bullseye451

Well the winter is over and I’m going to try getting this running again. i still have the front differential to replace after this mess since it started to grind and almost let me sit. i looked everywhere for rodent damage using a bore scope under dash . Nothing! So it still has a ton of faults and above the odometer the readout shows: ER SS and ER HC I took the ABS harness off the controller but I still have the trans hi temp fault flashing at me.

I need to look at my ecu from what I see there are 2 different types to choose from. I'm not sure if they will both work the same. I got burned thinking I bought the right ecu from eBay and it ended up being a trans control unit. Live and learn.

Also I don’t know how to explain it but the electrical system is plain working weird. Electrical components are humming and working with key in on position in ways I never noticed before. I was going to try to disconnect the charging system to see if the alternator failed badly. I also will test the charging system. It is charging but it’s like there is a huge short somewhere. Of course this has a brand new alternator on it. It had failed very recently and the transmission started shifting badly. This happened before so I knew it was the alternator right away. A few runs with it to work then front differential failed. I have a Medtronic’s tester so i can give it a full test.

I pulled up all the fault codes I have. They still don’t explain why I have a trans temp light flashing on the dash too which happened at the same time as all this happening. I realize there are some that I had going on earlier before the ABS controller running nonstop. Well here are the codes: Thanks again

I’ll post the codes. I think I saved them before the clear.

I just received a used ECU so I will find out if I can program it. I think it more than just the ABS controller failure because the other faults all at once. This 07 Outback I got the engine running well and just when I thought it was all good the front differential started grinding and almost left me sit coming home from work. My 06 Outback head gasket failed again so I need to redo that one. Yes i resurfaced the heads and used new head bolts.

Ok I’ll try anything at this point. It’s cold as hell here so I’ve been putting off the inevitable replacing the front differential and transmission. But I need to resolve this first. Propane heater is costing me money which is fine if I can know the job is finished. I did see in other post that if the ECU is bad and I need to replace it I need to have the dealership reprogram it for me. I did see a program option in the Autel option screen. I haven’t used it yet on any of my builds. I was hoping someone has used it here and can tell me if I can do it myself. I may be a newbie to Subaru’s and their ECU systems but I’m completely up to doing anything to make it work. I’m a Chevy guy from old school point of view but have a lot of hardware and tools to do it all the right way if I just get the proper information to fix it. Thanks to you guys for all the support. It just frustrates me that what ever I touch with these cars they crap out on me. I’m almost at my last point where I just will just send them all to the scrap yard and never deal with Subaru’s again. I have 4 Subaru’s at my garage and not one runs that I can say I can trust for a 100 mile trip. My daily driver I just tested for a head gasket leak and it failed. I replaced the head gasket and heads on it a year ago. So I’m driving it with no thermostat so it doesn’t overheat. I have basically the problem years 1989, 2005,2006,2007 Outback’s the 89 is going to scrap or part out. I do like the all wheel drive. They can get through snow better than my Chevy 3500 4wd Dually. But they are useless to me if I can’t reliably drive them especially with my kids in them or driving them.

No the ABS runs like that with key on or off. I think it’s a pump or motor in the ABS assembly. The dash fault lights I’m not too sure but I believe they are showing only when running. I will need to see if after resetting the OBD faults if the trans temp and other lights came back on. I had just replaced the alternator with a known good one a month or so prior to this I didn’t bother testing the charging system but I can to be sure the alternator didn’t fail.

Hello all My 2007 Outback 2.5 auto is giving me nightmares. I just can’t stop the gremlins from messing with the car. I was actually going to replace the front differential and transmission. But when I started the car up from sitting for a week the dash lights went nuts and my ABS control solenoid started running and wouldn’t stop even with the key off. I unplugged the battery for a day or two and reconnected it, still runs nonstop. I hooked up my scanner and saw lots of new faults in the power train. So I tried clearing them out in hopes that it would resolve itself. No luck. Im thinking maybe a mouse got after something or my ECU took a dump. I haven’t replaced an ECU in one of these yet so I was looking for some help in that regard. I have an Autel MS-906 to use to try to program it if I need to. I bought a used ECU for a 2007 and it’s on the way. I’m not sure if I even need to reflash it or just replace it and hope everything works as it should. thanks

I like the video I’ll try that. That is exactly what I needed to know. The car is unknown history and the airbag controller software doesn’t mate with the computer. I think the airbags were deployed at some point in it life.

