idosubaru

Nope, they are completely random actually. Plenty never have headgasket issues and they were blowing headgaskets under warranty at 20,000 miles in the 1990's, you just weren't around Subaru's enough to see it. Or 70,000 miles like this guy. Things that skew the perception: Pre 100k, lower mileage ones are more likely to be repaired without ever hitting the interwebs, so you're less likely to hear about lower mileages ones. 150k is just what the average older Subaru is going to have, so that's what you're seeing now. The cost to repair is questionable with the value - creating an internal dialogue and questions of options. Very few sub-100k 1990's Subarus are around so we're not going to see it now, not because it doesn't happen - they just don't exist in big enough numbers to see it. But years ago - they were failing. And with much more than 200k they're more likely to just hit the junk yard/trade in rather than an online forum. Cost to repair may be well above their value. 100-200k (150k being the median) is roughly the most likely type of car to hear about just based on economy and the market. You can read through the "when did your headgasket fail" logs online and see the variations there. Feel free to create or post an average - that would be interesting to see - but it would still be strictly an average and nothing close to "like clockwork"

He is corrrect - that wararnty doesn't apply to your vehicle. 99 Outback is a Phase I engine, not a Phase II covered by the extended warranty. In 1999 only the forester and impreza RS have the Phase II engine and extended warranty. 1996-1998 and 1999 Legacy/Outback EJ25's have no extended warranty. And even if it was covered under the warranty - it expired 10 years ago - it was for 100,000 mile/8 years. Honoring a warranty 10 years after expiration would be exceptional. EJ22 swap it.

what he said. what do you mean a $750 trans flush, that's like impossible, do you just walk around oozing dollar signs? can i do your next brake job? could also cut power to the Duty C - thereby rendering it indefinitely "locked" in 4WD and then disconnect the rear driveshaft/axles, making it a FWD outback.

Just buy the boots, don't worry about getting a kit. I don't think I was able to readily find OEM XT6 boots either, I think I could get one side but not the other. Buy a tub of CV/wheel bearing synthetic grease (most people already have this for grease guns, other garage work, etc). Some places have a CV boot sized package for a buck or two. Buy clamps, any auto parts store, amazon, ebay. Problem with relying on the kits coming with clamps is there are 14 different kinds of clamps each with it's own tool. i've even seen the same brand boots come with different clamps. I wouldnt' worry too much about OEM boots, I prefer them but I wouldn't hurt myself to get them. OEM boots are much better at making 7-10 years, aftermarkets are not. This also shows more if you're running them in lifted Subarus where the axle anles are higher. If you're running them stock or in a really low Subaru - like a Legacy GT, you're less likely to have issues either way.

verify leak source: usually it's the side axle seals, could also be the diff crush washer, but i doubt it. i've never replaced a crush washer even after 250,000 miles on multiple subarus so that's not likely. you're sure it's not CV grease spitting out from under the band/boot? the grease gets watery with age and can escape easier. assumign it's the side seal: figure out which one it is. they're not bad to replace but if you mis-align the outer cup when reinstalling you'll ruin your front diff. it could be done in an hour but give yourself 4 since it's a first time job and the retaining screw can be a beastly thing to unthread - it's likely not going to want to move. remove axle pin and pull axle off transmission stubby shaft mark the exact location of the large retaining plate. unscrew the retaining plate, keeping track of exactly how many turns it takes to remove it. (make sure you're pulling *out* while unthreading so you know when it's finally disengaged from the threads). replace seal (they are directional seals so make sure you get the right side and install correctly). reinstall and reinstall the retaining plate the exact same number of turns and to the original mark you made to precisely locate it.

if it overheats predictably - watch it before it overheats and see if there is bubbling in the overfow tank before it starts overheating. people say radiator caps can fail and the radiators can be compromised inside the neck such that caps don't seal. but i've never seen it, the failed radiator caps i've seen - with no rubber seals or the rubber seal all torn apart and squishing out the side...didn't confuse me over headgasket symptoms. its highly unlikely and i doubt it would exhibit symptoms identical to EJ25D headgasket failures. sure, worth a check for the easy fix but it's like hoping aneurysm symptoms mean you just need new contacts. initial failures can pass the block test kits, so i would hold off on renting the local municipal building and plan a huge party if it tests negative once.

