mikec03

You should read some of the DIY's or watch a few of the many you tubes on subaru timing belt changes. Here is a DIY for the 95 for example. http://lovehorsepower.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48:1995-subaru-legacy-outback-timing-belt-and-water-pump-replacement&catid=10:subaru-legacy&Itemid=64

I have replaced three starters in late 90's subarus with advanced auto remains. No problems with them [although at first I thought one was defective but it turned out to be the wiring to the starter solenoid]. Of course, the starters in the 90's subarus are apparently different then in the 05's. Just wanted to post to offset negative comments about the advanced auto starters.

I would drain and fill multiple times? It's going to cost over $1000, maybe over $2000. Ct isn't going to cover it. You better have a lawyer send them a letter. I don't really see how you can avoid telling subaru [unless you do the draining and filling yourself] about it and, yes, I think it will void the guarantee. Maybe ct would just want to replace your car.

The second one is good assuming you can find out who did the HG and talk to them to gauge their ability [Good question: How many HG's do you do a year]. The white 2000 would be best if the Brighton had a 2.2 engine but I think that they discontinued it in 99.

No! That's probably a waste of time. I had the same problem with a MAF on a 97 legacy. It didn't set any code for quite a while. Finally, after stalling 5-6 time, it set a MAF code. I went to the junk yard, got one, and replaced it. Problem solved. Cost $50.

I've replaced about 4 starters on 2.2 engines. They are $80 [rebuilt] at advanced auto. I haven't had a problem with them. I believe that all the ones I replaced were OEM, but they all were at least 10 years old. Tip: To get at the bottom bolt, the last time I did it, I took off the left front tire. It was easier.

I missed the "intermittently" failure of your earlier post. While I also question whether you have a MAF since my 02 doesn't, it does sound like my MAF failure on a 97. The 97 would just stall after driving for 1 to 10 miles, and then after sitting for awhile, it would run OK again. It didn't at first set a MAF code so I was forced to just replace things at random. Finally it did set a MAF code, I went to the junk yard, got a replacement, and problem solved.

Yeah, I also vote to check the timing. If you do it your self, it's just a couple of hours of work, even you go all the way and take off the harmonic balancer.

Pushed a 1/2 miles, sideways, by a truck! I'll bet that was exciting. I have owned two 95 subarus and still own one. It was a great year for subarus. You were a single owner, too. Wow. Sorry for your loss but maybe you can find a replacement 2.2 engine subaru, although they are getting scarce. How many miles were on it?

I never have a mechanic check a used car although I'm not totally against it. It's just the the time to get the car to the mechanic and back, even assuming that the mechanic can fit you in at a convenient time, is a hassle. Plus, not many mechanics are familiar with the problems of a subaru. So the HG could be leaking and they wouldn't know to look closely for it. Consumer reports only goes back 8 years[?] and it mostly misses major problems that don't develop until 4+ years. And if their website would brake down the car reported problems to specific areas [such as head gaskets], then CR would be 100% more valuable. I think that the first thing you should do is focus on one model of one mgf and a few years of production. Exm: Corolla 2004-2008. Google for problems and the model, year, etc. Read some of the blogs like this one. All mgf.s have had major engine and other problems, such as the oil usage of 2013+ outback w/FB engine. It's smart to be aware of these problems. And buy from a private party to save money as well as being able asking them specific questions. For example, I wouldn't buy a used 2013 outback from a dealer but I would from a private party if they assured me that it did use excessive oil. My personal experience: I have bought 5 used car, each over 10 years old. Three have been home runs. Two, I shouldn't have bought if [1] I had thought about it some more and [2] followed my own advice above. It's important to ask the private seller questions and to take into consideration their answers. However, sometimes the deal is so good that you have to buy it even if the sellers answers are not reassuring.

Use the gates kit with the Aisin water pump. And no, the aftermarket stuff is not the same as OEM. If you are worried about it and you have extra money that you need to get rid of, then buy OEM.

Yeah, the manual says check it hot. It doesn't matter assuming that you do it the same way each time. As a matter of interest, I check the oil on my 014 while it is hot. I did a test. I took the dipstick out for 1 min, 5min, and 10min.periods. In each case I reinserted the dip stick for 2 sec. and then read the level. In the case of 1 min vs 5 min, there was a 1/4 inch increase. Between 5 min and 10 min, there was very little difference. I only did it once because, if you do it twice, you don't know which data to believe. LOL I learned this from a career as an engineer.

