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Old 10-12-2009, 01:52 AM   #1
Mavrik
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Chapter/Region: AKIC
Location: Anchorage AK
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2013 BRZ & Imp 2.5RS
Yamaha FZ8

Default 99 2.5 RS engine swap (with pics)

Well a couple weeks ago the wife and I finally picked up the 2.5 RS we've only been talking about buying for several years now. Bought it knowing the engine had a rod knock and the car was going to need some work. That was fine. But plans changed and the wife needs to use it for the next two years as a daily driver. This meant all the issues it had preventing reliability needed to be fixed.

So the rod knocking engine needed to go. Also it was setting a p0303 missfire code with a compression of 80psi for cylinder #3. The wife and I located a used 30k 2.5i engine for $300. It seemed like it would work.

I've never swapped a motor before and had the plans of doing it this past saturday. I wanted to get an early start and be done with it by 4pm. Obviously being my first time swapping a motor, it took a little longer.

Bring some good tools.

Engine bay before starting

ready to pull the motor

engine out of the car



I started at 7am and had the motor out before 10am.

swapped everything onto the "new" block


by 4pm I was ready to put the timing belt on and with the help of scoobytec (who also showed me how to torque the heads down) had the motor all set to drop back into the RS by about 6pm. My only oops of the day was to neglect tightening the top starter bolt. This resulted in needing a new starter. By then though it was 7:30pm. I was tired, out of redbull and with a broken starter so we called it a night.

On sunday I picked up a new starter from NAPA.


I had the car primed with oil, filled with coolant and started by about 11am. Once the car started, Dale (scoobytec) and I heard some weird noises from the "new" block. We narrowed it down to the timing belt tensioner which quickly quieted down, allowing us to hear a familiar sound... The "new" block knocks like the old one did. Grrrrr...

So I tore apart the old block to inspect the damage. The rod bearings where spun on all four cylinders. Some actually broke into pieces when I took the rods off the crank.
yes thats a crack in the rod bearing.

So the plan is as follows... rebuild the old block or replace the pistons on a used spare 2.5 turbo block I have lying around. Stay tuned as the RS will be going back under the knife in the next week or two.

Oh and cylinder #3 still missfires... turns out the head needs adjusting. Just another thing for me to learn how to do. Other then my disappointment in the fact the RS STILL isn't running right... I had a good hands on/learning experience. I can say now that I can swap a block and it will start when I'm done. I just can't guarantee the quality of the parts lol.

ps I still LOVE this car despite its difficulty to get running right.
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Old 10-12-2009, 01:59 AM   #2
ridestreet84
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Chapter/Region: AKIC
Location: Davis Monthan, AZ
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2007 obp STI
broken again

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looks so much better clean phil just waiting for the tint to be thrown on
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Old 10-12-2009, 02:30 AM   #3
Mavrik
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tint is the last thing on the list right now. a running motor is priority.
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Old 10-12-2009, 02:56 AM   #4
suby_do
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sorry to hear bout the "new" block. very nice car tho. i wish mine was that clean.
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Old 10-12-2009, 03:23 AM   #5
Mavrik
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Yamaha FZ8

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thanks. I spent about 4 hours cleaning the interior last weekend lol
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Old 10-12-2009, 04:16 AM   #6
JCharron2005
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Right on phil! if you ever need a hand let me know.
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Old 10-12-2009, 04:49 AM   #7
Racer Dubya
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Looks good Phil
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Old 10-12-2009, 04:52 AM   #8
greenspeed
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God I miss the old N/a engine tear outs they were so much fun...1.5 hours and you're like, really it's out of the damn car already
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Old 10-12-2009, 07:54 PM   #9
rivman05
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clean car phil. looks nice. I can relate to the swap taking longer than you think, mine was on a older ford. After a while, you get good at it. What needs adjusting on the head? Is it just the buckets on it? GL

