Excellent new BRZ / FR-S Drivetrain + Powertrain Pics

[gt86mods]

Originally Posted by OrbitalEllipses

The problem is that technically they can deny your warranty claim should the engine pop. Yes, usually receipts of purchase and documentation of mileage at time of change are good enough...but they still CAN deny it. Most people don't want to risk that. The alternative is to take it to an independent shop for better/more verifiable documentation, but that's more expensive than going to a dealer.

I know what you're saying and where you're coming from. I'll be doing my own oil, but there are reasons people don't do themselves.

I've heard that argument a few times. I hate to keep bringing up BMW but I had a lot of warranty issues with my 335i. I had quite a few mods on it, intake, exhaust, tuner, suspension, wheels & I had quite a few reliability issues with it. My dealer at one point tried to deny warranty coverage on a snapped half shaft and blown injectors. Being an educated customer I stood my ground and involved BMW North America. They were more than happy to slap the dealer on the wrist and get my car repaired no questions asked. Of course before I had the car towed in I removed all tuning parts as well as the intake to ensure I would have no issues, yet the dealer still tried to say I was beating on the car and I was the cause of the broken axle. I told them to kiss my ass, this is a driver's car and of course I'm going to beat on it but I purchased it because it was the ultimate driving machine.

It's simple: cover your ass and don't bring your car in with shoddy work done to it and sure as hell don't bring it in with mods that would make the dealer think the problems are caused by your aftermarket parts. Lots of manufacturers have a list of approved oils and filters that they recommend be used. If you buy some autozone brand name oil filter and the thing cracks and your motor seizes, of course you may have an issue. If you use OEM filters or approved filters and something goes wrong, you have a case against the company who manufactured the part. Dealers don't have the time or resources to do investigations on specific cars, if they call you out and deny coverage it's likely they are bluffing and just don't wanna foot the cost. If this happens get Toyota or Subaru corporate involved and I guarantee your problems will be solved.

As with anything it's all about being educated and making smart decisions. A lot of people don't want to mod their cars because of warranty coverage. That's fine...your loss. I for one make a good relationship with my dealers and make sure I am up front and honest about my intentions for the car. I recommend everyone do this. If you think you are going to be modding your car ask your salesman or the service manager their thoughts on this subject. If they downright tell you they have no tolerance for modifications then go to an other dealer. This is a tuner's car, it is unreasonable to think that people will be leaving them 100% stock and bringing them into the dealer for every tiny service.

[zoomzoomers]

Originally Posted by gt86mods

I've heard that argument a few times. I hate to keep bringing up BMW but I had a lot of warranty issues with my 335i. I had quite a few mods on it, intake, exhaust, tuner, suspension, wheels & I had quite a few reliability issues with it. My dealer at one point tried to deny warranty coverage on a snapped half shaft and blown injectors. Being an educated customer I stood my ground and involved BMW North America. They were more than happy to slap the dealer on the wrist and get my car repaired no questions asked. Of course before I had the car towed in I removed all tuning parts as well as the intake to ensure I would have no issues, yet the dealer still tried to say I was beating on the car and I was the cause of the broken axle. I told them to kiss my ass, this is a driver's car and of course I'm going to beat on it but I purchased it because it was the ultimate driving machine.

It's simple: cover your ass and don't bring your car in with shoddy work done to it and sure as hell don't bring it in with mods that would make the dealer think the problems are caused by your aftermarket parts. Lots of manufacturers have a list of approved oils and filters that they recommend be used. If you buy some autozone brand name oil filter and the thing cracks and your motor seizes, of course you may have an issue. If you use OEM filters or approved filters and something goes wrong, you have a case against the company who manufactured the part. Dealers don't have the time or resources to do investigations on specific cars, if they call you out and deny coverage it's likely they are bluffing and just don't wanna foot the cost. If this happens get Toyota or Subaru corporate involved and I guarantee your problems will be solved.

As with anything it's all about being educated and making smart decisions. A lot of people don't want to mod their cars because of warranty coverage. That's fine...your loss. I for one make a good relationship with my dealers and make sure I am up front and honest about my intentions for the car. I recommend everyone do this. If you think you are going to be modding your car ask your salesman or the service manager their thoughts on this subject. If they downright tell you they have no tolerance for modifications then go to an other dealer. This is a tuner's car, it is unreasonable to think that people will be leaving them 100% stock and bringing them into the dealer for every tiny service.

[Deslock]

Originally Posted by Calum

Inline are easier to balance, compared to a V, I'm not sure about a boxer here.

The post by user vwhobo on this page elaborates on balancing a boxer (I think this is the first time I've ever cited yahoo answers... damn, I must be getting old).

It's completely subjective, but I enjoy the boxer rumble, just as I preferred the feel of my SV650's V-twin over parallel twins.

[Jordo!]

Needs more power, better tires, and better suspension.

[RZNT4R]

As a mechanic:

- I'm not worried about the length of the sway bar end links. That's fine, par for the course in this day and age. However...

- I don't like where the swaybar itself is mounted. way over the subframe, behind the engine, most likely sandwitched against the body, shitty place to replace bushings.

- I'm not fond of where they put the crank sensor. I mean come on, on the flywheel end? under the intake? REALLY!? That's the best you could come up with?

- Stop talking about belt replacement people, it's a CHAIN.

- Routing the oil pressure through, and mounting the filter on the timing cover is a novel idea, great for accessibility, should provide for a bit of passive cooling as the oil flows through a relatively colder part of the engine.

- Quad electric cam phasers, glad to see this engine won't be as leaky as the EJ25 with it's plethora of oil pressure switches and vvt solenoids.

