Subarunation 713

This sensor can be a bear. Check for any loose brackets or shields. I was getting this sensor code on a 96 OBW with 2.2. I replaced the knock sensor only to have the code come back. At long last it was an exhaust shield. I took off the shield and reset the code never to see it again. When there is a rattle the sensor MAY perceive it as a knock. When all else checks out in the ECU the ECU then decides the sensor is at fault. Clear your code and take a small hammer and tap the engine around the knock sensor a few times. See if the code comes back. One last thing, take out the sensor and clean the block and sensor very well and reassemble. See if there was dirt or corrosion between the two. After 8+ years, the knock sensor may be bad. Good luck, Greg

There are 3 U-pull-its within 45 minutes of Allentown. Harry's in Allentown, A to Z in Shomakekersville (78 west to Rt 61, Rt 61 south for about 5 miles to Rt 662 big Sheetz station at light and go east and A to Z is about 2 miles down the road) and Joe's in New Ringgold (78 west to Rt 61, Rt 61 north to Rt 895 east and take 895 east about 10 miles to New Ringgold and keep going through "town" and they are about 3 miles on the right) You can go 309 over the mountain and take 895 west but going 78 is faster believe it or not. Lastly is Harry's in Hazleton. Harry's is about 30 minutes from Joe's in New Ringgold. Go back to New Ringgold and go north on 443 to 309, 309 north to 81 and 81 north to Hazleton. Harry's has a web site with directions to their Allentown and Hazleton places. Joe's (where I go when I am back in PA) has a billion 90 to 94 Legacys but not much after 94. Last time I was at A to Z (24+ months ago) they had a bunch of GLs and Loyales.Good luck, Greg

The 2.2 was in many 99s from the factory (like my 99). The 1997 to 1999 2.2 Legacy and 1997 to 2001 2.2 Impreza and Outback Jr is an interference solid lifter engine like the 2.5 but without head gasket issues. As to the original post my 2 cents is to keep looking. $4500 is not a really good price. I see 99 Legacys with 95 to 105,000 miles and in CHERRY condition for $4500. Keep looking and keep posting. You can count on us for giving opinions on what you find! Good luck, Greg

Matt,Why not just leave the used one in unless it too is giving you grief. I am very thankful not one of the Subarus I have owned has ever required an alternator. 10 and 12 year old Legacys with 200,000+ miles and the alternator never gave a bit of grief (and I am one of those freaks who always leaves the lights on). Just my 2 cents, Greg

Has anyone changed an ABS unit? I have an used one to put on but nothing in the Haynes manual for instructions other than take it to a dealer or certified repair facility. I am "certified" but by mental health professionals, does that count? 96 OBW manufactured 9-95 so I have the rectangular model (late 93, 94, 95 and early 96) with 4 outlets coming out of the top. It is functioning but leaking. When I replace it should I just bleed it like a master cylinder and then bleed at all of the wheels? Taking it off of the donor car was pretty easy. Is it as simple as disconnecting the lines, connector plugs and ground wire, replace in reverse order and then bleeding it? Shoot, it is just the brakes, not something important like the vanity mirror light. Thanks, Greg

I have a 99 Legacy sedan 2.2 5 speed with some of the same problems, speedo/odo works 60-70% of the time. Cruise always works. If I tap the winshield washer button the speedo comes back to life most of the time. There was a post about 10-14 months ago about this same problem. I thought I had saved it because it had instructions on how to adjust the odo if you picked up an used speedo head. Check fuses on the cruise. If you have intermittent speedo/odo functions and no cruise you may have a speed sensor problem. That piece is on the transmission. Get an 8# sledge hammer, wind up with a full swing and tap the transmission :-) I know my problem is speedo head so I did not investigate the speed sensor issue on the transmission.Good luck, Greg

I would get the codes read. The ECU (electronic contol unit) would light up the CEL (check engine light) if there was no spark. If there is no CEL then you have a bad CEL or a bad ECU. I hope you have a bad CEL.

Spend a few extra $$ and go with the OEM. The OEM belt has marks for the left, center and right alignment marks. Just match the line on the timing belt up with the mark on the left cam sprocket and line that up with the mark on the timing belt cover, line up the mark on the crank sprocket and dotted line on the timing belt and oil pump mark and the same with the right side and your good to go. I don't know if Dayco, Good Year, Beck/Arnley or Kelly/Springfiled have the alignment marks the OEM belt has but those factory marks made me feel TONS more secure before I hit the ignition. The after market belts may last just as long or be just as good but I sure like those FACTORY marks on the OEM belt.

You will notice the CA spec belt comes with sunglasses, a laid back attitude and smell faintly of pot. Really, the CA belt is supposed to have a 105,000 mile life vs the 60,000 for the "federal" states. It is an effort to reduce waste and protect the consumer from needless expensive repairs (I make no editorial comment on whether the timing belt is a needless repair, however I agree it is costly). http://www.subaru.com/owners/schedules/index.jsp?navid=SCHEDULE_1998 There was some talk on this forum a while back about the different belts. I know one tech mentioned he put CA belts on all of his customers cars even though he was not in the state.