Gabe
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Old 10-12-2009, 08:00 PM   #10
AKLGT
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and just think, the STI will be going under the knife this weekend...
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Old 10-12-2009, 08:04 PM   #11
06gtleg
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^^^ yeah it will. lol excited to see that dp. first "real" mod lol
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Old 10-12-2009, 08:10 PM   #12
aleutdude
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Chapter/Region: AKIC
Location: Anchorage,Alaska
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I've always loved the two door RS. I also love that color but then again I'm a bit biased! I can't wait to see this car in person or even on the road!
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Old 10-12-2009, 08:27 PM   #13
sol0
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Chapter/Region: AKIC
Location: Peter's Creek
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92 Integra RaSecar

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I know how this goes well. Keep with it, you guys will have it running right in no time at all! Looks awesome.
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Old 10-12-2009, 09:12 PM   #14
AKLGT
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Thanks, Rob!
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Old 10-12-2009, 11:09 PM   #15
07_BluRex
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Akirs!

Last edited by 07_BluRex; 10-12-2009 at 11:11 PM. Reason: Can't get the damn thing to stay capitalized! WTH?
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Old 10-12-2009, 11:12 PM   #16
Mavrik
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Yamaha FZ8

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Quote:
Originally Posted by rivman05 View Post
clean car phil. looks nice. I can relate to the swap taking longer than you think, mine was on a older ford. After a while, you get good at it. What needs adjusting on the head? Is it just the buckets on it? GL

Gabe
since its a single overhead cam head, there are no buckets. So I have no idea how to adjust it. I'm told its easy to do... Hopefully thats it and not a dropped valve guide. Though it only seems to miss at idle. get on the gas and the car goes just great. Other then that rddddddddddddddd noise at 3k
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Old 10-13-2009, 12:43 AM   #17
rivman05
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hmm, i thought even the sohc motors had beckets on em. Ive been wondering how to tighten up mine since my 2.2 sounds like my solid lifter 318. Any how, GL guys, hope it gets sorted quickly.
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Old 10-13-2009, 12:46 AM   #18
Mavrik
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Yamaha FZ8

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I know the duel overhead cam has those pucks
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Old 10-13-2009, 01:07 AM   #19
greenspeed
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are you refering to the ones that slide over the lifters?
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Old 10-13-2009, 04:33 PM   #20
SleeperLGT
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Nice, I've always liked those. I was looking at getting one for a winter car, but bought a stupid pickup instead.

What are the long term plans for it?
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Old 10-13-2009, 04:58 PM   #21
Mavrik
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SleeperLGT View Post
Nice, I've always liked those. I was looking at getting one for a winter car, but bought a stupid pickup instead.

What are the long term plans for it?
long term plans are to build it into an autocross and extremely fast drag car. we're talking a couple years down the road before this starts though.

I think I may have a block to use... had one sitting in the shed. need dale to check it this afternoon.
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Old 10-14-2009, 12:29 AM   #22
Mavrik
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Well scoobytec has confirmed that the block I had all this time (just needed pistons) will work. the rods are good as is the block itself. Tomorrow I'm going to order a set of OEM pistons and rings for the block. Hopefully have the block ready to drop into the RS by next weekend.
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Old 10-14-2009, 12:50 AM   #23
greenspeed
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mavrik View Post
Well scoobytec has confirmed that the block I had all this time (just needed pistons) will work. the rods are good as is the block itself. Tomorrow I'm going to order a set of OEM pistons and rings for the block. Hopefully have the block ready to drop into the RS by next weekend.
aren't aftermarket piston's cheaper?
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Old 10-14-2009, 02:20 AM   #24
ScoobyTec
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Quote:
Originally Posted by greenspeed View Post
aren't aftermarket piston's cheaper?

no.....we are going to use n/a pistons for now
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Old 10-14-2009, 03:15 AM   #25
Mavrik
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Yamaha FZ8

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OEM pistons are cheaper and will do the trick. I'm not about to drop a lot of money on aftermarket pistons and on top of that, having to split the block and have it machined for the aftermarket pistons. OEM will be just fine. the built block will go in later down the road.
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