02 Outback bucking on acceleration

[Cougar]

Now if I could just get my dash lights working again........:-\

 

If you want some help with this start a new thread for it and we will be glad to help you. I assume you have already checked the fuses, dimmer control, and illumination control module for the trouble.

[nipper]

I have no idea where you get the idler 100K number. If you look on this list as well as others, they tend to fail at about 20K or more after a timing belt is done. Subaru also recomends (Subaru itself as dealers in some cases have been giving bad advice I think to make more business) replace everything with the timing belt on 2.5 and 2.2. Now if you want to personally guarentee and pay for the next time the front engine has to be taken apart before 210,000 miles I am fine with that, otherwise it is just foolish not to replace all idlers.

[Ionlyhave3suubs]

Ok, I have it all apart and I have a mystery oil leak that I have not encountered on any of my 2.5d engines. The oil appears to be coming from just above the water pump and slightly to the left. There is a crevice there and what appears to be an allen headed plug in the area.

 

What is leaking and how do I fix it?

[Ionlyhave3suubs]

I updated my avatar to a picture of the leak. How do you insert a pic on the post?

[Cougar]

To insert a picture click on the icon of the mountain shown above the posting reply area.

[Fairtax4me]

The little yellow icon at the top of the text box that has little mountains on it. Click that and enter the url of the image.

OR click manage attachments and follow the links to upload images directly to the site.

 

Might be the oil pump seal. You need a little $2 O ring from the dealer, and a tube of anaerobic sealer to reseal the pump.

 

The pressure bypass valve has a round plug with an allen head cap on it. IIRC there is just a copper washer under that to seal it. But be careful removing that as there are some springs that may come flying out. Check out Beergarage.com for pics of the oil pump.

[Ionlyhave3suubs]

When I click on that I get url location message. Does the image have to be posted elsewhere on the internet before I can post it here?

[Ionlyhave3suubs]

Ok, giving it a try through manage attachments section. Looks like it works as a thumbnail. Good enough!

[Fairtax4me]

nvm you got it...

 

That is the access hole for removing and installing the piston wrist pins. You can just remove it and reseal it. Subaru sells a little round gasket that goes there if you're picky.

Edited December 28, 2010 by Fairtax4me

[johnceggleston]

I updated my avatar to a picture of the leak. How do you insert a pic on the post?

there is an icon you can click on when you are writing a response. it looks like a postcard with a mountain on it.

 

but i doubt that is your leak point. i guess it could be, but i have never heard or read about it leaking before. the cam seals on the other hand are a very likely leak spot. but if it is just an o-ring no big deal, fix it. just don't over look other possible leak points.

 

Edited December 28, 2010 by johnceggleston

[Ionlyhave3suubs]

The cam seals are dry all around, as well as the front crank seal. . Is there something higher on the block that could be a likely leak point for the oil to run down where I am seeing it?

[nipper]

Nevermind ... in the process of posting someone answered my point

[Ionlyhave3suubs]

I pulled the oil pump and discovered slight seepage around the front crank seal and suspect possible seepage at the top right of where the oil pump mates to the block. I plan to replace the front seal, o-ring and re-seal the oil pump to the block.

 

Anything else I should do while I have the oil pump off?

 

Where do I get the anaerobic sealer?

 

Will rtv work here as well?

 

Torque specs on the oil pump?

[nipper]

Water pump, idlers tensioners and cam seals.

 

anaerobic sealer = "The Right Stuff" made by Permatex; Loctite 518 to name two.

 

It is commonly called gasket maker and it will be a thick red paste. You can also buy it from EVINRUDE as GEL SEAL as it is also used for sealing engine case halves in outboard motors. It is a sealer basically used where tolerances are critical and a silicone can't be used due to torsional flexing of the parts.

[Fairtax4me]

RTV works, but it can dry into little bits that break off later and get stuck in the oil passages. Anaerobic sealer does not dry like a typical sealer. Any that gets squeezed out from between the sealing surfaces will not dry like RTV will (actually it won't dry at all, ever), so there is no risk of it plugging up oil passages. You can get it at most any auto parts store. Permatex packages theirs in a blue squeeze tube.

[Ionlyhave3suubs]

Anyone have the torque specs for the oil pump bolts and cam gear bolts?

 

BTW anyone who may be reading this for their own info, when replacing the front crank seal on this engine, it is easiest to remove the seal after you remove the oil pump. It is easier to re-install the seal after you have the oil pump bolted back on. I boogered the first seal when I was trying to put the pump back on. Luckily I had a second one laying around from a previous accidental overpurchase.

[Fairtax4me]

Anything else I should do while I have the oil pump off?

Missed that part before.

You should remove all of the screws that hold the back plate on the pump. Apply thread lock and reinstall them. They tend to back out and the backing plate will come loose bleeding out all of your oil pressure back into the crankcase.

 

Oil pump bolt torque from 2000 fsm.

(4) Install oil pump on cylinder block. Be careful

not to damage oil seal during installation.

Tightening torque:

6.4 N·m (0.65 kgf-m, 4.7 ft-lb)

I think you call that "Snug".

[Ionlyhave3suubs]

All is back together. Plugs and wires did the trick on the bucking. Although a lot of other things were done during this repair episode, I firmly believe that plug wear was the #1 contributor to the bucking. They were worn to the point that the gap was twice what it should have been or more (visually inspected, not measured). I went ahead and did the wires too. I should be good to go for a long time. Also did the air filter.