Supernoobie

Well, work called and it looks like I am gonna be back to work in 2 weeks. I am gonna try and get this by on a patch up for now. I have always wanted to see Portland, maybe a cross country drive is in order.

The PO130 is a knock sensor out of range I beleive. Mine did that, and I got one from amazon for under 10 bux and it fixed that code. Likely this sensor fails cuase the crapola piston design that makes the engine knock like a sherman tank..... The rest of your questions are answered previously by General Disorder in this thread.

If I can minimize the leaks with a water pump and oil cooler gasket that would be greatly helpful. She only drives about 2500 miles a year, so I just need it to get her through until I can get some other things situated.

Thats as far as it gets from me.......I gotta patch up the old wood shop roof this week. After that i am gonna pressure wash and degrease the undercarriage/engine and put the car up on stands to pinpoint the location of the leaks. i am hoping to find a leaky water pump, and oil cooler gasket.

Where is your shop located?

I will search for some info on the swap. Thank you, Do you all have a reputable engine importer/supplier that has known low mileage units for sale?

Are you asking me? If so, the engine is leaking oil on the exhaust y pipe, and I smell coolant when outside the vehicle. The coolant tank also went low once, I noticed it recently when I did my routine fluids check that I started doing when I noticed the leaks.

Dang, so the only way to make this car right is tear down this engine and go thru it. GD have you used any aftermarket head MLS head gaskets, aftermarket forged pistons, and upgraded rings? 10mm oil pump as well.

It seems I am running into the cost vs value issue every which way I look. I am gonna start looking into selling honestly (disclosing leaky engine) and just adding some of my personal cash on top of that to get mom another car. Any thoughts on which coolant additive I should use? I would also like to know if there is any oil conditioner that will help as well? Stuff that is available at chain auto stores like Advance or Autozone preferred please. Thanks so much for all of your help so far!

Yea, if I am gonna take pistons out, knurl skirts, clean oiling holes, etc....Its gettin new rod bearings and maybe crank bearings as well. I never do anything half way. Then that would snowball into finding forged pistons...then....then....and the sickness goes on.... I am gonna keep a lookout for a smashed up 2.2 car with low miles. Is the 2.2 swap fairly drop in??

Maybe I should look into a low mileage 2.2 and do a conversion?? It would be much better for me to just drop in a new/used engine than deal with going all the way into the pistons on this 2.5.......Does anybody make a full stainless engine to tailpipe performance exhaust kit for the 2001 Wagon? Mom puts such few miles on this car the stock exhaust has been patched 2-3 times and now the heat shields rattle as well.

If I am gonna go thru all that, I may as well put some fresh pistons in there. I am gonna get under this car and pressure wash it and see just how bad things are leaking. I dont mind going through this engine thoroughly. Its my mothers car, she rarely drives it. Once I buy a new home with a garage I can take my time and do the job right. I would feel much better knowing I did the job, rather than some hack with a belt sander!!! Wow, I never heard of that. I will just do the glass/sandpaper method to clean up the surface.

Thanks for the solid info GeneralDisorder. Very helpful and exactly the type of info I was hoping to recieve when I signed up here.

Thanks for the replies everybody! Today I called Larry Myers in Bridgeport WV and they said 1300-1500 which includes OEM head gaskets, or head gaskets of my choosing, this does not include resurfacing of heads, as they said they rarely resurface heads. Resealing the oil pump, removing and loctiting oil pump screws, timing belt and idlers/tensioners, spark plugs, water pump, valve cover gaskets..... General Disorder-When I let shops do my work I always get the feeling I am paying alot more money for a job I would do a lot more thoroughly myself. The car/motor has 109k on it and we have owned it the entire time...I wouldnt think piston rings would need replacing at this mileage? especially since we kept up on the oil changes. I just cant swing 3k repairs for this car, I just cant justify that expense for a car with no book value. Maybe I should just sideline this car until I buy a new home with a garage, then I can take my time and do it myself. Then I can make sure the heads are surfaced, upgrade the head gaskets, upgrade oil pump, and everything gets done properly and I know its done right.....The money I save doing it myself will allow me to justify the repairs.

Hey everybody! We have a 2001 Legacy Wagon 2.5 SOHC and I want to have the head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, thermostat, timing belt,water pump,tensioners and idlers, and the oil pump resealed. I called the dealer we bought the car from and asked them how much for this work and they acted like I was asking for them to raise the Titanic. Then off the top of her head (the service dept lady) says about $2500 bux! LOL does this sound right???? I spent years in an auto shop and have tools and an engine hoist, I just dont have a garage at the moment as I just moved. I really dont wanna do this job on my back, in the driveway lot, on jack stands...But geez.....I was willing to pay say 1000-1400 for this work but not 2500. I went and talked to a local shop and they said 1400, but I was trying to stick with a Subaru dealer for the work. So here are my questions... 1. How much is a fair price for Subaru DEALER to do this job? 2. Stock head gaskets or aftermarket multi layer gaskets???? 3. Stock timing belt tensioner,idlers,belt,water pump, oil pump seal or aftermarket? 4. The car has never overheated or went dry on coolant, I really dont want to have the heads surfaced...I am in the boonies, and quality machine work is non-existent here. Thank You!