TahoeOutback

Wow that sucks when a new part is bad. Sure makes you doubt yourself. Good job on the repair. Did you actually run out of gas or did the pump die.

Did a full write up on my blog. http://mrpulldown.blogspot.com/2011/04/subaru-outback-o2-sensor-po130.html

In two forums and a handful of respondes, I only got one correct one. Unibrooke-wins the prize on what the problem was. (sorry you don't acutally get aynthing, but I'll buy you a beer if I ever meet you) I should not have ruled out the O2 sensor, esspeically since i got a code saying it was messed up. Funny thing is that in all of the search results for a PO130 they all suggested that the plug was wet and the sensor was shorting out temporarily. No one pointed out that a PO130 could mean dead O2 sensor. One of you should have said to me "look *********************, your ECU told you you had a bad O2 sensor, stop wasting our time until you put in a new one." But I am glad that I was able to rule out fuel pump and FPR with a gauge. I guess 38 psi is ok to run. Thank you all for your time! I hope that this thread helps someone else in the future!

Jsut replaced my O2 sensor on a 2000 2.5, with a Bosch, direct replamement. Everything looks exactly like the one I pulled out. Except that it was not rattling and full of carbon crud. Seems to run fine. Cost me 60 bucks from my local Napa.

All fixed, and the car runs better than ever. New O2 sensor did the trick. Had to drop the exhaust in order to change it out. Pulled the header nuts off (6). Then the single hanger just in front of the cat. Replaced the Sensor with a bosch direct replacemnt unit. The hardest part was figureing out how that plug clip goes back on.

So i am off doing the O2 sensor replacment. Just wanted to know if there is a write up on how to perform this replacement. It seems straight forward enough. But I can not seem to get to it easily. I can't fit my O2 sensor socket over the sensor and still have room for the ratchet. I can't seem to get a open end wrench in there either. I guess if i had a crows foot sensor wrench that will work but I do not. I am about to drop the skid, and then partially drop the exhaust. Is there a trick that I don't know about??

"howling" is typically used to discribe bad wheel bearing. Jack up the car and rock the wheels. See if there is any play. Rock the wheels with your hands in the 12 and 6 o'clock position, so that you do not feel any steering tie rod (or toe aligment joint) play. I should add that sometimes a bad wheel bearing only howls but does not jiggle/rock.

Why get the stock one when you can get this one. http://mrpulldown.blogspot.com/2009/06/subaru-skid-plate-one-tough-subi.html Though i have to admit. That skid is much better than the 2nd gen factory splash sheild.

Yes the pistons need to be at top dead center for each cylinder. I was not able to tell by any type of marks. I jsut kept rotating till there was slop in the rocker and I was able to jiggle the rocker. I did the valve adjustment at the loosest point in the cycle. The valve clearnace spec are printed on a sticker afixed to the under side of the hood. For many years I thought that we had the dreaded shim and bucket type. I wasn't till I had the valve covers off doing a gasket job that I found out they were the good ol type. BTW this is a good time to do the gaskets. Those spark plug well doughnut gaskets are surely toasted.

People sure ask you alot of questions when you have a fuel pressure gauge running out of your upper cowl and then taped to the windsheild. I used packaging tape instead of duct tape, much more classy. I also notcied that there is a calibration cert sticker on the back so I assume that the readings are spot on. The fuel pressure reads a steady 38psi. Goes up a little when you stomp on it and down a little when you let off. But it is as steady as a rock other wise. I am ruling out fuel pump. FPR is still bebatable as some sources say that is too high. Though a little low according to Naru and his recent Rockauto finding. Thanks for searching for me. The 2000 is kind of a odd duck. I have found many specs to be different from the years before and the years after. I believe that the car has a MAP, but am not sure where it is located. Is that the Bosch sensor that sits on the throttle body. My older Outback had a MAF which was inline on the intake. I have a new theroy as my PO130 came back. And guess what, with the CEL on the car runs great (so far, about 35 miles, which is far enough to have a stumbling episode). PO130 is most often correlated with "wet" conditions and plugs getting wet and shorting out. Sure it has been wet around here lately. But it has been in this enviroment for the last 6 winters. Why all of a sudden is it throwing this code (3 times now). That is unless the O2 sensor is truely toast, which from my understanding is the true meaning behind the code (way out of range for a steady duration). With the the CEL on the ECU goes into some safety fuel map and does not make adjustments based on the O2 reading, but since I cleared it the ECU is taking the bad O2 reading and trying to mix the fuel accordingly. This is what is given me my stumble. Could this be it?? My plan moving forward. Drive home with the CEL on to see if the car stumbles. If it makes it home ok then my theroy still holds true. Clear the fault code, and drive it around. If it stumlbes, my theroy still holds true. Change out the O2 sensor, which i was plannning on doing (I jsut want to make sure it is the source of my anguish). Hope that it solves my issue for good. Thanks for hearing me out guys. Feed back welcome. I do not mind if you tell me that I am full of it, or point out flaws in my reasoning.

The only problem with running the tires at that high of pressure is the uneven wear. The tires tend to wear out in the center. This then leads to other issues. Once you wear the centers out due to too high a pressure then go back to the "correct" pressure the tire then tends to wander. Instead of a uniformed smooth suface, the tire is now basicly two tires (the two outside not worn out ridges).

From all of my readings my fuel pressure is high 38 psi at idle. SHould be 34. But would 4 extra psi's of fuel cuase my issue. And such an intermitent issue? Wish these things were cheaper. It is a $90 part. Bill

I am going to drive with it again since I did not get the engien to stumble the first time I did it. What would cause the line pressure to be higher than spec. I was not able to get a confirmed value. From the fuel test kit manual. The spec is 32-34psi. guess you are suggesting bad FPR.

I was driving around with the gauge on the windsheild yesterday but it never stumbled. The thing is that when it stumbles it continues to do it when the car is stopped and ideling. At this point the fuel pressure is good. Is it worth it to change out the O2 sensor? Experiance tells me that when an O2 sensor stops working it mixes the fuel/air poorly (ususaly very rich), but does not cuase severe stumbling issues like I am experiance. I will try to get some "gas dry" after work.

The O2 sensor has not been replaced in a while. When it "happens" the car could be idleing. Would bad O2s cuase such an issue??