2013 OB engine failure @ 3000 miles

[subiesailor]

100K warranty

I highly doubt they will retain anything from the first engine given mother subaru will probably want the whole package to do some checking into what the issue is and why it failed.

As for durability with a 100K warranty which subaru will give you in writing with no issues - I wouldn't worry about it. These cars are so simple compared to pretty much all the other makes they really are not that hard to assemble correctly. However odd ball mechanical failures do happen now and then which is why all cars come with a standard warranty.

I wouldn't be worried about it and Subaru is known for doing the right thing when these sort of things happen so all the more reason not to be too worried about it.

[1 Lucky Texan]

hope it isn't a problem with the new 'porkchop' connecting rods;

[rasterman]

fair bet that your original engine will get fedexed straight to Ota for dissection.

(Subaru Mothership: 36°17'55.59"N 139°23'8.08"E for any mapheads)

[subiesailor]

Originally Posted by rasterman

fair bet that your original engine will get fedexed straight to Ota for dissection.

(Subaru Mothership: 36°17'55.59"N 139°23'8.08"E for any mapheads)

No doubt - subaru was doing that with the early CVT's that had various odd ball failures too.

Can't think of a company that shouldn't be doing that to make sure nothing is being fouled up in the assembly or parts making process that shouldn't be taking place etc.

[OldSVTGuy]

I do hope they will replace with a new engine. Our local post-mistress' 2.5 failed on her 2011 Forrester (I suspect the sand casting residue problem). The dealer she purchased it from rebuilt it. About 2 months later, it failed again. They were out of state and the dealer there said that something in the camshaft belt system was overtightened in the rebuilt process and broke - piston/valve crash. The second dealer installed a new engine and it has been fine since - almost 10 months now.

Good fortune to you!!

[Efmall]

Hi, the dealer called today and reports the engine failure is due to a missing oil pick up tube. Thus,starving the engine of oil. I'm not sure if multiple pick up tubes are in an engine or not. They did state they are replacing the short block and the water pump. I did ask why not a full swap? They indicated damage was not noted in other areas.
Might be complete by end of next week at best worst case by the 9th of jan.
dealer noted this pick up tube was most likely not installed at the factory. Most likely? Could it be otherwise?
Are these tubes internal? Could it be removed without dismantling the engine?
I'll update when known.
Thanks, you've all been great helping me with the unknowns.

[plain OM]

FB engine . . .

There's only one engine oil pick-up tube in the oil pan. If it was missing, the engine would have starved for oil by the time it reached the factory parking lot.

The attached photos are the 2011 Forester FB engine, looking at the bottom with the pan removed. The pick-up tube has a screen filter at the top where the tube assembly is bolted to the engine.

Perhaps the tube cracked or broke away where it's attached to the mounting flance, rather than having never been installed.

Hope all works out . . .

[rasterman]

Wow, 3k miles without a pickup tube? I'm impressed. A lot of engines would have seized solid long before then.

The short block is where the damage would be concentrated, but I'd want a good look at the cams & cam bearings too. They can potentially suffer in a starvation case.

[Efmall]

I figure the engine was getting some lubrication, no indications of low pressure noted. It could have been right from the start and engine noise gradually got louder, enough to take note. I was told these engines have a unique chatter to them. Maybe the break in oil has incredible lubricating properties it took longer to occur?
I did note once while exiting the highway sharp right off ramp speed of 40 mph +\- the oil light came on for a split second. Having my left arm at 2 o'clock on the turn I just got a shimmer of red and did not register until after the fact. It never did come back on.
I did ask about the cams and they stated they would be replaced if signs indicate.
Thanks

[Euchre]

The cam bearings are as far away from the source of oil pressure as you can get in most engines. I wouldn't want to trust a short block only replacement.

Did you actually get to see what they found when they opened up the engine? If I were the dealership, I would've wanted to take a video of it to send to SOA, in part to prove best who caused the issue. Dealerships do fairly little to brand new cars before selling them, especially mechanically, so it would be more likely to be something the factory or owner did, so why not document it thoroughly?