I paid $35 at Joe's U-Pull-It in New Ringgold last Friday when I was back at my parents in eastern PA. I got the last of my type in the lot. A billion earlier style Bosch units, 90-93, but only 1 like I needed. Take a Sunday and drive down to Harry's U-Pull-It in Hazleton. It is only about 2-1/2 hours from NYC and if it saves you $800 it might be worth the trip. There is also a yard in Allentown. That might be closer. Good Luck.

I need to replace the ABS unit on our 96 OBW. The current one leaks fluid. This car was made in 9-05 so it has the unit like the 94 and 95 Legacys (4 "outs" in a row on the top with the "ins" on the lower front side, kinda long and narrow, not round). I removed the "new" unit myslef at the U-pull-it yard and it seemed pretty straight forward. Is there anything the Haynes manual leaves out that I should be aware of? Any tricks or words of advice? Really, how worried should I be, they are just breaks, nothing really important or anything. :-) Thanks, Greg

Thanks a TON!! I couldn't find the marks as they were covered with a white green and red blob of paint. After looking at the photo in the pdf I went back and started looking. I thought it weird that there not be any marks as all of the manuals and instructions I read all showed marks. Once I knew approxiamtely where to look I could see the little buggers under the paint blobs. I didn't scratch them off until the photos and text in the attachment said to disregard them. Interestingly enough if you match the arrow on the crank sprocket the arrows on the cam sprocket spokes line up with the marks on the cover. It makes more sense that the timing mark, not the arrows, allow the cam not to have lifter tension. Gosh, I feel like an idiot but better to ask then to be prideful, do it wrong and be sorry! Thanks again Frag and Tcspeer, Greg

I am replacing the timing belt, cam seals, oil pump, crank seal, thermostat, hoses and water pump on my wife's 96 Outback 2.2. There are arrows on 1 of the spokes of each cam sprocket but no marks like are pictured in any of the manuals I am reading. There is nothing on the back of the sprocket either. This is an early manufcture 96 (9-95), Before I took things apart I lined up the timing marks on the crank gear and the arrows lined up with the marks on the timing belt cover. But on a Subaru publication (for a 97 to 99 2.2) it shows the arrow off to about the 2:00 position and the mark lining up with the marks on the cover. Does anybody have experience with this type of cam sprocket? Thanks, Greg

Steve, Well not to say I am "savy" but if you have a drill I would get a "reverse drill bit" (this one drills but turns the opposite direction) and drill a hole in the bolt. There is a small chance (15% to 20%) the spinning/drilling action of the drill will back out the bolt. If it does, then fine. If it doesn't this leave you a whole in the bolt to use an "easy out". This is like a Chinese finger torture. The harder you turn the "easy out" it drills itself in and grips the broken off bolt more. Don't beat yourself up. How could you have prepared any better than you did? Heck, I don't even squirt penatrating oil on 2 days before. Good luck, Greg BTW-don't be afraid to call on a Higher Power!

Kieth,They just don'y have those in the midwest, You have A-Z in Shoemakersville, Joe's in New Ringgold, Harry's up in Hazleton, and the one north of Allentown. Great yards chuck full of Subarus. Here in Michigan there is one in Holland and it lacks Subaru's. I dont know what Iowa is like. But northwestern Indiana lacks them too. Maybe I should quit advertising and open a junkyard! It would sure beat the office! BTW-could you send me a cheesesteak on an ATV roll. Ah, life's simple pleasures. Midwest, Check car-part.com You may pay a few bucks but you might find a good one. At 191,000 miles? how much further do you want it to go and how much more $$ do you want to put in a car worth $1000 (maybe worth more to you but on the market). If you feel like driving to Chicago there are a few early Legacys on craigslist.com Take care, Greg

The beauty is it is and will remain a clean title. It will show up on a CARFAX report as an accident but not a total/salvage certificate. It will require some cutting and welding. I am GREAT with the torch aka "The Gas Wrench" but my skills with the welder....well they leave much to be desired! Thanks for the input, please keep it coming. Greg

My mother's 97 OBW is having the same issue. Deer Lake Auto Sales in Deer Lake quoted replacing the the sep plate (with metal) for $387! All they do is Subaru's so they must be good and fast. Either that or they think a good time is beating their thumb with a hammer. That is alot of work for 400 bucks! After it is scheduled they do it in a day. Spend another $25-$35 and have the front seal of the transmission and rear engine seal replaced while it is apart and easy to get to. They are 15 minutes north of Hamburg (intersection of I-78 and Route 61). You can't miss the intersection. There is a new Cabella's there that I am sure is visable from the moon!

