OB99W

How have you determined that there's a "short"; what happens when the "short" occurs?

Might be due to insufficient refrigerant charge. See this thread for a way to check for that without gauges: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=59414

One more thought on this -- was the coolant temperature sensor replacement an OEM unit? This is one of those parts where using an aftermarket product may not be satisfactory.

Test equipment rental is usually available, but may not be economical. Can you at least get a voltmeter reading of the O2 sensor output? Start with a cold engine, and note both the voltage (should be under one volt) and how steady it is. Take readings as the engine warms versus time and temp gauge indication. Of course, this won't be nearly as useful as with a scope, but maybe something will become obvious. By the way, I'm assuming you can get to the O2 sensor terminals reasonably easily; don't puncture any insulation to make connections. If you can do the above, would it be with a digital or analog meter? Have you ever measured the CTS voltage? I know you've replaced it, but seeing a reasonable change as the engine warms would be reassuring. Hard to say, and knowing that is important. I'll keep it simple . Cat efficiency can be determined in several ways. Removing the O2 sensor can provide for a place to sample the exhaust before the cat, and comparison can be made to what's at the tailpipe. Temperature rise from input to output of the cat can be measured. Propane can be injected and levels of HC and CO measured and compared to expected values. Etc. Okay on the oil consumption; it may not be enough to contribute to the problem. Possibly, if the cat just has surface contamination (which is why the O2 levels and determination of closed-loop operation are important to know). However, is it worth risking another ticket? Get enough of them, and the local mechanic may be cheaper .

I realized that the timing was wrong on one bank, but thought it was correct on the other and therefore the compression readings might be trusted for those 2 cylinders. Could still be enough "off" so that it's contributing to the problem. However... ...one key to the problem is whether the ECU is going to closed-loop operation. If you have a way to look at the O2 sensor output in real time (have or can borrow an oscilloscope?), you could easily see if/when closed-loop is entered -- the voltage will rapidly switch low-to-high and back, several times per second. If it's not, then it would be good to look at what sensor input, etc., might be causing that. It does seem that the fuel pressure regulator is okay and injectors aren't leaking based on what you found. Those look like good compression numbers -- high as would be expected in a healthy engine, and not too much variation from one cylinder to the next. If they all came up at about the same rate (number of cranks), even better. Finding things that are right isn't necessarily bad ! The current compression readings and steady/high vacuum you previously reported are encouraging in terms of the overall health of the engine. Have you been able to run the car enough to determine what gas mileage you're getting now? That can be a good indicator of just how rich the mixture is. I'm still concerned about the "zero" O2 reading, perhaps even more than the elevated HC and CO; as I mentioned before, the cat can't oxidize without oxygen. I doesn't take much oil over a period of time, especially if the cat was also being attacked by unburned fuel due to the valve timing problem, to foul the catalyst. About how many miles passed between those added quarts? (I realize this may be a "red herring", but I'm trying to cover all bases.)

It's unfortunately easy to get a false indication of the level. Here's my own procedure, which seems to work: Drive until the fluid is sufficiently warm. Park on a level surface, leaving the engine running. Put the shifter through all the gear positions, then back to "Park". Pull the dipstick, wipe it, then wait a few minutes before reinserting it (this allows fluid on the dip tube walls to flow back to the pan). Pull it again, looking at both sides of the stick, and believe the one that shows the lower reading.

Since there haven't been new posts in this thread since my last one, I thought I'd give it a bump and propose another couple of possibilities. First, was the 02 sensor replacement done with an OEM unit? Non-OEM might not be giving the ECU proper data. Secondly, I'm wondering if the engine is just somewhat "tired", and burning a bit of oil. From http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=74169 (when the timing belt was mispositioned on one bank), "Ran compression test today. All four plugs were sooty black. Compression rates all rose fairly quick and were 130, 125 on one side, and 105,105 on the other. When I squirted oil in the 105's they both went up to exactly 120.". From the above, the "good" bank actually seems pretty low; more typical compression is about 170 lbs. It has to be done on a warmed engine, with the throttle plate held wide open. Crank with a remote starter switch; if you have to use the ignition switch, unplug the coil pack input connector and electrically disconnect the injectors. If the "dry" pressure doesn't come up to near 170 lbs on each cylinder, retest "wet" to get a better idea of what might be causing the low numbers. I'm thinking about oil-burning because that could have fouled the cat as well as partially explain high exhaust HC numbers. In a three-way converter, NOx (nitrogen oxides) are reduced, which frees up some oxygen. If the NOx reduction isn't happening, there's less oxygen available for the oxidation portion of the cat to work with. Anyway, there's another idea for someone to .

Sorry, but it's getting late here in the East and you had "02" (zero-2), not "O2" (Oh-2) in the original chart. Anyway, it's "interesting". As I've said before, the high HCs and CO indicate an excessively rich mixture. The "car place" says the cat has failed. Someone may have forgotten how cats work. In order to get rid of excessive HC and CO, they're "burned" by the oxidation catalyst; that is, HC and CO are oxidized, a process which requires, not surprisingly, oxygen. Since the oxygen content of the exhaust is very low (it should be closer to 2%), one of two things is going on: 1) The mixture is very rich, the engine is using up all available oxygen trying to burn the mixture, and there is practically no oxygen left in the exhaust for the catalyst to use to oxidize the HC and CO (so the cat can't do its job, even if it's good). --or-- 2) The catalyst is functional and using all available oxygen in the exhaust to oxidize HC and CO, but can't do enough (which still points to an overly rich mixture). Either way, as I see it, the cat condition (whatever it is) is secondary to an overly-rich mixture. If I were faced with this dilemma, I'd put the cats back. The blackened but seemingly intact honeycomb might be covered in soot. Pressure testing is something to do; even if the cat is fouled, the rich-running condition should be addressed first. That seems normal; I asked because if the thermostat was stuck open, or you had the wrong 'stat, or someone removed it for whatever reason, the engine might not easily get warm enough to let the ECU go into closed loop; that would have the same effect as a bad temp sensor. That may not get the cat hot enough, especially if the mixture's so rich that there's little oxygen in the exhaust. Initially, the exhaust is what warms the cat; but later on, once the cat is approaching normal running temperature, the catalytic oxidation reaction further warms the cat. Insufficient oxygen results in little or no reaction, as I explained above, and a too-cool cat doesn't work well. You're welcome; hopefully we'll help you get to the bottom of this.

