davebugs

You'll sort it out. I wouldn't be shopping for another 2.5 just yet. If it weren't a JDM (since I have no experience with those). I'd be looking at the coil pack connector, the coil pack, spark plug wires, ignitor. If you don't have extra plug wires I'd swap them (front to back) to see if the issue is solved, or follows the wires. I hope we're talking about Suby wires and NGK Vgroove plugs? BKRE5-11's or whatever they are - I'm not in the garage. What brand of coil pack? What parts that I mentioned are known good from the old engine? What parts came with the unknown JDM?

Michele (with one L), Welcome. Lots of folks here have done JDM swaps. I have not. I either fix the 2.5 or more likely do the 2.2 swaps. I will say that when installed/reinstalled both 2.2 and 2.5's are often really noisey. Either JY engines or the same engine with new HG's. Marvel Mystery Oil and a good enthusiastic drive will usually quiet them a bit within 20 miles or so. I've heat cycled as part of burping 2.5's by letting them run for an hour - twice and still the "extra noise". The drive solves it. Folks here firmirliar with JDM's should help you out. If the wireing gets too bad I have a 97 OBW I plan on parting next week that runs/drives. Dave

Sometimes a few cement blocks, old rims, etc. help to stop from chasing the parts around the stall. Or trying to get all the angles while holding the part.

Permatex Ultra Grey You need to clarify the rocket cover gasket question.l You mean in the corners by the cam caps? If so - the same ultra grey The only tube of stuff you need is ultra-grey. No need for copper spray for the HG's - assuming the heads and engine are fine and you're using Suby gaskets. SHort of that I don't think anything will help you - including copper spray. No special oil for the bolts. Just engine oil (Not even assembly lube). If I need a little lube for Orings - depending on where I use petroleum jelly if in contact with oil/fuel. Generic KY if in contact with water (thermostat Oring). Others will chime in with corrections of their personal favorites.

I think you were lucky. Congratulations. I forget what engine you're working on. If you need some head bolts let me know. I have a 97 2.5 torn apart and the head bolts should be on the shelf. Unless someone is close or you prefer new. I'll be leaving in the morning for the weekend(gonna be great weather).

May not be fully into park.

I'm guessing that's why he got the wrong part. I've never needed to replace those Orings shown on that DOHC. But sure have done plenty on the 2.2 as the OP was trying to do. Wonder what he got for the oil pump Oring - they all seem to be the same? I do have issues from time to time with my local dealer's parts counter. But nothing like this.

A few possibilities: You bought the world's cheapest/crappiest belt (nothing should have stretched with all the more it's been used). Something isn't right. Like moving the tensioner to the left then tightening the 2 bolts. Or - sometimes there is some slack until you pull the pin and turn the engine over by hand (I do 2 full revolutions - but I'm paranoid) and recheck things.

I have a set of the originals (before everyone else copied them) called Xtractor. Problem is that they take a wrench/socket, not a rathet, breaker bar, or extension. Sears (and I believe Irwin, and probably Snap-on, etc.) now make the same product. I bought a Sears set (actually one set like up to 12mm and another set 13mm and up to like 17)? They will take a ratchet/breaker bar. I've only used the Sears set 3-4 times. On the Xtractor set they have replaced the 13mm one 3 times for me. I guess I'm hard on them. Anyways that head bolt has a lot or torgue naturally, then there have been recent discussions here about rust, etc on the bolts. It's really gonna be a problem. I wish you well.

Excellent. They are very skinny. They are the only Orings that I know of that come 2 to a pack and near that size for a Suby. WOnder what you got the first time?

Dye to add to your oil, a black light, and goofy glasses. The conbination or the black light and the yellow safety glasses makes the oil glow flourescent green. IIR Advance had cheap kits for oil. I was looking for a coolant kit and ended up buying a kit for like 100 bucks elsewhere for AC, coolant, and oil/trans fluid. I used the last of my trace dye yesterday for oil. It's like 8 bucks for an ounce at Advance and depending on teh brand of dye it tale 1/2 to 1 oz. Sure can save a lot of time and speculation.

Here's a thought. I finally broke down and bought one of those trace sets to deal with a 99 Forester. I bought the complete kit. But IIR kits to do one thing (lets say oil, or coolant) were like 20 bucks. That'll help tell you whether it's new oil or old oil.

