mikec03

I believe there is a problem with the "any green" is OK. The Subaru Long Life, which is green, is advertised as silicone and phosporus free. However if you look at Peak Conventional Green, it specifically includes silicone and phosporus. Some posters have said that the Peak Long Life in the blue bottle is the proper match for the Subaru Long Life [white bottle]. For the record, the following antifreezes are sold by Peak Global Lifetime [OAT, P & S free, Gold bottle]; Long Life [P & S free, Blue bottle, no mention of OAT]; Conventional Green ["patented Aluminium Protection" containing S and P, Blue bottle]; Cool [Dex-Cool equivilent, Gray bottle]. By the way, I'm using the Peak Conventional Green in my two 90's subarus and the Subaru Long Life in my 02 subaru. I have no idea if this is the proper thing to do.

It sounds like the starter solenoid is energizing but the engine is not cranking. I own and have owned four 95 to 97 subarus. This unfortunately has happened to me a few times. One: the starter solenoid contacts may not be making, even though the solenoid is energizing. The contacts get corroded and dirty. Solution: replace the starter. I have done this at least three times. Two: the voltage to the starter solenoid may be too low to make the contacts even though the solenoid is energizing. This has happened to me once. Solution: install a slave relay and run a line directly from the battery. In all my cases, I was able to get the car to crank after waiting a few minutes to a few hours. But to keep it from happening again, I replaced the starter usually with a used subaru starter, although the last time I used a rebuilt one from the auto store. You can also take off the starter and replace the solenoid contacts, but this is too complicated for me.

I had the same problem with my 02. I tried replacement bushings. They didn't work for long. Finally I went to a junk yard and got a complete replacement, motor and all. Fixed problem at low cost. I don't think that the wipers fail too often so there is no problem finding replacements at the junk yards.

Good call! I knew about the low level on the brake fluid reservoir lighting the brake light, but I forgot about it. The level wasn't at the low point but the float may be a little defective. Anyway, refilling to the top extinguished the light.

On by 95 legacy, my parking brake light has come on and stayed on. I knew there is a 15 cent switch under the brake handle, and it probably needed adjustment. So I took off the center plastic housing. But there was nothing wrong with the switch or the adjustment. There is no voltage on the wire going to the switch! So I can't turn off the light even with a jumper. The wire to the switch disappears under the carpet below the passenger's seat. I'm reluctant to take out the seat. Where does this wire connect? No other light or indicator seems to be malfunctioning. Any ideas?.

The last time that happened on my 95, it was a defective MAF. It didn't set a code, until the 5th time it did it.

On your 97 subaru, the transmission drain is facing the drivers side, and just under the drivers feet. The other oil drains, which have been confused with the transmission drain, are: [1] the oil drain. This is facing the passenger side, near the front of the vehicle. [2] the front differential drain. This is a little further to the rear then the oil drain, is set at a 30 deg angle to the ground, and is "recessed" into the bottom of the engine [this is the only way I can describe it]. You can't even see this drain unless you have the car raised off the ground and you crawl under it.

Yes, I kind of thought that the amp load should be less then 20. I put in a 30 amp fuse and it started OK this morning at 10 degF. There might be something wrong with the solenoid. Maybe it shorts at random times? I understand the reason for the separate relay. I guess I will drive it and see if the relay fuse fails again. This is really a bad time in Wisconsin to have starter problems.

Yea, I figured that the solenoid isn't operating up to its original capacity. However, I also see that the OEM wire that energizes the solenoid appears to be 10 g or thicker. Ten gage implies an amp load that the subaru engineers figured would be near or above 20 amps at the worst conditions [based on 5% voltage lose over 6 ft] So, I put in a 30 amp fuse and I will see if it works. I'm not enthusiastic about taking out the alternator at 10 degF.

My starter on 95 subaru would occasionally not turn over. So I took the wire to the starter solenoid wire and used it to pull in a relay which I mounted on the fire wall. And then ran a wire directly from the battery, though the relay to the starter solenoid. The use of a relay in this situation is a fairly common correction which has been mentioned many times on this forum. Unfortunately, now the wire from the battery to the started solenoid is occasionally blowing a 20 amp fuse that I wired in! I can't find what the amp rating for the starter solenoid is, but it must be less then 20 amps? So is the starter defective?

+1 to doing the timing belt, pulleys, water pump, etc. This would be easy for you do do. Whenever you buy a used subaru, you have to do the timing belt etc if you can't determine the last time it was done. Once you have the timing belt covers off, you may be able to see where the leak is. You can even leave off the covers and run it for a month to see if you can find the leak. Forget about the HG's until you can find the leak. Don't trust the mechanic. Just be sure to check and add coolent frequently so it doesn't run low.

In answer to your question, it should take about 12 hr to replace the head gasket and all timing belt components, and install the motor.. This is based the charges to me for a HG and timing belt replacement on a 2.5 SOHC. This assumes that no other problems develop such as the exhaust falling apart.