- Looks like there's enough clearance between the valve covers and the body to change the plugs without too much hassle. as long as I can get my 1/4 drive air ratchet in there I'm happy.

- I'm not a fan of two piece heads like that on a boxer, it's just one (two) more oil seal that can fail.

- Hub/bearing units up front! Yay! (can't make out the rears)

- Moderately easy front ball joints. I would have liked to see them bolted onto the control arms a la toyota, but still they're rather accessible, I'll have more than enough room to attack that top bolt with an impact wrench.

- The accessory drive is kind of busy with a zillion idlers, but at least it's accessible, so no worries here.

- Old school u joints on the driveshaft. Not really modern like current CV driveshafts, but cheaper to service.

- That looks like the kind of (front) control arm bushing that likes to become unstuck from it's sleeve, but at least they look like they'll be easy to press out of the control arms without actually removing them from the car.

etc...

[slidingRalphy]

i want to take this put a seat and a steering wheel and make a crazy ass go-kart outta of it!

[YaX]

Excellent thread... some very informative posts, so thanks to those folks contributing.

I just dig how low the engine sits.

[WhiteGDB]

Originally Posted by YaX

.
I just dig how low the engine sits.

And imo the most likely reason they went with a steel oil pan. They know a lot of owners will be lowering their car and probably predicted a lot of cracked pans.

[brillo]

Originally Posted by RZNT4R

As a mechanic:

- I'm not worried about the length of the sway bar end links. That's fine, par for the course in this day and age. However...

- I don't like where the swaybar itself is mounted. way over the subframe, behind the engine, most likely sandwitched against the body, shitty place to replace bushings.

- I'm not fond of where they put the crank sensor. I mean come on, on the flywheel end? under the intake? REALLY!? That's the best you could come up with?

- Stop talking about belt replacement people, it's a CHAIN.

- Routing the oil pressure through, and mounting the filter on the timing cover is a novel idea, great for accessibility, should provide for a bit of passive cooling as the oil flows through a relatively colder part of the engine.

- Quad electric cam phasers, glad to see this engine won't be as leaky as the EJ25 with it's plethora of oil pressure switches and vvt solenoids.

- Looks like there's enough clearance between the valve covers and the body to change the plugs without too much hassle. as long as I can get my 1/4 drive air ratchet in there I'm happy.

- I'm not a fan of two piece heads like that on a boxer, it's just one (two) more oil seal that can fail.

- Hub/bearing units up front! Yay! (can't make out the rears)

- Moderately easy front ball joints. I would have liked to see them bolted onto the control arms a la toyota, but still they're rather accessible, I'll have more than enough room to attack that top bolt with an impact wrench.

- The accessory drive is kind of busy with a zillion idlers, but at least it's accessible, so no worries here.

- Old school u joints on the driveshaft. Not really modern like current CV driveshafts, but cheaper to service.

- That looks like the kind of (front) control arm bushing that likes to become unstuck from it's sleeve, but at least they look like they'll be easy to press out of the control arms without actually removing them from the car.

etc...

Just curious, as a mechanic, what do you see that bothers / worries you the most? I'm a rotary person so I'm new to boxers.

[Calum]

hmmm, I just noticed the two holes in the crank pulley. They look like weight balance holes. That doesn't bode well for underdrive pulleys. (please don't take this as an opportunity to explain why I shouldn't use an underdrive pulley, that was descussed extensively in another thread)

RZNT4R, I was hoping the sway bar mounting brackets will be in the wheel well and not under the firewall....



Damn that's not much better. A ratcheting wrench should fit the clearance around the bolt, but it looks like the front frame will have to be lowered in order to replace the bar.

[chulooz]

Originally Posted by Calum

hmmm, I just noticed the two holes in the crank pulley. They look like weight balance holes. That doesn't bode well for underdrive pulleys. (please don't take this as an opportunity to explain why I shouldn't use an underdrive pulley, that was descussed extensively in another thread)

EDIT: I see you are talking about the crank pulley, not shaft. But the pulley has 4 holes in it, not two?

The holes in the crankshaft are not there to make it lighter. They provide a passage of better oil distribution/lubrication.

[RZNT4R]

Originally Posted by Calum

Damn that's not much better. A ratcheting wrench should fit the clearance around the bolt, but it looks like the front frame will have to be lowered in order to replace the bar.

Hey that's not so bad actually, turn the wheels left and right to get the tie rod boot out of the way, those'll be nice and easy with an air ratchet. Get that plastic cover out of the way and the top bolts should be rather doable too. Doing maintenance won't be a problem, but yeah, if replacing the bar is your goal, you're in for a more involved procedure it seems

Brillo, there isn't much to really go wrong from what I can see, from experience (I'm NOT the ultimate authority) I think subarus are rather reliable, more than mazdas and nissans anyway, the test is going to be assembly and sealing quality. That huge timing cover could be a huge leak waiting to happen if it's not assembled properly, and cam box and valve cover seals, because oil can't drain back into the pan by gravity, there are always small pools that remain in the low sides of the heads.

The rest of the components look very ordinary/simple so everything should be fairly straightforwards.

[Calum]

Originally Posted by chulooz

EDIT: I see you are talking about the crank pulley, not shaft. But the pulley has 4 holes in it, not two?

The holes in the crankshaft are not there to make it lighter. They provide a passage of better oil distribution/lubrication.

I'm talking about the two holes, one at 6 o'clock and one at 5 o'clock.



as for the rest of your post...

[Buggy51]

I'm certainly not a mechanic, and at most I know how to do an oil change... but from what you guys can see, is there any places that might seem prone to structural problem? Or for the most part, it seems pretty solid in the long run?