porcupine73

Well dude I would suspect that any changes to the emission system might be 'illegal' at the federal level if not the state. But I think most states they just have to hook up the emission contraption to the car as part of the emmision/safety inspection which may dial by phone or whatever the results back to big brother headquarters (but you said your state doesn't do such a thing).

Are you sure you lined up the correct timing marks? I think on mine there are a few different markings on the crank sprocket and cam sprockets. I think the crank timing alignment as per the manual is actually a bit off tdc (to keep from banging the valves into the pistons.) If you still have the old belt that might be good for comparison and/or count the teeth.

I don't think driving with that knock sensor code is dangerous because I'm guessing the ECU retards timing probably to its maximum when the knock sensor is out of commission. I'd suspect maybe less power and fuel mileage possibly until it's corrected. For the fuel filter, I usually just loosen the gas cap to release tank static pressure and wrap a few cloths around one of the fuel hoses to the filter before pulling the hose. Some gasoline will squirt out but with the cloths there it doesn't seem to be too bad. The correct way though is as you mentioned to disconnect a fuel pump connector somewhere along the line and run until engine dies. I find the hoses on the fuel filters to be a little stubborn sometimes, so I twist them clockwise and counter clockwise until they can rotate on the filter's barbs, then pull them off. After you put the new filter in and have the hoses hooked up, I like to turn the key between acc and run about 7 times until I can hear the fuel pump loading down a little. This will refill the filter and repressurize the system so you don't have to crank the starter for like 10 seconds or whatever to get it to start again.

P0420 is catalyst system efficiency below threshold. Check for any kind of exhaust leaks. Says to check front faces of the rear and front cats for damage and replace if any is noted; otherwise says contact SOA. Doesn't say anything about replacing rear O2 sensor, but others with experience may have solved it with that? Not sure about P0328; all data doesn't show any info for '00OBW for this code.

Sounds good John. Weird that some of those cam seals were in backwards; maybe someone replaced it before incorrectly? Or maybe mine were in incorrectly. (I have SOHC). My LH cam is terribly eager to get off where I set it too. Sounds like you have the DOHC. Did you have to lock the cams together or anything to keep the intake and exhaust valves from getting friendly? I am tempted to fire up the engine too just to see what happens before putting everything back together. I would not start it without at least the crank pulley in place, even if not with the bolt fully torqued in (then remove it and put the timing cover back on). Not sure if it has to be on just for a quick start but I think that pulley is also dampener to reduce vibrations/stress on bearings 'er somethin? I don't know how long I'd run without radiator since the combustion is going to heat up fast, don't want to melt that aluminum!

Yes it all appears to be in the manual for programming new transmitter codes, etc. Actually I think the reason I can unlock with key and not get the alarm is I accidentally set it for 'valet mode' which means the alarm system hasn't been functioning for months! Whoops...i was wondering why the indicator light started flashing twice about six months ago.

'00OBW here, and got surprised the first few times when I locked car with remote and unlocked and opened door with key, alarm alarm alarm as you said. If I lock with power locks (not remote) the doors, then open door with key it's OK. But yours sounds like it alarms even if you don't use the remote to lock the doors (as you have no remote). Sounds like there might be an option to set for it. Hey, actually, I think if you go to my.subaru.com and register with your VIN and everything, you can view the owner's manual online and maybe find an answer. I didn't get an owner's manual with my used 00OBW either so I ordered one off eBay for like $6. There's also often used Subaru remotes for sale on there, but not sure how you program it for your vehicle.

Does the fan turn smoothly if you turn it by hand? If you feel any binding or it's hard to turn the fan may be faulty and drawing more current it should and hence blowing the fuse. I would not recommend installing a larger fuse. Otherwise, there may be a chaffed wire or wires in there (check the harnesses and stuff). I doubt the relay would cause this phenomenon unless it were somehow shorting +12 and 0 when the contact closed inside. You might be able to hook up +12 and ground directly at the fan harness with alligator clips and measure the current with a good ammeter and see (after a few seconds after it's startup inrush is past) what the current reading is. But there are risks with this method.

Haven't heard of this before, but maybe a ground to the instrument cluster or on the cluster itself is messed up? Should be able to get schematic wiring diagrams on AllData but you'd have to subscribe ($).

Hi John, glad you got set to tdc. I have no idea where the little window is to jam that screwdriver in there. I would guess it must in the vertical plane of the starter as I think that's the large (flywheel?) gear jobby the starter engages with. I haven't gotten to the point of putting the crank pulley back on and tightening it yet so I haven't looked for how to stop crank from turning but will probably just use chain wrench like I used to loosen the bolt. Anywho, I'm working on an '00OBW, and the cam seals look like the one posted in the picture below. Do yours look different than this? Both of mine were in the same way, with the solid/non-cupped site to atmosphere and the springed side to the engine internals. I drove the LH one in too far so I have a spare and am going to rip it out and reinstall.

Wow the doesn't sound good. There was a service bulletin I think about slow seatbelt retraction, which involved putting a small piece of velcro I think on the guide somewhere, but it didn't say anything about a greasy cable. The dealer probably wants it for a few days because they'd have to order the seatbelt unit if something busted in there getting grease everywhere. Not sure how hard it is to replace but maybe you get one from a salvage yard, you just don't want a seatbelt from a car that was in an accident 'cause it might have used up it's stretch already.

Hi John, in reponse to your question about what the clicker type torque wrench feels like, well the only ones I've used are the ones from Sears that they just had on sale. When you reach the torque setting, you will feel it give a little bit. You can't miss it. Basically you'll see a pivot point on the wrench, and when you reach torque it pivots a little bit at that point. I don't hear any click, but I can definitely feel it give when torque is reached. That's when to stop turning. I think you'd be fine using it without practice; I used it for the first time for water pump bolts at 7 ft*lbs(f) [84 in*lbs(f)] I think it was and could feel it give just fine.

