bearbalu

Haynes manual says flywheel can be installed only in one position, since bolt holes are not equally spaced. Seems like bolt holes are equally spaced and I CAN install it any which way I want...am I missing something?

I am wondering if the release bearing clips and the release lever cotton clips should be replaced when replacing clutch and release bearing. Does anyone know if they break off and cause trouble? Here is one thread http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=22161&highlight=clutch+release+bearing+clip Thanks

I was thinking of leaving the connector that goes to the coil unconnected, but keep the wires plugged. Would that work? That way I don't have to worry about high voltage coil. Is crank shaft sensor another option? You are saying keep coil connected, but just disconnect crank shaft sensor? I just redid the head gasket, lubricated camshaft bearings with assembly lube - that's the only point that was exposed...

My legacy 98 outback engine is out. Haynes manual says: a) Install engine "With the spark plugs out of the engine and the coil electrical connector (low voltage unplugged), crank the engine over until oil pressure registers on guage" c) Install spark plugs, hook up plug wires, reconnect coil and fuel pump I have a few questions: 1. Why spark plugs have to be out in above ? - they are pain to install with the engine in the car. If intent is to avoid a spark, can't I just unplug the spark plug wires or the coil connector to prevent sparking? 2. What does "low voltage" in above mean? 3. Oil pressure in would register on which gauge? I don't have an oil pressure gauge on dashboard...

Thanks. It is a 98 outback. I used some SEAL-ALL but it didn't hold - claims to hold moldings on car the way weather stripe would Dealership said they skip glue - it is has holders for the seals, so glue isn't really required to hold. May be I will try weather stripe.

The timing cover has a bunch of rubber seals that I am replacing (they were part of overhaul gasket set). Seems like some sealant or adhesive was used. Does anyone know which one to use? Thanks

Thanks. Yeh, I meant .02 mm! The midrange is 2mm (.008 inch) intake and .25mm ( .010 inch) exhaust with .02mm (001 inch) tolerance. The trouble comes when one uses inches to measure. So .006 inch clearance can be anywhere from .15mm to .17mm. Replacement shims would have to be smaller by 5mm to 3mm.. BTW, I remeasured the shims - they haven't changed in size. What problems can sanding down the shims from 2.55 to 2.50 create?

1) I am doing head gasket job...I measured the clearances with timing belt "on"as described in Haynes/Subaru Service manuals - ( measuring with the arrow on right intake cam sprocket at specific positions - 2:30 pm, 4:30pm, 8:00pm, 11:30pm) ). Specific valves are under no tension (zero lift) at these specific positions. A few questions: 2) When putting in new shims, to double check the clearance, can I just do it with timing belt OFF with values at "zero lift". If so, wondering if the procedure procedure described in 1) above be modified to do it with timing marks aligned ? - with timing marks aligned, I would have 6 out of 8 ports at zero lift - right side would be under no tension and left side would have two valves under tension. Any idea why Subaru does recommend it - it would be a lot easier! 3) I measured clearances in .001 inch increments - stupid of me - I should have done mm. Now, I will change shims if they are off by .002 inch or more. Subaru recommends redoing them if they are off my more than .02 mm which is slightly less than .001 inch (.025mm). My question is on replacement shims. For example, if intake value is at .006 inch(.008 inch is recommended clearance ) and current shim size is 2.55mm, what new shim size I should get? In theory .006 inch could mean that I am off by anywhere from .03 to .05 mm. Should I get a 2.55 - .03 = 2.52mm or 2.55 - .05 = 2.50 mm shim? I am leaning towards 2.50, since valve clearances reduce with time. So if I overshoot by 2mm, it will reduce over time... 4) Measuring shims - on most of them I can read numbers on current size, shim size doesn't change with age, do they? Do I need to remeasure them? 5) Can shims be ground down with sandpaper or other thing to reduce their current thickness? So can I convert 2.55 to 2.50 somehow? Local dealer wants 10 bucks for each! They are 4.60 at 1stsubaru, but I would have to wait a week!

Thanks folks. I will probably just replace it...might have to wait a few days before I get the part from 1stsubaru.

I do have new half moons...I will see if I can pull them out...if not I will leave them alone... thanks

I am doing head gasket. Does anyone know if I should redo the half moons that are on the back side (towards flywheel) of the head. If so what sealant should I use? Permatex Ultra grey okay. Subaru Service Manual doesn't mention it all all in Cyclinder Head service procedure.

Anyone has links/ideas on how to fix the idlers on the timing belt? On my EJ25/2.5 DOHC, the idler next to water pump is a little noisy. It is 100+ bucks. Should I just open the seal and put some grease in? If so what grease? Should I actually replace the bearings? Where would I buy them?

I punched a 1 inch hole in front outside timing cover while trying to remove crank pulley (using PB blaster later made it much easier!) Is epoxing back the plastic okay ? Or should I get a new cover (30 odd bucks). Since the hole is right near crank pulley, would epoxy come loose over time....I guess dirt won't be a good idea inside timing belt...

