99obw

Do a search, very common failure in '99's.

This kind of longevity in an engine driven under these conditions isn't remarkable at all. Ford taxis regularly go 500k miles, and Fords aren't widely known for their longevity. This engine doesn't ever see a true cold-start being in Florida. I am convinced at this point that average oil temperature (when running) is one of the biggest contributors to engine longevity. This engine sees a very high percentage of ideal oil temperature (~100°C). Changing even cheap dino every 5k under these conditions is very conservative.

Not that I know of. I haven't had one of the OBDII inspections yet. Both vehicles are almost due. We are using the EJ25 ECU, so I imagine the only possible consequences could be slightly rich open-loop operation and slightly lean long-term fuel trim. That really depends on the relative flow rates of the injectors though. I don't know that the ECU can ID the engine, so I hope that the OBDII inspection equipment won't be able to ID it either. My understanding is that they are just looking for DTCs based on the generic OBDII parameters, so if the MIL is out Jake should be golden. He purchased a '95 EJ22 with EGR, the only EJ22 that I know of that should be plug-n-play with no subsequent DTCs.

Congratulations on a job well done!!! I am a little surprised to hear you would do it in the car again, I plan on pulling the engine next time. I think the amount of time for the job should be about the same and the oil separator plate, rear main, and oil pan can be fixed if need be with the engine removed. I guess if I didn't have access to an engine lift that might make the decision for me. A little OT but interesting: Pulloff and I are currently embarking on a slightly different avenue to fixing the Phase I 2.5. He decided that one set of head gaskets was enough, so yesterday he dropped off the '95 2.2 that is going in his 99obw.

Running ATF as a lubricant in FWD transmissions with an integrated diff is not unheard of. With that said I would drain that diff ASAP, as ATF (~8cSt) is roughly half the viscosity of the recommended lubricant (~15cSt).

You don't necessarily have to drain it first, but it may make less of a mess if you do. Yes, the transmission is filled through the dipstick tube. Yes, all screw on filters should be hand tightened.

This exact scenario happened to the parents of a guy at work. The shop started to remove the tranny filter but after discovering it was ATF pouring out didn't tighten it properly. The owners discovered the problem when the tranny failed some miles down the road after leaving the shop. I don't know the details, but I think the shop that screwed up paid to have the tranny replaced.

I would just examine the mount closely with the engine running. You should see movement but it should be very limited. The only engine mount failure I have ever diagnosed was very evident, with a couple of inches of movement when gears were changed, so my knowledge is limited to that experience. Have you tried pulling one spark plug wire at a time to see if the nature of the shake changes? If you find a cylinder where pulling the wire doesn't change anything, that's the one you want to examine more closely. If you haven't I would do a compression test on all cylinders.

I think it would, OBDII systems are pretty good at detecting a misfire. Have you double checked the engine mounts?

I adjusted the valves on the bench when I did the headgaskets. I just torqued the cams into the heads and checked the clearances. I won't say that the clearance couldn't theoretically change when the heads are reinstalled in the engine, but the change would be extremely small.

You may need a tool like this to get the axle out of the hub... http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/OTC-7208A.html

I would just Seafoam the engine, sure generates plenty of smoke for leak detection.

My guess is that the caliper guides that come with the OEM pads are missing. If you can find those adding them would be an easy fix.

Takin' the suby to the movie store here in a couple of minutes....wooohooo! EDIT: Wow that was fun. The suby got a good flogging. Kicks the rear end out VERY easily.

That doesn't sound fun. 6. A Subaru specific gripe perhaps...the prop shaft gets all jammed with ice and it sounds like there is a jackhammer under the seat. My wife came home in a panic one night with this symptom, a night in the heated garage cured things nicely.

1. I agree. It's to the point that I hate the fact that every car seems to have AWD. Many of these systems aren't real AWD, as they only apply power to all wheels after slippage is detected. 2. I have to admit that flooring it off the line in the really slippery stuff without ever slipping a bit puts a huge grin on my face. 3. I agree 100%. People have some misguided notion that AWD makes a car safer in the snow. About the only thing it really does is make it capable of climbing steeper grades and faster acceleration (as opposed to FWD). Tires are the only thing capable of making a car safer in the snow IMHO, and the vast majority of people think that AWD exempts them from the need for snow tires. With that said I am sure people think I am a crazy jerk when I am cruising along at the speed limit in the left lane of the snow-covered interstate while they are going 35 in the slow lane. Is it evident that I have contempt for people that run all-seasons and then complain that it took them an hour to drive 20 miles to work? 4. I am a bit selfish, as I don't clean off my car very well. I don't like the scratches from the brush. The wind will clean it off as I start moving, keeps those jerks off my a** temporarily. I just do the windows and lights, let the heated mirrors do themselves. The engine needs to be warm in order to be able to not clean off the hood or the snow blowing onto the windshield will muck it up quickly. 5. Hmm, haven't experienced this.

I have had our outback through 12"-18" on our road with snow tires and it does ok. Not saying it does great, but it has never been stuck. It's all about the tires.

I agree. I would only use a group IV oil in a turbocharged car, of course I use group IV oils in everything. If I owned an XT I would probably use Mobil 1 Truck and SUV 5w-40, Delvac 1 5w-40, or my current favorite Amsoil AFL 5w-40. If you want a 30 weight I recommend German Castrol Syntec 0w-30 or Amsoil ATM 10w-30.

You want to use assembly lube on the cam journals, lobes, lifters, and shims.

I was down in northern PA Sunday and filled up the tank in the jeep. I haven't finished the tank yet but the mileage looks better, even considering that most of the miles Sunday and Monday were in 4WD. I wonder if the PA formulation has less ethanol in it than the NY formulation does? The suby goes from ~26 MPG summer to ~24 MPG winter, the jeep from ~20 MPG summer to ~17.5 MPG winter. I think most of this change is from idling, as it's my understanding that NY uses ethanol as an oxygenate year round now.

I should have the 242 t-case in my XJ saturday, then I will have both AWD (full-time 4WD actually) and 4WD. I can't wait.

Funny you should say that, I had basically this exact conversation with two guys at work today. They insisted that heating the battery with the headlights is somehow preferable to heating it with the starter. I'm still not convinced.

Ahh yes, you're probably correct. Where's your sense of adventure!?

The left head is quite a bit more difficult to do in the car than the right. I just removed the head with the bolts still in it, but not protruding so far as to contact the block or the inner fender. For reassembly, use two bolts in the upper corners of the head to "hang" the gasket on, then maneuver the whole thing into place, and start the two bolts to hold the head on. You will have to install the lifters and cams after the head is fully torqued. I used some really thick moly assembly lube to hold the lifters and shims in place while I got the cams in. Be very careful when you remove the cams, the lifters will want to fall on the floor 4 at once. You need to very carefully dissasemble the engine. I used ziplock bags and wrote a description of the contents using a paint marker. Every last piece needs to go back where it came from. I don't remember exactly what the increment is for the shims, but I know it's much smaller than 0.010". My haynes manual has a list of the shims IIRC. If you need specific numbers just ask and I will post it. I will remove the engine if(when?) I do this job again.

FWIW the outback started effortlessly this morning at 0°F with an 18 month old battery and 0w-30.