Well the 96 OBW 2.2 5 speed with 164,000 miles has come to an untimely end. My new friend Jason pulled right out in front of me as I was driving my wife's car. I was going through my green light when he made a right turn on red. When you do this you are supposed to Stop, Look for traffic, Yield to oncoming traffic, and Proceed with CAUTION. Well he had the proceed correct! Poor kid, his dad got there and was PISSED OFF! It made me think back 20+ years when I did that with my dad's car. It won't be the end of the world if he learns from it and becomes a better driver for the next 40+ years. I know my accident when I was 17 made me a better driver from then to now. I bought the car back from the insurance company. They totaled it. The hood, right front fender, bumper assembly, lights, fender support and assorted crap. The ABS pump is fine. The horn even survived. It drives down the road fine. Brakes fine and doesn't pull. It has value to me as the new Yokohama Avid tires are about 8 weeks old and I know it's history and I know how well I maintained it. I SUCK at body work. Mechanics and I get along great. My question is this, what would you do with it? Sell it? Fix it, and if so, what are used body pieces generally like? An used spindle/wheel hub doesn't have dents and the rust doesn't matter. It is either solid or not acceptable. A hood? Well it could be fine, have rust but still be ok, have dents but still be sellable. If I drive to Wisconsin to and the hood, fender, whatever sucks I just wasted 8 hours plus some gas. I guess I am just asking for some informed advice. thanks, Greg btw-What did I do 24 hours and 20 minutes before my accident? you guessed it, REDUCED my insurance coverage!

Well I am gunna commit the unpardenable sin, I am going to ask if somebody would loan or rent me thier valve adjustment tool. SPX-Kentmore, the manufacture of the tool for Subaru, is back ordered until July 5, 2005. None of the dealers I talked to had one including 1st Subaru. The local dealer, Team Nissan-Suzuki-Subaru of South Bend, Indiana, told me my 97 2.5 engine had hydraulic valve adjusters....gotta tell you, it didn't build ANY confidence. I am checking to see what the dealer in Kalamazoo, Maple Hill, has to say. I would just take it to a dealer or shop and have them do it if they had the tool and the shims as the tool is $246 from SPX-Kentmore. I just can't wait until the middle of July. I had a CEL and the ECU told us it was a cylinder #1 misfire. Cylinder #1 valves and cylinder #4 valves were replaced when the pistons had a get-together with the valves after the timing belt jumped ship after the idler pulley melted apart after the water pump seized (I bought the car this way). Cylinder #1 is too tight on the intake and my guess is cylinder #4 will be tight on the exhaust. PULLEAZE don't ask the obvious question, "why didn't you check valve clearance as you were reassembeling?" because I should have and didn't is the only lame reason! Often times the valves are fine after 100K miles so I just thought they would be fine again. Just so you know I have a habbit of treating other peoples tools like rare gems. I realize they aren't free! Let me know, Greg gwardecke@msn.com

Sorry, didn't mean "things" as go wrong, but just the items that make up the 30th anniversary package. 30th Annivesray package suggested value $2000 *Power Moonroof *Alloy Wheels and 195/60 R15 tires *Rear Spoiler *Driver's Seat Height Adjuster *Body-color Door Handles and Body Side Molding *Power Antenna 30th Anniversary Package Discount -$1000 Total 30th Anniversary Pkg Special Price $1000 (Taken right from my window sticker and my car is a sedan) My car in 99 stickered for $20,690 car! and I have a 5 speed. I guess the only thing that could go wrong with those items are if you like the car and don't buy it and somebody else does their butt may be in the height adjustable seat seat and somebody else may make the wheels go around and that would be a problem :-) Greg

My 30th anniversary sedan is quite a nice car. Mine is the 2.2 with 5-speed. The little 30th anniversary things are the height adjustable seats, spoiler (sedan), sunroof and 15" alloys. I can't help you with the sunroof, sorry.Greg

My wifes 2.2 96 OBW all the sudden dipped to the 23 MPG range and CEL came on. I was doing some cheap expirements first before I had the light checked. Good ol SeaFoam in thrugh the PCV. It filled the hose up twice with nothing going into the intake and then dawn broke on granite rock. Why isn't the SeaFoam going thrugh like the times before? Unscrewed the PCV and lo and behold, all gummed up. Sort of odd as I change them regularly but hey. I dumped a few drops of Sea Foam in the PCV and shook it up and dumped it out. Did that a few times just to get by. Completed the SeaFoam treatment. CEL went off just like that. I will change PCV and monitor MPG to see if it goes back up to the 26-27 around town MPG. After all of that intro, would a blocked PCV effect MPG? Thanks, Greg

I have a 96 OBW 2.2 5 speed. I have towed a 92 Corolla on a tow dolly from Lexington, KY to southwest Michigan with no problems. I wasn't the first away from the light and I allowed PLENTY of distance for braking but it went smooth.Greg

Are you using avgas or auto fuel or switch from one to another? Did you carburate the engine or leave FI? What I am getting at is that somehow the engine may be leaning too much? What about timing, could that have been bumped by accident? If you are to advanced or retarded you might get some extra heat at higher RPMs. More than likely you will have fixed the problem with new headgaskets and machined/resurfaced heads. If the timing belt had jumped a tooth, when you put it back together you will have remedied that possible problem too. Good luck, Greg (an envious pilot)