idosubaru

good call brian, i like the sounds of that.

this might help - let's give everyone the code you're actually getting of "22" and see if that helps track down this issue. it's not a 12 - it's 22 i think? +1 checking all those grounds and timing probably isn't your problem. could be...but so could about 245 other things.

oh you're talking about the rear diff, my bad. i was all confused.

Outback H6 VDC If you're into tuning and stuff, go with a turbo model - forester or WRX

yes you can do it. NASIOC has a good deal of information on that kind of stuff, but i have seen folks mention it here before.

nah, that's a very generic and inaccurate idea that is often passed around. it's limited and doesn't apply to all vehicles, engines, failures, and situations. it's especially not true at all of Subaru's. they more often than not have head gasket failures without any oil/coolant mixing. i'd start with the radiator cap. make sure your hoses aren't collapsing under load. doubt that's the problem though. not sure if you're planning on keeping this thing much longer but if the cap doesn't work and you begin to suspect something more ominous then i might even suggest some stop leak. i don't normally do that, but just depends how long you want to keep the car, what kind of driving you do, and all sorts of other logistics. doubt this is the case, but the thermostat should be a Subaru item. aftermarkets are insanely cheesy and whimpy. that it had this problem before and the same exact problem after though seems to suggest not to waste any more time on the thermostat. good luck, let's hope for the cheap radiator cap.

there's no visual that i'm aware of, but your 1997 will be an interference engine if all the things passed around here are true. the timing belt kits on ebay are so cheap ($80), it really doesn't matter anyway. just buy the complete kit and your timing components are all completely brand new. the 97 will not be a "direct fit" due to the bellhousing change, but it's not a big deal.

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don't tell them that. don't tell them crap until you've made a deal. say ambiguous things like "give me your best deal, i'm not here to talk about details until you give me your best price". just keep repeating similar comments until dunce-headed salesmen realizes you mean business. they have LOTS of profit in used cars and will come down. most people just don't play hard enough...but then again these guys are monthly trained to sell and work people over and then joke about how gullible customers are over subway. telling them you're paying cash is not a selling point, they have counters for that. "oh, we only make money on the interest on this kind of vehicle, so we can't cut the price any if you're paying cash"...stupid stuff like that. never give away any of your hand, the more stern, confident and matter of fact you can be the better. not a jerk, but just all business.

with EJ22's the timing kits are so cheap on ebay that i go ahead and do them on older cars too, like basically anything 10+ years old. granted the sound/spinning should show up any bad bearings. very few of the 10+ year old cars i do have really tight, well packed bearings. actually i don't know that i've ever felt any that were like new really. new ones are really tight and smooth.

the idea i guess is that cold oil takes a long time to get out of and into the engine and doesn't flow very well as room temp stuff would.

advanced search - titles only (DANG THAT SHOULD BE THE DEFAULT!) - search for "timing belt" and it's the 3rd one down: here it is: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=93558&highlight=timing+belt i'm not trying to pull the 'SEARCH!' flame. it's just really helpful to be proficient using that function. it can usually tell you more than the replies you get and it can be much faster.

there's another recent thread about 97/98 timing component differences. i would check that thread out.

how about swapping in SVX hubs so you can just use SVX axles? then you get the added *features* of goofy bolt pattern and awesome bearings!!!

i don't have the experience with newer EJ engines, but older ones do well with very ferquent oil changes and some marvel mystery oil added to the oil.

yeah the bellhousing pattern changed in 98, but they still interchange with the issue you're encountering. im' not sure about this bracket you speak of. personally i'd just try and make the best with the one bolt, but i understand your concern if it didn't work out so well last time! a drill and tap should work, i thikn it's been done before. but do'nt trust my memory on this!

sorry to hear that, but glad you're having it done. i'd ask the mechanic to use new Subaru head gaskets. since this is a 100,000 miles interval timing belt now is a good time to get an entire timing belt kit. it's not a good idea to expect all of the pulleys and the tensioner to make another 10 years and 100,000 miles. not only because of mileage but because the components are over 10 years old. i picked up EJ22 timing belt kits on ebay for $80, it's a steal. i'd look into EJ25 timing kits. this is an interference engine, if the belt breaks or the pulleys seize you are likely to incur significant engine damage. this is a testimony to why i caution against EJ25 purchasing. tread carefully, it is not rare for people to dump problems onto unsuspecting future owners or for dealers to have no idea. fortunately you were able to absorb that repair costs, many people don't plan on or can afford $1,000 bills right after purchasing.

