Brokechump

Checked the vac hose/check valve to booster, it works. I bench tested the old MC...squireted fluid from the hose I attached. Did the same for the one in the car....no fluid. I think my really old/slightly contaminated fluid did the rubber in. If memory serves (twins and a toddler ruin that, btw) I made that emergency bottle of brake fluid 7 years ago. Will look for a rebuild kit locally. I love screwing myself!

But I get such an evil look when I force the wife to pump the brakes for me! Budy at work is letting me try his vac bleeder, hopefully that helps. Double checked, bleed valve is on top for both calipers. I had everything bolted up like suggested, but when fluid didn't come out I started to back track. Thought maybe the rubber lines had gotten clogged/melted. I left the front left metal brake line to the wheel open all day...no fluid dripping out. I'll give the vac bleeder a shot. Hopefully I didn't f myself with old mistaken fluid.

Thanks for the responses. 1.) how do you prime the master cylinder? The new ones don't have any bleed valves on them. 2.) the brake lines are original but bled just fine a week ago when I replaced the master cylinder. My technique "one man" is to partially fill a jar with brake fluid, run a hose into the fluid and pump until I don't see bubbles in the hose and see clean fluid. I had all four calipers hooked up and tried to bleed one at a time, but couldn't pump fluid out of any corner this time around. 3.) What's a good way to check the brake booster? If there were a vac leak would the ecu be able to correct for it? 4.) Swell shut? This fluid was one of my SMRT moves...needed a container and spare fluid for a trip, so I put brake fluid in an empty tranny fluid container and labeled it with a pen. Smelled and looked like brake fluid but maybe there was enough of the old stuff on the inside off the container....hmmm I would like SS lines.

2000 Outback 2.5L, 163k mi My brakes have been going soft. Replaced the master cylinder, blead system (BL, FR, BR, FL)..still soft. One morning the pedal goes to the floor when pushed slowly, will stop when pushed fast and hard. If held the pedal eventually looses pressure and goes to floor. Figured out that my front right caliper wasn't applying pressure(rusty pads), made the front left caliper nice and hot (not smoking). Front brake lines are empty. Replaced both front calipers and went to blead the system and can't. With both the front rubber brake lines off the caliper I push the break pedal and get a drip of fluid out of the front right and nothing out of the left. With a one-man bleader jar I can push small amount of air bubbles from the front left but never get fluid. When I close the system the pedal never gets firm. I'm in desperate need of help on this one....scratching my head. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks -Dan

I have a 03 OBW and an 00 OBW. The brakes in the 03 are so much better! I've read the 00 still used the old body style size calipers (read: undersized). Anyway, does someone know off hand if the 03 brake calipers will fit on my 00? If so would it be beneficial to just change the calipers or grab an 03 master cyl and booster too? -Dan

Based on my 00 OBW you'll need 14mm (or 12?) for the caliper bolts, and a 19mm to get the lugs. Very easy job, shouldn't have to mess with the ABS, it's a sensor bolted to the knuckle housing. Take wheel off unbolt lower caliper bolt and swing up, you shouldn't need to but if you take both bolts off rest the caliper on a block (don't let it hang). the rotor should pull off (Don't need to undo the center bolt) reverse order with pleanty of brake cleaner and you're done. -Dan 00 OBW 03 OBW 68 Jeep Truck 81 GL Wagon (RIP, good parts live on)

I've got an 00 and 03 obw. Low speeds the 00 is much smoother when you let off the gas. The 03 has a very jerky let off. As mentioned...feathering the clutch in traffic is the way around it. Torque might explain it. -Dan

Can't remember if the Forester had the SOHC 2.5L, if it does you may have a possible head gasket leak? My 00 OBW got one at 120k. Of course it would have to be an internal leak to register as a missfire. White crap on the plugs would help figure that out. -Dan

Sorry about that I dropped off....thanks for all the ideas! Nice thought on the gas pedal...I can see how the ECM would get a false position. I definitely don't hit that on these new fangled cars...now my carbed cars get the stomp! But I'll try to reset the ECM this afternoon. I'll check my 00 FSM pdf files and see if I can find the idle air control valve? The weird thing is it's just a start up thing, and only a momentary start up thing...otherwise she runs well. But that could point to a funky ECM initial setting or MAP that quickly gets sorted out. I'll find out! Gracias! I'll repost when I figure this out... -Dan

