Blair

its 96 Outback, 2.2. I see, I cant see these thing failing very often.

bump, does no one know anything about this? I can see six brake lines on it. I assume four are going out and two are going in. None of these fittings are particularly wet so i assume my problem is elsewhere, out of site.

So I know that I have been loosing brake fluid for a while, I have topped it off a few times. I checked the usual culprits to no avail, brake calipers are dry. During another under hood endeavor I think I found my leak. The frame rail under the ABS pump is soaked. (box, front right, behind the head light) I tracked it around and it is definitely coming from the pump but the source does not seem to be on top and easy to see and I dont want to go through the trouble to remove and inspect it just yet. So I ask you guys, has anyone had any experience here? What could be leaking? On a final note this is the first car I have ever had with ABS, and I hate it. I can easily modulate better than it can. So I am also pondering deleting it.

Ok! Scooberoo and everyone else, you have been tremendous help. I have what I hope to be a final update in this saga. So after all that business, after it wouldn't start once I got the engine back in time and it wouldn't start, You're all going to love this, I put the old cam sensor back in it just on a whim and the car started immediately and has started 4 times or so in a row since then. I have warrantied the sensor and I am waiting for a new one, should come in tomorrow. Now all this means I should be Ohms testing the sensors. Does anyone know what value I should be getting from a good working cam or crank sensor?

*update* I managed to borrow a code reader. P0340 and P0335. cleared them and tried to start, no start and the light came back on. P0340. That is how it sits now.

Ok, so I did that stuff and got the tensioner back on it. I left the rest of the nose of the engine apart and tried to start it. It didn't. Now, I struggled with the drivers side cam sprocket for a bit trying to get it lined up, it is right at the point of compressing some valve springs so it is hard to get just right. It is maybe the width of the hash mark off from the notch. I figured that wouldn't have that much of an effect on the car running but am I wrong? Maybe even those codes stored making it not start?

Mhmm, Mhmm. So thats that then, I see no evidence of mice anywhere. I have been in the engine compartment a few times (hill assist cable replace, valve cover gaskets, random things here and there) and have seen nesting materials, nothing like that so I believe it to be mouse free. The interior never has signs of rodents either. The manifold has not been removed at all in my care (about a year) and I dont believe it was with the previous owner either. The records I have show no reason for it to be removed. I am currently looking into timing, though I struggle with the theory because in between these codes the car would run great. Random no start condition.......Although now, its not running at all.....so.... two things, one, I believe this to be a non interference engine, is that correct? Two, at top dead center, the crank pulley hash marks should line up with the 0 degree mark on the engine and then the cam sprocket hash marks should be aligned with the notches in the rear timing cover. Right?

Well in a "I have nothing better to do today, and trying nothing is annoying me" effort I have pulled off the cam gear covers to have a look at timing. (and everyone keeps suggesting it, though I really doubt its a timing issue. Car runs well when it runs) I don't see evidence of an oil leak from those places. We did the timing belt and the associated seals not too long ago, inside of 15K roughly so I believe that to be in good shape. I believe most of my leak is from the rear main seal and the filler neck o ring. However, I have had these sensors out a few times and have wiped them off each time. They haven't been particularly dirty, a spec or two here and there. I wonder if theres something floating around inside the hole the sensors sit in?

Yea, oil leaking from the oil filler where it connects to the valve cover, along with a few other places.

Yea, I don't think its a timing belt issue, it runs like a champ once it starts. All the same power it had before, sounds and feels the same. Now, it's funny you mention that new versus old part bit. Because I panicked because I thought I did that. However, the old parts were red plastic and new parts are black plastic. The parts on the car now are black plastic. I have been thinking about it being an ECU failure of some kind, but I have just never heard of a Subaru ECU failing. I have also thought about junk floating around and blocking what the sensor is reading? Does that seem reasonable? I am just stretching right now because everyone I talk to so far is as confused as I am.

Hmm, well in my care they have never been apart and based on known history of the car, they likely never have been. I am trying to get my hands on a code reader because it wont start so I can get it to Auto Zone or whatever. still on the search!

So the wiring harness runs through there before returning to the computer? Is that an issue you have had?

Right, so, I have a 96 Legacy Outback, 2.2 liter 5 speed. 274K on the clock. I will be making a very long story short. So please ask anything I may leave out. This all took place over the course of a few weeks. -Car randomly wouldn't start, after some time and a check engine light, it started. I had the codes read. P0340, Cam sensor fault code. -let it act up again with the same code. -after some research, I started with the cam position sensor. The car started, I went about my day. -random no start again. This time, cam and crank sensor fault codes came up. bought a crank sensor, car started before I put it in. -random no start once more, install the new crank sensor, car started later than normal, but started. -both cam and crank sensors are new now. The car is now not starting again, within ten minutes of the crank sensor install. Only this time, its not starting at all. Trying it a few times over the course of 2 hours or so. When it starts the car runs flawlessly. No knocks, makes good power, idles smoothly. So it really feels like an intelligence/electrical problem. Either way, I am stumped now. Anyone heard of this at all? Any suggestions? (I copy pasted this from my post on LegacyGT, for those of you noticing my whoring around)

ouchies, that hurts, was that bolted to a manual trans?

Ah ha! Thanks! That is also what I needed. Thank you, once again, big help guys. Is there any word on gas mileage with the frankenmotor? Also, which head gaskets do I use? Do I match to the heads or the block?