milty60

Update - replaced the downstream oxy sensor last week - son bought an odbc tool - Oxy code is now gone but found 4 more codes - 2 current faults - P0204 powertrain injector circuit - cylinder 4, and P3100 powertrain, also 2 pending faults - P0104 powertrain mass or volume air flow circuit intermittent - P2000 Powertrain - NOx trap efficiency below threshold bank 1. At first start in the morning - with the engine warmed up car idles a little rough, never stalls, and sits at about 350 RPM. Driving around at stoplight in neutral tach first sits at 350 but then will go up to 750 RPM and stay or drop down a little bit - it seems like the ECM is attempting to bring idle to the correct level. Repeats this behavior at most stops but not all. Black soot? is at both tailpipes - cleaned off a week ago - currently, it's back but very lightly coated. I don't see black smoke coming out of tailpipes. Gas mileage is about 28 on the highway. I don't feel any hesitation or power loss as I move through gears from standing still, in town, on the highway , up steep hills, etc. From the codes above is the highest probability next step replacing the fuel injector at cylinder 4? Please Advise? Thanks, Milty

A possibility but I sprayed carb cleaner with that tiny spray straw at and all-around intake manifold, vacuum lines, etc, didn't budge rpms per tach from about 500K - frustrating - sometimes it will even drop to 400 k or so - first purchased Suby - hung around 750k at idle. Maybe I should drop cat and see if idle goes back to 750k. Thoughts or any other ideas on low idle? Keep wondering if some fuel/air or spark advance/retard devices are messing with the idle? Thanks, Milty

Replaced plugs, cleaned MAP sensor, and throttle body, replaced air filter, could not remove PCV - entire housing would turn - sprayed it WD40 couldn't separate from housing. Repalced hose to PCV - hard as a rock - reset the computer. Did the re-idle procedure. As before, engines idles around 350-400 rpm - sprayed carb cleaner on all vacuum lines, fittings, intake manifold mating surface, brake power booster - idle remained the same. Wonder if water in gas had caused my son's power loss issue - still need to do a long highway test drive. Any thought on low idle - only code is P0420 - cat sensor. Thanks, Milty

Code P0420. loss of power happens up hill down down hill flat road Thanks, Milty

Have had a code for front catalytic converter sensor for a couple of weeks. Wonder if the IACV needs to be cleaned? We have reset the computer a week back to see if check engine light would go out - disconnected reconnected battery after 10 minutes or so - check engine light stayed off for a few weeks Thanks, Milty

09 suby forester manual 240K Idle speed a bit low lately. Son on highway this morning - doing 65 - sudden loss of power - floors gas pedal - nothing - a couple of seconds later - sudden burst of power - repeats behavior - pulls of highway - I head out to rescue him - I do quick check under hood - nothing jumps out - I swap cars - idles smooth - around 750rpm - drive on highway back to work about 20 minutes runs perfect. Hope to resolve over weekend - hope I get home tonight - son said same behavior happened once before - one time - seems to occur on the highway only after running for 30 40 min. Does this sound like a clogged fuel filter - fuel pump going bad? assume both are in tank? Something else? Thoughts advise. Thanks, Milty

Low idle most of the time - doesn't seem to be related to present symptoms. It does seem drivetrain related but I need to thoroughly drive it around this weekend. Will also check PS fluid condition when symptom is occurring. Thanks, Milty

I'll check it out and follow up. My son also noticed engine idle speed at times is low 300-500 rpm's. If he turns wheel hard left or right it almost stalls - thinking PS pump may be going - wonder if on slow to moderate speed turns its causing that "bumpy" feel my son and I are experiencing. Of course, now we need to resolve idle speed issue - vacuum leak, dirty sensor - please advise. Thanks, Milty

I don't hear any sound when it does the odd rolling - it does it when coasting too - I don't feel the "bump" in the steering wheel - hard to tell if its happening closer to the hub or inner CVJ - will watch as car makes turn next time my son is behind the wheel - see what the tire looks like in the tight left turn. Alignment is good - need to check bushing - mounts - etc. Will show post replies to my son and check out all the suggestions you guys provided. Axles have never been replaced to my knowledge - my son has had the car for only a year. Thanks, Milty

Haven't tried it coasting - only in first tight left circle. I'll test over the weekend. Rotate tires good idea. Swap axles - sounds like a lot of work. Thanks, Milty

09 Suby Forester AWD manual 240K I checked the front left and right inner and outer CVJ boots - no cuts - turning a tight right or left circle - no clicking - check movement of each front axle by hand - no movement. Tie rods , ball joint , wheel bearing by moving tire in out up down left right while jacked off ground - shows no play. If I turn the wheel full left and roll through the circle - its hard to describe - but it feels like - when a bubble is in the tire and at each rotation you feel that bump consistently - does not happen on extreme right turn - I assume its the outer CVJ on the left axle - any thoughts? any other way to diagnose? Thanks, Milty

