Scottbaru

Found my front drive ratio in my service manual, 4.444, now I just need to find that number for the '00 Forester. Edit: Thanks bratman, I guess you posted that the same time I posted.

I've seen this question asked, but haven't found it answered. The cases are the same, the final drive might not be, 4.11 or 4.44. Anyone know if these transmissions can directly swap without also swapping the rear diff? I have a donor Forester I might buy, if I can sell the new tires with wheels it will help justify saving my Impreza one more time. If not, another Impreza goes to the scrapyard.

Breaking off a tap there would be significantly worse than your current situation. Try borrowing an angle drill, buy one and return it, or pull the radiator.

Taps usually can only go as deep as their threads are cut, unless you get an extension tap, or grind down the neck of a standard tap to get a little more depth. I've not seen extension taps for Helicoils.

I regularly put helicoils in new machines my shop designs and builds, it's a much stronger thread than just tapped threads in aluminum or mild steel. The longer the better of course. Multiple helicoils would all align with the threads tapped by the single helicoil tap, so multiples wouldn't be a problem, but would be a little silly. 2.5 times the diameter is normally the most you need. I like Time-Serts mentioned earlier in this thread, but they have a top flange that might not work without slightly countersinking the block. Helicoils are everywhere, and most mechanics and machinists are familiar with them. I just did my head gaskets, scary noises when torquing those bolts. Gotta use oil on the bolts, don't forget that.

Made my 200 mile commute to O'Hare on Monday, parked with fluid leaking, ran to my flight. Got a chance to check on it between flights last night, looks like the trans cooling line rubbed against the steering shaft U-joint and wore through. I couldn't feel the hole, but it seems to be coming from there. What size hose is that? I may be able to find hose here in Vegas, bring it to O'Hare for the fix. I'm actually sleeping in a chair at O'Hare tonight, in the morning hitchiking airliners to meet my family already on vacation in Florida. If I don't find hose in Vegas I'll try to find it in Florida during the week. The car isn't going anywhere. Anyone know what size hose? 2000 Impreza 2.5 RS

Thanks guys, I'll do these things tonight. I may have a picker I can borrow, we'll see. I have to fly to Boston and Seattle this weekend, kinda hard to keep this project moving when I'm working two jobs. I scanned the video quickly, might have time to watch it at a hotel. I'm guessing the info you guys gave me will be all I need.

2000 Impreza RS 2.5l automatic I'm replacing head gaskets, timing belt, WP, etc. I was hoping to leave the engine in the car, positive thinking and all, but the head bolts hit the fenders without clearing the block. So I have the bell housing loose, and the single nuts under the engine mounts off. Hoist is coming, either borrowed or rented. As I pry the engine and trans apart, it looks like more than the flywheel is attached to the engine. Is there anything I need to do or watch for when separating the engine and trans? The engine mounts look simple, do I just take the single nut off the stud coming through the sub-frame under each mount? Or do I have to unbolt the mounts from the block?

Thanks, I suppose that head is close enough to mine, I'll use that method.

I'm starting to remove the head bolts, I know I need to do it in a pattern, but what pattern? I didn't find a Haynes or Chilton on this car, but it's so simple I hardly feel the need. I need head bolt removal and install instructions, including the torques and angles. I also need manifold bolt torques, and crank pulley torque, if anyone has that handy. Five leisurely hours and I have most everything apart, I think another day to get it all together. I'm headed out of town at 4am, will have to finish next week. 2000 Impreza RS 2.5l Thanks!

90k. Something is leaking a little, I think camshaft seal. One thing about getting stuff from AutoZone: I can return what I don't use. I'll double check that before I buy.

I wasn't planning on a crank seals, is that common? My son has been trying to sell this car, I'm tempted to do the minimum, he's not likely to keep it.

Thanks, I read they were TTY on this engine, the torqueing method of angles seemed to confirm that. No Felpro? I'm waiting for a price from the dealer, an hour away from here. $2k to have a shop do this, but I'd like to do it myself anyway. I'll check eBay. 11 year old car, I think the warranty was 8 years. Yeah, Holland, but I travel a lot, too much in fact.

Hmm, head bolts, another $136, needed? These do stretch, supposed to replace, but are people reusing and having good luck with that?

