idosubaru

i'm doubtful a fluid change will help at all, but i suppose it's worth a shot. i would definitely check the fluid level and look at it and smell it. i'd lean towards swapping the TPS, should be able to get a used one for only a couple bucks. they're super easy to replace and rarely fail so not worth price of new. the H6 vehicles have quite a few TPS failures in this same year, not the H4's but it's possible. if i could find the used one i have i'd send it for a few bucks, as it is i don't have time to look for it.

you need a 3/4" socket wrench for the tough ones and some pipe. +1 i have a 3/4 inch socket wrench and sockets entirely for axle nuts. i have a 960 ft/lb 3/4" impact gun too and i've had axle nuts that it can't get off. not sure why but the 3/4" hand wrench with a 4 foot pipe works every time as John said.

awesome, thanks dave!!!!! need to do this pronto, been putting it off due to not thinking it would come out easily. $45 part, which isn't much but to me that's an annoying $45 part - i might try and make my own or use hose except there's a nipple that splits off at the back end so that might pose a problem. part number 14165AA014

i marked it so it's either exactly right or 360 degrees (a whole butt load of teeth) off. had to tap a good bit with a hammer, it was tight. going another 360 degrees sounds out of the question, but i don't know how much more tight it would have gotten. i'm nearly positive it's not too tight because one less turn and the cap sticks above the transmission case which i cleaned before disassembling and i don't recall it being like that. nor do i recall any others being like that, sticking above the trans case.

no one here is familiar with diesel engines unfortunately as we never got them. are you actually loosing oil? how positive are you that oil is going from engine to cooling system? maybe oil accidentally (oil change place) got into your coolant and keeps showing up because oil and water don't mix and it'll never come out until the system is thoroughly flushed? Assuming it is a engine failure, this should be fairly simple it is either: #1 Turbo internal seals are blown and the turbo needs rebuilt or replaced. #2 Headgasket Itypical headgasket tests will be pointless, compression test, leak down test, exhaust in coolant, white smoke - none of those will be symptoms if it's simply an oil jacket spewing over into a coolant passage. #3 Oil cooler never heard of it happening on other oil cooler equipped subaru's, but maybe the cooler could fail and allow some cross over internally? this would be rare and the last thing i'd consider...but it is really simple and easy to replace. requires like one socket, that's it. That's the only places i know of that Subaru's have oil and coolant coming together with components/gaskets that could possible fail and cross contaminate.

first - i wouldn't trust anything in this post - as i just mentioned, his description does not sound like headgaskets and sounds like simply a 15+ year old reservoir that's contaminated due to nothing more than age and nearing a quarter million miles (a lot of KM's for you foreign countries)....he hasn't really described any actual symptoms. and about the engines. his engine has engine specific headgasket issues which are not likely to be mirrored by yours, i would follow your own thread. ....edit - i see your thread now.

you have not mentioned any typical EJ25 headgasket issues - it does not sound to me like you have a headgasket problem. the guy you talked to does not know Subaru's - this motor does not leak oil into the coolant, it would be highly abnormal and atypical. the coolant reservoir is probably simply dirty with oil, crud, debris from decades of use, unless it's a one owner summer garage queen most of them look dirty and oily by now even if they're running perfectly. if you're not overheating then i wouldn't change the headgasket without further diagnosis - which i suggest you get from here, not some random guy you just met. best to have Subaru specific advice - particularly for that engine.

great - the coolant line - dave is that one replaceable without pulling the engine? it's so tight between engine and crossmember i was wondering??? mine is rusted though and needs replaced.

i didn't use that website for interchange info - it's not for that, can't do it....it can help, but not entirely. you can search for a part and quickly see...if the earliest year is 96 and the latest 98 then you can assume the database thinks 96-98 interchanges (on models with enough samples, if it only shows two parts then not so much, but imprezas doors will be flooded)...but the interchange is usually broader than what Subaru or the databases or junkyards know. they really don't know - they just look at a computer...which would never tell you that and EJ22 is plug and play in an EJ25, that you can use EJ25 turbo headgasket on a EJ25 non turbo engine, that you can bolt EJ22 heads to EJ25 blocks, that you can bolt Phase II heads to Phase I blocks....etc. the most complete interchange/options will simply come by experience which is why you search online or ask here. i wouldn't ask those places what interchanges or works, most don't know, they simply read whatever the computer tells them, which is right but often misses lots of other options. i've never found a junkyard that would ship a body part and i've tried a few times. i've begged, said i'd pay for insurance, said i don't care if it gets damaged and they won't do it.

