Terrible JDM Engines: Subaru EJ (Part 1)

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  • Опубліковано 7 жов 2023
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 1 тис.

  • @happydaily7324
    @happydaily7324 9 місяців тому +1505

    As an aircraft mechanic who's worked on the flat 4 and 6 cylinder air-cooled aircraft engines, there's a reason they need maintenance all the mf time and proper service intervals to maintain flight legality lol.

    • @100GTAGUY
      @100GTAGUY 9 місяців тому +60

      Yup, they're not happy if theyre not due for some tinkering. Give em the tlc they seek and they'll treat ya right lol

    • @chrisdroste3296
      @chrisdroste3296 9 місяців тому +17

      Makes me wonder how swapping in a Lycoming would work out 🤔😆

    • @100GTAGUY
      @100GTAGUY 9 місяців тому +9

      @@chrisdroste3296 i mean ive seen someone stick a Jacobs (iirc) radial engine into a VW bug and successfully mate it to a transmission/gearbox here on youtube, i wont say its easy peasy but a Lycoming swap would be feasible to some extents.
      Personally i want to build a scale replica of an old Cox Air Car and just drive it via the prop and skip the transmission altogether. Maybe throw a TSIO520 into it for some funzies haha.

    • @chrisdroste3296
      @chrisdroste3296 9 місяців тому +9

      @@100GTAGUY back when I raced lemons there was this glorious nutjob who built a 5-cylinder radial MR-2 and it was one of the most convoluted engineering exercises I have ever seen. It sounded amazing, wasn't very fast and I think the transmission linkage was in a constant state of eating itself. One of the coolest things ever though!

    • @justinkaufman495
      @justinkaufman495 9 місяців тому

      Could also be that they're aircraft engines meaning they run at higher RPMs basically the entire time they're in use. I imagine they try to build them to avoid issues from that but there's only so long you can stay at 5000RPM+ before you start to see major wear from it. That being said my understanding is that your head gaskets last alot longer in your subaru if you do regular coolant flushes.

  • @keithqueen352
    @keithqueen352 9 місяців тому +1630

    These things blow. Subaru boys sound just like 6.0 powerstroke apologists. " just replace everything that came from the factory and itll be bulletproof!"

    • @rafmatt1607
      @rafmatt1607 9 місяців тому +65

      😂 on point

    • @moicus29
      @moicus29 9 місяців тому +106

      It's just an easy $10k bulletproofing.

    • @wtfyoguylol
      @wtfyoguylol 9 місяців тому +7

      Hahahaha 😂 yeah I agree couldn’t have said it better

    • @austinm3377
      @austinm3377 9 місяців тому +14

      Now. While i pretty much agree and i dont own a 6.0. Most diesels are that way, and at least theyre not a 6.4😂😂

    • @onenightstandoff4905
      @onenightstandoff4905 9 місяців тому +41

      Gears and gasoline "bulletproofed" his ej and blew it first day

  • @PocketDrummer
    @PocketDrummer 9 місяців тому +804

    The head gasket issue is on 2.5L non-wrx or sti blocks. The fix is literally to use the WRX head gaskets that were fine. The main issue is with ring lands, oil pickup tubes cracking, or bearings failure with thin oil. Use a 5w-40 oil right out of the gate, tune for all modifications (reputable tuner), fix all vacuum, boost, or oil leaks asap, and it'll last a long time.

    • @FernandoRivera-tb9dl
      @FernandoRivera-tb9dl 9 місяців тому +79

      As an STI owner I can vouch for this. Good maintenance and care is the only way.

    • @kombrug
      @kombrug 9 місяців тому +28

      same bro
      220k kilometres ej255 turbo on all original internals except turbo

    • @JohnDoes620
      @JohnDoes620 9 місяців тому +22

      250k mile legacy gt 🫡

    • @tztezza
      @tztezza 9 місяців тому +6

      @@FernandoRivera-tb9dlfk that just for a billet block then you can drive it like you stole it plus in my 89 rs legacy I’ll eat all you sti for brunch on the way to lunch I’ve got the centre diff control I can brake a brand new axel going down my street I’m having to upgrade to Nissan rear end

    • @tztezza
      @tztezza 9 місяців тому +3

      @@JohnDoes620oooh what year? I’ve got a 1990 GT and a 1992 high roofed GT both running the 89 rs closed deck the 90 has a twisted tdo6oh and the 92 has some GTX garrett from my junk box

  • @treybradley1698
    @treybradley1698 9 місяців тому +72

    These vehicles have one of the simplest vacuum systems of any vehicle I’ve ever worked on. Mechanic for 15 years.

    • @jeffman3
      @jeffman3 8 місяців тому +1

      Mine has so little in the way of vacuum systems that it took me a solid couple minutes to find a decent spot to feed it some seafoam 😅

    • @bhagvedsingh2147
      @bhagvedsingh2147 8 місяців тому

      +1

    • @austinv183
      @austinv183 8 місяців тому +15

      Right? "a ton of hard lines" there's a grand total of ONE hard line for the egr valve. Easiest engine I've ever worked on. Everything is accessible, just about every bolt is 1 of 3 sizes, you don't need any special tools, and the motor is so small you can pull it with your bare hands without a hoist.

    • @brapbrapbrat
      @brapbrapbrat 8 місяців тому +3

      And he mention ONLY 23 versions of the EJ. For it's ENTIRE run. So out of what, about 40 years? Yeah we are only going with what's relevant on that one. This guy is a hater.

    • @jorgetellez7969
      @jorgetellez7969 8 місяців тому +2

      worked on many cars. but after working on an ej20 i was sold.. they are a bit tricky and different but suuuuper easy to work on.. ;i have an 05 wrx and if it breaks i fix it myself

  • @stubaru4896
    @stubaru4896 9 місяців тому +11

    As someone who owned a 255k mile Forester XT with the original engine/transmission, just do your proper maintenance and research before modding. If you drive your car hard, do your reliability mods before adding power

  • @gravyd316
    @gravyd316 8 місяців тому +10

    The 1.8 is the most reliable block they had. They're not very complicated at all. After tearing down a few hundred dohc 2.5s it's a pretty simple design all around the vehicles.

