mb4lunch Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Just did full valve job, belts, pulleys, water pump, etc... Done many before so pretty good at it. No corners cut. Fel-Pro gasket sets, etc... The car runs smooth and idles great. Seems to rev fine in neutral or Park. From a dead stop if you nail it, it does not jump off the line and the transmission takes a few seconds to downshift into lower gear. ( I just changed most of the fluid and the spin on filter. carefully and slowly got the fluid level perfect.) If I start up a hill and gently apply throttle the engine has very little power (no misfire... just no go.) Plus transmission takes it's time downshifting. Once you get rolling or on the highway, it has no problem hauling rump roast. And the transmission runs right up to 6K redline and shifts right to the next gear. Also shifts manually to all the gears no problem. We hooked up a super nice Matco scanner tool today that reads everything while you drive, etc... No codes. Can't find any vacuum leaks. Changed the fuel filter and lines. Tried spark plug wires. Gas is fresh. Still will not go off the line or uphill! Please.... If anyone has any logical things to try, HELP ME! Thanks in advance! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 trans fluid level checked while idling? it's the only one you check with the engine running, many folks forget and under-fill. best to check after moving the shift lever thru each gear if you are re-filling. filter OEM? many aftermarket filters seem to be built like oil filters - the OEM on is really more like a screen - could be an issue??? maybe cam/crank timing is off a tooth? pull the covers and bring the crank to the belt install mark, do a tooth count (search on line for that engine) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb4lunch Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 Trans fluid checked on perfectly level ground at idle in Neutral. Filled it very slowly and did the gear shift thing after each fill. Got it up to perfect level. Wix is the filter brand. They are very high quality. I have one on my '99 with no issues. I did the timing belt myself and double and triple checked the timing. Also have pictures and have looked at those again. All correct. All new rollers, tensioner, etc. And I made sure the bearings were Japanese rather than China. I just checked the engine oil level. After car sitting level over an hour. Perfect. Not overfilled. New plugs. New Wires. All new gaskets on everything. No oil down in the plug tubes. So..... Still looking for something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb4lunch Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 Oh.... I have not taken the pan off the transmission so, know not what filter is in there. I just did the dump at the drain plug and the spin on filter. Someone before me was in there because see red gasket goop. I may have to drop the pan and do that filter... And check the solenoids. I hear they should OHM out at 15? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 (edited) did the engine come out of the car for the work? do you still have the OEM filter? put it back on to be sure about that. (even WIX 'could' have a bum filter come off the assembly line) no dents in the trans pan? maybe whoever was in there before used too much sealant and a chunk has broken off - blocking a passage??? try a battery disconnect 'reset'. try a bottle of TRans-X ? that's all I can think of right now, sounds like you know what you're doing so, this is likely something kinda odd. Edited February 21, 2018 by 1 Lucky Texan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Before any thing else is done I'd want to know: 1. Was it doing this before the head work? 2. Is the AT light operational and does it flash 16 times at first start up? I'm pretty sure Subaru has an orange/red sealer, but i'm not sure which applications should look like what, but I'd check before assuming the pan has been removed before. Those internal pan screens are nearly pointless to check normally, it's just a screen and not a true filter as you seem to know. they pretty much can't be clogged and if they are you'll need a new transmission soon. every 200,000+ mile screen i've seen had basically nothing in it, maybe one piece of something...certainly nothing that would impede movement of the vehicle. can't you ohm the solenoids from the trans connector without pulling the pan? otherwise yeah the solenoids are right there when you drop the pan, easily accessible. is the AT light operational and does it flash 16 times at first start up? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 As was asked before, any symptoms before recent work. Any chance clogged cat? Disconnect cat and see if any better. It will be louder for sure :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 oooh - clogged cat 'might' show on a vacuum gauge test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb4lunch Posted February 21, 2018 Author Share Posted February 21, 2018 I bought the car with blown head gaskets so only drove it far enough to get it on tow truck. Have receipts for transmission fluid flushing from the previous owner. And a new cat was put on the car 3 years ago. Not sure about the AT light. I am working my regular job today. Will get back on here tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Hard to decipher online if this is an engine issue or transmission one, they can be easily confused. Is there an easy way to test AT fluid flow - pressure test at the AT lines to the radiator? engine Compression test? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 sorta wondering about the cap/o-ring on the fuel pump...but, Forester may not have that style of FP...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb4lunch Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 Pretty sure it has the whole fuel pump unit screwed into the top of the gas tank under the back seat perhaps. That's where my 98 Outback Legacy was. It's a whole big unit that pulls out the top. Not real easy to access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb4lunch Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 Anyway... The engine will haul rump roast once it get going so I assume it's getting enough fuel pressure? I really need to get a tester and see what psi I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb4lunch Posted March 8, 2018 Author Share Posted March 8, 2018 Update.... I swapped out the whole valve body from a parts car that was shifting decent. Now this car is working pretty good! It's like 90% better. Still not as quick as my '99 off the line but it is acceptable now for a regular person. I think that last little bit may be in the TQ but it is not getting changed. The car is getting sold and I will direct my attention to the parts car that I intend on making into a off roader. Thanks for all the input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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