Article posted on the valve recall engine murders
 

If Toyota doesn't address this issue quickly it could turn into a class action lawsuit. Dealers need to start being honest about this and for God sake read the manual when doing the recall work. This problem could be easily avoided if the techs at the dealers did their job correctly and didnt try to cut corners.

Wait, what?
Is this not accurate?: "Replacing valve springs is pretty basic and any half decent tech should be able to do it just fine."
I read it right here on the forum.

I just called the service director at our Subaru dealership. He is aware of these issues happening all over. And he mentioned some of the specific things (in the tech guidelines) to do and specific things NOT to do while working on boxer engine timing covers.

This is 100% not accurate on a boxer engine. Many people say once you open a boxer engine for the first time, it is never the same again.

I'm about to believe this, with the exception of @ermax.



humfrz

Building an engine isn't hard. Screwing up an engine isn't hard either. Effort... something that seems to be lacking in 20-somethings with flat brimmed hats and lifted diesel trucks.

It makes sense more FRSes have this issue than BRZes... A shit ton more FRSes were sold and are out there. Almost 3:1

I'm nervous though. My engine was replaced (not a used engine, a new long block) by Toyota last year. So far it's been good, but this recall thing makes me a little nervous that maybe Toyota techs can't handle building a boxer?

I was arguing with service manager at Toyota dealer after my engine started knocking. I told him this happened right after a major work done by your guys. And he says "It's not major work / difficult work" :bs:

I read the manual like 20 times now, seal application is super specific and far from basic. Someone with OCD should be building these engines.

I read that article today; it was a well-presented, accurate summary of what's been presented on this forum and it's highly probable that Chris Tsui, the author, is one of us and a contributor to and/or originator of one or more of the threads. It's nice to see more and more public acknowledgement of the issue, and hopefully the dealerships that are trying to shift to the blame to the consumer will become fewer and fewer. I dropped my car off this morning and the service manager was well aware of the issues, and said that because of them there's a huge parts-availability problem now. I feel better about the whole thing than I did yesterday; he seemed confident that a new engine for my car will be forthcoming. He's been great about everything on this car and some of my others over the years, and I have no reason to believe he will be less than helpful this time.

That's for splitting the block open, not pulling the valve covers and timing chain cover.


They aren't pulling the heads or splitting the block for this work.

I took my 2013 BRZ in about 3 weeks ago for the recall. Since they were already doing the recall I asked what it would cost me to replace the clutch since it was starting to make a noise when it was engaged. They told me I would only charge me for parts and not labor since they’re pulling the engine anyway. Long story short I pick up the car last night and I drive it less than a quater mike and the engine dies. I was able to turn it back on and drive it back to the dealer. And it cut off just as I turned into the street and I just coasted it in a parking spot. They email me this morning wanting me to provide service records for the oil changes, because the block blew.. I’ve always done them myself at every 6-8k miles. I’m kinda worried they’re going to try to pin this on me when the car was running perfectly fine when I took it there. I’m curious as to what I should do or tell them if they try to send me a bill.

It is. The problem isn't with replacing the springs the problem is with Subaru's decision to do away with actual gaskets in favour of goop.

If the engine only lasted a couple of blocks its clearly a workmanship issue on their part. If the motor seized that quick, it should have been knocking when you dropped it off