  • @luke_sw7657
    @luke_sw7657 9 місяців тому +33

    The argument they’re complicated/over complicated is bs, they are very simple engines to work on. The reason it seem like there’s so much stuff is because it has to go on top, on a normal inline or v motor your can hide alot of stuff on the side of the motor

    • @caleb7674
      @caleb7674 8 місяців тому +8

      Right? Like what engines don't have vacuum lines all over the goddamn place? Toyota does it, BMW does it, like what is this fucking argument?

  • @MurderSTi
    @MurderSTi 9 місяців тому +14

    I made hundreds of passes with a 1000hp ej and the issue I finally had was the trans grenading. I'm pretty sure Subarus wouldn't have won stick shift classes at TX2k if it was as bad as you're saying.

    • @TrillMurray
      @TrillMurray 9 місяців тому +9

      What people mean when they say somethings reliable or not is how long it'll last without doing any maintenance or even checking the oil. That's what the people want lol

    • @DragonKnightX12
      @DragonKnightX12 8 місяців тому +3

      ​@@TrillMurrayBasically they won't everything to be the old Honda engines that you could abuse to hell and back.
      It's probably the same deal with German cars supposed unreliability.

    • @TrillMurray
      @TrillMurray 8 місяців тому +2

      @@DragonKnightX12 yeah like the 22re is known for reliability not because they run forever, but because you can work on it yourself, fuck it up and it still runs somehow. I've had a ton of ej engines I've abused and they've never blown up. Ej is just less tolerant of stupidity

    • @Eebens
      @Eebens 8 місяців тому +2

      ​@@TrillMurrayreason why europe loves the 1.9TDI is because you can do an oil change, forget to fill in new oil and the fucker will probably run anyway

  • @noah97589
    @noah97589 9 місяців тому +19

    Who cares all cars are shit boxes everyone’s vehicle got some sort of problem or part that needs to be replaced and new cars don’t even last past 150k miles so just drive whatever tf you want it’s all gonna die have fun before you do as well

  • @jacksonh3034
    @jacksonh3034 9 місяців тому +25

    200k turbo EJ here

    • @alexdillon5348
      @alexdillon5348 8 місяців тому

      230k on my turbo ej before my hg went

    • @dnsity
      @dnsity 7 місяців тому

      I have ~292km on a EJ205 in a SF5 and am having the first problem with the car (the 4kg viscous coupler is loving life)

    • @drewlindsay3553
      @drewlindsay3553 7 місяців тому +1

      440,000km or 300,000 miles currently on my 2.0 ej turbo

    • @discretion4362
      @discretion4362 2 місяці тому

      200k to your knowledge, its had a few engines in before you bought it.

  • @ppqueso686
    @ppqueso686 9 місяців тому +750

    Donut media just has no idea what they’re doing to be fair

    • @dietznutz1
      @dietznutz1 9 місяців тому +78

      I think they do but perhaps were behind schedule and forced to just send it because they needed content

    • @ppqueso686
      @ppqueso686 9 місяців тому +8

      @SAX0N agreed

    • @nickwilliams2415
      @nickwilliams2415 9 місяців тому +35

      ​@SAX0N100% Jobe and Jeremiah are the only two I bother watching videos from at this point. Mostly just Jobe, but Jeremiah has his moments. At least he has some idea wtf he's doing.

    • @JonDoe-007
      @JonDoe-007 9 місяців тому +58

      They have a whole team of professional techs with experience. I don't think you're being fair when you say they don't know what they're doing

    • @RonaldReed-ul9du
      @RonaldReed-ul9du 9 місяців тому +22

      They show every episode they're lacking even basic mechanical aptitude and especially experience.
      I've seen problems with the EGR and build up on the back side of Valves.

  • @RandomlnternetGuy
    @RandomlnternetGuy 9 місяців тому +128

    It's all in the tune, they are very prone to knock so a conservative tune is NECESSARY for ej longevity

    • @easytoguess1
      @easytoguess1 9 місяців тому +4

      You can apply this to any engine...

    • @Demonslayer18765
      @Demonslayer18765 9 місяців тому +1

      No you dont have to be conservative my old one has a built race engine built by me with 47k miles on it now running perfectly its such an aggressive tune im not ok with pushing it further the problem lies with how its tuned period it runs up to 56 degrees of timing in areas and under full boost 25 degrees i self tuned on the streets as well i run 24 psi of boost and run out to 8500rpm and the air fuel is never richer then 12.7 to 1 now explain why mine wont blow up

    • @masonedwards7920
      @masonedwards7920 9 місяців тому +1

      For real, my stock 2011 Outback with 53k miles knocks unless I give it 93 octane and that is apparently normal.

    • @easytoguess1
      @easytoguess1 9 місяців тому +1

      @@masonedwards7920 does the owners manual say that it needs 93 octane? I'd look into getting that fixed. Might be something "simple" like a spark plug.

    • @plus3943
      @plus3943 9 місяців тому

      Yeah but they're so inherently unbalanced that it's not even worth it, it comes from factory with a balanced crank and flywheel but still it's not enough to keep the mains from getting out of round

  • @dylanleague7168
    @dylanleague7168 9 місяців тому +22

    You omitted the fact that the donut media part had nothing to do with maintenance or reliability but everything to do with accident or user failure. I don't like people who lie.

    • @TheSenatorSam
      @TheSenatorSam 6 місяців тому

      Yeah they legit admitted to putting a new motor on a race track without even breaking the damn thing in. Was destined to blow

  • @bonk7142
    @bonk7142 9 місяців тому +44

    EZ30 still a W

    • @SubaruDude2005
      @SubaruDude2005 9 місяців тому +2

      Only major issue with them is an oil seal in between the timing cover and the oil pan, plus W engine sound

    • @TheOlenyash
      @TheOlenyash 9 місяців тому

      Still prone to head gasket issues. Mine is bleeding exhaust into the coolant. Been running like that for 3 years lol. Also the chain replacement is hella difficult and expensive.