Just added a 03 Legacy OBW to my stable, it's only got 48k mi and it's a MT behind 2.5L. If it's cool or hasn't been started in a few days it stumbles on start up. No CEL light, so looking for ideas. When you kick it over, the rpm jumps above 1g then falls to around 3-400 and bounces up and down a few times then will idle smoothly and run great. My wife says that when the ac button was on it fired up and then died. After a two start-die tries it stayed running and quickly smoothed out. Any ideas? What's the cold air valve and where's it located (found that in one of my thread searches) Any help is appreciated as always! -Dan

I took pliers, grabbed the offending section by the flange and twisted/bent until it braced itself against the pipe....seems to be working so far! At least the rattle is gone!

I can confirm that my lower back gets warm when I turn on the heated seats. 2000 OBW with the all weather. I also have a few switch lights burn out. So please post what you find out, whether it is radio shack or a steeler part.

Sorry about that reply, office buddy thought it was funny while I was gone.

sorry

what kind of fool are you

This link should go into the repair manual for easy access. Fantastic source of info on the HG replacement. The first place I look is the USRM. Then forum search. I searched (apparently not hard enough) prior to my recent HG job and only read a few threads on the HG replacement due to volume of complaints. Mine was a phase 2 2.5 SOHC in a 00 OBW but I still thought the phase 1 info was helpful for me along with the FSM. I plan on writing up my experience along with the pics I took. How does it end up in the USRM? My 2 cents...rambling was free -Dan

Pull your spark plugs and check for white prongs...if it's burning coolant in a cylinder(s) there will be some very white build up on the spark plug(s).

Sorry, about the delay. Hope I haven't held you back. With the belt still on hopefully you can get a pin or something in two holes of the tensioner. I don't see why you couldn't lever against the tensioner keeping a linear push on the tensioner shaft. As far as taking the timing belt off goes, the manual says to remove the smooth idler puller on the lower left (left side if facing the front of the engine, passenge side). I had to take that one and the idler gear on the lower right. The idler gear should have to come off to get to the water pump bolts.

Sort of like my dentist mailing me a bill for 53 cents with 37 cent postage!!!! Freak'n computer system! I of course let them mail me 2 additional late payment notices...37 cents a piece. Small victories!

Oops...once the pivot bolt is removed the tensioner comes off...NOW the three bolts to the bracket are right there. My headgasket was leaking both coolant and oil, that's why I replaced my timing belt and water pump...because I was in there.

Sorry, overlooked those details since I had everything off... Doing my work I did not remove the CamPS, makes that easy. My technique for the camshaft pullies was feed some nylon rope into cylinder #1 (or easiest to get to). 17mm socket and a breaker bar, once the bolt is loose on both pullies and the belt was removed (a few more steps) my pully just popped right off. It fits over the shaft end. The plastic cover is next. Tensioner, stick an allen key in the small hole on the body of the tensioner and the tensioner pin so it doesn't extend anymore. ( I actually replaced mine and it came with a pin in it.) Remove the pivot bolt of the tensioner (14mm?) then the three bolts holding it on are right there.

The HG job can be done with the engine in the car. Mine blew externally at 120k, 2.5L. It can be done! Now the car runs better than when we got it with 53k on it. With the updated HG, new water pump, and timing belt I hope to get at least another 100k out of my car!

Which engine in the ouback? I think on any vehicle with over 100k it's recommended to change the water pump. Especially if you're doing the timing belt. Assuming the engines are very similar I just did the HG, timing belt, and water pump on my 00 Legacy OBW's 2.5L SOC with 120k (HG external leak everyone complains about). Cooling fans removed there is pleanty of room and once the timing belt is off the only stuff in the way is the tensioner and bracket (3 bolts 12mm I think) and one of the idler gears (14mm IIRC). Being a weekend warrior mechanic I encourage you to dive in. Subaru's are easy to work on!

Looking at the cg performance web site, it would seem to me that because of the block design you're going to get a head gasket leak whether you use the addative or not. If the cylinder walls are fixed only at the ends and allowed to vibrate up and down the slightest bit you're going to constantly rub the HG AND the magic conditioner particles. Did I miss understand the CG website?

I passed just because I haven't found specifics on what it does other than work like stop-leak "oatmeal" stuff. Don't know if it has the same consitancy or not. Just did the HG's on my 00 OBW with 120k this past week.