all 93-01 impreza front doors will work except 2 door coupes. www.car-parts.com not all are electric windows. if swapping glass is an option that's probably the best bet - it'll match and all. that may even be shippable if the door is not. yards won't ship doors...maybe glass? did you price new glass, ours broke in our 1997 OBS and i was surprised how cheap the glass was. i just paid them the insanely low price they were charging to install it too. forget price but it wasn't much, but it was a rear door glass i think. 97 wagon is an Impreza OBS - Outback Sport which has cladding/paint schemes only available on OBS. 97-98 are direct matches...96 & 99 may have a match/close depending on color. you could swap the OBS cladding onto a non OBS impreza, i'm not familiar with what's involved in that.

it is faint...i don't have good hearing but i don't hear anything definitive at 60mph or below. i drained the diff and refilled it to the proper level today, it was way overfilled. side note, the drain plug magnet was perfectly clean, no chunks or debris at all. i have no idea what "one tooth" of preload means. doubt i'll go into setting it from scratch, i have no idea how to do that and if it's off the damage is likely done.

i was definitely putting a fair amount of force on it for the last bit to get it back to the alignment mark...screw driver worked for a while...was too much, then tapped a few degrees with hammer/chisel. "fair amount"...."few degrees"....i definitely hosed this front diff. LOL fluid was overfilled, i drained and corrected it today, not sure if that can cause noise but we'll see.

what tool do you use Gloyale, i may get it? i'm tempted to try to go one more turn and see if it "bottoms out" so to speak - you mention i won't be able to go an extra 360 so that might determine things for me? 2,000+ miles so far.....there is a whine during acceleration/uphill. unfortunately i swapped that axle at the same time to a rebooted Subaru axle with non matching DOJ on that same side. i've never heard OEM axles make noises. could swap axles to test, maybe i'll do that.

turbo EJ indeed. you'll need everything - engine, transmission, ECU, complete wiring harness, driveshaft, rear differential. you can attach the EJ to your EA trans but it likely won't hold lots of power and abuse. driveshaft and rear diff may not be needed depending on your goals, what yo'ure trying to do. but if you replace the trans it's generally good to match the rear diff ratio and with an EJ just get an EJ rear diff, they're cheap and you can get a VLSD for giggles. may want to do a suspension upgrade as well - 5 lug conversion giving you front EJ suspension options and normal 5x100 wheel options - like almost any Subaru wheel made from 1990+ except SVX and later STi's will work. turbo/super charger are up to you, there are pros/cons to both. i like the idea of superchargers but they are rarely used in Subaru's. no exhaust to monkey with...but then it''s far more custom work and sizing of pulleys to get the right rpm's, etc. if you do'nt want custom - turbo is easiest if you don't mind fabricating some brackets, fiddling with intake routing, etc then maybe supercharger. sure EJ25T that thing.

it's really easy. with the wheel off it takes one or two 12mm bolts (there are two different styles - yours is probably 2 bolts) and the caliper comes off. there's no need for directions in removing the caliper it can literally be done with your eyes closed it's so easy.

gas shouldn't matter unless your ECU is calibrated differently, etc....if you recently moved East you may want to disconnect the battery and let it relearn everything. seafoam is generally added to the intake manifold...but i think you can add it to the gas as well. adding to the intake cleans the throttle body, intake runners in the heads, and valves. others have done it more than me so wait for their advice. personally i'd probably MMO the gas and Seafoam the intake...but not sure if anyway is better and i've never really seen it "work".

