2.5GL

To confirm: You put your original pulleys on the new engine? Double check to see if they match the used engine pulleys regarding to location of the pin for the notch on the cam and crank. I have not ever looked at an EJ20, and I am not familiar with the little things about it. As long as the two engines are timed the same as well as the electronics hooking up, I don't see why it shouldn't run. L

Reality sets in. .. too many dents, too many mechanicals, windshield, whole body paint to look good, transmission bad.... I don't have time. A weekend with the legacy and it'll be good to go for a few years. I'm gonna take the money and run. (Pulling suspension and stereo this weekend from RS.) I'll drive the hatch until Legacy is done, then possibly get another newer RS or WRX sometime down the road. Anybody have an interest in a buy back on this? $550 or so, don't have a number on paper yet, just the adjusters "gut feeling".

The car: 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS Rally Blue Pearl 240k + miles HG done at 225k Clutch still 80% then Trans noisy in all gears Has a bunch of suspension upgrades. Check my older employer's website for complete mod list and early history (I haven't worked there in 5 years, almost to the day, but they still have my car on their site.) www.mttechsuba.com "RIDES" "LEWIS' RS" Basically, it has upgraded suspension, rear LSD, bigger brakes, stereo, etc. I also have a complete set of matching seats for future repairs. This last summer, I had rear ended another car at about 10-15 MPH, it was going to need upper core support work, maybe a hood, and replace the fender damage from WCSS 8 or 9 (2nd Hood River one) where I ran into the fence in the mud pit. I removed he bumper beam in order to get radiator fans off of the belts. Secured bumper cover to car with out beam and have been driving it since. Three days ago, a chick in a ford focus abruptly changed lanes out of her stopped lane into my open lane in which I was travelling about 25 MPH. My RF corner went into her LF door and fender. Without a bumper, the RF headlight support, fender, hood is smashed in. Her insurance (Geico) says it is a total. So, do I take the money and run? (obviously going to take car back, trade some parts out, stereo, etc) Buy back and fix? or buy back and part out? I am waiting to hear from them tomorrow, Friday 02 Jan 15 If I total it and don't buy back to fix OR buy back and part out, I have a 1994 Legacy turbo wagon that needs some love. I believe the struts will swap, maybe the sway bars and suspension bits, and the brakes for sure. Then I can keep my 16" gold wheels with studs, and my '05 17" GT wheels with Michelin Pilot SS tires, sending the turbo 15" wheels and small brakes away with the RS. Any thoughts on approach here? I have changed everything in my life this last year, this is the last thing to remain of my previous life. (Divorce, moved out of house, quit 21 year Subaru mechanic career for building maintenance / operations career) I love the little car but fear it is not worth it. I don't necessarily have the time to fix it, and I am not a body guy. I know people who are (Russ:)), but don't want to waste their spare time on my love affair with this car. Any interest here for the car itself? The parts therein? Thanks for reading, let me know what you all think! Lewis

I have a friend in Fairbanks, needs the "C" clip ring on the end of the rear axle shaft that holds it into the rear diff. Would this be the same size as the ring that is on the 2005 and newer Legacies?" Dealer got him the snap ring on the shaft, inside the DOJ cup. I don't think the ring in question is available... See below, item #1 is not listed as a part. 2003 Forester 4EAT http://opposedforces.com/parts/forester/en_s11/type_8/suspension_and_axle/rear_axle/illustration_2/ He is under the gun to get this done before leaving the state Saturday for a few weeks. (Girlfriend needs her car while he is gone) It does't really matter what happened, why it is gone, etc... I just know he does not have one. I am working on getting one mailed tomorrow, but it may not make it in time. Please send me an email if you know where to go to get one, (store, shop) or a particular person at said store or shop. PM those you know in the fairbanks area as well, forward my email address if they can help. subaru.mechanic@gmail.com Thanks!!! Lewis

found it... Trunk lid wiring harness had two wires pulled out of it. It seemed to be a combination of bad design- the harness is too tight, as the lid closes, the wire is bent to tightly and breaks. (those with early imprezas know that one.) And a reckless set of golf clubs that finished off the second wire. Sometimes its the stupid simple stuff that causes absolute nightmares! Fortunately, this did not become that. LJ

No alarm that I know of, yet. I have not been under the dash, but will be getting back to it tomorrow.

2000 Legacy GT sedan 135,000 miles 5 Speed Here is the dilemma... If you have the car running, put it into reverse, have the brake pedal depressed, it will stay running when you turn the key off and take it out of the ignition. When you take the key out, the ABS and AIRBAG lights come on. Headlights, dash lights, heater, etc. all stay on until you either let off the brake or take it out of reverse. If the key is out and the engine off, everything comes on as if you turned the key on when you press on the brake and it is in reverse. Upon getting this car in, it seemed fairly daunting... now, that I am finally getting to it, I have a good idea what is going on. I have not repaired it yet, but feel that the first (most obvious) repair I can do will, perhaps only be 90% of the fix... Any guesses??? LJ

1998 Forester 5MT 150,xxx + miles Charcoal canister replaced Shut valve replaced (little valve near top of filler neck) Filler neck replaced (rusted enough to cause a problem soon) If drain is plugged (removed from frame rail and rubber plug inserted.) system will build pressure to over 1.0" Hg. My understanding is that the fuel tank pressure should cycle between .250" - .500" Hg when left to idle for a half an hour or so. Watching the numbers, the pressure cycles, everything looks normal. The memory has been cleared, 7 of the 8 OBD tests have self checked, Evap emissions still not "ready". What steps need to be taken to get the computer to check itself off and now pass emissions? (Vehicle was originally tested with PO440 code, thus, evap must be "ready" with no evap codes) Thanks all! Lewis

