Blair

its 96 Outback, 2.2. I see, I cant see these thing failing very often.

bump, does no one know anything about this? I can see six brake lines on it. I assume four are going out and two are going in. None of these fittings are particularly wet so i assume my problem is elsewhere, out of site.

So I know that I have been loosing brake fluid for a while, I have topped it off a few times. I checked the usual culprits to no avail, brake calipers are dry. During another under hood endeavor I think I found my leak. The frame rail under the ABS pump is soaked. (box, front right, behind the head light) I tracked it around and it is definitely coming from the pump but the source does not seem to be on top and easy to see and I dont want to go through the trouble to remove and inspect it just yet. So I ask you guys, has anyone had any experience here? What could be leaking? On a final note this is the first car I have ever had with ABS, and I hate it. I can easily modulate better than it can. So I am also pondering deleting it.

Ok! Scooberoo and everyone else, you have been tremendous help. I have what I hope to be a final update in this saga. So after all that business, after it wouldn't start once I got the engine back in time and it wouldn't start, You're all going to love this, I put the old cam sensor back in it just on a whim and the car started immediately and has started 4 times or so in a row since then. I have warrantied the sensor and I am waiting for a new one, should come in tomorrow. Now all this means I should be Ohms testing the sensors. Does anyone know what value I should be getting from a good working cam or crank sensor?

*update* I managed to borrow a code reader. P0340 and P0335. cleared them and tried to start, no start and the light came back on. P0340. That is how it sits now.

Ok, so I did that stuff and got the tensioner back on it. I left the rest of the nose of the engine apart and tried to start it. It didn't. Now, I struggled with the drivers side cam sprocket for a bit trying to get it lined up, it is right at the point of compressing some valve springs so it is hard to get just right. It is maybe the width of the hash mark off from the notch. I figured that wouldn't have that much of an effect on the car running but am I wrong? Maybe even those codes stored making it not start?

Mhmm, Mhmm. So thats that then, I see no evidence of mice anywhere. I have been in the engine compartment a few times (hill assist cable replace, valve cover gaskets, random things here and there) and have seen nesting materials, nothing like that so I believe it to be mouse free. The interior never has signs of rodents either. The manifold has not been removed at all in my care (about a year) and I dont believe it was with the previous owner either. The records I have show no reason for it to be removed. I am currently looking into timing, though I struggle with the theory because in between these codes the car would run great. Random no start condition.......Although now, its not running at all.....so.... two things, one, I believe this to be a non interference engine, is that correct? Two, at top dead center, the crank pulley hash marks should line up with the 0 degree mark on the engine and then the cam sprocket hash marks should be aligned with the notches in the rear timing cover. Right?

Well in a "I have nothing better to do today, and trying nothing is annoying me" effort I have pulled off the cam gear covers to have a look at timing. (and everyone keeps suggesting it, though I really doubt its a timing issue. Car runs well when it runs) I don't see evidence of an oil leak from those places. We did the timing belt and the associated seals not too long ago, inside of 15K roughly so I believe that to be in good shape. I believe most of my leak is from the rear main seal and the filler neck o ring. However, I have had these sensors out a few times and have wiped them off each time. They haven't been particularly dirty, a spec or two here and there. I wonder if theres something floating around inside the hole the sensors sit in?

Yea, oil leaking from the oil filler where it connects to the valve cover, along with a few other places.

Yea, I don't think its a timing belt issue, it runs like a champ once it starts. All the same power it had before, sounds and feels the same. Now, it's funny you mention that new versus old part bit. Because I panicked because I thought I did that. However, the old parts were red plastic and new parts are black plastic. The parts on the car now are black plastic. I have been thinking about it being an ECU failure of some kind, but I have just never heard of a Subaru ECU failing. I have also thought about junk floating around and blocking what the sensor is reading? Does that seem reasonable? I am just stretching right now because everyone I talk to so far is as confused as I am.

Hmm, well in my care they have never been apart and based on known history of the car, they likely never have been. I am trying to get my hands on a code reader because it wont start so I can get it to Auto Zone or whatever. still on the search!

So the wiring harness runs through there before returning to the computer? Is that an issue you have had?

