ferret

WagonONLY...............Don't Kid yourself. ALL 2.5L ARE Interference! This has been a Regular thread here. First a reply I received from SOA on an inquiry about my '02 Forester: Thank you for taking the time to contact us. Your 2002 Forester has an interference engine. Therefore, if the timing belt were to break, it would cause further damage to your vehicle. We recommend that the timing belt be inspected at every 30,000 mile service interval and replaced at the 105,000 mile service interval. Then a Reply from Emily at CCR Engines: EJ22 '90-96. Non-interferential, definitely. '97 and 98 are a little fuzzy. Seems that somewhere in the late '97-98 MY there were changes, some of which we haven't seen yet. Late '98, if it looks like a 2.5 SOHC (only 2 timing covers on the front), extremely likely it's interferential. One of these is a 4 month only engine. '99 EJ22 is definitely interferential. We've done 3 in the last couple of months. 1 year only engine. EJ25 All are interferential, no matter what year, both DOHC and SOHC. EJ20 Interferential It's valves that hit pistons. We have part of one piston that was hit so hard that the only thing remaining intact (sort of) is the head (flat side) and what's left of the ring landings. The head is actually in 3 pieces and is being held together by the rings which are "mostly" still in the grooves. The wrist pin was in the oil pan. And the failure doesn't have to be as catastrophic as a broken timing belt or failed tensioner. If the belt is off by as much as 3 teeth, it can and most likely will cause valve/piston damage. If I have ever "preached" maintenance and using Genuine OEM parts, I do it doubly for these engines! Change your oil and never, ever, under any circumstances let them overheat! Use the right octane of gas too. We see burnt exhaust valves in 3 out of 5 engine cores that were replaced for a different problem! Take it for what it's worth, But I Plan to keep a regular check and replacement of my Timing belt. :-)

Over 2 years ago I purchased the following for $75. I hook it to and old 486 laptop I put on the front seat of the car. It uses Windows or make a DOS bootable diskette. The site contains the Software which supports All 4 protocols now in use. I used it to date on Ford's, GM's, Mopars, Toyota, BMW and of course Subaru's. By mapping the O2 sensor, I found some to be bad, others good. You can also watch the Map sensor and Throttle position sensor. Best $75 Tool I purchased since my MacPhearson compressors in 1972 for my Volkswagon 411. http://obddiagnostics.com/

Marnix, Try the following link. Been dealing with F&S since my 1982GL. They are just east of Danbury Ct. in Roxbury. Exit 15 off I-84. Then 10 minutes north. http://www.fsautoparts.com/

If you replaced the battery a year ago or so, I would question why? If you have access to a good / calibrated DVM, check the voltage at the battery with the engine running. IT should be 14.1 - 14.7. What you describe is often overlooked as overcharging. This was more common up thru the mid '70's when many vehicles still used a relay based regulator, but I have come across it on internally regulated alternators as Subaru uses. Just a thought.

Nick, I have the same phenomenia on my '02 Forester L 5sp. I have complained to the dealer and opened a "case" with Subaru about it. I now have 45k on the car and it still happens. They say they have no record of anyone else having this issue. The reason I make a big thing about it, is I've had 4 oxygen sensors replaced. The Last one lit the Check engine light right at the time I shifted and had one of these 'pops'. Yes I can and have lived with it. For me if it did NOT take out the O2 sensor, I probably would not have been so upset. But my point is, If it continues and out of warrenty takes out the sensor at over $100 a "pop", this is an expensive engineering issue, at least for me. which is being pushed under the carpet.

There IS a TSB on the belt tensioner of 00-02 2.5L. If it's in the 3/36 warrenty, it's free. Outside of that, it isn't, but you might get then to cover it under the 5/60. FYI, Mine was replaced, noise still there. Now they confirmed it as 'harmless' cold piston slap. 02 Forester L 5sp.

P0441 or more commonly P0442 is for a loose gas cap. This is a running 'algorythm' test for pressure/vacuum changes in the tank to ensure they CAN be measured, If they can't then the above is posted. P0446 is an electrical check at the ECM to detect for 12v present thru the vent valve coil. Without the 12v, the ecm can 'ground' this side of the coil to activate the vent, but without 12v on the other side, the vent will not open. I would 1st check for 12v present at the vent coil connector with the car running, then take my further diagnosis from there.

PO446 EVAP System Vent Control Low Input The Evap valve gets 12v thru a relay to the solenoid. The ECM provides ground to the other side of the coil to control purge vapors. This sounds like you either have No 12v from the relay, open coil on the valve, or an open wire. On the 2000 up it's in the rear under the gas filler tube. I don't know where the '98 is. Hope this helps you find the problem.

