Fairtax4me

Imagine that! [/sarcasm] I've heard that you should use sealer on head gaskets for cast iron head and block engines. I've only done one HG job on a cast iron block and head engine though. Didn't use any sealer, and it worked out fine. At least until it went to the junkyard. Never use sealer on aluminum heads though.

I always check trans fluid on a perfectly clean white rag, and I dip the stick 3 or 4 times to get a good idea of the color of the fluid on the rag. If it's not clean clear red, it gets changed. It does look a bit dark in the pic you posted of the dipstick. The darkness in the drained fluid is probably mostly clutch material. You'll find out if it worked in 1000 miles or so. If it doesn't quit altogether, it's probably OK.

No extra weight or drag if you remove the rear diff and half axles as well. Did you have this problem before the swap? Did you put a jack under the transmission pan during the engine install?

$10 Bottle of TransX might help. Either way you get to spend money on it. You don't have to do a full flush though, a quick drain and refill will likely be enough to see if there is any noticeable difference.

Don't worry about the TPS for now. Get a marker or some whiteout to mark the screw with before you adjust it. Here's the basic Subaru underhood layout. This is on my 96. Your 03 might look a bit different mainly a large black box at the back where I have marked in red. You might have to remove the box to get room to adjust the screw on yours. I don't know for sure. The throttle body is circled in blue and the stop screw is on the drivers side of that. This is the view from the drivers side. Here you can see the throttle cable and the cruise control cable where they attach to the levers on the throttle body. The screw on mine is visible from the back of the throttle body. Circled in red here. There is a lock nut on the screw which has to be loosened first. Hold the screw with a screwdriver while you loosen the nut with a box end wrench. When you mark the screw be sure to mark the nut as well. The area where the screw contacts the throttle lever I couldn't get a picture of. This may all be different on your engine but hopefully these pics will help you find the screw. Check to see if there is any gap between the screw and throttle lever. If there is, turn the screw just until it makes contact. Then turn it another 1/4 - 1/2 turn and tighten the lock nut. Start the engine and see how it runs. Let it warm to operating temp and if it is running fine and idle is normal, take it for a short drive to see if the throttle still sticks.

Subaru specifies no more than 1/4" difference in Circumference, not diameter. Different brands could mean different circumference. Measure around the outside of each tire. If they are all within 1/4" circumference they should be fine. If not go get a set of 4 new ones.

Where did this thread come from? We already covered all of this didn't we? http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=119153

I'm drawing a blank here... VC? A thumping /rumbling on acceleration could be a well worn, or damaged U joint or driveshaft carrier bearing/bushing assembly. Could also be a damaged or worn CV joint.

Yeah the Forester / OB trailing arm mounts are about an inch "taller" than regular legacy/impreza mounts. I had heard the OB trailing arms were longer, but I looked up the part number and it's the same for OB Leg, Imp, and Forester.

Right. It should only be a matter of adjusting the stop screw back to (or as close as possible to) it's original setting and adjusting the TPS. Reset the ECU and it should be golden.

OMFG ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!??! Seahawks beat Saints??!!!?? Those were my exact words, at the end of that game. Good game Seahawks! Don't think they'll win the next one though. (Of course I said that about their last 2 games so... :-p ) Free engines? If nothing else you would have lots of good parts. Heads for a Franken block? Are you getting just engines or accessories too (alt,ps,ac) ?

Bad ground. Imagine that. You just never know what a bad ground wire will screw up. Speaking of... that gives me an idea for another problem thread...

Swapping parts is easy and is a perfectly fine way to test things IF, if if if, you already have the parts. I don't recommend anyone go waste money on new parts to try to fix something when they don't know with absolute certainty that said part is the problem. Swapping the ECU is the hardest of all of those, only because you have to pull back the carpet to get to it, so I don't see where Nipper thinks you have "gone wrong" by swapping parts. But I can understand that he may be frustrated from previous experiences with people who want to swap parts, and do no other testing/diagnosis to rule out various components or circuits. But since a "swapped" part may in fact add to the problem if it doesn't fix it, you should remove it and re-install the old parts. What, if any, other testing have you done to help track down the problem? Anything besides checking for short circuits? Did you ever determine a cause for the blown fuses?

