Adnan

Hi, Isolating a specific injector is one thing but you should be able to determine whether the system is holding fuel pressure or not by hooking up a gauge to the rail. If you don't have the equipment, it may be best to take it in for that. Once you confirm the issue, you can have them identify the exact cause. You can't fix a leaky injector, you'll have to replace it. The problem may not happen all the time, depending on how it gets stuck open. If you are having an intermittent hot-start problem, your problem may be elsewhere, except this flooded thing still points to injectors. Other hot-related problems may stem from a flaky check valve or regulator. I'd start simple, with the more obvious stuff first. Have you changed your fuel filter recently? The coolant sensor can be tested in-car by using an ohmmeter and measuring the resistance, both when cold and when hot. The values must be published somewhere in a manual. That would tell you if its okay or not. BTW, what happens to the idle RPM when yo turn the A/C on? Regards, Adnan

Hi, If you need to hold the accelerator down and you think it's flooded, you probably have an injector that is leaking down. This causes loss of fuel pressure, making it difficult to start, plus a flooded engine. As for the O2 sensor, most engine management systems ignore the sensor till a certain temperature is reached, that is, it's open-loop for a while. That's why it runs fine once it warms up. Does the random fast idle problem happen even when the engine is warm? Regards, Adnan

Hi, It sounds like it's time for the infamous "Arc Test". I have a restoration project, a '67 Austin-Healey 3000 and this car also suffers from mysterious ignition issues. Here's a test that works on that car: Make sure it's nice and dark outside. Pop the hood just enough so you can see inside. Start her up and look under the hood. If you are having HV leakage, you'll see stray arcing going on in places. Any strays mean your plugs aren't getting enough voltage. This may help you localize the problem. As for the coil pack, it's right on top and about as easy as anything to replace. Regards, Adnan

Hi, While I haven't used it in a Subaru, I have used Redline D4ATF in another car, in a manual gearbox. It cured a perpetually notchy shifter and quieted things down noticeably. Others I know who have used it an automatic (non-Subaru) also have been very pleased with it. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Engine vibration can be attributed to several causes, some external to the engine, some internal. Since it happens at only one RPM, it sounds like you're hitting a resonance mode of some kind. The vibration you feel in the steering wheel suggests an engine/chassis interaction of some kind. My suspicions would first be directed to the engine (and tranny) mounts. They may be worn, and therefore not damping out the engine modes as well. If I recall correctly, a flat-4 engine is perfectly balanced, with all primary and secondary modes cancelling each other. The next set of possibilities are internal problems, with something out of balance. That's unlikely unless the engine was worked on or the flywhel changed for an unbalanced one. An incorrectly aligned timing belt? Glad to hear your wife's okay. My wife rolled her '96 on the freeway (hit & run, never found the guy) and walked away unscathed. We now have a 2002 OBW, naturally. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Could be just a noisy first gear/laygear (excessive play). If the rest of the unit is fine, try switching brands of gearbox fluid. While Redline is very good, the Porsche folks swear by Swepco. I have Swepco in my BMW and it really quieted down a clattering gearbox. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Racks are expensive and 126k miles really should be no big deal. Tie rods are designed to be replaced so I'd do that before I take the trouble (and go through the expense) to replace the rack. Can't answer your question about changing while the rack's still on the car but I'd bet that you can. It would be a pretty poor design, if not. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Hope it isn't finding its way into the coolant. Have you checked the condition of your coolant? I suppose it's possible that the coolant overflow tank is filling up and then dumping the excess out, but you'd probably have noticed it. Regards, Adnan

Hi, I'll admit up front that I've never looked at the insides of a Subaru gearbox but I have to ask, how would anything related to the throwout bearing end up inside the gearbox? The t/o bearing and all the fork parts are typically in the bellhousing, which is isolated from the oily parts inside the gearbox. Unless, of course, Subaru gearboxes are very unconventional... Regards, Adnan

Hi, I'm always amused by people who buy a car and then find basic things to complain about. Did they not test drive the car to know how it handled? Did they not drive it around to gauge the engine's power and responsiveness? It's like the Hummer - in an owner survey it fared terribly, with the chief complaint being poor gas mileage. Was the EPA rating not shown on the sticker when they bought the beast? I'll agree on the fit & finish thing, one may not have a good idea of that until you've lived with it. But the rest... Regards, Adnan

Hi, This does sound like a real main seal problem. The rear main seal is an oil seal, much like the ones on the front of the engine (crank and cams) that seals the exit point of the crankshaft from the back of the engine. Just as the front seals fail, rears can too. Unlike the front seals, however, replacing the rear seal requires that the transmission be removed from the engine. If you think about the way the parts are connected, the driveline has to be separated to get the thing out. You don't mention whether the car is a manual or an automatic but my philosophy is to always replace the rear main anytime I need to drop the gearbox, such as for a clutch replacement. If you do have a manual transmission, you might opt to hang in there till you need a new clutch. That's a personal decision as the leak is not likely to damage anything (except your olfactory glands). As for cost, think of it as the cost of labor for a clutch replacement as the main seal itself costs almost nothing. Your spelling of "labour" suggests that you are outside the US somewhere, so I can't even begin to speculate on the costs. Regards, Adnan

Hi, The benchmark brake fluid is Castrol LMA (Low Moisture Absorption). It is a DOT4 formulation that is recognized by many to be the best all-around fluid for regular, street applications. I've used it for years and been very happy. Of course, I do flush my brake system at regular intervals. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Did they say that one or all injectors are losing pressure? Injector leak-down is certainly possible and if both rails are fed off one common regulator, the leaky one could cause the entire system to bleed down. You will then have one cylinder badly flooded. I would press them for details; which injector, how did they determine that it was the problem, was the cylinder flooded, etc. before allowing them to do anything. A single injector is pretty easy to replace and you can do it yourself, if you're up to it. An FPR is also easy and probably costs the same. Thanks for letting us know. Regards, Adnan

