idosubaru

here's a thread with some coil testing information: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=60957&page=2&highlight=coil i found that using the search button up top, just searched New Generation forum for "coil" under a "title search only".

10 year old, 205,000 miles and it was probably overheating (bad headgaskets) at one point. sounds like enough to send a coil to it's demise. i have a bunch lying around so i don't know the proper way to test beyond just swapping in a good one. i believe they are the same on most 1990's (and some 2000+) subaru's, so it should be easy to find a replacement for dirt cheap.

there weren't any??? i only mentioned the differences in capability between auto/manual in the EA's vs. EJ's. since he mentioned dual range i figured 4WD may be something important to him.

coil pack could be shot. remember - we are trying to help over the internet. we can't touch it, see it, hear it, or even look at it. that makes it tough, but we are still DANG good. the more relevant information you can give us the better. what's the mileage on the vehicle? what is the state of the tune-up items? plugs, wires? when was the timing belt replaced? you could have a broken timing belt. you checked the cam/crank sensors - are they pulsing when cranking, that would indicate the timing belt is fine. is the check engine light or or has it come on anytime recently? any recent work done to the vehicle - brake work, etc? my home is Westminster, MD - never heard of Port tobacco but sounds like eastern shore country?

coil pack could be shot. remember - we are trying to help over the internet. we can't touch it, see it, hear it, or even look at it. that makes it tough, but we are still DANG good. the more relevant information you can give us the better. what's the mileage on the vehicle? what is the state of the tune-up items? plugs, wires? when was the timing belt replaced? you checked the cam/crank sensors - are they pulsing when cranking, that would indicate the timing belt is fine. is the check engine light or or has it come on anytime recently? any recent work done to the vehicle - brake work, etc?

looks like you took pictures of mine - new lug stud here and there and the axle end sawed off for EJ wheels!!! how does that rear hub 5lug part come off, had someone remove them for me (away, in another state) not too long ago. do the bearings have to come out/apart for that piece to come off?

i started doing it years ago before it became the constant USMB debate. but his is not my car, not my choice. cool, maybe we can argue that without covers this timing belt would have lasted longer! less oil would have been contained by the covers and dripping on the belt...it would have spattered all over the hood, radiator and everything else, but dispersed further away such that less was left to drip on the belt? oh yeah, let's start the no cover verses cover thing again...20 pages here we come!

i had actually typed a sentence mentioning the DCCD but erased it, i should have known someone would be dying to pick that apart!

i doubt it. keep in mind how old everything else is. have you replaced or regreased all of the timing pulley bearings? that alone could cause more heat and reduce the life of the belts. and then in the course of a few years and 45k on a 20 year old car it's probably likely the belt got some oil, grease, or antifreeze on it as well. see last 5 posts!!

really, in 9 months or less? that quick? granted...the crank seal was spewing oil at an enormous rate....but i still would have thought it would last longer than that. everyone agrees oil will destroy the belt in 9 months or less?

replaced the timing belt for a friend on his EA82. that was earlier this year so it doesn't have many miles on it, 15k maybe. i replaced all the pulleys and tensioners as well. it was an ebay kit....maybe this is my first experience with "lesser" quality or is something else possible? the front main seal was leaking profusely for awhile, spattering oil everywhere and soaking the timing belt. would that cause a belt to break after 15k or 9 months, i wouldn't think so?

i worked for Flowserve and Ingersoll-Dresser, both pump manufacturers. the cast impeller shown here would be the most efficient in the case of the hydraulic pumps we worked with, all of which moved water, but of course they were much larger. that knowledge has since left me.

it can do it no problem of course. i would certainly have access to tools and as many parts as possible. depending on what has/has not been done to your vehicle there are a number of common failure points. timing belt and all the pulleys, good to have an extra of each. alternator, crank pulley (they separate at the rubber ring), fusible links, coil and ignitor (doohicky attached to coil bracket), distributor cap and rotor. don't overheat it or run it out of oil.

