dxrflyboy

If the rattle is coming from the PCV valve (grab the valve and you feel a vibration) then it's normal. Not all of them will do it, but some will and there isn't much you can do about it besides experiment with different PCV valves until you find one that doesn't make noise.

If the engine was overheated enough to crack the heads, you could certainly have broken rings. I'm assuming you had one BHG and not two, in which case one cylinder bank would be overheating more severely than the other, causing ring breakage, which would explain one bank having lower compression.

The throttle position sensor may not be reading properly. You may have to check it with a meter to see if it's steadily changing as you open the throttle.

The ABS won't activate if all four wheels are locked (the module interprets this as a full stop). AWD also reduces the tendency for the wheels to lock. If you have all four wheels off the ground, put the car in neutral, and step on the brake, the ABS should kick in, since all the wheels almost never stop at the same time. Without knowing your exact test conditions, I can't offer much more input.

It's best to avoid welding in a universal cat, which chains like Meineke like to install. Direct fit aftermarket cats are sometimes available, but not always. Aside from an OEM replacement from a dealer, I would consider an aftermarket direct fit your only other option. Also, the front cat is the only one monitored by the ECU. The back one has no effect on the CEL.

I always thought the HBs had the EA71 1600cc engine thru 1989, although I could be wrong. I do know the EA81 had one cut corner on each rocker cover while the 1600 didn't. I had a 1985 HB with a 1600/4sp, but they also came as GLs with a 5-speed or maybe even an auto. I was pretty sure they were all 1600s though.

Yes. The gaskets are only made to be torqued down once. If you R&R the heads again, you will need new gaskets.

If the pedal goes to the floor, whether constantly or intermittently, there are no external leaks, and the system hasn't been opened recently, process of elimination leaves the MC as the only remaining culprit. If you still have doubts, remove the master and take it apart. It's probably full of black sludge.

Even if you could do it with the engine in the car, it isn't worth the effort. The engine comes out much too easy not to pull it.

I've only heard one story of this sort. It was many years ago involving a British car. Mind you, British cars are notorious for leaking oil! Many of them used rawhide oil seals back then, and early synthetics weren't compatible. There are no rawhide seals in a Subaru. I don't think you have any cause for concern. Granted, if there is any varnish and sludge in the engine that is currently preventing it from leaking, using an oil with superior detergency will tend to clean it away, allowing weak gaskets/seals to leak. While sludge and varnish may prevent leaks in your engine right now, it will also cause lubrication problems, which is especially evident if you have a Phase I EJ22 with hydraulic lash adjusters. As always, you have to take the good with the bad.

HGs are NOT reusable. Whenever you reinstall a cylinder head, a new gasket MUST be used. Also check the head surface for flatness. As far as broken cam cap bolts go, a machine shop is your best bet. Another option is a set of reman heads. Unless you have the equipment and training to make precision repairs such as this, your best bet is to send it to one who does.

That clutch sounds worn. If it is newer, it was probably abused. You'll probably have to service it sooner or later.

Don't overlook the brakes. The brake pads are notorious for seizing up in the caliper brackets, creating drag and causing premature, uneven pad wear. You can be sure this hurts gas mileage as well. When I do a brake job I remove the pad clips, clean any rust scale off the brackets underneath them, coat the area with antiseize compound, and coat the ends of the pad plates with antiseize. I also put plenty of grease on the slide pins to make sure they don't dry out, rust, and seize. One slide pin on each caliper has a rubber sleeve on the end of it. Be careful not to get too much grease in the bore or the pin won't go in all the way.

It sounds like an internal leak in the master cylinder.

The overflow is the white plastic tank next to the radiator that catches coolant pushed out of the radiator under pressure while the engine is running. When the engine cools and draws a vacuum in the system, it sucks the coolant back in from the tank. There are markings molded into the side of the tank - a full mark and an add mark. The level should stay between these two marks unless there is a problem.

Subaru has been putting Champion spark plugs in from the factory for a while now. The replacement plugs available at the dealer are NGK. I'm sure it's a money thing and nothing else. If your car has Champion plugs in it, replace them with NGK or Bosch Platinum. If that doesn't solve your problem, you will have to dig deeper.

Also, I'm not sure of this since I haven't done my research, but engine may also run in "batch fire" mode (all injectors fire at the same time) until it warms up, then runs in sequential mode (fires each injector individually based on camshaft position). This would explain why it may run OK cold but not warm. But I wouldn't pay $450 just to CHECK this! The end covers come off separately from the center cover, making a timing check a fairly simple procedure. I could understand the $450 bill to REPLACE the belt, but not just to check the timing!

