Suzam

The cold hard fact is this happens more often than not. Billing departments have specific charges for a job, be it a tune-up, oil change, transmission R&R etc. You may or may not have had everything done on a list. Time is charged by the book, which give a billable time that's usually longer than the real time. Again a plus for the dealer. Parts markup is outrageous, especially for parts you can get the local autoparts store. Remember that some dealers make more money in the service department than they do selling cars. Of course I bet they also over charge SOA for warranty work too, and get the maximum allowable charges.

That's where I was heading, just didn't know the mechanics of how the oil wasn't getting burned until the engine braking had stopped.

Somebody should confirm this, but I think while engine braking the fuel injectors cut off, or at least there is a minimal amount of combustion going on. That being true aren't the pistions are pulling a vacuum and drawing oil from the leaking valve guides? Since there is no combustion in the cylinders and the oil draws passed the valves, it has no where to go but out the exaust valve where it sits until the combustion starts again. At that point wouldn't the excess oil start to burn off and continue until it's gone? That would explain the delay of smoke until you stop the engine braking.

Putting the gear selector in 1st or reverse causes the duty c solenoid to lock at a 50/50 split under all conditions.

I suggest getting Subaru OEM lugs. The open ended ones will work but they are a royal pain to get off again. Plus they don't look as snazzy. I tried aftermarkets but they weren't the proper depth and stuck out, plus the they were cheaper chrome plating. I think the OEMs were about $45 at the dealers.

I replaced the thermostat in mine this weekend because I found out the lower radiator hose was stone cold after the engine was fully warmed up. I can't figure out why I never overheated, the needle just kept moving between slightly below 1/2 where it should be and occasionally 3/4 of the way up the gauge for a brief time. So far so good with the needle being rock steady just below 1/2 way.

So you're smelling raw gasoline? If so here's a thread I remembered from a while back: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11897

What do you think the average for the board is? 1 virgin every 2 months?

BTW- Welcome to the board!!! :clap: :clap: :clap:

Is the grinding constant or is it speed related? Are the brakes being applied or are you off the pedal?

I'd check the entire front end including tires and if all components seem ok then I'd suspect you need an alignment.

Congrats!!!!! Take good care of her and she'll take care of you!

It was recently repainted, the grill and even the screws for the front license were painted. The side door mouldings etc. but no sign of the two-tone outback stickers. The body doesn't look raised like an outback, but the roofline has the Outback bump in front of the roof rack. That only on an outback. Wonder where the fog lights went? The VIN 4th & 5th numbers says say it's a Legacy Outback.

lhrocker let us know what you find out! Because I just noticed a couple of days ago that same problem with our MY97 2.2, it would always be below 1/2 way and I was crusing along about 65mph and the needle started to creep up just about 3/4 stayed for about 3-4 minutes then dropped down again. It seems to do it locally also but I haven't had enough trips to confirm. It's almost like the thermostat is sticking too long, opens up, then the cycle starts over, about every 4-6 minutes. I checked the coolant level and verified no air bubble in the system by trying to burp it, but no air came out. My next step is a new radiator cap.

It's under the hood in the fuse box on the driver's side wheel well behind the battery

Welcome to the board, you can research a lot of information from this site that can help you decide what will fit your needs. Also there are many knowledgeable members who are willing to share the experiences they've had. The H-6 Subarus are very good, the only thing mentioned here is that the maintenance schedule should be follow exactly as far as the oil changes go. Since the engine is a chain drive instead of a belt, high quality oil and regular scheduled changes seem to bee the best way to ensure longevity. The one downside is premium fuel is recommended, however some board members report no significant difference in performance on standard octane. The 2.5L from 2004 on also are good choices. There were several issues with headgasket design that plagued the pre-2003 models. So if you are shopping for used 2004 and newer would be the way to go. The AWD is a very good setup, if the tires are properly inflated and monitored the system should last the life of the vehicle. A few searches you can do here for more info would be for the following keywords: Torque Bind or TB H6 chain drive headgasket Also, http://www.cars101.com has plenty of information on various models. Good hunting and good luck!

I would do the valve covers and plug seals also. Less to leak for the next 100k+ miles

Do a search here about headgasket, the Phase II motor had an external leak issue (more of a seeping problem) that was cover for the years 2000 to 2003 I'm not sure why the 05 manual says you need it but I'd check with the dealship and see if they can explain why it's needed. Maybe it's a water pump lubricant? As far as I know the leak problem was coreected in 04.

Two things come to mind, you'll end up with an oil fire OR you overheat and seize the engine (or at least warp the heads). So I wouldn't risk driving it until you can get a definitive diagnosis for your problems. Have it towed to your mechanic. Sorry.

Unless you check for damage underneath, you can't get a good estimate. Does the rear open and close OK? Drop by a body shop and get them to give you and estimate, depending on the condition and milage on the car it can be worth while to have it repaired. OTOH you may want to pocket the money and drive it as is for the rest of it's life. Kind of like an "old war wound"

I agree with the water pump, I just wanted to make sure axgutt didn't think he had an interference engine.

Hold on, while the advice to replace the waterpump ASAP is good, the MY95 2.2 was not an interferece motor. MY97 was when that started.

Hmmmmmm... You know Nipper, I think I remember you called the non-outback Legacys models ugly too, like my 95 & 97 Legacys. Maybe you need your eyeglass prescription checked? Man can I hold a grudge! http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=72213

Nope! 2.5 in the automatic 96 outback and recommended PREMIUM FUEL (the only year for that) the 2.2 was only available in the 96 Outback with a manual transmission.

Welcome to the board! I haven't removed the cluster on our '01 but the previous years 95-99 are a piece of cake to remove. The bezel should have screws on the upper side underneath and on the inner bottom part. If you remove those it should pull off and be fairly easy to acess the rear of the cluster. Most likely you can find the bulbs at radio shack for cheap or at the dealer for a bit more.