View Single Post
Old 03-03-2012, 12:13 AM   #69
wichiewichie
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Drives: Audi A3
Location: Puerto Rico
Posts: 23
Thanks: 49
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quote:
Originally Posted by arghx7 View Post
How do you know it isn't magnesium? You do know that they have been using magnesium oil pans for years right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Draco-REX View Post
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 think that the reason for the stamped steel oil pan is due to the lack of need for a cast aluminum pan. This new generation of subaru engine block are designed to be one piece, instead of the two piece block like the one of EJXX engines. This (being one piece) makes the block much stronger, so for this reason there is no reason for a heavy duty, strong cast alloy pan with ribs and all sort of strengthening tricks for stiffness. So at the end it is way cheaper to use a stamped steel pan. Inline 4 cylinders are a different case, those require a lot of stiffness in the bottom end to remain stable at high RPMs because of the unbalanced nature of those engines.

Also, the one piece block is the reason for the "bent" connecting rods. These are needed to ease (maybe make possible) the assembly of the engine.
wichiewichie is offline   Reply With Quote