Rooster2

Saturday, I finally got around to changing sparkplugs and wires on my 99 OBW. I did this many years ago, and remembered it to be a difficult job. Well this time around, it hasn't gotten any easier. It is still about as much fun as having to go to a dentist for a root canal. On the driver's side, I knew the battery and windshiled fluid reservoir had to be removed to have work space. The PROBLEM, is there is so little space to insert a plug socket, 3/8" small drive extensions, and the drive handle. If I loosened the sparkplug too much, then there was not enough room to remove the dive extension. The solution was to tighten down the sparkplug somewhat, then install a shorter drive extender. It was still a difficult job, and after working 3 hours, I have only the driver's side plugs swapped out. Is there an easier way? Should the motor mounts be loosened, so the engine can be tipped up to allow more working room?? I am also thinking maybe holes drilled large enough in the fender well to permit the insertion of a sparkplug socket to reach the sparkplug would work nicely. I still have the passenger side plugs to swap out. Any advise...........Thanks

Yea, I have had same slide problem with stuck slide pins. So, like yours, the pin froze, so pad wore out early, then metal on metal gouged into the rotor. If rotor is not gouged too bad, in the past, I have just installed new pads and drove on.

Sometimes bolts don't get tightened. It happens. Don't know specifically what bolt is needed, but if it is rather generic, then a hardware store should be able to find a bolt for you. I would advise fixing this pretty quickly. Nothing good can come from having your engine move around, especially where the unwanted torque gets transmitted to the tranny.

I guess all this discussion is that a 2011 Forester 2.5 NA uses either one of two different size oil filters, depending on which engine code is in the car. Wonder why Subaru would do a mid engine year change??

Don't recommend using the degreaser on your home driveway. It has been my experience that most of the degreasers use keroscene as a major ingredient. You don't want that stuff, and grease and water on your driveway, with a possibility of tracking it in your shoes to your house. Any solvents in the degreaser brew may degrade an asphalt driveway, if you have one. So, prolly good to hose down the driveway pronto after using a degreaser. I think any degreaser isn't good around gaskets, but using on car once every 2 years or so prolly will not cause any problems. If so, the degreaser mfgers. would advise on the can label.

How long has it been, and how many miles on the car, since new spark plugs and plug wires have been put on this car?? PO301 1 misfire code may be telling you to change the plugs and wires. If wires and plugs were replaced recently, I hope you installed wires costing around $50 a set, and NKG sparkplugs. Cheap wires from an auto parts store, and plugs just don't work well in a Subie.

IMO, I have found that all those engine degreasing products work pretty well. Going to a "wand" type "do it yourself" pay car wash is a big plus. The high pressure water does a much better cleaning job, compared to spraying off with a garden hose.

Well, guess I should have said all NAME brand oils are all good. Cheap stuff that you have never heard of their brand name before, prolly not so good. Just wasn't thinking members on this forum would be 'bottom feeders", who would buy rot gut oil. As with all oil, change the stuff regularily. It is cheap insurance that will keep your car running well for a long time. Failure to do so, will contibute to sludge in your engine.

Agree with previous advise here. All motor oil is good stuff. No one is making, and selling bad oil. The synthetics have a much longer millage use compared to dino oil is what I see.

You might try using Seafoam to clean off your valves. It is worth a try. Might just help.

After having the car tuned up with plugs etc. how well is the motor performing? Do you have plenty of power, with no hesitation?? How many Km on the odometer?? Any blue smoke coming from the exhaust? If motor is running great, there may not be much that can be done to improve fuel millage.

I bought my T belt kit on ebay several years back. I have had no issues with the T belt, water pump, idlers, and seals. I have never read on this forum of anyone complaining about the quality of ebay sourced T belt kits, and I have been o this forum for years.

I have used the cable ties to secure the plastic flap. Where no hole was available, I used a drill to make a hole for the cable tie to fit through. Worked out great. I figuerd it took too much time, and trouble to find the correct plastic Christmas tree fastners, when only a few were needed.

Another thought, it could be a problem with the water pump. I read a story once about a guy with over heating problems. Turned out to be the water pump. His had plastic impeller vanes that had broken off, and so was not pumping the coolant through the system very well at all. I think the car was a BMW, so don't know if that could ever be a problem with a Subie.

