lmdew

The front O2 sensor is necessary for the ECU to properly correct the fuel ratio. If you have a good scanner, you can watch the O2 sensor response and get an idea of the rich or lean condition of the car. The random bucking could be the cam or crank sensor going out, but that should throw a code, so should a mis-fire. Is the CEL working? Have you tried pulling the codes even if the light is not on?

You have a Headgasket leak. Pretty common on the DOHC 2.5. When cool, open the radiator cap, I bet there is little to no coolant. Cheap route, replace with a 95 2.2 with EGR. If it's been overheated for sometime, it's a gamble on just doing the HG as the bottom end may be damaged. Black, oily stuff in the coolant tank = HG failure on the 96-99 DOHC, at least most of the time.

No Cel back on as of now, I"m going to check the setting on the TPS and will run a can of seafoam through it. Thanks

Temp sensor was pretty close 2.73 ohms on the new one, 2.22 ohms on the old one. Adjusting the TPS back about 1/4 from where it was set seems to have dropped the O2 sensor to 0.72 - 0.45 with lows a 0.080. I don't have the TPS adjustment instructions with me in WI. Any thoughts on other things that could be causing it to run rich. I have a new O2 sensor coming. Thanks, Larry

I did a swap for my wifes brother. 96 Outback 2.5 to 2.2. It ran great in CO and all the way back to WI. Once I hit WI the Cel came on. It still runs fine but it has the P0420 low effeciency of bank 1 of the cat. I've swapped the 02 sensors with some good ones I had. The response times are good but it's running rich. Most of the time its 0.925-0.750 range some times dropping to 0.355. The coolant temp is at 190, temp gauge just under half. I'm going to change the coolant temp sensor today and clean the MAF. What else causes a rich mixture, the plugs are darker than they should be and with the O2 readings confirming it I'm pretty sure that is causing the CEL.

Grab a good used one, it will cost less and be faster.

It will run, but you'll have the CEL. The Head can be drilled and tapped, but you'd have to pull the engine to do it right. Some have tapped into the exhaust manifold but, I don't know if that is a good option. Live with the light if you don't have emissions.

Are you sure you timed it with the tick mark in the tooth of the crank gear!

OEM Diagnostics would be great. Lmdew@hotmail.com Judd got the are in a not running condition, Engine. The trans was good as far as the PO said. So it goes.

I was up to fix a furnace problem so I took a few minutes to look at the Subaru. The connector to pull the Trans codes has 4 terminals: 1 I I 2 4 X X 6 The #6 Terminal when grounded shows the ABS Codes, this is the one that is called out for pulling the Trans codes. I tried each Terminal 1, 2, 4, 6, and no of them pulled the Trans Codes. I might be because the TCU is continously flashing, very fast. I've not found what continous flashing means. Anyone know? It's not the 16 flashes after start, it just keeps on flashing. Thanks Larry

Yes, pretty common for the auto Transmission. I wish there was a simple fix. The only fix I now of is to sell the auto and get a 5sp :>)

The head port could be blocked. Can you pull the line off the EGR valve and start the engine see if you are getting flow out of the line.

The newest I've worked on is a 2002, but I don't think much has changed. Pop the hood, on the drivers side on the back of the engine you will see the starter bolted to the transmission bell housing. You can follow the positive battery cable if you need to. The soleniod is part of the starter, the round cylinder on the top. You can tap it a bit while someone tries to start the car. Make sure your off to the side and it's in park or neutral with the brake set. It's not to hard to pull off: Disconnect the Negative and the Positive terminals on the battery Disconnect the Positive from the starter Disconnect the start wire plug from the back of the starter Remove the bottom nut Remove the top bolt Pull the starter out. You can then bench check it or have it checked.

Yes, it can be caused by the neutral switch. I had the same thing happen on a 98 Forester. There are two switches on the trans one neutral, the forward one if my memory is correct and the Reverse Switch. Both of them plug in to the harness up in the engine compartment close to the engine trans flange. You can check them with a meter, they are just open close switches.

Nice picture of the plug. I pulled that down for him last weekend and showed him the ground pins. I was picking up an Impreza for a friend and hit the road. I should have stayed a little longer. He'll figure it out. Hope its an easy fix. If not, I have a good auto trans ready to go in. Larry

Yes, search does work. I found your link the other day, but ask the question anyway for some first hand information. I'll make sure he has the link. Thanks, Larry

Yes, he said it had the external spin on filter. I guess we need the newest code process.

My son has a 99 Legacy Outback. He picked it up not runing, redid the HG and put the engine in. The AT Temp light flashes continously. With the trans in park, the engine revs fine. With the Trans in any forward gear about 2000 RPM is as much as you can get, 10 MPH or so. With the Trans in Reverse, the engine will rev higher and you can gain some speed. He tried getting the codes out by jumping the black connector, but he only got the ABS codes. Is there a difference in the procedures for a 99 vs an older Trans? The diagnostic plug has different pins.

Start it and put a dollar bill in front of the exhaust. If it get suckec back to the exhaust pipe you have a bent valve or valve timing issue. Could be off a tooth or two.

Yes

Check the socket. Lot's of times they are not as tight as they should be and cause high resistance. I've seen the plugs melted.

What CEL do you have? The lack of the ground wire is should not cause this, but you should swap that gound wire over to the new Trans. The Trans is also grounded through the engine connections. Did you get the same gear ratio trans so it matches your rear diff? Did you unplug the engine harnes when you installed the trans? Any other things you did at the same time? Check the CEL Codes and let the board know what they are!

Voltage on the downstream side of the load (the light) should be 0 vdc if there is only one load in the circuit. If there are mulitiple loads in the circuit, you are reading the voltage drop across the single load. There are mulitiple grounds in that harness, I'm not sure which one is the actual ground. - Main ground up front on the radiator support in front of the battery - Ground on each side of the lower frame rail, towards the front - 2 grounds on each front strut tower.

One or more of the half shaft axle boots are torn. If you look under the car at the axle ends you will see the boots and most likely lots of grease. MWE Axles in Denver CO has great rebuilt axles. Larry

It will depend on the aspect ratio. 215/60/16 should be fine. If you go to TireRack, and plug in your car, they will list all the available sizes.