3.0 pistons same as 2.5s?

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

JDC - 01 Jun 2004 12:32 GMT

Anyone know if the same pistons are used in the 2004 6 cylinder as in the 4
cylinder engines and if the cars exhibit the same piston slap problems as
they age?

How about the new 2005 2.5s?

Reply to this Message

Don@NoSpam - 01 Jun 2004 14:28 GMT

> Anyone know if the same pistons are used in the 2004 6 cylinder as in the 4
> cylinder engines and if the cars exhibit the same piston slap problems as
> they age?
>
> How about the new 2005 2.5s?

Don't know for sure, but probably. It was my understanding, when they replaced
the engine on my '97 OB, that the reason for slap is that they used short skirt
pistons. Reasoning: less friction gives better gas mileage for advertising.

That probably was NOT an engineering decision!!! :-[
Username munged by FixNews

Reply to this Message

Edward Arata - 01 Jun 2004 15:20 GMT

Questions: (Because I don't know)

Is piston slap necessarily a bad thing?

(I hear it referred to as bad, maybe I don't know what it is.)

Are we referring to the noise that all Subaru (boxer, horizontally opposed)
engines make?

That dull clicking noise that varies with RPM and can be heard a mile away
on Subaru's WRC car?

Or is it something more threatening than that?

Seems to me, decrease in rotational mass = faster RPM gain (performance) and
less friction for higher gas mileage.

Someone let me know the downsides of the Short Skirt Pistons.

Thanks,

Ed

Reply to this Message

JDC - 01 Jun 2004 23:36 GMT

Piston slap is metal hitting against metal, which over time will cause
damage. Why would Subaru have a "countermeasure piston replacement kit" in
addition to a "short block replacement" fix, if there wasn't a problem?
Subaru of America says that it will shorten the life of the engine by 10%,
which is not an insignificant number if you plan on keeping the car a while.

I was wondering if they had modified the pistons to deal with the problem on
the 2004 6 cylinder or 2005 engines?

> Questions: (Because I don't know)
>
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> Ed

Reply to this Message

Don@NoSpam - 02 Jun 2004 16:09 GMT

> Piston slap is metal hitting against metal, which over time will cause
> damage. Why would Subaru have a "countermeasure piston replacement kit" in
> addition to a "short block replacement" fix, if there wasn't a problem?
> Subaru of America says that it will shorten the life of the engine by 10%,
> which is not an insignificant number if you plan on keeping the car a while.

You are correct!

I'd say that was a relative statement. It's insignificant if you DON'T
plan to keep the car and it doesn't do damage while you have it; and Sub,
like other manufacturers is after New Car Sales. And you know they are
going to try to make it sound "not so bad". If they go to the short s
kirts in the first place because of "better gas mileage" you know damn
good and well they are going to defend that decision.

I got my "short skirt" information from the service manager at Subaru in
Coeur d'Alene, ID and he seemed pretty knowledgeable and wasn't panning
Subaru in general. Personally I can't see the gas mileage reason for
going to a piston design that would cause failure down the road. After
all Subaru has always been known for good warrantees (spelled $$$) and
longevity.

I'm a Johnny Come Lately as far as owning a Sub is concerned, my first
was a '97 in '99. But, I see more OLD Subs running around Coeur d'Alene
than other cars from the 70's. I know of at least 10 old Brats that look
and sound pretty good. Of course I don't know anything about their
engine rebuild status.

Ed brings up some good points I'd not considered, the rotation mass,
higher RPM (= more HP advertisments).

Don

> I was wondering if they had modified the pistons to deal with the problem on
> the 2004 6 cylinder or 2005 engines?
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> > Thanks,
> > Ed

Username munged by FixNews

Reply to this Message

Skweezieweezie - 01 Jun 2004 23:24 GMT

My H6 has a tendency to rattle a little bit
when cold started below 45deg.
It becomes most noticeable when the motor
has only partially warmed up, and goes
away completely when totally warm.
43K miles now, and has been making this
sound for the past two winters.

The pistons are physically different from the 2.5
since the bore/stroke are different, but they
probably share the same short skirt design.

Reply to this Message