1998 Forester 5MT 16X,XXX miles or so. Reoccurring DTC PO440. Items replaced: Gas cap Pressure Control Valve Charcoal canister Items known to be working: Drain valve Purge Control Valve Using SSM II Fuel tank pressure will max out at .225"Hg with the car idling and warm. If I take a rubber stopper and plug the metal pipe that terminates in the frame rail, the system will eventually build up to almost 1.0"Hg. Shouldn't the pressure control valve try to reduce this when pressure gets to high? Other cars inspected fluctuate between .250-.500"Hg while idling. Pressure slowly builds, PCV switches on for a second or two, pressure dumps out quickly, then a slow build again. I have read, and re-read the TM for this, and don't have any information on what pressures should be seen where, when, and for how long. The code is for a leak, I do not believe there is a leak in the system, as I can plug the only open hole (after the drain/filter in frame rail) and it builds and holds pressure. (well, slowly bleeds off in about 5 minutes when you turn the car off) Do I dare say I need to look into the vent valve on the tank? zzz Roll valve? Shut valve? For what ever reason, I can't wrap my head around this issue... Thanks! LJ

Air leak after the air flow meter?... Had this one stump me awhile back, found the secondary air filter (99 Forester) to have the foam seal folded over causing an air leak. Fuel Trim readings were waaaayyyy rich, In the 30% range. No power up hills, kinda drove alright around town, sluggish at highway speeds... Nothing I changed made a difference. O2, MAF, MAP, coil, plugs, RO2. After these, I decided, as GD said, to go back and recheck, "back to basics" if you will. If no problem found in the intake, perhaps check fuel pressure and fuel pressure regulator operation.

There are two coolant temp sensors... One is a single pin/wire for the instrument cluster/gauge. The other is a two pin brown plug for the ECU. The two do not work together in any way. Olnick is right, I'm elaborating a bit on the differences for informational purposes.

Cam and crank sensor first. When it fails to start, pour cold water over them, about a quart each. Viola! It should start. Cam and crank sensors get heat soaked and fail, hence why it is starting after cooling off a bit. Fuel pump not likely fail "now" only to work a "few minutes later" and run fine. If it doesn't work you usually have to hit it to get it going, it will work for awhile, but will ultimately die soon. And fuel pumps usually don't care about hot, cold, short drive, long drive, etc. While they often only cause problems at start up, fuel pumps can die while driving. I have yet to experience a cam or crank sensor die while driving. Coolant temp sensor most likely cause of a no start issue when cold. When they fail they default to a reading like -44 F and cause the computer to go into a higher state of choke, causing excess fuel for the actual ambient air temp the car is in, say 40-50 F. Lay on the gas to wide open throttle, and keep cranking until it starts... You've got to add more air to compensate for the added fuel. It will run crappy until warmed up a bit, albeit enough to drive to the parts store to get a new sensor.

Well, almost $1300 later, we have a solution... Back when I originally posted this, it went in a few days later to dealer. They found nothing abnormal, and had no problems, I called back and told them to drive it from a stop on the highway at wide open throttle. Finally, they have a tangible problem. We'll have to schedule it in later, to better diagnose the problem... So, two weeks later, they say Ford (not the dealer) recommends a catalytic converter. Ford warranties cat under 8-80 emissions warranty. Car returned to us as "all better". No, not really... within a mile of the dealership, same problem. Truck goes back in after the new year, Ford says "replace spark plugs, it does not have the updated spark plugs." Dealer removes plugs, #8 comes out hard, had to use special tool and follow TSB on removal of stuck spark plugs. (this is a problem with this engine, hence the TSB and "special tool" to break the ceramic out of the plug and reach through the plug to remove it from the inside) Threads in head damaged, insert installed, car returned to us "all better" yet again. This cost us $517 for plugs and $100 + in dash lights, etc. (This is the step I am glad I did not have to do myself, or listen to my wife *************** that I effed something up.) Less than three miles away, noticed a rough idle, and acceleration problem is worse now than before. Next day, truck goes back in, thread insert deemed inappropriate, or installed incorrectly, misfire #8 was the code now. They called me back said a new head installed, would be $4000.00!!! But since we have a history with them, they would do at an internal cost of $1800.00 to FIX the head. Long story shortened, we paid $600 to have head fixed, # 8 piston and rings replaced due to 25% compression loss shown though a leak down that I ordered on the engine. This also included a rental car for two weeks, and the MBI policy paid none of it. Truck back home, runs better than it ever has, and we'll see how much oil it burns now...

I had thought about fuel pressure.... noticed I could change trim values for the better by unplugging pressure regulator. Will inspect filter as well as fuel pressure tomorrow. Hope to have an answer by tomorrow afternoon. Thanks Shawn! L

1999 Forester 4EAT 125K. Seen multiple threads on replacing O2 sensors and air flow meters, here and other forums. Have replaced both, and fuel trim remains at or above +25% short term and long term. Intake and exhaust systems intact and no faults noted. Recalls and campaigns all taken care of. O2 sensor voltage front and rear read 0.000V most of the time. MAP, air flow, timing, and other parameters close to comparable vehicles. Car drives good most of the time when trim is high. Starts to run bad at idle when trim slowly climbs to 25 or 30, then switches to 0.0% and stays at 0.0%. Occasionally will have performance issues while driving, but not very often. Looking for any answers or thoughts, no matter how far reaching they may be...