. I no longer have control of my right arm and hand so I cannot do most of the work myself. I was unable to drive the car for more than a year and a half as it sat there and depreciated. I’ve always wanted a WRX, but being married and two kids I never had a chance to get my play car. Well I got that chance in getting the 2005 Legacy GT, A back-and-forth to work car and also a extremely fun car to drive.

Wow, another one this week

 

Depends on how much you like the car. Read my click here link in my sig to see what I did before I had any problems. This has become recipe to others for how to do it right the first time.

 

If your heads are rebuild able and you have the tools you can do this. My wagon is ready to have its timing belt replace since I installed the ej257, The engine has given me over 100,000 trouble free miles.

 

 

 

Add it to my original post..... having a stroke has put me in poor position

 

 

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Difficult decision and one which I've contemplated myself (thankfully mine is still running good).

 

I've had two trains of thought on this:

 

1. Rebuild what I know. Doing so provides a new motor which, if done properly, should last many years to come. This assumes the rest of the vehicle is in good shape.

 

2. Replace it. The question is: With what? I think the generation four Legacy / Outback was unique with its turbo charged engine. Sadly Subaru doesn't make anything comparable to it today.

 

I know I'm not being much help but I think this is something only you can decide.

 

 

 

I love the car but I think I might be just be digging a deeper hole. My wife calls it the money pit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Difficult decision and one which I've contemplated myself (thankfully mine is still running good).

 

I've had two trains of thought on this:

 

1. Rebuild what I know. Doing so provides a new motor which, if done properly, should last many years to come. This assumes the rest of the vehicle is in good shape.

 

2. Replace it. The question is: With what? I think the generation four Legacy / Outback was unique with its turbo charged engine. Sadly Subaru doesn't make anything comparable to it today.

 

I know I'm not being much help but I think this is something only you can decide.

 

 

By saying replace I was indicating a swap with a used engine. A rebuild of my own engine seems like the best option. But a rebuild service is a lot more expensive

 

 

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I'd sell it scrap and use the money as bonus to buy a new one if you still want to revive this car. Another option would be if you are a hundred percent sure that the rest of the car is in perfect condition then there is still sense in trying to repair the engine. All in all this car is very good and it would be a pity to watch covering with rust at a scrap yard like scrapi.com. You see, even though Subaru is often considered to car that doesn't break, the engine is the weak spot on all their models. Edited October 21, 2020 by JosephS1985
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Sub'd for final conclusion. Jusssssst in case I find myself in this position one day. Best of luck what you decide.

a 2018 or later wrx premium is nice replacement. Ours has been everything my lgt was 16 years ago plus it comes stock with 6speed, rear camera and bluetooth. Everything else is gravy. Cost is about the same as a full refresh of the lgt