craigmcd

Here you are - I highlighted the crossover pipe and the three bolt holes for it. Also, the hard to reach bolt I mentioned, which should be installed early in reassembly.

So I did this repair yesterday and just thought I would do a quick review which might help others with this. My parts list was about $200, which included the black crossover pipe, small rubber hoses, thermostat, manifold gaskets, throttle gasket (not used), rubbery egr gasket (not used) and two jugs of Subaru coolant, but NO sensors. I should have bought the rigid egr gasket which connect the vertical pipe to the egr w two bolts. The repair took me 5.5 hours, which includes a lunch while the radiator drained out. I was working on a hoist. Subaru says I need the coolant sensor KA140, which is the more expensive one. They did not have one in stock. The one special tool I recommend is long plier designed to remove the rubber hoses - they are hard to reach. All the bolts are 8, 10, 12 and 14mm. The main thing is that you should separate the manifold from the silver fuel lines assembly (4 bolts) which run in the front and down the sides in an area under the intake manifold. I am NOT talking about the fuel rails which connect the fuel injectors, I did not touch those. Do not loosen or remove the fuel lines or rubber connectors, they are flexible enough to hinge up out of the way. You will take out two bolts so the egr is free of the pipe which runs down to the exhaust manifold area - the little gasket will fall down (it is hard to reassemble, I held it with needle nose pliers until I could get the first bolt started - buy a new gasket, and maybe a spare). Once you get enough vacuum tubes and a couple electrical connections undone, you will be able to tip the manifold / fuel lines back and lift a little. At this time, remove the right side bolt on the fuel line bracket which is hard to reach behind a/c component - the one on the left is super easy. Now wire the manifold back out of the way, and lift the fuel line assembly enough to access below it, but no so much as to twist or tear the rubber fuel lines you are hinging on. You do not need to remove the throttle or the egr valve, just move them with the intake manifold as a whole. Now is a good time to drain the radiator fluid. You should now have pretty decent access to the black crossover pipe, which runs left to right directly behind the alternator. It connects 4 rubber hoses, which you should replace (except for the large one in the rear which runs through the firewall - this is where the special pliers will help) - dont cut or damage the original. For the record, I did not see a significant difference between the original and the remodeled crossover pipe, it must be subtle. On reassembly. Replace the 6 intake manifold gaskets. As you are lowering everything down into place, be sure to install the fuel line screw (front right) while you can still reach it. Lower the whole assembly into place and drop a few bolts into the manifold holes. Before tightening down the manifold, be sure to get that pesky little egr gasket back in place. After that, the rest of the assembly is pretty fast. I replaced the thermostat, which of course drained more fluid. My refill was just under 6 qts, but I expect to top it off a little today. So, just plan on plenty of time, don’t drop anything into the engine holes, and make sure to properly “burp” the coolant system by following Subaru’s instructions in the official manual. I hope that helps someone. I will post a photo from my desktop in a little while.

Rampage - THANKS - I had considered that I was seeing the engine from two different directions, but without the inclusion of some major components in the diagrams, I was not positive. On another close look, I can see where the transmission bolts on, and the oil filler and coolant inlet. Very helpful - thanks again. One temp sensor.

Here is a different diagram only showing the one coolant sensor. I will bring this with me to Subaru when I pick up parts tomorrow. Curious

This is from my official repair manual - the highlighted one is the rear sensor.

Yes Mike, when I ordered parts online from my local Subaru, I started with the VIN number, and my car showed correctly. As far as I can tell, one is driver side at the front, the other is passenger side at the rear. In the parts catalog - and I looked a few - the front one is shown as a good photo. However, the back one is shown as a stick drawing, so not helpful. The illustration above does not show the rear one - but I have seen that drawing. Heartless, I did order a Subi thermostat. Thanks. Craig

Lucky T, I know you have done a few of these repairs. Would it be okay if I just do the crossover pipe (and hoses) for now -- and SKIP replacing the sensors for now? If I still get the code I can always replace the sensors. I will do the thermostat since I have to drain the coolant anyhow.

So they are different ?

