ron917

The engine is out! It was a lot of work, but nothing terribly difficult. The worst part of this project so far is that I had to clean out the garage to get the car in. I took the intake manifold off before removing the engine. They crammed a LOT of stuff under there. They guys who built it obviously have very small hands. Undoing some of those connectors and hoses was tricky. But, it had to come off eventually and it makes it much easier to reach the torque converter/drive plate bolts. The torque converter stayed put, I measured the "stickout" and it meets the spec in the manual. When I was removing the torque converter/drive plate bolts, I stuffed a rag into the access hole to avoid dropping the bolts inside. The FSM didn't mention it, but the starter had to come off. Its flange prevented me from getting a wrench on one of the engine/transmission bolts (second from the top on the driver's side). It was only two wires and one more nut to get off, since its top mounting bolt does double-duty as an engine/trans bolt. The lowest driver side engine/trans nut was the trickiest. My 1/2" flex handle and 14mm socket barely fit behind the DOJ, but it did the trick. A 3/8" flex handle would fit better. A 6 point socket is highly recommended, it's easy to slip off when working at funny angles. The engine and trans separated with no problem. It was a bit tricky to get the correct angle to get it out. I'm going to pick up a load leveler before installing the new engine (I had one, lent it to my brother in law and never saw it again). That will help in getting the correct angle for the install. Now I have to start swapping parts over to the new engine. Gotta buy some new stuff: fuel and tranny cooler hose, hose clamps, and an exhaust gasket. I'm going to replace my radiator (it seems partially clogged and the bleed screw is stripped) and my battery (it's 7 years old!) because they are out.

See my thread at http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65855&highlight=broken+cam+sprocket I've already been through the head gasket routine. This time, one of the camshafts siezed up. Rather than reparing that engine, I bought a rebuilt from CCR. A turbo upgrade would be cool, but that's not in my plans for this car.

Good question, frag. I don't know. I do know I've seen cars (old Volvos) with copper radiators, iron blocks and aluminum heads go hundreds of K miles with no problems.

Thanks for the info, folks! I ordered Spectra Premium all metal (brass and copper) radiator from RockAuto.com. Only $111.79 plus shipping. That was the lowest price I could find for any radiator from any source (Advance Auto wants $197 for the same thing). -Ron

Looks like I need a new one - OEM or aftermarket? Aluminum or copper core? This is for my '99 Outback. Drained my radiator this morning in preparation for an engine swap. Coolant dribbled very slowly from the drain valve, leading me to believe there is crud in there. Also, the bleeder screw seems to by glued on - it I could't get it open, and now it's complete stripped so no scredriver can get purchase on it. I had the bleed screw off last fall, I don't know what could have happened to it. Stupid plastic parts.... RockAuto.com has good prices for aftermarket. The chain stores (Advance, AutoZone) want more than the online Subaru dealers.

As I was writing my reply above, I got a phone call from my friend saying that my engine had arrived at his machine shop . I had it shipped there to save on shipping chages - they wanted a bunch extra to deliver to my home. I went over with my trailer to pick it up, he put it on with his forklift. The forklift was not necessary to unload at home - my wife and I just picked it up off the trailer and put it on a furniture dolly. Subaru engines weigh almost nothing! JPX, your links were very useful - lots of info and good links to more info. Among them, I found a hint about the torque converter bolts - raise the engine a bit, and access them from below. I'll try that out if I decide to leave the intake manifold on when removing the engine. Also, JPX, I was suprised to see that your engine didn't have the rear main seal installed. Mine does have the rear main seal installed. Again, thanks to all for the hints, tips and links!

Lots of good info, thanks! Today I'm clearing out enough space in the garage to work, I'll start the disassembly later today or tomorrow. Grossgary, the torque converter stays on the tranny, no? The FSM shows how to remove the bolts connecting the drive plate to the TC through an access hole on the top passenger side of the engine. Maybe the TC likes to stick to the drive plate and come out anyway? Thanks for the tip, though, just in case the TC does come off for whatever reason. I found the page in the FSM that shows the measurement, it's in the transmission section. For my car, the front of the TC should be 2.7 to 2.9 mm proud of the front of the housing. I'll measure that before reassembly.

I have a few logistical questions regarding removing/replacing the engine in my '99 Outback with the infamous 2.5L DOHC. A rebuilt from CCR is on the way, hopefully it will be here in a day or so. I haven't yanked a Subaru engine before, so I've got some questions on how to proceed. I do have the FSM, but it's not always clear on everything. 1. Lifting points: I found the rear lift ring no problem. For the front, it looks like the accessory bracket between the A/C compressor and alternator contains the lifting loop. Is that correct? What do folks do to lift engines when that bracket isn't installed (e.g., it won't be on the new engine)? 2. A/C compressor: The FSM says to disconnect the A/C refrigerant lines. On other cars, you can just unmount the compressor and the lines flex enough to lay it over on the fender. It looks like that strategy work in my Outback as well - will it? 3. When to remove intake manifold: The FSM shows the engine being pulled with the intake manifold and associated stuff in place. Is it easier to remove all of that before or after yanking the engine? Same question as to when to install the intake and stuff on the new engine - before putting it in, or afterward. 4. Anything tricky about this job? It looks straitforward, but I'd appreciate any tips about anything unusual or tricky. I'm sure I'll have other questions as I proceed. Thanks for your time! -Ron

