Cowgirl

Howdy! We are looking to get a Forester. Can you experienced and knowledgeable people please give us the pros and cons, what to watch out for, and your general opinion of the Forester? How easy are they to repair? Is there any known issues that we should watch out for? Don't forget to comment on what options you do or don't like too!! We are looking for a used Forester in the $4K and under price range if anyone is curious (and yes, I know that is not much money, but it is what it is...)

I know this is reviving an OLD thread, but.... we are *still* working on getting this car running... Yes, we are slow... but steady! We have another mechanic friend who buys, fixes up and resells cars as a hobby/side job, and he thinks he'd like to try to fix the head (or replace it). So we are letting him have a go at it, and we shall see where we are after his "college try". If he cannot fix it, then he can do the engine R&R for us and we will FINALLY have it running!!! So .... that's the latest and not so exciting update.....

On swapping out my 2.2 engine for another one. If you have not read my other thread, linky here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=102511 It is a 1993 Subaru Legacy 2.2 2WD 180K wagon we would like to use for the summer, then resell ( I know, I know, but I don't think THREE carseats will fit in the back...) so we can purchase a vehicle more equipped to handle our growing family. DH is VERY short on "free time", so I need to know the good, bad, and potentially ugly!! We should be able to have our mechanic friend do the R&R, but it has not been discussed with him yet. So if it ends up with DH having to do this, we need hhheeeellppp!! And everyone's advice from USMB of course !

my bad! I realized after I started reading the websites that it is "engine only". I have been talking with hubby and now he's excited about my subie again!!! After the "final diagnosis" he was upset:mad:. Now, he's saying "hummm... I can do an engine R&R..." Starting new thread now.... :)

John-- you are AWESOME!!!! :banana: Basically, yes we got Subie for cheap, was not running. Enlisted help of mechanic friend who was able to put timing belt back on to only discover it ran badly. He took off head and found crack. Tried to weld crack. No go. Not sure if mechanic friend did compression test. I know we didn't. I will let him know of this other car with engine!! WOO HOO!!!! :banana:

Well, I have the final answer on what is the trouble with our "new" subie. Here's the exerpts from the email my Mom sent me: "Well, it looks like it will make a nice "parts car". The car must have been overheated, blow the head gasket and has a hairline crack in the head. They tried to "tig" weld the crack and still couldn't get it to run for only a few seconds.. **** tried to find a used engine for it at the junk yard... none available that he could find. " So, that pretty much sums it up. Now we are discussing what to do next. :-\

:brow: Har. Har. Har. That's a knee slapper! Still waiting for word on how my Subie is doing.... Will update everyone when I know something...:popcorn:

Thanks guys!! I hope the Subie is "tough as nails" and is okay. I am eagerly awaiting driving it!! I like DH's Subie, so I really hoping mine rides as nice as his!! Thanks for the additional information guys!! Although.... you might want to read the whole thread for the updates...

Yea, I believe that is what my mom meant. Like I said, I was quoting her email she sent me.

I'mmmmm Baaaacckkkk!!!! :grin: Well, after the snow started to fly, DH was NOT motivated to wrench on the "new" Subie in the driveway. So it has been sitting till reciently. When a mechanic friend of ours took mercy on us and towed it to his house to get it running!! :banana: Last week he said he got it running and it was "ready to go", but then I guess he realized there was an additional problem. Apparently, and I'm going to quote my mom's email here because she is the one who talked to him: "Someone had taken apart the valve cover to attempt to replace the "blown" valve cover gasket. They didn't finish it, but partly put it back together. They are replacing the valve cover gasket and are hoping that the heads are alright. His guess is that they did overheat the engine, and blew the gasket. That it was more than just a "leaky water pump" issue." And the "leaky water pump" is what we were told was the "original issue". Ugggghhhhhhh..... insight guys? Hints? Am I looking at it being a "parts car":dead: or do you think it will be okay?

Ha-ha And what jeep commerical? You must share linky Well, here's the latest update: DH was getting real tired of sharing my Mom's van with me. So he busted a few knuckles, worked late zzz into the dark of night with only a single shop light to light the wheel well, and got his 1994 Subie's front end R&Red :banana: (brakes, CV half shaft, ball joint just in case anyone was wondering :-p) So his car is back on the road So, the latest attempt to get this timing thing on the 1993 Subie was sort of a sucess and a bust. It took him three tries/attempts of installing the belt but he finally got it to run--and it sounded pretty good!! BUT!!! It only runs if you hold the key in the crank position. That's bad. DH was cursing, saying we should have never bought this car, blah, blah, blah..... basically the rantings of a man who has precious little spare time to work on ANYTHING at home and now he's spent THREE FULL Sunday evenings working on a car that STILL does NOT run.... Up side: We may have an ANSWER!!!! My Mom talked to a mechanic friend of ours about our problem, and he said he has run into this issue before. What was the solution? you ask. Well, he says that the crank and pulley are 180 degrees OFF!!! Turn them 180 from what you have been doing, and the car will (eh, should, we hope..) RUN!!! So .... if DH has time this weekend, we are going to give it a go!!

Actually MY "daily driver" is... or should I say was a Ford Aerostar van. Which right now, will not run properly (that is another auto repair waiting in the wings ) so I have borrowed my Mom's spare van. And until yesterday, DH was driving HIS 1994 Subie Legacy.... but it needs major front end work (next in line to be repaired after my '93's timing belt:-\), so he has absconded with the borrowed van to get back and forth to work this week!! So right now we have 4 giant paperweights sitting in our driveway.... all 3 of our vehicles and 1 being my Dad's old truck we are "storing":rolleyes: for him... So we really NEED to get my Subie running, so DH can move on to fixing his Subie!!!

I think you are onto something here.... my DH did NOT wait to tighten the bolts till the belt was installed, he did it before the belt was put on (MEN just do NOT like to READ THE DIRECTIONS!!!) and maybe your step by step instructions will do the trick. My other wondering is if the he compressed the tensioner too fast and damaged it (again--he needs to learn to READ THE DIRECTIONS FIRST!!!). He won't have a chance till probably Friday at the earliest to work on the Subie, so I will have to let you all know when he does. DON'T SAY THAT!!! Although I do admit, I'm wondering the same thing.... but I'm hoping to cross that bridge AFTER we get the timing belt sorted out...

I am highly sensitive to VOC's. Only way to "insulate" against the off gassing of VOC's is to paint with a special paint. But I do not see anyone painting the interior of their car!!! Only way to get the VOC's to off-gas fast is to heat up the materials to 90-100 degrees for 24 hours at a time. Open it up after each "cycle" to allow the gases out of the area (in this case a car). Then once you have pretty much gotten rid of the smell aspect, "cleanse" the interior by running an "ozone machine" in the car. WARNING!!! Do NOT use in an enclosed area where animals or humans would be breathing the resulting air!!! Ozone machines can be great also for getting rid of smoker's smell in a car or house!! My family purchased two small machines (size of a computer printer) about 10 years ago. When we need them, we have them to use. They are a GREAT investment!!

Okay, DH says it has something to do with putting the belt on. When he puts it on, the tension jerks it back and off it's timing. So he said he tried to account for that this last time he placed the belt on, but somehow it didn't quite work. BUT--it must have worked some, because the car DID run for 30 seconds!!! *SIGH* He's tired, I'm tired.... we are done for tonight... tommorow is another day.... THANK HEAVENS FOR NON-INTERFERENCE 2.2 ENGINES!!!! Or else we would be in HUGE trouble!!!!