You can post links in this thread! I'd like to get a copy of that downloaded to go along with the rest of the FSMs I have. My axle seals leak as well. Have been meaning to replace them but the leak is very slow. I think I may have damaged the right one when I had the transmission apart since it leaks more than the left one. Those are a bit tricky to replace since the rings they are mounted in set the preload on the differential bearings, as well as adjust backlash for the ring gear.

You may find a place that will do it cheaper where you are. Call around a few shops and ask for estimates. A Subaru specific shop would be the best choice since they are more likely to know what they're doing. Yep. It has to at least be separated from the transmission and moved forward enough to get the old parts out and the new parts in. It's easier if you have the engine out where you have room, but it can be done without completely removing it from the car.

After re-reading, I am thinking the exact same thing now as well. I have heard of the cables hanging up and holding the throttle open. But if the throttle is sticking CLOSED it is probably that little adjustment screw. The common way to adjust those type of screws on carburetters was to back it off until you could see a gap between the screw and the "stop", which is that little part that sticks out from the cable bracket for the screw to contact. Once you see a gap turn it in until it just touches, then give it another 1/2 turn. Now that might not be right for Subaru, but if it helps the sticking throttle problem then you are at least getting somewhere. The main problem with adjusting the throttle plate rest position is that it throws off the TPS reading. The ECU sees the change in throttle position and assumes the driver is pressing the skinny pedal and adjusts fuel mixture accordingly. If it thinks that the throttle plate is too far closed, it may lower idle speed which will confuse the ECU as well.

I'll see if I can dig up some pics tomorrow. It's not hard to find, and the cable is easy to remove and adjust with basic tools. Right now need sleep....

Circle Auto Recycling. It's a "pick-n-pull" place, but very well laid out. They also have another location in Richmond. Search inventory online. They don't list a phone number on their website but you can look it up and call to ask for specifics about certain cars. http://www.chesterfieldauto.com/circle.htm

$2100 !!!???!?! These kind of threads are painful to read!

If you want to drive to Petersburg there's a place there you can get a 2.2 for under $200. I just looked at google maps and realized that is a long friggen drive from Roanoke! Popping in turns might be a failing CV axle. That would be made worse by torque bind. Put a fuse in the FWD fuse holder on the passenger strut tower and see if it goes away.

Yes, the later models from what I have heard, do seem to have some issues with throttle cables sticking. I'd start there. Head gaskets are almost an EVERY Subaru thing these days. Yours is just "making the rounds" so to speak. $25 for the cable from a dealer. 37114AE02A

A little RTV will fix that input seal right up. :-p Only a quart of fluid in the trans? Might explain the noise huh? If you had only one washer left over you did pretty good. I think I had 5 or 6 and a handful of wire clips and random brackets after I got done with mine. About 6 months later I found a ground wire that I had broken and never noticed. Glad to hear you got it fixed. Guessing that the noise is sorta mostly gone?

QUOTE]I used the spray copper gasket sealer on the head gaskets and head and block mating surfaces. I used this also on the 96 LSi and no issues. This is your biggest booboo. Nevvvver ever ever ever use ANY kind of sealer on modern head gaskets. Felpro gaskets are a shot in the dark. Sometimes they work flawlessly, other times they fail in only a few hundred miles. Not overheated, and with the bolts removed in proper sequence, the heads may not be warped beyond specification and can be reused without machining. After being removed, torqued, removed again, they will need machining. Subaru or equivalent MLS head gaskets are the only sure way to get a proper seal. These have a thin layer of sealer already applied in the manufacturing process. Nothing extra is required for these style gaskets. Just torque to factory spec. It can be fixed, just takes some patience, and a little more money. :-\ Oh, and you're not the first person to make these kind of mistakes. Plenty of others have learned the hard way as well, seem like most of us have to learn the hard way so others can read about it on internet forums.

Guess we'll never know now. After putting that much time and effort into something I would have been dead-set determined to find the problem and fix it. But there is a lot of risk in driving family around in a car with an unpredictable stalling problem. I hope your new vehicle gives you years of reliable service. What are the chances someone else pops up on here in a month or so asking the same questions?

This is when a good 3ft prybar comes in handy. Get one mount bolt in the bracket just enough to put the nut on the end, then push the engine over with the pry bar until the second is able to drop in. Remember mounts are rubber, they can be persuaded with a little force. And almost aways easier to get a single stud in the middle of the mount to fall into the mount bracket, than to line up two or three holes on a bracket to try and get a bolt through.