forester2002s

See attached page ME60 from the 2002 Factory Service Manual. I'm not sure if the 2002 and 2000 2.5 SOHC are the same, but the torque details differ in a few places 2002 Subaru 2.5 SOHC FSM ME60 Cylinder Head Assembly.pdf

'Boat': moves (a little or a lot) when you step aboard. 'Ship': doesn't move when you step aboard.

When I buy new tires, I invariably find that the wheel lug-nuts have been overtightened. So it's a routine for me, that every time my car comes back from a shop: - I untighten the lug-nuts using a socket & T-bar; - Then I retighten using the car's spare-wheel wrench. That way, if I have to change a tire on the road-side, I can at least get those lug-nuts loose.

You can get touch-up paint from: - Subaru dealer (best option); or - Auto-parts store; or - Amazon; or - eBay. You'll need the Subaru color-code (usually shown on the under-hood data-plate).

And also: Have you checked the fuse(s) and relay(s) that feed the fans?

What happens if you turn the key to ON, but don't start the engine? Still hear the clicking? If so, try removing the fuse for the fuel-pump. Still hear the clicking?

Not sure if this will help, but... Try pushing in on hatch from outside, whilst activating door-button or fob. Or try the opposite: Pulling on hatch while pressing buttons.

OK I see that you have already tried deleting the CEL, and that it came back. I get the feeling that you don't want my input. Fair enough.

These are 2 unrelated problems. Agree with Fairfax, fix the starter first. Then deal with the P0335, and could well be faulty insulation or connector contacts. Try deleting the P0335 CEL, and see if it comes back. Do you get any driveability symptoms? A clean signal from the Crankshaft Position Sensor is needed for the engine to keep running. If it fails, the engine will stop. So if it is on the way out, it needs replacing ASAP.

Burnt-out fusible-link on battery +ve cable?

+ve to +ve should give you 0 V. But 19V from +ve to ground, doesn't sound right. Should be about 14V with the engine running, and about 12.5V with the engine off.

It might help to clean the engine before you get too far in to this. Buy a spray-can of engine-shampoo, and follow the instructions. It's much easier to find the source of oil leaks on a clean engine. And much nicer to work on...

If it drives OK when you "mash" it, then I don't think that the fuel-filter is blocked. It could be either the Throttle Position Sensor TPS, or the Idle Air Control Valve IACV.

If the new timing belt has no manufacturer's name on it, I wouldn't use it.

Are your wheel-studs long enough?

That's probably what is know as a 'by-pass' hose. Is it bent by about 90 deg?

Only use a new timing-belt from a respected manufacturer. Have a good look at your belt that "was lying in the back". If it has no manufacturer's mark, I wouldn't use it. Some 'no-name' timing-belts have been known to deteriorate and fail prematurely.

My 2017 Forester has a fuse (square-type) No.SBF-4 30A, located in the centre of the under-hood fuse-box. When I pull this fuse, it disables all windows. Your 2016 Forester should be the same. BTW, you say that you have a 2016 Factory Manual. Is this the Subaru Forester 2016 'Service Manual'? If so, where did you get it from? I can't find the 2017, nor the 2016, Forester Service Manual available for download on the Subaru.com website. The most recent version listed is the 2015 Forester Service Manual, which is a full version including wiring diagrams.

My 2002 Forester has had the Left-rear wheel-bearing changed twice. Right-rear still has the original wheel-bearing. I found it hard to diagnose a faulty wheel-bearing: - rear noise gradually gets louder over time; - jacked-up rear wheels - no apparent looseness; - jacked-up rear wheels - listened with stethoscope while hand-turning wheels - nothing heard to confirm bearing problem; - checked hub-temperatures with infra-red gun after long run - nothing obvious noted. The noise was obviously from the rear, but I couldn't tell if it was left or right. My wife kept saying: 'It's the LEFT', but I couldn't be sure. She was correct. It eventually got loud enough to pinpoint the noise to the left-rear bearing.

I wonder what's included with a $65 rebuild axle. Has it just been cleaned and rebooted? Or have the CV interior-mechanisms also been refurbished?

You might want to remove and clean the IACV. Lots of YouTube links available on how to do it.

Crankshaft Position Sensor: P0335 Camshaft Position Sensor: P0340; P0341 Faults can be due to a failing sensor OR to failing wire-insulation. If you get one of the codes, give the wiring and connections a good shaking and push-pull; sometimes this helps to either clear the fault, or to exacerbate the problem. Either way, this helps with diagnostics.

Intermittent low-idle/stalling could also be due to: - Idle Air Control Valve. The IACV can be cleaned to remove excess carbon; or - Crankshaft Position Sensor (on its way to dying completely); or - Camshaft Position Sensor. Do you get the low-idle when going over bumps & potholes?

+1 on this being a 'grounding' problem. If one headlight filament doesn't have a good ground, it may try to find a ground through another route, possibly through another headlight. Hence the 'dimming' and other 'weirdness'.

All Subarus 'buck' at 4000 rps (revs per second).