I know the passenger side pressure switch is faulty. The chime is In time with the passenger seatbelt light on the interior roof console. No pressure is on the seat. The alarm stays on and beeps around 12-15 time in strings after a pause of about 5 seconds. I’ll try to disconnect the battery longer than 1/2 hr and see if I can redo the cheat again. But yes I did everything other than open the drivers door afterwords. I do have a few extra seats but it looks involved to replace the wiring with the heated seats

2007 Outback AT 2.5 Yes I tried the seatbelt buckle 20 times in and out with the key on then turn off. I tried it in different ways and counts it still chimes. I hooked up my scanner and can see the seatbelt switch making and breaking on/off so I know that works. I reset all the codes and disconnected the battery then tried the 20 plug and unplug still nothing happened. It’s possible that it’s chiming for another reason? But I can’t see why. I didn’t want to rip out the chime unless I need to. thanks for any input

You guys know the Subarus much better than I do. I’m trying to get my 2007 Subaru Outback 2.5 non turbo running again. 1. I finally replaced my autolite plugs for NGK iridium and the engine cam to life. Unfortunately short lived because now it’s back to low power under acceleration from idle. 2. I had replaced the Y pipe with the 2 catalytic converters and it did nothing with the autolites in it. So maybe the rear cat is bad? But I had dropped the exhaust completely with no effect. 3. I have a clicking noise under the left side of dash. It sounds like a relay being triggered every 3 seconds or so. ( It’s doing it on my other Subaru too 2006 with no check engine light on) 4. I had replaced the charcoal assembly under the left rear wheel well before and that helped resolve not being able to put gas in the tank. But it was a used assembly. I have another good used one I can put in if needed. 5. So new wires, coil, plugs, air filter, front cats, alternator / battery tests good. thanks for your help

I will have to look into the axel theory but it just doesn’t make sense to me that it would cause a vibration without it being in drive. Maybe if something in the transmission moving while out of gear. But it did have a heavy passenger side hit.

One thing I would like to throw out there. On the #1 Subaru, it was hit in the passenger side front wheel and fender. I’m wondering if something internally was damaged in the engine. Maybe it was thrown out of balance at that point and I’m chasing something I never did myself with the service. I didn’t drive it immediately after it was hit. I pretty much just limped it in my garage after a tow and tore into it. I replaced and straightened the radiator support and replaced all the suspension that needed it. Pulled the engine and replaced the head gaskets and timing belt, water pump etc. Have any of you know if someone’s engine was tweaked after an accident like this?

Looks like both have bad cats. Now I need to find out why they clogged up or melted down. still doesn’t tell me why there is a vibration in the #1 Outback. I have been driving the #2 Outback as bad as it is every now and then until I get something full fixed. I’m starting the 3 Outback it’s a 06 2.5 hopefully the cats are good on this one. This one was overheated and cracked the heads. So I have replacement heads for it. Which I’m going to have checked out first. The block I’m hoping is fine. It spins over with little effort and no visible damage so far. I don’t have time to pull it out and do a full rebuild on it . So I’m crossing my fingers again. Last question for you all. Any suggestions where I can get decent prices on catalytic converters for Subarus. If the site doesn’t want you to say no problem. I’m setup to weld them on so I don’t need a full exhaust.

