big job Terry and Spotty,both glutens for punishment?
It really wasn't that difficult Dave, it's a nice car and for $2K AUD (around $1300 USD) with only 183,000 Km (120K miles) it'll be a good jigger once back together. So far the total spend has been around $1000 (including the engine stand, load leveller, gasket set, power steering pump, special hose removal tools, screw extractors etc. I need to power wash the oil from the leaking power steering pump out of the engine bay and from the gubbins below before I take it over for a Roadworthy certificate inspection.
The white twin turbo Subaru has had the new clutch installed but they're investigating why my primary turbo doesn't seem to be working. So far the bill is $2400 AUD ($1550 USD) so I'd hate to think what this job would cost. Spotty and I are enjoying the job, it's quite relaxing, we're having Uber Eats delivering lunch each day, and learning lots about Jap cars, which aren't that unlike jap bike engines. The "EZ30R" engine in the Subaru is a little rocket with 240 BHP and if it wasn't for Subaru coating their head gaskets with some form of moly coating, these things otherwise don't give any trouble, so once done, should be good for many years.
My 30 year old green jellybean Subaru that I've re-inherited from my sister, that I bought for $400 (250 USD) 9 years ago is still going like a champ with everything still working, engine never been apart (including head gaskets, that weren't a problem in the EJ22 engine) and has almost done 200,000 miles. If I knew how good it was I would never have bought the black one, but the way she was talking, it was about to go to the scrapyard. I only drove it home after giving her my 2006 Outlander because I didn't want to ride the bus home, and the little beast continues to surprise me at how good it really is. I hope the black one lasts just as long.