foxgap Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 My mechanic is checking for plugged cats today and if they are plugged I am going to have to replace them. The car is a 95 Legacy that I bought 3 years ago for about $1000.00. I really hate to put a set of cats on it that are going to cost about that same price, Other than that the car runs nice with 190K on it. I would like to get a few more years out of the car and then replace it with a Legacy in the 2000's. Any suggestions on vendors? 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 I have a couple OEM converters from 90's legacy's but the flanges are rusted off, they'd need flanges welded to them or welded/clamped in place if you want me to ship you one. those 95's will run forever if you don't overheat or run them low on oil. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 fox - why does the mechanic suspect the cats? what symptoms do you have? car running poorly, CEL or ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Contact Inferno Fabrications. He makes J pipes with quality cats and stands behind them. http://www.infernofab.com/ You can also just throw in a fake cat, or even hollow out the shell of what you have and use a $15, 90 degree spacer in the rear O2 sensor to kill the code. https://www.amazon.com/Degree-Angled-Engine-Exhaust-Extension/dp/B00B1U6I54 GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Contact Inferno Fabrications. He makes J pipes with quality cats and stands behind them. http://www.infernofab.com/ You can also just throw in a fake cat, or even hollow out the shell of what you have and use a $15, 90 degree spacer in the rear O2 sensor to kill the code. https://www.amazon.com/Degree-Angled-Engine-Exhaust-Extension/dp/B00B1U6I54 GD Oh right, or that. If you don't live in an emissions testing area then do this and never think about it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxgap Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 (edited) The good news is that the cats are not plugged. We also live in an area of PA where we have emissions testing and they inspect for cats. The motor still is dead feeling, he ran his scan tool yesterday and found the rear O2 sensor doing all kinds of stupid things so when the replacement gets here today that is going to get changed. We checked the MAF and MAP sensors yesterday with no change. It has received a new coil, wires, plugs, knock sensor and coolant sensor this last week with no change in the motor except getting rid of the CEL. I dropped off a spare throttle body last night just in case. GD, just checked out that link for the replacement cats, great prices!!!!! Edited March 1, 2018 by foxgap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted March 1, 2018 Share Posted March 1, 2018 (edited) knock sensor needs to be inspected - or just swap in a new one. cheap ones seem to work OK for most people in this instance. If original 95, I'm sure it's all cracked and a bad one can kill power. Edited March 1, 2018 by 1 Lucky Texan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxgap Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 This is what has been done to the car. New knock sensor new coil new wires new NGK plugs new coolant sensor both O2 sensors replaced Fuel pressure is 50lbs tonight we changed the computer, I have a 95 parts car here and pulled the computer from it, It is the same numbers as the one in the car and it threw a code for knock sensor. Pulled the computer out and put the original in, no more code. I just talked to a friend that used to work for a Subbie shop and he agrees that it is a timing issue. He suggested we clock the knock sensor with the wire pointing at the passenger seat 11:00 position. He also suggested getting a knock from Subaru not the Interworld one we got. After that we should pull the timing covers on the end and check to see if the belt is not off one tooth. The belt is about 1 1/2 years old Still no CEL this thing is starting to drive us nuts.......... Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 If you got a code for knock sensor then i'd install another knock sensor. Timing check only takes a couple of minutes and 6 10mm bolts. Remove both left and right side timing covers and check alignment marks. Each is attached with 3 10mm bolts, that's it. Remove them and have a look. I'm not surprised it happens, but I've never had issues with the cheap $7 ebay knock sensors. For that price I've always expected them to fail at some point but I've used them countless times. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxgap Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 with all the spare parts laying around the shop for this car we should be able to figure something out this afternoon. Stay tuned for more news as I hear it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 I've got 3 or 4 Subaru nice Colorado Cats. $40 + shipping 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 fox - do I recall from the other thread that car runs OK when warm? when the car is bogging down, if you shift to neutral - does the engine rev OK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxgap Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 All, We had some severe weather here starting Friday morning. Power and internet went out at 10 am and the power came back on around 3pm Sat. Internet came back sometime last night. Nothing has been touched on the car since Thursday. It may get worked on today if my mechanic has got his power back on, a lot of the area is still without and I hear now we are are getting hammered again on Wed. More updates as I get them on the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxgap Posted March 8, 2018 Author Share Posted March 8, 2018 My mechanic dug into the car today and came up with the answer to the no power problem with the car. The crankshaft key way has been destroyed. It seems when the belt was installed the bolt was not tightened enough and no threadlocker was used. We thought about welding up the crank but since I have a spare 95 motor with less miles we are going to change it out. The broken motor should be on the floor by now. As soon as this friggin snow melts a bit I can get to the parts car and get the motor out of it, resealed and installed. This really sucks, but this should make the car last quite a bit longer. Oh well, mystery solved. Thanks for all the suggestions and offers of parts, I appreciate it very much! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 (edited) Thats an easy fix. You just clean up the keyway and install a new key, sprocket and balancer. I do this a few times a year. The key is ONLY there to assist assembly. Bolt torque does the holding. GD Edited March 8, 2018 by GeneralDisorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike104 Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 So when the crank sprocket slips I expect that would affect the timing resulting in power loss? I have heard of people cleaning the keyway, putting in a new key and sometimes filling the gap with JB weld and after it cures installing a new sprocket and tightening the bolt properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxgap Posted March 11, 2018 Author Share Posted March 11, 2018 Mike, when the keyway went bad the whole belt slipped a tooth. Hence no power. The tensioner is shot also. Looking at the crank I don't think this one can be repaired, the key sort of twisted in the slot and ripped an angled path on the crank. As of right now both motors are on the floor getting some parts transferred between them and the spare motor is getting new seals and valve cover gaskets along with a metal separator plate in the rear to replace the plastic one. We should have it back together by Tuesday since we are working on it when the shop does not have other pressing work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 (edited) They key always twists to the drivers side. Leaving the passenger edge of the keyway intact. You simply clean up the mess, install a new key, and it will bear against the good passenger edge of the keyway when tightening. The key will be held just fine because three corners are held by the new sprocket, and one good edge. It will tighten up just fine and once the bolt is tightened to 150 ft/lbs the key is meaningless. GD Edited March 13, 2018 by GeneralDisorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted March 15, 2018 Share Posted March 15, 2018 have to agree with GD on this one - on a 95 (which is non-interference) clean the sucker up, new key to guide placement of the crank pulley (that is all the key is for, btw), and torque the bolt down properly - good to go. After addressing the timing that is. New tensioner, and may as well do all the other pulleys & related timing stuff, and she should be golden for 100K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxgap Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 Just wanted to update everyone still watching this post. The spare engine is in and running excellent. It is nice not to smell burning oil on the exhaust pipes anymore. We had a few minor glitches, a bad vacume hose to the EGR and a small exhaust leak at the front Cat, nothing that can't be fixed. I have took the bad crank motor to a local shop to repair the crankshaft. The owner has looked at it and feels he can weld and repair the snout in a few weeks. The damage is pretty bad, the slot is almost twice the size of the original keyway and the snout has a gouge about a 1/2" long leading away from the keyway. Thanks for all the great advice everyone!!!!! Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 (edited) Mike, when the keyway went bad the whole belt slipped a tooth. Hence no power. The tensioner is shot also. Looking at the crank I don't think this one can be repaired, the key sort of twisted in the slot and ripped an angled path on the crank. As of right now both motors are on the floor getting some parts transferred between them and the spare motor is getting new seals and valve cover gaskets along with a metal separator plate in the rear to replace the plastic one. We should have it back together by Tuesday since we are working on it when the shop does not have other pressing work.the key is unnecessary - i've installed them without keys many times. there's been way too many stories over the years of hours, engines, and sweat wasted over something that can easily be worked around. i've never used a torque wrench on a crank bolt - 3 foot pipe and "take this!" on those non-aluminum threads and alls well over and over again. they don't come off unless you simply don't torque them enough. and i've had them really bad, had to file them flat and get a new pulley before so the pulley isn't sitting at an angle...no big deal, same thing. i get that working on someone elses car you can't then guarantee it'll ever be noted in the future...so that changes the dynamic. but when i ask someone "I can do this for free if you take note in the future, keep the details in the glove box - or we can go on to a $$$ or $$$$ repair" - i let them choose and they've never chosen the $$$+ repair. if it's a pristine $10,000+ valued car, might be selling or trading then yeah i'm gonna try and clean the key up and make it right, i have repaired them before but i definitely don't sweat it, there's options this isn't a big deal at all. Edited March 28, 2018 by idosubaru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Agree. It doesn't need to be "repaired". I fix these all the time. The key is inconsequential once the bolt is torqued. Its there for assembly purposes. GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxgap Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 gotcha guys, Now I understand. I was under the impression that the pulley had to be clocked correctly. Once the bolt is tightened I could even just tack the pulley in place to keep it there. The motor is going to be put in storage anyway for just in case of down the road. It will not be sold. If anything I could use the intake and related parts for a swap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 it's steel into steel so, just put 130 ftlbs on it. I suppose a 'dot' of threadlocker would be OK ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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