Thanks, I'm over $600 in my cart at AutoZone, Felpro and good quality parts. Including water pump, spark plugs, air filter, a few other extras. The head gasket kit is the rebuild kit, not the replacement kit, so it has some things I don't need. Fel-Pro site says the replacement kit omits the camshaft seals and valve guide seals, I'm not sure how many extra seals I'll get with the full kit. I can piece together the head gaskets, vavle cover set, intake and exhaust gaskets, and cam seals for $150. Would I be missing anything?

Hi guys, it's been years since I logged on, so I'm kind of a newbie again. I need some help. My son's '00 Impreza RS (2.5l SOHC) ran a little funny yesterday, and plenty of bubbles in the coolant at high RPM. I'm thinking of trying to change the head gaskets in the car, I've heard it can be done. Is there a FAQ for this with a list of required parts? A guy in my shop is a mechanic on the side, says he pulled Legacy heads in the car long ago. He says a Subaru shop his friend works at does this regulary, they can swap heads in three hours.

Excellent info so far, thanks. This is kind of what these forums are best at: helping an enthusiast make the best of an odd circumstance. Most of us will never need to change an engine, so those who do usually have to figure it out as they go, no previous experience. It'd be a bummer to find out a month from now he could've spent a little more and gotten a much better engine, had he only known. Is there a front tranny seal that might be wise to spend a couple bucks and a few minutes changing? How about an inner CV boot, do these fail within 100k? Are they significantly easier to change with the engine out? If so he should take a close look at their condition. Where would be a good place to price out a complete set of coolant hoses front and back?

This is probably opening up a can of worms, but what's involved in switching to a 2.2l?

Didn't they continue tweaking the phase II block a bit over the years? Are there any years that are better? Are there any years that might have differences that might require more effort to swap into an '01?

Good point about the radiator, a cleaning at least is in order. If there's an oil cooler I'd want to make sure no cooked oil got in there. I was figuring he could get all the hard-to-reach hoses and vacuum lines and such renewed.

Ok, probably cooked. He's leaning heavily toward ordering the engine and being done with it. I'm not sure what tests could be run, other than pulling the engine and inspecting it. He said it seems to have lost power, but he drove it to the dealership and back, and apparently no head gasket symptoms. If it's cooked, that's testament to what tough little engines these are. I sent him a link to this thread, he said he'd log on and participate, maybe shed some more details. I thought maybe it got low enough to have an air bubble block coolant flow, but now he's mentioned no steam came out when he opened the cap, unless he meant the reservoir... It's his wife's car, I suppose it could have lost it's coolant somewhat quickly without her noticing. The car has 63k on it, it'll be a great car with a rebuilt engine. There are a bunch of PM items that can be done easily while it's out, any suggestions there?

I just talked to him. He's happy about the CCR recommendation, puts his mind at ease. He says the temp needle pegged in the last block getting home. He opened the radiator and there was no fluid, no steam, and no pressure. He thinks maybe it was totally dry. That might do it. Would the temp even register without coolant flowing? I've had coolant blocked by air in another vehicle, the sensor didn't register heat 'till the bubble passed and hot coolant resumed flow.

An indy suggested an internal coolant leak might've caused hydrolock, possible bent connecting rod. I call bs on that, what says the group?

Thanks, I have the same suspicions of the dealer. Not that I need a reason to be suspicious of a dealer. I've not had the pleasure of a 2.5 under the hood, so I have no experience with HG failures, but this situation seems unlikely. I'll point him to CCR, that sounds like a good alternative.

My friend just called, we've been trying to diagnose over the phone. His '01 OBW overheated, he figures it's a leaky hose clamp and his not checking the fluid, that caused it. He's had trouble with a misfire when cold, and one gasket was replaced by the dealer a year ago. But no white exhaust smoke, no water in the oil, no bubbles in the coolant. Even after the five-mile drive to the dealership, no symptoms of HG failure. The dealer checked and says internal HG leaks on all four cylinders, possible warped block. What are the chances of four cylinders leaking and no bubbles in the coolant? He's taking it to an indy for tear-down, but he's feeling mighty low. He figures $5K-$6k to get it right. He's located an '04 engine, $2k, but we're nervous about that.