3Pin

I have a 17' boat and launch it ,tow it short distances and go to the service facility . I have used a forester, outback with a 2.5, an outback with a 3.0 LL Bean and my favorite the 2014 with a 3.6. The 3.6 with a transmission versus cvt that handles it the best. I would be careful about going to fast or too far with the 2.5 with a cvt and the 17'.

Is your dash light FWD light on?

What you have---- X, X Premium, LL Bean: 2.5L 4 cylinder Boxer engine, SOHC 16 valve, Active Valve Control System AVCS Fuel system: multi-port sequential fuel injection, distributorless ignition Compression: 10:1 Emission choices- run the vin to see what your was sold as--- probably fed emissions 2.5L, VIN 6, 6th digit), SOHC, California emissions (2.5L, VIN 6, 6th digit), SOHC, Canada emissions (2.5L, VIN 6, 6th digit), SOHC, Federal emissions use car-part.com to see compatibility between legacy, outback and impreza years and models that work.

Are you getting any codes from the computer?

Could the lifters need to be replaced?

Have you ever seen a place like First gear garage in Eden Praire ? I am not advocating this place, but the idea of the place. They rent the stall with a lift etc. Makes the work go faster and safer. Just saying.

Here is another post of a guy who posted step by step instructions on how to fix the problem if you have excess grease near the brushes. These tend to go a bit dodgy after a while especially the 5+ year mark. First the door snib becomes really slow to lock/unlock, makes noises, or may not operate at all in either direction. New actuator is around $200.00+ from dealer it is combined with the doorlock mechanism. It is a sealed, non serviceable assembly. After reading of someone on LGT opening up his to find the electric motor brushes contaminated with excess grease, I had a go at mine today. What the hell I have nothing to lose but $200.00+ which I would otherwise need to spend anyway . 1. Remove door inner panel (numerous DIY all over the net, look it up if you don't know how. 2. Door lock assembly is held on by 3 bolts where the catch is. Undo them and also the locking cable which goes to external door handle. 3. Prise back the big plastic casing, there are 3 anchors you need to unpick, it then just comes off. 4. Undo this one screw then the whole motor casing comes off; manouvre it out carefully. 5. Case is in two halves, separate carefully using a craft knife or similar blade, it comes apart quite easily with moderate pressure. 6. Motor comes out, probably all oily as hell like mine was. 7. Unpick the two metal tabs then open the motor housing. Careful separating this as the magnetic brush parts are fragile. See all the black gunk which is not meant to be there. 8. Clean the shaft around the coils, then with the brush part (white end cap with contacts inside). I sprayed the white end cap part with engine degreaser, gave it a good rinse with water then used hairdryer. It is too fragile to clean by other means. 9. Carefully put motor back together, again paying close care to the brush contacts which must slip over the coils shaft. I used some long kebab skewers to get them back on whilst closing up the motor. The tabs can be bent back with a mallet and punch or screwdriver. 10. Clean excess grease out of the motor casing, Mine had heaps, especially around where the worm gear was located. Reinstall motor to casing, then connect it up in the car to ensure you did it properly. 11. Clean two mating surfaces of plastic casing carefully then superglue back together. I used vice clamps to hold it tight whilst it cured. UPDATE: Superglue came apart, so I have used 2 part epoxy glue this time instead. 12. Reassemble in reverse order, refit into car. Test before refitting door inner panel. Took me about an hour, now the lock functions as like new

saw this on another subaru forum. HI I had been told to check the cables too. There was nothing wrong with the cables at all. The problem (in my case) lays with the small electric motor in the actuator. I took one apart (remember this is not a serviceable component) and cleaned the built up of grease and graphite from the commutator and brushes. So the first issue is how/why the heck is there grease on this part of the motor? No grease or oil should ever be near the graphite brushes. Once this was done and reinstalled, it worked fine. I am really surprised we are the only two owners of this model to have problems.

You may want to list year and type of Subaru. That will get better repsonses.

find one possibly on car- part.com from a nice salt free state. I have done a few on 00-04 outbacks. Not a small job without a lift.

GD, That is a bummer. Up here in the rust/salt belt, we have lots of nice running cars that look like Swiss cheese. I have a trucking buddy that could put a couple on his flatbed and bring them to us if all they are going for is scrap.

Thanks, I think I will.

My daughters 05 outback passed emissions about 2 months ago and we sent in the $ for registration and later I get a letter saying the car didn't pass. I am looking at the paper that says I passed and am thinking bad thoughts about the DMV when I notice the VIN on the pass form is not the same as the one on the car. I go back and test it again and sure as hell, it comes up again with the wrong VIN via the test computer. The VIN on the Title, Door and dash are the same, but different from what the computer is spitting out. Turns out, the computer had a problem before we bought it and was replaced with one from a wreck. The VIN from the wreck continues on and does not get it's VIN from the car which after thinking about it is no surprise. But I had to have them over ride the VIN during the test with my title in hand and the VIN on the car obviously supporting it and all is well now. What a pain in the butt, but I hope this helps someone else.

I have been told you need the correct trans so the rear diff likes the new trans or you will have gear ratio conflict. Do you have a TY754VC4BA ? I use car-part.com to cross check compatibility at times when I am not sure and they are usually spot on as far as what cross fits in other cars.

need to run codes otherwise we are all guessing.

super easy part to replace also.

Did you take the negative terminal off and let the car sit a bit? Sometimes that resets the Trans computer. You may be looking for a trans too. Hope not.

what if the 97 already had a 2.2 transplant? I'd confirm the motor type by what Mikec03 said earlier. "On the Ej2.5D, the timing cover has obviously TWO cam pulleys on each side, each about 8" in dia, versus one on each side for the Ej 2.2." At 184K if it is confirmed 2.5, I would agree with the rest and find a 95 2.2 with decent miles and swap away.

How many miles on the 2.5? if not too many, you can reuse it, but you may have only heated it up 2x, but the previous owner may have done it a bunch more times than that. The 2.2 is not a bad option either. I like buying a running 2.2 95 car that has a crap body and plucking engine and selling the rest. The HG parts and timing parts for a 2.2 are cheaper than the 2.5, but you would have obviously have to pop for a new 2.2. I pulled my 2.5 on a 98, sold it and put in a 2.2 I had in the wings and everyone was a winner as the 2.5 buyer needed one bad.

or if you want to stay factory, I have one out of a 2001 outback.

looks fun!!! Nothing more to add than that. Enjoy!

I have used fel pro HG's like 10x with long term success. Have switched from about 3 years ago from using ebay timing belt/water pump kits to name brand as the bearings were crap on the idlers included in the inexpensive kits.

I see you have answer, but in the future, you can use car-part for parts compatability. They are pretty good.

Some people buy a beater and park the lease vehicle, others buy out the car or you can just suck it up and pay penalty. Don't mess with the odometer, that is just bad.

You might want to list the year, mileage etc. Could be tires or wheel bearings. Search wheel bearings and it will help you isolate if that is the issue etc.