The Current Setup:
Cobb intake
GPMoto Turbo Inlet
IHI VF22
FMIC
TGV Delete
Pinks
1 Degree Colder Plugs
PnP'ed Stock Manifold
HKS Up pipe
Cobb Catless TBE
Cobb Street Tuner

The Problem:
I have a Detonation or Preignition problem that prevents me from running optimal timing for the setup. Currently, I have to pull 5 degrees if timing from my ignition map. Probably a crack in one of the heads.

The Goal:
I’d like to fix the problem so that I can run optimal timing and get the most out of all the mods. Ideally, I’d like to make this the best performance commuter car it can be.

The Strict Budget:
$3000

The Possible Solutions
1.) PnP’ed heads + ej257
- should take care of the problem
- might have trouble with boost creep
- might have trouble with transmission
- worse mpgs

2.) Gruppe-s Rebuilds my engine (forged internals, pnp’ed heads, better valvetrain)
- I keep the ej205 
- Easier on transmission
- $600 in shipping costs to get the engine to California and back puts the project over budget

3.) Get a used JDM V7 Sti engine
- will solve my problem
- will create problems swap and AVCS
- problems with emissions and inspection
- some other problems I don’t know about

4.) Something else I haven’t thought of yet…


Any input will be helpful,

Thanks

bump...

probably a cracked ringland, they're a weak link. The EJ257 hybrid is currently a very popular swap and you shouldn't boost creep if you run a EWG.

probably a cracked ringland, they're a weak link. The EJ257 hybrid is currently a very popular swap and you shouldn't boost creep if you run a EWG.

That seems to be at the top of the list, except the ewg will put me overbudget, so that's why I'm having second thoughts about it.

PS: what's a ringland? Is that on the heads or block? Hard to fix?

Your easy option is the 257 swap. Its extremly straight forward and everything bolts straight up.

JOHN

Why Gruppe-S? Have you considered contacting Rallispec (in NJ!)? They're 100% qualified to perform any work you could want.

Why Gruppe-S? Have you considered contacting Rallispec (in NJ!)? They're 100% qualified to perform any work you could want.

I never knew about them, gotta check them out.

But my other symptoms are a puff of white some during WOT on a pull and whiteish oil reside inside the crank case vents with lots of condensation

PS: what's a ringland? Is that on the heads or block? Hard to fix?

Its the area between the rings on the pistons.

I never knew about them, gotta check them out.

But my other symptoms are a puff of white some during WOT on a pull and whiteish oil reside inside the crank case vents with lots of condensation

this sounds like perhaps a head gasket, where coolant is getting into the cylinders. does your oil look normal? Sometimes if a head gasket fails badly enough, the coolant will look like chocolate milk from the coolant contamination. this is BAD, and can eat up bearings quickly.

I gotta check my oil. I looked at it yesterday and it just looked black, so I didn't think much of it.

I don't think it's too bad because I have a very smooth idle.

Can bad ringlands cause the timing issues?

bumpp

I gotta check my oil. I looked at it yesterday and it just looked black, so I didn't think much of it.

I don't think it's too bad because I have a very smooth idle.

Can bad ringlands cause the timing issues?

I've heard that they can. A tune shop I spoke with said they had incredible difficulty smoothing the timing on a customers car, and it made low power. The eventual cause was determined to be cracked ring lands.

I'll throw this one at you for what is worth. I had bad detonation on a N/A motor (not Subura) so I backed of the timing , changed the plugs/wires and whole bunch of stuff until the engine blew. Turned out to be a bad head gasket! The metal ring around the bore had split and curled into the cylinder causing detonation. Melted a piston on that experience. I would pull the engine before it's to late.

I think you also mentioned a milky white build up in one of your other posts. That too indicates a head gasket failure.

An EJ207 (V7 or V8 JDM STi) is a direct replacement for an EJ205. You only have to wire the TGV's and AVCS, and its not required. The motor will run fine without them.

Have a professional pull the motor and tear it down and inspect it. Then go from there. BTW, GruppeS has a V7 shortblock/JDM WRX (not sti) heads combo for $2000. Thats a good price if you find that there is damage to both your heads and the block, and its not just a headgasket.

Thanks for the info

I saw that shortblock/JDM combo a while back and asked them about it, but they told me that they're not building anymore and it was more of a one time thing since they're having trouble coming up with the parts.

The v7 swap sounds tempting...

The Possible Solutions
1.) PnP’ed heads + ej257
- should take care of the problem
- might have trouble with boost creep
- might have trouble with transmission
- worse mpgs


This is off topic but why would a hybrid setup cause boost creep with a vf22. I am running a td04 right now on my hybrid setup and I am not having any creep issues. I will be running a VF22 after this weekend if it gets here before then.

Also if you decide to go with this setup PM me. I know a guy at a subaru dealership that will sell an brand new short block pretty damn cheap. I havent been able to to get a cheaper price anywhere else.

I read about boost creep and from what i can gather, the 2.5L creates so much exhaust the the wastegate can't keep up. I'm assuming that since this is true on a vf39, then it'll probably be true on a vf22.

So another question, would a crack in the head cause coolant to condense in the valve covers or crank case?