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I'll try to describe how off it was. With the Crank in its timing position: -left intake cam perfect -left exhaust cam perfect -right intake cam was at 10 o'clock position -right intake cam was at maybe 8 o'clock position (left and right are according to the driver position) Pretty bad, but no contact. The car has been running perfect. No issues. I even got around to installing the wiper motor I got from Dave. I also noticed a ripped passenger side CV inner boot. I'll get around to that this fall maybe.

UPDATE: Got a new right side intake cam pulley, new belt and tensioner. Installed it all, and she runs like a brand new car again! I am actually VERY surprised there was no damage to the valves. The exhaust cam was off several teeth, and that broken intake cam was WAYYY off. I was scared to death that when I fired it up I would hear a death knock or damage. Nope. Everything is perfect. Now the question is, what would cause that damage?? There is also a hairline crack all around the raised hex section.

Now I need to find a new right hand (passenger side) intake cam pulley. Hopefully the old engine is still at the junkyard and I can get it.

Yeah, it sucks all around in general. The engine was pulled from a dealer demo. It only had a few thousand miles on it. Apparently it was in a wreck, hence the cracked intake cam hub. I am willing to bet that could be the reason for the belt skipping. When it got hot, it probably flexed and the belt jumped a little. If I had foresight, I would have brought everything available in our catalog with me, then I wouldn't have to go back to Chattanooga to fix it (again) I just hate doing timing belts on these DOHC EJ25's. I am always worried about the cams slipping. I will replace the belt, tensioner, WP and all the pulleys while I am in there. Fun. At least the HG is fine I have the car torn down with everything accessible so it should only be an hour to fix it. If this doesn't do it, I'm setting it on fire and collecting the insurance. So far this is my investment: -vehicle -head gaskets and timing belt job -tensioner was defective and destroyed the engine -EJ22 junkyard engine -timing belt, WP, tensioners, all new gaskets top to bottom. Blew head gasket....it was a junkyard engine.....lasted 11000 miles -EJ25 complete engine -coil pack -ignition wires -spark plugs -fuel pump -fuel filter -new belts and hoses -new vacuum hoses -new cam, crank, coolant sensors -all filters, oil, coolant (twice for all of it) And now add to that, another timing belt, tensioner, pulleys, and a camshaft pulley. Still, even though that list looks big and $$$, I have quite the hook up, and have less than $2000 total investment so far (including the car). I don't even use it personally anymore (well, rarely) instead, my father in law has been borrowing it for work. It gets twice the mileage as his Tundra. If it continues to have problems after this is fixed, I might just part it out.

Ok, so it looks like the engine might have jumped time. I don't see how that is possible with all the pulleys, tensioners, but whatever. I also noticed the intake cam pulley on the passenger side head has cracks around the hub, that doesn't look good!! I spun the engine by hand a few times, and it looks like the timing marks on the 1-3 cams are about 2 teeth off. The engine doesn't make any noise, other than missing really bad. Hopefully there isn't any internal damage. I guess I'll source a new cam sprocket and get a new belt, WP, tensioner and pulleys. Not what I wanted to do.

Tested the alternator, it is perfect. Couldn't get the cat bolts off the y-pipe, so we dropped the y pipe from the heads. Still chugs. The only thing I can think of is maybe a stuck injector? Also, the temp is normal (slightly below middle of gauge) but the fans have not come on, and its about 95 degrees today with a ************load of humidity. They do come on if I turn on the AC though. Maybe the coolant sensor in the crossover pipe is causing all this?? Still no codes after the battery was reset and have had it running about 15 minutes or more. The exhaust smells fine, no smoke, no funny smells, nothing. I am getting frustrated. EVERYTHING on this engine is new. If it was a timing issue, wouldn't it throw a code for a cam/crank sensor? Also, it was running perfect, at a constant speed when it suddenly started acting up.

Grounds are good, power connections are good. About to pull the alternator and take it to get tested. The exhaust is pulsing, like its missing. All the plugs are firing good, trust me, my hair is standing up Already put the pump/strainer and fuel filter in. NO CHANGE.

