OB99W

During compression testing the engine is only cranked (not started), so ability to fire or not shouldn't affect accuracy of the readings to a great degree -- however, a cold engine with poorly distributed oil will have somewhat lower readings. All spark plugs should be pulled, the coil pack primary should be disconnected, and the injectors electrically disconnected to prevent fuel from entering the cylinders during the test (assuming that can happen; see below). You could verify that the injectors are pulsing, but even that doesn't ensure that fuel is actually entering the cylinders. Since the spark plugs need to be pulled to check compression anyway, you could crank the engine a bit, and then pull a plug -- the plug tip should be wet with gas (because the engine isn't firing). By the way, did you try aircraft engineer's suggestion "to squirt a bit of gas into the intake and crank away", to see if manually adding fuel will induce firing? Also, could you be specific as to what work was done on the heads? Anything more than the .004" resurfacing? Let's hope you make some progress.

That was my take on it too (see my post #7 in this thread), but simbey1982 says timing is okay and that's why I'd like to see compression readings.

The OP's first post of this thread said "...take a plug wire and stick a screwdriver in it and rest it near a ground point, strong spark...", so that's apparently not an issue. Simbey1982, there are several ways to continue diagnosing this. We know the engine needs fuel, air, compression, and spark (correctly timed) -- since you've already checked for most of those, it might be useful at this point to determine compression. (I'm still wondering about the "AIR thumping sound coming out of the throttle body" that you previously mentioned.)

How do you know the neg was flipped? Maybe the pic was taken using a mirror, or it's from a JDM model, or a Subaru from an alternate universe. Okay, it's reversed. If nothing else, the oil filler position is a giveaway. Fortunately, it's for the 2.5, which isn't the engine currently being discussed.

If I'm understanding your description, that sounds like compression pressure is being released when intake valves are opening. If so, that's an obvious sign of mistiming between crank and cams. You could do a compression test... ...but I'd suggest rechecking the timing. Is it possible you've used the wrong marks? Don't use the arrows. See the following links. 2.2 Liter, timing belt: http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/2.2SingleOverWin01.pdf http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/2.2Liter.pdf http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/TBeltEWWin05.pdf Motor Magazine series; starts with 2.2, then moves on to 2.5: http://www.motor.com/magazine/pdfs/072001_08.pdf http://www.motor.com/magazine/pdfs/082001_08.pdf http://www.motor.com/magazine/pdfs/092001_08.pdf http://www.motor.com/magazine/pdfs/102001_08.pdf http://www.motor.com/magazine/pdfs/112001_08.pdf

Here are posts on the topic, and perhaps some ideas to help deal with the problem:http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t65198-50.html Since martens don't care for bright light, I'm wondering if placing some under-hood illumination might discourage them. Of course, if that just attracts them and they destroy even more, I won't be held responsible.

I'm a bit more cynical. I believe that if this problem mostly presented outside the warranty period (like bad head gaskets and piston slap), no such action would have been taken. I don't think Subaru has learned anything, other than that they could get away with some things, but this one might bite them.

Actually, I didn't say not to push the engine hard, I suggested not going too far from home until you find out what's going on. In other words, determine whether HGs (etc.) are bad, but don't find out by getting stranded miles from help. I also suggested changing the oil, even if it's now at the correct level, unless you're replacing the engine. An overheated engine with low oil isn't kind to the oil that's left, and just because the level was brought up doesn't mean the oil is "good to go". Obviously, change the filter as well.

On a typical water-cooled engine, oil is still responsible for about 1/3 of the heat removal (even though heat capacity of the oil is a lot less than that of water). Being a couple of quarts low can definitely make a difference, especially when the engine is under heavy load such as during a steep climb. Much of the oil cooling occurs from air moving past the crankcase, but a lot less oil will be there when the overall level is particularly low. Yes, it means the radiator and hoses are intact. Based on your previous explanation that when the engine cooled, the lower hose collapsed but the coolant reservoir didn't empty, the radiator cap may be faulty. Since you may have HG problems, having things looked at is a good idea. If combustion byproducts are found in the coolant, then what's wrong becomes pretty obvious. However, if nothing certain is found (and even if a head gasket is starting to go, that's possible), you might want to do an oil change, check or replace the radiator cap (use OEM Subaru only), and correct the coolant level in both the radiator and reservoir. Make certain that the cooling system is properly filled, "burped" if necessary. As has been already mentioned, even with bad HGs things may seem fine until the engine is sufficiently "pushed", so don't go too far from home until you determine what's happening.

Nipper, Motor Magazine changed their website a bit. That article is now at:http://www.motor.com/magazine/pdfs/102006_09.pdf

The "slime" is an oil/water emulsion, often similar to mayonnaise in appearance and consistency. This will sometimes form in perfectly normal engines under certain operating conditions (in particular, short trips in cold weather, leading to condensation). Now that the temperatures are coming up a bit, you could clean up the oil cap and pipe and see if the emulsion returns. Your engine, given it's mileage, may have a bit of excessive blow-by. It also could be that the PCV needs attention. Check or replace the valve, and make sure the hoses aren't plugged. Although it's possible that the emulsion is due to coolant, I wouldn't jump to that conclusion even if the antifreeze level appears to be going down. It's possible that there's just a small external leak someplace. Check hoses, consider that the water pump may be "weeping" a bit, etc. You can always cross the "bad HG" bridge when you get to it. Good luck.