If there's an ebrake behind that disc, obviously make sure the ebrake is released or you can't get the disc off. I've had excellent results driving those 8mm bolts into those little holes. I also hear that using an air hammer and pounding a little between each of the wheel studs works wonders. You can get a puller with all manner sized bolts and stuff, and a cheap air hammer, from Harbor Freight for about $6 each on sale. I don't know about Subaru's, but on some cars when you take off a rear disc that has the ebrake inside there, the ebrake pads just crumble apart. I had a Ford Explorer for a while with warped front rotors and the garage was taking baseball bat type swings at them with a sledge hammer to get them off. Also, I'm a little curious, you say he removed the axle nut? Are you sure that has to removed to get the disc off? Was there weight on that wheel when the axle nut was removed?

If fuel was pouring out somewhere after the vehicle was started it sounds like maybe one of those rubber hoses from the fuel pump/sender dealy thing, either liquid supply or return, might have gotten punctured, then you'd see or smell lot's o gasoline depending on how bad a nick/cut the line got. Or everytime you switched key to run the fuel pump runs for a second and you'd get gasoline coming out then too. I mean if he just drilled through so far that he went into the top of the tank, you'd smell gas maybe, and maybe a lot initially esp as the tank pressure releases but I don't think it would run out though really. If the fuel line was punctured, I'd volley for them to replace that entire section of line, not just splice on a short new piece with a double hose barb or something, but who knows what they're willing to pay for.

Hi John, for the ATF coming out, I would either just catch it in a container, like maybe an old oil container, and then just put that much fresh fluid (same brand as what's in there now if you know what it is). I guess if you use a clean container and keep dirt out of it you could just pour it back in when you're done. Or you could put like a double hose barb, I think 3/8" might be about right, to join the hoses together until you're finished (that way the fluid will just return to the AT). I definitely would not just 'block off' the hose that's leaking, although it might be ok to do so. Also, when checking the ATF level, I think it is supposed to be done in park with the engine running after shifting through all gears R, N, D, etc for a few seconds each. I can never get a reading when AT is hot, so I check it a couple minutes after startup. If you try to read it with engine off I can't remember but I think it looks way overfull. On the 2 sub's I have, the AT dipstick/fill point is in the same location: drivers side near the firewall, with a yellow handled dipstick. I use a clean longish funnel with a small opening on the end. On one of my sub's the dipstick is really picky about which way it goes back in; it won't fully seat one way so I have rotate it 180 deg and slip it in the other way.

After it's been running for maybe 20 seconds, if you tap the throttle lightly a couple times does that bring the idle down at all?

Hi Sube dude! My '96 Legacy was a little snug when I first opened it, in fact I think it might have broken when I first opened it. Anyway, it didn't seem to be an issue; I just pryed it open with a screwdriver?

Congratulations on your purchase! Interesting note on the fuse being in the FWD holder, I never thought to check that before buying but I will now. Can you give more details on how it acts with the fuse out? Might want to see if the check engine light hasn't been removed then too :/) I see in other posts it's not uncommon for the dealer to say it needs a new transmission. Not knowing the service history, some things to look into might include changing all fluids (engine oil+filter, antifreeze, ATF [change might help if you happen to have 'torque bind' and the clutches aren't completely worn out or welded], front&rear diffs gear oil, brake fluid, steering fluid, timing belt and idlers, water pump, cam seals, oil pump o-ring and crank seal, and the usual suspects spark plugs, wires, air filter, etc.

True dat! I would be all over a Subaru diesel, esp. a turbo diesel! Yes, when I was looking for cars, I remembered VW being good quality back in the day, then I checked consumer reports for more recent models, and not good! not good at all! I've driven two diesel vehicles in my day: a Ryder diesel truck (not impressed), and a diesel Renault minivan (was impressed).

Eggscellent....I knew it was only a matter of time.....

I've been trying to find an inch-pound beam style torque wrench, but haven't been able to find one yet....do you have any leads NorthWet? If so I'm all game! The inch-lb(f) clicker I have claims to be within 4% I think when above 20% of range, which I think is 200 in-lb(f). Darn now after every pound indication on this thread you have to put (f) or (m).

has everyone on this board gone stark raving mad??? The last time I heard 'slugs' was when my nephew spotted a big slug next to a little slug in the garden and said 'that momma slug has cute baby slugs'. Anyway can't memba if I said it in this thread already but Sears has 3/8" inch pound (force) clicker wrenches on sale for 54.99 I think. Harbor Freight I think also has clicker 1/4" wrenches for like $20.

I think those things that come down, one is on the suction side and one is on the discharge side. I don't know the purpose. Sounds like maybe the one that gets the grime might have a slight slight leak, but I wouldn't worry about it at all. I have several oil fittings using JIC connections which are supposed to be excellent hydraulic fittings and I get grime around them all the time.

Sounds like it's best to learn in a rental or loaner. just kidding!

There are other syn ATF's with a flash point above 212 deg. C. I would say temps of 210-230 deg. F. in normal summer driving could easily be reached with the stock cooler. I ran Mobil Syn ATF for a while; seemd like a really nice fluid. Mobil's Web site shows a flash point for their syn ATF of 236 deg. C. I hope your gauge temp of 210 deg. is deg. F, else you could flash fry a Buffalo in that fluid RedLine publishes in their spec sheet for their 'high temp ATF' a flash point of 238 deg. C. I think pan temps can be misleading because this fluid is already cooled and is probably the coolest point in the system. Flash point indicates the temperature at which a specimen vapors will ignite. Flash point assesses the overall hazard of a material and is used in shipping and safety regulations to define "flammable" and "combustible" materials.