Don't beat yourself up; most of us will admit to having done things like that (and the rest are liars ). I've got a theory, but need a clarification and some additional info. First, it's unclear from your readings what the oxygen (O) levels are, since there's no decimal shown; is that 2%, 0.2%, or .02%. Secondly, you didn't respond to my question in #32, above. What is the temperature gauge reading with the engine fully warmed? For that matter, how long does it take from a cold engine to reach that reading?

If your '00 is like the '99, the inhibitor switch does more than "neutral safety" and back-up light switching. In the '99, it also connects to transmission control, closing different contacts for each gear, as well as closing contacts when in "Park" that connect to the AT shift-lock control module. From the symptoms, it's possible the inhibitor switch is mispositioned, or there's some "slop" in the shifter and the switch isn't being thrown fully to park position, or the switch itself is worn/dirty. Another possibility, although less likely, is corroded connector terminals.

If there's any question about possible "gunk" in the cooling system from previous problems, having the radiator flow-tested might be prudent.

True; one consequence of the difference is that AGM type can be charged similarly to standard flooded wet-cells, while gel cells need more careful control of charging current or they can be damaged. This article explains some basics: http://www.batterystuff.com/tutorial_battery_gel_agm.html This piece goes into more depth, although it focuses somewhat on marine applications: http://www.vonwentzel.net/Battery/01.Type/

No matter how well the knock sensor is working, the ECU can only retard timing just so much; the combination of temps at 100+ and 85-octane gas is likely to result in the condition you're experiencing. In fact, if the ignition timing is being retarded enough, the reduction in efficiency might offset any cost savings of the lower-octane gas.

See this thread (post #3 in particular): http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=78441 .

Darn, I hate it when someone points out the shortcomings of something I own.

You may well have a failed cat, but that doesn't necessarily mean that replacing it is the end to the problem. An overly-rich mixture can cause the HC and CO numbers you're reporting. If your engine is in otherwise good condition (and it certainly may be, based on the "needle is rock stead at about 22 inches" vacuum reading), the HC and CO shouldn't normally be that high once the engine has warmed up, even if there was no cat present. If you'll indulge me, where does the needle of the temperature gauge point once the engine is warm?

They're effectively in series; do a search for "wasted spark" for details. I'd suggest not disconnecting a plug wire to verify this, as that can sometimes lead to insulation breakdown in the coil pack.

If the "movement" in the reservoir stops as soon as the engine is shut down, it's likely that a bad HG is causing it. If it were overheating to the point of coolant boiling, any bubbling typically would continue for a while after shut-down. Climbing hills puts a lot more load on the engine than "sitting". The additional pressures and elevated temperature allow things to move that otherwise might not. A test for hydrocarbons in the coolant is pretty definitive; not smelling anything in the exhaust isn't conclusive. By the way, welcome to the forum.

Yes, that was my point and why I previously gave those links, including the last one: http://www.autobatteries.com/about/index.asp In case there's any confusion: 1) The "flaming" is not meant for avk, but for Johnson Controls and their autobatteries.com "Consumer Power Resource" tag line. 2) I'm not questioning the quality of Johnson Controls batteries, just noting that the "Consumer" doesn't really have as much choice as there might appear to be.

Automotive wet-cell batteries don't do well when stored. Even if no load is attached to them, they self-discharge over time, and undergo a process known as "sulfation" (check Google for more info on that). The batteries that have lasted the longest in my experience are those which are fresh, so learning how to read date codes can help. I've also found that "mid-line" batteries tend to do better, on average. Cheap batteries are, well, just cheap. High-end batteries will usually provide lots of reserve, but that's gotten by packing in more plate material (for the same "group" size); the problem with that is the higher density makes it more likely that a shorted cell will develop (again, in my experience). If you want an automotive battery to have a chance at a long life, make sure it doesn't get over-charged, don't let it get highly discharged (car batteries aren't "deep-cycle" type), don't leave it in a discharged state, keep the electrolyte level up if it's not a sealed type, fasten properly to minimize vibration (as already mentioned), etc. I've had several mid-line batteries last 12-13 years, but they were treated well. I've also seen high-end ones die in as little as 1-2 years when ignored.

It's hard to not buy a battery made by Johnson Controls. The Optima, for example: http://www2.johnsoncontrols.com/bg/products_brands.htm You can choose from brands at autobatteries.com ... : http://www.autobatteries.com/brands/index.asp ... but it's not exactly an unbiased source of information: http://www.autobatteries.com/about/index.asp

That probably isn't the best way to diagnose a VSS problem. Besides, Cougar wants to complete diagnosis related to the temp sensor; when that's done, I can offer suggestions on diagnosing the VSS issue.

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/07FebFuelEW.pdf http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/FeedNov06EW.pdf

To answer the subject question "How many revolutions before timing marks align?", and some more insight, see:http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=74629

You're welcome. It's been mentioned before, but did you check the filler pipe itself? You may have to remove a shield to inspect it, but it's probably worth the time. If you have any trouble getting the tank to fill, see this: http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/VehicleWont.pdf