idosubaru

probably puked oil until the sump couldnt pump any more and oil starvation damaged something which showed itself later. The chain or pump? I think someone knowledgeable mentioned they’re fragile before. Should get a chance to start (notice I didn’t say ‘drive’!) it tomorrow. Theres used CVTs and have a parts car with a Subaru remanufactured unit so I’ve got options. Time sucker but the car was so cheap and easy to repair (airbags didn’t go off) Ill get over it once I’m driving it.

I picked up a wrecked 2013 OBW, the radiator was smashed and ATF lines severed. After temporarily repairing the ATF lines it lot drove in my friends business parking lot but acted odd in my driveway before I started repairing the collision damage. My main concern is if it has CVT issues is the CVT hosed or is it some other artifact of the wreck/repair/sitting? It was listed as "lot drives" at the auction, I'm guessing it was driven after the wreck a little, and/or lot drove for the tow truck/auction loading/logistics, so I assume it was driven low on ATF. I welded in/primed/painted new front supports, new radiator, and am finished the collision repair and am about to start the car up. Any suggestions or comments about what to expect or do if the transmission is acting funny to make sure I properly diagnose the CVT? Maybe it'lll be obvious but the mixed signals before the repair have me wondering. I'll plan on following Subaru's procedures for topping it off and post back any codes I get.

It's been over 2 years that poster may not reply. In case they don't reply. They posted the size it appears to be M18x1.5. My local Advance Auto parts has M18x1.5 *nuts* in stock. Take your bolt from the broken transmission threads into the store and verify it threads into the M18x1.5 nut they have in store. Lowes and Ace Hardware stores often have big boards you can thread bolts into to determine their thread diameter and pitch too. Once you do that then order any M18 x 1.5 fastener, like a plug that he used, should work.

Well done - post here, just watch there, this is the way!

I thought they called for 0W, maybe that’s a couple years after yours. Use 10w-30, I’d probably try 20w-50 personally. Thicker oil is a wet band aid unless you’re lucky. It won’t hurt but may not help. Subaru oil is too low when the light comes on. Maybe I’m conflating EJ/FB engines but I thought 2013 FBs were the same.

It's probably a front wheel flexible brake line. You could check it real quick by doing nothing but jacking the front wheels up. Jack up the front and turn each wheel by hand - one will feel locked. Replace the flexible line to that wheel. If you jack it up and neither is locked, press the pedal and check again. Press the pedal and check again until one wheel locks up and the other doesn't. If one is locked you can go one step further and pry the caliper back with a screw driver between the pad and caliper - don't eve have to remove it just wedge it in there and give it a little back pressure. It doesn't take much. Then press brake pedal and feel it lock up again. The brake hose collapses internally and acts like a valve. You press the brakes, the fluid pressed the pads tight. Let off the brakes and the fluid pressure should ease. But the collapsed hose doesn't allow the fluid pressure to "go backwards" up the line so to speak. I've never heard of this happening to Subaru, just American cars, makes me wonder if yours were replaced before with aftermarket or maybe it can happen to Subaru.

Oil control rings. Use thicker oil and keep topping it off. Or replace the engine or short block. harmless if you keep dumping oil in it. Though probabky not long term catalytic converter friendly if you live in an emissions state. Oil light on these is more like “the engine is being damaged light” rather than a “low oil light”. Subaru offered an extended 100k warranty. call or stop in. you’re past that by 8,000 miles and maybe a year. They ocassionally go beyond the warranty as a courtesy though buying it recently used probably isn’t the greatest fit for them to cover for a variety of reasons. But it’s Colorado, high volume Subaru world - call or stop in and ask This is very common across all manufacturers, though the year ranges impacted vary as to when they rolled out low friction emissions trinket rings the last 15 years. Consumer purchases became the real test bed for emissions/fleet mileage requirements as those demands outstrip the design capability and market to support it. Google “BMW oil consumption”…or whatever manufacturer you want and you’ll see class action lawsuits, extended warranties, complaints of oil usage, etc.

It's so hot where you live, who cares!? I have little turbo experience so I can't offer any advice. But turbo's generate so much heat. If a missing heat shield substantially increases heat loading of the engine bay (and gaskets/hoses/electrical components) I'd be inclined to keep it. Probably not but can it damage the hood paint too? Running hot in summer idling at a red light that hood will get smoking hot.

Nope - none of the seals, gaskets or orings are available from Subaru for 06-09s. Earlier and later models are, but not 06-09. Which is specially asinine since the 05-09s are the least reliable pumps subaru ever made by 1,000 miles. I hate 05-09s just for their steering pumps and weak struts. They’re not even that bad as far as cars go but they fail at a far higher rate in 05-09s than anything Subaru ever made. This coming from someone who has owned 20 or so of Subarus first electric power steering pump equipped cars from the 80s.