1. I did a compression test and it passed. One thing that still bothers me was the timing mark on the engine for the crank was slightly to the right of 12:00 position. It seems odd that it’s there and not straight up. Maybe it is off a tooth on the timing belt still. The vibration shows up at idle but is more noticeable at 2000rpm and up. Also when I replaced the head gaskets the head was over torqued on two head bolts by mistake using new bolts. I left it that way thinking if I back them off I wouldn’t know what I have at that point in torque. 2. the hesitation on this Subaru seems a little like when I had a bad alternator. Electrical issues, but I tested the charging system. I’m my have to revisit that possibility again. Also the new ignition coil try and a MAP sensor was recent that didn’t help. I do have a donor intake setup that I can pull items from. I thought maybe a TPS or possibly a fuel pump but I wanted to be sure of the problem before I start replacing items. Next post I will list all the error codes that popped up on the # 2 none for #1 so far

These cars are my family’s daily drivers so I need to get them running quickly. Also I’m too stubborn to take them to the dealer and have them fix them. I know I can fix them but it’s pinpointing the problem. I know there a lot of techs here that are laughing! That’s why you pay us the hourly rate we charge. I built a nice shop for a reason. I don’t send my cars out. But the Subaru isn’t a friendly one to diagnose. thanks for your help!

Hey guys, posting another topic here. I’ve had no success on my last two projects with my Subarus. 1. 2005 Subaru outback 2.5 non turbo timing belt and head gaskets: I started the car up after replacing them everything look good at idle it purrs like a kitten. But when you bring it up off idle 2000rpm + it vibrates heavy. I just tore the front end part and double check the timing belt and redid lining up the marks. That did not help I believe I was lined up to begin with. Any ideas? 2. 2007 Subaru outback with a 2.5 L non-turbo. The car was running decent and out of nowhere major hesitation check engine light comes on and flashes during hesitation. I replace the coil. Check for vacuum leaks. It showed a misfire on number two cylinder. So I replaced the injector and check the plug. It did nothing to help hesitation. Under slow acceleration it seems OK. But when I accelerate quickly it hesitates and seems to stumble until I mash the throttle down or bring it down to just above idle. It seems like more than just number two cylinder dropping out. If I mash the throttle down after hesitation it seems to clear itself out and take off of course I’ll be well over the speed limit. I’m ready to drive both of them off a cliff . Any ideas? I know I’m vague on description and all the other trouble shooting I’ve done so far but I’m running out of ideas. My scanner tool is a laptop and a usb to OBD link SX adapter using obdwiz software so I’m limited with what I can pull up in diagnosing sensors

I didn’t try it yet but the 06 water pump hopefully bolts up to the 05 engine. So if it does everything should be the same then? the 06 engine was overcooked and the heads are cracked also the block has a block sealer in it which pretty much trashed the block also.

My daughters 05 Outback was hit so I picked up a 06 Outback that needs a new engine. So I was going to do a swap. The engine in the 06 was torn down to a short block before I bought it. One thing I noticed is that the water pumps and the exhaust are different. Is there anything else that I didn’t see that I need to swap on the 05 engine to do a full swap without any headaches? I’m hoping that’s all that different. Otherwise I’ll have to fix the bodywork on the 05 to get it on the road. I was looking at getting a new water pump to match the 06 and keeping the exhaust on the 06. It seems that’s all I need to do. Does anyone know if the eco will function okay without any reflash? I thought it was the same motor package with the 05-07s but I was wrong. I have all three years the 06 is the only 2.5 that’s different. Thanks for your help

Things changed since I last posted this. My daughters 05 Outback was hit so I picked up a 06 Outback that needs a new engine. So I was going to do a swap. The engine in the 06 was torn down to a short block before I bought it. One thing I noticed is that the water pumps and the exhaust are different. Is there anything else that I didn’t see that I need to swap on the 05 engine to do a full swap without any headaches? I’m hoping that’s all that different. Otherwise I’ll have to fix the bodywork on the 05 to get it on the road.

Okay wow I would never had thought nobody would have squeezed more HP out of these motors. Porting heads or headers, cams. Not a big deal just checking. I have other toys for my power fix. By the way Morgantown Pa.?

One last question for you. Do you know of any way of gaining so more performance out of these motors? I looked for hi performance cams but they only list for turbo engines.