R2 Subaru

The ATF fluid was real dark brown but didn't smell burned. I did top it off about a week ago because I had pulled the radiator. I added 2 quarts when I did this and I don't think much more then a quart came out... but the level looked good when I did it. But say I get 5 quarts out on the drain normally and then an extra quart and a half or so because I over-filled it. Plus I had the car jacked up on the passenger so maybe i got an extra 1/2 quart out...That could account for 7-1/2 quarts right? Basically it seems to be happy now. I'll keep an eye on the dip stick and maybe do another drain and fill in the next couple of weeks. are there any other symptoms of an over filled tranny besides the dipstick?

You know I am think maybe it was more of searching for the right gear thing and less to do with idle...who knows. I have a 2.2 isn't that like 9 qts ? Anyways the level is fine and the color is RED!

So just to follow up for the other s00b n00b's out there: So I did an ATF flush and the wierd accelaration thing went away! I thought my fluid was Ok but then I saw what some fresh fluid looked like on a friends car and I was blown away! I felt like such a dumb@ss! My fluid looked like old motor oil! I don't know why I thought it was red. For the record, ATF fluid is RED! Red like Robitussun, like cherry pie! One thing that was weird was that I thought I would have to do the flush in stages, three quarts at a time . So I drained the transmission while it was cold, expecting three quarts to come out. Then I would drive it around the block to get it warmed up and do it again. But, it almost all came out. Like 7-1/2 quarts. I had the car up on a jack on one side and it had been sitting for a weeks or so, so maybe it all settled down while sitting? Do you guys think this could be a problem? Anyways, replaced it all and it looks and feels great. I guess getting it hot first would have gotten a lot more crap out but what-ever's clever. I also repacked the inner CV's while replacing torn boots. Which was a PITA but I think will keep these axles going for a while and was cheap. I have lots of time and elbow grease, not so much $$$. Those three-pot bearings are really cool looking too. On the other hand, I could have done without looking for the needle bearing I dropped for an hour!) Doing the inner CV's also seemed to really clean up the clunky steering I had in tight corners. Once I remembered to reconnect the stabilizer bar that is! Ha! Oh yeah, per Nipper's instructions I am still going to do the plugs and wires, PCV, fuel and air filter. O2 sensor is a bit pricey for now and I smogged with flying colors so I am going to leave it. :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

Yeah Buddy!!! That looks great!

Any of you guys ever use one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Spark-Plug-Boot-Tool-Automotive-Tool-Repair-Tools_W0QQitemZ4596675356QQcmdZViewItem It's $50.00 but it looks pretty sweet. I had this ford explorer that was a NIGHTMARE to do the plugs on I think this thing would have helped alot.

See, I wouldn't have thought of that. Thanks. I'll let you know how it goes.

Ok so the 'preza is running great and seems to be pretty happy. Except, often when cold the car has jerky acceleration when going slow. Not hesitation but accelerates a little and then a lot. Also the car sometimes feels like it wants to keep going after I have let off the accelerator. I notice it most when I am paralell parking or sitting in traffic. Once the car is going I don't notice it at all. It almost feels like its trying to find the gear. The car is 98 Impreza Sedan 2.2 with AT 184k on it. The car idles very smoothly and has good power. I looked into the throttlebody and it looked really dirty. Do you think I chould try cleaning the throttlebody with throttlebody cleaner or carb cleaner (is there a difference?) I read in another thread that it is bad to clean the TB. is that true? Do you guys think it could be the AT starting to go?

So I just wanted to follow-up on this. I am a total novice on this stuff and I just wanted to rap up the thread a little bit incase someone down the road has the same thing going on and doesn't know too much about this stuff either. So sorry if all this seems painfully obvious. I followed nippers advice and got a new cap which helped but did not fix the problem. While I was doing my t-belt I took the radiator out and soaked it in vinegar for a couple nights and some goop came out but not to much. I took off all the hoses and the top hose was very corroded with white flakey powder. So I got new hoses from Subaru (which were actually kinda flimsy but looked nice) I got a new Subaru thermostat that was a little bigger then the one that was in there and I replaced the water pump. I put it all back together and then flushed the engine with water a couple of times with the themostat open. some nasty white powdery stuff came out that I assume hard water deposits. Then I filled up the radiator and engine with white vinnegar (red-line balsamic was too expensive ;^)) ran the car for 10-15 minutes like that with the heater on. Drained it and whole butt-load of crappy white gypsum-looking dust came out. Like maybe enough to fill up a sandwich baggy! I assume it is from using tap water in the radiator but who knows! Anyways ran water through it a couple more times and filled it up again. When I filled it up the engine was warm I and the heater was on (car was off) I took off the top hose and filled it all the way up waited a few minutes and filled it up again filled up the with radiator and put the hose back on then I topped of the radiator and filled up the reservoir. I used a 50/50 mix of Distilled water and radiator fluid. And just like that its fixed! The needle will not go past the 2/5 mark! No matter what I do it just hangs out right below the little wavy lines on the dial. The heater works fine too! Thanks Everybody! :headbang: :headbang:

