Olnick

Now that's a reach, 987687. (But very funny!!!)

Just to clarify: The '96 Outback had the terrible 2.5 DOHC--but only with automatic transmissions. The '96 Outback with manual transmission had the 2.2 engine--it was the EJ22's last year as a non-interference engine.

You're off to a good start, Dylan. Some PM (Preventive Maintenance) and TLC (!) and your Subie will serve you long and well. It's amazing how much information is available these days. You can Google pretty much anything. You can use the USMB Search function. Best of all you can ask questions here on this forum. It still blows me away how helpful and sharing the knowledgeable, smart folks here can be. Be polite, be considerate and ask away!!! As far as that danged rust goes, nothing special to Subarus. Just use general "best practices" and good luck!

@ Bushwick: The OP had a right to present a problem in words that he saw fit. The responder had a right to express his opinion on the clarity of the statement--harsh as it may have seemed. You have a right to your opinion. I have a right to mine. But no one has a right to attack someone else with name-calling and put-downs. And introducing nationality into the discussion is simply reprehensible. This is the USMB. Let's keep it classy.

It's a '96 Outback with manual tranny--it will be an EJ22 engine . . . a real plus to me!

Looks pretty good, trainergames. Definitely go take a look at it--get it started and see how it handles. Talk to them about it--if you like it make an offer. And remember, the $$$ they are asking for is not a hard-and-fast "price"--it's what they hope to get. The car has already been listed for 3 weeks so they might be motivated to take less! Good luck.

Man! You got guts! Nice going, Yoyota. (And nice savings too!)

1) I'm not a big fan of adding anything to oil so I have no idea of how the Lucas product works. However after reading about MMO I took a chance. It must be a pretty good solvent because it worked! But as soon as it had done its job I drained it and filled the crankcase with clean, sweet, synthetic 10W30! 2) With the left end of the plastic TB cover removed and the engine idling you should be able to see if the belt and the tensioner idler are bouncing around abnormally. Just be careful to keep your hair and fingers clear of the belt! Maybe with an automotive stethoscope or a long screwdriver (handle pressed against your ear) you might even be able to listen for a problem from outside the TB cover. 3) Wouldn't you know it--the kit I bought for $130+ is now $160! It included a quality Aisin water pump and the proper metal gasket. You can check it out online--Mizumo Auto on Ebay (for some reason I couldn't post a link here.) They can even ship to UK for $80. $160 + $80 = $240 = 156 pounds!

Sorry mdjdc--maybe the O-ring I mentioned isn't there on a 2001 2.5 sohc. I don't see it on the Opposed Forces diagram. I was thinking in terms of the EJ22s I've worked on.

You are talking about the O-ring that fits in behind the cap with "wings," right? I can't see how oil pressure could possibly push that out! Are you getting it seated properly before fitting the cap back on?

Yes, shauny, I have used MMO. My son's high mileage '92 Legacy (EJ22) developed the tick, probably because he hadn't changed the oil when needed! The MMO worked like a charm and the car remained quiet to the end. If you want to take a look at the TB tensioner you can remove just the left (the car's left!) portion of the TB cover and peer in with a flashlight. And if you decide to do a TB change we strongly recommend new idlers, cam & crank seals, an oil pump re-seal, even a new water pump, thermostat and hoses. Over here we can get kits with all of that (except for t-stat & hoses) for $130 to $150. Good luck--keep us informed--and ask questions!

Here's a trick you might consider for lifter tick: Add a small bottle of "MMO" (Marvel Mystery Oil--it's an old fashioned automotive product for cleaning restricted oil passages) to your crankcase. Then just do your normal driving for 100 miles or so. If the tick goes away, do an oil change. I use 10W30 in my '95 Legacy Wagon, 2.2L. And thanks for including the video--that was an excellent idea. BTW, are you writing from Lancashire in the UK? If so, I urge you to add that to your user ID. It helps people better understand your car--since most of us are in the US. At any rate, please continue to ask questions . . . we'd like to be able to help you! And good luck.

Welcome aboard, STEALTHY! Enjoy that OBS!

Welcome to the USMB, Dylan. You've found a great place here to "learn some good stuff!" Car sounds great--glad you're enjoying it. As you get familiar with it do keep an eye on the temperature gauge--2.5L engines of that era have a tendency to blow head gaskets! (Not trying to spread doom & gloom, just watch out for overheating.)

Sarge is beautiful--nice find!

Tell us what car you have--model, year, engine, tranny, mileage. How long have you had it? Know anything about its history?

Welcome to the USMB, shauny-s--you've a great place here! Question: Where is accrington? You might want to note it in your ID.

Certainly not a waste of time in my mind. I bought a nearly new one in '85, my first Subaru--liked it so much I bought a second one! Welcome to the USMB.

bgambino--poor use of terminology on the tutorial writer's part! He was saying right or left from his point of view, looking at the engine. Install the tensioner hydraulic tube, just finger tight, and slide it toward the driver's side. Next get your belt all lined up properly. Then slide the tube as far as you can toward the passenger's side and tighten it in place. Then you can pull the pin.

Yeah, that's the list I remember seeing--lo, those many years ago! Thanks, Legacy 777.

What year, model, engine? What kind of tranny? How many miles on it? How long have you owned it?

Subaru--and other manufacturers--use anaerobic sealant when assembling engines. But for DIYers and small shops it was rather expensive and difficult to find, so they published a list of acceptable substitutes. Permatex Ultra-Grey was a recommended substitute. BTW, you don't need to seal the oil pump O-ring--in fact it's probably a bad idea. People do that to hold the O-ring in place while positioning the pump. I prefer a small dab of Vaseline myself! Good luck!

Mark, does the solenoid "click" when you turn the key? Did you clean--or replace--the circular copper contact on the solenoid armature when you had it out?

Welcome to the USMB, Chris. You've found a great place here for friendly help and guidance. You're probably right about it being head gasket failure. Post your questions in the "Newer Generation" forum and I'm sure you'll get a lot of input.

Hogan--you're very thorough. Those pictures are great! Fairtax--you're amazing!!! Nice job.