TOTAL TRASH! Subaru WRX FA20DIT Failed Engine Teardown. How NOT To Rebuild A Turbo Subaru Correctly

Today we have a fan/viewer supplied engine! This 80k mile 2.0L FA20DIT is from a 2016 WRX. I don't believe the fan/viewer did this damage, I think it was purchased with this damage and subsequently repaired. This engine has been through hell and every part of it paints a picture of a corner cutting, penny pinching repair that clearly did NOT last.
Why am I doing this? My name is Eric and I own and run a full service auto salvage business called Importapart. Part of our model includes dismantling blown up and bad engines to salvage the good parts. We do NOT rebuild engines, we merely sell parts to those who do.

I really hope you enjoyed this teardown. As always, I love all of the comments, feedback and even the criticism.

Catch you on the next one!

-Eric

[tylerrosser]

This was my engine, I'm sure some of you are wondering the background. I bought the car with 75k miles, and it was completely stock. not even an intake. I had fun with car and occasionally drove it hard, but also did my oil change every 3k miles and I replaced spark plugs right after I bought it. One day I was cruising at 45mph and my oil level light came on. i pulled over and turned it off. My dipstick was popped out and oil was everywhere. I topped it off and continued driving, however anytime i got in boost the dipstick would come out again. Did a compression test to find out I lost compression on cylinder 1. I purchased a used motor from cheap on facebook and drove 3 hours to get it. Big mistake. Dude told me there was a head issue, so i said sweet, i just need the block. ended up having having a spun bearing. Cylinder 1 piston was blown apart (assuming from detonation) in the motor that was in my car. With no more money and 2 torn apart motors, and borrowing someone's garage (which i had 2 more days before i had to leave) i threw a "good" piston from the motor i bought into mine, hoping it would last long enough for me to get rid of the car. Didnt last a day XD. I had to suck it up and buy a legit good motor (using the rest of my savings) and swapped the good motor in. now the clutch is slipping and it isnt exactly running right so i havent been driving it. (I owe 22k on this car). yeah i know i messed up several times, and honestly i dont think i should have bought that wrx in the first place. I just dont make enough money.

[gerrycarmichael]

The problem with turbo scoobies is typically someone gets a hold of one and instantly becomes a “tuner”. They bolt on stuff that requires a lot of ancillary work without doing said work and they cheap out on doing stuff like properly decking the heads. They then take their 400 hp hand grenade out and beat the living snot out of it and are shocked when parts of the rotating assembly reach escape velocity!

[TheByronYale]

Having worked at a pacific northwest Subaru dealership service department and I can attest to the fact that kids buy WRXs that can barely afford them and then can't afford to maintain them and roast the engines on a regular basis.

[ikocheratcr]

The best part today: "that metal has oil in it", that is a new level.

[litz]

Soon as we heard this came from a WRX, it was obvious what we would find.

WRX owners, after all, never modify their cars and always drive moderately only to church on Sundays.

[adriansdigitalbasement]

Yes, I think the MGT2259S is the OEM turbo for the Forester XT and WRX during those years.

[FliesFLL]

"Sparkle Sensor"

That actually exists in aviation. Helicopter transmissions have "chip detectors", which sense the forbidden glitter and let the pilots know they are about do to an

[GoneAsGoneCanBe]

Watching you admire timing chains as if they were high quality gold ones will forever be one of my favorite bits of this channel.

[bradgreen]

" Somebody's been in there" is the boxer engine death sentence

[WarmPudgy]

holy smokes! with the oil pan sitting directly over the exhaust, these engines must absolutely cook the oil.

[caleb]

I own an EJ25 that i did a roll disk resurface on. Not for lack of money but lack of time. Every machine shop was weeks out and i had about a week to get the heads done and car back together. So together it went after checking with a straight edge. That was 80k miles ago. No problems yet. I feel like i won the lottery on that one.

[litz]

That turbo impeller looks like it came off an airplane after a bird strike.

Don't know that we've ever seen one THAT wrecked!

[kennethwilson]

I thought the Bering Sea was between Alaska and Russia not in the bottom of a Subaru oil pan 😱

[ADoneGooner]

This channel is so relaxing. It's ASMR for gearheads. Gnight 309 wherever you are.❤

[cparks]

That lil chinga dera hanging off the cam is a brake booster vacuum pump

Garrett Honeywell makes the oem 15-21 turbo.

[davestark]

My favorite part of Saturday. Cheers Sir

[MindCast-YT]

117k on my full bolt on FA20 running e50 and making 360/350 on an unequal length header and stock turbo, 4 different dyno sessions throughout the modification process. they're good engines if taken care of right. I've had mine going on 7 years and the only issue I've had is a bad OCV which was $50 bucks. I take it to plenty of mexico nights and play when I want to but take care of it and drive normal most of the time. That was the stock turbo btw.

[Pmpautogroup]

Thanks for the Shout out Eric, and letting me be apart of the video. To those who wish to bring up a forum post about Pmp from 12 years ago, Give it a rest... this is a salvage yard, not a puppy and kitten adoption center, we will never make 100% of the people happy 100% of the time. Thanks!

[The_Last_Question]

Owned a 15 Forester XT with this engine, the Forester gave me more problems than this engine. Strangest quirk about the whole car was that it really disliked having a weak battery, even giving engine lights over it. That car wore its wheel bearings and broke studs on the front passenger side consistently. Plugs looked a lot better than that when I changed them in this video. Oh and these cars lose the refrigerant every 2-3 years in Florida but generally the cooling system held up. The A/C pump gets noisy when its low. I gave that thing every little preventative service, which I think is the most important thing, nothing runs long without keeping the changeable fluids and parts out today.

[mikeyp]

Fun fact about that turbo location, it is not new to the FA platform. There were also bottom mount turbo EJ engines available on the 2010-2012 Legacy GT which was also mated to the new 6 speed transmission that replaced the old 5 speed. It is almost identical to the 2015+ WRX unit.