ccrinc

Awesome! Congratulations. Emily

Bad head gaskets aren't going to have any real effect on cylinder compression. And you certainly can't diagnose where a head gasket has failed/is failing by compression readings. Normal compression is considered ok if it's within 10-15% on the cylinder readings. More than a 20% difference can cause the engine to run rough. By now, anyone who's followed your posts knows that you have overheated this engine many times. And that it's a high mileage engine. I think it's a testament to the reliability of this engine that it's even still running! I must say I am still puzzled at to how your Outback has a 2.2 engine in 1999. It HAD to have been changed out at some point, because the only engine that was sold in that model and that year was the EJ25 DOHC version.

You can go either way, but I highly recommend full synthetic in the EZ type engines due to internal timing chain tensioners. Also, if you go with dino oil, the change interval is shortened quite a bit. Emily

Oil changes! Faithful, regular oil changes. Recommended: 3,750 oil change interval or 7,500 interval under easy drving conditions. Full synthetic oil. These tensioners are lubricated by the engine oil as are the timing chains (yes, there are TWO.) Emily

OR the alternator! Did you read what I posted? http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=280993 https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070127112736AAqwYEK Bad ground between the battery negative post and the body, engine and alternator case. Charge the battery again and start the car. Then, with the engine running at around 1000 rpm, measure the voltage across the battery -- should be around 14 V, but I suspect you will find it lower. Then measure the voltage between the battery negative post (not the cable clamp) and the car body, the engine block and the alternator case (three different measurements). Use a digital Voltmeter that reads at least to one tenth, and better, one-one hundredth Volt on its lowest scale. The voltage between the negative post and the other points should be less than a few tenths of a Volt, but I suspect in your case it's well over that. That indicates a bad ground, or more than one, between the battery, body, engine and alternator. This will prevent the alternator from charging the battery, but not cause the battery warning light to come on until the car stalls due to lack of power. If that's the case, it's then a matter of finding where there's a bad ground connection. See this thread: 97 Legacy Outback fried 2 new alternators...so far ...and from our very own USMB: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/109850-sluggish-performance-check-your-alternator/

Well, WHICH engine do you have? It's stamped right on top of the block! It will either say EJ18 or EJ22. Emily

Your wife likely fried your alternator when she jumped the other car. If it's not done just right, this is all too common. What else is common? The AT light is a warning light in a Legacy for a bad alternator, which is kind of insane, but true. PLUS, your trans fluid is NOT affected by this at all. It's not having to "cool down"...what's happening is that your (obviously strong) battery is gathering up just enough power to get the car to start again. This won't last long, however. Hopefully, all this is not stressing your battery into death mode too. Have the alternator tested. Don't go through all that other crap until you do that! I've seen it, I've had it happen to me as well, and it's pretty common knowledge. Edit: Oh, also...check to make sure it's not just a faulty alternator belt. Sometimes it really is just the simple things. Emily

The cam, push rods and lifters really, really need to be all the same, solid or hydraulic. I know it's a pain, but please try to get me pics of the lifters and the pushrods so I can tell if Tman used all the correct parts. Emily

http://www.rockauto.com/info/31/0221425__ra_p.jpg This is a non-hydraulic lifter. There are 4, stuck into small "holes" on the underside of the block. The pushrods ride between them. What you have a picture of is the rocker assembly. There's no reason for the heads to not be flat. The engine did not overheat, and I wouldn't take any more off of them. No, you don't "need" a custom cam, but Delta Cam does regrind them if you want. The question is more whether you want more low end torque or more highway speed. It's been so long since I tore down one of these engines that my brain is failing me at this hour, but I "think" that's a hydraulic cam. I'll double check with Rick tomorrow. Emily

1600 pistons ARE EA71 pistons.

You'd be more than welcome. Just give me at least a day's heads up! I would also like a better picture of the valves: I can't quite see two of them.