Ok follow-up! Finally finished my timing belt adventure! That was my first T-belt ( I think I have earned the right to call them T-belts! ) So got it on and fired it up and everything is good. I did the oil pump twice because I broke a bolt tightening it up. Big torque wrench not so good at the finer settings! But that was a blessing in disguise because I realized that I had forgotten to put the new O-ring in 'Doh! Water pump went on with out a hitch. Put in a new Subaru t-stat. Doing the cam-cover o-rings was kind of interesting. I lucked out and the O-rings came with my e-bay cam-seals. I did the rear one first and had to do it twice because the old o-ring was so dried out and compressed into the little cover that I thought it was part of the cover! I didn't realize it was supposed to come off until I did the other one. I used a piece of PVC pipe to seat the crank and cam seals with a couple of taps with a hammer. Getting the crank pulley off was a PITA. I hunted all over and finally found and bought a chainwrench to hold it steady as suggested in Haynes but when I got home the chain was too short by like a half an inch:eek: Classic! I did some digging here and on NASIOC and finally found out about the screw driver in the fly wheel trick. I almost tried to use a long breaker bar on the ground and then hit the starter to get it off but I was a little squeamish about that one. Getting the timing belt on was driving me up the wall until I realized I could put the belt on where I wanted it and then put on the idlers, duh! Also putting the belt on one cam pulley and vice gripping it in place (lightly!) was pretty darn helpful. I did end up taking the radiator out to do everything. I guess I didn't really need to but with my luck I could see my self tearing into the radiator while trying to get the cam gears off with a wrench on the bolt and one crammed into the gear spokes. And it was nice to have the extra space. in there. Well, I couldn't have done it without all the good info there is on this forum. So thanks everybody! Time for a brewski! :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

Ok tiny bit of Rtv sounds good to me. The scratch isn't THAT bad. All the smooth pulleys look fine. The tensioner looks new. I am replacing the toothed pulley. Thanks!

So last night I pulled out the cam seals and where the leaking one seats the passenger side has a big gouge from a screw! I think the end wrench article suggests drilling holes in the seals and putting screws in to get some purchase on the seals 'doh! I wish I had a picture of it. It looks like the new seal won't do the job on its own. So short of replacing the head what do you think I should do? Tiny bit of sealant there? Just put the seal in and keep my fingers crossed? Some kind of JB Weld craziness?

Yeah I think I'll try and do the flush first because I bet the engine needs it anyways. As far as the spike goes, in normal driving the temp guage hangs out 5/8 up and will stay there if I take it easy or just let it idle. If I floor it it begins to climb fast and gets to the top of the dial like you would turn-up your radio! And then very slowly comes back.

This is a total guess but what about checking the power steering fluid?

So, update: I did change the cap with a nice one ($9.95) and burped it good. It seams to help but the car is still running hot and spiking on hard accelaration. while burping I took off the top rad hose and there was MAJOR crud build-up. It has almost eaten through the top rad hose! My plan right now is to put in a new t-stat replace the hoses and probably just get a new radiator. It seems pretty cheap and easy but I might try the vinnegar or baking soda flushes that have been described on the forum first. Nipper and everyone else, thanks for the help!

Hey thanks a lot guys! Its funny the cam seal that is leaking has sealant goop-ing out of it.. I think this car has been subject to a long series of quick pep-boy style repairs. So yeah I will replace all the seals while there and do the oil and water pump and t-stat too.