1. You’re probably driving around town mostly? 2. What check engine codes exist? 3. Have you read the ECU codes in memory? Post all the codes here 4. Swap another ECU. They fail with age or overcharging alternators and nearly every one isn’t on the original alternator by now. The smell of fuel and poor mileage with most addressable fueling parts replaced is suggestive of ECU issues. 5. Since you smell it this probably isn’t the case but Check caliper slide pins and front ebrake cable to ensure it’s not sticking - clean and grease with high quality grease so they’re effectively stay off the rotors at all times. Are you ever cruising 60mph for 30 minutes or hours straight? That’s the best comparison. If you’re DDing around a town you’re going to get bad mileage particularly in a 6 cylinder. This has been a very common misperception amongst people for the last 10 years as more people drifted to urban settings. I see people all the time who think they aren’t city driving because they work in a town but make escapades here and there to visit family or go to parks. But by and large their commute daily or buying food multiple times a week involves what amounts to city driving. Even in rural areas this holds - people moving to small towns rather than the family farm. Etc.

That's the way to go for older models. Rebuild kits aren't available for 06-09 models. Oddly there's a kit for 05's that isn't specified for 06-09 models even though 05-09 is the same generation and the pumps themselves are interchangeable. brusbrothers was attempting to use that 05 kit on an 06-09 pump but I'm not sure I saw what his finding were.

1. It’s leaking inside the tie rod boots. You need a new steering rack. 2. It’s leaking on top of the engine. Which means it’s either the pump or lines. Check behind and under the power steering pump on top of the block. It’s probably wet and pooled up. New aftermarket pumps leak all the time. They’re all low grade quality. Subaru units are low grade with age and miles, so used isn’t a great option if you’re paying labor. So don’t assume the pump is fine just be user it’s new. Being new makes me *suspect* it. If it’s leaking most shops give a 12 month 12,000 mile waarrahty and they should replace it. 3. steering lines: Follow the power steering lines to and from the reservoir yiure refilling. They can leak under the reservoir or at their opppsite terminal ends.

Thanks. Makes sense, I’ve only seen the 580 mentioned and it seems that’s the form factor for most (or all) CVTs. If this transmission I have is a low mileage Subaru reman like I think I might bug GD wether the CANBUS or TCU would play with a different final drive.

I don't think there are processors in the trans...but you're right, the CANBUS flavored TCU has a good chance of being unkind. I've found two instances of people swapping the same final drive ratio CVT's that aren't listed as compatible: A 2013 OBW and 2014 OBW swap. And 2015 legacy into a 2014 OBW. So "non-interchangeable" CVT's swapping has been accomplished, but not cross platform yet - no { Leg/OBW } to/from {For/Imp/Crosstek} I wouldn't be surprised if Foresters can....or can't....be swapped with OBW CVT's....

Great, glad you got it done! A smoking turbo is not fun to think about when you're driving, glad those days are behind you.

Subaru and salvage yard cross listings don't list them as compatible - but that doesn't mean they can't be interchanged, just like past transmissions. Wondering if a 2014 Forester parts car trans will work in a 2014 Outback? Yes, yes...I already know what Subaru and parts interchanges say. Just like in the early 2000's, and 1990's when they said the same thing...but all the transmissions could be interchanged if the rear diff matched.

That's good to hear. I'd keep an eye on the fluid level. It's fairly suspicious for it to be dripping right from the inner tie rod base which has a larger diameter than the other components inside the boot making it difficult for fluid to migrate there from a long distance while also being sheltered by the tie rod boot, as well as the entire engine cross member between it and your spillage. I would keep an eye on the power steering fluid and change the boot sooner rather than later. In the northeast, the snow itself and treatments both lead to increased aggregate material on the roads, which isn't good for tie rods.

Failed and/or aftermarket timing belt tensioner 1. Install all new Subaru timing belt, tensioner, and lower cogged idler. Or just get an entire AISIN timing kit (OEM parts). Or, if you're unlucky and the valves were bent: 2. Install used heads if the valves are bent. No need for a valve job, just resurface the heads and install with Subaru gaskets. If the engine does happen to be toast - I wouldn't get that turbo for a variety of reasons. The install would be insanely complicated, best facillated with an aftermarket controller due to the cross generational aspect...and the unknown history and risk of a 15 year old turbo engine leaves a lot to be desired.