Catalyst inefficiency - rear O2 sensor driven code. Very common and difficult to properly repair as there are many causes, very few mechanics track down the cause. Most shops will say new sensor and catalytic converter, which isn't the proper repair and extremely expensive. Subaru catatlyic converters typically last the life of the vehicle (except for rust..LOL) and shouldn't be replaced unless they've been actually tested/verified. You can drive indefinitely with this code (if your state allows it that is). The ECU doesn't use that sensor for operation, you can literally cut it off and the car will run fine - like 1980's Subaru's which didn't even have this sensor or code and had no problems reaching insanely high mileages. Here's some information on how to approach this debacle of a code: 1. fix any exhaust leaks - they can trip it. 2. cleaner of your favorite type, sea foam or MMO are good anyway, so try those first. (be prepared for massive smoke screen with seafoam - this is normal, but it won't look like it! 3. ignition tune up might be a good thing if it's due anyway - spark plugs and wires - NGK plugs and OEM wires or at least really good wires - these engines aren't too forgiving otherwise. 4. make sure you don't have cheap/bad gas if those don't alleviate it then you're left to figure out a proper diagnosis...which is something few people do, or do a work around. 1. the $5 fix is to simply install an extender in between the sensor and exhaust, this works a high percentage of the time. like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/HHO-Small-O2-Spacer-Adapter-Oxygen-Sensor-Extender-02-Bung-Extension-M18-x-1-5-/171044979424 there are a variety of styles, some with 90 degree bends if you don't have much room. 2. the proper fix is difficult and i've never heard of a mechanic/dealer that does it but here's an in depth overview of the possible causes and in depth diagnosis: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/66-problems-maintenance/49537-p0420-diag.html

vehicle, engine, mileage? if it does it when loaded, then how about suspension - struts, end links, bushings? rear diffs on Subaru's never fail, i wouldn't let them rebuild it. change the gear oil in it and see if any chunks/metal come out.

you drained fluid and then never refilled it, then drove it? yes - fill it up through the dipstick with a funnel - yellow handle under the brake master cylinder on the drivers side. passengers side is the front differential gear oil. driving without trans fluid is real bad - metals can't ride against each other without lubrication in engines/trans generating all that heat. but refill it ASAP and see what happens. fortunately automatics retain fluid up in cavities, you only get about 33% of the fluid out with a simple drain, so you've got a good chance of being fine. the ebay timing belt kits are great. theimportexperts kits are nicer than some of the others but a little more expensive. i wouldn't be buying a timing belt kit if the engine is bad though - particularly on that EJ25D because if you swap to another engine then the timing belt is worthless. i wouldn't do anything to that motor until you diagnose what is wrong with it. spending money on parts for a motor that's already blown sounds like a waste to me. i'm blacklisting you when you enter the job market. lol. i'm an engineer, we're not trained in auto mechanics. i could only wish some classes taught me to work on Subarus! i started working on subarus in college doing engineering as well because i had too...it encourages initiative and resiliency, keep it up!

sure, that would be awesome. i'm about two hours from there. youre at a wedding and traveling and i have two young children so time is very limited. PM details. that's a nice area, we go cross country skiing at a fantastic place there.

ah, i missed the heads only part. same deal, valve train doesn't touch nor is affected by anything on the block so adjust away. kind of nice not having the timing belt/crank to turn.

oh no, sorry, i just meant Subaru used so many different caliper, bracket, pin verses bolt styles and differeing sizes that it's good to keep the bracket with the vehicle. indeed enjoy the west, all is well here.

that's definitely a pulley rubbing into that timing belt and the cause of your noise. is that on the top of the cover where the drivers side tensioner sits, looks like it if my reverse transpositional abilities are working? are the bearings in the pulley good, loose, or how does it spin - tight or loose and free? good job replacing your belts, EA timing belts aren't known to be wildly successful beyond they're 60k mileage interval. good idea to use the ebay timing belt kits and install all new pulleys, the originals are devoid of grease by now. those timing tensioner bolts can strip - they aren't stripped are they? if they're not tight it'll slap or move under load and you may not notice it at static conditions. if they are the easy fix is to simply install a longer m8x1.25 bolt, it'll grab deeper unused threads. best to chase the threads with a tap first to clean them all but if you don't have one the longer bolt will suffice as is.

engine in or out of the car makes no difference, cams and valve train don't know the difference, engine still operates exactly the same....check valves, compression, leak down....heck you can start it out of the vehicle if you set it up properly - i know a place that can put a Subaru engine on a stand and run it (bring your ear plugs).

nice hit, i've been wanting a leak down set up to put compressed air in the cylinders. ring and valve issues are rare on EJ engines but at least you can rule those out, can't really test the main concerns like bearings. don't forget www.car-parts.com, i guess you're in colorado which has some high pricing for Subaru's but i've paid $150 - $300 for EJ18's and EJ22's with a warranty and 125,000 miles or less.