Luvn737s

There is a YouTube video that shows the tightening sequence as well.

Maybe not. Maybe a one-owner car with otherwise good maintenance records would be the best buy.

What should have been an easy swap of tie rod boots became a miserable experience by trying to re-use the boot bands. However, I don't see alot of room to get a tool up there if I did have one. The bands did get reused and I have excercised them back and forth multiple times and they appear that they are staying put. I marked the tie rod and the end and counted the number of revolutions necessary to remove, then put it back the same number of turns. It drives straight. I'll have to watch for tire wear to see if anything is amiss.

Would it be feasible to torque the crank bolt as far as you can and then drive it to the Subaru dealer and have them torque it properly( assuming it's not a 2 hour drive or something). A tool might be nice, but how many times are you really gonna use it?

When the engine is out, why not drill a few holes through the workbench to match the holes on the back of the crank where the flexplate attaches (make a paper template and transfer to the benchtop), lay the engine face up on the bench, insert the proper threaded bolts long enough to go through the bench and into the flexplate holes and torque the crankbolt to 130ft-lbs? I drilled holes in my bench to match the bellhousing attach points and did all my torquing that way. Very handy. Lay another top over the one you've drilled into after you're done.

Well if there's any consolation, I kinda knew the charge was low before, so now I can fix it right.

Thanks to All here on the board who have given their advice and expertise. I replaced the head gasket and idlers/water pump/ timing belt/and valve shims and tonight after 3 weeks came the moment of truth: At 9:00 I get the kids up and they come out to the garage to see if Dad's obsession is actually going to run and after dry motoring for a few seconds I hook up the ignition and away she goes! :banana:It ran great. Quiet and smooth! Everything seems to be hooked back up ok, the only mystery is the loss of AC. The clutch never engages. The compressor was left hooked up and out of the way but it wasn't completely upright. I don't know if a hose got kinked, but I never heard the refrigeant escape. I'll check it out tomorrow. Thanks again guys.

Permatex Right Stuff. Works great and easy to use.

Can a rear wheel hub assembly (with disc brakes) from a 97 Legacy be installed on a 98 Forester (along with the proportioning valve) and if so, what needs to be considered? I want to eliminate the possibility of a rear wheel bearing failure and I have a nice 97 in the Men's Mall (Pull A Part) close by to pick from.

Are there any specific bolts that go into the block or heads (i.e. A/C PS belt tensioner, intake manifold, etc.)which would benefit from the addition of sealer to the threads?

I think I counted 26 electrical, vacuum or coolant connections when I disassembled mine. How many are critical to starting, I don't know.

The All-Wheel Drive Auto video on YouTube makes a case for dual bearing ($$) versus single bearing (green band). I was convinced and ended up buying the dealer part. The bearings on the OEM idlers, tensioner and water pump are a little stiff, but the belts gonna spin it alot faster than I will by hand.

Hooray! While the Haynes manual has a table listing the valve shim sizes and part numbers, thinner valve shims are actually available if you ask. I did and now the correct shims are headed my way to get this back together the right way! I was bumming that I might have to compromise and not get the one valve that was tightest back into spec. I hate that I have to undo some of my work, but at least it's while the motor is sitting on my bench and not back in the car. A very good day indeed.

Yeah, I heard some guys advise removing the Y-pipe and unfortunately that looks like what I'll have to do to get a good grip in the tranny at a safe jacking location. THX

Versus $300 for a new head?

Why not just replace the valve with a new one and lap it in?

Smallest shim available stuck in the tightest valve and it still doesn't come very close to spec (.005 vs .010). This is with just the cam installed and having not rotated the engine with the timing belt installed.Should I expect the valve clearance to open up after cycling the valve a few times? Am I looking at buying a new valve seat?

Oil separator plate is sealed and bolts tightened/locktightened. The TC never moved when I pulled the engine and it won't move back any more when I try to push it back. I've pushed and rotated and it seems like it is as far back as it's gonna go. I guess I'll know when the crankcase and bellhousing meet up and tell me it needs a little more. I was concerned that the bolts, if left in, would bend or crack the flange on the back of the engine, but then again, getting the studs in tight after the fact might be an issue. I do know the transmission is going to need to come up pretty far for the engine to clear everything and match up. A slow hand on the cherry picker will be key.

When reinstalling a 2.5L DOHC, is it easier to leave the 2 studs ( actually double-ended lower block to bellhousing bolts, not the alignment pins) attached to the block or take them out?

Are these at all accurate (for $20) or are they best used for letting the kids play with? Keep in mind, for me, they might get used once every 5 years or so.

I know there are disclaimers about different prices in different cities and the quality of shops, but on AVERAGE what should someone expect to pay for a head rebuild on a 2.5l DOHC? How about just head resurfacing? The shop I went to had a shop rate of $100/hr and quoted $500 for rebuilding the heads (I would assume any additional machine work on threads, etc. would be extra). Wish I had been wearing a diaper when he sprung that on me!

I know Honda specifies their coolant as the only one to use. Does Subaru require OEM spec coolant or will Prestone be just fine?

Oh, yeah that would be valuable info. For a 98 Forester. I'm looking for a new set. 13 years seems to be enough.

Anyone have a source for engine mounts at a decent price?

From what I understand, once the needed repairs are done on a EJ25D, they rarely need to be opened up again for the same repair. So a good deal on a 98 Forester might really be a good deal if you know up front you're going to lay out about $1000 to get it in shape.