Jimbo67

Thanks for the info on the pump..$150 seems reasonable. So far the car is running well, but I haven't really exposed it to higher temps with low fuel.

Ivans Imports - I'm hoping your diagnosis isn't correct from a $$ perspective, but it does seem to fit the symptoms. I've been failing in working out a plausible scenario where the o-ring would fail at lower gas levels. Thanks - Jim

The $33 option from the dealer wasn't overly enticing and I couldn't find the o-ring at any of the auto parts dealers I called. This morning I went to an industrial supply house specializing in gaskets/seals/etc and the guy gave me two for free! I have not idea about part number or size since he just handed them to me. Interestingly, my oversized/stretched old o-ring had shrunk back to about the right size during the two days it was out and exposed to air. The guy at the supply house seemed a little non-commital, but indicated it was due to age and being less than in new condition. I installed the new o-ring and the cap closed as easily as it did on the youtube video I watched (forgot to mention that it was REALLY difficult to get the cap off in the first place). I installed the fuel assembly and went for a test drive and everything worked great. Since I work from home I don't expect to have a longer test drive in the very near future, but I'm putting this one down to faith that it is fixed. Thanks for everyones' input! Jim

grossgary - any chance you can point me to your post about o-ring part number? i've been searching to no avail -- you have a lot of posts! (and my searching skills seem deficient)

I pulled the fuel assembly and removed the cap to look at the o-ring. It looks to be in good condition to me, but it seems somewhat oversized (diameter, as though it has been stretched out, not the thickness of the o-ring) and I'm having a h*^ll of a time getting it back together. I'm thinking I may as well buy a new o-ring and install it. The video I watched made putting the cap back on over the o-ring look incredibly easy. Does this seem indicative of needing a new o-ring? Thanks, Jim

Scarpachy or Grossgary - Any thoughts on where to buy these parts? I realize Grossgary mentioned Advance Auto Parts for the o-ring, not sure if you also bought the cap there. We don't have a location in Salt Lake, but I can order them. I called the local dealer and they want $65 for the cap and $39 for the o-ring (I think he mentioned there were two? It got a little confusing when he started talking about o-rings for the fuel filter, which I think later car models have in this reservoir?). Called a number of industrial and auto parts houses but had no luck finding a fuel-rated o-ring in that size. Have some leads for other sources, but it's too late to call them now. Jim

Scarpachy and Grossgary -- Thanks! You both confirmed the course of action I've been thinking of taking, and hoping that a cheap (not counting the $160 I've spent so far) o-ring might be the problem. Drove home today with zero cutting out. Filled the tank at 80 miles, then at about 100, then decided to see if pulling over and stopping at 90 miles with the gas cap off would simulate a gas stop without putting gas in. Drove another 60, for a total of 150, with no engine problems. Not sure what this means, if anything. I watched a video on pulling the fuel assembly and it looks easy. It's certainly worth a try. Thanks! Jim

Thanks for the replies -- Fairtax4me: Thanks for the link! Grossgary: You confirmed the same thought I had about checking it with frequent fill-ups. I'm going to drive home 300 miles to Salt Lake tonight and will do this. I agree that correlation is not necessarily causation. Thanks for the heads-up on the timing belt -- I was only thinking in terms of miles. I'm headed to the parts store to see about the fuel pressure gauge, just not sure the problem will stay happening long enough for me to get a gauge on it. Porcupine73: Depending on my test drive with a relatively full tank, I'm going to pull out the fuel assembly and see if there are any obvious issues. I don't know enough about knock sensors to have an opinion on this. Thanks! Jim

A few months ago I bought a 2000 Outback (4 cylinder) with 70k from a friend's parents. They work out of the country and drove it infrequently, but are the type to stay on top of scheduled maintenance. I drove about 2000 trouble-free miles including some longer road-trips. Then, a few days ago I went on a road-trip and when I arrived in Vegas (hot, middle of day -- not sure if this is a factor) the engine started cutting out on the freeway. Seemed to be worse under load (hill) and the power really cut-out as I was starting through an intersection and I coasted to the side of the road. No warning lights flashed on the dash (and haven't any other time). I restarted it a few minutes later and it drove great. The next day the auto parts guy suggested a new fuel filter, which I put in. I drove about 200 miles through Death Valley (110+ degrees) with no problems, but then on a hill it started cutting out again, and got bad enough that I had to pull over. After letting it sit off for a few minutes, it was difficult to start, but ran fairly well (not perfectly) for the next 40 miles or so. I checked it into a repair shop in Lone Pine CA and they were able to get it to cut out, but said the computer did not indicate any problems, and the history didn't either. Said it could be one of a dozen things (fuel pump, lose wire to fuel pump, etc, etc, etc), and that they could throw parts at it but it could cost $2k to hit the right part. I picked-up the car, filled it up and drove about 200 trouble-free miles back through Death Valley (115+ degrees), but just outside of Vegas it started acting-up. As usual, it started with a very slight cut in power, and I could induce a full-blown series of power cuts by pushing on the accelerator hard. I'd noticed that the problem seemed to happen when fuel was below a 1/2 tank, so I stopped and filled up and the problem went away and I drove another 20 miles to Vegas. Subaru service person in Vegas said it might be a fuel pump, and that she'd once seen one with a problem that was related to fuel level, but that it was not the norm. Called Subaru service guy in Salt Lake and he floated the idea of a dirty tank or a crack on the fuel assembly that sucked air below a certain fuel level. I drove north toward St. George and about 100 miles later I was going up a grade and the symptoms returned. Got so bad I had to pull over and stop. Started up again after a few minutes and it ran great for about 15 miles but then returned and I barely limped off the freeway and made it to a gas pump. Put in 6 gallons and it ran perfectly for another 80 miles where I stopped for the night. After hours of thinking about it, a lot of Google searches, and talking with some friends, I'm thinking it could be the fuel pump, or possibly a bad o-ring/seal or crack in the fuel assembly that is letting in air when the fuel drops to a certain level. Thoughts? Opinions?