Howdy, I am working to repair the PO128 error code, and will replace the crossover pipe which runs below the intake manifold. As part of that project I was going to replace both "sensor assembly - temperature", since part of the problem may be a bad reading of the temp. There are TWO very similar temperature sensors: 22630 AA140 (36D) which is about $19, and 22630 KA140 (30D) which is $32. Are these interchangeable? Can I buy the cheap one for both spots? I am buying all new gaskets for the intake manifold. Is there anything else I will encounter or should consider as I replace this pipe and all the nearby hoses? I do not plan on touching any fuel lines. Many thanks, Craig 2012 Outback 3.6 R Limited

Lucky T, thanks for the response. In my initial research I noticed the tech bullitan about that crossover tube. The part is only about $45, but it looks like a serious amount of labor. I would have to remove the intake manifold and very possibly other engine components. Not sure I want to get into that right now - and particularly without a little research. I assume I would need a few new gaskets and maybe other reassembly parts. Would you consider this a difficult repair? This is the second time I have had the P0128 code since we bought the car four years ago, the first was November 2016. I am doing about the same fix as I did at that time. It is probably a bad thermostat. I reset the code with my OBD reader and app, and so far the code has not come back. THANKS

Question SPEED ROUND, I need to replace the thermostat on our H6 engine (2012 Outback). That means draining the radiator. How much coolant should I have on hand to refill the radiator / coolant system ? I believe this thermostat is down low, in the lower radiator hose. 2) There are two coolant sensors located right next to each other. In the parts diagrams, the one to the left is 22630 36D, and the one to the right is 22630 30D. The part numbers are very similar. Can I order 22630AA140 for both locations ? It is $10-15 cheaper than the other one, 22360KA140. 3) What is the normal operating temp for the coolant in this engine? Using an OBD tester while driving, I can see that it is 195 to 205 degrees after warmed up good. I am trying to fix CEL engine code P0128. This code is saying the engine is running too cool. Thanks, Craig

It took 5 stops, but I finally found the socket you recommended. It is not described specifically as thin wall, but it should be thin enough (as thin as many much smaller sockets). Also got the OEM Subi oil sender, and the gasket for the oil cooler should I need to lower it. Perhaps Thursday I can get back on the lift. Chow

On our 2005 Outback, our backup lights have been collecting water during rainstorms. Usually it appears as heavy condensation or fog, but after a big rain when I open the tailgate hatch and remove the backup light bulb, water runs out of the assembly. So far it has not shorted out the electrical outlet. I searched the forums but had a hard time finding exactly this problem on this car, so I just want to provide some info and couple helpful links for someone down the road. This is not a difficult repair with basic tools, but do allow at least a couple hours, more like 3 or 4 if you take your time. It took me a long time because once I got the tailgate bezel off (the part where the backup lights are), there was a lot of clean up to do - and of course you want to take your time on a careful reassembly. Body panel clip removal tools are very handy, but not essential. Harbor Freight has a cheap set. I was careful, but still managed to break one of the clip anchors and two bolts. This necessitated getting creative with a different screw and anchor, which took a while to figure out. Both of the breaks were caused by the nut/bolt being rusty, and not loosing. You will need some silicone sealant for the lights themselves, and 3M Strip-Calk, which is about $17. The Strip-Calk is specifically made for assembling body parts and light housings, etc. This was originally described to me as, "Dumdum comes in 12 inch long string sections (like the very thin red licorice)". I also used a lot of 409 and paper towels getting everything nice and clean. I have noticed in the past that most leaks are associated with a build up of dirt and grim in hidden or hard to reach areas. This first video covers removing the interior panels. You do not need to remove the long horizontal panel above the window. Also, on the rubbery weather striping, the small white clips popped right out, which is better than separating them from the strip as Tony does. I taped the strip back in place so it would not be damaged if the tailgate closed. You need to unclip one electrical connector, which on my car was kind of a pain. In this second video, Bruce removes all those interior panels, but also the tailgate outer bezel with the reverse light assemblies. If you only have time for one video, watch this one. I think Bruce misses a set of nuts on each side of the tailgate bezel, far left and right. They are covered by skinny black panels, which I only partially removed (I could not budge the visible clip, but the hidden ones came right off). If you have removed all the 8mm nuts inside the tailgate and the bezel does not budge, look for those other four nuts. Besides using the Strip-Calk on each side of the light foam and around all the bolt hole locations, I put a strip along the rubber edge below the window, wear the bezel makes contact. That is the first place for water to enter under the bezel recesses. I used the silicon to seal all around the light assembly, where the clear part meets the black assembly. That should about do it. Time for a beer.

Thanks FerGloyale, once I learned of the blue coolant, what you described for the oil cooler is what I imagined. It is very similar to how coolant flows through an engine, but never comes in contact with the air or oil or fuel. I am going to buy the O-ring, but hoping to not remove the cooler at this time. Thanks again.