lessons about not putting the wrong fuel in a vehicle notwithstanding.... i would guess the engine is fine you just need to get the kerosense out or diluted to a benign level. I wouldnt' replace any parts yet, definitely not th pump. guessing and throwing parts often leads to lots of work and time and parts costs. and aftermarket fuel pumps aren't as reliable as OEM. leave that OEM pump for the moment until you know it's an issue. And besides - you can do some really easy/simple testing that requires almost no work, parts, or time. The description may be lengthy but I can literally do this test i like 5 minutes or less: A. pull the main fuel line before the fuel filter - then turn the key to "on" (not start) a few times (the fuel pump automatically cycles for like 2 seconds every time the key turns to on to prime the system). You can have a bucket/cup under the hose if you're the paranoid type, i just do it as a quick test and let it go all over the place. But make your decision based on your abilities there. Do it a few times to purge the kerosene out of the lines and take note of the flow - is it trickling out or flowing steady like a garden hose? B. do the same test but after the fuel filter - to see if the fuel filter is the problem. C. fill the gas tank to full to dilute any residual kerosene in the tank By doing that very easy/simple work with a screwdriver only - you'll probably narrow the issue down significantly. I'm not sure how to easily drain/test the intake manifold - but I presume i might think about and ask if i can just pull all the injectors and do the same key cycling to push fluid all out of the intake manifold? and then let all that gas air out before you do anything or have towels all under it so you can pull them out....etc.

unlikely older gen Subaru's, EJ engines are not forgiving with average or low grade wires. i've seen brand new wires off the shelf cause misfires on EJ engines. best to have Subaru, NGK, or another quality brand. swapping the plug wires should tell you if it's the wire. the other cylidners are't having issues so presumably those wires are "known good" - put one of them on cylinder #3 and see what happens.

A. make absolutely sure you don't have trapped air. that's called "burping". you can search for it. B. it's probably the headgaskets - very common for that engine.

An EJ25D block with EJ22 heads might be something to look at - you get the displacement but simpler/lighter heads/timing belt gear and I think power is good on those, someone else will chime in.

EA82's are very simple and predictable, but low power. ER27 is basically an EA82 with two more cylinder - 6 cylinder with 145 hp and 156 torque i think. it has more hp and torque than an EJ22. fantastic engines but uncommon and hard to find parts, though they're not needed terribly often. 1998 or earlier EJ22 all the way - they're around 135-140 hp and readily available in most areas. it's also one of the most reliable engines subaru ever made and very easy to work on and predict. to get to 160 hp you'd need an EJ25, i'd aim for 2000 and up EJ25's (and 1999 forester/impreza RS). Better engines and easier to work on. They have headgasket issues so buying a known good one (no significant prior overheating) , resurfacing heads and installing EJ25 Turbo headgaskets is a good preventative measure if that's a good fit for you.

A thousand dollars is a great deal. Key with resurfacing is to just find a shop that will only charge for that. Since you know the person doing the work that should be easy to navigate. Machine shops generally have rules like "We won't warranty unless you resurface, valve job, pressure test for $500". A shop relays that, doesn't want to resurface, or install unwarrantied parts and the cusomter opts out of the resurface. But if you can just tell the shop you only want it resurfaced and don't care about it being warrantied, all is well in the world. Subaru's are pointless to pressure test and just basically speaking resurfacing is better than not resurfacing. if you don't know how long it's been problematic/overheating - then some of us may wonder about the longevity of the engine. A previously overheated engine (of any kind) is prone to rod bearing/lower end failures and you end up with a huge door stop in the shape of a Subaru EJ25. not always fun to put $1,000+ into something and have that happen in a year. previous poster "more to come" statement just sounds like he means generic older car maintenance - brakes, struts, bushings, plugs, wires, hoses, belt, batteries, O2 sensor, and if you're int he rust belt - sticking calpiers and exhaust work...

i always resurface - i don't even care or measure for flatness because that's not the only point. i want it clean and proper RA finish on an engine that's already prone to failing headgaskets with the OEM factory installed brand new parts. you still have a great chance and high success rates without resurfacing too if you're in a bind for some reason, though you seem more than capable of just doing it yourself anyway: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/122588-diy-head-resurfacing-or-post-apocalyptic-machine-shop-techniques/

