brus brother

you forgot "being chased by a pack of dogs":lol:

I have the same model/year and I recall reading that there may be a Subaru dealer split front plate that replaced the original but I'm not sure if that provides any relief. Model year 05 is stuck with HVAC and radio/cd as ONE unit. What stupidity! You may end up having to scour junk yards for questionable reliability in a used part...

Thanks for the tips and reassurances. Hold my ankles... I'm going in!

Just tried to wrench out the plugs on 05 OB with 105,000 miles. The very fist one made a very disconcerting creaking and didn't feel right. I stopped and tightened it back up and all seems fine for now. Is there any trick to getting this out safely or has irreparable damage been done by leaving the ORIGINAL plugs in so long! Do these plugs become one with the head after such a long time?

Well, two dealers warned about on-line mis-information but said that while NGKs are usually spot on and they can usually eyeball them, they can check them if it doesn't seem right without damage.

Just spoke to a dealer who said they do verify the gap. "Ya never know if someone previously bumped the plug..." Any other comments from the cheap seats?

I used feeler gauge to verify the gap on new platinum plugs for my 05 OB and then I read that this could damage the plugs?? Any idea what they are referring to? Is the platinum that delicate that I might have damaged it??

A few weeks back I thought my alternator was dying. Squealing was really loud. Turned out a light spray of belt dressing on the belts silenced the noise!

@Rockbass What I particularly like about the USMB Forum is that while there can be reasoned discussions of problems and proposed solutions, there are at the same time the sober assessments such as presented by GeneralDisorder and grossgary above. This advice is priceless.

have alternator checked?

Electrolux... non interference.

Well, I was going to have TB, water pump and cam seals done now at 105,000 miles. I think the dealer tech I request is able and trustworthy so I would also consider his recommendations regarding the tensioner(s), and other gears, pulleys widgets and whats-its that I wouldn't have a clue as to whether they were still good to go or already gone. My OB is an 05 and the dealer has a $299 TB special right now. Obviously, there will be additional "costs". I can change a belt on a vacuum but my vacuum is non-interference so I am not as concerned dealing with sucked up Cheerios and dust bunnies as trashing an interference engine. Oh, did I mention... this OB is my wife's car?!

I've been using dealer where needed but am considering alternatives for timing belt. I know it ain't rocket science but I prefer an experienced Subaru mechanic for work on the "innards". I like the idea of replacing as much while inside but the dealer's rate for parts will make this an annoyance. I'm in Fairfield County, CT.

Yeah I'm back at square one. Removed all cheater anti-foulers and cleared codes. Waiting for drive cycles to set all sensors to ready which will then likely throw the p0420 code. I am having the dealer do the timing belts this week and will ask the tech to go for a drive with a laptop setup with datalogger to see what's up. I keep seeing the OBDII to USB cables and software on eBay for $20 but I don't have the know how to read the output anyway. There seems to be some complications with MY 05 Found the following quote: "Post catalyst fuel trim system too lean (Bank 1)" apparently "it looks like its only happening on 05MY models... as i read somewhere the rear o2 sensor actually has pulsating ohm resistance, and not a steady one.." http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1699259

@Fairtax Post #12 in this thread lists the various combinations of threaded and non-threaded anti-foulers that I have tried. I think I covered all the bases as far as the first downstream sensor in bank 1. The car seems to run well which is why I started monkeying around at the downstream sensor which only appears to be related to emissions. I also thought the culprit to be the first downstream sensor behind passenger (bank 1) cat and not the sensor atop the rear (3rd) cat after the two pipes join because it did specify bank 1 in the code P0420. I can eliminate code P0420 by modifying the first downstream bank 1 sensor with two antifoulers (either with two drilled or one drilled and one undrilled) but that is when the P2096 appears. One drilled antifouler didn't work at all. I suppose I could swap the pair of up- and down-stream sensors side to side and see if the codes changed from bank 1 to 2...? It's just so darn cold here now with 10 degrees and the remnants of a 24" snowfall. Mine is a simple code reader and not a data-logger. I may have to bite the bullet and ask the dealer to do a diagnostic run to see what's going on before I start replacing cats. Do you see any holes in my reasoning?