Thanks FerGloyale and Numbchux - great ideas which I will pursue. We had tried a regular deepwell socket, and it was close. I will buy one special for this. Just to clarify - I thought that oil ran through the oil cooler, is this an incorrect assumption ? I have NO IDEA where to add the blue coolant for this particular system. So please tell me what you mean by ‘blue coolant’, and how that works with the oil cooler system. Is the oil cooler really just part of the overall radiator cooling system? Sorry if this seems basic, but as I do more and more DIY stuff, I run into more difficult questions. I did a transmission valve body, so I am willing to learn. Thanks, Craig

Hi - there is an unexpected wrinkle in what should have been a very simple repair, hopefully one of you can enlighten me on the best way forward. I put the Subaru (2012 Outback, 3600cc empi dohc) on the lift Saturday. I had a hard time fitting a large socket onto the sensor because there is another small bolt in the way, which prevents the socket from sliding on. We tried every kind of socket and wrench and plier, but nothing can get onto the sensor, and if I can grip it, I can’t turn it because of the narrow space. The solution seems to be removing the offending bolt, which has an Allen wrench head. I hesitated because I don’t know what that bolt does or what it may be securing in the engine block. It is also pretty hard to reach. See my drawing. Another factor is that the orig sensor is 24mm, and the new aftermarket sensor is 27mm. I already can not get a socket on it, so increasing the diameter seems to only make the problem worse. Perhaps the new sensor would hit the other bolt before I could get it screwed in all the way. I will visit some parts stores and try to get a narrower (orig size) sensor. Part of the solution is to remove the oil cooler, which should be attached by a single center shaft. This would give me room to remove the Allen bolt, and/or put a wrench on the sensor and be able to turn it. I see that it would need a new gasket, but other than that is there any mechanical reason I shouldn’t just get the oil cooler (and filter) out of the way? On Saturday I had some extra oil and filter, but I wasn’t ready for a complete oil change. I did not pull the oil filter because that did nothing to solve the problem with the Allen head bolt. The sensor is directly above the oil cooler, with about a 2-3” space between them. Your thoughts please — and thanks. Craig

Sounds great, I’ll do this little job later today. Thanks for the input. C

I understand, but how much oil are we talking ?

I finally tracked down the oil sensor on our 2012 Outback. On this 6 cylinder engine, it is down low, screwed in just above the oil filter assembly. If I remove the sensor when the engine is full of oil, will it leak all over me and the floor ? Would it be best to do this as part of an oil change, and pull the sensor after draining the oil? The sensor comes with some red sealant on the threads, is that all I need when putting the new one in? Thanks for the input! Craig

The vibration in the wheel and throughout the car (and particularly under your seat) may be a bad driveshaft. I had to replace ours on a 2005 outback at 168,000. It could also be a bent wheel, particularly if it is on the front. $2,000 seems fair for this older car with a swapped engine. You’ll have the usual repairs in the future, hopefully nothing worse.

I recently did a big repair to my sunroof (2005 Outback), replacing both pieces of glass (to get better rubber seals) and lowering the headliner so I could clean everything, particularly the drain tubes in each corner of the assembly. That is all described in a different post thread. Yesterday morning I took out my Weathertech floor mats to shake them out, and discovered on the driver side floorboard a pretty good puddle of water. I took off some plastic panels and pulled the carpet back as best I could, and found a lot more water. With two large towels I sopped up the standing water from the floor pan. All of this ruined my mood for the day. I left it all open, and the doors open all day to air out - which helped dry the carpet and pad. Last night and this morning we had 1/8 rain, and when I checked this morning, with the carpet already pulled back, there was an inch of water in the low spots of the floor pan. I could see a steady drip from the dashboard side panel, near the door trim. The telltale sign is that the front corner roof pillar panel, which is fabric coated, is soaking wet. Following that up, the front drivers corner of the headliner is damp. The car sits in the driveway with that corner of the sunroof at the lowest point. The DRAIN TUBE hole was clogged with some particles from a tree, which has been shedding a lot of debris all spring. The drain is at the bottom of a small “bathtub” collection area, but once it is clogged, the water simply overfills the bathtub and into the headliner. On this car, if you open the sunroof completely, you can reach in there with a long screwdriver or forceps, and remove obstruction. An air hose works if you have a long extension. I had cleared all of this just several weeks ago, but the tube opening is pretty small, and it does not take much to clog them. For me, the best solution is to never open the sunroof, and don’t park under the tree. For now, the Subi is in the garage with a small heater in the passenger seat, and a heat gun airing out the carpet from the drivers side. Maybe by tomorrow it will be dry. Agh.

Yes, the wiring can be unclipped. On the black wire on the driver side of the car, it runs the length of the headliner to the left rear pillar, where it unclips behind the pillar trim. On the front of the headliner the wire bundle coming from the passenger side front pillar is for a number of things, such as visor lights, garage door button, dome light, and sunroof switches. In the center (under the headliner) are three wire clips for the console. In each front corner are the visor clips. Fair enough. The problem I chose not to solve, is that all these wires are taped down to the headliner, and thin insulation sheets are glued over the top of them. It just looked like a big pain in the rump roast to cut them out to free them. The black wire would be easiest to just splice somewhere easy to reach. If you left the rear seats up with the headrests on, they would support the headliner so it would not fold, and with it shoved forward, you would have sufficient room to work on the rear tubes. I can not recall why I folded the seats down, but it was probably just for better access. One last note - the first step on this project should be to disconnect the battery negative terminal.