What do you mean? 90-94 EJ22 ECU won't work so you can't just swap the ECU to mitigate the later OBDII and earlier OBDI issues. Most of us would do what was posted earlier, where no ECU swap is needed:

Haha indeed. Well played. Timing belt and standard maintenance items have all been widely covered in 20 years. If you’ve tackled all those jobs you won’t have any problem finding exactly what you want and need to fix on that car. EJ22s are simple reliable and well known by Subaru experts and hobbyists. The one surprise might be knock sensors - the material degrades over time and cracks, typically unseen at the base where it interfaces the engine. One 12mm bolt and easily replaced in 15 minutes. 30-45 maybe for a first timer. I routinely replace them preventively because the eBay specials are cheap and it’s easy. The hardest parts to replace are alternator, starter and fuel pump, they are notably inferior from aftermarket and OEM is no longer available or $$$$. Aftermarket electric motors of any brand or warranty flavor are always more problematic than OEM. Install 50 of them and I guarantee you’d be shocked at the reliability, breaks downs and getting stranded. Subaru had $80 reman alternators but they may be NLA. I drive to Mt Katahdin in Maine, snorkeling off Looe Key in Key West last year, 10,000 feet in Colorado in August, and routinely well over 200,000 miles as well as help dozens or maybe hundreds of other people with Subarus over the last few decades. It youre just beating around locally and only putting a few thousand miles on then you’re chances of issues with aftermarket are lower. I want like new reliability and so far have gotten it and while seeing lots of other people struggle with issues I’m usually help him them resolve.

Lower quality is not opinion, how much worse and if it’s tolerable is opinion. That’s not even remotely debatable except with small Subaru sample sizes. The two Subaru “HD” marketing hyped axles I’m aware of the last few years were hype and didn’t live up to reliability expectations.

There’s a red drop showing on the inner tie rod. It looks like the rack seal is already damaged. Your next question will be “does steering fluid stop leak work?” No, it doesn’t. This is probably the single most important boot to replace immediately. Dirt and grit get in that boot and are pushed and pulled past the rack seals every time you turn the steering wheel. It’s literally sanding and scoring the rack surface. It will eventually leak power steering fluid inside that boot. Change it to avoid profusely leaking steering rack that needs replaced. I find steering racks annoying to replace. Maybe it’s the rust. Lol. fuel, oil pump and home water pressure are all under 100 psi. Ever seen a hose, faucet leaks or fuel squirt out of a car? Steering racks are like 1,000 psi. If it’s leaking the rack seal is toast and you need a nee rack. The seals alone unfortunately are convoluted to work on and not economical to replace.

MTs get torque bind too. VLSDs in the center fail to locked, vlsd rear diffs fail to open. The best thing you can do for reliability is to stop working on the car and do a brush up on Subaru maintenance. A mid 90s EJ22 is some of the easiest, inexpensive, most reliable 200,000 miles you can get. Do it right. Trans - change the fluid often. Assume at some point in its history it wasn’t and some extra changes or higher end fluid is worth it. I’d use redline or whatever GD runs at his shop. If those aren’t Subaru parts then you’re throwing away quality precision parts and installing garbage. Not only once but you’re basically doing a complete Advance Auto Parts mobile test bed. You must like gambling !! Hahaha Subaru parts also are not only far less likely to fail but less likely to fail catastrophically. Subaru tie rods bearings ball joints and bushings will give noises and show play for thousands of miles before failure is even remotely possible. Aftermarket have a much higher probability of failing instantaneously with flair. A wheel bearing blowing out while driving down the road on a Subaru is 100% of the time: 1. an aftermarket bearing or 2. installation error Subaru axles are one of the keenest examples. Regrease and reboot original green cup Subaru axles. Don’t install aftermarket they fail *all the time*. Sure 7 out of 10 peole get away with aftermarket axles. But they’re usually not putting many miles on them and the other 3 end up with time wasting break downs. And your car has a slight lift I think from forester struts. That’ll eat aftermarket axles. There’s almost zero chance they last 5 years and blowing up while driving down the interstate at 60 mph isn’t surprising either. I’ve seen it. oEM axles never do that ever unless you ignore noises for 20,000 miles There are no functional “heavy duty” parts for Subarus like this. They’re all inferior to the OEM Subaru parts. Every single aftermarket axle is garbage and it’s well known and documented.

Congrats it runs! Hard to tell. After 25 years those hydraulic adjusters could be seized or not pumped up. What does an EA81 do if the HLA is collapsed or offers excessive clearance? There might be potential for significantly more noise than typical HLA tapping. In EA82/ER27's if the HLA gets too weak or collapsed the rocker arm falls off. That video sounds like a harsh knock but between the accuracy of a recording and my hearing I'm unsure.

It sounds like you need some good Subaru eyes to diagnosis it. The current shop doesn’t seem familiar enough to figure it out. And the info you’re giving us is hard to piece together. grab all the tie rods and vigorously shake them with all your weight and muscle. Do they have play or make noise? Describe the noise or symptoms very specifically with no additional details What is the sound like, when exactly does it do it or go away? Straight turning left or right coasting downhill idling uphil accelerating is it repeatable or not… Tires wearing poorly and uncentered steering wheel are probably alignment.