A few notes from experience on subaru

[willwright]

This is a just a few notes to maybe help others who may be experiencing issues with their subies. This is a 2003 Subaru Outback wagon with the 2.5 sohc no turbo. I got the car for 400 bucks with a thrown rod. I picked up a 2.5 block and did a full rebuild on this car, the only thing I didn't buy new was the pistons. Crank was turned, heads milled, valve job , new seals throughout the heads.

 

Biggest lessons learned is to absolutely use subie OEM parts and seals all the way down to plug wires and NGK spark plugs. I tried saving a few bucks by going cheaper plug wires and autolite plugs only to do them again 17,000 miles later. I had to redo head gaskets for same reason. Went with an off brand gasket set from the machine shop and it was a huge mistake. Make sure those spark plug wires definitely snap onto the plugs or your going to have hesitation, bucking and coughing under a load at low rpm. You may or may not get a misfire code when it does this.

 

If your replacing the rear main seal , make sure you get it from Subaru and it sets flush with the block. Do NOT put it as far as it will go or its going to pour oil. While your there, re seal those access plates on the back of the block, if yours are plastic, replace them with the solid aluminum ones.

 

Timing set, again , spend the extra money and get them from Subaru, I got a set from Los parts store and the tensioner was weepung a bit after 10,000 miles. No money saved there and it could have cost me an engine ! When putting them in time, use the marks on the can sprockets and the crank sprocket, not the arrows. The left sprocket aligns with the head gasket and the right aligns with the notch on the timing cover. The crank sprocket mark is located on the back part of the crank sprocket , the part that passes by the cps, there is a mark on the housing of the cps to align it with.

 

The most important thing I will say is take your time folks! These subies don't like anything to not be correct. You will end up paying for it in the long run. I hope my experience will help someone out as much as this forum has helped me by reading past post. There is a GREAT wealth of knowledge on this board and I would like to personally thank every one of you that dedicate your time to answer things over and over again foe the most part.

[greg412]

Thanks, very good advice, and good timing for me, I was wondering if OEM parts were absolutely necessary for Subie's and I'm finding more and more people saying just what you said, Ok, I'm convinced now. 

I'm going to post, if I can figure out how to do it. on what parts should be replaced when doing a timing belt. I know the water pump should be changed, but what else, I hear the tensioner is a good idea. Any Ideas. Thanks. 

[Fairtax4me]

Belt, tensioner, all 3 idlers, and the water pump.

 

People have good reports of Gates timing kits. Better quality than the eBay cheapies, and at lower cost than most parts stores if you order on Amazon. You can also get Gates kits through Rockauto.

 

You can order Dealer quality parts (Mitsuboshi belt, NSK and Koyo Idlers & tensioner, Aisin water pump) through TheImportExperts.com for much less than paying dealer prices.

Get a dealer water pump gasket. Do not use the paper gasket included with the timing kit. Aisin pumps come with a dealer style gasket.

 

If you want to reseal the front end you'll need cam and crank shaft seals, a tube of Anaerobic sealant, and an O-ring for the oil pump housing. Get the seals and o-ring from a dealer. TheImportExperts carry OE Subaru seals and the o-ring IIRC.

Remove the oil pump and make sure the screws on the backing plate are tight. Use an impact screwdriver to re-tighten them. Use blue lock-tite on the threads if you want to.

[Gloyale]

 

You can order Dealer quality parts (Mitsuboshi belt, NSK and Koyo Idlers & tensioner, Aisin water pump) through TheImportExperts.com for much less than paying dealer prices.

Get a dealer water pump gasket. Do not use the paper gasket included with the timing kit. Aisin pumps come with a dealer style gasket.

 

 

This is what I order excactly but I go through a wholesaler like IMC or Worldpac.........but that's my lucky rump roast........

[jarl]

This is a 2003 Subaru Outback wagon with the 2.5 sohc no turbo. I got the car for 400 bucks with a thrown rod.

 

A Colorado body for $400!!! I want one!!! All I can find aroud here are rust buckets