I have an OBD II adapter and software that I use with a PC (laptop or desktop), it's pretty slick. They are available from a number of sources. The adapter and software didn't cost more than a good scanner. The PC can be expensive, of course, bit since I already have a lot computers in my house, it wasn't a problem. From reading the factory service manual for my Outback, I got the impression that Select Monitor does a lot more than OBD II scanners. OBD II is a standard that all manufacturers must comply with, but nothing stops them from going beyond that with proprietary software and interfaces.

Nipper, is that a Subaru battery in your car? My '99 still has its factory battery. 7 years is pretty darn good! I'll be replacing it, just for peace of mind before winter. I'll be taking it out soon anyway so I can replace my engine (seized camshaft, engine from CCR should arrive Friday).

Sounds like a thermostat stuck open to me. How is the heater working? If it's taking longer than usual to heat up the cabin, that confirms the thermostat.

Add another vote for corrosion around the bead. Had the same problem with one of my tires, leaked 7psi per day. The tire shop has a big water tank shaped properly to hold tires and wheels. They dropped it in that, confirmed the leak was at the bead. They dismounted the tires, ground the sealing area on the rim, put some sealer on and remounted and balanced. No leak after that! Go to a tire shop and have them check it out.

Compare the cost of steel wheels to the cost of remounting and balancing your tires twice a year. You'll probably break even in a year, definitely less than 2 years. Even better if you get used wheels. When you turn the car in at the end of the lease, you should be able to sell the steel wheels for at least $25 each.

No, nothing like that. They are perfectly adequate for normal driving, but they are not high-performance tires. They just don't handle on dry roads quite as well as the better all-season tires. This is due to soft compound, deep tread and large tread blocks. Those features make them good in bad weather. The tires squirm a little bit, and there is a slight sloppiness when turning. Most people wouldn't notice that, but us car nuts do. However, the WRs do handle dry roads much better than Blizzaks. The Blizzaks are very squirmy on dry, but they stick like glue on snow and ice. Tires are always a compromise. If you want to handle snow and ice well, you give up some dry road performance. And vice-versa - racing slicks are REALLY bad in the snow! If you want ultimate performance under all conditions, then you need to have multiple sets of tires and swap them as needed.

The honeycombs can break up, big chunks can then turn crosswise and block the flow. That's exactly what happened on one of my Volvos. Jamming a steel bar through the cat and dumping out the pieces solved my drivability problem (wouldn't pass emissions, of course).

Is it burning oil or leaking it? These engines like to leak at the front crank seal, cam seals and/or the oil pump. None of the leaks are difficult or expensive to fix when the timing belt is changed. A glance at the engine from underneath will tell you if it's leaking.

The WRs are all season tires that meet the Severe Winter rating, and they carry the snowflake-on-mountain symbol. I have about 1500 miles on a set on my '99 Outback, but no snow/ice experience with them. They are a bit imprecise on dry roads. The folks that recomended them to me (my brothers) say they compare well to unstudded snow tires in winter, but do not equal Blizzaks. Do not compare the WRs to Blizzaks, that is not a fair comparison. Blizzaks are dedicated, no compromise winter tires. We run Blizzaks on our minivan and they kick butt in snow, ice and slush. A better comparison would be Nokian Hakkapelitas, of which there are many varieties. Studded Hakkas are supposed to the best winter tire you can get.

There will be no external evidence of a head gasket leak in the Subaru 2.5L DOHC engine. It is an internal leak from the combustion chamber to the cooling system. The leak will not be detectable with a compression test. If the leak is small, it may not be detectable with a hydrocarbon test on the coolant. Cheap thing to try first: replace you radiator cap. When old, they no longer hold pressure. Hopefully your mechanic checked that. Keep an eye on the coolant overflow bottle. Look for bubbling in it, especially after a drive on the highway (car idling, or shortly after shutdown while still hot). Watch the level in the coolant overflow carfully. It should rise when hot and go back down as the engine cools. If it is not sucking coolant back into the radiator, it is a sign of the dreaded head gasket problem. Gasses displace the coolant, and when it cools, there is not enough vacuum to suck coolant back in. My headgasket leak wasn't too bad. I drove for a few months with a known leak (bubbles, exhaust smell and blank gunk in the overflow). I checked the coolant level every few days and after every highway drive (after cooldown). When the overflow level rose high enough, I used a turkey baster to move coolant back to the radiator. I kept a jug of 50/50 antifreeze/distilled water in the car and added coolant as needed. Because I kept close watch on it, and my leak was small, it never overheated. Be aware that overheating the engine (any modern engine) can damage it badly, so watch that temp gauge!

