Forester Engine Replacement or Rebuild

[s_t]

It's been a long time since I've been around this forum, but thought you guys might be able to help me out. I've got a '99 NA Forester that ran out of oil (it burns it sporadically&slowly) going up the Landsborough-Maleny range. First sign was sudden loss of power, then loudish noises and then oil light flashing on and off. I shut it off fairly quick once the oil light came on. Now with a full sump of oil, it runs fine except for knocking/vibrating noise at about 3000rpm and when starting accelerating or engine braking at higher revs.

Don't know exactly what has been damaged, but I'm told it's likely conrod or crankshaft bearings. I'm tossing up between rebuild and replace. I've been in contact with:
SubiWOX - engine rebuild.
Sunspares - used engines (115,000, 116,000 and 82,000km's available)
Boxer Services (was The Subaru Shop) - recommended used engine with 30,000kms.

Wondering if anybody has recommendations as to likely damage, if I should go the rebuild or used engine option (prices seem similar), and if there is anybody else in the Sunshine Coast area that's recommended.

Thanks

[Suby Wan Kenobi]

It does sound like you have done big end damage and the cheapest would be an engine swap but depending on weather you can do it yourself or not as well. Also how much you can get a 2l for as well. You could always use this opportunity to insert a turbo insot your engine bay.

[s_t]

Thanks. Not really interested up going up to a turbo - extra expense etc. An engine swap seems to be similar in price to a rebuild. I don't really have the time to do it myself, so it's booked in for a swap. Still driving it in the meantime, and it seems fine except for the occasional knocking noise around 3000rpm.

[mattl200]

sounds to me like big end or main crankshaft bearings
this means the whole engine needs to be split to fix it

you might be able to get away with a crank grind and a set of oversize bearings
which would probley cost big bucks if u had a pro do the work
do it yourself at a guess $500 plus a gasket set to put it back together

and while its making a knocking noise its probley doing more damage.

and if its using oil probley a hone and a set of rings while your at it.

[jzk25]

Check the timing belt tensioner. The later swing tensioners are known to lose tension and rattle up and down with belt harmonics. The sound is similiar to a big end knock. Water pump bearing failure can also give a similiar sound but it is usually constant.
The car would not be driveable if you had a bottom end problem.
Have someone who isn't a thief diagnose the problem first. If you walk into some places and say I think I need a new engine they will usually say yes you do, pay here. Go in and ask for a diagnosis and explanation and you might get a totally different outcome. I can recommend an honest mechanic to diagnose it if you wish.

[Subyroo]

I can recommend an honest mechanic to diagnose it if you wish.

Andrew & Crew at Boxer Services (was The Subaru Shop) are good & honest mechanics, I get my Forester serviced there and they were recommended to me by BYB555.

[s_t]

It seems that as soon as you tell a mechanic the engine ran out of oil, they immediately say any noise would be due to bottom end damage. Probably because it is most of the time I guess - it kinda makes sense. On the other hand, before spending big dollars on a replacement engine, you want to rule out other possibilities. Thanks for the suggestions jzk25. I'm pretty sure it isn't the water pump - the noise is more 'solid' or 'heavier' than that would be. Problem is that to get a definitive answer as to problem would cost lotsa dollars in many instances. If you want to email me any mechanic recommendations, s_t_bris@***** where ***** is yahoo.com.au.

Thanks