    • @bonk7142
      @bonk7142 9 місяців тому

      My engine is actually having an intake gasket issue itself. I also thought timing chains where hella bullet proof
      @@TheOlenyash

  • @JohnDoes620
    @JohnDoes620 9 місяців тому +584

    Calling donut a reliable source is humorous

    • @naudelrussell4868
      @naudelrussell4868 9 місяців тому +70

      he didn’t say they were credible, just stated that they’ve blown an EJ or two 😅

    • @jacobtimmers9142
      @jacobtimmers9142 9 місяців тому +55

      More reliable than a subaru 😉

    • @JohnDoes620
      @JohnDoes620 9 місяців тому +12

      @@jacobtimmers9142 my daily is a 250k mile legacy gt with the ej255. Been pretty solid

    • @NicoTheAnimal
      @NicoTheAnimal 9 місяців тому

      ​@@jacobtimmers9142fiats are more reliable than both of those

    • @thecatthatgotaway
      @thecatthatgotaway 9 місяців тому +42

      Other than having an entertainment focus instead of information focus, what's the problem with donut?
      I'm not a fanboy here to defend them, I'm just curious lol

  • @christopher-gardner
    @christopher-gardner 8 місяців тому +21

    2006 Legacy GT owner here @ 220K, original everything, bone stock except an exhaust, been well taken care of and it’s been an amazing car to me.

  • @StefanRG1
    @StefanRG1 8 місяців тому +4

    the headgasket failiure was due to the single layer system gaskets the EJ253 used, most EJ designs ommiting this gasket do not experience gasket issues. I owned a very reliable Subaru and although their engine designs do make less power because of split blocks they have many advantages too

    • @thomasthetoadsage
      @thomasthetoadsage 4 місяці тому

      I have that in mine, I’ll have to look into this

  • @danielgrantham7531
    @danielgrantham7531 9 місяців тому +11

    My ej25 nearly has 200k kms and hasn't had any problems, knock on wood. I make sure to change the oil every 5000 kms with 5w 30 or 5w 40.

    • @Dankcatvacs
      @Dankcatvacs 7 місяців тому

      Thats not alot of miles though

  • @SpectralOoze
    @SpectralOoze 9 місяців тому +2

    Most engine builders don't go through the proper procedures. Its been well documented that they often get honed improperly. You have to hone the block on a mock setup that torques the block properly as if it were mounted to its other half. They twisted when the studs get fully tightened, that's just the compromise for the low center of gravity

  • @UKGBManny
    @UKGBManny 9 місяців тому +29

    I have owned a 2007 JDM 2.5 Subaru Forester STI for 10 years which was imported by Litchfield and mapped to 330hp. The stock head gasket was changed up on import to a Cosworth version and it was now done 130k miles and still pulling strong. Litchfield refuse to tune over 330hp due to problems you will run in to. So i think they are great as long as you don't try and push to much power and keep the oil and coolant clean.

    • @Eduardo_Espinoza
      @Eduardo_Espinoza 8 місяців тому

      330hp wow!

    • @trackshun
      @trackshun 8 місяців тому

      No fun wow!

    • @destruxandexploze2552
      @destruxandexploze2552 7 місяців тому

      Bros got stock 2008 G37 horsepower numbers and talks about reliability. At 130k miles which is basic at no less 😂

    • @UKGBManny
      @UKGBManny 7 місяців тому

      @destruxandexploze2552 Yeah, im comparing my SUV to a 3.7 V6 coupe. I'm just telling the truth no need for abuse in my experience. It's been very realible car.

    • @charliesmith874
      @charliesmith874 7 місяців тому

      ​@@UKGBMannythese boys are probably yanks as well and don't realise 330bhp on UK backroads is usually pretty bloody perfect in a relatively light car (thinking more Impreza STIs than the Forester but same engine so u get my point)
      The corners are too tight and the roads too narrow to really make use of anything much more than 400hp in my opinion, or at least where I live)

  • @matthewaleridge4748
    @matthewaleridge4748 9 місяців тому +4

    EJ22 in my 97 Impreza with 380,000 miles (rebuilt at 340,000)

    • @ryebread102
      @ryebread102 9 місяців тому

      Ive got a 96 Legacy postal wagon with 518,000 miles, engine is the original one from what I believe but I havent torn into it cause ive spent all my ownership time fixing the rusted away body. Found it on fb marketplace pretty much dragged out of a field.

  • @AsuWanker
    @AsuWanker 9 місяців тому +4

    2008 wrx stock block rotated turbo kit 3076r... Stock trans... 3 years having my first modified "street car" running at 25psi on water meth... 490whp/500ft lbs... Never let me down. Sold it and im building a gc8 closed deck full on "street" car

  • @Davo_1991
    @Davo_1991 9 місяців тому +2

    Ez36d here same principle platform, except 6 cylinders on chains and variable intake and exhaust timing, regular maintenance and I'm a mechanic, no issues with the engine, very nice.

  • @MRKSC13
    @MRKSC13 9 місяців тому +2

    Had a '95 WRX and it had an EJ20G. Honestly glad I had a simpler variation of the EJ engine as it was a very straightforward engine. Loved it.

  • @neilbrown5657
    @neilbrown5657 9 місяців тому +18

    Wen running an ej205 turbo engine for 17 yrs with no issues

    • @Ambrose4k
      @Ambrose4k 9 місяців тому +1

      There pretty good stock, not the one from the 80s tho

  • @busterscrugs
    @busterscrugs 9 місяців тому +4

    My buddy somehow got lucky. He’s got 150k on his 04 STi, modified pretty heavily. Ran it out of oil once, and did some crazy donuts that damn near caused oil starvation. Somehow it hasn’t blown up 😂 knock on wood

  • @confirmedshattered3294
    @confirmedshattered3294 8 місяців тому +1

    The worst part is that most of the people I hear saying "subarus don't blow up randomly, its just a lack of maintenance" have never owned a boxer engine with more than 20k miles. Mine blew up somewhere between 600 to 900 miles after an oil change. After taking it apart, it was indeed not due to lack of maintenance. No residue, no deteriorated gaskets. It was just at the end of it's short boxer lifespan.

