tracedog67

Gents I have an original tow hook cover for 01 to 04 outback. It is the tan color that most of them are and does have some marks from stones, etc. I can email or text pics if you like. $50 + $5 shipping. All the tabs are intact so it should snap right in. thanks Tracy 513-616-9720

Gents have a 2000 Outback with 193k miles, replaced the knock position sensor about 1 month ago, just replaced the fuel filter and the PCV this weekend. Last week it started jumping revs during an idle and also a constant accelerator pedal position. If I accelerate hard it will come out of it and perform normally? I got the knock position sensor cheaply off of amazon, would it go bad after a month? I have no check engine lights but have not scanned the obd. I did get a code earlier to replace the KPS and that cleared the check engine light. any suggestion? thanks Tdog

Gents the driver door won't open from the outisde but does from the inside, I assume this is just some plastic piece that has broken and hoping someone can give me a part number or heads up of how to fix thanks Tdog

Fellers, we have a 2000 OBW with 192k miles i"ve had for about 6 months. After driving on the highway for about 30 minutes i'll come off the exit ramp and when I come to a stop the temp gauge starts rising. When I take off again the gauge comes back down usually. I had a 98 OBW that the head gaskets went out on and this is not the same symptoms as before. When i get out of the car I can smell antifreeze burning off but i cant tell a leak anywhere. Also, the bottom radiator hose looks like it is partially collapsed, is this normal? the 2 fans operate as they should and kick on any ideas? thanks Tdog

Fellers I need to replace an auto transmission on a 2000 Outback, anyone have any spares? Am I correct in that only a year 2000 will work? I live north of Cincinnati, south of Dayton, Ohio. thanks! Tracy

Fellers, I have a '97 OBW with 289k miles. the emergency brake will not completely hold the car in our sloped driveway, is it easy to adjust this along the cable? thanks

do you mean slamming the door or trying to slam the hood?

Fellers, hood just won't pop up so I can release the hood. Cable seems to perhaps have too much slack, is there another way to reach the latch from under the car? it is a '97 OBW with 289k miles. Battery is dead so I need to get in there to add a new battery. thanks

Well, i finally got the '97 OBW with 286k miles to a shop after the idler pulley blew apart and bascially took a chance to put it back together with another pulley and a new timing belt without inspecting the valves. The mechanic thought perhaps one valve was bent after he put it back together because it seemed to run with a miss. But i just drove it home and it runs just like she did before the pulley went. After everyone's advice guessing that 95% of the time the valves get bent i guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Now we have our winter AWD vehicle back. Thanks to Dave Spillers for his advice and used parts to keep her on the road. Tdog

Fellers, I really appreciate all the input and help being offered. I can do basic repairs but this type of job is beyond me so i have to pay about $70/hr for labor which is what also drives the cost up. I'll have to ask the mechanic what it would cost to put on the used heads, the pulley and belt back together. How much time should that take a mechanic? This is my second car so many times it is not driven much, we have kept it around for winter time driving here in Cincinnati. Tracy

Ok, i finally got my story straight. You guys are correct it is the pass side camshaft pulley not the crank pulley, my fault. If my pivot point is about $800-$1000 what would be the best option to get the car back on the road. The mechanic thinks there is almost no chance that the valves are ok. It is an '97 OBW with 285k miles and 5 speed tranny. Is this a good candidate for a cheap used 2.2L engine swap as Davebugs suggests? Looks like i may have to put it up for sale as a non runner. thanks!

It is the crankshaft pulley, if you wish send me an email at tracym@sddcorp.com instead of a PM here. thanks for your help

Fellers, thanks for your input. I can't get to the PMs, how much would someone sell me a crankshaft pulley for? I may just have him put it back together and try to start and take a chance on the valves. If they are damaged i'll just sell the car otherwise thanks Tracy

the indy mechanic spoke with a subaru dealer mechanic and he said 98% of the time the valves do bend. to do a leak down test he has to replace the pulley and belt just to see if the valves are bent. How much should the pulley cost and the belt? I wonder if it would be worth telling him to replace the belt and pulley and throw it back together without testing the valves? Or if the valves are bent slightly would it make a big difference thanks

Fellers, i thought i broke the timing belt on my '97 OBW with 285k miles but it was the pulley instead. The belt did not break, mechanic suggested doing leak down test to see if the valves are bent. If the valves are good how much is a new pulley? If valves aren't good what is a price for a used engine? With 285k miles this is my second car and usually used here in Cincinnati when the roads are snowy. Or is it time for a junkyard? thanks Tdog

this car is my second car and I was driving it since it had been awhile. I was pulling out into traffic from a store and felt a small noise under the engine on the driver side. The tow truck driver said he definetly thought it was the timing belt. I had the belt done at 192k miles and now it is at 286k miles

Fellers, I think my timing belt just went on my '97 OBW with 286k miles. What would a dealer cost to replace just the timing belt not including water pump, etc? thanks

fellers, We need to replace an original radiator for an '96 outback with the 2.5 engine. Should we go plastic or all metal, what is a good source for purchase? Where can we get the top or bottom bracket for the radiator? thanks

Now I know i've been working way too much! I'm not a suby virgin, i've had this car for 4 years and do all my own maintenance so i should have known to look for that. I thought maybe it was the battery or alternator because i haven't changed them since i've owned the car for 4 years and almost 100k miles.

Fellers, My 97 OBW (272k miles) sat for a week while on vacation. Drove it on sunday, came home sunday night in my wife's car and noticed the front and rear parking lights were on. Lights were not turned on inside the car and battery was dead. Jumped the car, started right up, drove down the road to charge battery. Came home, turned off car and started back up but the lights stayed on. Autozone says battery is ok, looks like alternator, anyone have this before? Or any suggestions? thanks Tdog

That seems abit high to me. I would think 6-6500 is the right price and also realizing that this is a dealer and he will start very high until they've had the car for 2-3 weeks and then the price will drop quickly. HEAD GASKET, HEAD GASKET, HEAD GASKET! Tell your father to budget for a head gasket, timing belt, and water pump for about $1200 with 97k miles. I have a '97 OBW limited with 255k miles, the HG went at 191k miles (not bad) and I just replaced the clutch at 245k miles on the original 5 speed tranny. It has been the most realiable car i've owned. Just turn the key and go. Tdog

I had the HG done at 191k miles, but i think this is the original clutch. I just wish i could get better than 22 mpg with combined city/HW driving. Tdog

Fellers, I am having my clutch replaced on my '97 OBW (242k miles) by Sweeney subaru in northern Cincinnati next week and wondered if there might be any other items that should be given attention being that they are in there already. Anyone have suggetions? thanks Tdog

Fellers, After getting 6 codes on my first go around thru e-check I replaced the knock sensor myself and had the dealer change the EGR valve and the plugs and rescan the OBD II. Things were reset and no codes present. Went back to e-check this morning and they said they can't even communicate with the OBD II and I had to go to the license bureau for another 30 day tag. i'm going back to the dealer to have them check one more time, anyone have this problem before or any suggestions? thanks Tdog

Fellers, Bought a new bulb for my headlights but I couldn't get the old one out of the light assembly. What the heck am I doing wrong? There is a rubber "boot" over the hardware that holds the bulb but i can't get it out of the assembly. There are 2 arrows in the center that says to push but the darn thing wouldn't come out. Someone straighten me out so i don't feel so stupid. thanks Tdog