GM's minivans are available with AWD (Chevy Venture, Saturn Relay, Pontiac Montana SV6). We have an '03 Montana (2WD version), it's roomy and comfortable, and so far perfectly reliable at 50K miles. The wife loves it, I hope she falls out of love with it before 100K miles so I don't have to change the spark plugs (looks like a nigthmare job). I think GM's crossovers (Chevy Equinox, Pontiac Torrent, Saturn Vue) are available with 3 row seats. I know they can be had with AWD. The Ford Freestyle has the Haldex AWD system from Volvo (Ford owns Volvo). My Dad has the Ford Five Hundred sedan, which is similar underneath but somewhat smaller. It has the same Haldex AWD and a CVT. The AWD works well in the snow, the CVT concerns me, but Dad is happy with it. The Five Hundred (and the Freestyle) is based on the Volvo S80 platform. It is very comfy and feels solid like a Volvo, but handles like a barge. I would seriously consider the Freestyle if I were looking for something that big that wasn't a truck.

Emily at CCR said the same thing

I'm in NJ. The most likely scenario is a rebuilt engine, but if I decide on a new car (or win the lottery), I'll for sure post an ad here on USMB.

I'm sure that the camshaft siezing caused the spocket to break, and not the other way around - I just can't see how that would happen. I've seen siezed camshafts in other engines, including a Toyota and a Volvo, but those weren't interference engines, so repairs were much cheaper. I spoke with Emily at CCR today. Depending on actual shipping costs and whatever else I decide needs replacing, I can have a warranteed rebuilt engine for a bit over $3000, doing the work myself. A used engine would be much cheaper, of course, but it carries a lot of risk. The 2.5L DOHC isn't Subaru's most reliable motor, I don't think I could trust a used one. A 2.2 or 2.5 SOHC conversion might be possible, but then I have to get all of the right parts and piece it together - lots of time, and still some risk. I've sunk nearly $3000 into the car already this year (head gaskets and valve work, struts, tires, sway bar, coil pack, wires, and normal maintenance). Edmunds says my car (with a good engine) would sell for $6500 at a dealer, $5500 private sale. So this becomes a tough choice. I expect my cars to last for at least10 years/200K miles. I can spend the money to fix this car and gamble that I won't have another major problem in the next 3 years or so. Or, I can use the money as a downpayment on a new(er) car, and be stuck with car payments for 3-4 years, but no major repair costs until the warrantee runs out. But all of those car payments can buy a LOT of parts.... Decisions, decisions....

I took the right timing belt cover off. The intake cam sprocket is shattered. The bolt is firmly attached, it did not work loose. The right intake camshaft is siezed, I cannot turn it with a wrench (the right exhaust camshaft turns easily). Everyone seems quick to blame the shop that worked on it in February. I find it difficult to link this issue with work that was done more than 12,000 miles ago. I guess it's possible, but without a teardown, I'm not ready to assign blame. What caused the camshaft to sieze is anyone's guess at this point. The oil level is at the full mark, so it's not that. No sign of coolant in the oil. Could be foriegn matter in an oil galley. Maybe my oil pump died. Maybe the cam bearing caps were mixed up or improperly torqued, but I think that would have been a problem before now. Is there any way to assess the internal state of this engine without pulling the heads off? I can't even do a compression test with the engine in its current state. Next week, I'll be calling CCR to get a price on a rebuilt motor. I'll also call the shop (Broadway Automotive) to see what they have to say. Then, I'll decide whether to repair or replace the car. Here's two pictures of the external damage: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=13170&cat=500&ppuser=4193 http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showphoto.php?photo=13168&cat=500&ppuser=4193

It took me 5 hours to get home from work today, it usually takes 1 hour. Most of that time was spent waiting for the tow truck . The car is a 99 Outback with the infamous 2.5 DOHC, 118K miles. I heard a muffled chirping sound, I didn't even think it was coming from my car. Within 30 seconds, it grew sligthly louder, there was a mild shudder, and I lost all power. When I opened to hood to inspect, I found a piece of the rear timing belt cover and a chunk of cam sprocket sitting on the passenger side head. Not a good sign. I haven't torn into it yet. I'll take the timing belt cover off tomorrow for a better look. My guess is the camshaft siezed, or maybe the sprocket came loose. I'm assuming the engine is trashed. Head gaskets and valve work were done in February at 105K miles. All the usual stuff was replaced - timing belt, tensioner, water pump, seals, sealed the oil pump, etc. It was all done at an independant shop with a good reputation, using genuine Subaru parts. The car has run fine since then, until today. Besides the head gaskets and related stuff back in February, I put on a new sway bar, new tires and new struts all in the last month. If I have to replace the engine (I would go with CCR), my total repair expenditures for this year will be very close the value of the car.

Spring compressors are ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED to change struts. Doing it without is asking for trouble. My spring compressors cost about $55 at Sears. They can be rented or borrowed from Advance Auto, Autozone, etc. You can take struts out of the car without a spring compressor by removing the three nuts that hold the mount to car body and the two big bolts at the bottom. However, you cannot remove the big nut in the center of the strut mount without compressing the spring. Follow the procedure in the factory service manual. Even Haynes should be OK.