2014s included in recall?

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by omadab

Haha well done my friend. So basically, aslong as the engine hasn't blown yet, there shouldn't be any problems other than normal engine wear?

Well, there you have it in fewer words -


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

.

That was my conclusion:

"The engine would go boom and stop running."




humfrz

[maslin]

It would still run, but a 4 cylinder missing one cylinder is really really rough.

Unless the valve hits just right, breaks off, turns just right to bind the piston and bend a rod. Then it might stop running.

The likelyhood of a valve spring failing is very low, even on the effected engines. The likelyhood of multiple springs failing at the exact same time is basically zero.



Always a good idea to put the VIN in the NHTSA website and make sure there aren’t any outstanding recalls. If it’s at the dealer they will obviously have been taken care of.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by maslin

It would still run, but a 4 cylinder missing one cylinder is really really rough.

Unless the valve hits just right, breaks off, turns just right to bind the piston and bend a rod. Then it might stop running.

The likelyhood of a valve spring failing is very low, even on the effected engines. The likelyhood of multiple springs failing at the exact same time is basically zero.



Always a good idea to put the VIN in the NHTSA website and make sure there aren’t any outstanding recalls. If it’s at the dealer they will obviously have been taken care of.

It is an interference engine. "Run" may not be the right term for what it would do, if anything.
There are no recalls on 14s.

[maslin]

Pistons are considerably stronger than valves. When they hit the valve usually just tweaks and will no longer close fully. Worst case the head of the valve breaks off and bounces around in the chamber. Neither issue does anything to the other 3 cylinders.

The vast majority of the time it tweaks the valve just enough to create a decent misfire. Lots of pictures out there of bent valves on other Subaru engines, actual failure rate of the fa20 must be really low.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by maslin

It would still run, but a 4 cylinder missing one cylinder is really really rough.

Unless the valve hits just right, breaks off, turns just right to bind the piston and bend a rod. Then it might stop running.

The likelyhood of a valve spring failing is very low, even on the effected engines. The likelyhood of multiple springs failing at the exact same time is basically zero.

Always a good idea to put the VIN in the NHTSA website and make sure there aren’t any outstanding recalls. If it’s at the dealer they will obviously have been taken care of.

Hmmm...… well, may I clarify. If you pull a COP off of a FA20 engine, you will have a "rough" running engine.

Since (like @Tcoat pointed out) this engine is an interference type engine, therefore, I would speculate that if a valve spring failed to pull a valve out of the way of a piston head that coming at it and the head of the valve and the head of the piston collide, I wouldn't call the result a "running engine". -

Not like dropping a valve on a 9:1 compression OHV big block V-8, where the combustion chamber might have the space just to play with the piece of broken off valve for a spell.

Is it my med time yet -


humfrz

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by maslin

Pistons are considerably stronger than valves. When they hit the valve usually just tweaks and will no longer close fully. Worst case the head of the valve breaks off and bounces around in the chamber. Neither issue does anything to the other 3 cylinders.

The vast majority of the time it tweaks the valve just enough to create a decent misfire. Lots of pictures out there of bent valves on other Subaru engines, actual failure rate of the fa20 must be really low.

Interesting comments and speculation.

So, if a valve spring fails and the only negative result is a rough running engine, why in the hell are the manufacturers going to all this trouble and expense for this recall??

Why not just wait till some of the engines just quit running right, then fix just them?


humfrz

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by maslin

Pistons are considerably stronger than valves. When they hit the valve usually just tweaks and will no longer close fully. Worst case the head of the valve breaks off and bounces around in the chamber. Neither issue does anything to the other 3 cylinders.

The vast majority of the time it tweaks the valve just enough to create a decent misfire. Lots of pictures out there of bent valves on other Subaru engines, actual failure rate of the fa20 must be really low.

Worst case is a broken rod from the valve jamming the piston. Still not a "running" engine except in the very loose definition of the term.

[BRZnut]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Interesting comments and speculation.

So, if a valve spring fails and the only negative result is a rough running engine, why in the hell are the manufacturers going to all this trouble and expense for this recall??

Why not just wait till some of the engines just quit running right, then fix just them?


humfrz

I agree with you...a lot of work and the potential for causing an issue with an engine that is running fine(which some have reported back after having the recall done) to correct a very rare issue. To me, would have made more sense to just give owners an extended warrantee on their engines.

[omadab]

I think it's more to keep a good name for themselves rather than saving money. Companies are always out for the short term profit but I find Japanese companies tend to look into the long term more.

[ka-t_240]

Originally Posted by omadab

oh okay. Good idea. What database are you referring to?

safecar.gov is the best place to look for open recalls on any vehicle you may be buying.

Also - the selling dealer in most states is required to insure all recalls are completed prior to selling the vehicle.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by BRZnut

I agree with you...a lot of work and the potential for causing an issue with an engine that is running fine(which some have reported back after having the recall done) to correct a very rare issue. To me, would have made more sense to just give owners an extended warrantee on their engines.

An extended warranty would not have eliminated the safety aspect of the potential stall. If it was just a matter of cost they would probably not have done a recall at all and if it broke out of warranty it would be the owner's problem. It was made a recall because of the safety issue if it stalled at speed.
The TOB is a good example of a known problem where they cover under warranty but it is your problem after the warranty is up. The same would have applied to the springs. They are not going to extend the warranty because they know something may break.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

An extended warranty would not have eliminated the safety aspect of the potential stall. If it was just a matter of cost they would probably not have done a recall at all and if it broke out of warranty it would be the owner's problem. It was made a recall because of the safety issue if it stalled at speed.
The TOB is a good example of a known problem where they cover under warranty but it is your problem after the warranty is up. The same would have applied to the springs. They are not going to extend the warranty because they know something may break.

That's a part that I have difficulty understanding (or being overly concerned about).

At lot of things can go wrong with a car to make it stall at speed.

As far as I'm concerned, so, what if it does, no power steering, no power brakes; just muscle the car off the road and press real hard on the brakes.





Which brings to mind a not-too-far-back-in-the-day story. Our daughter was 16 and she was getting all primped up for a date. She said her date was going to pick her up in his parents car at our house.

All of a sudden there was a BIG crash at our garage door (our driveway slopes steeply down to our garage). We ran outside and here this car had crashed through the door and part way into the garage.

Her date was totally embarrassed and ask to use our phone to call his mom. She came over and had a garage door repairman there within an hour.

The kid said that the car had stalled and it didn't have any steering or brakes.

I mumbled under my breath as I went back into the house "learn to drive the fucking car" and SMH.

That was their first and last date -


humfrz

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by humfrz

That's a part that I have difficulty understanding (or being overly concerned about).

At lot of things can go wrong with a car to make it stall at speed.

As far as I'm concerned, so, what if it does, no power steering, no power brakes; just muscle the car off the road and press real hard on the brakes.





Which brings to mind a not-too-far-back-in-the-day story. Our daughter was 16 and she was getting all primped up for a date. She said her date was going to pick her up in his parents car at our house.

All of a sudden there was a BIG crash at our garage door (our driveway slopes steeply down to our garage). We ran outside and here this car had crashed through the door and part way into the garage.

Her date was totally embarrassed and ask to use our phone to call his mom. She came over and had a garage door repairman there within an hour.

The kid said that the car had stalled and it didn't have any steering or brakes.

I mumbled under my breath as I went back into the house "learn to drive the fucking car" and SMH.

That was their first and last date -


humfrz

You, I and most of this forum would do fine with a stall. The other 99.99999999% of the driving population would probably die. Oh and take one of us with them.