Odd problem - my son's check engine light comes on - (had it checked its related to one of the cat sensors - P0420) - he says car looses power, behaves differently when shifting, hesitates, has a rough idle - check engine light goes out - stays off for a couple of days - car runs as normal. Light comes back on - same behavior. is the Cat sensor or some other sensor messing with fuel/air ratio? Do I clean sensors - on another vehicle I had similar behavior and had to buy a special cleaner for a MAP sensor - cleaned it engine ran great. Any thoughts? Thanks, Milty

Thanks for all the info. Radiator was leaking in a couple of spots - had to replace it - found bleeder on left as you guys said. Thanks, Milty

I replaced the radiator on my son's 96 Legacy and I don't see any bleed screws anywhere. I kept the cap off and waited to see water circulating but did not. I did remove the cap once slowly and collant came gushing out - don't know if I had overfilled it or air was traped and escaped when I opened the cap.The fan did come on and temp gauge for a couple of minutes was at hot level - I have heat coming out of the dash vents - but gauge stays at hot too long for my comfort - are their bleeders - am I missing a step in the process. Wonder if the thermostat is working properly? etc. Please advise. Thanks, Milty

09subaru Forester manual 230K miles. Battery 8 months old (new cable end) - it seems on initial start in the morning or after 8 hours of sitting car starts quickly and with a string sounding starter motor. After driving for an hour if I attempt to start the car a few minutes after turning off - it's my perception that it takes maybe another second to start and the starter motor seems to turn over with less strength. - thoughts? Bought a starter motor from Rockauto but I am hesitating to install it - not sure its the fix or I am being paranoid on second start perception. Thanks, Milty

My son needs his manual tranny replaced - 09 Subaru Forester - having a hard time finding one at a bone yard - any suggestions? Does it make sense to rebuild it? Thanks, Milty

09 Forester 2.5x Manual tranny - hydraulic Clutch goes to the floor - my son can't shift into any gears - retired neighborhood mechanic checks it out - drops the tranny - discovers fork is broken and has previously been welded - replace clutch and fork puts tranny back on - clutch pedal all the way up - push to floor - can't shift into any gears - drops tranny again - has buddy comes over that is a Subaru mechanic - says its a Frankenstein - tranny is a Legacy - so he gets a Legacy clutch - using same fork - putting back together tomorrow morn - will see if it works tomorrow - is the Legacy tranny interchangeable between Forester- Legacy - Outback - etc - or the same manufactured tranny - and you have to know which clutch to get to match the tranny? One previous owner - had clutch replaced a few years ago - how does that beefy fork break? and who welds it? You guys think someone Frankenstein'ed this used car or are the trannys the same between Subaru's - hence the clutch screw up. Thanks, Bob

Replacing PCV this weekend and will switch oil type. I'll watch oil consumption going forward and report back. I don't see 09 on the recall but will check further. Thanks, Milty

My son has a 09 Subaru Forester 230K miles AWD standard bought it a couple months ago. I cannot find any oil leaks, checked tailpipes - no oil residue, will check operation of PVC valve once I locate it. I should pull plugs to see what they look like – will do soon. My problem – I check oil dipstick – no oil on stick – no dash warning light – put in a quart – no oil on stick – put in 2nd quart oil barely shows on stick. I use 5w-20 as directed on fill cap. I check next day – oil is full on stick - I check his oil weekly – same behavior – what concerns me is 2 quarts every week sometimes more? – It’s got to be burning it? I did Google around – lots of folks bitching about oil usage In Forester– saying should be a recall. What do you guys think? Thanks, Milty

I'll take a closer look this weekend Thanks, Milty

My son's car has a hydraulic clutch - is the hill hold still cable actuated? I have not fully tested it regarding if it works properly. I took a quick look under the hood I didn't see any other cabling leading from clutch except to pedal. How do I adjust in this case? Thanks, Milty

My son is learning stick. I believe his 09 Forester has the "Hill Hold" feature. I tried it a couple of times - thought it held maybe for a moment before I attempt to move but have not had a chance to fully play with it. Do you guys have that feature? If so, how do you engage it? Manual states depress clutch pedal on hill fully , depress brake pedal fully, release brake pedal, keep clutch pedal depressed, car should hold hill, I assume, until computer ABS detects wheel movement. Is that correct? Does it really work? , only want it to work long enough to train my son, then he's on his own like the rest of us. Thanks, Milty

Cold warm start behaves the same. No fuel smell. I have a volt meter I'll check out those numbers. Thanks, Milty

My son purchased an 08 manual shift Forester a couple weeks ago. I believe it has the original starter. I've checked battery cables, starter motor cables - all clean and tight - battery is "new" per the used car lot - car has never failed to start but it seems to me that the starter could turn over stronger and maybe fire up the engine a second sooner. Don't know if this is normal behavior on a Forester - but if it lasted 10 yrs that is pretty good. Thinking I should stop by Advance Auto parts have them do a free battery/starter/alternator test. What do you guys think? ...Milty

Thanks for all of the insight. Milty