WAWalker

I agree. I have not personaly seen this happen. That is why I said "in theory" it can happen. It is more likely to be something else. Or as stated a combo of things. The point I was trying to get at is that with that kind of mileage you have to really think about all the other maintenance items that are going to need attention. And not that it is any of my business (so I wasn't going to come out and say it) but I don't like to see high mileage cars that haven't been taken care of being "fixed" on the cheap and sold, if the next owner is going to have to exceed the valve of the car to get the maintanence caught up. Like I said it really is none of my business, but I said my peice.

When your CEL is illuminated and the ECU sees the Knock sensor fault it will keep the timeing retarded to prevent any preignition. No need to run premium fuel when the knock sensor is bad. Wait till Jan. if need be then replace it. People drive their Subarus somtimes for years with a bad knock sensor and no adverse effects.

I would NOT agree to let them try and fix the engine you have. They have screwed it up bad enough already, and wasted enough of your time. What in the HE!! makes them think they can fix it anyway. As far as compersation for everything eles. I don't know what to say.:-\

No. Just a little side note...........Those lights don't always come on when the alternator is bad.

Interesting. I always use NAPA alternators, due the the low failure rate as compaired to other aftermarket units that I have tried. If all your battery cables and conections are clean and tight, (includeing the ground conection at the engine and behind the LH head light) the battery tests good, and your alternator belt is properly tensioned................get the alternator tested. Did you get the Lifetime alternator, PN 13-9100?

On those cars, when the alternator is not charging, having both the battery and brake lights come on is normal. Were did you get the alternator from before?

WOW. At that milage and no history of maintenance in the last 100k.............................Anything is possible. What is rare on a well maintained 100-150k mile 2.2L Subaru (head gasket failure, clogged radiator ect.) probably doesn't apply to this car. The reason I mention timing belt and water pump (timing belt tensioner also applies), is that an old worn out, streched and glazed timing belt, in conjunction with a possibly weak ternsioner, can in theory slip on the water pump pully, causing insuficiant coolant flow. Those are desirable cars for sure, but in my experiance selling anything with that kind of milage, for what you might think it is worth, is tuff. If it looks like it's going to cost much to fix it, it may be hard to recoupe the expenss when he sells it.

I would call and find out if they are still avalible. Chances are, if they are avalible, the dealer may not still keep them in stock and would have to order it.

Sorry to hear the way this is turning out for you. I hope SOA will make it right for you. Sounds like somebody should have their tools taken away from them. Was this recording of the mechanic admitting fault obtained with him knowing that you were recording him? I have always thought that it is illegal to record a converstaion with someone without their consent. If you get a lawyer involed they will be able to advise you on that. Just would hate to see things get any worse for you. Best of luck............I'm pulling for ya.

If it is only overheating when pulling a hill, that is normaly a flow problem. Either lack of air flow through the radiator or lack of coolant flow through the radiator. Check coolant level in radiator, and recovery bottle. Check that cooling fans are working. Check that radiator and A/C condensor fins are not pluged with dirt, mud, bugs.............. Pressure test radiator cap. How many miles on engine? When was timing belt and water pump last replaced? Head gasket failure is rare on 2.2L engines but does happen. Radiators clogging internaly on Legacy's is rare but does happen. Lots of things to check.................Get back to use with more info.

When does the misfire happen? On acceleration, or at highway speed? Can your feel the misfire when the CEL illuminates? Always start with the basics. NGK plugs and OEM wires is the place to start. If the fuel filter and/or air filter haven't been changed in the last 30k miles, they needs to be replace. If that doesn't help................ Have the valves ever been adjusted? Has there ever been any major engine work done? Valve adjustment should be preformed every 105k miles, or anytime the cylinder heads have been R&R'ed. Tight valves will cause a misfire. And if not corrected, lead to burnt valves and the need for a valve job.

