chenryva

Hey thanks a lot. It's good to know there are still good people out there willing to give a helping hand. I will definitely give an update after I get into seeing what the compression test reveals here in the next few days..

Hey thanks, yea that's what im going to have done once I reach San Francisco. The Salt Lake Subaru said nothing of compression testing. They would've had to have known that was an option too. Do u have any idea why that check engine light came on so much later and after the idler pulley was replaced??

Hey Thanks for taking a minute to read my posting. I have a 2005 Subaru Forester with 115,000 miles on it. I just recently changed the timing belt not even 7,000 miles ago and on my way across country from Pennsylvania to California I stopped in St. Louis Friday June 15th, to fill up with gas and as I went to start the engine there was a loud "clanking" noise coming from under the hood and once I looked it sounded more so coming from the engine. AAA towed it to the nearest Subaru dealer which was closed the following morning so I was recommended to an auto repair shop well known in the city for good repairs and there I found that it was the Idler Pulley for the timing belt. We went ahead and replaced that for about $400 and drove off and the engine sounded great, everything seemed to be working just fine. About 50 miles down the road to our surprise the check engine light comes on and we stop off at an Advanced Auto Parts to check the report. Turns out that there is a cylinder 4 misfire and we decide to reset it b/c with the check engine light on the cruise control isn't working and we have 2000 miles left of driving and 1,000 until we hit another Subaru open on Monday (today). We get from MO to the edge of Colorado and it comes on again, again we do the same and have it reset. Today is Monday and we are now at the Subaru dealer in Salt Lake City, UT (the engine sounds fine except for upon start up and there is a rough idle feeling and then dismisses after I drive off) . They told us here that now there is a cylinder 2 misfire as well and it is possible to have bent valves or that maybe just the timing might be off. What I am curious about is why didn't the check engine light come on many more miles before 50 of driving after having the idler pulley switched out?? The dealer is saying it is going to cost 300 just to look in the engine to see if the timing is off and then if not they would have to go in to see how the valves looks which is really pricey. He said it could be fine to keep driving and wait till I get back to Pennsylvania to tear apart the engine. If you can help with any information in any way it would be awesome. We still have to drive to California and then back to Pennsylvania. Not to mention the head mechanic said if it is the valves that I might need a new catalytic converter b/c of the gasoline flow getting inside if the valve wasn't closing all the way and driving such a far distance. This is starting to get expensive and I don't understand why the engine light came on an hour after driving when everything was fixed ?? The engine seems fine but the tests dont lie and all the sensors were good to go! Thanks!