also forgot to mention just below where you enter the key words for the "advanced search" is "search entire thread" or "search titles only".....start with "search titles only to be more specific. here's a link to a search in the New Gen forum searching titles only with "EJ22 swap": http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/search.php?searchid=506060

CCR - http://www.ccrengines.com/ they will be more than the used engine installation you quoted. do NOT get a used 2.5, that would a terribly stupid decision, sorry to say that but it is the truth. see the search button up there....in the gray bar is a search funtion. practice using it, go to the advanced function too. select "New Generation" forum to help narrow it down. type in combinations of the words "swap EJ22 EJ25" etc. and you will find information on the EJ22 swap, it's a VERY popular topic. while yo'ure playing with the search function type in "head gasket" or "headgasket" and see how many EJ25 problems come up...or just do it in google/yahoo, that is why i say buying a used EJ25 is stupid. it really is...unless it's super cheap and you're installing it yourself, that's the only time it "could" be worth it and that's only if yo'ure time isn't very valuable. the thread above should have said "the 1995 EJ22 is the easiest EJ22 to swap" not a 1998. all you need is a 1995-1998 EJ22 (with intake manifold). if it's a 1995 you'll want one from an automatic (has to have EGR) if it's a 1996-1998 you will want the exhaust headers with it. you will swap a/c and power steering stuff from you old engine onto this engine...it all swaps over very easily. after that it's drop in, bolt up and plug in. it's that easy. 1995-1996 EJ22's are NONINTERFERENCE. you might like that, if the timing belt breaks it does not ruin the engine. if the timing belt breaks on a 1997 or 1998 EJ22 then you're looking at basically what you're looking at right now...major engine damage. in your situation a 1995-1996 would be a good bet cost wise. a 97-98 really should have all the timing pulleys replaced now ot make sure the belt doesn't break...and that's a lot of additional cost that you may not want right now. i always replace them anyway, but if you want to keep costs down the 95-96 is easier to do that on.

no they are not the same. just find one in a junk yard, the rears very rarely fail. or call MWE. after market axles are junk, i would avoid them unless you can not.

i would expect a bleeding affect of sorts anyway - into 2003 (2004 MY) would not be a surprise. i remember someone saying they've seen this, but i haven't seen it yet. i'm waiting though....it always expands the opportunity to own nice cars for next to nothing!

i thought about $2 and change but i'm seeing multiple varieties and have not worked on any 2005 and up models. i assumed they took the same platinum plugs i've used on other earlier models. maybe that is not the case. i looked and saw platinum plugs online for $2.82 and $2.79 at advanced auto parts, but they had more expensive "laser or double platinums"...etc. if the newer ones use different platinums than i'm used to buying then that is news to me and i'm wrong on the pricing. i wonder if online Subaru pricing is better. they're typically 20% under MSRP through the local dealers. that would save $2 per plug and would be worth a quantity order for anyone doing substantial subaru work if they combined that with another order. or - the local dealer gives me that cut rate anyway and i have an account with advaned auto parts for discounted pricing as well...though sometimes it doesn't help much with things like - oil. not sure if spark plugs get discounted or not. in any event - im sure you have accounts with someone as well.

do you mean 2003 stamped on the manufacture date or MY2003? i agree and don't trust anything Subaru may say hence my careful wording and use of " " and my curiosity of his date. but it doesn't appear his is a head gasket issue anyway, so that's no logistical fun. if you mean 03 man. date, have you seen any 04's? have you noticed what year they have the newer version of the head gasket installed, i haven't done any newer ones. someone in the know with Subaru informed me that they did do something about it in 2002 (man. date), that would be 2003 model year. that adds up with Subaru's conditioner fix which they put in 2000-2002 EJ25's. but i doubt there's a way of specifying an exact date, so it doesn't surprise me that failure rates may taper in either direction. someone else mentioned some 2003 leaks as well, but i did not ask if they meant man. date or model year.

