johnceggleston

wasn't it subaru who first started suggesting this stuff be put in the cooling system. it sounds like a bandaid to me, but it has obviously proven it's place in these engines. the clog factor scares me, but if it is either that replace the head gaskets i would probably choose the stop leak. but still the possibility of clogging is scary. what i don't understand is how the ''conditioner'' works if it does not start working until it hits the air. does it just flow through the system waiting on a leak?? and if that is the case, doesn't that indicate that subaru assumes the HGs will leak?

the 96 2.2L has HLAs, hydraulic lash adjusters which do not need adjusting. and only need to be addressed at all if they are making noise. as long as they are quiet they should be good.

there is an icon you can click on when you are writing a response. it looks like a postcard with a mountain on it. but i doubt that is your leak point. i guess it could be, but i have never heard or read about it leaking before. the cam seals on the other hand are a very likely leak spot. but if it is just an o-ring no big deal, fix it. just don't over look other possible leak points.

i recently read a post somewhere, which i can't locate now, that listed all of the stuff a slow blow fuse, #2 i think, controlled. your list of things not working sounds similar . i'd check check those .

the ''no lights no radio'' makes me wonder. but it is pretty easy to re-connect the battery with the key on.

which relay? located where?

alarm?? connect the battery with the key in the run position. bad from the factory battery?? now many volts? another scary thought, was the old battery doing the same thing? oops, already answered.

in hindsight i wish i had put the cd player in the lower position and the cubby above. this would keep the cup holder out of the line of sight, a little. but would you be able to insert a cd with the car in 'P'? oh well, get an ipod and throw the cds away. another idea, tape a piece of plastic wrap on top of the ''radio'' so if / when your drink spills it may prevent SOME of the liquid from pouring into the inner workings. you don't want to shrink wrap the thing, it needs to breath, but any shelter would be a plus, i would think.

any idler part you do not replace will be expected to go another 100k miles with out failure. that is a lot of miles, 225k, on a timing idler. most folks replace the idlers that are making any noise at all. but any one of them could start making noise in 10k miles and then be expected to go another 90k with out failure. my point is if at all possible replace ALL idlers, tensioner and water pump just to be sure. the ej25 SOHC process is the same as the ej22 but the tooth count is probably different. you will want to confirm that. and be sure to torque the crank bolt to 125 ft lbs minimum, i use 140 ft lbs. question for all: does the crank bolt get 30 wt or anti-seize before torquing or go int dry?? i may have used lock tight but i can't remember. but dry vs ''lubed' will change the actual final torque.

all the 96 - 99 ej25s came with EGR. so if you swap in an engine with out EGR you will have a CEL. in some locations a CEL will prevent you from passing a safety or emissions inspection. in other locations it is no big deal, you just drive with a CEL . you can however start with your 90 - 94 non-EGR engine and swap in an egr intake and driver side head. but that will cost something unless you have one sitting around.

and 180+ months??

i don't know the actual temp but i have read that the stock temp gauges have a fairly wide range of normal operating temp. may 40? degrees. so the gauge is only slightly better than an idiot light. once it starts moving towards hot it is almost too late to do anything except shut the engine off. so an 8* swing is ok. how do you know the actual temp? do you have a scangage?

you can look at link below for used ej22, not a lot to choose from in your area but the prices are about half of the jdm and the miles are higher. but it is worth a look and a phone call. remember, you need an engine from an auto trans car 95 - 98. www.car-part.com

my 95 lego L is a sensor and wire setup. i think 90 - 94 were cable driven.

the haynes manual, for 90 - 98, calls for 10w30 when the temps are 0 degrees F and above, 5w30 for all temps and below 0. but it is haynes so keep that in mind. it looks very official though.

bubbles are typical on internal HG leaks, 96 - 99. 00 - 02/03 typically have external leaks. you don't have snow covering your radiator? no leaks? yeah, you said no leaks. fans are working properly? next time it starts to climb stop and see if the fans are both running. if you are not losing coolant it has to be a flow problem or a fan problem. (or maybe a gauge / sensor problem) you may be losing coolant and just not know it yet, if that is possible. i have a slow leak on my recent ej22 into a 98 obw swap. after about 1000 miles the over flow tank is dry. i hope to get through the winter before i have to fix it. was the water pump replaced with the timing belt at 105k?

could have been over tightened at some point, maybe. one of the mounting bolts may thread through to the internal part of the engine. i seem to remember one with thread lock on it. but that may have been for the AC or a ''just in case'' sort of thing. i can't remember.

so 4 inches may be the max to expect on a lego without other modifications.

no question, that is the way to remove the axle nut. what about the lateral link bolts? same trick?

outback struts fit on legos with out steering, alignment, or axle problems. and outbacks have body lift blocks on them that the legos don't have (95 - 99 at least). so you could lift outbacks ~2'' to ~2.3"(?) or so before you run into trouble. likewise, you could do all the same stuff to a lego, OB struts and blocks, and strut top lifts, gaining 4'' or more. are the outback body lift blocks 2 inches, has any one ever measured them?

i think they are 15.9 gal tanks, but that does not explain your problem. the pick up tube may, but this is not a new to you car is it? you've had this a while. seems like you would have run into this earlier. it would be interesting to know if both sides of the tank are the same. i seem to remember that the passenger side is larger but i don't really know. maybe the ''siphon pump'' from the driver side failed. any chance the pump cut off early? did you try to add a little after it first cut off? (i know this is not recommended but mine takes about .2 gals after it first shuts off. i do this on long trips some times.) some pumps cut off when the other guy's pump shuts off, it seems.

there are lots of places these engines will leak and end up dripping onto and burning on the exhaust. the most common are: rear separator plate - on the back of the engine behind the fly wheel / flex plate next to the crank. MOST COMMON, you have to pull the engine. (it is possible that the mechanic ''dumbed'' down his explanation to keep it simple, but his price quote is scary (-cost estimated $1500 to $3500) and leaves room for a lot of bill padding. if the seal between the case halves is leaking it will be more economical to find a different engine, probably. and i have never heard of this happening.) valve cover gaskets - pretty easy and not real expensive to do. front cam and crank seals - easy to do with the timing belt. oil pump o-ring / seal - easy to do with the timing belt adds about an hour, or less, and maybe 8$. much less common (rarely fails unless someone has already don't it incorrectly) is the rear main seal - you have to pull the engine to do it. this is NOT something you ''may as well do'' when the engine is out. (unless it is leaking badly.) experienced and talented shops can do it correctly without problems but a lot of beginners and backyard mechanics have trouble getting it right and they end up leaking worse afterwards.

i don't know how the tie rod bolt got buggered, but FYI for next time, the castle nut is the same thread as the lug nuts. same with the ball joint castle nut. i keep several lug nuts in my tool box so i can beat on them instead of the castle nuts.

no, but 5w30 would be better.

98 legos have wires that connect the speedo tpo the speed sensor. i assume the imp obs is the same. i can't remember the cause and fix of the ''jumping'' speedo needle but it is either the speed sensor or the speedo, i think. i think the sensor is easier to replace, but both are pretty easy. search for 'jumping speed sensor', you should find a few threads that will help. or see the list of related threads, scroll to the bottom of this page. or pull up one of the threads from the search and then look for related threads.