Resurace, yes - it's an already failure-prone headgasket to begin with. resurfacing makes the surface perfectly clean and gives the proper finish the headgasket was engineered to seal against. It'll increase the success rate by an amount that's worth it on a $1,000+ job. Not resurfacing still has high success rates so it's not the end of the world, but it's a no brainer if you've got a choice. resurfaced: https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-eRcu-0A19H0/TpUWAXtTjHI/AAAAAAAAAAs/cQOctqC8sls/s800/headcompare1.jpg just cleaned probably looks roughly like this: http://s20.photobucket.com/user/winterfourever/media/DSC01449.jpg.html you can clean up a head but it's still blemished, discolored, and has high and low spots. The main issue with resurfacing is you only need to spend $100 to resurface the heads. But may shops are going to say they "require" (even though they don't) a full $500 head rebuild (clean, lap, resurface, adjust valves, pressure test). You need to request a resurface only - you don't care about warranty because it's not needed here, but the auto shop is the middle man to the machien shop usually nd that creates convoluted chain of communication. easier to talk to the machien shop yourself, tell them exactly what you want, decline any "warranty", and move on.

www.car-part.com 00-04 outbacks are all the same rear doors. 00-04 legacy would be a direct mechanical swap as well but legacy doesn't have the lower cladding.

pretty much goes like this: but yeah - either way, it comes down to your own time, abilities, and needs. even if it needed headgaskets - a reseal, new timing components, and tune up could land you in a 100,000 mile reliable vehicle for $1,000.

just what an EJ25D needs - an ultra exotic limit pushing headgasket...

oh i read monitor and thought CEL, my bad.

Great. Of the ECU, distributor and wiring - do you know if they all came from the same vehicle? If it's only spark related then trace all the wires connecting Dity, Coil, ECU to each other and make sure the proper pins are connected? Partially - but i think it was more that you never answered or said the word "transistor" after people asked like 3 times, or you simply talked about the bracket, not the transistor, so it sounded like you didn't know what it was.

how do they run? I used thicker gaskets years ago and didn't notice issues - i feel like it was on Phase II EJ25 heads on a Phase I EJ25 block....but might be wrong, it was quite awhile ago.

I don't see you mentioning anything about the power transistor/amplifier/igniter. Do you have one? Did you test it or try another one? You need that transistor, folks have mentioned it three times, and you haven't specifically acknowledged that you have it, tested it, and it's working? http://www.wiringdiagrams21.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/subaru-ea-ignition-circuit-diagram.png http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=131&t=63313 i've never done an SPFI swap but XT's have an open unused test connector by the drivers side strut tower that looks like the one you posted. it doesn't plug into anything. it's used for the XT6 power steering recall and can be used to test the air suspension, and I believe it has some input/output for the ECU as well. http://www.wiringdiagrams21.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/subaru-ea-ignition-circuit-diagram.png http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=131&t=63313

Excessive - seriously, disabling everything for benign faults is odd, not a fan of that. If the code came back - doesn't that mean the issue may, or probably is, still outstanding?

Another option might be to buy a headgasket that's a little bit thicker? Cometic or Six Star used to provide various thickness EJ25 headgaskets. Since you already need to buy headgaskets that might mitigate costs and bring compression back down?

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/151429-whats-everyones-view-on-the-h6-30/?hl=%2Bez30+%2Breliability Excellent engines - they run forever and their ability to make 300,000 miles is solid. A few simple quirks. Very low maintenance - they can make 300k easily one set of spark plugs, valve cover gaskets, and oil cooler gaskets, and oil/coolant changes. That said - they have one ominous issue: headgaskets. It's not common but it's also a much worse repair than 4 cylinder engines. The bigger problem is that the ones being traded in/sold are have a higher incidence of headgasket issues because people dump them. We're past the sweet spot where lots of cars get traded in just to upgrade for novelty, warranty, newer car buyer types. A higher percentage of vehicles at this age get moved because they have issues. So the used market is notably higher percentage than real world issues. They're also hard to diagnose, inspect, and determine at early onset. The best way to purchase an H6 is to buy a for sale by owner with a very good indication of why they're selling it (not headgaskets). I've seen H6's from dealers/on lots with headgasket issues, i've seen friends buy H6's off a lot and have headgasket issues within months...no doubt already extant. The for sale by owner purchases i've been involved with - that hasn't happened yet. Pretty signifcant comparison from my view. I prefer by owner all the way in general and particularly for a case like this.

the lower cover of the engine bellhousing. it's metal and often gets bent during engine lifting/removing/big jobs. tigthen the 2 bolts holding it to the bellhousing and make sure it's bent far enough away from the torque convreter or flywheel. is it the original engine or might it be another year EJ25?