Rooster2

Well, I bought a Water Temp sensor this morning. Hope to install it over the lunch hour. Looks difficult to install. I think I can find it. A picture in the archives roughly shows the location on top of the motor. Any advise on installation??

I went to my local Advance Auto Parts to have the CEL read that just came on. It has done this a couple of times before now on the 1995 2.2 motor transplanted into wife's 98 OBW. The last CEL read said the gas cap was bad or loose. So, instructed my wife to really crank the gas cap on tight. She says she has been doing so. So this time, I bought and installed a new gas cap thinking this will solve the problem. However, a second code also presented itself, and said the coolant temperature sensor was bad. I haven't noticed any cold start, or driveability problem, when I have driven it recently. However, after the codes were cleared, I had a devil getting the car started. It would crank and crank, and not start. Finally, giving it gas while cranking, I got it to start. Once started, the idle wanted to stay at 1200 rpm for the first 30 seconds, then the idle settled down to normal. Subsequent starts, idling, and driving have been just fine, So, hard to tell if the CTS is really bad, or just what is going on. The CEL has stayed off since the reset. Should I wait to see if the CEL comes on again, or just install a new CTS, and be done with it? Advance Auto sells CTS, pricing from $14 to about $30. I read the archives, and was told that the sensor is a simple thermister, so is one unit that much better then the next? A picture in the archives shows the CTS in front of the PCV valve, buried down on the top of the block. Looks difficult to remove, but couldn't find much description on "how to" replace. Any advise on need to replace the CTS, and advise on how to do so, if needed. Thanks, Rooster2

I still think your caliper is the source of your problem. Replace or rebuild it. If I were you, I would replace it

The counter guys at my Advance Auto Parts have been very good to me, when I return parts for a credit or for replacement under guarantee. Just return items with your sales slip. Installing a caliper is pretty easy, just remember to bleed the brake line after installation. A "one man" bleeder kit works great to do this by yourself. Ask here for advise on caliper installation, if you have any questions. Be happy to advise you. I have found that buying on line from Advance and using their 20% discount code is great, then wait a half hour or so, and pick up the part at your local store. There is always an active discount code available from Advance. You can even google search under title of "Advance Auto Parts discount coupon" to find a list of available coupon codes.

Learned something new.........thanks guys!!

From what you have said, I would replace the caliper. I have had good luck with rebuilds from Autozone and Advance Auto Parts. Both stores have great guarantees with their calipers. Yea, I am sure you could rebuild on your own, but if you are like me, you are not exactly sure what needs to be done on a rebuild. I leave the rebuilds to rebuild companies.

Well, you certainly know what to look for, and how to unstick the pins. I had replaced pads numerous times on three different Subies, and never knew to grease the pins/slides. Never had any pin trouble until now. I certainly learned how to fix the problem. Thanks to all on this forum. You all are wonderful help!

Ok, got it.................Thanks!!

Update..........this Saturday afternoon, I did a brake job on the front of my 98 OBW. I used PB Blaster to free up and remove a very tight slide pin. The PB worked great. I could see that the pin had been sticking and holding the pad against the rotor, as one side of the pad was worn down a lot more then the other side. So, I installed new pads on both front sides. All went well. Brakes work really well now. Thanks for all the great advise, especially the idea of using PB Blaster squirted in, with the wand that comes with the can. It easily squirted under the rubber boot to free up the pin quickly.

Since the caliper rotates "up and around" on the pin, it doesn't seem likely that corrosion could "lock" the caliper in place to prevent free movement. Both my rear calipers rotated up easily, so I guess there isn't a great need to grease the pin at this time. Would this be right??

On the rear of my 98 OBW, one slide pin is easily removable, and therefore easy to grease and re install. The other is a pivot pin that permits the caliper to be lifted up and out of the way for pad installation. The pivot pin is not removable, as far as I can tell, so I am thinking it can't be lubed. However, does the pivot pin some how, some way need to be lubed to prevent it from seizing up? Thanks for advise!

burnt exhaust valve?