Nothing. P1702 is automatic transmission signal is low.[...] That's what I thought, but figured maybe I was missing something when you said "Everything the original ECU is looking for is on the original manifold.".

What is it on the intake manifold that will resolve the P1702?

It seems you're referring to the radiator fans and associated fuses rather than the heating and A/C blower circuit. The info I have shows a fuse #17 through which power to the blower and A/C relay coils is provided. That's in addition to fuses #1 and #2 from which power to the blower motor relay contacts is obtained.

Engine wear on cold start with most piston engines doesn't have a lot to do with abrasive particles that are suspended in the oil (and the particles big enough to settle out obviously aren't an issue). It tends not to be a "bottom end" problem, but a "top end" one -- there are high-pressure points in the valve train (in particular, lifter/cam interface) that have little lubrication initially, and there can be actual metal-to-metal contact at first. The base stock doesn't "wear out", but there are several other factors beyond "abrasive content" that contribute to wear -- additives are depleted, oxidation occurs (typically more so with "dino" oil than synthetics), combustion byproducts other than abrasive ones contaminate, fuel dilution happens, etc. Agreed, for several reasons, but don't overdo it.

I don't know for sure, but I can't imagine 1/4 qt or a bit more being any sort of problem. If any crankcase (H6 or whatever) is overfilled by closer to a full quart, I'd remove the excess rather than chance aeration.

I can't speak for anyone else, but my own initial response (#14) was to provide a way to either help confirm what mdjdc said or detetermine that wasn't the problem. Engine knocks can have a lot of causes, and sometimes even experienced techs misdiagnose them. Knowing what the oil pressure is can be useful information, but more so if it's high enough (as an indication to look elsewhere). One problem with getting a low reading is that it usually doesn't point to a specific cause. I, for one, have made no assumptions. There doesn't appear to be a "maybe". He said "i had a blown radiator hose last week", and from the way the rest is worded, it seems that caused the temperature rise. A "burnt/burned" smell may or may not suggest oil starvation. For example, it might just be an indication of excessive blowby, contaminating the oil with combustion byproducts. There's "evidence", but from a distance not enough so far to lead to a conclusive diagnosis. Yes, oil will thin as engine temperature goes up; if the engine gets noisy then, it often means that there's excessive clearance, but it doesn't point to something specific. Sure, a bad oil pump could certainly explain low pressure. However, other worn or damaged parts with too much space between them can do the same. Once an engine gets near 200k miles, especially if the previous maintenance history isn't known, all bets are off. Make sure the proper grade of oil is used, and change it if there's any question of its condition. Perhaps have an oil analysis done if there's reason to suspect a failing bearing. A tech combining good diagnostic skills with diagnostic tools (perhaps such as an oil pressure gauge, and maybe a stethescope) should be able to pinpoint the problem.

To quote you, "the oil was awful when i bought it". That's a lot more telling of the care the car got than all the maintenance records in the world. So how awful was it? Dirty isn't good, but just a bit of antifreeze and water in the oil can sometimes do more damage to bearings than "dirt". You can verify rod knock, or help eliminate it as a possible cause of the noise, with a simple test. First, run the engine until it's warm enough for the noise to be prominent. Then electrically disconnect one fuel injector at a time. When a cylinder isn't making power, rod knock is usually much less prominent, so quieter (although rougher) running should point to a bad bearing. By the way, don't pull plug wires or short out plugs to disable cylinders -- that causes raw gas to wash oil off cylinder walls, among other bad things. Disconnecting an injector serves the same purpose, without the problems.

You're welcome. Congrats! Good point, although if you can get your hands on one, an o'scope is an even better tool for chasing pulses.

Nipper, was that a reference to opposable thumbs, or that people sometimes seem to have ten of them?

How did you determine that there is no spark to those cylinders? If you're absolutely certain that the misfire is due to lack of spark, then beside the things you already replaced (and the ECU which Nipper mentioned) there's also the igniter and wiring/connections to consider. See http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/DirectIgnition.pdf There are errors in the "DirectIgnition.pdf" info. In the "Ignition Coil Testing" section, the terminal numbers listed are reversed between the primary and secondary; however, the diagram is labeled correctly.

Indeed. Besides shorts or opens in wiring causing the headlamp not to light, it's possible that the socket isn't making good contact. Another possibility is that the assembly is physically loose -- vibration can cause shortened lamp life. It's unlikely that the three electrical problems are directly related, at least in a factory-wired arrangement. Of course, if someone sufficiently clueless wired things, all bets are off. For anyone not up on basic electrical circuits (and willing to admit that to at least themselves ), this link is a good starting point: http://www.autoshop101.com/trainmodules/elec_circuits/circ106.html

I realize it was a typo, but "R!e" does a better job of distinguishing this model from the R1 than "R1e" does; I like it. EDIT: Although I'm not sure how "R!e" would be pronounced.

Look at http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/ABS.pdf and identify the ABS system - it's probably ABS 5.3. If so, try to find the diagnostic connector (B82, 6-pin, black color) and the two ground probes, usually taped to the harness in the lower dash area above the brake pedal. If you get that far, the PDF tells how to reset the ABS ECU. If the instructions aren't clear (such as pin numbering), someone can probably post a diagram.

Possibly -- the ECU is looking for a certain change in the CTS reading based on fan opertion, and can generate the code if it doesn't see it. However, if no codes other than P0483 are generated, the fan opertion itself should be looked at.