Dinero

If a malfunctioning engine was the cause of a paltry TEN mpg, you wouldn't have to check the sparkplugs to find the problem. Your engine would be shacking like an out-of-balance washing machine from one or more misfiring cylinders. You could probably smell raw, unburnt gas from the exhaust pipe. Your catalytic converter would be glowing like lit a charcoal briquet. First do a walk aroung the car, and look for leaks, and possibly a collapsed gas tank. Run another tankful and recheck your results. The engine could be the problem, but it would be pretty far down on my list.

How many head gasket revisions has Subaru made to "fix" Phase I head gasket failures? Well, did they work? It would seem not. Lets see, the Phase II has head gasket problems too. And to "fix" the problem Subaru comes up with, surprize, a head gasket revision! Like a cheap and greasy bowl of chile, history seems to be repeating itself. Maybe the newer Phase II engines have a lower failure rate because they haven't been in use very long, and don't have very many miles on them. At this point, who can say?. Maybe the head gasket problem has been fixed, maybe not. Time will tell.

Frankly, you probably should have avoided purchasing any car with the 2.5L Phase I engine. The Phase II isn't perfect, but it's light years ahead of the Phase I. First, you have to wait for the mechanic to make an assessment of the damage. Personally, I would try to get the assessment in writing. Does it sound plausible? Do you trust the guy? If not, you might want to get a second opinion. That will probably entail having the car towed to another shop. I am unfamiliar with Canadian law. In the States, if you felt the mechanic caused the damage, you could easily haul him into Small Claims Court. Of course, this all a little premature. We don't even know the cause or extent of the engine damage. Anyway, I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing problems.

Congratulations, eight years is exceptional service from a car battery. The Subaru "maintenance required" battery will usually have much longer life than a "maintenance free" battery. You can replace lost water in a Subaru battery, but not with a "maintenance free" battery. A battery will last longer if it is discharged only 50% or less before recharging. Accidently leaving the car lights on and completely discharging the battery will drastically shorten its' life. Unfortunately, batteries will frequently fail without any warning. That means possible inconvenience and expensive towing or roadside service. Balance the relatively low cost of a new battery against expensive emergency service. Obviously, you know how to take good care of a battery.

The major problem with the Phase I engine is a high incidence of head gasket failure. That your engine has attained over 100,000 miles without head gasket failure is probably a good sign. How bad is the oil leakage? If it's not too bad, you may want to just check the oil level regularly. Other questions. How much could you sell your Subaru for in its' present condition? What would you replace it with? Could you be assured that the repalcement vehicle would have fewer problems than the Subaru? Your 96 probably has marginal resale value. I would try to run your Subaru for as long as possible, as cheaply as possible.

If I'm not mistaken, the 97 had the 2.5L Phase I engine. It is without any doubt, an interference type engine. This engine apparently has a history of frozen camshafts. This engine also would seem to have a very poor record in regard to internal head gasket failure. If it is possible, dropping a good used or rebuilt 2.2L engine into the car might be a very good idea. On the other hand, used or rebuilt engines can come with their own problems. It's a shame that you have been placed in this position. BTW, when the camshaft seized it most likely caused the valve damage.

I don't know, maybe I'm just a real cynical guy, but what I think your dealer might be saying is, "Hey hoser, can't you see I'm busy ?Come back in 20,000 miles when the engine is totally blown and you're even further out of warranty". When Phase II engines experience head gasket failure, it is an external failure MOST of the time. It is very possible for your engine to have the much more serious internal failure. Have the coolant checked for exhaust gases even if you have to pay for it yourself. Leaking coolant will ruin the crankshaft bearings in short order. A few people have posted about a possible "good will" gesture on the part of Subaru concerning Phase II head gasket failures. Hell, if I had brown goo in my coolant reservoir, I'd pay $60 just to be sure that it wasn't a head gasket failure.

I heard nothing but good things about CRR. But by the time the rebuilt engine is in your car you will probably will have spent around $4,500- $5,000. What is your high mileage 96 worth? You could have head gaskets replaced FOUR or FIVE times for that kind of money. You have reached the point with your car where you want to keep it running as long as possible with the least repair expense possible. Also, I don't know specifically about CRR, but MOST rebuilt warranties do not include re-installation charges. Go ahead, have the head gaskets replaced. $1,000-$1,2000 is a reasonable amount to put into a car with some age and mileage. The "paypack" from a $1,000 repair is a lot shorter than that of a rebuilt engine. I, for one, will NOT buy another Subaru until they straighten this head gasket problem out. The head gasket failure rate even on the phase II engines appears to be excessive.

