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brendanr279

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About brendanr279

  • Birthday 05/21/1981

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Portland, ME
  • Vehicles
    2002 Forester S

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  1. The fuel filter was my first suspicion, as I replace these myself. But the connections are tight, and I don't smell much fuel around that area. I tried chasing the fuel line but didn't inspect too close. I'll take a closer look and tighten some clamps for good measure.
  2. You may be right, but I don't think it's coming from there. The fuel smell seems to be concentrated behind the passenger side headlight, right by the air intake. I'll take a closer look though. Thanks.
  3. Hey, guys. 2002 Forester S 2.5L, 150000 miles. Brief history: For about a year, on below-freezing-days I get a strong gas smell coming through the vents when I'm first running the car. My PO420 code has been on for quite some time now as well, probably about 9 months (I've reset it twice. Comes back on). I don't notice much issue with my fuel efficiency (about 25 mpg highway, 20 city), my power seems okay, kind of "clunky"/"hesitant" sometimes, but I chalk that up to an old automatic transmission. I don't notice any obvious fuel leaks, the smell seems concentrated towards the air intake though when I sniff around closely under the hood. I've covered my tailpipe and I feel pressure and also notice a pretty small exhaust leak at the downward end of the catalytic converter, no other exhaust leak, for what that's worth. So my questions are: Could a small fuel leak be causing my PO420? Where might this fuel smell be coming from if it's in the area of the air intake? And I guess third, does measuring the before and after temperature of the catalytic converter give a good enough diagnostic to tell me that I just need a new catalytic converter? Thanks for the help!
  4. No. It's not really empty, and it's short-lived. Goes up on it's own when I pull over or restart the engine, and only happened with the few long distance drives I did this past weekend. I'm going to tinker a bit and monitor. I've replaced a fuel pump in an older Legacy, so it'll probably be real similar. Might not get to it until next week. I'll keep you posted. I appreciate the help. Thanks.
  5. I'll double check my battery terminals just to be sure. But to check the gas tank floats, do you think I should just use a fuel cleaner additive first? Or should I actually look at the floats? Those are attached to fuel sending unit and I can get to it from the trunk/hatch right? Thanks
  6. No electrical issues I can think of, but I did clean off my battery terminals a couple months ago. Used the baking soda paste method. Maybe it's the battery, is that what your suggesting?
  7. Hi, guys. 2002 Forester S, 140k miles, automatic SITUATION: My fuel gauge just started intermittently, rapidly dropping from above a half tank to near E. I get freaked out, pull over, and it will go back up usually. There is an occasional, short-lived sputtering/hesitation of the engine (not sure if it's directly corresponding to these instances but makes me feel like the engine is going to quit). As well as the check engine light coming on during these times, but doesn't continuously stay on. I have not caught the check engine light to read the code yet. I'm also occasionally getting what I would call crappy MPG (20 mpg highway). These issues seem to only present with prolonged highway driving. BACKGROUND: I changed my downstream O2 sensor about a month ago, everything seemed to be fine with that. I changed my fuel filter about 2 months ago, as well as added some Seaphoam. During cold winter days I would get the smell of gas coming through the vents, but that doesn't happen above 20 degrees F and I was told I just need to tighten up some clamps (probably around the fuel filter i had recently changed) Any thoughts on whats causing the funky fuel gauge, etc? Or what I should do for assessment? Thanks.
  8. Hi, guys. 2002 Forester S, 140k miles. I bought this a couple months ago. I live in Maine so the days can be cold. I've been getting potent gas or exhaust smell coming through the vents on days that are maybe 15 degrees or below. My check engine light was on for the downstream O2 sensor, I replaced that hoping it would miraculously solve the issue. It hasn't. Check engine light is gone though. I don't see a frank gasoline or exhaust leak anywhere. And as I said, it only seems to happen on cold days. I notice it more at stops, but I assume that's because while driving it gets blown off by the wind. Any thoughts? Thanks, Brendan
  9. Hi, guys. I have only very basic experience with multi-meters, and even less with car sensors. 2002 Forester S, OBD II code PO037, downstream O2 sensor. I located the sensor in the catalytic converter, unplugged the wiring harness, and I have a multi-meter. The multi-meter is set to the OHMS setting that does not have a number, it just has a strange symbol and "volume" type symbol. I think this is the generic OHMS setting, correct? There are four wires to the sensor, two gray, two white. I probed the both pairs of wires, gray to gray, white to white, and the multi-meter did not react for either pair. The multi-meter reacts when I touch it's two probes together, so I know it's working. Did I accurately test this O2 sensor? Does it mean it's faulty and needs to be replaced? Or what should I do differently to test it? Thanks.
  10. So it's definitely the switch itself. But disassembly wasn't as easy as I hoped. The cables connecting all the adjusters are really interfering. How do you disconnect those? I can't see an easy way and the manuals don't get that specific.
  11. I haven't tried that, but based on how hard I've tried moving this switch, I doubt it's a matter of something sticky getting in there. I'll try some cleaner anyway. I've tried moving it while pushing in, pulling out, twisting the knob a little, etc. It's not so much stuck on 4 as it is I can't get it to move to 3, 2, 1, or off, because I can move it that smidge to get the fan to turn off (thankfully). I'll try the cleaner, but any other suggestions out there?
  12. Hi, guys. Sorry. I know this is a repeat topic but the info I've found is confusing me. I have a 2002 Forester S, just bought it used. The fan toggle bar-switch has not been sliding smoothly from the get go. Now it's stuck in the high position, blowing air at high, not able to move the switch back down to 3, 2, 1, or off. Another symptom, I'm able to move the switch towards 3, but not all the way to 3, and the fan will stop. Since I'm not able to even move the switch between positions, does that mean it's a problem with the switch, and not the resistor? Or would a resistor malfunction cause the switch to stay stuck in position 4? ...and how do I fix this? I'm buying the repair manual this weekend. Thanks for the help.
  13. Thanks for the encouragement. I'm definitely just cutting the bad section out and splicing in a new section.
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