idosubaru

I've seen the P0026 P0028 go away just by changing the oil filter numerous times. As a matter of fact I think every single time I've seen those codes they went away with a new oil filter. They're very sensitive to the filter, particularly H6 engines, even Subaru filters. Of course you'll just do a proper oil change, sounds like it's waaaaaay overdue, but thought I'd let you know what I've seen. Good chance the AT code just goes away due to being an artifact of multiple start attempts or the other two codes.

Tough call. First make sure it’s blown. Local is nice for an FB for the easier warranty and potentially look up the VIN to see if it has any oil consumption or valve spring repairs/warranty/recall, maintenance history. But I’d be fine with JDM too.

Sounds like HG not fitted in proper orientation. They only install one way and can’t be flipped front to back or top to bottom.

What a saga! ?

I don’t think I’ve gotten H4s of that vintage. 06+ H6 installed years ago, after 135k miles it started headgasket issues last year. Came with two damaged connectors from shipping, not unsurprising for shipped/JDM engines. taped one and never had issues and spliced the other from the original engine. I installed new VCGs and OEM iridium spark plugs…and probably the oil cooler seal, when I installed the engine and never touched the engine again for 135,000 miles except oil and belt.

Did you install one helicoil or two? They’re short right? They need stacked and threaded tightly to one another? you can also get right angle drill attachment or sometimes I’ve rented a really nice right angle drill. Gives more space and better control Worst case scenario I had a timing bolt rip a huge chunk of engine out. The bolt was threaded into a big chunk that just snapped right out of the block. No fluid cavities. A machine shop threaded the block and made a huge rump roast threaded replacement piece of metal with the treaded timing bolt hole in the middle. Installed their custom insert. Installed timing bolt and pulley on that. Worked great and they charged me like waaaay to little money for it like $200 or something absurd. I’d never expect that again but it was way better than expected when everyone said the engine was toast. It was my car and ran great.

$450 is probably new and $180 is probably rebuilt. Subarus rebuilt offerings are inconsistent and subject to change. legacy axles are a dime a dozen used. $35-$60. buy used and reboot it and you’ll never have to think about it again. I have a few but they’re so easy to find it’s not worth boxing and shipping to someone. If yours are OEM they can probably be cleaned regressed and rebooted and you’re good to go. after market are trash but at least a legacy isn’t lifted at all so the angles are shallower, it’ll be more forgiving of garbage axles.

Oh man that's so tough. But hey you are VERY close. I have chased the existing/damaged threads and installed a longer bolt a couple of times. The bolt holes are sometimes (always?) deeper than the bolts, so there are unused clean threads in the bottom of the holes. You can poke a tooth pick or coat hanger down the hole and compare it to the length of bolt sticking out the back of the pulley so you know how much "additional" thread you're getting. Not that you'd want to do this of course!

Yes, if that’s the white ones that’s exactly what to use on the block. Im not sure of the current “consensus” on EJ25 headgaskets, but I’d be tempted to get the multi layered ones. But, as said before, subaru uses them. Id love to know the technical reasons for single layer on some and multi layer on others. good luck getting it done.

It does not turn the engine off. That would be a massive liability to just have an engine shut off unexpectedly. Subaru's recall for excessive oil consumption due to oil control rings was up to 2015 Foresters. If you assume that means later ones don't have issues then a 2018 is good. I usually encourage people to aim for 2017/208's.

yeah that's what they supply for some like those early 00's EJ25's. the 642 or 770 gaskets are the ones often used instead. 11044AA770. the coolant ports don't line up the same but it's a benign difference. Subaru has a decent track record going in their own shops so I wouldn't write off use what they supply.

Those are great vehicles. Reliability and cost of ownership has been top notch.

Good to know. wow they are proud of those valve cover kits.

Yeah just wipe it or forget it. wvebtually it leaks enough to blow onto hot exhaust and smoke and smell and scare the !&&!?$ out of you. Or you run low on oil and wreck the motor. Keep checking level and the smoking (or not) levels will suggest how bad they are.

If you care about resale get the newer one. If you care about simplicity the EJ25 is probably the way to go, just fewer "large" issues and the head gaskets are well known and not that difficult to deal with like oil consumption. I'd R&R all the timing gear though at 15 years old. All new Subaru pulleys, belt, and tensioner. Or at a minimum the belt and lower cogged idler (by a long shot the most likely to fail)

Nice. I was about to say even a used set would do but I don't think I have any ATM.

In a clean room with all the time and tools in the world - clean all the bolt and hole threads. Chase the threads with a tap. Then properly lubricate the bolts. And you might find no creaking. In practice, it's not unusual to have some creaking, some good lubrication is the best antidote to limit it. Technically that noise is friction which is probably slightly decreasing the clamping force transferred to the head. But I highly doubt it matters unless it's badly hacked.

Also, Fel Pro, by nature of being a many-manufacturer supplier, they're going to lean towards more "one-size-fits-all" solutions since they supply parts for most vehicles ever produced. That doesn't lend itself to making precise recommendations on a specific year/engine. And - they can't control what users will, or won't do with "resused" bolts. The implication of reusing bolts is the bolts and holes are properly cleaned. Plenty of aftermarket guys are gonna just gasket slap it without cleaning the bolts at all, and if Fel pro can convince some of it's buyers to replace the bolts they may be better off in the long run than trying to assume or cover warranties for the used car lots that gasket slap with dirty bolt threads. So I don't necessarily fault Fel Pro or even say they're wrong - they may have reasons for doing so.