  • @matthewsoules7064
    @matthewsoules7064 7 місяців тому +1

    I got a Ej22e with 480k miles. Its 380k past due for a head gasket and water pump. Runs good minus a low voltage TPS light. Absolutely love that thing. 97 subaru legacy wagon.

  • @opticledilusi0n
    @opticledilusi0n 9 місяців тому +10

    I had a 2003 WRX with 250,000 miles. Occasionally raced. It was fine

  • @longdomedia
    @longdomedia 9 місяців тому +13

    The irony is I've met more subaru owners that haven't had major issues with their car and only see people online shitting on the platform because that said person had a negative experience. These cars aren't actually as bad as they're made out to be. A friend of mine has been beating the living shit out of his 05 STI making over 400whp out of his stock 207 for literal years now, it's a test pig for tunes and parts. Still runs with no issues and is taken out to the race track almost every weekend, it's situations like this that backs up "yes, it was user error and shitty maintenance" that blows up subies.

    • @caleb7674
      @caleb7674 8 місяців тому +2

      At this point, I believe they're either trying to tank the value of these cars intentionally, or they're trolling for engagement to tell them they're wrong and it's working.

    • @austinv183
      @austinv183 8 місяців тому +1

      @@caleb7674 That's gotta be it. Like what the hell is he even talking about "theres a ton of vaccum lines and a ton of hard lines all over the top of the engine it's kind of complicated" an EJ25 is probably the easiest engine i've ever worked on. Everything is straightforward and accessible, just about everything uses 1 of 3 bolt sizes, you don't need any special tools, the list goes on. Beats the hell out of working on audi engines.

    • @DragonKnightX12
      @DragonKnightX12 8 місяців тому +1

      And Donut Media is not great example...I love those guys, but Jeremiah is the only that knows what he is doing.
      Nolan and James break everything they touch. 😂

    • @SoylentGamer
      @SoylentGamer 8 місяців тому +2

      My dad kept his bone stock and stayed on top of maintenance meticulously, and it STILL blew a head gasket. No, I believe it when people say these are unreliable.

    • @austinv183
      @austinv183 8 місяців тому

      @@SoylentGamer If it's a non turbo 2.5 it is guaranteed to blow the original head gasket, there's nothing you can do to stop it, you can prolong the life but it is going to fail. But that's only a problem on the non turbo 2.5 from like 20 years ago, and as long as you fix it properly with the multi layer steel gasket instead of the original single layer design it'll last until the car rusts out.

  • @AdrianRodriguez-ht1yc
    @AdrianRodriguez-ht1yc 8 місяців тому +2

    The fact that this guy said they’re difficult to tunes tells me he knows nothing ab Ejs 😂

  • @TheCumminsturbo2
    @TheCumminsturbo2 9 місяців тому +2

    Head gasket problem is only non turbo 2.5s turbo 2.5s under 300hp will last a long time with good oil and good tuning along with good fuel

  • @masjuggalo
    @masjuggalo 9 місяців тому +29

    I had an old lady who had a ball's stock outback and at 60,000 mi I had to replace her head gaskets and she was an old-timer changed my oil every 3000 miles kind of person

    • @Kiggerknockertirechecker
      @Kiggerknockertirechecker 9 місяців тому +12

      Yea. They're just prone to it.

    • @porcupinepunch6893
      @porcupinepunch6893 9 місяців тому +6

      Yeah, They come with gaskets that are prone to failing. Replace the gaskets and that won't be a problem. Don't replace your faulty head. Gaskets... With the same faulty head gaskets. Don't excessively tune them and they will be reliable.

    • @masjuggalo
      @masjuggalo 9 місяців тому

      My experience has been Subaru's are like air cooled Volkswagens it's really easy to make enough power to start breaking drivetrain pieces

    • @GroovesAndLands
      @GroovesAndLands 9 місяців тому +3

      @@porcupinepunch6893 I bought a used 2001 Outback with 160k miles a couple years ago. Dude had JUST had new gaskets installed. Unfortunately, the dealer installed new replacement single-layer gaskets - so I'll get to enjoy re-doing the job in a few years. Ugh.

    • @100GTAGUY
      @100GTAGUY 9 місяців тому

      ​@@GroovesAndLandsat least in a few years youll know its done right at least.

  • @enzospurlock
    @enzospurlock 9 місяців тому +5

    My buddy has Subaru legacy swapped over with all STI parts cars pushing about 700 hp and he’s been driving it for about three years now If you take time and build engine properly it’ll last that’s the reality it’s not the engine or the car company that’s a problem is the irresponsible owners.

    • @austinv183
      @austinv183 8 місяців тому

      Driving it is one thing, pushing it to the limit on the track is another. People don't seem to realize that. Race engines don't last no matter the make.

  • @ikillesuper
    @ikillesuper 9 місяців тому +2

    I have an unmodified EJ25 and it blew up at 4k miles and have gone through 4 turbos. Now that it not under warranty anymore I’m not even gonna fix it.

    • @BoostedBrando
      @BoostedBrando 8 місяців тому

      Did you add oil

    • @Chabot1801
      @Chabot1801 8 місяців тому

      lol no way hahhaha. I'm in canada and the only guy that blew his engine where i work at is because he can,t drive a car. (starting the car at -25 degres and start rolling away with a cold engine and oil)

  • @sampatton548
    @sampatton548 8 місяців тому +1

    Subaru internals turn into externals when you don't get a full return after you change the radio station.

  • @alexc.8424
    @alexc.8424 9 місяців тому +17

    My buddy's wife needed an engine rebuild at 60k miles because the piston rings were bad. 2016 Forester

    • @GroovesAndLands
      @GroovesAndLands 9 місяців тому +6

      To maximize fuel economy, the manufacturers must minimize friction. A prime source of engine friction are the rings. Thus, they choose the lowest-tension rings they can possibly get away with - without consuming oil.
      Every manufacturer has taken this too far, somewhere along the line. EVERY manufacturer.