With the sunroof open, the front tubes can be seen, and either a skinny skinny vacuum hose or compressed air can reach them. I pulled out a larger piece of debris with long plier device. The rear tubes are 34” back and very difficult to reach with just the roof open. I might try to rig a long 1/2” plastic tube to snake back there and vacuum out the drain channel occasionally.

Hi All, I want to follow up on the repairs of these sunroof leaks. Phase 1 was to access the drain tubes and clear obstructions, and Phase 2 was to replace the sunroof glass because the rubber seals are shot. There are a couple key tips in this if you are about to do this project. This is a 2005 Outback VDC (Limited, LL Bean) wagon. Phase 1 > I thought the headliner would have to be completely removed per the suggestions above, but that is niether necessary or advised. This is because there is a black wire which runs in the front left pillar, and a wire bundle which runs in the front right pillar. The black wire would have to be cut and spliced again, and the larger bundle on the right side is also problematic, but would be removable with considerable effort. The solution is to lower the headliner enough to clear the rear view mirror, then gently work it forward about 16-18 inches (watch not to yank on the wiring). Let the headliner rest on the driver row headrests. I lowered the rear seats, so the headliner was not supported in the rear. The headliner DID FOLD on the headrests, but when reassembled, the fold was really not noticeable. Now you can reach all four corners of the sunroof assembly. This car has only four tubes, one in each corner of the assembly. As instructed previously, remove each tube and clean it out. Clean the drain channels throughly. I reduced the pressure on the compressor to 40 psi, and blew out the tubes. Use a little pipe cleaner brush to clean each corner drain hole. A hose clamp or plastic tie strip should be used on each tube. There was no Velcro, and only 5 plastic clips in the rear area. The headliner is largely held in place by the pillars, and you have to pull those away. I did not fully remove any of the pillar column trim, just pull away the top area as best you can. To accomplish this, remove the plastic cover (w the logo) on the side pillars and unscrew the bolt. Be REALLY careful not to drop this bolt inside the pillar! Be careful with sharp tools, the airbag is running above the side windows! Removing the light assembly’s are a little tricky, but they all hinge towards the front of the car. On the reading light console in the front, you do not remove the whole thing, just the light cover so you can reach the screws. At the front corners you need to unclip the visor light wire - be really careful unplugging these, and all wire connectors (use pliers). Drop the sunroof enough to unclip the three wire connectors above the center console. One of the hardest things to remove was the rear seatbelt cover. Drop the headliner a little so you can see how that works, and to reach it with a tool. The other part which was tricky is the two visor support clips. They are removed by sticking two screwdrivers simultaneously into each side, and pressing the two clips as you pull the thing out. I took a lot of time carefully removing the headliner and cleaning everything, with reassembly taking about 90 minutes. You should figure 4 to 5 hours total for this project. There is an amazing amount of stuff hidden by that headliner, try not to break anything. Phase 2 > After much searching, I found a 2008 Subaru in a salvage yard with a decent sunroof seal. It is used, but should last at least 3 or 4 years. I paid $200 total for both the front and rear pieces. To my surprise, the salvage yard removed and sold me the entire sunroof assembly (about 33” x 60”), saying it was easier for them. The replacement of both pieces is really pretty easy, just a few 10mm bolts, which are hidden by four pieces of plastic trim. I spent a decent amount of time cleaning the hard to reach areas. Make a note of how many shims are under each bolt. Before you start, look at how the original window aligns to the top of the car, and shim to match. When reassembling, don’t overtighten, I think you could crack the glass if over enthusiastic with the wrench. This little project took me about 90 minutes. Could be done in less than an hour. I am good at working on the cars and have plenty of tools, but for my sanity and enjoyment, I set aside a decent amount of time for a project, and I take my time. A pro in a shop could probably do Phase 1 in 3.5 hours, but also might damage something along the way - and won’t clean things as I do. I also used a tiny fountain pump and tested the drains before reassembly.

I have followed this very entertaining thread (which I started) and really enjoyed all the comments. I am on my 6th Subaru, and will continue to watch for the right Brat or Baja - but would buy the Brat first just for the fun of it. In regard to the jump seats: Back in high school, circa 1978-80, I owned a ‘67 El Camino SS with a factory 396. I skateboarded a lot, and several times drove with 2-3 kids riding in the back (no seats) from Colorado Springs to Boulder to go to the only skate pool in Colorado. It is a good 2 hours each way on the Interstate. Now, as a father, I would never let my kids take that trip in the back. Different times. We drank out of the garden hose too. Thanks for all the comments. C