Doors should fit. With an Outback, it is the roof that was raised. Doors stayed the same. Can't see how the wiring could be different, or that much different.

Take off the rad cap. Do you see gunk in and around the rad cap, and inside the rad opening. If really dirty with gunk, it is an indicator that the radiator system was not maintained very well. That build up of gunk can lower the performance of the radiator. If so, you may need to have the radiator cleaned, or replace it.

Sounds like your axle boot is split open to allow grease to flow out. Replacing the half shaft, which will include new boots is recommended. Pull the codes to learn what the check engine light is wanting to tell you. Parts stores like Auto Zone, and Advance Auto parts will pull the codes, while you are parked outside their store. With no start, does the motor crank?? If no crank, then try jump starting the battery.

+1 on Montana Tom's advise. Doesn't sound like a head gasket issue. I think I would be more inclined to replace the thermostat first. Install an OEM thermostat, parts store or on line purchase. You need to spend at least $30 to assure that you have bought a good thermostat. The parts store cheapies cause just the problem you are having right now.

My thought is that ATV tires are not designed for road speed applications, and so cannot withstand the higher amount of heat that high speed generates. They are designed for slow, off road application, and prolly should only be used for that purpose.

It has been ages since I swapped out a Subie starter. I do remember that I first pulled off the positive battery cable, but you prolly already know that. Don't remember using any deep well sockets, Did use a short extension, and maybe also a longer extension. Sockets used were prolly a 12MM, or 13MM, or 15MM. Sounds like you have wrenched on cars in the past, so you have some mechanical skills. Over all it is a pretty easy job, as the starter sits nice and high on top of the motor, so all but the back bolt are readily accessible. It helps to look at the bolt holes on the new starter, to give you a good idea of what bolts, and where they need to be removed from the old starter for removal.

I have replaced the starter accessing the bottom bolt from the top. It can be done, mostly by feel. In replacing the bolt, I inserted a rag under the bolt hole to catch the bolt in case I dropped it. I did not drop the bolt, but I put a rag rag in place to catch the bolt, and prevent it from dropping down to who knows where. I bought a rebuilt starter from AZ. I just did not have the time to go to a dealer, which is some distance away, to buy replacement contacts, or the time to replace the contacts. I drove the Subie for years with no problems with the AZ starter. I do remember 10 years ago, that there are, or maybe were, two manufacturers of starters for Subaru. They look a little different from one another, but are interchangeable, and both bolt up just fine.

ECMs seldom break, so readily available at wrecking yards for cheap. Why do you think you need a replacement ECM??

Yes, I have bought and used a full gasket set, if you are referring to t-belt, water pump, oil seals, and tensioners. All turned out to be high quality. I still have all installed on my 99 OBW, and after 4 years, no issues. Price for a kit is much less when compared to buying from a Subie dealer.

Honesty is # 1. Next would be knowledge and know how on how to correctly diagnose a problem, and fix the problem. Throwing on new parts in hopes it will fix the problem is not a good trait of a competent mechanic. Relying ONLY on a computer program to calculate a labor price is not good. Common sense should be used by a mechanic and the shop. On my Subie, I needed brake line replacement in the rear because old lines had rusted so badly. I told the shop what I needed done. Later they called back to say the gas tank needed to be dropped to do the job. Okay, I agreed on this course of action. I paid $470 to have the work done. Only later, did I notice the brake lines were simply cut, and lines were routed around the tank and spliced together. I was mad, because the splice job prolly took about 1 hour of labor, and brake line doesn't cost much. I returned tothe shop to complain about the high bill, and was told that is what the computer said to charge. After some discussion, the shop refunded 2 hours of labor amounting to $170. Shop owner never apologized for the over charge. That is where a lack of common sense was missing. I am not going back there again.

Several years back, I bought a complete tb, water pump, idlers, and oil seals kit on line from ebay motors. I don't remember any of the brand names of products in the kit, but all has worked well for about 4 years now. Kit was a lot less expensive compared to cost from buying from a Sub dealer.