davebugs

My guess is crank. When I've had weird problems like this it was often the crank sensor. Especially with intermittent no starts. Perhaps because it's the hardest one to remove around here in the rust belt. While you are diagnosing this issue a shot of your favorite penetrant arouind the crank sensor won't hurt anything and may make the removed easier if needed later.

I use basically the same clips but a little larger and then I can also put one on the crank to hold the belt there. Mine are plastic but I still use an old chunk of timing belt on the bottom of the crank end splines so they don't get knicked.(dont know what to call that piece at the moment that turns the timing belt). These clamps help a lot. And IMO almost mandatory to keep your sanity when doing a DOHC.

Dot and dashes NOT arrows!!! It IS the drivers side that is under load. Using a clamp or clothes pins (as Nipper posted a photo one time) to hold the belt on the cam sprockets and cam makes it much easier.

The 96 very likely had EGR so it's replacement will need to also (which means a 95 AUTO engine is needed). Other than that you'll need the 95's dual port Ypipe. Or any dual port Ypipe(like off any 95-99) 2.5 DOHC. If you had a USEFUL location someone near you might have one. Like I probably still have 6 of these in the rafters.

If the crank is in the correct position on a SOHC the cam's don't matter in that the valves won't hit the pistons. I'd think it's all a bit of a crapshoot. I'd get crank at TDC then start on the cams myself. I'd wait to see if anyone else has any idea's. I assume the engine is in the car? I'm thinking about whether an easy work around like sticking a measuring device in each spark plug hole or something to see where each piston is. If that would ba an aid at all. Then again it's the middle of the night and I can't sleep so I could easily not be thinking straight. Perhaps others will have good idea's. But I'd probably do the crank then cams and do a comression check when belt is back on. Or if you're doing a HG job removing the heads where the cams are now won't hurt anything. Or if you're thinking about doing HG's this should have put you over the edge - just do them (with OEM or course).

I have a 97 Outback parts car that the clock spring was o.k. in if you can't find one local PM me.

unsure so perhaps I shouldn't respond. But from what I've seen you gotta start with what all is on the steering wheel. All have horn and airbag, some have cruise. Often car-part.com is a backhanded way to check what years will fit but isn't absolutely accurate.

A lot of these "suck" a Motive "pushes". When air bubbles I always use the Motive even if I have a helper. I'd think the Motive helps keep the bubbles whole where the pulsing of pumping may break it into smaller bubbles. And sucking - well - air expands a lot so if an air bubble I just don't see how sucking can be as effective. A Motive costs a little more and you can(and should) get the Subaru MC adapter. But I believe it is the best way to do this especially on a car with ABS and air bubbles. There are procedures on how to build one from a pressure sprayer from the hardware store. Sometimes it's just sturdier solution to buy the real reasonably priced solution rather than rigging something up. The Motive was one of those devices for me.

I love my Motive Pressure bleeder for times like this.

Thanks for the how-to. Doesn't seem difficult at all.

Do some searching for "sleeve" or "snout" I've seem folks talk of kits for this but have never used one myself. I believe there are 2 manufacturers of these kits.

Yea - I was finally burnt recently after shipping lots of parts to lots of members before payment. A rather new poster. I'm out 200 bucks and a very nice wooden box that I borrowed to send the parts in that was supposed to be returned empty. And my income last year was down 80-90 % and have had no income this year as I continue to recover from an auto accident last Feb. I'm not exactly destitute but every hundred bucks helps. It literally hurt me to remove and package the parts. It was bound to happen I realize. Which brings me back to this site and donations to keep it alive. I always donate a portion of my sales to keep this site up because many folks are helped by it. Not the busiest site but lots of good info already here and generally cordial. My main hobby is antique VW's and believe it or not those folks are worse on prices. Maybe because a lot of them are young. These folks often wanna pay less for an old german part I paid for and pulled years ago than some new Mexican part from JC Whitney. This is another one of those times a fella hopes that Karma does exist.

Welcome to the USMB. You're having "classic" Subaru 2.5 DOHC Head Gasket problems. Lots of info around here on doing this job. Search and be prepared to read. Miles? How long has it been overheating? That kind of info will help folks advise on doing the HG job or replacing the 2.5 with a 2.2. Also a decent state/town in your profile if you would. I don't know how many Halifax's there may be.

That sounds like a knock sensor could be a possibility too. Usually they set a code - atleast for "pending". See if you can see if it's cracked. I've had good success for the P0420(catalyst below efficiency) with Subaru's, VW's, and recently a Toyota Rav4. Cheap and easy to try.

I hope to get to it soon. It has a good running 2.5 in it without HG issues but some rod knock. I was hoping to keep it and reuse the engine. Currently if anyone wants an engine they can hear it run. SOmeone already did the HG's and I drove it 45 miles home without issue. Now I don't know when I'll be able to do engine swaps again. Someone wants both bumper covers, a mirror. I've already sold hood, I htink grille. Still has like new headlights and someone want sone of the fog's. I've sold cup holder, radio, etc. Stole the rad for another car. I realistically expect it to be around another couple weeks atleast. It's at a friends house 5 miles away.

Gary, My 97 Outback parts car should have htat part. You'd need to remove it though.

Infact I don't even know if it has a gasket or ultra grey. Maybe someone who has actually had that leak can say for sure.

Someone recently reported the little access hole gasket was leaking. Looking at the back on an engine IIR up and to the right a bit, I've never had one leak there myself.

Welcome to the USMB. I get dislexic(sp?) about this. I think Crank sensor does spark, cam sensor does fuel. But I could be exactly backwards - I have to rethink it every time. Search may turn up what you need. The crank sensor can be stubborn sometimes.

Bolt looks fine. How is keyway, woodruff key, and harmonic balancer?

I'm afraid they all come with the SAE stuff when you buy sets. Keep your eyes open. They will be running fathers day specials soon. You missed Christmas another good sale time.

My post apparently didn't post. I have a half dozen of these sets from scrapped cars. They have been stored for a few years though. This is a common problem. FYI usually you get a LOT of fuel smell if you don' t get the new rubber gaskets. If you're going to the dealer to get the pumo/sending units get both gaskets too.

The gate used to be open 24 hours (atleast some gates) and camping was allowed. Years ago we used to go thurs night late, see everything friday, and get outta there before it got busy. Then it was getting that a lot of the vendors weren't arriving until friday and I was mostly after used parts so that didn't work so well. So we started staying overnight in a hotel or day tripping it. Haven't been there in probably over 10 years though.

Another vote for a 95 2.2 (with EGR).