This $10 tool could save your Subaru EJ25 from Ringland failure !!!

in this video we talk about the significance of piston ring gap on OEM Subaru EJ25 pistons, and how to improve your chances of survival on your mildly built car.

[@jjoop]

This is exactly what im doing on my wrx when i put the stock pistons and rings in

[@jkiley4466]

Good video. I agree with most of what you're saying, and also think ring butting must be a major cause of land failure. However, one thing you did not address that I think needs to be added to a discussion like this, is that the EJ is an aluminum block. The block itself expands more than an iron block, so having a tight cold ring gap is going to open up more than an iron block at operating temperature due to the whole block expanding. Same reason the stock Piston-to-Wall clearance is ridiculously small on EJ255s (0.0004). Your experiment showing that a high-mile block that has been re-honed is still at .007 with the stock ring is definitely close to a smoking gun for the failure on that block! Enjoyed seeing that, good experiment.

[@89autoworks]

15,000 miles later, that same block is driven daily with less than 1 quart per oil change loss is pretty good by the standards of a outback XT with 17 pounds of boost. Here’s what I will add to this as of January 2023, I would highly recommend this to any one looking to have their motor hold more boost on a huge budget. A couple huge points here
1) you NEED a substantial AOS/ catchcan setup, this car now has a Perrin on it, and it does the job. The Grimmspeed it started with couldn’t keep up at all.
2) I would NOT recommend this to some one that spends their life running a stock car.
With that being said, no is this the ideal practice? Absolutely not! But that’s the joy of the situation, this style of “rebuild” “refresh” what ever you want to call it, COULD be done in a weekend if you had planned ahead of time, and had heads decked etc.
To regroup here, the cylinder wall expanding I would almost expect to happen at nearly the same rate or slower than the pistons them self. You have to remember those cylinder liners are surrounded in coolant in the engine, keeping it cool, there’s nothing other than oil doing that for the pistons. Just All food for thought! At this time, we have several built cars running this setup with the ring gap, and on one block we where doing some R&D on has high mile rings that are reused! At the end of the day, this is all science, I do these types of things to have a better understanding of these engines, in practical use. This isn’t a 100k mile engine build, this is another step towards learning! Thanks for watching, and I greatly appreciate your .02 cents! If you aren’t subscribing yet, I hope you do!

[@madmikemike]

A lot of good info here. Cheers bro

[@89autoworks]

Thank you sir!

[@fabrb26]

Three time it happened on my Civic , i conclude engine produce too much torque.
😃

[@samiginonacerdepaoli2413]

I want to buy a 2018-2020 STI, just wondering this ringland issue, it happens when you modified the engine for more horsepower? does this happen if i leave it stock?

[@89autoworks]

It could happen, but certainly the cause of Ringland failure is cylinder pressure, on a stock STI, or even on a lightly modified car, it shouldn’t happen. If you buy an STI with the type RA there is no concerns

[@89autoworks]

Thanks for watching!

[@samiginonacerdepaoli2413]

@@89autoworks whats type RA?

[@89autoworks]

@@samiginonacerdepaoli2413 the “Type RA” is a special ej257 shortblock with redesigned pistons. Became available in 2019.

[@samiginonacerdepaoli2413]

@@89autoworks so if i buy 2019 2020 sti i should be fine?