idosubaru

How many miles have you driven since HG replacement? The HLAs are frequently loud after the engine has been apart. There's a place that sells rebuilt HLAs for cheap - like $5 or something, hardly worth guessing with any really nasty or questionable ones.

It had codes and now it doesn't? AutoOne checked the codes for you? Was the check engine light on when they checked the codes? How many have you driven it after clearing the check engine light? Run it until it has a code then read it immediately. A code scanner should show P0420 or four other numbers after the P. Bent valves would certainly make it idle poorly. Leak down or compression test. Check your timing marks. Make sure you used the correct timing marks - people often use the wrong mark on the crank sprocket. Dash not the dot.

You can swap the phase II wiring harness onto the Phase I intake manifold and attempt to work around idle and I'm not sure if you'll get a CEL that doesn't matter where I live. Or swap Phase II intake manifold and heads onto Phase I block. Or yes - do a complete conversion of parts. Wiring harness, ECU and engine. I'd almost be tempted to reuse the existing wires, re-pin the Phase II wires into the Phase I engine connectors so it's all plug and play. I've re-pinned other smaller connectors for similar reasons and projects, much bigger here but seems plausible even if you had to add one extra wire. A friend has added cruise control to 1990's Subarus before without issues, should be fine. The cruise control computers are transmission specific AT and MT so make sure the controller matches the trans.

i was referring to 99s and precious comments in this thread to help the OP. a full history didn't seem necessary for the OP but you are correct, out of context my comment doesnt stand alone and could be confusing.

did you google it? Philly is dense and Subarus everywhere with Cherry Hill right next door. If cost is an issue experts usually aren't cheap.

Both cam seals are on the front of engine behind timing belt and cam sprockets both sides. Orings are front drivers side and rear passengers side. The cam seal is not under that rear passenegers side cam cap - just the oring. On passengers side the seal is on the front and oring on the rear.

No company exactly, you have to do some legwork. Post on forums, in the parts areas, that you're looking and call places on www.car-part.com. Even if places don't list exhaust (some places may not list it) all you need to do is find some places offering parts from one of those vehicles and ask if they have the exhaust. For instance Look up an engine for your then call those places for exhaust. Two of my current Subarus have Colorado and California exhausts on them.

I've only matched from kits so I'm unsure on specifics. Did you try Subaru? I guess they only sell the hoses with orings on them and not the orings individually but I've never checked. I think I started a thread years ago about sizes but don't think anyone listed sizes.

The roll pin always comes out. They're cake and only dependent on how good your tools are. Use he wrong size or wrong tool and it'll get stuck. Use the right tool and they punch out every time.

96 could be EJ25 or EJ22 engine. if you're in a big rush then first step is to know what engine you're talking about and/or communicate more clearly.

Tbelt. Hang a belt and see where you're at or do a leak down test. Valves bent - install a set of used heads. They're easily done in the car, look at the headbolts they're external, visible and easy. Axle - reboot and never but aftermarket axles no matter what anyone says even if you think they're good and qualified. If you need an axle buy a used OEM one. OEM axles are the only that routinely last the life of the vehicle.

EJ water pump failure is rare. If they fail they'll just leak. It's common to replace them at 200k with the 105k change interval timing belt as 200k is a lot of miles on one consumable, cheap part with almost no labor (if timed with a timing belt) but in reality it's not like they fail very much...dare I say even at 200,000+ miles...? It wouldn't bother me if someone didn't want to replace it until the next tbelt at 260,00 miles rather than 200k (for 60k replacement belts like the 1998). Unlikely to fail and if it does - it leaks and no harm done just an annoyance and additional expense/time. I'm not a mechanic so I don't have that volume, but in my circles I've actually never seen a leaking or failed EJ water pump yet.

Strut bolts are the only 100% repeatable and easy method. There's no need for an alignment - mark orientation of top strut bolt head before removing and reinstall it to the same position. ball joints can be hard, difficult, or essentially impossible for a first timer seeing one as bad as they can get. It's a nicer method if the joint comes out of the knuckle, that's just not the norm in the northeast. There's a ton of "my ball joint is screwed up" type threads. Pickle fork great for pulling out of control arm.

99 Forester EJ25Ds don't exist. 99 outbacks with 2.2s arent oddities, Impreza Outbacks are everywhere. 2.2 Legacy Outbacks don't exist ....or if they do some quantitative info pointing to that would help.

All 1996-1998 EJ25 vehicles. 1999 Outbacks and Legacys with 2.5 only. If it's not on that list it won't work....not easily anyway.

Screw driver is fine and done all the time.

Knock sensor code twice? Replace it. You'd be surprised how many mechanically inclined people don't navigate new territory well, I wouldn't make any assumptions. I don't put much weight into advice unless they have platform specific experience. I've heard some of the top mechanics in the United States give terrible advice for platforms they don't have experience with. Each state varies as regards to emissions and inspections requirements. Previous owner may have simply cleared it before each test if it was intermittent? While a check engine light can be on for 100,000 miles they often can be cleared at least for a very short time for passing.

Resurface heads and new gaskets. Subaru only intake manifold gaskets. Exhaust manifold gaskets. The PCV hose on the engine will probably break just match it at auto parts store and cut to fit. Ask if you run into tight intake manifold bolts, they will easily shear off if corroded. I alternately loosen and tighten and take breaks (so metal can cool).

Strut/spring related is my guesswith that additional info. Check very closely there loading it anyway you can to isolate and diagnose.

Coolant can get into the cylinder through blown/compromised intake manifold gaskets. Leak down test and pressure test the cooling system.

Read check engine codes. Any lights on the dash? Pay attention to when and how it happens. Replicate symptoms for them. It's true - if there's no symptoms then there's nothing they can pinpoint. Ideally we would get a better description. Current description is way to generic and vague. How when and exactly what it does. Frequency, Sound, feel, duration speed does speeding up or slowing down or manually shifting or acel or decel change anything...etc.

Good work. 1. With multiple codes on an unknown engine the best bet is to clear all the codes and see which come back first. 2. Check timing marks first to make sure you're not on the edge of a mechanical cliff. Drivers and passengers side timing covers are only held in place by three 10mm bolts. Remove those and check timing before proceeding. 3. Knock sensors crack often at the base or otherwise fail. $8 eBay units are a great option. Car usually starts and runs but retards timing something fierce and drives bad. 4. They can run with the EGR removed entirely so I'm assuming that code is unlikely to be important to getting the car running. But I'm sure it could cause problems too.

Good job getting rid of the code. Clean or replace the idle controller. 1. Verify distributor alignment multiple times and make sure it's dead on. Easy to be a tooth off. 2. Same with timing marks. 3. Same with plug wires as you're attempting. Make sure they're correct on the plug side and disty side. 4. Pull cap and make sure cap and rotor are functional.

It's not necessary to mark anything. It's a waste of time and more confusing than helpful IMO. It's add a third set of things to think about that aren't at all necessary or meaningful. Makes no sense logically. I'd suggest being confident you can line up the gear marks properly and ignore everything else.

Yep all 1997 and up engines are interference. MAF Id just get a used one. They don't fail often and are easy to replace. I'd put a used one in a trunk spare tires area before I'd get an aftermarket or expensive new. Maybe aftermarkets are fine I don't have experience with them because they don't fail enough for me to try.