I just bought a 95 legacy with 126K for $2200. So your price is in the ballpark. Check a few things if only to get the price down: Are the struts OK The CV boots [4 on front axles] and boots on the steering may be split. The exhaust may be ready to fall apart, especially the flanges upstream from the cat converter. Check for bad rust in the frame under the rear end. Also ask seller for information on what was done when the timing belt was replaced. The pulleys should have been replaced, although this is a non interference engine so a timing belt problem wouldn't be catastrophic.

The tire store admits that it possibly could be a mgf. defect which I already knew. On my 02, I put on Kelly Charger tires a few years ago. It immediately pulled a little to the right. The tire store confirmed the pull, checked the alignment, then pulled off both front tires and replaced them. No charge. I haven't had a problem with the 02 since. So defects happen. I should have rotated the tires at 6K, and then if there was a defect in a back tire, there wouldn't much wear on it so I could have put on a new one on. Of course, the tire could have been damaged in use, but being on the driver rear position, it's not likely. The following from the internet. Conicity refers to the belts not being perfectly aligned prior to valcanization. Tire conicity is a fairly common phenomenon in new tires. It is also referred to as "radial pull" and sometimes "tire pull." Conicity is where a properly inflated tire causes a vehicle to pull to the right or left when driven. Conicity is covered under the tire maker's warranty, as long as it is properly and promptly diagnosed. When the new tires are installed on the vehicle and a tire with conicity goes on the front, the effect is obvious. Less obvious is when the bad tire is originally installed on the rear. It may be several thousand miles later before the tire is rotated to the front and the problem is revealed.

UPDATE I put the tires back where they originally were, backs on the back, fronts on the front. Problem solved. No pulling. The defective tire turned out to be the drivers rear. I figured this out by swapping two tires at a time and test driving. The defective rear tire looks pristine. When the front tires are switched and the pulling switches left to right, it has to be the tires. It can't be alignment, wheel bearing, etc because these are not effected by changing the tires.

I have had at least 3 subarus that have had [i think] tread separation problems. All tires either Goodyear or Kelly. In the current case, I have 15K on Kelly explorer tires, and so I rotated the back to the front. There was about 1/16" more wear on the front tires then the back. The car then pulled pretty hard to the right. So I swapped the front tires, and it then pulled to the left. Obvious tire problem, right? Is anyone else running into this problem? If I put on a new tire for the defective tire, then I'm risking torque bind. I have already had torque bind develop on a subaru so I'm sensitive to the problem. I'm just going to put the defective tire, after I identify it, on the back. I don't think it will cause pulling in the back, at least I didn't notice anything before I rotated them. So there will be one slightly larger tire on the front and one in the back, on opposite sides. I'll get some more mileage on them and replace them all next summer. Comment?

Doesn't a flashing CEL light set a code? I am asking for information.

So the original owners HG replacement, which was done at 80K, lasted 190K miles! I think everyone who has done a HG replacement would be happy with that many miles. While I don't own a 90's DOHC, a number of posters have said that the standard replacement subaru HG's are a good fix. Note that this only applies to the 2.5 DOHC! I also think that I have read that the replacement hg's are MLS which you should be able to see at the edges. Maybe some of our mechanics will confirm.

I want to follow up on my previous post, where I said that I wouldn't buy a 00-09 subaru unless under very favorable conditions. Everything posted here just confirms my thinking. In 2010, subaru started to install MLS gaskets in the legacy/outback. I have hope that this 3 layer gasket will eliminate HG failures, and consequently I have started to track the prices of the 10 and 11 legacy/outbacks. In 12 they went to the FB engine [earlier in the forester and others] which may have also solve the HG problem.

+1 for 75 to 120K for the 00-04's. Of course there are exceptions. My 02 went at 90K. I wouldn't buy the 00-09 used subaru's knowing what I know now, unless it was from someone I know or at a rediculously low price.

You may be wondering how to read the voltage [0.5v] at closed throttle? When I replaced my sensor, also on a 97, I followed advise on this forum and stuck pins through two of the wires and put clips from the voltage meter on the pins. Worked fine.

You have eliminated the obvious things like a bad fuel pump, which is what kept my 95 from starting. In addition to what nipper pointed out, I believe a bad MAF will also keep the car from starting. Not sure and maybe someone else will contribute but I'm absolutely sure that it will stall the car. When it happened to me, I didn't get a check engine light.

+1 to checking the timing [ie crank vs the two cams] before you do anything else. You have to get the timing belt cover off and that means getting the harmonic modulator [aka outer crank pully] off. Getting it off is difficult but there are many diy on the web and here. I used the "starter jog with a bar against the driver side frame" method and it worked fine. I'd also invest in a six sided socket. When putting the bolt back back on, use 130 ft lb instead of whetever the 97 service manual says. Subaru constintly increased the torque for this bolt from 95 to 00 until they arrieved at 130 ft lb.

Check the value on Edmonds. KBB is unrealistic. You can't do anything about the insurance compensation anyway, but it may make you feel better.

I also had a randum shotdown from the MAF on a 95. It didn't set a code until it did it 5-6 times. Replaced MAF from junkyard and no problems since.