    • @jaedonhaskins9917
      @jaedonhaskins9917 9 місяців тому +6

      those FA and FB motors in the 2014+ vehicles can handle more abuse generally, but you still have to run at least 5w-30 or you will have problems. EPA requirements forced them to recommend 0w-20. A lot of manufactures have had significant increases in engine warranty replacements specifically because of 0w-20 oil. the thinner oil provides significantly less protection which will cause accelerated wear of the piston rings and cylinder walls. this combined with the recommended service intervals being stretched from 3-5k miles to 6-12k miles, (also heavily influenced by the EPA) causes the poorer performing oil to have to work harder, longer. the oil begins the breakdown and become contaminated, reducing its performance eve further. its a horrible snow ball effect that allows for absolutely no error in the maintenance schedule. if you forget to change your oil for an extra 2-3k miles, your engine is probably toast.

    • @dylansvlog414
      @dylansvlog414 9 місяців тому

      You said it yourself WIFE she shouldn’t be driving that’s her issue not the cars

    • @andreahighsides7756
      @andreahighsides7756 9 місяців тому

      @@dylansvlog414yalqueda

    • @jimrossabrena7955
      @jimrossabrena7955 9 місяців тому

      ​@@GroovesAndLands I work at Volvo. Can confirm. Oil consumption is covered in the campaign as long as a Volvo car has 60k or less. We inspect if the cylinder bores a healthy or not. It will dictate wether we do a whole motor or pistons only

  • @jorgeh2609
    @jorgeh2609 9 місяців тому +149

    donut literally pushed brand new engines on the track without even giving them a break in period 💀

    • @Irishrebel092
      @Irishrebel092 9 місяців тому +17

      Yes, but the cause of failure was oil starvation, not an interface from non-worn in parts. The oil pans in these things don't have baffles and let all the oil slosh to one side and starve the engine.

    • @goblinplaysit2289
      @goblinplaysit2289 8 місяців тому +18

      ⁠​⁠@@Irishrebel092- All 5 of the Donut motors were modified with baffled oil pans. They cover it at 5:40 in the ‘Why All Our Cars are Broken’.

    • @denniskonko2555
      @denniskonko2555 8 місяців тому +2

      Engine brake in is a myth

    • @okalright3941
      @okalright3941 8 місяців тому +6

      most manufacturers dyno test the engine RIGHT off of the assembly line. just sayin.

    • @sparten17708
      @sparten17708 8 місяців тому

      @@okalright3941 no they don't LMFAO. If you think every manufacture has time to Dino test every single engine they make you're smoking drugs. AMG black label, the Highest bmw M car trims and bespoke manufactures will do that. It's not done for large production pedestrian sports cars. GM doesn't even do it for the Corvette.

  • @SoylentGamer
    @SoylentGamer 8 місяців тому

    My dad owned a Forester, he kept it bone stock, and stayed on top of maintenance like a hawk, and it STILL blew a head gasket.

  • @sunmountainautomotive3792
    @sunmountainautomotive3792 7 місяців тому +1

    With proper maintenance I have seen tons of these go 300k+. They are also super easy to work on.

  • @reviewsitall8739
    @reviewsitall8739 9 місяців тому +34

    Donut media don’t know what they are doing. They took a bunch of fueling and air increasing parts and didn’t even tune the car expecting it to last 🤣

    • @zenunderhill5278
      @zenunderhill5278 8 місяців тому +1

      They tuned them multiple times with parts mods. If they gave any other engine type that form of abuse they wouldn’t have needed 6 engines

    • @DragonKnightX12
      @DragonKnightX12 8 місяців тому

      ​​@@zenunderhill5278Nah they fucked up the 370Zs too. Ended up giving up on the VQs and LS swapped them. 😂
      Jeremiah is the only amongst them actually built something without catastrophic failures.

  • @G4Disco
    @G4Disco 9 місяців тому +4

    Laughs in EJ22.

  • @ohwowgus
    @ohwowgus 8 місяців тому +1

    i drive a 2003 outback, unmodded, completely stock. has 340,000 miles and doesn’t even tick. it’s just subarus sports cars, their daily driving cruiser cars are amazing.

  • @macrol4323
    @macrol4323 8 місяців тому +1

    As someone who has very little mechanical experience, I can tell you that these motors are dead simple. Me and a buddy dismantled and removed one in a few hours. Head-gasket failure is an issue on the naturally aspirated motors (251&253). Frankly there’s a reason that Subaru used the platform for decades with good success. Almost unbeatable feel for a sporty street car.

  • @TheRealBootyWarrior
    @TheRealBootyWarrior 9 місяців тому +5

    Ooo baby I've had all these issues ❤

  • @harbinger224
    @harbinger224 9 місяців тому +7

    Very reliable engine when stock being called unreliable. References are people who use cheap shit parts, tune them to within an inch of cataclysmic failure or just treat them like utter shit.

  • @neilbrown82
    @neilbrown82 8 місяців тому +1

    Lol donut media had no idea what they were doing. They pulled a straight clown show

  • @misfit4816
    @misfit4816 8 місяців тому +2

    2.5L only had issues in the US because they used different head gaskets than the turbo models.

    • @vijayanchomatil8413
      @vijayanchomatil8413 3 місяці тому

      So if i get a normally aspirated 2.5l ej253 JDM, then i will not have hg issues?

  • @someguy6857
    @someguy6857 9 місяців тому +85

    calling an EJ "complicated" is wild

    • @GroovesAndLands
      @GroovesAndLands 9 місяців тому +21

      I don't know that "complicated" is the right term - but it is a somewhat awkward and fussy arrangement of bits and pieces. It's certainly fussier than a boxer design with separate jugs.
      This, coming from somebody that likes Subarus quite well.

    • @ryleecochenour6013
      @ryleecochenour6013 9 місяців тому +10

      @@GroovesAndLandsagreed. They’re definitely more complicated than many other 4 cylinders, and quite frankly, their whole design is overly complex. Yeah I know, center of gravity and all, but how is the miata doing with its inline 4? It really doesn’t make that big of a difference imo. This coming from someone who daily’d a 2005 lgt

    • @santouchesantouche2873
      @santouchesantouche2873 9 місяців тому +2

      ​@ryleecochenour6013 I think the low centre of gravity is offset by where the engine is set on the chassis. It hangs to far infront of the front wheels.Great for neutral handling but not sharp at all

    • @GroovesAndLands
      @GroovesAndLands 9 місяців тому +1

      @@santouchesantouche2873 Not only that, but the CG of the boxer isn't really that low to begin with. The crankshaft is REALLY high compared to an inline or V engine.

