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2000 Legacy Spits Out Engine Codes Post Valve Replacement


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My 2000 Subaru EJ25 chomped its valves after the timing belt went out about a year ago. I replaced the valves and timin belt myself, no machine shop, and its been running for almost a year now just fine until this afternoon, the car sputtered and stopped suddenly after my friend drove it. The symptoms were like a bad alternator or bad valve adjustment, refusing to start again, and after sitting a while it started up during a jumpstart then dying shortly afterwards. But when I examined it several hours later, the battery was fully charged, the alternator ok, and it started just fine. But the oil was extremely low, and I had seven engine codes: P0335-336 (Camshaft Position Sensor circuit), P0325 (Knock sensor) and P0301-304 (cylinder misfires). I checked the timing belt and it seemed ok, no damage, although the healthy slack in thr belt made me wonder if it could have skipped a tooth or something, but it seemed tense enough to do its job. Could the low oil hav done it? It was almost a quart short. Or could it be a timing belt tensioner issue, or valve adjustment issue? All help is appreciated!

Edited by DirtyMech
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I suspect your cam sensor is heating up. If possible switch one in from another car to see if it works.  Knock sensor will default the computer but it will keep running. Cylinder misfires would happen if cam sensor is malfunctioning . Loose belt ???? Was it still in time when you checked ? Tensioner and idlers should have been changed but I have seen many that they were not.... until they fail its no problem. Loose tensioner will usually cause a  knock, very noticeable at low speed. 

Edited by montana tom
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Timing belt shouldn't be slack. Maybe can move it up and down 1/8" in the center of the longest section between pulleys but that's it. 

 

Pull all the covers and check the timing marks on the sprockets. 

 

Could be due to a failing cam sensor like Tom said, but double check the timing belt first since that's free.  

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Thank you for all the replies! Yes I changed the pulleys and idlers and tensioner, I got a quality kit that included all those things plus the water pump and a spacer and such. The belt has slack but its not loose. I didnt measure the deflection, but the entire belt tested at one point seemed as taut or a bit less taut than your typical drive belt, half an inch to three quarters, but still I dont recall that much slack, at the time I installed it. It was super tight at the time of installation. Im probably just remembering it wrong. It did not really seem in danger of slipping but if there is a way to test the tensioner, I will give it a shot. I will remove the covers and check the timing, but it seemed to be running fine after it cooled off, not like the timing was off by a tooth (that would be simimar to running an engine with one dead spark plug, eh?). Montana tom, thanks for the expert diagnosis, it sounds like that could be it. After checkijgnthe belt, I will just replace the cam sensor outright if its affordable, or grab a junk yard one if its not.

Edited by DirtyMech
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what brand of belt? There have been some kits sold with a 'generic' belt that some have reported has a short life-span. Gates or Mitsuboshi or OEM would be my choices.

 

check all the bolts, I have read a coupla posts about stripped bolt holes in the tensioner bracket.

 

you can run the engine with the timing covers off - maybe see how smoothly the belt runs?

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So I've just experienced the problem first-hand, and it is most similar to a clogged fuel filter, but the problem only manifests itself when the car is hot, and my fuel filter is brand new. Driving down the freeway with the heat on between 2000 and 2500 rpm, and the car runs fine. High RPMs will cause hesitation and hiccuping, and idling in traffic will kill the car. It comes back to life once cool.

 

This sounds like a bad camshaft sensor to everyone? I see my car only has one sensor. I will replace it unless someone has a different diagnosis.

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Multiple codes - clear the codes and read them immediately when the check engine light comes back on or see which one comes back first/most consistently.

 

already have a probable code - the camshaft sensor.  i barely see a need for confirmation - the car is telling you what it is.  this happens thousands of times a day - get a code, replace a sensor. 

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The camshaft and crankshaft sensor are the same part, sound like you found the cam sensor, the crank sensor is under the alternator right next to the timing cover. It's brown with a two wire connector, not to be confused with the oil pressure sensor which has a one wire connector.

Edited by 987687
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PROBLEM SOLVED. I was examining the two position sensors and found that the crankshaft position sensor connector was loose from age and wear and from when I did the valve job. A couple pieces of electrical tape later and the problem has disappeared, no parts required, and just as the first couple trouble codes indicated. Lesson learned: those position sensors are very important!

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