the only rebuild option is a CCR engine in my oppinion. they are located in Denver, CO. new rebuilt, Subaru only specialists with a 3 year 36,000 mile warranty i believe. otherwise go used. the best used option in my oppinion is to do an EJ22 swap, swap in a 2.2 liter engine. 2.5's are really expensive (because the demand for them is high due to head gasket issues). they go for about $1,000 used. that's a ton of money to pay for an engine that has known head gasket issues, no way i'd pay that kind of money. 2.2's can be had super cheap ($200 isn't that hard to find around here). and they will drop right in, plug right in, wiring is identical, etc. a few tips for that job and which year EJ22 to get, but that is all on this website. that is your cheapest and most reliable option.

if you're getting serviced at a dealer, $40 for spark plugs is a drop in the bucket of unnecessary and exorbitant costs you're paying to maintain your vehicle. i wouldn't worry about it. that's why they refunded it so easily. a recent trend in the last decade or two is that the largest dealership profits (not total revenue, but profit) come from the service and parts departments. stealership is the correct name. those exact same NGK plugs cost a few dollars at your local auto parts store, so Subaru gets a healthy triple digit mark-up on them. that is insane in any industry, except one where the consumer is "educated" to insist upon dealership service and parts! but then again i never take my Subaru's to a dealer and they all blow up after a year or two....ha ha.

oh yes, replace that cam carrier o-ring. it's a metal reinforced o-ring only available through Subaru ($2.13) or thepartsbin.com like he mentioned. you'll need two (one for each side). do NOT reuse the old ones or try to use any other kind of o-rings.

Valve cover gaskets, don't worry about them. Based on what you are telling me, no signifcant loss of oil between changes, there's nothing that can happen. But it wolud be nice to get a picture of them to see if that's the cause. Basically you can let valve cover gaskets leak as much as you want so long as you keep adding oil and don't let the level drop...and don't mind your Subaru marking it's territory if they get worse! As long as you check the oil periodically and don't let the engine run out of oil you can let the valve covers leak all they want.

Hey! Good news! I think you're okay! I will only say one thing...just keep an eye on your oil and coolant level and I think you'll be golden for a long time. i'm not saying your mechanics are wrong, but i am very skeptical of their diagnosis. this is probably a mis-diagnosis or they are trying to rip you off. seals seep on any vehicle, that's very typical at your mileage. there are front cam and oil pump seals that very commonly seep or leak oil...more often than not actually. they are typically replaced at every timing belt change interval by "good" mechanics. they only cost a couple dollars and are right behind the timing belt. which brings up the next question, you're 8,000 miles past your timing belt change interval (105,000) has that been done yet? do you have a digital camera, if you can take pictures of the engine we might be able to help. try to get good shots of the oil and plenty of lighting. the most helpful shots without taking anything apart would be from directly underneath the engine. the 2000-2002 EJ25 engines are offered a Subaru coolant additive by Subaru for the head gaskets. as a precaution you could add that to yours as well, but i do not think it's needed. do not EVER add anything else to the oil or coolant, I am not in any way endorsing that practice. could you post your manufacture date of the vehicle - it should be on the metal plate inside the door jamb. the head gasket issue was supposed to be "resolved" "sometime" in 2002...i'd be interested to see your man. date in 2002. in the future if you have no savings and disposable income i do not recommend driving a vehicle in the price range you are currently driving. financial stress is a very, very bad thing. i see and work with people all the time that spend too much money on vehicles, my suggestion is to not be like that, it's bad news.

significant improvement in safety and reliability, nice rides and the impreza EJ18's get great gas mileage. the 1.8 is a bit small, but that's what the EA series are anyway. the EJ22 has around 140hp...the EJ18 probably around 120ish at least. the EA82 in the dual range probably only has around 90-105, i forget the exact numbers. you can look that up here and online, it's all over the place. the annoying part to me is that the manual transmissions of the EJ cars don't have any way of locking the center differentials like the EA series stuff - diff lock, dual range, PT4WD...EJ's never had any of that. for EJ stuff automatics are better in the real nasty stuff, you can install the Duty C switch and "lock" the rear transfer clutches. not applicable to most people, but i like optimum control of 4WD for off road, snow and mud. not a big deal for most people.