OB99W

Further location assistance: http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3057

After rejecting "Puerto Rico" and "public relations", my brain settled on "personal record", which in the context seems a bit more likely.

Might not be applicable, but interesting reading: http://www.endwrench.com/pdf/drivetrain/4EATMovementInfoS01.pdf

Some people don't know how to accurately calculate gas mileage, and perhaps the previous owner was one of them. Or maybe she was doing local (city) driving, not highway; I find that my '99 OB (2.5L) gas mileage suffers badly on local trips (won't even get EPA city mileage), and I'm usually a conservative driver. If everything is running right, the tires are kept inflated a few pounds above spec, and you don't drive like every trip is a track event, you'll probably get at least the EPA gas mileage on the highway. That's also assuming there aren't too many hills on your typical trips; are we talking Arizona mountains or flatlands ?

That's the way it's stated in the owner's manual, but it's misleading. Tightening to 58 ft-lb is kind of low, and the nuts could back off further while driving. The spec is better stated as "65 ft-lbs +-10%"; in other words, aim for at least 65, but not exceeding the max. I find if torqued initially to 70 ft-lbs, upon later checking the lug nuts rarely need additional tightening. They should probably be rechecked after driving a bit under any circumstance.

That's easy (continuing your metaphor): When you're in a vehicle, and someone else is doing the driving. If you don't like the feeling that you're not in control, and/or you don't trust the driver, perhaps it's either time to learn to drive for yourself or at least find a driver you trust. I suppose the issue is whether your distrust is based on previous poor experience with this (or another) dealer, or just general concern that you don't know enough about the item being repaired. If you've had previous bad experience with a particular shop, try to find a different servicer with a good reputation. If you're lucky, there may be an independent shop in your area that does good work at prices significantly less than the dealer, and who won't try to sell unnecessary jobs to you; ask friends, neighbors, relatives, etc. If the problem is unease because of lack of knowledge, you can start by just asking questions. For example, in the case of an external leak, have the shop demonstrate physical evidence of the leak. Ask what will happen if the leak is ignored, both short-term and long-term. If there's no real emergency, ask here before committing to the work. Even if you can't (or don't want to) do your own work, reading up on automotive systems a bit should help you feel somewhat more empowered. As to the need for fuel injector cleaning, if you have noticed no loss of performance or gas mileage, $300 for cleaning would seem to be excessive. Again, asking questions might help with decision making. If the dealer claims you'll see improved mileage, ask them what mileage you are getting now and what to expect after the cleaning. If you don't get a reasonable response (I doubt they've actually checked how the injectors are currently functioning), then you should be leery of approving the work. A can of quality injector cleaner added to your gas tank periodically might be all that's required, if even that is needed. (Of course, if performance or mileage were down significantly, a thorough injector cleaning could be appropriate.) Good luck; I hope the repairs get things back to "pre-tree-incident" condition.

I've been following this thread from the beginning; here's my take on it, based on what's been reported, for what it's worth . The "overheating" incident occured sometime about 15 months or 1.5 years ago (both times have been mentioned); that was about two months after the new engine installation. About 24,000 miles have been put on the engine, which means (by my rough estimation) that about 20,000 miles have been added since the "overheating". So... 1) If the year-plus ago overheating was the cause of the rod bearing "problem" (1/1000th inch clearance is excessive? What would they like, zero clearance :-\ ??), I would have expected it to have surfaced before 20,000 additional miles. 2) If there has been no subsequent loss of coolant since the incident 2 months after installation, the shop likely didn't properly fill the cooling system at the time of engine installation. Therefore, the melted heat tabs may be their fault, explaining why they don't want to contact Subaru about a claim. Some things seemingly just aren't "adding up". An independent evaluation of the situation by a trustworthy shop is probably the best thing to consider at this time.

A leak in the system including (but not beyond) the cat can cause the O2 sensors to supply the ECU with false data; naturally, that can "mess up" things. If the vacuum leak is minor, the ECU can correct because the front O2 sensor will provide the necessary feedback. With a severe enough vacuum leak, the mixture can be so lean that you'd get misfire (which in the exhaust is very rich ), but that should set a code. Can't say for sure -- sometimes a leak at a joint will change with road bumps and chassis flexure. When checking, if possible have someone else hold a wadded-up old towel or something similar against the tailpipe opening; that'll increase pressure somewhat in the exhaust system and make any leaks a bit easier to find. Obviously, take the necessary precautions against heat and fumes. If you have an exhaust leak and particularly if running rich, you might be able to see some carbon/soot deposits at the site of the leak. It's unfortunate, but that's why I advocate for real-time scans as opposed to just reading codes in many instances. An unobstructed cat, even if otherwise malfunctioning, is mainly an emissions issue, and shouldn't impact drivability. (Nevertheless, I'd like to think that people care enough about the environment to change a bad cat.)

