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96 Outback w/ DOHC 2.5L sometimes doesn't start....try several times with no joy....let it sit for a while....come back later starts right up. Suggestions? Warren C.

So tell me, What kind of "diff animal" is it? That's what I'm trying to find out. "Wide Band" ??? "Narrow Band"?? Something limited that only works with the cars that have an AFM?? Please enlighten me.. Warren C.

I sometimes hear the term "wide band 02 sensor" ? Is that what this engine has? What's different about 'wide band" vs any other sensor. W.C.

Who has the best price for an OEM front O2 sensor? My local FLAPs wanted $140. www.1stSubaruparts.com wants $108 plus shipping. Any verifiable good results from less expensive aftermarket versions Warren

A friend of mine who prepares the SOHC 2.5L for use in airplanes and gyrocopters tells me they don't use the second sensor at all since it has no effect on how the engine runs....it only tests the condition of the second CAT to tell if it's functioning or not. Experimental aircraft with Subaru engines don't use any CATs. I don't currently have the rear 02 sensor hooked up either, since the wire to it fell down onto my muffler and the connector was melted. But the idle symptoms I have now were occuring before that happened....and after...no change. I don't consider it part of the problem, although I get a code for the missing sensor. Warren C.

Yes, this engine has an AFM. Can you tell me more about the O2 sensor. What's "googy" about it? Only extra O2 sensors I have around are from 90-94 Legacy's and a new one from the dealer is expensive to buy. Warren

I have a 2002 Impreza 2.5RS engine in my VW Vanagon that has had erratic idle for a couple of months now. The engine seems to run OK when first started, (cold) until it goes closed loop. Then it idles fine for about three seconds, then stumbles, and struggles for the next three seconds. This cycle repeats indefinitely, over and over. It seems to run fine when the throttle is advanced to higher rpms. I'm wondering what sensors might cause this repetitive cycle that I could try replacing. Oxygen Sensor ? IAC valve ? Throttle position switch ? I have another engine with most of these that I could try switching some of them out. Any thoughts or tips appreciated. W

Already swapped coils and ignitor with no effect. Warren

What finally happened with this problem.. did it get solved. I have the same issue in a 98 Outback with the DOHC 2.5L. Ignitor and coil have been swapped.....none of the intricate voltage and resistance checks done here.....an ECU swap fixed it once...but now the problem is back. No fire on 3 and 4. Warren C. Moderator SubaruVanagon Yahoo Group

Had this problem a few months back.....swapped ignitor, coil, checked wiring continuity in between coil, ignitor, and to the ECU.....all OK.. Installed new ECU and that seemed to be a cure.... Now the problem is back? Absolutely no spark on the 3-4 bank. One suggestion was a bad spark plug or wire on 3 or 4. Still checking on that ...but not clear on the concept....how would this cause no spark at all on these two cyls. Any other suggestions appreciated..... Not sure if I now have two dead ECU's....and something that blows them out ?????? or some other problem. NEED HELP ! TIA. Warren C.

We swapped in another used coil....so it's a different unit. Warren C

But would a bad ground specifically..knock out cyls 3 and 4?? Warren

Tx....good point....I'll check WC.

A few months ago I had a problem with a 98 OBW I bought.....no spark on the 3 and 4 cyls. Swapped ignitor, coil, checked wiring continuity between them...and to the ECU...all good. Finally swapped in a another ECU (used)....Voila! ...Problem solved.. (for a while at least). Two months later....same problem. Check engine light on...but generic FLAPS OBD-II reader doesn't tell me anything but "Misfire on cyl 3" and "Misfire on cyl 4" Now what! Need some tips to diagnose this persistant problem. Fun stick shift car....especially when all 4 cyls are firing. Warren C.

It;s a 96 OBW... I think I may have figured out.... I think some part of the driveshaft....a u-joint or ??? is hitting part of the exhaust heat shield. Had a tranny in the back to deliver today and it was hitting a lot.....more when decelerating or going over bumps. Warren C.