So I am doing my timing belt, water pump, cam seals and crank seal on my 98 ej2.2 Impreza w/ 184K and I have a few questions. 1. The driver side cam-seal is not leaking and looks great. Should I replace it while I am in there anyways? 2. I can't tell if the oil pump is leaking or not. There is a lot of crusty gunk on the bottom of it but not much on the face. The crank seal is wet but doesn't look to bad. I am going to do the seal... Somebody said it is way easier to take the pump off to get the crank seal out. So I should just do the pump seals anyways? 3. What the heck is up with the rear cam seal??? It looks like there is just one on the passenger side. My question is: can I use the same seal as on the front? What is it even for? Also the little cover has sealant all over it now, is that right? 4. Finally do I put sealant on the cam seals or the crank seal? I know I need it on the water pump and oil pump if I do it but how 'bout the cam seals or crank seal? Thoughts? Impressions? Anybody in the SF bay area like beer? Thanks in advance!

So when your doing cam seals and the water pump should you use sealant with the new cam seals? how bout on the water pump? Also if a cam seal isn't leaking should I replace it or just leave it alone? Sorry to steal the thread:rolleyes:

Bummer. I am in the middle of doing the whole timing-belt-cam-seal-deal right now on my '98 Impreza. The parts cost me about $200 or so with a new water pump. The belt was like $50 and the seals are cheap. getting in there has been kind of interesting. From the research I have done the seals go all the time. Like ALL THE TIME. Mine dribble oil though not big pools in the driveway. My mechanic said he would do the t-belt for $400-$500 so $530 sounds totally reasonable. you might as well have the water pump done too while they are in there and check the other seals too. If they do the water pump make them use a Subaru t-stat.

Yeah I think you are right. The cap isn't working right. It makes sense to me after a good nights rest. Thanks for the help.

i bet that I have too much coolant and the thing over flows as it gets warm. plus weirdness with the cap and maybe a few air bubbles. but now i am confused about how to bled the system. i could not for the life of me find 91 loyales 'bleeder screw' Eventually the system will even itself out by overflowing the reservoir but how does that explain my engine getting too hot? Oh well its time for bed!

Ahh! maybe i just have way too much coolant in there!!!

So i definitely have a coolant recovery tank I have been referring to it as the "reservoir". I wonder if my return line isn't a little plugged. so as I am over heating the coolant is coming out of the radiator but can't return causing the reservoir, or, coolant recovery tank to over flow? Well for now it is going to sit for a few days i will let you know what happens.

I definitely have a coolant recovery tank, it just kept overflowing. But i think it has stopped over flowing for now.

Ok so follow-up: After cleaning up the radiator cap seat point I did the Radiator bleed thing today. I couldn't find the bleeder screw that 91 Loyale was talking about so i just took the radiator cap off and idled the car. It kept burping and burping and I kept topping it off. After 8 minutes the radiator had had enough and began to overflow. I turned the car off and put the radiator cap back on. Then i turned the car back on and let it idle for five minutes or so. Then i revved it a bit and coolant started to come out of the reservoir. I put a make shift catch pail under there and continued to rev the engine a little more (nothing major got up to 3K and held it there for a few minutes) About a quart of fluid came out of the reservoir and then it seemed to mellow out. I let the car cool down for an hour or so and the level in the reservoir was about 3/4s of the way up between the high mark and the low mark. I left the make shift catch pail in the engine compartment and drove all around town. Went to the grocery store, zoomed up some major hills, accelerated hard to about 55 at one point. The temp needle stayed right in the middle except, on the hard acceleration, it did climb about 3/4's of the way up before I backed off the throttle. I got another pint or so in my pail and I feel like i am in pretty good shape. I do have some final questions though, please pardon my ignorance. #1 how much does the temp needle move during driving of healthy car? I think this may be my first aluminum block engine. Does that effect the gauge? Seeing it move up pretty fast during hard acceleration was a little disturbing. #2 How much does coolant expand when heated? I am going to read up on "How Coolant Systems Work" Would an air bubble be responsible for all that fluid coming out? is it because air expands much more then water/coolant when heated? that sounds like it makes sense. So maybe I still have a air bubble but at least the car is drive-able :-) maybe i will try a rinse and repeat next weekend after a little more studying. Thoughts? Reactions? Nipper, Ever been to the Zeitgeist? It's a pretty sweet beer garden in SF! They've got like a million beers on tap! I am sure we can find one that you will like! Thanks again for the help and encouragement guys. Next Up: Airbag Light!

Ok, thanks for the reassurance. The plastic is pretty bad... I'll try and smooth it out with an SOS pad. Thanks an awful lot for the help. I am sure you will be hearing more from me. If you are ever in SF I owe you both a brewski!