Lawson's 818C

  • Engine teardown complete
  • Subaru likes to make things difficult…Here are some of my recommendations on engine teardown.
    • Loosen crank pulley using two 3/8 2″ extensions and a large pry-bar propped still to hold it in place. Or spend the money on the Subaru tool.
    • You’ll need something to cut the oil pan seal without damaging the block or pan. This tool isn’t commonly carried at local autoparts stores. I made my own version of the Subaru tool pretty easily using some square tube and thin 1/8 plate. See my picture of it below.
    • Instead of using the special tool to pull out the piston wrist pins, you can punch them out from the opposite side using a long screwdriver.
    • Beware: the access holes to the wrist pins on the trans-side of the engine are very difficult to remove. Have extractor bits handy in case they get stripped, which they probably will.
    • The block can be very difficult to split and make sure that ALL of the bolts are out. A couple bolts are hidden and the Subaru service manual for some reason does not point out all of their locations.
  • Found out some interesting things about what I have:
    • Heads and cylinders in decent shape but lots of carbon buildup
    • Looks like a couple cylinders had been running lean because a couple exhaust valves were white.

  • All the internals.


  • Laid everything out to keep it organized.


  • LOTS of carbon


  • More carbon!


  • My homemade oil pan cutter tool 🙂


  • It’s a very basic thing that’s easy to make instead of buying.


  • This is how the cutter tool is used.


  • I suspect this pulley is what caused a tear in the timing belt…


  • The heads after I removed them.