I am Rooster 2, who wrote the original post. Glad to hear that Trans-X is working well for you. From my own experience, a can of Trans-X will work well for about a year. Then, the trany will start getting lazy again on the shift from R to D. The solution, is to drain the trany, which will only drain about half of the ATF, (as the remainder stays in the torque converter,) and again add a can of Trans-X, and new ATF. You should be good for another, before you will need to repeat the process. I am on my forth year of replacement cycles, and Trans-X is still working well. The yearly attention is not bad, when compared to the cost of replacing the transmission. Motor on........enjoy your Subaru. Keep in touch on this forum to answer any questions or problems that may arise in the future! Lots of good people here willing to help others.

I have run the 20W50 oil during non winter months with no issues for several years now in my 99 OBW with the 2.5 motor. Like you said, it seems to leak less when using thicker oil. I have 194K miles on my odo.

Sorry to hear about your car. I can tell that you loved that car, and hate to have to part with it. Suggest you keep a memento of the car, like a body badge name plate or something similar. It makes for a good souvenir, and brings back good memories every time you look at the keepsake. I did that with my beloved VW, when it finally died from old age. Hope you stay with Subaru, and have a great relationship with your new car.

If it were me, I would go to a heaver weight oil, prolly 20W-50W, and drive on. It will burn less, and still lube a worn loose motor.

Sounds good, that is low km for a 1995 motor. It is always better getting an engine out of a car that was recently wrecked. It at least tells you the car was being driven, and not just sitting around, because the car broke down for a year or two. Ask how the motor became available.

This is correct!!

Just a thought.......go on line to car-parts.com, which will put you in touch with wrecking yards in a several hundred mile radius. Tell them what you want. There is a good chance, they may torch off a rear quarter panel, and have it delivered by UPS. There is a bit of trust involved, you give them your credit card, and they ship to you, sight unseen. Just a few weeks back, I found a driver's seat for my OBW from a yard. I had them ship it by UPS, and was happy with the transaction. The seat came wrapped in industrial size & strength Seran wrap for shipping protection. A quarter panel could be shipped with the same wrap. Just be sure to order the quarter panel cut to the largest size possible. That way, it can be trimmed back to fit your size needs. I found a guy, who worked out of his home garage, who did body work. I took my car and the panel to him, and he did a decent repair job on the cheap.

If you have towing coverage in your auto insurance, it would be far better to have the car "flat bed" delivered to your home.

What is the magic behind a '95 Legacy engine? The 1995, 2.2 motor plugs and plays into a 96-99 Subie, that came originally with a 2.5 motor. No modifications needed. 2.2 motors from other years require some minor modifications particularity with the exhaust hook up. I am driving a 98 OBW that came with the 2.5, but now has the 95 2.2 motor. It is a sweet conversion.

The rear is too crushed to pull out. The only way to fix is to cut out, and weld in a replacement corner. The front may not be as easy as you think. It won't be a simple swap in of a new fender etc. With your car, it looks like too much got bent, and new parts won't line up for a bolt on. Then there is the likely problem of broke, or bent suspension parts to deal with. I have been down this road before to know. Repairs become 10 times more, then you first think they are going to be. If it were me, I would think of buying another Subaru, and consider the wrecked Subaru as a parts car.

I have had that happen before. With no belts, your alternator is not working. Power is coming only from the battery. I seriously doubt that you can drive 50 miles back home, before the battery goes dead. Once dead, your motor won't run. Time to call a tow truck. You will need to reinstall the pulley. Check to see the condition of the key way, that it is not too buggered up. Use liquid thread locker to keep the bolt from backing out again. Really tighten the snot out of that bolt, then check frequently to see that it is not coming loose again.

I don't think installing a transmission cooler would affect fuel millage. My guess is that it is a small radiator installed in front of or behind your regular radiator. It would not be powered by the engine, and added weight to the vehicle would be very negligible. Your lower gas millage is due to something else. Maybe you need a tune up, check tire inflation for proper pressure, or PCV valve to increase gas millage. Do you have a check engine light on?

Thanks! Rooster2