ThosL

Bosch platinums are great plugs. Now you can argue that NGKs are better, but the argument that you must use the OE parts and you must follow the dealer recommendations will saddle the average owner with costs way beyond what he would pay with a competant mechanic or doing things on his own properly. The reason I bristle with the absolutist talk is because I have seen it in many areas where people put themselves out as experts. Look I have done everything in my power to get my car in functional condition. There are grey areas and then there are black and white areas. Bosch vs. NGK is a grey area. They are pre-gapped and high quality generally. One thing I have not seen mentioned is how the tips of spark plugs can vibrate off in time which happened to me. Where did the tip go? I sure hope it didn't slip into the engine when I pulled out the old plug to put in the replacement. But spark plug tips that are not sealed on the plug can be a cause of problems. When I asked a while back about an overheating problem, it was a stuck thermostat, something no one but a passerby suggested but this does happen even with OE parts; the good samaritan who stopped by suggested that and he was right.

Stop bullying members on this forum!!! If you want to turn Subaru ownership into a religion then start your own Subaru church. I have been a Subaru owner since 1990.

That sounds more like religion than mechanics. No one I know believes that and I have spoken to many mechanics and parts shops.

Problem could be coin, a $70 or so part; I doubt it is plugs or wires since they are recently changed.

Maf or map sensor; has been changed 3x, so that is not it. Cat converter; again irrelevant for a stuttering engine.

Check engine light is on because engine was switched out, so no way to really address that though I spent $$$ trying to. Either it is electrical or fuel issue, probably the former.

My '99 Subaru with a 2.2 engine (transplant) recently started stuttering. I went to Advance auto parts they used their diagnostic tool without anything clear coming up. I checked the wires and then plugs and noticed one of the plugs had rattled loose and the plug screw tip had come off even though the plug wire was still attached. I replaced three of the four plugs with Quatros by Bosche, the same that had been in there, the fourth plug, driver's side rear, is hard to reach. The stuttering or jerking subsided but has come back. Slight loss of power and annoying. I put a container of Lucas gas treatment in with some premium gas--no difference in the 200 miles or so. What is the next possibility? Thanks for any recommendations.

I have tried "Blue Devil", "Block Seal" and similar products; a friend told me the other day about a great product on the same principle; flush coolant system with water totally, put product in, let engine run, and then let it sit overnight with similar actions next day. Blue Devil worked for me for a while. I would think it would be worth $2000 or so if fixed, but you may not be in the mood for that. Good luck.

I would probably do the job if it were my own, but not since it is my sister's. The best I can do is to recommend she get an estimate; she should get several but she won't.

She has the wagon. It has under 150k on it, generally it has been reliable. Bought it from a used car dealer in Norwalk who, when the exhaust system malfunctioned within the first month, would not take responsibility so she was out the roughly $1000. I told her she should contact the state's enforcement unit, my brother thought that would traumatic so she paid it out of her limited funds. Her current mechanic agrees with Oil Star's assessment though he didn't do any tests. I told her to just drive it without stupid fears and add oil as needed.

Thanks for the feedback. Her car is actually smoking enough that she is fearful and has cancelled things she wants/needs to do. Stupid, but how do you argue with irrationality? She is on a fixed income and anything like an engine light coming on or hubcap falling off makes her think the sky is falling. Subaru psychologist?

My 2.2 recently overheated due most likely to thermostat. I let it cool for over an half hour, fluid level dropped significantly, I added coolant, no more problems. Thermostat sticks occasionally. All the things that go into keeping the engine cooler should be employed. You can even put the heater on full blast which may draw out heat temporarily in a pinch. Since it often costs over $1500 for a rebuild or replacement, do everything you can to save the engine.

My sister is new to Subarus, drives about as much as the average grandmother. She went to "Oil Star" to get her oil changed and they tried to tell her that the valve cover gasket needed replacement. I used to do those, not any more. Around here mechanics charge upwards of a C-Note an hour. I told her it is nothing to really fear. Anyone have some good stuff I can run by her so she doesn't limit necessary driving? She thinks a car is an organic whole, I told her all systems are separate. She tends to look at car problems as omens....