Ah, thanks for the clarification. I guess SOA has caught so much flak over this issue that they're taking no chances. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Using a vise ought not to damage the tensioner, if done slowly. However, the Haynes manual does say that the piston should not be pushed in past the locking pin hole or damage could result. I find it surprising that you could bend the belt up a little even. Is this a genuine Subaru belt or an aftermarket one? Were the idlers in good shape? Also, to my previous question, is the belt on the right way around? One thing with that crank oil seal leak is that oil gets on the timimg belt eventually and then gets flung all around. Did you wipe down all the gears and idlers with alcohol to thoroughly degrease them? If not, the new belt could also be contaminated. Boy, I'm out of ideas. And you still have the mystery of the low idle. There is absolutely nothing that could affect the idle RPM in this procedure other than the intake air tract. You sure all of that went in nice and tight? One thing to try is to find the wires going to the idle control motor (IAC) and see if disconnecting it makes any difference to the idle. If not, you may have a bad IAC or bad wiring, just a coincidence. This will prepare you for the next fun task that is most likely headed your way - replacing the valve cover gaskets on both banks. The right side is easy, the left will leave you cursing and tearing your hair out at times. Keep us apprised on what you find. Sorry I couldn't be more help. Regards, Adnan

Hi, I'm a bit confused - sounds like you have fresh coolant with the correct additive. Why would you want to drain it and have the dealer do it over again? I don't think adding a second bottle is a good idea as it may impact the ability of the coolant to flow well. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Just had a nasty thought - is it possible that your belt jumped when you first cranked and started the engine? You mentioned that you had multi-checked the alignment and one would have little reason to suspect that you missed one wheel. Given that the belt feels loose now, it may have jumped on you. That would be an undesirable thing, to say the least, as it may do it again. Something doesn't feel right about this. Did the tensioner feel okay? Did you install the belt around the pulleys in the right sequence? Did you spin all the idlers to see if they were smooth and not binding (as idlers do need replacement, sometimes)? I'd urge you to keep a close watch on this as the last thing you want is a bent valve. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Glad to hear you found the problem. The belt should not be loose enough for you to rotate the pulley one tooth, sounds like the tensioner isn't applying the correct pressure. You may want to check into that. Do you think you may have a vacuum leak? Did you disconnect anything related to the induction system? That might be the cause of the low idle, particularly if it runs fine at higher RPM. Check for leaks downstream of the mass flow sensor or any loose or soft hose connections. You may have bumped a marginal hose and not realized it. Regards, Adnan

Hi, I'm not convinced that the engine can be a bit off and that's okay. Since cam and crank gears are keyed, that's highly unlikely. Did you compress the tensioner using a vise and locking pin? Perhaps it hasn't extended all the way as yet and is allowing more slack than it should have. I recall that when I did my '96's belt, I didn't notice the painted marks and put the belt on backwards. Strangely enough, the timing marks were just a hair off which suggests that the teeth have a slight angle to them. Make sure yours is on the right way (sounds like it must be if the painted marks line up). Good luck, and by the way, I also had my left cams spin on me. Didn't seem to hurt anything, as she ran just fine. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Isn't it nice when you get that kind of service? Well, you cleaned the engine to be nice to the mechanic; what goes around comes around. I had my other car in for something and I took along a new O2 sensor for them to install. They did it, no charge, just because. That's how you earn a lifelong customer. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Call your local dealership's parts department and ask them about the model interchangeability. That's the best way to be sure. If your local dealer isn't friendly, call the good folks at Liberty Subaru (that's where I buy all my parts, mail-order). Very helpful team and equally knowledgeable. That's going to be one expensive switch! Regards, Adnan

Hi, Are you certain it was a problem with the caliper pistons and not the brake hoses? Perhaps a little of both? If your flex hoses that connect the caliper to the rigid lines is showing its age (swelling up, not allowing fluid to return) then one side could be applying the brakes all the time. Do you feel the car pull to one side? The shimmy could be the pads pressing on a slightly warped rotor. For starters, try flushing the brake fluid and replacing it all. As the fluid comes out of the calipers, examine it for particles which may indicate deteriorating hoses. Oh, and use Castrol LMA brake fluid, good stuff. Regards, Adnan

Hi, A really good source for specific information is Redline. If I'm not mistaken, I think that their friction modifier for gear oil is the one you want. Call them up, they're really good about info. on the phone. Go to their web site for the phone number at redlineoil.com. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Firstly, welcome! As for the clicking noise, I'd check the brakes. Sometimes the caliper pistons retract just a little more than you'd expect, causing the pads to rattle around. If they are new, and an anti-squeal compound was not used (which normally takes up the slack), they may rattle or click. Also, check the handbrake. While driving at low speed, with the sound audible, gently pull up on the handbrake, one click at a time (no pun intended; well, okay, intended) and see if it stops. Perhaps the parking pads/shoes are the culprit. Regards, Adnan

Hi, Error codes are the standardized fault codes defined by OBDII (on-board diagnostics, version 2). If you have a flashing Check Engine light, you can download the actual code through the OBDII data port (located near the driver's left knee on the lower dash in a LHD car. If the light isn't on, there are likely no codes set, which is unfortunate, as the codes really help. Regards, Adnan