carmudgeons.com  

Go Back   carmudgeons.com > Automotive Forums > Car Talk

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-17-2019, 11:21 PM   #111
Biggins
Crotchety
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Carmudgeonly Ride: 22 Tiguan, 11 328i
Posts: 912
My car had an engine recall done in January 2019 due to valve spring issues with the early models. My car threw a CEL for a blown ignition coil in the middle of an autocross last year. I swapped out the coil and all seemed well until January when the car was stalling for seemingly no reason. It had all the symptoms of the valve spring issue noted in the recall including one of the known CEL codes, but it turns out the direct injector was blown. The dealer was pretty awesome in fixing the recall and also doing some other maintenance for the cost of parts while they had everything open. After reading some internet hysteria about Toyota dealers struggling with doing recall work on a Subaru motor, I do have some fear of future issues, but I'm hoping we're over the hump now after 2k miles on the motor since the recall work...

My FR-S has been on the sidelines only being used for occasional daycare pickup and has not done an autocross since the end of 2018, but it has been a great year to try out a friend's 2019 Civic Si coupe. Despite having reasonable success in the Si this year, I still enjoy driving the FR-S more. I just prefer RWD.

I need to get a slightly more practical car to haul a toddler. My answer is probably an older Civic Si sedan, so that will truly be on my radar soon enough.

I don't have the budget to tackle the big suspension/power changes I want to make to the FR-S to make it competitive in the STX autocross class quite yet, so I am going to work on some little interior and exterior cosmetic mods to make the car more like what I wanted in 2012 when I bought the car. I might as well make the part of the car I see the most a better place to be?

Since there have been so many special editions between the BRZ, FR-S, and 86 over the years, it gives me tons of OEM options to pick and choose how I want to re-do the interior. I'm going to mix and match some TRD, JDM Toyota spec parts, and some JDM BRZ tS parts to make my interior look slightly more upscale (maybe a little ricey too). For the exterior, I need to respray the front bumper after hopping the curb at an autocross last year. I'm also finally going to rid the car of the Scion badging and replace them with the Toyota GT86 badging that was on the car everywhere else in the world... at least that's my plan for this winter.
Biggins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-18-2019, 08:00 AM   #112
clyde
Chief title editor
 
clyde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 26,599
I haven't followed the recall aftermath too closely, but I think I remember reading that the post-recall failures were all happening pretty quickly after the recall work and the internets seemed to be quickly homing in on a probable cause (using too much RTV as a gasket?). With 2k miles after the work and no issues, I'd sure hope you're fine.

RWD beats FWD for fun for sure.

You've had the car seven years now? How many miles?
__________________
OH NOES!!!!!1 MY CAR HAS T3H UND3R5T33R5555!!!!!!1oneone!!!!11

Team WTF?!
What are you gonna do?
clyde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2019, 10:05 AM   #113
Biggins
Crotchety
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Carmudgeonly Ride: 22 Tiguan, 11 328i
Posts: 912
Quote:
Originally Posted by clyde View Post
I haven't followed the recall aftermath too closely, but I think I remember reading that the post-recall failures were all happening pretty quickly after the recall work and the internets seemed to be quickly homing in on a probable cause (using too much RTV as a gasket?). With 2k miles after the work and no issues, I'd sure hope you're fine.

RWD beats FWD for fun for sure.

You've had the car seven years now? How many miles?
Yes, it seems that many of the dealer techs used way too much RTV which quickly got into the engine and boom. Toyota and Subaru seems to have covered new engines/blocks for most that were easily found to have RTV in the oil filter/pan. I really hope I'm good. I was very close to trading mine in on the 17+ Toyota 86 earlier this year.

I cannot believe it, but I have had the car for more than seven years and 41k miles. It sometimes feels like I just bought the car and other times feels like I've had it forever. Maybe that's a good thing?
Biggins is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Forums © 2003-2008, 'Mudgeon Enterprises - Site hosting by AYN & Associates, LLC