Interesting...a bad neutral switch on an MT is supposed to set a P1592 code. If the test is run when the cat is sufficiently hot and functioning correctly (and the mixture is reasonable), the rear O2 sensor shouldn't be cycling. If the mixture is going way too rich, even a good cat could get overwhelmed and there'd be some variation seen at the rear O2 sensor. Did you replace the front O2 sensor with an OEM unit? Have you verified that there are no exhaust system leaks? The smells you describe are typical of a cat that's being asked to do more than it is capable of; one possible cause is a mixture that is too rich. I don't know if a neutral switch malfunction could be behind that in this case, but if it somehow allowed unburned gas to get to the cat, that could have damaged it. If your mechanic has an exhaust gas analyzer, it can often tell a lot more than can be determined by looking at OBD-II codes and even real-time scans. A good hard run on the highway often will do as much to "clean" out the cat as anything else, assuming things are otherwise normal.

I suspect that's not exactly the case; even if the dipstick indicates the same level every time you check it, there still can be loss. Let's assume that external leakage literally is zero. However, any engine with a PCV system sucks a certain amount of oil vapor, and burns it. Piston oil-control rings may seal very well, but they can't (and shouldn't) scrape every last drop of oil from the cylinder walls, and at least a bit is burned with each combustion stroke. Then there are the valve stem seals... So, how can the loss not show on the dipstick? Easy -- it's made up for with byproducts of combustion, and fuel dilution (due to those imperfect rings again). A major reason for changing oil periodically is that after running in an internal combustion engine for a while, it isn't just oil anymore.

:-\ It's beginning to look like the statement I quoted above is misleading; it should probably say that you can't retrieve the OBD-II codes without a scan tool. My own '99 Outback (obviously OBD-II) has the green connectors (although not the black ones). I haven't actually had a reason to connect them, so I can't verify precisely what that does. However, I found some info concerning the CEL D-Check codes during an online search (which I also haven't verified, but hopefully is correct); it's a bit more complete than other tables I've seen. If anyone knows which model years it applies to, please chime in. Here it is: For Later Models with Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) 11 Crank Angle Sensor or Circuit 12 Starter Switch or Circuit 13 Cam Position Sensor or Circuit (TDC Sensor on Justy) 14 Fuel Injector No. 1 (Legacy, Impreza, Justy, SVX) 14 Fuel Injector No. 1 and 2 (XT, Loyale, GL, DL) 15 Fuel Injector No. 2 (Legacy, Impreza, Justy, SVX) 15 Fuel Injector No. 3 and 4 (Loyale, GL, DL) 15 Fuel Injector No. 5 and 6 (XT-6) 16 Fuel Injector No. 3 (Legacy, Impreza, Justy, SVX) 16 Fuel Injector No. 3 and 4 (XT) 17 Fuel Injector No. 4 (Legacy, Impreza, SVX) 17 Fuel injector No. 1 and 2 (XT-6) 18 Fuel Injector No. 5 (SVX) 19 Fuel Injector No. 6 (SVX) 21 Coolant Temperature Sensor or Circuit 22 Knock Sensor or Circuit (Right Side on SVX) 23 Air Flow Meter or Circuit (Exc. Justy) 23 Pressure Sensor (Justy) 24 Air Control Valve or Circuit (Exc. Justy) 24 Idle Speed Control Solenoid Valve (Justy) 25 Fuel injector No. 3 and 4 (XT-6) 26 Air Temperature Sensor (Justy) 28 Knock Sensor No. 2 (SVX, Left Side) 29 Crank Angle Sensor (SVX, No. 2) 31 Throttle Position Sensor or Circuit 32 Oxygen Sensor or Circuit (No. 1, Right Side, On SVX) 33 Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) or Circuit 34 EGR Solenoid or Circuit 35 Purge Control Solenoid or Circuit 36 Air Suction Solenoid Valve (Impreza) 36 Ignitor Circuit (Justy) 37 Oxygen Sensor (No. 2, Left Side, On SVX) 38 Engine Torque Control (SVX) 41 Air/Fuel Adaptive Control 42 Idle Switch or Circuit 43 Throttle Switch (Justy) 44 Wastegate Duty Solenoid (Turbo Models) 45 Pressure Sensor Duty Solenoid (Turbo Models) 45 Atmospheric Pressure Sensor or Circuit (Non- Turbo Models) 49 Airflow Sensor 51 Neutral Switch (Manual Transmission Models) 51 Inhibitor Switch (Automatic Transmission Models) 52 Parking Brake Switch (Exc. Justy) 52 Clutch Switch (Justy) 55 EGR Temperature Sensor or Circuit 56 EGR System 61 Parking Brake Switch (Loyale) 61 Fuel Tank Pressure Control Solenoid (Impreza) 62 Fuel Temperature Sensor (Impreza) 62 Electric Load Signal (Justy) 63 Fuel Tank Pressure Sensor (Impreza) 63 Blower Fan Switch (Justy) 65 Vacuum Pressure Sensor

