My buddy has an '06-'07 Legacy Outback 2.5 turbo and was greeted yesterday with a rather unexpected issue. It has 36,500 miles and is babied and always serviced @ Subaru at exactly the service intervals in the book so I know it's not lack of maintenance on his part. Anyway, he started it up one morning after it ran fine all day and he said it was idling super rough and blowing black smoke out of the tailpipe. He turned it on for me and even through the phone it sounded like somehow it jumped timing.

At the dealership this morning in Miami, the service adviser basically told him that it's fucked (verbatim actually) and that most likely a tensioner went out.

So, how fucked is he? Are these interference motors (thinking along the lines of bent valves too) and is this a problem that is common? I'd never heard of it before and always thought that the motors were pretty much bulletproof. Any advice/condolences for him would be great since he really doesn't know much about cars.

 

UPDATE: He just informed me that the dealership down in Miami told him that it's a rod bearing. The interesting part is that they actually suggested that he try to drive it back to Tampa with it knocking. I dunno about you but I wouldn't like the prospect of being stuck in the middle of Alligator Alley if/when it breaks. The only upside is that the motor is covered under his powertrain warranty.

 

I hate it when dealerships act like jackasses (almost always).

AAA back to Mastro!

 

AAA it to S&R performance in tampa.... they have been doing multiple engine rebuilds every week. they will get him back on the road in no time! 813-961-0609

 

it's under warranty

 

its being covered under warranty, didnt know they could do the warranty work...

a friend of mine in his older outback just had this happen to him. threw a rod right out the side of the block. got it covered warranty also. his is like an 01-02, not sure on the year.

 

I think Nick (anarchypro) just threw a rod on his 04 FXT. How did your buddy get it replaced under warranty? If Nick could, that would save him a lot of money and hassle.

 

if its under warranty then why wouldnt he just have it done at the dealer it is at in miami? lol

 

I would take it to the closest dealer to have it addressed under warranty. In the Miami area you really only have two decent dealers, Lehman Subaru in Miami and Palm Beach Subaru in West Palm Beach.

I wouldn't chance driving it and damaging it worse.

 

If it's under warranty, then the warranty won't cover tow to Tampa but to the closest dealer. He would have to cough the money for the tow (or get someone with a truck and the U-Haul car carrier) and take it to Mastro.

Also, Must have extended warranty if under warranty as the usual is 3/36K Miles

The books say one service interval but Subaru upgraded all turbo engines to "severe duty" or something due to the oil consumption which will cause the spun bearing even on babied cars.

Te dealer in Miami should be kicked in the nuts as MOST of the dealers, when shown proof of regular maintenance (at a subie dealer) would even cover it under warranty as a "good will" when so close out of warranty.

That is why I got their extended warranty the day before my warranty ran out (last week)