Long input here: http://www.ultimates...83-gl10-rupert/

I'm not sure who to quote on this extensive thread(s), so I'll start here. The car was purchased from us in April, but I never heard anything back from him until July 29th. After checking with the shop, I emailed him and told him we had extra pushrods, cams and whatever he might need (at no charge) to fix up the engine. I never heard back from him, so I really didn't "shrug him off". We keep extensive, detailed build sheets for every engine we sell, but since this was built for our shop Brat, the guy who built it didn't do one. He no longer works for us and was never a "builder" per se, but every now he'd put something together, especially since Rick was recovering from surgery at the time. He was terrible about keeping records however. And he always had to go for "MOAR POWAH!" (He once put a JDM EJ20 turbo into one of our Brats when I specifically ordered him to use an EJ18 we had.) If Rick had built it, it would be as solid as a rock. In fact, we still build these for aircraft applications and have never had one fail. Here's what little I know about the engine: it's an EA81 with decked heads (probably .30) and 1600 pistons for higher compression. I'd have to see the lifters and the pushrods to tell you whether it's a manual or hydraulic block and heads. (Hydraulics can take higher rpms.) It was in our shop Brat for several years and I know for a fact several of the guys got speeding tickets with it. <evil grin> When we got the green wagon, it needed an engine. The Brat had sat for maybe a year or 2 due to rust issues and our niece needed an "emergency" vehicle, so we put that engine into the '83 and gave it to her for about 9 months (yeah, we're suckers for family). I'm sure it got regular oil changes while she had it, but I have no idea how her husband treated it otherwise. When they didn't need it any more, she gave it back to us. I couldn't bear to part it out or crush it, so I put it up for sale about a month later. Plus, it was running perfectly at the time. I can tell you, from the condition of the heads AND the cylinders, that the car is running too rich. Doing something about the carburetor is a great idea. As far as a bent push rod, the only time I've seen that is from over revving. Remember, these cars were originally built when the national speed limit was 55mph. Also max hp and torque for these engines is quoted at 4800 rpm. As far as parts, it would have NPR rings, NDC (most likely) bearings which were OEM, Genuine gaskets and seals, Paraut water pump probably and possibly rebuilt oil pump. I'm curious to see the outcome of all this. Emily

Compression test!! No check engine light = mechanical issues. From my experience, especially on the 2005 model year, at the very least, you have cracked ring land(s). C/N: you need a new engine. (Sorry) Emily

'01 engines did not have this problem. It is documented in the 2011-2014 engines primarily.

You don't say what engine you have, but ACL Race Bearings are pretty much unobtainium, countrywide. We've gone to King Race bearings: better quality, similar pricing. (DO NOT use the blue-boxed non-race ACL bearings!! They are outsourced to China now and are absolute garbage.) Rings: OEM is NPR. Emily

So many people don't believe us on this, but it's true: NEVER rotate the engine counter clockwise! It screws up the timing. That engine IS interferential as well. Since you were only turning it by hand however, it's likely that following Fairtax's instructions will put you where you need to be. Emilly

Yep. Pretty much what ^^he^^ said. It happens, but it's very rare.

Blouch Turbo. We've used their rebuilt products for years. Excellent quality and decent prices (compared to new). http://www.bptstore.com/Upgrades-Rebuilds_ep_43.html Emily

"They're boxy but they're safe". Yep, I've thanked my Subarus on a couple of occasions too. So, we can't call anything an a($*#le: how about calling them dicks? Emily

ANY play in the shaft, even half a millimeter, is too much! The rpms in a turbocharger average somewhere in the 7500 range. The smallest bit of play is causing damage. WT is right: these become kryptonite at about 150K (as one guy a dealership put it). Trust me on this. We build these engines every week and they don't come cheap, from us or anywhere else! Emily

This isn't a Go Fund Me site. (Nobody else said it, but it needed to be done.)

I will add to the above points: Experience. Also that age does not necessarily reflect experience. I know 20-somethings with tons of experience and 50-somethings who don't know the difference between a radiator and a transmission cooler. Knowledge of the specific product. You can't expect someone who primarily works on German cars to to know Subarus, or Fords for that matter. There are a few (like my husband) who just "get it", no matter what it is, but that's not usually true of most mechanics. Right tools for the job.

Every Subaru engine (except the '97 SVX) from 1997-up is interferential. Good to hear they are taking decent care of you.

Ah. Clevite sells repackaged NDC (OEM) bearings. Rods: CB1217P (specify std., .025, .050.) Mains: Clevite MS1571AL (also specify size) Emily