My poor, poor 1998 Outback is having problems again. I just put a new engine in it (and I mean new) a couple months ago. Chassis has 216000 on it, motor has maybe 16000 on it. Everything has been running perfect since the swap (except for a ripped CV boot), however the other day it started acting up. Going down the highway at 65mph, it suddenly started losing power, and when pulled off the highway, it died. Wouldn't restart. Waited about 30 minutes, and it fired up, but it is chugging and feels like it is missing when you rev it (no power). The CEL is NOT on, and hasn't been since the engine was put it. It fires right up every time, but runs like it is a v-twin. Since I work for an OEM parts distributor, I brought some parts home I tried last night with a new coil pack. No change. I am about to replace the fuel filter and fuel pump/strainer and see if that is the issue. The tank was filled about 40 miles before it started acting up. Bad gas maybe? Also, when the original 2.5 died, we swapped in a junkyard 2.2 engine (lasted a few thousand miles). Did the lack of an EGR on the 2.2 potentially clog the cat? In about an hour from now, I am putting in the new pump and strainer, and fuel filter. I already checked all 4 plugs, and the wires are new OEM as well. I checked all the vacuum lines, none are cracked (all new) and all are connected. I am a little mad at myself for forgetting my OBD Scanner at home. But if need be, I can drive it, or throw it on the trailer and take it to the local parts house to be scanned if this doesn't fix it. Any other thoughts?

Got it worked out. Took off the IAC from the old 2.5 engine. I had already removed the motor from the top to put on the 2.2 since that one was seized. The IAC had a paint mark on the inner body, and a corresponding mark on the shaft. I lined those up, and carefully slid the motor on, referencing the 'dirty' areas from when I removed it. Slapped it on, fired it up and all is fantastic!!

Yeah, I don't know what is up with the gauge. My scanner says that it stays at a nice 185 degrees when warmed up. I might swap the sensor from the dead 2.5. This one might be bad. It is just a PITA to take it out. I fiddled with the IAC and now the idle is a little high at 1000rpms. It is amazing how a minute change makes such a drastic change with that thing! So, I will fiddle with it again after work today. Didn't have alot of time yesterday, had to put new brakes on a friend's Accord.

Might have just figured it out. Decided to go check a few things while I had a spare 5 minutes at work. Took loose the motor for the IAC, and low and behold, the o-ring under the motor was pinched and causing a leak. I didn't think it could leak there (hell, I didn't even remember there being an o-ring there). So it is now running smooth, although the idle is a bit low. Maybe I can tweak it a bit with the adjustment slots on the IAC motor.

Forgot to mention that the previous vacuum leak was found due to a simultaneous MAP sensor CEL. That led me straight to the vacuum hoses on the passenger side, and sure enough the hose that supplies the FPR was cracked.

No other codes. I have re-done almost all the vacuum hoses, I did find some cracked ones initially after swapping in the engine. The intake was never removed, the TB was removed so I could install the one from the EJ25. New gasket. I will give it another go with a can of carb cleaner to see if I can find it. It is insanely frustrating. I didn't do anything except put a new water pump and timing belt on, and now the car is pissed at me!!!

I'm new, but have been lurking for quite some time! Great place. Here is the problem I am having. I swapped in an EJ22 from a 95 Legacy into my 98 OB last weekend. After chasing down some vacuum issues, and swapping all the sensor from the 2.5, all was well. Then I got a code for P1507 IAC Fail safe mode. Car ran like absolute crap. I finally fiddled with the IAC motor, and got it to run great. Fast forward to yesterday morning, when the water pump decided to start pissing out the weep hole. Last night I tore it apart, replaced the WP, timing belt, tensioner, all pulleys and Tstat. Fired it up and everything was well. topped off the coolant, and spent quite a while making sure that all the air bubbles were out. Drove it around the neighborhood. Shut it off, started it up 5 minutes later, and the P1507 is back. I fiddled with it AGAIN, and it was fine......until this morning. Fired it up, high idle. Put it in gear, barely idles at 400rpms and chugs with no power. The car is a automatic, I know it makes a difference. One other thing, I noticed that the coolant temp gauge stays really low (barely above C) even thought the engine is at temp (scan tool says level 185 degrees). Thoughts? HELP!!