Heads, oil pump and exhaust manifold make their way onto our Subaru WRX EJ20 engine rebuild | Redline Updates - Hagerty Media

Speeds bumps are no match for Davin and the Redline Rebuild crew as they make progress on the Subaru EJ-series four-cylinder. While setbacks might have plagued the progress thus far, it’s time for parts to come together, and that starts with the cylinder heads becoming one with the short block.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: assembling an engine is so much more than just bolting things together. Evidence of this fact is present in the cylinder heads of this Subaru. The caps that retain the camshafts have specific locations, and Davin was careful to document those during disassembly. However, the person before him wasn’t so careful. This meant that there was an odd binding in the valvetrain. Davin called up someone who has done a lot more of these engines than he has, just to learn that the cam retaining caps had been shuffled at one point. Even on an engine this young, you have to watch for botched work from a previous owner.

With the heads on and the engine upside down, Davin takes the opportunity to install the Cerakoted exhaust along with the oil pan and oil cooler. Those who regularly tune in will likely question the oil cooler, as Davin had announced earlier that he would be eliminating it. After further research, he elected to backtrack on that plan based on information of how hard on oil these engines can be. While it’s an opportunity for leaks to occur, Davin would rather have a leak than a cooked engine because the oil overheated and wiped a bearing or two.

It’s quick progress and a good looking long block. It’s nice to see progress continue, but if you want to see this engine move closer to and then finally run, be sure to subscribe to the Hagerty YouTube channel to never miss an update.

— Kyle Smith

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