Boy, did you get a good deal! I can't help you with most of your questions, but I did the timing belt, bushing, water pump, etc myself on four 2.2 engine subarus and I have no mechanical ability at all. So if you can't do it, you will have to look for a different line of work. There are things that you have to be careful about, but with all the you tube diy videos, there is no excuse for doing it wrong. Replace the knock sensor without thinking about it using ebay. They go bad frequently and they are cheap. Oil leaks could be a problem but I'm sure you know that you have to clean up all the oil and look for the leaking areas. There are a lot of areas on a subaru that leak. The transfer plate is the worst because you have to pull the motor to get at it. The valve covers also leak a lot, but that fix is cheap and easy. Good luck.

It does sound like it could be an anti theft problem. Did you try calling the dealership and ask them for help. Also someone here should also be able to help out. I could tell you how to deactivate a anti theft lockout for a 97, but I doubt that it is the same for a 03. You should work to get a service manual and operating manual either from the internet or on one of these forums. You can read in the manual how to deactivate the anti theft device.

Thats the starter solenoid connection. Does the car have a remote door lock and alarm? The same thing happened on my 95 a few times and it was caused by the add on remote door lock that some idiot installed. But it can happen with the OEM remote lock too.

fairtax4me is giving you good advice. But you have to replace the knock sensor. They are only $10 [chinese] or $40 [japanese] off the internet, assuming that they will ship them to Argentina.

Yes, we need more information. Since you are mechanically inclined, you know the problem it is either air, gas, or spark. You have to start working your way through these alternatives. While there are almost unlimited possibilities, you can start by listening to hear the gas pump run. When you turn the ignition on, but don't crank, the pump is supposed to run for about 2 sec.

That is a very clear you tube DIY! For people who don't want to spend the time watching the you tube, the engine is a SOHC 2.5. He initially used a cheap no-name internet HG and had to redo the job 6 months later because of coolant leak into the cylinders. He now recommends OEM, Felpro, or Sixstar. The heads were warped over .004 even though they had been machined flat 6 months earlier [max .002 is the spec].

When you buy a used car and you don't know when the timing belt was changed [assuming the car doesn't have the lifetime chain as some recent cars do] then you immediately change the timing belt and pulleys and tensioner and water pump. But you have a more serious problem, which is where is the coolant leak. The driver side of the timing belt cover comes off with 3 or 4 10 mm screws. You don't have to remove the crank pulley or the center part of the timing belt cover. So remove the diver side cover and see if the water pump is leaking. There is no use worrying about anything else until you find the leak.

What did the no. 4 spark plug look like when you pulled it out?

To answer the question "are these textbook HG symptoms?" I will summarize 100's of posts on this and other forums. Yes, they are! The suggestion to substitute a 2.2 engine is spot on. Thats really the only way to proceed.

Everything that has been said is fine. I just want to emphasize [1] the failure mode of this car is overheating. So your daughter has to kind of keep an eye on the temperature. Since you have had it for 1 1/2 years without overheating, that kind of indicates that maybe the HG's were done and done right before you got the car. [2] call the people who did the timing belt work and get the milage and find out if they replaced the pulleys. If they did, then you can forget about the timing belt until 60K from the previous replacement. 60K is the normal replacement for the 90's subarus. Fixing the crankshaft leak is kind of expensive. It's possible that the dealership was guessing. If it's only a slight deposit at the bottom of the timing belt cover, I would just drive it until the timing belt is replaced.

You may be right, but all I can say is that I have purchased 4 from advanced auto and had no problems with them. Last summer, my son's 97 with 205 k miles, had a few times where the engine didn't turn over when trying to start. Then after 1 or 50 min, he could get it to turn over and start. Typical starter failure mode. So we replaced the starter, and no problem throught the wisconsin winter and 15K miles later.

It is a little confusing. You buy a new solenoid which you mount on the back of the engine compartment. Then you take the wire off the starter solenoid and use it to energise the new solenoid. Then you run a wire from the positive post of the battery, with a 30 amp fuse, to the contacts on new solenoid and then from there to the starter solenoid. Now the power to the starter solenoid is much higher, although the operation is unchanged. The logic behind this is that, somewhere in the existing wiring, there has developed additional resistance, which has reduced the amps [power] to the starter solenoid. Change your starter before worrying about it. It's only $80. MultiQuote

I've replaced 4 starters on 90's subarus, so that's my go to fix whenever the starter misses even once. The advanced auto ones have worked for me. However if a rebuilt starter doesn't work, on the 90's subaru there has been a problem with sufficient power to the starter solenoid. The fix has been to install a solenoid and run a power line from the battery through the solenoid to the starter solenoid. At one time, a guy on the internet was selling a kit to do that but a person can find the solenoid at advanced auto and diy. I only had to do that on one of my subarus.