I unplug the TPS to get at TC bolts but never undo the TPS - sounds like a pain to reset if needed. He's just looking for the bunghole. But it is under that wire loom.

Perhaps someone else can chime in. I've never run into this. The one at the rear of the head on the passenger side is a bugger - very tight fit. The drivers side front has more stuff going on but usually is actually easier to seat.

Don't know if you're doing anything wrong - but I'm not understanding you. First off - Suby Orings? They are very thin as opposed to the Orings out of an assortment box. The old hard ones are always triangular any typically break when trying to remove them. Personally I refer to drivers and passengers side when discussing cams and Orings. I've heard all kinds of things (almost like stage left instread of Right, etc.) when folks are discussing these things. On the LF (drivers) side the Oring is on the front(right by the cam sensor). On the Right (passenger) side at the rear of the head is the other Oring that has a simple plate with 2 bolts that holds it in there. Very tight fit - I always use assembly lube and a rubber mallett.

There are Orings that go around the spark plug tubes that you replace when you do the valve cover gaskets. Usually these Orings leak ling before the VC gaskets. But they are all replaced at the same time since VC removal is necessary. Depending on what I'm doing I don't worry about it. I just add that to the list of what to do next time major maintenance is taking place(like the clutch, baffle plate, HG, etc.) This oil won't smell, it doesn't even seem to do much to the plug wire boots. Don't get me wrong it's not a good thing, but often it isn't even noticed. A minor out of the way annoyance rarely corrected as a standalone issue. All in my opinion or course.

Mike - see my post#5 in this thread.

Very true - but usually a bit of a different smell.

What year/model? I buy name brand good quality. Bendix, Wagner(more available locally what I mostly use), even Coni-Seal on my personal car because I needed them in a hurry and they have been working well. Never done ceramics. Terrible few experiences with Advance Silver's on Suby's (whne I needed pads in a hurry).

Knowing the year always helps. But a 2001 SOHC would have the new style one piece tensioner assy.

Yep. Infact I'm doing my first Suby ever that I just didn't pull and seal the entire engine. The ENTIRE underneath is covered in oil. 99 Impreza 2.2. The whole way back to the muffler. It was a real smoker. The back of the car looks like a diesel. The entire engine was covered in oil on the bottom. I couldn't find a likely source on the front of the engine which was covered with oil. I did oil pump Oring, resealed it (all phillips were tight), Suby crank and cam seals. There is so much oil to burn off! I put 200 miles on it yesterday. I figured with 67k and probably a metal baffle plate that I'd risk it. Now I gotta try and clean it up and see if the baffle is leaking and I gotta yank it anyways. I should know today. But I'm also guessing the seller thought it was the rear main seal (which is probably isn't) but the labor to fix the baffle plate is the same so they just sold it.

Once they were past the pinch weld on the rocker they looked no further. Atleast they got past bending the pinch weld - you need to look at the positive. At the risk of upsetting another group of folks I've seen a lot of tire places lift in the wrong place. Cars that I work on and do the maintenance on. One of the many reasons I got a 4 post lift. It's not always the best but there isn't the inconvenience of getting under the car to look at jack points 4 times on each car. That's more trips under the car than would be needed for lets say an oil change. In short it comes down to laziness in my opinion. Not training, not the lift, the unwillingness to be particular about one's work. They figure no one will ever know or be able to trace it back to them. Would be a heck of a topic for one of those consumer guys on the news. Take a car to different garages and see who lifts it properly.

Did it have the smell before? Did you pull the engine and seal the baffle plate? That's the most common cause in my experience. But on the 99 Forester it's metal which is much better than the plastic ones. You did use Suby seals?

See the TPS? It's on the throttle body on the passenger side. There is a black plastic piece on it with a blue label (the TPS). Lood DIRECTLY BELOW it. Right where the engine meets the tranny on the engine side. There is a bit of wireing harness covering the black plastic plate about 2 inches around (It's not exactly square or round). It's right by the tab to hook a chain to when removing the engine. It'll have a little tab on top that you can use to pry on. I've never successfully gotten one back in - and I don't worry about it.