Found the following quote: "Post catalyst fuel trim system too lean (Bank 1)" apparently "it looks like its only happening on 05MY models... as i read somewhere the rear o2 sensor actually has pulsating ohm resistance, and not a steady one.." http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1699259 Would this explain why the cheater anti-fouler throws a P2096 code on the 05MY but is working fine for other years?

P2096 back. "Post catalyst fuel trim system too lean (Bank 1)" History: Trying to solve P0420, I first tried one antifouler drilled out and piggybacked to one not drilled out and that gave me P2096. Then I eliminated the piggybacked one but that returned the P0420 even though the sensor was "out of the stream" so I next tried two drilled out antifoulers thinking it would be "out of the stream" but still getting enough input to show it as working. Help me noodle this. There are 2 upstream sensors (one on either downpipe), 2 downstream sensors (one behind either cat) and one additional downstream sensor atop the rear cat after the two pipes join. Is it relevant that I am only modding the bank one sensor behind the first cat? Is the code simply relevant to the difference in readings between the front (on the engine downpipe) and that first rear sensor (behind the passenger cat) or is that rear sensor thrown into the mix and warranting attention?

Thanks GD. I'll interrogate them tomorrow about http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/cp_partdetail.php?partid=13706 but since there aren't any pull-aparts that I know of here in CT and after shipping and questionable condition of used I'll take the new route if all is as it appears.

Just checked subarupartsforyou.com. Hub with wheel bearing assembly is $129 for 05 OB. Don't see just the bearing?? Is it easier (just as cost effective) to just change the whole hub out anyway since I don't have a press?

Wish I was in West (by God) Virginia. I'd be over in a heartbeat. I'm in Weston, CT. We had a ridiculous 2' of snow last week and an ice storm predicted for tonight. Makes working outside problematic. Right now I have two reamed out anti-foulers in place but I show one pending 0240 code and egr not ready. I may remove all of the anti-foulers and let Subaru run a real time diagnosis to see what's kicking in and when. The suggestion of 11/2 length antifouler could also be accomplished by only opening the piggyback second antifouler only half diameter. Left as stock with only spark hole it gave the failed sensor code and opened up entirely gives the old 0240. Trial and error is in order as long as I don't need inspection until summer. Seafoam, different gas, wear aluminum foil hat while driving...

Now, here's another method of cleaning O2 sensor with Seafoam (preceded by blowtorch ) http://www.ehow.com/how_7389860_clean-automotive-o2-sensors.html

So, if I am relying on Seafoam to clean cat/sensors would it be advisable to remove all of the anti-foulers and get the sensor back "in the stream". There was one very small spot of anti-sieze on the sensor so I guess this complicates the issue.

So what is complicating this is that my P0420 code returned. I initially tried piggybacking two anti-foulers (one drilled out) but that got me P2096 code for sensor not working. I removed the piggyback and was back to P0420. I then tried two drilled out but I'm now still getting P0420. At 6 years and 105K miles, the 8yr/80K warranty period on cats is past and Subaru only warranties their replacement cat for 12mos/12K miles. At $625 plus 1 hour for the passenger side cat, with small warranty, I am looking at Eastern Converter for $400 with a 5 year/50,000 mile warranty. Does anyone have any experience with this manufacturer or can you suggest another aftermarket? The dealer said there has been mention of bad gas in the northeast and if that is the case then I wonder how long it will be until the driver's side fails. The driver's side is in the $1300 range as it contains two cats. This car seems like it was designed to support the parts department! I am wondering if I should trade up to a newer model... With these kind of ongoing repairs for a 6 y/o car, leasing starts to seem pretty smart.

05 Outback 104,000 miles going in to the dealer for timing belt tomorrow. Open heart surgery is over my head. I intend on having them replace the water pump and cam seals. Aside from those major issues, I would like to supply on-line priced discounted parts if items are coming out and simply require re-installation anyway. It is a pretty cool dealership and I can't see how they would give me a hard time but ya never know. So besides the fan/alternator/ps belts what other innards would you consider replacing? Idlers? Tensioners? Hopefully, this will last another 105,000 miles.

Light spray of belt dressing (on the belt) seems to have stopped the noise... for now. Belts have over 6 years and 104,000 miles so I suppose they may be a bit on the dry side. As I said, timing belt being done at dealer tomorrow so I'll have them check the pulleys and supply new fan belts for re-installation. As always, thanks for all the feedback and what-if scenarios.