I would agree that when treated properly, Subaru turbos are pretty reliable. However, for the MAXIMUM reliability and lowest operating expense, avoid the turbo. Turbos require premuim gasoline. Most turbos do not permit towing of any kind. The added HP boost of the turbo places additional strain on the drivetrain. They are an absolute blast to drive, so take your choice.

First, let me say that I am very happy to hear that your son escaped the wreck unharmed. But I thought that I would take this opportuity to bring up a strange auto insurance rule. If you hit a deer, the accident is not usually chargeable to you. If you attempt to miss the deer, but run off the road instead, the accident is chargeable to you. So, if you don't want your insurance rates to increase, nail that Bambi right in the guts. In many cases, it's probably safer to simply splatter the dumb, tick infested animal than try painic- inspired advoidance tactics. There are millions of deer, but only one me.... it's a real no brainer.

The Legacy didn't get the Phase II engine (SOHC) until model year 2000. The Phase I engine is a double overhead cam engine. The Phase II is a single overhead cam engine. I was hoping some one else on this board would be able to help with the indentification of these engines. Apparently, there is a difference in the pulley covers and the position of the oil dipstick, but I don't recall the exact details.

Funny you should ask. I just returned from a sailing vacation in Charlotte Harbor. I used my 99 Forester to tow my 1250 lbs sailboat from South Carolina to Ft. Myers and back. Absolutely no problems. The same Forester, with an AT cooler, is rated for 1,500 kilos in Europe. Check around, an AT is actually PREFERRED over a MT for towing! Stay away from any Forester built before 1999, it has the Phase I engine. Make absolutely CERTAIN that you are getting a COMPLETE Phase II engine. Reportedly, there where a few half Phase I/ half Phase II engines installed in 1999. The 2.5L Forester already has an engine oil cooler installed. There are a number of Phase II head gasket failures reported, but nothing like the old Phase I. Buena Fortuna

A number of posters have complained about the lack of an unswitched 12 VDC outlet on the Forester. An unswitched outlet will still have voltage when the car is "off" and the key has been removed from the ignition. Well, the trailer wiring harness connector in the spare tire well IS UNSWITCHED (always on!). The down side is that you have to constantly plug and unplug the trailer connector. If you forget to unplug the trailer harness when you park the car, you might have a flat battery when you get back! I suppose this setup is the result of another lame Eurozone "safety" regulation, just like that idiotic "parking light" switch on top of the steering column. Oh, well.

The Legacy did not get the 2.5L SOHC Phase II until model year 2000. Yes, I agree that forums like this one tend to over emphasize problems , BUT THERE SURE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF POSTERS WITH PHASE I HEAD GASKET FAILURES. Further, there are a number of posters who are professional engine rebuilders or work for Subaru dealerships who are in a position to actually KNOW something about the true extent of the head gasket failure problem. They say there is a real problem with the Phase I engine, and the number of posts about Phase I gasket failures tend to back them up. Further, some of these knowledgable posters say that there are an unexpected number of Phase II head gasket failures. Although the Phase II head gasket failure does not appear to be as serious or as frequent as the Phase I. BTW, I drive a 99 Forester. No head gasket failure, so far. But the engine has extremely loud, ever present "piston slap".

...to be soured. The worst thing is that replacing the head gaskets may not "fix" the problem. Some people believe that the 2.5L engine block has been overbored, and that it is dimensionally instable (the cylinder walls move!). The 2.5L is basically a 2.2L bored for bigger pistons, so they may be right. I have been lucky, so far, with my 99 Forester. But I will not even consider buying another Subaru until this head gasket problem has been fixed FOR GOOD. I am also extremely dissapointed in the way Subaru apparently has chosen to deny the existance of this problem. There only thing you can say on this point is that most, if not all, car manufacturers will stiff their customers on something like this when given the chance. When I find a car company that admits and repairs their mistakes, they will have a customer for life.