ccrinc

The cam and left crank sprocket must be exactly right in all 2.5 SOHC engines or the engine will not start. If I was still involved in engine tear down every day, I could give you the exact stats. It boils down to the number of "teeth" on the crank sprocket sending the correct signal to the crank angle sensor and the number of cam pickups sending the correct signal to the cam angle sensor. We always get the VIN of any car we do these engines for so that we can verify which combination is correct. There are only 2 configurations. That said, there is still the occasional oddball (usually around 2005) where what "should" be and what is, are different. Swapping the 2 sprockets was exactly the correct thing to do. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

I admit that there are probably cars of which this statement is true. In the case of my car, those have all been addressed, and whenever I am doing about 65mph on a highway the CEL will flash and then remain lit. When you've done every test and fixed every possible issue, what remains must be true. Paraphrasing Occam's Razor.

I talked to a guy who is the Assistant Service Manager at a major Subaru dealer here in Denver, hoping to see if Subaru has come up with any resolution to the problem, because it's all over the internet. And because that CEL lit up on my dash is annoying me too. He told me that he has seen it repeatedly and "wishes Subaru would come up with a software upgrade" to fix it. It is interesting to note that SOA says the fix is to replace the ECU, but many people have done that and it's no help. It appears that the problem is not (usually) with the plug wires, sensors, fuel, plugs or any of the other commonly replaced parts, but a far bigger issue with the programming of that model year ECU. If you research this problem thoroughly, there are thousands of complaints and NOBODY has any idea how to permanently fix it. Subaru has no reason to try to address the issue because the cars are over 10 years old and way out of warranty. It's electronic guys. You can keep throwing money at it or live with it. That's what I personally am going to do on my car. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

Read the other thread on here about this issue on '97 Outbacks. It's a good chance there's absolutely nothing wrong with your engine if it runs fine otherwise.

I recently acquired a '97 OBW, 5 speed Limited (really nice!) and am using it as my daily driver. Naturally, it has a freshly reman'd EJ25 in it. From day one, the CEL has been doing exactly what you describe. But the car runs perfectly, even with the 1&3 misfire. For a few days, I had very high rpms at idle (both cold and warm), and we replaced the IAC. That cured that problem, but didn't help the 1&3 misfire. I have "heard" that there is/was a recall on this vehicle for the neutral safety switch which "could" cause these issues, but due to personal conflicts, I haven't had a chance to look into it. As soon as we find out a reason and cure for this, I'll post it up here. (The owner's wife's car...you can be sure the issue will be resolved! ) Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

If/when you get the car back to Maine, Warren Auto Service in Warren, ME knows Subarus very well. As far as I know they are honest, reliable and knowledgeable. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

Brembos are an excellent product. Probably the one aftermarket I would use on any of my Subarus. I would still recommend the Subaru pads with them however. In fact, there are a couple of newer Sub models on which Brembo is the "Stock OEM" part. (Don't remember which however...old age is setting in ) Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

MWE still has same phone number (303) 522.8070, but with a different phone service, so the message is generic instead of specific. DO NOT call CCR's main phone number. Marshall's number is listed on the MWE Axles page of our website. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

Which number did you call? I just tried to call him and the message was definitely different. If he changed his number and didn't let me know so I could change the website info, I'm going to be quite annoyed. I'll pm you when I know exactly what's up. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

Not to beat a dead horse, but NEVER, EVER use any of those seal-a-leak products in a Subaru! EVER!!! They will do nothing except totally screw up what's left of your cooling system and plug up the new water pump. Also, Subaru radiators are famous for corroding from the inside-out. Have it pressure/flow checked thoroughly. A bad radiator has caused more problems for Subarus than all the water pumps put together. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

While it's not uncommon for cam seals to begin leaking (after all, it IS a Subaru), sounds more like your valve cover gaskets. Replace the bolt seals at the same time. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

A rod knock doesn't go away, period. When warmed up, cold, not at all. Don't worry, you don't have a rod knock. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

OMG!!! It's...it's...it's a JUSTY! OK, serious advice. It can be a great little car, but you absolutely have to maintain the oil changes...religiously. Do NOT let the oil get low at all, and never, ever let it overheat. Other than that, they are fun, zippy little cars.

A Subaru is the perfect "first car"! I taught both of my stepdaughters, my grandson and 2 other teens how to drive in Subarus. They handle great, they're fun, they're cheap to insure, and they are very reliable. Most of those "kids" still drive a Subaru because they just love the cars so much. Look on the back of the car: does it say Legacy or Loyale, or something like GL10? That will help us figure out which one you have. Good luck and have fun (safely) with your first car!

As GD pointed out, it's not about the size, it's about the quality. If you have a big filter, but the media inside is crap (which many Purolator and other brands are), then you've just wasted your money. A smaller, correct filter with good media is better than a larger, incorrect filter with cheap, thin media. Subaru Genuine filters or Napa Gold (made by Wix) are the only ones we will allow on our engines for warranty purposes. Men, it's all about the quality, not the size! Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

We talked to them just yesterday. He laughed when the subject of gas mileage came up. "Those aren't put in to improve gas mileage, son". IIRC, most of their less agressive grinds result in 10-20% increase in horsepower. Depends on the grind, of course.

We see valve, piston and cylinder damage on both SOHC and DOHC on a regular basis. The faster a car is going when the belt snaps = more damage. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

I got a set of Goodrich TAs from Sams Club. A little grabbier, which I like in a lighter vehicle. Very reasonable also. After 2 years, I'm still very happy with them. Good traction in snow and rain, and comfortable ride in good weather.

I bought a pair of Smart Blade wipers for my Forester because the OEMs floated. They're great! And only about $8-10 vs. the $70 other brands can cost. Highly recommend them.

Can't compare with the personality of the original SVX. IMO.

:-p

Are you positive? The EG33 is too long to fit that body without substantial metal work.

As for replacing the windshield, I recommend glass replacement insurance coverage. It's cheap and will cover the $1200 replacement cost with a $50-100 deductible. Anyway, it's what I did with mine. A Transgo shift kit will make the transmission much more reliable, and incredibly responsive as well. Also have that on mine. If you want to look at the one I have for sale, go to the Vehicles for Sale on this forum. Lots of info there too. Emily http://www.ccrengines.com

What fuel pump are you running and what pressure? You need about 32 lbs. of pressure, or the engine will not reach optimum performance.

S-wings Stuff, Denver, CO (303) 777-8658