Any comments on the clutch pack problem.....same problem with two different trannys. WC

Problem is....I've got a serious problem with my clutch pack that only (right now) goes away when the FWD fuse is in place. Problem started with the usual torque bind symptoms. Inserting the FWD fuse made no difference. Swapping the tranny control unit made no difference. Suspected the Duty C. Removed the tranny tail housing and checked the Duty C which seemed to be OK...., clutch plates seemed to be free and moving OK against each other..... After the tail housing was re-installed....I got a new problem ....a sound like "marbles" in the tail housing and a clicking on each revolution....worse in turns...... Frustrated....I swapped in another complete used 4EAT tranny....on test drive I get the EXACT same sounds......marbles and clicking in the tail housing ....that goes away when the FWD fuse is inserted...so now the Duty C is good...but still BIG PROBLEMS. So I could disconnect the rear of the drivshaft but inserting the FWD fuse will likely give me back my marbles and clicking sounds. Need some serious tecnical help here....someone who really knows how the clutch pack works. Warren

Posted previously about my clutch pack problems. Since the car drives OK with the FWD fuse in place....in 2wd mode...I'm wondiering how long can I drive that way. A few miles?? Indefinitiely?? I read on another Subaru board that it wasn't OK to drive in FWD for a long time...it would cause some damage??? True or False? Warren C

Car is a 96 OBW with DOHC 2.5L and auto tranny. Inital symptom was torque bind on tight turns. Swapped Transmission Control Unit with another..didn't fix the problem. Swapped tranny fluid....also not a fix. My assistant is a knowledgeable all around Subaru wrench....but he's a stick shift guy and doesn't know a lot about the inner workings of the 4EAT tranny, ..........so we both read up on torque bind...seems problem is usually binding of the clutch plates in the clutch pack or problem with the Duty C solenoid in the tail housing that controls the proportioning valve ...so we removed the rear tail housing of the tranny. The transfer clutch plates all seem to be OK and moving easily against each other. Removed the Duty C solenoid that controls the proportioning valve ...checked and it's operating. It seems OK. Replaced the gasket in the proportioning valve with a new one. Reassembled everything and re-installed the tranny. On test drive there is a NEW AND WORSE problem.....a pronounced clicking sound on each revolution coming from the rear of the tranny/tailhousing area....and sometimes sounds like marbles in there.....BAD SOUNDS. I assumed we must have put something backtogether wrong. Frustrated......and feeling over our collective heads with the 4EAT in general, I obtained another complete tranny from a wrecked 98 OBW and have it swapped iin.....result....no difference .exact same clicking and "marbles " sound as the previous tranny had after it was re-assembled..... Hard to believe that two different trannys would have the exact same symptoms.... CLUES: All sounds go away and it drives normally with the fuse in place in the "FWD" receptacle in front...so it seems the problem is somewhere in the transfer clutch pack and/or it's electricl components. My friend also notes that there seems to be more than the usual amount of play in the rear diff.. I'd appreciate help here......this has been a very frustating problem and a lot of time and labor involved so far... I'm wondering if its possible ...after re-installing the tail housing (in the first case) and the tranny in the second case...and then putting tranny fluid back in...that somehow the fluid is not getting into the clutch pack so that the plates are getting tranny fluid. Possibly no power to the Duty C ???? Just not sure if this is a mechanical problem....or an electrical one.....causing the Duty C unit to be not activating. ..or possibly some other part I'm not aware of. Doesn't seem like two different trannys would have bad Duty C's. Warren C

I need a tranny for a 96 OBW but not sure if 97-99 versions will also work. Does anyone know which year auto transmissions are interchangeable with a 96 OBW. It has the DOHC 2.5L engine. Warren C.

Yes the sensor in the photo is what I am referring to as the atmospheric pressure senssor. But it is not there on the 2002 Legacy GT I am dismantling. So I'm assuming Subaru has a different way of sensing altitude or barometric pressure. I'd like to know how this sensor has been replaced. Warren C.

I just purchased a 2002 Legacy GT that was wrecked and plan to pull the engine to put into a VW Vanagon. I've pulled several of these for this purpose.....but in pulling the engine I see that this car does not have the atmospheric pressure sensor that earlier models had mounted in the engine bay on the passenger side fender. A 2002 Impreza RS I pulled an engine from a year ago still had that sensor. Anyone know anything about Subaru changing to a different system in late 2002 to adjust for altitude......to send altitude info to the ECU?? The dealer tells me that none of the engines from 2002 on have the sensor. The vehicle this engine will go into will be making frequent trips to the mountains and the owner wants to make sure it can adjust easily to altitude changes. Warren C.