    • @silasbradford
      @silasbradford 9 місяців тому

      Ya they aren't that complicated 😂 I mean I was able to build on with a little help from my dad at 15

  • @nickwilliams2415
    @nickwilliams2415 9 місяців тому +9

    Pretty sure that not a single break-in period was successfully completed during the Donut series. If I were Subaru, I'd sue Donut and make them admit the issues were their fault, because it got to the point of slander. The first engine they blew up, they were literally laughing about how they had just gotten it rebuilt, hadn't broken it in, and then were tracking it... and then it immediately blew up. Then they pretty much just did that a few times.

    • @reviewsitall8739
      @reviewsitall8739 9 місяців тому

      Yea they are trash and don’t know EJ motors basically. It’s not a LS motor when you can just throw anything on it. These EJ motors must be dyno tuned for parts always.

    • @Povertycab
      @Povertycab 9 місяців тому +4

      @@reviewsitall8739so you are admitting they are bad engines… man you sure are coping hard. If you can’t do basic mods to a engine it’s not a good engine

    • @nickwilliams2415
      @nickwilliams2415 9 місяців тому +1

      @@Povertycab You can do basic mods to it. You just have to know what you're doing. The head gasket issues were only on the early NA 2.5l and can be fixed by using a different gasket. The ringland failure has also largely been fixed, but again, there were issues in the early NA engines. There are some engines that you can thrash on, and they won't blow up, and others require precision before you can thrash on them. Just because building an EJ engine requires some level of knowledge and understanding doesn't make it a bad platform. It makes it a bad platform for lazy morons.

    • @buss1205
      @buss1205 9 місяців тому +2

      @@Povertycab brother u need to learn how to read better 💀 he didnt say u cant mod it, he said u need to tune it which is normal for like every modern engine

    • @nfsfanAndrew
      @nfsfanAndrew 9 місяців тому +2

      ​@@Povertycabsomeone is a bit slow and cant read...

  • @theejoeylee
    @theejoeylee 8 місяців тому +1

    My buddy had an EJ22 legacy wagon in like 01 02.
    Only Engine he couldn't blow up, so he bought another one.

  • @andrewr1355
    @andrewr1355 8 місяців тому +2

    😂 😂 Blew my second set of head gaskets on a bone stock and well maintained 07 Forester. Sold it blown. Bought a Honda

  • @thematt6705
    @thematt6705 9 місяців тому +12

    The EJ fails at two major jobs: getting oil where it needs to be, and keeping oil out of where it doesn't need to be.

    • @rturner4205
      @rturner4205 9 місяців тому

      It enjoys either drinking it's oil or pissing it out of any orifice it can find.

  • @mazdaman3687
    @mazdaman3687 9 місяців тому +7

    Over 2 years now at just about 500hp on my wrx and 0 issues

  • @Prodriver33
    @Prodriver33 9 місяців тому +2

    The JDM EJ25D has no problems. The head gasket issue comes from the USDM EJ251 and EJ253 SOHC engines from the second gen outback and foresters. The DOHC EJ25D is a fantastic engine.

  • @charles0423
    @charles0423 9 місяців тому +2

    Donut media cant get a mini V8 working let alone an actual engine

  • @user-rx7dc7qn9v
    @user-rx7dc7qn9v 9 місяців тому +4

    It's inspired by the VW engine and that's a fact 💯🤘

    • @JosephCowen-ru7up
      @JosephCowen-ru7up 8 місяців тому +1

      Yes true , no helicopter in sight ! Originally it came from Subaru s original 2 cylinder motor , they needed a bigger 4 cylinder , they copied the VW and used 2 of the 2 cylinder heads to cut costs, if you look up Subaru s 1960/70s 2 cylinder you will see one EJ single cam head on it !

  • @miokujou
    @miokujou 9 місяців тому +6

    And yet with the new GR 86 and BRZ/86 you need to do a oil pan gasket replacement right after it gets released from the dealership because apparently subaru can't even be bothered to make proper gaskets anymore.
    This is why even though I wholeheartedly want to buy a wrx or brz/86 I just can't get myself to do it.

    • @ronly_driver
      @ronly_driver 9 місяців тому

      2019 86 and I'm the 3rd owner, no issues yet (kuwabara kuwabara)
      Keep up with your oil changes and don't red line through every gear like you have v-tec

    • @joshgoodwin9784
      @joshgoodwin9784 9 місяців тому +1

      My ‘13 brz blew with 125k. I serviced it wouldn’t say I babied it driving but really expected more out of it. She belongs to someone else now

    • @TassieLorenzo
      @TassieLorenzo 7 місяців тому

      @@ronly_driver "don't red line through every gear like you have v-tec" It's a sportscar. *It has shift lights on the dashboard.* The idea you shouldn't be able to redline it all day (when warm) like a Honda S2000 is absurd.

  • @JP-hr3xq
    @JP-hr3xq 8 місяців тому

    What's crazy to me is that Subaru solved all these problems with the EZ30 engine, but never really used it anywhere except some Legacy models.

  • @RollingRigTraction
    @RollingRigTraction 7 місяців тому +1

    I would absolutely run a 2.2l SOHC Subaru engine over most others for longevity, then It's mainly clutch fork failures and CV axles, however that era wasn't nearly as bad for CV failures compared to the late '80s Subaru's they're better than anything currently for fuel consumption.

  • @nitrous07me
    @nitrous07me 9 місяців тому +4

    Bro don’t include facts about cars & also include them “donut media” guys in the same conversation because they put out a video about a subject without doing little to no research

  • @tyhyhh
    @tyhyhh 9 місяців тому +13

    Donut had 0 idea what they were doing

    • @p24p14
      @p24p14 9 місяців тому +2

      Says someone who probably has no idea what they're doing

    • @chasemoore1281
      @chasemoore1281 9 місяців тому +1

      Donut is a great channel

  • @MidnightMechanic
    @MidnightMechanic 9 місяців тому +1

    The Lycoming and Contenental flat engines are air cooled, designed to run at a certain RPM, and are rebuilt on a schedule. GA aircraft have an hourly TBO, and require annual inspections. Subarus aren't fortunate enough for any of that.