Subaru says reuse them. So reuse is the correct answer here unless there's compelling evidence otherwise - which there isn't. They're basing this off of way more applications specific data and experts than Fel Pro has. Fel-Pro says not to reuse them - but they're a supplier making their bread and butter off of parts and wanting their "kits" to seem "competitive" by also including head bolts. They have a much higher marketing and financial incentive than subaru. Subaru's recommendation wins by a 1,000 miles because there's no compelling reason otherwise. Oddly I've seen a few Fel Pro bolt users have quick repeat failures, so I wont' use their bolts and would recommend replacing yours simply so you're not using an inferior quality bolt. Pure speculation on my part but it's unlikely Fel pro has the same, or higher, foundry, machining, finishing, hardening standards as Subaru. But that's pure speculation, i could be wrong. Honestly, it may not be the bolt. It's probably hack jobs who think since they're buying a good gasket and new bolts they don't need to clean the holes or surface well because they're going above and beyond. I've heard people talk like this before and exude over confidence in their parts selection when their other choices probably need more attention. It very well may be the over confidence leading to lack of focus on what matters, like cleaning the holes, good torque wrench, and cleaning the heads properly...than the actual bolt. But still I have no reason to use aftermarket bolts and never will.

Engine in, timing components all Subaru - that significantly reduces the list I made. Don't know, never installed an aftermarket pump and probably wouldn't. I'd install a used Subaru oil pump before I did that. They don't really fail if the engine isn't detonated and sending shards into the pump. I just wouldn't want the 7mm pumps. For $5, 1 bolt, and 20 years old, I wouldn't skip the cam seals while it's staring at me and already removed from the engine. But they don't leak often nor typically catastrophically so it's not a huge over sight to leave it.

That would be an input shaft bearing right? Some of those trans bearings can be $100 or more each bearing so price it out. People have replaced trans bearings. I think Gloyale (he has a new user name Fer....shoot I forget), but he has a good trans disassembly thread from years ago. I've pulled the entire engine/trans bolted together out of the engine bay. It's tight on H6 with automatics just make sure you got enough ceiling room, but I've done it multiple times. Makes it much easier, no need to separate in the car and you're already used to the engine pull now. In case you're dreading dropping the thing underneath.

Subaru headgaskets, resurface heads, clean head bolts and holes, lube threads. Cam seals, reseal the oil pump, or replace with 10mm oil pump if that engine got the dinky 7mm variety which I think was used on some early 2000's ish +/- engines, Subaru went musical chairs after the 90's so i'm unsure which models have the 7mm. You can read the numbers on the rotor to tell you. Valve cover gaskets are easy but also easy to replace if you just want to wait them out or inspect how brittle/soft they are. If the 10k timing components aren't Subaru I'd replace them with Subaru. If AT - check or replace the AT lines behind the drivers side head. It's always the ends that are hard, brittle, showing fatigue, so I've even just clipped 3/4" off and reused the lines before if the rest is supple and there's enough slack. If you're pulling the engine then I'd ask if it's MT and about the clutch and rear main, though they very rarely leak. Pull the knock sensor and check for signs of cracking or rust compromising the metal ring to rubber interface area. They give a check engine light/code and can't strand you so no need to replace but it's an easy chance to check for cracking under the base with the head off and only one bolt. 12mm.

Those aren't codes painting a clear picture of a fault. Those are system wide, communications, and CANBUS faults. Is your alternator and battery charging and holding charge properly? Is the harmonic balancer (crank pulley) failing? If it separates from the rubber ring it'll reduce belt speed, reduce alternator output, and cause codes due to insufficient power supply. You'd have to look up the flow chart for diagnosing. Ideally you clear them all and see which one comes back although I assume it'll be equally confusing. I'd be interested to see what the flow chart daignosis from Subaru looks like for the U1223 and B0223 codes that are "current" and "no-receive data". The others may be phantom, derivative codes from whatever is causing that communications issue.

Very kind of it to do it right as you're backing out of the garage! Good luck digging in. If you drop the trans the engine is going to want to tilt forward into your radiator once the trans is off and engine is free to rotate forward. Protect your radiator (some 2x lumber) and have some way to lift and angle the engine when you go to reinstall - the engine needs lifted about an inch, just a small amount no need to remove any engine parts, and angled front up/rear down to accept the install of the trans. It can be a total pain to do this way - more time under the car, dirt falling in your eyes, poor lighting, and more wrestling. Every tool you forget is a shuffle, shimmy, crawl, head bang on the door sill to go get it and the bolt or tool you need is invisible besides being 3inches above your head or under your left knee. But....it also can go really fast if you're eager and energetic because there's so little to remove - just unbolt it, the shifter, and driveshaft, and out it comes.

That got it only two swings, so I have this joint and spare axle, giving multiple options once I get a ride to the car. First blow on outer joint rim, second blow onto inner cage/race and couldn't believe it popped right off. Some threads mention doing this to replace the outer boot without removing the axle - but I don't see how it wouldn't just yank the axle and stub right out of the trans or hurt an MT doing that. Thanks guys, appreciate it.