It sounds like the problem occurs when the ECU is running in "closed loop" (when the O2 sensor is warmed up and adjusting the A/F mixture). You will need to retrieve the DTC (diagnostic trouble code) and follow the diagnostic procedure in the manual to pinpoint the cause. This is the only way to correct the problem. If the dealer isn't following this procedure and is guessing with your money, you need to find somewhere else to take the car.

If you're concerned and willing to spend the money, the best way to go is use a PAO-based synthetic oil, such as Amsoil and Mobil 1. Castrol Syntec is Type III petroleum based oil. It's good, but not as good as Type IV PAO-based oil. Do some research on synthetic motor oils on the 'net. It will amaze you. There are 0w30/40 and 5w40/50 synthetics available that offer both cold starting and high speed viscosity protection. Personally, I don't have vehicles that I'm willing to spend that kind of money on for oil, although I probably should. But for those who are willing to pay for the best, the best is available.

The described noise is the same as pinion bearings in a RWD vehicle. Unfortunately, repairing it in a Subaru is considerably more difficult than in a separate diff. assembly. Installing a reman. transaxle is the fix. Obviously, who pays is the big issue here.

There may or may not be oil in the coolant, depending upon whether or not the oil feed is leaking. Low compression in one cylinder, bubbles in the coolant, and temp going up are all indicators of a BHG. A bent valve would be a problem if the timing belt broke. In any case, a valve problem could be corrected when replacing HGs. Send the heads to a machine shop, have them resurfaced and leak checked. Make sure none of the oil galleys are plugged up with metal debris, etc. when the come back! My coworker has to redo a head job thanks to blocked oil galleys that caused one of the cams to seize up!

He was busting his own @$$. I think he's allowed to do that! HGs on DOHC EJ25s are like anything else automotive. There are millions of Chrysler products with hand grenades disguised as transmissions driving all over the place. I'd be afraid to take one of those out of town, but ignorance is bliss! Ford owners have the same problems, especially Taurus and Windstar owners. But some people never have a problem. You may not either. I would say that The type of driving, climate, etc. etc. are all factors on the life of your head gaskets. Temperature extremes and frequent warming & cooling will shorten their life. The less expansion/contraction cycles they experience and the less extreme they are, the longer the gaskets will last. That said, there are no guarantees if and when they will give up the ghost. The best you can do is thoroughly check for internal and external leaks (internal leaks will be bubbles in the radiator and sludge in the overflow - this may already have been mentioned). If you don't see any problems, go ahead and drive the car. No, there are no guarantees that you won't have any trouble, and yes, a BHG will ruin your vacation. But so will a traffic accident. You can't guarantee you won't be involved in one, but you take all the necessary precautions to avoid it (defensive driving, safety checking the car, avoiding known danger areas, the list goes on).

DOHC EJ25 engines are prone to blowing headgaskets (it will take very little browsing of this forum to find this out!). Your original engine may or may not have been salvageable from the overheat. Replacing the engine was a CYA measure on the part of the garage. Usually, resurfacing the heads and replacing the gaskets is all it takes to get you going again. Installing a used engine, while there is less labor involved, unless the head gaskets were already replaced, is just reinstalling the problem. Before considering another engine, your best bet is to find out why your car isn't running right and correct the problem. Unless a new timing belt was installed with the replacement engine, now would be a good time to change it. These are "interference" engines, ie, the pistons will hit the open valves if the belt breaks and the cams stop turning. Don't wait until it breaks! Check your compression, look for sludge in the coolant overflow, bubbling in the radiator with the engine running (indicators of a blown head gasket (BHG)), vacuum leaks, etc, etc. If your catalytic converters were getting red hot, you have unburnt fuel in the exhaust due to a rich mixture, misfire, etc. Fix these problems first. Otherwise, they will still be there even if you replace the engine!

If the pump doesn't run, you won't have any fuel pressure anyway. To make sure your pump is/is not running, disconnect the fuel hose and direct it into a small container of some sort. Connect the diagnostic connector and turn the ignition on. No gas in the container means dead pump.

Leave it to parts people to ask that question when you ask for a clutch kit!! Don't forget to replace the pilot bearing as well. Not all clutch kits come with one.