Right, so, I have a 96 Legacy Outback, 2.2 liter 5 speed. 274K on the clock. I will be making a very long story short. So please ask anything I may leave out. This all took place over the course of a few weeks. -Car randomly wouldn't start, after some time and a check engine light, it started. I had the codes read. P0340, Cam sensor fault code. -let it act up again with the same code. -after some research, I started with the cam position sensor. The car started, I went about my day. -random no start again. This time, cam and crank sensor fault codes came up. bought a crank sensor, car started before I put it in. -random no start once more, install the new crank sensor, car started later than normal, but started. -both cam and crank sensors are new now. The car is now not starting again, within ten minutes of the crank sensor install. Only this time, its not starting at all. Trying it a few times over the course of 2 hours or so. When it starts the car runs flawlessly. No knocks, makes good power, idles smoothly. So it really feels like an intelligence/electrical problem. Either way, I am stumped now. Anyone heard of this at all? Any suggestions? (I copy pasted this from my post on LegacyGT, for those of you noticing my whoring around)

ouchies, that hurts, was that bolted to a manual trans?

Ah ha! Thanks! That is also what I needed. Thank you, once again, big help guys. Is there any word on gas mileage with the frankenmotor? Also, which head gaskets do I use? Do I match to the heads or the block?

Thats great info, thanks guys. That was actually my next question, what options do we have for performance exhaust? even just a cat back system. Any WRX pull offs work for that?

Are you sure about that? That goes 100% against everything else I have read on this engine build. Have you done it before? I have been reading from people who have built the engine multiple times.

Ok guys, I truly apologize for this, I know this has been covered time and time again and I have done some searching, gathered a lot of great info but there are still things I am missing. What I have so far 2.5 block and internals 2.2 heads and everything else (intake, wiring blah blah blah) bolt it in, put 91 octane in it and shazam, somewhere abouts 180 horses. use the 2.2 timing belt system. What I am missing is exhaust, trans, clutch stuff like that. I have a 96 Legacy Outback 2.2 with a five speed. it has 300,000 miles on it and still runs well, but I am preparing for a failure. It is my daily driver and soon to be my autocrosser. My real questions are, will my 2.2 five speed bolt right up? What do I use for a flywheel and clutch? Can I use my exhaust manifold? When I bolt my 2.2 heads to the block what head gasket do I use? Will all my 2.2 head inards work? There also seems to be some issues with which 2.5/2.2 phases will work. I plan on using my 2.2 heads from my 96, what 2.5 block and guts should I be looking for? Again I am sorry to ask you guys to cover this again, if I missed a build thread please link me to it and I will bother you no more. I just could not find a step by step build thread!

Also, while I have the attention, what matters when finding what inner diameter to use? I am using KYB GR2's meant for a Legacy GT. Am I right to think that as long as the spring goes over the shock body center I can use it? I think most of the springs I have are 2.5 inches inner diameter.

Wow, that is awesome information! Thank you. With that info I can just play with some of the springs I have laying around, pair them with some adjustable collars I have laying around and I am set! You wouldn't happen to have stock spring rates for the Outback wagon would you?

Hey guys, I am working my way through suspension mods here. I have a 96 Outback. Everyone talks about swapping in WRX suspension to bring it down and handle a little better but no one ever mentions the Impreza RS. I know the chassis is the same but is the suspension the same? Can I use WRX springs and same year RS springs interchangeably? I have a guy parting out a 2002 RS and I am trying to decide if I can put his springs on my new KYB's from a Legacy GT and everything be ok.

Ok cool, thank you for pointing me in a good direction. Also, while I am here, what of the body lift inserts from the factory? Has anyone played with removing them? Or is that just a bad idea

Hey SubaGuru's, I just got my hands on a decent example of a 96 Outback. It is a 2.2 five speed. I am an autocrosser (this car replaces my first and current car, 87 Honda Prelude) and the Outback is my next adventure. I am not going for any national titles here, its just something I have some fun with and learn some car control. I have been reading a lot about hardening and just general upgrades. I do of course want the car lowered and I have been looking at cheaper ways to do it. A lot of people say 02-07 WRX struts and springs bolt right in and gives a nice drop, others say thats not a good idea and say to go with Legacy GT struts and springs to start with and see how it is and then maybe start swapping in WRX/STI springs. I am wading through the misinformation as best I can. What do we think of these options? Are there others? I also have several different weighted springs laying around and was considering buying some KYB's and doing my own spring rates, but I would need stock spring rates to do a proper ratio. Any help/input is appreciated!

Ah, noted. Thank you. See you in the next topic!

Hmm, that will, that makes it much like a front wheel drive, which is what I am used to. I am reading around and I think my first step will be putting Legacy GT struts on with my stock Outback springs. Next step will be stock WRX springs maybe? Or STI springs? If I decide I want a power upgrade a frankenmotor would be interesting. I have read a little about head swaps and converting to a twin cam and all that. I am not ready to mount that stack of reading yet haha, thank you for the suggestion, that is something I have been thinking over. For right now I am focusing on suspension though as the car needs shocks anyway. What do we think of the Legacy GT bits and later using stock WRX/STI springs?