davebugs

There is only the one knock sensor.

Those pics look good. Cam sprockets are definately correct. Drivers side cam sprocket hash marks are often a little off. I use white nail polish to mark the hash marks everywhere. Costs a buck and dries fast even in cold weather. I always use new intake gaskets and assess the old ones looking for material missing so mdjdc may be on to something. I also always flat file the exhaust Y-pipe and use new gaskets there (both Felpro usually). When on the stand I always spin it to look at intake mating surfaces, check the oil pan, ,etc. It's acting an awful lot like the TB, but it looks good in the pics. I have no expertise with a vacuum gauge but it sounds like you may need to develope some expertise with one. Gotta run.

I can't get the pics ot blow up big enough. What I can make out looks good.

White smoke on a 2.5 is RARE in my opinion. Sometimes on 2.2's but very rare on 2.5's. That's just not how they leak. Did you have the heads checked? Valve guides (would be unusual to have issues at virtually any mileage), perhaps bent a little? Did somebody check them for flatness - 4 thousanths is the limit according to what I found in Endwrench and what I go by IIR. Out of adjustment? It really still sounds like a TB issues. But the white smoke is an unusual symptom for a 2.5. Perhaps others here have experienced this.

Not being an AC expert (or wanting to be) call around. I have a fella that pulls a vacuum to make sure no leaks, then charges then for 40 bucks. The fancy machine really does it all. From what I understand if the system was open at all the vacuum first is needed. I do this with every car that I buy that has AC issues.

IIR sometimes the cam sprockets on the drivers side don't align perfectly. What brand of belt did you use? The Dayco's seem to have the alignment issues and the OEM ones don't seem to have the issue (I use Dayco's). I'd probably remove everything (including cam sprockets) and start over. I just have a cheap (Grand Rapids Industrial Products - read China) compression set. That was when I ruin it I'm not out a lot of money. I've even used them for oil pressure before. But yea - on a DOHC it's a lot of fun. Enough that I thought about building a stand to be able to do compression checks with the engine out of the car but I thought that would be an unfair test after putting engines back together and not really being run. Perhaps this was in another thread but what was the reason to do the HG's and were there any codes then? Were the heads checked?

They are marked rather well IIR and the offsets on the different sides are radically different IIR. They are marked L and R IN and EX IIR. Right is Passenger side, L is drivers side. INtake are on the top, EXhaust are on the bottom. I would think the belt routing would be obvious if they were screwed up - but I've been wrong before.

Sorry I mean Timing Belt. If you look through the posts here Timing Belt is discussed probably 50-100 to one about a throttle body. So I use TB cause I don't know of another short abbreviation. Felpro does make good gaskets. But I don't use their HG's on Suby's. I use their intakes, exhausts, (dealer WP gaskets). I use Felrpo on VW's often and other cars. Suby's are a bit moody when it comes to HG's so I stick with OEM and have never had an issue. If you look around here for threads with folks with isuses after a HG job youi'll see most didn't use OEM gaskets. Whether the issues arise from the gaskets, or if that's just a symptom of other shortcuts/cost cutting I don't know. But I've done a bunch of them with no issues using OEM. I don't like to do things twice. Even if you don't pay yourself much the frustration factor just isn't worth it. If you're gonna do all that work and use Ebay off brand gaskets, well.... perhaps your momma dropped you on your head too many times? (no offense to those that were dropped). You should be doing research AHEAD OF TIME on an undertaking of this size. If not you'll be amazed at how much quicker it goes the second time on the same car. While I'm on pet peeves how about updating your LOCATION with something USEFUL. Perhaps someone local will offer to double check your work. The results may be better in person than you typing your observations and us guessing. Just a thought. Eventually it gets to be like boxing in the dark. Not that we're there yet.

Hey - you need to start more threads! A lot of times when this happens and the struts look good it's the mounts. Infact I believe GG just had an issue with mounts.

I don't mean to be condescending. But please double check all 3 markings. Crank and both cams. Remember to line up with the dots. Not hash marks or arrows. Although if you used the wrong marks usually you'd be having worse issues. It's really sounding like the TB. One of the other options is that the HG has issues. Not torqued correctly, non OEM gaskets, etc. on the drivers side. Usually it seems the other head is what bends valves first(1&3). Perhaps others will have other idea's. Make SURE that the cam sprocket on that side is seated properly(actually BOTH sides). I realize it's tight now - but is it seated properly at the notch?

First link didn't work for me.

Still probably the belt. Sometimes I've seen bogus cam or crank codes since it doesn't understand that the belt can be off. And these codes are intermittent. I'm in the belt is off a tooth or more camp as an educated guess.

I have several complete intake assy's if you decide to go that route. Don't know what a good one goes for. Most of mine are known good and they are all marked.

The "oil seperater/bafle plate" is on the right in that last pic. You gotta remove the engine or trans to get at it, and the transmission seal - if thats what you're looking for. If you remove the torgue converter make sure you look here to see how to seat it properly, it can be a real treat.

You need to buy yourself a 7/8 (IIR) open/box end wrench, some loosener of your choice (PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, Kroil, whatever) and an O2 sensor. Jack it up and get under it and look for about the least convenient place to get at on the exhaust system. You'll find the O2 sensor sticking up there by the front cat. If you unplug it the box end of wrench will fit over the plug. A little hammer action and you should be good. I anti-seize the new one. This is from memory so it may not be correct but I'll bet I'm close!

The ones I've bought were 80-100 my cost. Usually I have a used one though. There was a thread a while back about whether this should be an OEM part or not. I don't know if it ever reached a conclusion.

Known good sensor (or a new one). Seem to be finicky about the route wire takes from sensor up under throttle body. Usually you can see the "clean" mark where the old path was. Some folks say they are finicky about torque. I just make them snug. Never used a torque wrench and haven't had a problem yet.

yep. Ebay kit all the way. I usually keep one on stock and a new new style tensioner. Have lots of used ones. I almost always replace them (even on non-interference). Crazy not to while you're in there. As folks say. They seem good now. But will they last another 100k? That's also why I replace perfectly fine water pumps.

Mike, Glad it all went well. When you get to it you might want to replace that other Oring on the back of the head on the pass side. Dave

Things can get ugly when this happens. I started a thread about one that I just did a week or so ago with some pics. Unfortunatley in the heat of the moment I forget to take pick of the crankshaft that needed welded, ground down, and the keyway fixed. But there are pics of the harmonic balancer, oil pump, whatever the cogged pulley that drives the timing belt is called. Also trashed the timing belt cover. Never did find any known pieces of the key. Someone had installed a new Harmonic Balancer probably after their first screwup. Here is the link to that thread: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=100984

Where is Bellingham? I have one with a good RF (97 OBW). 50 bucks if you do the swapping. Left one was already sold/swapped. I'm near Pittsburgh.

I was looking for history on a WRX. I made an offer not knowing abotu the carfax. It needs a ton or work anyways. If I get the car I may sign up for the 10 pack or unlimited. If I do I'll try and assist other board members.

I bough the cheap Orange one (forget the brand) They go on sale at Sears and Advance for 50 bucks from time to time. You have to look up the code in a book. For another 25 bucks the next model up will tell you what the code means - very obtuse. I like the 50 dollar one because it'll fit in a jacket pocket. I have a fuller powered version for my laptop but I don't take it outside in the winter to read codes.

Bump. I need to know by about 10:15 this morning. Sorry for the impatience.

I could really use a carfax if someone has access I'd really appreciate it. PM me for the info please.