We have clearance, Clarence! Checking our EJ205 oil clearance and ring gap | Redline Updates - Hagerty Media

Davin is a numbers guy. Sure, he could probably build a great engine by feel, but that’s not how he works. With most of the Subaru back from the machine shop, the assembly can finally begin—and that means getting out the precision tools and getting some numbers.

First up is the oil clearance for the main bearings. This process is a little different than most engines that our favorite engine guys work on, since the EJ-series mill is two case halves bolted together that capture the crank in between. This means that all the bearings need to be measured at once rather than individually, like most V-engine designs that have separate caps for each bearing. No problem for Davin. Clamping the block together with new ARP studs is easy and allows checking multiple things, including the alignment of the crankshaft bore since the block will distort ever so slightly due to clamping forces.

From there is it was on pistons and piston rings. Measurements abound again as the rings need to be properly gapped to prevent premature wear as the engine runs and temperature cycles. With the rings gapped and installed, the last step is aligning the gaps so they seal correctly. Unfortunately, these pistons can’t be installed yet as there is just a little longer wait on the proper bottom end bearings. That’s the price of doing it right.

Of course, this is only a break for Davin. You can still go out and make some progress on your project, or at least subscribe to the Hagerty YouTube Channel to never miss an update.

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