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For what it's worth. A couple of years ago I installed a Prestone T fitting (for flushing the coolant system) with screw on cap in one of the coolant hoses connecting to the heater core (dont remember if inlet or outlet, but it's written in the Prestone fitting package). Opening this cap when refilling the coolant system seems to help a lot to get all the air out. At one point the rad was full and nothing could make the level go down but I could still get more than a quart of coolant in thru this fitting. Never had any problem with residual air. In case someone would want to try that as a last resort... or first.

I think this is uncalled for and specialy no 6. If your read carefully, the first poster's message, you'll see that he is just asking an honest question and doing it politely, trying not to offend anyone. I think he should at least be given the same treatment.

Can I share part of the glory? Check post number #4.

How cold is it where you are? I always get about the same mileage as your's in the deep of winter for short city trips. Since I get 30 miles to the US gallon on highway trips during the summer and with same settings, I put that on the climate conditons and on the kind of driving I do during the winter. Curious: how did you measure oil's fuel content so precisely?

Please give me the widest bert possible when you pass me (green 96 Legacy Brighton probably covered with white salt and going 60-65 in the right lane. You can probably also see my white knuckles tightly clutching the top of the steering wheel.)

My experience confirms yours with the Teflon blades. I no longer use «summer» blades. I buy a pair of Teflon winter blade at the end of fall and keep them for one full year. The «snuggies» keep the wiper arms on the glass at speed so there is no need for a pair of «summer» blades. Glad you tried the new «spring» type blade and found them lacking cause I was about to try them myself. Take care.

For what it's worth, in the 96 MY FSM, pin 2 is related to the ECM power supply and pin 70 has to do with the fuel injectors.

My feeling is your camshaft sensor is not connected to the right pins on the ECM. Camshaft sensor is a «reluctance magnetic sensor» that is self powered (send a voltage varying around 0.1 volt to the ECM) and should not be connected to outside voltage according to this explanation of it's functionning found on the Internet: http://content.honeywell.com/sensing/hss/SpeedAndPosition/pdf/B1_1.pdf «Completely self-powered, VRS (magnetic) sensors are simple, rugged devices that do not require an external voltage source for operation. They are generally used to provide speed, timing or synchronization data to a display (or control circuitry) in the form of a pulse train.» Since I have the FSM for 96, maybe someone with your model year FSM could give you the right pin numbers. Good luck!

If the temp sensor was bad it would trigger a CEL and leave a code in the ECM memory. YOu have to look hard to find it. Start by locating the PCV valve (just left - looking into the engine compartment - of the throttle body and connected to a rubber hose) go down from there and under the left side (still looking into the eng. comp.) fuel intake manifold looking towards the front of the engine. The sensor is screwed horizontaly back to front. You have to push aside-disconnect a few wires and vac hoses to get access to it. Need a socket and proper extension to remove and replace it.

On my car (96 MY) there are two distinct and separate cats. But later on (I don't know exactly when) Subaru began installing two cats in a single unit, meaning you cannot buy them separately. You could of course have a muffler shop install just one of them by cutting and welding.

Cylinder four is the one at the back of the engine on the driver's side.

Did you try starting the car with the gas pedal to the floor? It might help (more air and not more gas with a fuel injected car) if for some reason your engine is flooded. Only one possibility.

Quote «But if you are sure that you traced the sensor wires to the ECM correctly (with a continuity tester?) and that you get .2 ohms when you connect both wires to your ohm meter, it means that there is a short somewhere, that's sure.» Sory if that was not clear. By «both wires» i meant the wires disconnected from the ECM et leading to the sensor. If almost no ohms there it certainly would mean a short of some sort.

I woud very much like to know how you did the cleaning exactly. Excuse my barging in.

The sensor is just behind the left camshaft timing belt cover (you can easily see it from above) and I think just in front of the oil fill tube. Standard procedure is to disconnect the sensor and remove it (just one bolt), then check the connection for oxydation and the sensor's resistance between its leads. You should get between 1K and 4K ohms.

I use Mobil 1 10-30 from April to December and Mobil 1 5-30 from December to the end of Mach. 5-30 gives me easier starts when it's -20C° and lower. Car seems to like it.

I would have the exhaust system checked for leaks before looking at replacing the Catalyst. I'm not an expert on catalytic converters but mine has been working flawlessly for 10 years. I think the main reason for early catalyst failure is either an overly (much) rich fuel mixture situation or a mechanical accident (striking a rock or something). Is your exhaust system a little noisier than it was originaly?

I'm really not an expert at electrical circuit testing, just trying to help. But if you are sure that you traced the sensor wires to the ECM correctly (with a continuity tester?) and that you get .2 ohms when you connect both wires to your ohm meter, it means that there is a short somewhere, that's sure. I guess you now have to find where. That's the limit of my competence. Probably someone else on this board can take the relay. Do you think you could make a direct connection from the sensor to the ECM and see if your can then start your engine?. You would at least know for sure that IT is the problem. I just hope you figure it out.

Getting my inspiration from the FSM, here are some more tests that you could do. 1) Check the connexion on the ECM side. 2) Redo your resistance check of the sensor, but at the ECM end of the circuit : disconnect at the ECM and check at the wires ends. You'll see if the harness is good. 3) Check resistance between sensor connector and ground. If you look at the sensor connector face on with the part devoid of tabs at the bottom, it's the contact to your left. The resistance should no be over 100 K ohms. If it is, the circruit is open. The resistance should not be under 10 ohms, if it is, the circuit is shorted. I'm not very good at reading wiring diagram, but the diagram shows the sensor coupling to the ECM at B84 contacts 28 and 7. Hope that means something to you.

People here will need more details to help you. What exactly happens when you try to start? Engine turns over but does not start? Starter does'nt turn but your hear a click coming from the starter's solenoid under the hood? You hear a click coming from under the dash somewhere? You hear nothing at all? If you hear a click but do not know exactly where it is coming from, next time the car does'nt start, open the hood and have someone put an ear near the starter to pinpoint the source of the click. Best I can do right now. Give us some more detail and wait for more help.

And what is this «same problem»?

Factory Service Manual for 1996 (I suspect the procedure is still the same) advise to check the exhaust system upstream of the catalysts. « Check for gas leaks or air suction caused by loose or dislocated nuts and bolts, and open holes at exhaust pipes. Check the following positions: between cylinder head and front exhaust pipe; between front exhaust pipe and front catalytic converter.» If no exhaust system fault is detected, then..«1) Separate rear catalytic converter from rear exhaust pipe. If there is damage at rear face of rear catalyst, replace front and rear catalytic converter.» If no damage there, «2) remove front catalytic converter. If there is damage at rear face or front face oa front catalyst, replace front catalytic converter. » If none of these, then... Hope that will help your mechanic.

Just trying to guess. Is the camshaft sproket that you replaced the one that triggers the camshaft sensor? If so, may be it's the wrong one and does'nt have the metal spiggot (not sure if it's the right word) that triggers the sensor. My .0002 cent. Good luck!

And don't smoke your tires... Good luck with the repair. Might me something coming my way in the future...

It's a simple replace-a-part repair but I would get a second opinion if I were you. Subies cats dont go bad very often and particularly after only a few years.