On many of the cars I help with, we use Meguire's polish. They make one just for restoring yellowed lenses. Takes some elbow grease. Also replacement is probably the best option. Been doing quite a few mopars & ford lenses lately. They are much cheaper than Subaru's. Here's a website offering 95-01 legacy/outback lenses for just over $100. http://www.auto-headlights-taillights.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.list&make_id=35&model_id=170

I contacted SOA regarding my 2002 Forester. Emily at CCR is correct. I don't like it having gone thru a failed belt on my 1990 Legacy, but here's Subaru's answer: Thank you for taking the time to contact us. Your 2002 Forester has an interference engine. Therefore, if the timing belt were to break, it would cause further damage to your vehicle. We recommend that the timing belt be inspected at every 30,000 mile service interval and replaced at the 105,000 mile service interval. Thanks for the opportunity to be of assistance. If you need any future assistance, please feel free to contact us again.

Howard, the decision is yours. The Avid T4 is not good in the snow at all. On another vehicle (96 Caravan AWD), we ran Sears Weatherwise for a few years. These are Michelins and were Very Good year round. We then replaced them with Michelin Xone's. These also have been a very good all season tire. I can't comment on your other choices, never tried them.

I'm running the Yoko Avid T4's. GREAT Wet/Dry Tire. Lousy in the snow. So I have a set of 15" Steel rims with "snow" tires on them. I live in Northern NJ and travel to upstate NY, Mass, Ct and Pa a lot. The Avid are great from spring to fall. 1st snow, they come off. They are not an agressive tread design and "float" on the snow. (my $.02)

Now I AM Confused !!!! My 1990 Legacy 2.2 went thru a failed timing belt, broke about 40 miles from home on the NY Thruway after waterpump seized...Little or no warning. Had it flatbedded. Replaced Pump and belt, went 160K more before it was hit. My 2002 Forester (2.5 w/solid lifters) states in the service manual that there are Valve Depressions on the surface of the pistons to prevent interference in the event that the timing belt fails. HUMMMM..... If I do my PM, as I have always done, and have a failure, as I did on my Legacy, now I'm uncertain as per the above comment which I should believe as they ARE in the engine business, as to the survival of the current 2.5L......:-\

Dave, If your car has traditional glycol antifreeze, then this is what you should replace it with. The newer "orange" antifreeze found in mopars, gm's etc. Will do Damage to older systems. Seems the materials used, especially on the radiators and heaters to attach the hose fittings gets eroded by a mild acid contained in the newer extended life antifreeze. I have seen 3 cars to date where the change was made, and shortly afterward there were leaks, at the most unlikey places. My own advise to those I help service and keep running, if it's Glycol, stay with it and do the 2 yr/30K replacement. It's worth the preventative maintanence in the long run.

Dave, If your car has traditional glycol antifreeze, then this is what you should replace it with. The newer "orange" antifreeze found in mopars, gm's etc. Will do Damage to older systems. Seems the materials used, especially on the radiators and heaters to attach the hose fittings gets eroded by a mild acid contained in the newer extended life antifreeze. I have seen 3 cars to date where the change was made, and shortly afterward there were leaks, at the most unlikey places. My own advise to those I help service and keep running, if it's Glycol, stay with it and do the 2 yr/30K replacement. It's worth the preventative maintanence in the long run.:-)

Top of engine, look from drivers side below the throttle body. Held by 1 10mm bolt (I think) and a single connector just below it on the intake. When replacing, just "snug" it. Overtightning will destroy the new one. Good Luck.

Check the following link IF you need the Cat Cons: http://www.discountconverter.com/converters/subaru/subaru_direct_fit.cfm

Fuel Injectors can also cause misfires. After plugs/wires, try the injector. Swap it with another one. These are the most common causes. But it can also be the Coil, Cam sensor, Crank sensor, ECU. I have seen all the above cause misfires on various vehicles.

Contact SOA, either call them (1-800-SUBARU3 I think), or go to the web site and click on 'contact us'. Either way, Open a Case. That's what I had to do. Then I had to leave my Forester at the dealer overnight for them to verify that the Shutter was real ( I knew it was, and my service records showed a concern each time I took the car in for service). After they verified it was a problem, a few calls back to SOA and they picked up the bill. Facts about my case, I had a record of clutch complaints since the day I took delivery. The day I drove away, I turned around and went back to ask about the clutch and was told it was 'normal'. I still had them write up a servce record so it was a registered complaint. 2 years of repeated complaints with each visit, each time being certain it was being written into my service record with each visit. After SUBYROO posted the TSB here on USMB, I printed it out, and sent a copy to Subaru when I opened my complaint online. They had me go to my dealer to verify my complaint. They then picked up the Parts & Labor ( I was over 36K by then). End of my $.02

I know that 3-4 yrs ago, Subaru started agressivly mailing "discount" coupons to their known original owner database because of the rise in Damaged engines and transmissions from "Oil Change Chains". This is obviously Owner or Servicer neglect so SOA has no responsibility in these repairs. 4 years after no longer owning my 90 Legacy LS, I still get coupons for that vehicle also. If you do NOT change your own oil, then WHY would you not use a dealer with a $15-$24 oil change coupon? This is competatively priced and the dealers in my area still guarantee a change in under an hour. MY $.02 :-)