If your up for building your own sturt extensions and lift...............Put in the lift you want, then build a bracket to relocate your compressor. Something like in those pic's. Then measure for belt length and get a belt that will fit, done deal. That bracket is not going to add a lot of time or work to the project. Or if you want 4" in front. Buy strut extensions from SJR. With the time you save not having to make the most time consuming part of the lift, you will have pleanty of time to build an A/C bracket.

Yes they will fit. I sold a customer a set of GT wheels for his '04 H-6 Outback last year and they fit fine.

All AWD Subarus that I have driven, without snow tires, will kick the back end out when getting on the gas while turning. But as soon as you let up they staighten right out. Kind of fun actually.

So is it still throwing a code for the MAF sensor, or has it not not thrown a code since replacing it? Your initial symptoms were consistent with a failing MAF sensor. Subarus MAF sensors have a low failure rate, so the chances of getting another bad one are slim. If the symtoms after the MAF replacement are different then there is another problem. The symptoms of a pluged cat are, lack of power. But again, pulged cats on modern Subarus is also rare. Can happen though. If the fuel pump is aftermarket, I would go ahead and check fuel pressure, and "dead head" pressure just to be sure you don't have a weak pump.

How many miles on this engine?

A peice of paper on the wall, and a patch on the sleeve means nothing. Being able to fix cars is the key. Either this "master tech" just doesn't care, or he can't fix cars. I don't know what to say. Even if you could get them to replace your engine.........................do you really want them to do the work?

Yes these are normaly slow leaks. In this case the car is at 115k miles, and has not had the 105k mile service yet. So it is out of warranty for the head gasket repair, and needs timing belt, W/P, seals, and valve adjustment. All this work will be performed during a head gasket repair. So...............do you do the 105k service, and wait for the head gasket leak to get worse? Or do you do the head gasket repair now and have the 105k mile service taken care of all in one shot? In the long run you save ~$400 doing it all at once.

Here are a couple from the back side. This one is leaking more antifreeze then oil. Note the green residue.

Tried to get some pictures of this type of leak on a Forester that is on the lift right now. Hard to get a good picture, to tight of a space the get enough lighting and a camera in there. But this is drivers side, looking up and back between the motor mount and the exhaust.

This is true for some parts, but not all. As far as I know from what I have been told, Parat is the OE manufacturer of Subaru water pumps. And yes, they can be had much cheaper. But there is really no way to tell if they are of the same quality. The aftermarket pump body is not cast in the same mold as the OE for one thing. If they have to make a new mold to produce aftermarket parts, why not use cheaper bearings or seals in order to recoupe the expense sooner? Just a theory. One example I am sure of. Genuine Subaru remaned axles are different from the aftermarket axles supplied buy the same company. Not a Subaru part..................but I found out years ago that the center support bearing for Nissan pickup rear drive shafts sold by WorldPac as an OEM part is not the same quality as a Genuine Nissan center support bearing. Basicly what it comes down to is, trial and error.

This is a new head gasket for a 2.5L SOHC engine. It is very hard to get a good picture of the thickness of the gasket. It looks thicker in this picture than it is. This gasket is a wopping .66 mm thick. Compaire to the DOHC multi layered gasket which is ~ 1.27 mm thick.

Phase I 2.5L (DOHC) and Phase II 2.5 (SOHC) head gaskets are NOT the same. Not even close. I have been told by dealers that the SOHC head gaskets have been updated, but...................I have replaced MANY of these and can NOT tell any difference between the original and the replacement gaskets. They are made of, one signial thin layer of metal, with a coating on each side. If you look closely at that coating on your old gaskets you will see fibers in it. It looks more like paper than rubber.

It is. Your just looking at the wrong mark. Look twoard the back side of the crank sprocket. On the reluctor that is at 12:00 you will see the timing mark. It is covered buy grease/timing belt dust, wipe it with a rag.

I use the pumps with the cast impeller on all model years. PN 21111AA007. I have seen to many on the "new version" with stamped impellers leak before 100k miles. Buy a genuine Subaru water pump. JMO