soobcollektor

Im pretty sure it stores the codes to, but auto zones little computer scan tool can't pull them they said. I really dont want to go to the dealer but maybe I could talk to my one mechanic friend that I worked with and see if he can hook me up for free. I dunno though it pretty much depends how busy they are and stuff. I just keep hoping for it to come back on again but no go so far. I just want it fixed and I don't want to hurt anything in the meantime so I havent been driving it much therefore not giving the light a chance to come back on. Im leaning more towards O2 sensor due to the mileage and i'm sure it was never replaced but it may be EGR I dunno.

Well, put some gas in her tonight and calculated mileage....14.4!! What an improvement :-( There is still no check engine light but it is still hesitating a bit on start (like at a light) very little in fact that no one seems to notice it but me, but I know it is doing it because I can hear it when I give it gas with the window down. I did'nt put any premium and there isnt any Amaco stations around here, We mainly have Sheetz and Citgo with the exception of the Giant Eagle Get Go station and a Kwik Fill. I try to run either Sheetz or Citgo. I almost wish that damn CEL would come back on so I can get the code. Autozone has no way to check stored codes they told me, Could an EGR valve cause this, Should I replace it or take it off and clean it. I know the code that I got was definetly related to the EGR. Maybe EGR Flow Malfunction? I can't remember. Or should I lean more towards the O2 sensor and the cats.

First off, I'm not complaining about the poor mileage in my car, I love the car and would never part with it, I am just inquiring as to why my gas mileasge has dropped to 13 mph from over 20 with really no signs other than an extremely random CEL, which doesnt come on any more, but isnt burnt out. I've been working on Subarus now for almost 7 years and have never seen a problem come up like this with no traces to the cause, I am tending to believe that it has something to do with EGR but i'm not sure because I would assume that the CEL would be on. Once again, I wouldnt complain about my car because I love it, I would just like to get a little better mileage like I used to. Gas prices are going back up and being a commuting college student i'd just like to save a little $$. Anyways...any insight on this will definetly be appreciated.

---Update--- The car has been hesitating just a little bit, but still no CEL. It only seems to hesitate when you give it gas to downshift or when you take off from a stop light, it is a slight hesitation but it is noticable. What could be causing this?? I havent been driving it much in fear of hurting something... Am I going to damage anythign by driving it?

Could it have anything to do with the EGR valve. After typing my last reply I remembered when I first got the car, The check engine light came on, so I had the code read and it was an EGR something, I dont remember what though since its been a while, Then the light went out on its own and I think it came back on for like 1 day again a month or so after that and thats been the last of it. I'm sorry I didnt remember this sooner, It totally left my mind untill I was thinking about that CEL. There is no light now though, but could this have something to do with this. I do remember when the light was on the car seemed to have LOTS of power. I wish I could remember the code that it threw......but I know it was something to do with the EGR valve.

I have somewhat of a heavy foot depending on my mood, and its combined city and some (but more city) driving. I just did a 4 wheel brake job to the car, new rotors and pads all the way around, everything is and sliding properly, I clean off the rust on the caliper bridges and check the calipers and they are all good. Tire pressure is perfect all the way around, I run what the one tech always told me to run in my cars when I worked at the dealer, 32- 33 in each tire. 138,000 miles on the car, no recent work done to it other than I resealed the oil pump and changed the timing belt about 10,000 miles ago. No check engine lights, and its an Auto AWD, the amount of miles I drive a week varies substantially. The gas cap looks to be in good condition and im assuming its sealing properly cause would'nt that trigger a CEL? As far as the plugs being changed, I changed them when I did the timing belt at or around 10,000 miles ago. The one thing I did notice last night, I went out to the store, 10 miles round trip, and came home to vacuum it out, well I left it run while I went to get the vacuum and when I got out of the car I noticed the exhaust smelling. It smelled kinda like that smell you get when your following a car up a steep hill and you can smell their car kinda "working" to get up the hill. Like a somewhat sulfurish smell. Maybe unburnt fuel or something....What could this be? And yes I use the odometer, it seems that every one of my soobs gas guages are off, but instead of fixing them I'd rather just use the odometer.