Thanks folks. I do need to replace head gasket too. I have used Permatex Gasket remover and a plastic putty knife on the cylinder block. BTW, what is clean surface supposed to look like for head gasket replacement? I still see fair amount of dark spots (it's not shiny silvery clean all the way through). Doesn't seem like they will come off with even a razor blade. Some gasket remover has slipped into coolant/oil passages. Should I hose it with water or just run the engine with water to clean it out? BTW, I removed carbon from piston tops and carbon ring at top of cylinder bore. Yeh, there is one oil pump O-ring that I am planning to replace and is obvious. What threw me off was the quantity of 2 in the packing list. Since the overhaul gasket set doesn't identify each of them with labels, I was wondering if I had missed out anything.

You mean you put permatex on other metal gaskets - HEAD GASKET (which I am doing!), intake and exaust manifold - Subaru doesn't talk about it either. BTW, THe overhaul gasket set includes item (15048AA001) , qty 2, called "SEALING-OIL PUMP" - do you know what that is? I can't find a seal that I need to replace...

Thanks. BTW, when applying ultra grey to oil pump, should it be applied to both surfaces (oil pump and block) or just one? If only to one, is it oil pump or block or does it matter? Generically speaking, if two surfaces need to be sealed, should it be applied to both or one...

99obw, thanks. That's what I noticed too on waterpump - no sealant from factory. Just curious, could using the sealant hurt - actually CAUSE a leak? Also, on oil pump, I used a gasket remover liquid. I am wondering if I need to clean out the gasket remover thorougly (with water) before putting oil pump. back. I don't want gasket remover to eat the new seal...

I have both the Haynes manual and Subaru service manuals. 1. On water pump, Haynes manual recommends globbing the gasket with sealant, Subaru service manual says nothing of this sort. Does anyone know what the right thing to do is? If sealant is to be used, ultra grey okay? 99obw decided to use no sealant... http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2444&page=3&pp=10&highlight=water+pump+sealant+haynes 2. On oil pump, Haynes manual recommends anaerobic sealant, Subaru recommends three bond 1215/Permatex Ultra Grey. I am planning going with Ultra Grey based on following thread - this person called dealerships and they went with three bond 1215. Any reason to do otherwise? http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12100&page=2&pp=10&highlight=Anaerobic+oil+pump

I have the 2.5 liter DOHC engine with 86K miles out on stand. Have removed timing belt, camshafts, head to get to blown head gasket. Never done this before, so I am learning. I have a few questions: 1. What should I look for visually in the cyclinder bore and pistons to tell the health of the short block. 2. I see carbon rings at the top of cyclinder bore. How should I clean up this and piston exterior? What's a no-no? For example, can I use just a regular engine degreaser? Should any degreaser be rinsed with water or is that a no-no? Can piston top surface be rinsed with water. 3. I have dust/sand etc still on the exterior of the engine block (I didn't wash it down before removing the head). If these fall into cyclinder, is there a good way of removing. Or should I hose down the dust/sand with water first - what if water hits the pistons etc 4. How should I clean the head? Specially the side where valves sit. Is water a no-no? Should I squirt something into intake/exhaust manifold to clean carbon deposits there? 5. What about the front of the engine - where timing belt goes. Should I clean the front surface with something. Is water rinsing a no-no? 6. Is wire brush a good idea? 7. Is cleaning the threaded block holes for head bolts required - Hayes manual recommends doing it with a tap. 8. What about cleaning oil/coolant passages? Is that required?

On DOHC 2.5 liter interference engines. Does anyone know if it would make valves collide. The endwrench article on timing belt replacement actually suggests rotating crank counter clockwise 90 degrees and then rotating it 180 clockwise (step 23) http://www.endwrench.com/pdf/engine/FtTimingBeltReplaceF00.pdf

Engine is out of car for blown head gasket. I can still wedge the flywheel with a couple of screw drivers. Some said, don't put too much tension on timing belt (I guess this would) - I am planning throwing away the old timing belt anyway...I might try what you suggested.

Thanks. Won't the camshaft (and crankshaft) all rotate counterclockwise when you do it? Or did you hold the crank bolt clockwise before you did it?

No compression test history. No ring or engine overhaul jobs yet - has just 86k miles on it. I blew head gasket and just wanted to do some compression test before taking the heads out. Have you done your tests in past with Engine out and manual cranking? Or with starter motor? B

To loosen camshaft sprockets, should I first remove the timing belt? Or do it with timing belt in place ? Otherskips page http://mysite.verizon.net/vze730qe/Head_gasket_replacement_2.html suggests doing it BEFORE removing timing belt. The subaru service manual suggests removing/loosenig the bolts after. The only reason I can see leaving it in place would be that if camshaft ends up rotating counter clockwise a little bit, both intake and exhaust would rotate counter clock wise together. If both intake and exhaust rotate counter clockwise together, does it create interference on valves? What if you remove timing belt and them do it? I guess independent rotation could still create problem... Balu

After squirting some oil and manually cranking, I got following readings. Clearly oil helps, but I suspect manual cranking is liable to give erratic results. Cylinder 1 : Before 0, Now: 45 one time, 60 second try Cylinder 4: Before 70, Now 45,80,120 Cylinder 3: Before 10, Now 105,100 Cylinder 2: Before 10, Now 75, 90 Balu