Excellent new BRZ / FR-S Drivetrain + Powertrain Pics

[Linseal]

Boxers are so ugly. I'm going to miss the simplicity of the 4A-GE

[Crashoverride]

With the headers so close to the oil pan aren't they worried about coking.... basicly boiling and charing the oil in the pan....which causes rings to fail, and carbon buildup through the motor.

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by gt86mods

I thought the same thing until I did some research, supposedly on Subaru boxers the plugs are accessible from the top of the engine not the heads like you'd expect on an inline car. I could be wrong but that's info I got from nasioc.

EDIT: found some DIY videos and it looks like you are right...they show you removing the coil packs & the plugs from the sides. Again this was my gut feeling not sure what I was reading on nasioc that made me think differently: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40501

Part of me assumed Subaru had some trick engine design that allowed for ease of maintenance, but I don't think any manufacturer truly cares about that, harder to work on means more money from maintenance.

Single cam EJs have the plugs angled upwards at a 45 degree angle so you can reach them fromt he top. The Dual cam EJs have the plugs in the middle of the heads like most other DOHCs.

I'd imagine this has something to do with such a low COG, instead of risking cracking an alloy pan they'd rather have you dent your steel pan. Seeing as how the engine is so low adding the extra few pounds at the bottom of the car wasn't an issue. All suspension arms look like they are steel as well for the same reason. Converting them to alloy would essentially raise the COG and hurt handling dynamics.

I think it might be a cost issue. Look for the STI/TRD version in the future to have aluminum suspension components. That's the way Subaru usually does things.

I'm happy with a steel pan. Considering how often I see cast aluminum pans with stripped oil drain plugs, I'm happy with steel.

I still think that can't hold very much oil.

Originally Posted by Crashoverride

With the headers so close to the oil pan aren't they worried about coking.... basicly boiling and charing the oil in the pan....which causes rings to fail, and carbon buildup through the motor.

Not with proper heat shielding. The STI header is very close to the pan also and there aren't issues with cooking the oil.

[WingsofWar]

Originally Posted by Crashoverride

With the headers so close to the oil pan aren't they worried about coking.... basicly boiling and charing the oil in the pan....which causes rings to fail, and carbon buildup through the motor.

boxer engines do see higher oil temps than other engines but not significant enough to burn and boil oil in the pan. As long as the headers retain its heat shielding (ie paneling or texture materials) there shouldn't be any worry about the higher ambient heat effecting durability of the boxer engine.

[Toyota fr-s]

how much benefit would there be in replacing the two-piece drive shaft with a single-piece carbon fiber drive shaft?

[WingsofWar]

Originally Posted by Toyota fr-s

how much benefit would there be in replacing the two-piece drive shaft with a single-piece carbon fiber drive shaft?

Its one of the methods to improve the delivery of available power through the drivetrain.

When we talk about wheel HP, power from the engine is lost through the drivetrain. In this case roughly 15% of power is lost through the drivetrain from the crank to the wheels.

A lightweight and rigid drive-shaft would improve this. Giving you more play with the power your already making.

[Crashoverride]

Originally Posted by WingsofWar

boxer engines do see higher oil temps than other engines but not significant enough to burn and boil oil in the pan. As long as the headers retain its heat shielding (ie paneling or texture materials) there shouldn't be any worry about the higher ambient heat effecting durability of the boxer engine.

Hum....I guess I will have to rap these stock headers, and get an oil cooler kit... just to be on the safe side.

[Crashoverride]

Originally Posted by WingsofWar

Its one of the methods to improve the delivery of available power through the drivetrain.

When we talk about wheel HP, power from the engine is lost through the drivetrain. In this case roughly 15% of power is lost through the drivetrain from the crank to the wheels.

A lightweight and rigid drive-shaft would improve this. Giving you more play with the power your already making.

Hum I wonder if a light weight drive shaft or carbon fiber drive shaft will come out soon after release. because its not producing masive TQ numbers I see this as a very "doable" option.

[Dragonitti]

The end links look as long as my tC's end links.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by Toyota fr-s

how much benefit would there be in replacing the two-piece drive shaft with a single-piece carbon fiber drive shaft?

The benefits are more akin to a lightweight flywheel than anything else, if you have any experience with those. Essentially, as WoW stated, you don't make more power, rather you put what's already being made down to the pavement more efficiently. Throttle response and engine revolutions will be snappier.

[oneday]

Originally Posted by WhiteGDB

Aftermarket oil coolers usually come with a sandwich adaptor that goes between the engine and oil filter.

That's great in theory, but how do you propose a sandwich adapter be used here?



There probably are some galley plugs that will be available to facilitate an OC install...but I don't see them in these pix

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by Crashoverride

Hum....I guess I will have to rap these stock headers, and get an oil cooler kit... just to be on the safe side.

Considering the EJs had oil coolers built in, I would be surprised if the FA20 didn't. I doubt it'll be an issue. When I change my oil with the engine hot the oil pan isn't hot enough to cook oil.

As for the driveshaft, it'll definitely be a benefit. I think the BRZ will really like lightened driveline parts; pulley, flywheel, driveshaft.

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by oneday

That's great in theory, but how do you propose a sandwich adapter be used here?



There probably are some galley plugs that will be available to facilitate an OC install...but I don't see them in these pix

A custom one that's a bit taller would work fine..

But on another thought... It looks like the oil is routed THROUGH the timing cover. That's really interesting.

Belt replacement is going to be a PITA.

[bedabi]

It all looks reassuringly similar to my WRX's (01 and 04). I feel comfortable already.

Does that look like a catalytic converter at the end of the exhaust headers? The WRX had a similar, pre-turbo cat, that many of us replaced with a straight pipe. (The WRX had 3 catalytic converters stock.) I wasn't considering any engine/exhaust mods till I saw that, provided it's what I think it is.

As for questions about the spark plugs, yes my 2.0 WRX's had them on the side. If you have bigger hands like I do, it could be a bit painstaking to replace them yourself. But from pics I've seen there appears to be more space in the engine bay of the BRZ/FR-S.