Hello all, I am relatively new to the 2.5 world, I used to work at a stealership as a tech's assistant but had to quit when I started college. I'm used to the 95 and older soobs, but so far I like the 2.5 and have have done a headgasket job on one and have 2 more cars needing them replaced, a 98, and a 99. I used to help on headgasket jobs all the time at the dealer but never had the opportunity to own this engine because at that time I had my 95 LSI with the 2.2. Anyways on my other 99 Outback I have 138,000 miles and no headgasket problems although I am unaware if they have been replaced or not, BUT I filled up today and calculated 13 miles per gallon. I could'nt believe it, the car runs awesome, plenty of power and no CEL. What could be causeing this? This is not the first instance of this poor mileage but it has never been this low. Any insight on this would be greatly appreciate as I hear the price of gas in on the rise again. Thanks Tim, formerly fldcar

My legacy did the exact same thing, every time it would over heat and I would rev it and the temp would go back down I later on after seeing there still was a problem I concluded it would do this because the water pump was able to pump through the air bubble since it was running so fast at high RPM's and circulate the coolant to cool it down. I then decided to drive it after I cooled it down and it appeared fine. The temp never rose and everthing seemed ok, Then I had to pass someone on a 2 lane country road and I floored it and redlined it to pass them....shortly thereafter I lost all heat from the vents and she pegged in the red and overheated. Pulled it over and revved it to cool it down and it came down a little so I started to drive again and back up it went. Point of story: Try driving your car hard and see what happens and i'm willing to bet that it will overheat again. It seems that the extra load put on the engine while driving is enough to cause the hairline crack in the block to let pressure into the system and over heat it.

Color-Blind is right....At the dealership I worked at we did'nt replace the headgaskets in the 90 2.2 either....There was a design flaw in them and I have been through 3 count them 3 different 89-90 engines in my 90 Legacy failing with exactly the same symptoms, Finally installed a 91 engine and have had no problems since. Seems the blocks get hairline cracks, I was always told that they appeared most frequenty in the #2 and #4 cylinders but I dont know, I never pulled any of my heads to examin them. IMO I would definetly try to replace the engine with a newer model and you should be fine.

Hi, I actually just changed the front O2 Sensor on a 2002 Forester yesterday. Its quite simple, I used a Subaru sensor which was like 79.00 and the only tools you need are a small flat screwdriver and a 22mm wrench (which I could'nt find so I used a medium sized adjustable cresent wrench) The screwdriver is used to pry off the little plastic clip on the sensor's wiring harness, once that grey clip is off, just pull the harness apart. I removed the intake are hoses (2 10mm bolts) to free up some space to get at the harness. You need to reach above the converter with the wrench (working underneath the car) and get the wrench on the sensor and loosen it. I used a set of ramps to elevate the car. Then once its loosened, screw it out, and screw the new one in. Hook up the harness and hold the wire back with the little bendable clip down by the axle (just bend it around the wire) and your good to go. Start up the car and do a test run to make sure its running okay. I took mine to autozone and begged them to erase the code and shut out the light and he did. (they're not allowed to erase the codes just tell you what they are) Hope this helps some...... Tim

Hi all, I am going to be attempting to replace the headgaskets in my 97 Outback this weekend and was wondering ifd there is anything that i should know before I start. Ive done many headgaskets on Subarus before, including the 2.2, 1.8, 2.7 liter engines but never the 2.5. I've been reading and researching my repair manual and it seems as if i need to remove the cams to access the head bolts. How difficult is this to do and are there any gaskets I'll need other than the headgaskets, intake manifold gaskets, and exhaust gaskets, given the valve cover gaskets are ok. Also the torque sequence seems to be a little different than what i'm used to and is ther eany specific tool that I can use to measure the angles listed in the torque specs. Thanks in advance guys and i'm really looking forward to tearing into this engine, oh and by the way i've decided to leave the engine in the car, more of a challenge that way Tim (formerly fldcar)

I recently purchased an Impreza and need to install a spolier on it. I got one at a junkyard off of an Impreza but need the paper Templates to line it up on the trunk lid and show me where to drill the holes. Does anyone out there have these templates from their Subaru kit that they bought, that they would be willing to scan and send to me. (soobcollektor@yahoo.com) Thanks in advance.