  • @hanshrt5737
    @hanshrt5737 7 місяців тому

    Lack of oil on the bottom end is an understatement

  • @hemzehabomarek1697
    @hemzehabomarek1697 9 місяців тому +6

    Lack of lubrication in the bottom end is a real issue

  • @joseyneighbors5230
    @joseyneighbors5230 9 місяців тому +9

    That’s why you don’t modify them in the first place

  • @Dru26JC
    @Dru26JC 8 місяців тому

    Lack of lubrication at the lower end, explains alot. 😂

  • @EricJohnson-jr8wl
    @EricJohnson-jr8wl 8 місяців тому

    97 impreza owner. ive had problems with my engine but none of them were the "common" issues. the water pump blew up, engine overheated, and my valves warped, then had electrical issues all in 2 years. I will admit it spends more time being worked on than driven but i never had problems with anything being under oiled or head gaskets, the design is way better than any other car ive worked on before, especially dodges, there may be tubes everywhere but they are never actualy in the way of anything, i worked on a nitro and had to remove the intake manifold just to get the spark plugs off and the engine needed to be lifted to change out the fuel injectors, thats a crazy amount of labor for somehting that should be simple and would take me 15 minutes on an EJ. maybe if people changed their oil, didnt overload on boost and didnt buy paper head gaskets they wouldnt break.

  • @blackdeath6075
    @blackdeath6075 9 місяців тому +18

    Bro once you understand the layout the ej is literally the easiest engine to work on and take apart 😂.

  • @sakabatanuki9744
    @sakabatanuki9744 9 місяців тому +12

    airplane engine does not have half of emission system of a car forget about rubber vacuum lines and other car related emissions.

    • @JETZcorp
      @JETZcorp 9 місяців тому +3

      They're also in a crazy mild state of tune. I think it's fair to say the Lycoming O-360 is probably the most common general aviation engine. That's a 5.9L boxer-4 making a thundering 180hp. Air-cooled, pushrod, reverse-flow heads. Performance simply isn't a thing.

  • @dust_gale3108
    @dust_gale3108 5 днів тому

    *difficulty tuning*
    A big issue yeah.
    Head gasket failure comes from inability to look for a coolant leaks and maintain the level
    Oil consumption comes from the same thing. Not changing oil and not checking your valve seals

  • @SomcallmejameS
    @SomcallmejameS 9 місяців тому +1

    I’ve had 3 NA 2.5 TS imprezas. I have put over 600k miles on them between the three cars and every single one is the original engine and trans. People just beat the shit out of their cars without modifying for longevity and expect a block/trans built to withstand maybe 200hp to take 500hp to the dome with 30psi of boost to boot. Like most vehicles the issue is the nut behind the steering wheel.

  • @user-dr9gs9ev1p
    @user-dr9gs9ev1p 9 місяців тому +4

    If your engine needs lots of maintenance to be reliable, that means it's not reliable.
    I change the oil on my 1nz every 20k miles and it is at 270k miles.

    • @robzilla814
      @robzilla814 9 місяців тому +1

      This comment really shows that the EJ's biggest failure point is driver error and maintenance neglect lol. Waiting 20k miles to change your oil is way too long of an interval. All you're allowing is more time having dirty and poor lubrication and risking something getting gunked up lead to oil starvation.

    • @user-dr9gs9ev1p
      @user-dr9gs9ev1p 8 місяців тому +1

      @robzilla814 you either misunderstood or misread what I said. My point is that good or decent engines can take abuse and poor maintenance. If you went 20k miles per oil change on an EJ it would have blown before you hit 12k. Whereas an engine like a 1uz or a 22r would happily do 20k mile oil changes for 500k miles. My 1nz isn't even a very good example because they really only average 250k miles, but that's still heaps more than most EJs will ever see.

  • @ishikawa7077
    @ishikawa7077 9 місяців тому +25

    When longevity and reliability are a main concern when modding and tuning, you prolly have a bad engine.

  • @ricketyhermit2831
    @ricketyhermit2831 8 місяців тому

    When the head gaskets go you will never know until your stuck at a red-light or in rush hour. So long as the airflow is sufficient around the engine it won't oveheat with low coolant levels... until it's blown completely and burning through the head and block decks.

  • @S50Sinner
    @S50Sinner 8 місяців тому

    As someone who had a ragged WRX, the EJ is a great RACING engine, where it has a dry sump system, allows blow-by by design and gets rebuilt every race, it responds well to short-term abuse and produces great power in tight packaging. It also makes a great passenger car engine, it's smooth and torquey, perfect for lugging a Forester or Outback around. But as a sports car engine, with a wet sump and emissions to pass, it's awful. It's so wide and flat that the oil pools up in the HEADS when you corner, the turbo engines still get so much blow-by that the PCV systems get overwhelmed, and I don't need to say that oil consumption pairs poorly with poor oil management.

  • @TrillMurray
    @TrillMurray 9 місяців тому +6

    I can't help but laugh at everyone who can't even keep a Subaru on the road 😂 it can't be your fault so it must be the design

  • @Prodriver33
    @Prodriver33 9 місяців тому +3

    I have raced non turbo Subarus for decades. They are so easy I can take an engine out of a running car in 45min. And I get 300,000 - 500,000 miles out of them while racing. An EJ25D Is a fantastic engine. The sound is so unique and wonderful I can’t go to anything else. Turbo Subaru engines are crap, unreliable crap. And most N/A engines are crap except the H6, but the DOHC EJ25D is an exception. It’s amazing, the power and starts at 800rpm and pulls all the way up, I don’t know how they managed to do that. It’s not a hp champ but it has a lot of torque and a 4.44:1 final drive so it will pull pretty hard for a little n/a engine.

