When you’re used to digging around in filthy, oily mechanicals, there’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing completely clean and fresh engine components go back together.
That’s the stage we’re at with Hagerty’s current Redline Rebuild project, a bugeye Subaru Impreza WRX, and its EJ205 turbocharged flat-four.
While the bugeye body itself isn’t long for this world, the engine is in a much better state. In the previous video, host Davin inspected the cylinder heads, and while they were found to be cracked, the cracks shouldn’t be severe enough to affect operation.
The bottom end though (or the middle, if you like, given the flat engine layout…) is looking more than healthy, and this week Davin is preparing for the whole lot to go back together.
So now he’s at the “measure twice, fit once” stage of the rebuild, checking the oil clearance in the main bearings and journals, and then the ring gap for the four pistons.
It’s a good opportunity to remind yourself of the tools needed for such a project, from simple ones like feeler gauges, to clever bits of kit like the device for seating a piston ring squarely in a cylinder bore so the ring gap can be checked.
It won’t be too long before the collection of parts will resemble an engine again though, so if you want to follow the Subaru’s progress, you can keep track on our Redline Rebuild page, or subscribe to Hagerty’s YouTube channel here.
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