davebugs

Please update your profile with a useful location. Some of us may have parts you can borrow to test (like a coil, plug wires, etc.) to help diagnose. Did you install exotic plugs or the 2 dollar NGK's with the green writing? Also since you said Legacy I ASSUME you're talking about a 2.2 but please specify.

I lost this reply the other night. In the 70's we used to do this to the fire truck tires before parades. Worked well for that but they were hardly "daily drivers". You may have to be specific. They make white tire crayons but I'd guess a tire LETTERRING crayon may be different since you're using it for a specific purpose and want bright white not to simply mark tire problems and mark which corner of the car they came off of.

Common failure, gotta be an excellent money maker for them. Wouldn't be surprised if in stock. I only have one used at the present time, and I thinks it's off a 95 or 96 and nothing special. JY hunt isn't usually worthwhile either.

I replied to your other thread as well. Find an INDEPENDENT exhaust shop that bends pipe. My local place charges me 40 bucks to cut out the flex joint, make a sleeve, and weld it in. Makes all the sense in the world to do it this way versus buying a bunch of parts and the repair still not being optimal.

REREAD from the beginning. 3 Phillips screws by the filler cap, I believe 2 bolts in the wheel well (basically in there by the EVAP hoses), and then the rubber hose at the bottom (IIR short - like maybe a foot long) that attaches filler tube to tank. It's been a few years though, I could be mistaken. Perhaps someone who has done one recently can confirm, embelish, whatever.

A lot of folks have more than one car. Best to specify all you can when asking for assistance. Year, model, trim level, and engine even doesn't hurt, sometimes tranny as well. There is a short rubber hose between the fuel tank and the filler tude. On an L or GT it's awful tight. The Outback has I'm guessing a 1" body spacer that helps a lot with this particular repair. If you remove the wheel you can see where the EVAP lines connect. You need to find a new one that matches.

Dealer only part. Someone on Ebay sells "lifetime quarantee" ones, never tried them. Not all that bad. You gotta start listing the year/model of your car in all these threads. On Outbacks there is much more room to remove the hose at the bottom that an L or GT. Sometimes the 3 screws by the gas cap can be a problem because they are tight or rusty. The one or two b olts in the fender well are usually o.k. - not too bad to get out. You'll need to know what year your car is. IIR around 97/98 the hoses changed due to the EVAP systems being different. A 95 won't work on a 99 for instance. To quote an old commercial arguably "it'll fit, but won't match".

Yep. Rots out at the bottom, at the bend, especially of the plastic protector is still on it.

Fuel filler tube is a good guess/common problem.

Good thing you got the whole engine!!

Dots and dashes!!! NEVER ARROWS. You've got a PM coming.

Actually it's all DOHC 2.5's (96-99). Then the first SOHC 2.5's (2000-2003 or so?)had a different, and more tolerable head gasket problem. But, you gotta understand most of the time these cars have well over 100k on them. For me usually between 110 and 180k it seems. Some would almost consider HG's a maintenance item at that point. If they haven't been overheated often a HG job (and related idlers, timing belt, reseal, etc) is what's needed for another 100k of happy motoring. If it has been overheated (and especially if repeatedly) often the rod bearings give up. Which really sucks if you've just spent the money on a HG job and 3 months later this happens. Which is also why a lot of us do the 2.2 swap. But be aware of the HG issue. If they have been done you need to know what brand of HG's were used. HG's do give out first on a Subaru 2.5, but they get decent miles before this happens and will get many more if repaired correctly.

I thought about that. I used to have a Saturn EGR offset made to get away from using the one year 95 engine. I didn't know if there was hood space. MY guess was it would take a few inches to make it not real abrupt. Wonder how much of a market? I may have connections at a foundry in the near future. I thought cast would be better and cheaper than machined perhaps.

When I was doing a lot of these I ran the yards around here out. Had to start using 96 & 97's.

Easiest swap in the world. On a 99 a little extra time on those EVAP lines and stuff but not bad at all. Congratulations. It is hard to tell the difference in driveability. But not in durability.

car-part.com

I gotta tell ya. That's a fancy plug you removed, and you're planning on putting fancy plugs in. That year engine seems to run best on the 2 dollar NGK plugs with the green writing. A case for me where the priciest has proven to be in no way the best. Must be a case where it's better to stick with "the technology at the time" rather than the latest. I'm sure some have used them with success, don't get me wrong. I would just feel better if you were installing something less exotic that I don't believe is giving you any benefit.

If I can't pull them by hand. One of my newer favorite tools for the past few years are "hose pliers". I sometimes need to use them on stubborn (and/or non lubed) Subaru plug boots. Gotta watch they can harm them. But then again they were probably old/bad if they are that hard to get off. The cheap ones (15 bucks harbor freight) have less angle to them than the good ones (Sunnex 60 bucks). SOmetimes one works better than the other for a use. But at the price had I not bought the Sunnex before HF started making them I just would try and straighten a set of theirs out. FYI HF is running way low on these pliers. I picked up yet another set for a friend on wednesday. Warehosue showed none and I got last set in the store. But a very handy tool set. If you get a chance to grab a set I would.

With the invention of wobbles I don't recall the last time I used a universal - other than the one built into some of my spark plug sockets. Wobbles never seem to be able to be at such a sharp angle that they bind on themselves. That said obviousely a universal can make a tighter bend. Have fun.

IIR my assortment for this job includes a K-B spark plug socket with the universal built in, a wobble extension or two and what is now called a "roto head" ratchet. Also for cylinder #4 I believe I use a 1" old snap-on extension - and ones that short are hard to find. A cool trick especially on the drivers side it to get a way long extension - like 2 feet or so and not actually have the ratchet in the engine compartment rather than working cramped. Anti-seize those new plugs. I still wish they were the plain, sinple green writing, 2 buck ones, but you may be fine and it's certainly your car. I also dielectric grease the plugs and boots myself.

And I don't consider you home free until a 45 minute or so drive - that's how long it often takes the 2.5's to have issues. Take a longer trip as soon as you can to test it.

Don't forget you probably "accidentally" filled/burped the cooling system as well. after the thermostat swap. Glad it ended well. Major thermostat difference though. IIR it's also hard to install an OEM one the wrong way (which folks also do). Yet another reason to use OEM.

I've had better luck with the less exotic plugs. The 2 dollar ones with the green printing(not with the blue printing). Infact on these late 90's I have seen platimuns cause problems - but often they were Bosch. Best case you spent more than needed. The mid 2000's start calling for "laser platinum" or "double platinum" plugs.

Did you do a compression check yet?

Compresison check would be my next move. That's tell if it's mechanical (I'm guessing) or not. Not all that bad on a SOHC.