I would give the 5w-30 a try. Have the oil pump backing plate screws been checked? That should be done with every timing belt change as they come loose and cause the oil to bleed off. That is where I would start if the oil change doesn't help and it's never been done. With that mileage I would expect a few to be loose if they've never been tightened before. pmichaud just had a thread about redoing his, i've been talking to him off line as well the past couple days. he found one loose and one backed out quite a bit. Are you sure this thing has HLA's? I forget which EJ's have HLA's and which don't? If it doesn't have HLA's, it's 96,000 miles past a valve clearance check.

It is a great car so it's going to be hard to find a great deal on something like that. The proven reliability and safety of this car makes it a great purchase over new. I like looking up cars selling on autotrader and ebay, i think those give better overview than KBB or other places like that. I prefer private sellers (i've bought 30 or so Subarus). They know the history and they aren't typically selling them with issues, or at least without issues they're willing to tell you about. People that want to get rid of a car with problems typically trade them in. But of course there's plenty of people trading in cars with no issues too, like this one. New, low miles cars like this are usually traded in for some other reason. I like knowing the service history, but since this one has most of that recorded/trackable in car-fax, you should have access to that. As for the dealer, if they're not offering any warranty or anything, then you're not really getting much for the high premium. They're making a couple G's off of that car, used cars are $$ for dealers.

this depends on personal preference, tools, equipment and shop space (or not!). search will give lots of posts about this. if you're not sure i'd think pulling the engine is the way to do this job. particularly considering it sounds like it wasn't done right the first time. you'll want good access to get things lined up perfect. the rear main is a hoot. it seems the rear main seal is the hardest one to get right. i've heard of a number of folks (i can name some of them) that have had a replaced rear main start leaking. i dont' touch them if they're dry, even if i already have the motor out. i usually replace any seal i can get to easily, but not this one. the quickest way possible is to pull the trans out. but that requires good tools, equipment and a willingness to work on your back without getting annoying. that's hard to come by! transmission has fewer lines, wires, hoses, and connections. but getting to it and moving it around effectively is not easy. having an extra hand or two helps a LOT but i've done it by myself before (even with an auto trans).

looks good to me. check for engine noise, the idler and tensioner bearings are a known weak spot. you've probably seen the recent thread on the H6 engine about that? very simple parts to replace and i'm replacing mine just as preventative maintenance based on the feedback from that thread. in another recent thread EVOthis (works on a lot of subaru's at his shop), said the speakers fail alot, so check all of those out. he said he just replaced some in an 02 OBW in the past week. when i picked mine up a month ago i used the car-fax info and called the places it was serviced at to get a basic run down of the maintenance that was done to mine. what all was done and also what kind of oil they used. mostly concerned with whether it was synthetic or regular, so i can stay consistent. mine was serviced by the same Subaru dealer always so it's alway had the same Pennzoil 5w-30 i think it was, non-synethic. looks like your car-fax has some contacts on it too you could check on. just make sure they know you're trying to be up to date on maintenance, not "stalk" the previous owner. i've had some places get funny about that, but they open up once they realize what's going on.

yep, sounds like you're done to me!

i'd have the codes read first just to make sure which ones are present. did you do that? the EJ22 without EGR will not have an EGR plug because it doesn't have EGR. so you'll need a wiring diagram to show you where the pinout is on the engine harness. how does the EJ22 drive in the SUS? how does the transmission shift?

so - 1987 Loyale? Most likely radiator is clogged or the water pump is weak. (has either ever been replaced?). Those are replacement items on old vehicles. Also, replace the thermostat with a Subaru thermostat if you have any thoughts on keeping it. Aftermarket thermostats aren't very consistent. You'll see the difference just by looking at them. I wouldn't be surprised if the heads were needlessly replaced before. They weren't likely cracked. The shop probably assumed the cracks between the valve seats meant they were bad "cracked" heads. Not so with this engine. Nearly every EA82 (or similarly designed ER27) on the road has those cracks, they're essentially "normal" for this engine.

thanks EVOthis, i don't know why i asked i don't do loud/intense music stuff. stock should be fine. yes this was the 2002 OBW that i installed new air bags and seat belts in. i'll check to see if/where the relays are for the seats. and if maybe it's just the drivers side that doesn't work.