My 2.2 overheated a couple of days ago for the first time. I pulled over, a fellow who wanted to help drove by, and said his best guess was a stuck thermostat. Symptoms were: Temp gauge getting into the danger zone. Every time I let it cool and drove it overheated within 5 or so minutes. Heater did not blow hot air. Finally, when I let it sit 30 minutes or so, the water level went down and I refilled with antifreeze and water. Did not overheat after that. I called mechanic and said the coolant fluid looked brown; he said that was the tell tale sign of a blown head gasket. I will have him check it out tomorrow, probably changing the thermostat is the minimum needed. Anyone else have diagnostics on this?

They spent an hour on diagnosics. They came up with active problem codes for pressure sensor and cat converter. I am expecting to hear back from the original repair shop that I believe replaced that. It could be a short caused the pressure sensor to burn out.

I am at the dealer now. I decided to bite the bullet on a diagnosis on my Outback. I'll pass on my experience here. And no, I will not let them replace the Cat converter.

The mechanic I have used here is good in general with work they know how to do. Not good in complicated engine diagnosis. Do mechanics admit they cannot do a job, or something went wrong? Very unlikely. I have dealt with mechanics who pretty much insist on cash, no check, credit card, etc.. We supposedly live in a system of law and order. Reporting unethical licensed pros to the tax authority or the state regulatory agency, consumers affairs, repair oversight facility, is not something most of us want to do. We are all entitled for good work for the money we spend and an invoice. The law requires a written estimate before work is performed but do we ask for that? Don't allow yourself to be bullied into silence, folks.

I was looking for feedback on this topic--reporting sub-standard work by mechanics or other such licensed professionals. Does it do any good for the sake of other customers? Do the relevant authorities actually do anything to correct specific issues? Will other garages, mechanics do a better job if they could get reported for not doing good work?

I stopped at a dealer in Brattleboro, VT who has no time until next week. Also, a recommended repair place, also booked up until next week. Anyone know someone good at diagnostics in this area who is not busy, busy, busy?

Thanks for the information. I will probably go to the local dealer since J and J may not be that competent but they are better than I am with technical diagnosis. I bought this car from Latinos in Bridgeport for $3000; they got it from a Sikorski worker for $1200 who had gotten red flag diagnostics from his mechanic, head gasket, etc.; they ran head gasket in a can through the engine and "solved" the problem temporarily which later manifested. J and J did a head gasket job on it for $1500, which brought up the compression so a bad crank manifested. At that point I had another garage install a 2.2 for around $1500. The tranny went bad due to lack of fluid, which they should have checked when I paid them for a tranny maintenance. It has been OK since I had a replacement.

Thanks for the info. Chances are that J and J would have found anything obvious like this with all the hours they have spent on it. I may just go to the dealer and pay their $90 an hour to nail the problem down.

I just got back from Auto Zone where I had the man there run the code check for both the 2.2 and 2.5; same result. PO106 (map sensor) PO420 (cat. converter or O2 sensor?) P1143 (undefined) Anyone have guidance on the next step?

I just got back from Auto Zone where I had the man there run the code check for both the 2.2 and 2.5; same result. PO106 (map sensor) PO420 (cat. converter or O2 sensor?) P1143 (undefined) Anyone have guidance on the next step?

I have always shied away from car dealers because they are usually the most expensive. I stopped at one today and they said they would probably be able to zero in on the problem in an hour or an hour and a half. Is this worth doing? I have had a garage do my diagnostics up to this point. Problem is a switch over from a 2.5 to a 2.2 engine with emissions issues and CEL never goes off. Any thoughts on this?

Check engine light has been on the whole time. O2 unit did not come up on the diagnostic by the mechanic. Only map/maf sensor and cat converter and EGR. Would a Subaru dealer be able to do the diagnostic right without charging me $$$? I have brought the Subaru back 3X to J and J without success.