  • @Dirty-D
    @Dirty-D 8 місяців тому +1

    I have 185k on my 14 wrx stage 2. Runs perfect!

  • @MyzteryMedia
    @MyzteryMedia 9 місяців тому +66

    Here comes the triggered Subaru owners

    • @pablorages1241
      @pablorages1241 9 місяців тому +6

      Why do you think he posted this !

    • @BoostedBrando
      @BoostedBrando 8 місяців тому +2

      I’m right here. 👋🏼

  • @B49nope
    @B49nope 9 місяців тому +5

    Anyone Vaping in a Subie.. expect a trashed engine.

  • @11SecSTionStockSnail
    @11SecSTionStockSnail 8 місяців тому

    Traded my 2x EJ257 cars for a 2UR-GSE couldn’t be happier. Now that’s where reliability is at.
    Heck there’s plenty of is-f’s with 250-300k miles still runing around, and even a few with over 400k all original motor/trans set ups

  • @MaddoxMelton
    @MaddoxMelton 8 місяців тому

    The ej205 is so easy to work on and very relaible if taken care of

  • @alierengam1749
    @alierengam1749 9 місяців тому +4

    This video is the definition of skill issue

  • @jonathanwright5550
    @jonathanwright5550 9 місяців тому +3

    A lot of the turbo ones died due to running in correct fuel octane

  • @Mongolopolis8
    @Mongolopolis8 8 місяців тому

    Recently I did the Headgaskets on my European spec 2007 Outback 2.5
    Not only did I find an factory oil pan baffle in my sump, but also no Vacuum Lines, no PCV Valve and an Aluminum rear baffle plate (behind the torque converter, according to the forums it’s usually plastic and always rotts out)
    I also had the R160 Rear LSD, the Japanese Facelift parts etc.
    It also did not have any rust und had a Transmission Oil Cooler from the factory.
    From what I see, it’s almost as if USDM Variations of Subarus are just objectively worse then European, Japanese build ones.
    Add the typical American reluctance on performing any form of preemptive maintenance and you got yourself a recipe for Desaster.

  • @jesse75
    @jesse75 9 місяців тому +1

    Nice looking connecting rod.

  • @peted5217
    @peted5217 9 місяців тому +8

    Subaru is Tiny offshoot of Fuji Heavy Industry. Miniscule vs Honda or Toyota
    Hence light on engineering advancement !

  • @jacobtimmers9142
    @jacobtimmers9142 9 місяців тому +20

    How do you design an engine after the most reliable engines in the world, and end up making one less reliable than a musket lmao

  • @BoostedBrando
    @BoostedBrando 8 місяців тому +1

    Turbocharger failure is what makes the engine a bad design? Lmao. Actually made me laugh out loud.

  • @alexanderfielding
    @alexanderfielding 9 місяців тому

    GC8 owner here, I like EJs for the same reason i like rotaries, theyre weird and they sound wicked. For 99% of people you dont need a ton of power to have fun in these cars... same with rx7s. If you want a big horsepower car buy something with an RB, any v8 or a 1/2JZ.

  • @mr.mckinnon5680
    @mr.mckinnon5680 9 місяців тому +3

    The Subaru commercial cracks me up. Where they take the new Subaru, and park it in the field next to the old Subarus...
    Emphasizing its history of breaking down in the middle of nowhere.

  • @wiktorjachyra1869
    @wiktorjachyra1869 9 місяців тому +3

    Yeah because when you still replace the failing parts with oem they will still fail😱....aftermarket doesnt fail for these and donut are amateur engine builders, they literally lost parts rebuilding them....not to mention every engine after was a used swapped engine

  • @D.Ambrose
    @D.Ambrose 9 місяців тому

    Yeah, my EJ was a piece. Went closed deck, still blew it up. Got 100k out of it at 500whp though!
    I do miss that car a lot though. It’s the only car that I can say definitively saved my life, not once not twice, but three times. Never got stuck. Drove 1000 miles straight through the night during the 2018 Christmas storm, 2 feet of snow and I had the cruise control on. The selectable center diff was so cool. Sending 80% of the power rearward in the dirt was just a godsend.
    I miss my Subaru :(

    • @CheekyChan
      @CheekyChan 9 місяців тому +1

      Most people aren't expecting 100k miles out of an engine making double it's stock HP, I'd say that's pretty good but I've also seen many making even 700-800HP making it over 200k miles. It really all comes down to the tune and of course of you're making that kind of power, forged rods and pistons.

    • @D.Ambrose
      @D.Ambrose 9 місяців тому

      @@CheekyChan yeah it was good, but I spent a LOT to make it happen. That block was like $12k 10 years ago, can’t imagine what a billet closed deck EJ goes for these days

  • @rajivgeerman2064
    @rajivgeerman2064 9 місяців тому

    Damn ... all those engine ''side effect'' sounda like those medicine commercial with side effects

  • @jabird271vlogs9
    @jabird271vlogs9 8 місяців тому

    He’s only referring to two EJ motors being the 2.5i and 2.5 turbo, turbo having the oil consumption and lower end lube issues along with turbo issues, which wasn’t super common amongst intelligent vehicle owners. The 2.5i which wasn’t a matter of the engine design but rather the head gasket they used in the motor, which can be replaced by an MLS gasket as a permanent fix. The EJ22 was an excellent motor all around in all variations, as are the 2.5i and turbo. I’ve owned 3 EJ25s now, and the way they can run and run, never lose performance, the longevity that I’ve got out of these myself really tells me how much a lot of people out there lack on maintenance and a general understanding of mechanics.

  • @blasianboomboom2006
    @blasianboomboom2006 9 місяців тому

    And that’s why every Subarus with the EJ engine comes standard with a bottle of Stop Leak. 🤣 🤣

  • @AB365_Official
    @AB365_Official 8 місяців тому

    Not on topic but this loop is exquisite

  • @anthonygonzales1027
    @anthonygonzales1027 8 місяців тому

    "these things are bomb....they were made in a bomb factor" SpongeBob reference 😂

  • @robertbernard651
    @robertbernard651 7 місяців тому

    Porsche engineers sitting in the back of the room shaking their heads in disbelief..😅