Info I have says: "P0328 Knock sensor circuit high input" Any possibility that you accidentally disconnected the knock sensor while working on the air box? The links below may not exactly depict the situation on a '00 OB, but they should give you an idea on what to check. http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3057 http://www.scoobymods.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3060

From the link given above: "NOTE: These instructions are only for the 90-94 Legacies with an OBD I computer. If you have a 95 or later Legacy, you will need a scan tool or will need to have the dealer read the codes."

As I said above, "The trans would probably benefit from a complete fluid change (full flush)." If that doesn't do the trick, the cost then depends on several factors, including who does the work. If you don't feel up to the timing belt, you may or may not want to get involved with the area of the trans rear extension housing. If someone else does the work, I'd "guesstimate" an average price of about $1,000.

A defective VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) can cause several problems at once. For more info, including location, see the following (page 5 in particular): http://www.endwrench.com/current/winter04/4eat1b.pdf

In that case, buying it through an online dealer, even if the shipping charges are as much as the kit, might be the way to go. As I mentioned previously, several of them show the kit as available for under $10 (plus S/H).

Getting a new key won't resolve the problem. What you really need are the owner's manual and a remote transmitter (didn't one or two come with the car?). For the manual, see #6 here: http://www.subaru.com/common/faq/index.jsp I have a '99 Outback, which seems to use the same system as your '01. The manual indicates that the only way to disarm the alarm once it's set is to use the remote transmitter. Otherwise, it will go off when a door is opened, requiring the 3-times cycling of the ignition switch. The owner's manual also explains how to change from passive to active arming (requiring the remote) of the alarm. Since there's a diagram as well as text, getting the manual is probably a good idea.

We seem to be on the same page.

If it isn't the arm retaining nut that's loose, it's probably something else in the wiper linkage that is. When friction is low (wet windshield), the momentum of the arm will carry it further if there's "slop".

On my '99 Legacy Outback, it's mounted at the rear of the passenger side strut tower, in front of the wiper motor. (We're probably describing the same location.) Foresters tend to have a different layout than Legacys, but 4x4_Welder wasn't sure of the model, so .

Welcome to the forum. With 141k, and no knowledge of whether the timing belt was replaced previously, that should definitely be of concern. The 2.5l engine in a '98 Outback is of "interference" design, and a broken or even slipped belt can have disastrous consequences. As for the FWD fuse issue, do a search on the forum for "torque bind"; you should find lots of info, including suggestions for dealing with problems. The trans would probably benefit from a complete fluid change (full flush).

It would be good to know the model year, and for certain if it's a manual or auto. I'll tell you what I can without that info. Torque bind is often caused by driving with tires that are not of equal diameter. The size difference can be due to not replacing worn tires all at the same time, running with low air in one or more tires, etc. So, the first suggestion is to verify that the tires are all of the same size and properly inflated. If the car has an auto trans, there is no center diff; there's a clutch pack and a solenoid ("duty C") that controls it. Putting a fuse in the FWD fuse holder should disengage AWD, and if the problem is torque bind, things should improve. If so, a trans fluid change (full flush) might eleviate the problem if it hasn't gotten too bad yet. (By the way, on a MY98-99 Forester, the FWD holder is in the main fuse box, in the engine compartment; use a spare fuse.) If there really is a center diff, the car has a manual trans. In that case there is no FWD fuse holder, because a manual has a viscous coupling, not a clutch pack. The VC is a sealed unit, so no fluid change can be done, and once torque bind is evident, the VC usually has to be replaced. However, there have been reports of some success in eleviating the problem by finding an empty parking lot and doing about a dozen figure-8's while in reverse. Obviously, that needs to be done with care.

I'm not saying this is the place from which to buy, but if you want to get an idea of what's available, see the following page and click on the links at the left: http://toolsource.com/ost/torque/

For anyone interested, the August 2006 issue is now online: http://www.sae.org/automag/current.htm The article on Subaru: http://www.sae.org/automag/globalvehicles/08-2006/1-114-8-8.pdf

If you "feel" the "click", yes. However, given that sound transmission requires atmosphere (or some other conductive medium), and planetary atmosphere varies greatly (Mars' is very thin, others may have none at all), that bolt might get severely overtorqued if you're depending on hearing the click. Perhaps if there's enough light, a bending-beam torque wrench might be the better choice.