welly

One thing I dont understand is why in USA you guys get 105k miles between belt changes yet here in Uk its recommended at 60k miles. I would assume its the same belts? Mind you my local dealer tried to do my last belt change at only 45k miles. Should I start pushing my intervals out to 105k? 2.5 l Legacy 2001 MY and if so should I buy belts from the USA?

Car is Legacy 2001 2.5l with 105,000 miles. Had leaking head gasket done at 100,000 miles and all is good. Car runs fine except have been getting CEL P0420 for last 3000miles. Resets itself but miles between CEl is getting less all the time. From reading posts on here I expect its due to bad pre cat sensor. However local dealers here in UK want $650 for a new Air Fuel Sensor the front one. I have got the part number and it is 22641AA100. However when I Google this the only source I can find is a Russian outfit who want a reasonable (in comparison) $180. Is this a part peculiar to Europe only - I wouldnt think so. The rear sensor is an oxygen one and retails here for $280. Part number on it is 22690AA640 which I can find a US source for at around $100. I have double checked on Genuine Subaru Parts and the AF sensor part number is not recognised. I dont want to spend $650 at all and especialy not if this isnt the problem.

Imagine what gas at $8.35 for US gallon does to your driving style and number of journeys you make. Mind you I still do 8000 miles a year on my motorbike just for fun (aka as "wasting fuel" if you're not a biker)although at 45 mpg it is a bit more frugal than the subaru. With 3 vehicles I get through $800/ month just putting gas in everything.Its frightening sometimes.

I check my oil after car has sat overnight. It shows just under F mark. One thing I have found is it is best to read the level on the side of the dipstick that faces the engine ie towards the crank. If you look at the other side it always seems to have oil dragged waaaaay up it. So pretty much same method as edrach outlines above.

Well I had a CEL and decided to get a reader. Got a Memoscan U381 http://www.memoscan.cn/en/showproducts.asp?Cid=9 which does live data. Now this may be a daft question but since it does live data can I just hook it up and start and run the car with it hooked in? I presume so. Instruction manual is limited. CEl (which had gone out) was caused by P0420. I have cleared it and will keep an eye on it. Have read plenty of posts on here about possible causes etc.

Yes just had damaged wiring on my daughters car sorted that was traced to mice - they had a nest in the fuse box!

Possibly seized or sticking caliper could be issue with wobble under breaking. If its bad enough to cause brake pads to drag on disk you can test by driving the car for a distance, dont use the breaks and coast to a stop. Get out and (carefully) feel temperature of each wheel/ brake disc. Should be the same and no heat - if you stopped without brakes. If one feels warm or hot then that would be problem one. Be careful if toughing the disc - if its hot you will get burned. Ask me how I know:mad:

Just to contribute to the discussion on timing chain life. While not Sooby on my Saab 9000 the original TC was still going fine when I let it go at 188,000 miles. Ran 12,000 miles between oil and filter changes and used Mobil 1 synth in it from 90,000 miles onwards. Admitedly changing the chain on it would have been a much simpler and cheaper job that the Sooby.

Okay last night I had a look at a subaru manual I bought off ebay on a Cd and in there it lists A/F(o2) sensor. This is the one forward of the cat towards the engine. I now think this is what the mechanic was refering to. But why it would cost $$$ I dont know. Thanks for all the continuing help. I wont have time till w/end to look at car but wil/ then get MAF/ MAP details and see if I can take electrical lead off )2 sensor and check running. For what its worth last night I did a trouble free 30 mile run and this morning when I started engine the CEL light had gone off. It ran fine today (15 miles) and again I am thinking maybe its bad fuel. Would bad fule, causing a missfire be sufficient to cause a A/F problem CEL? Will try and find another shop to pull any stored coded and post these up too. Re my location I cant get it to show Aberdeen as being in Scotland , UK it just shows Georgia. Is there some way to correct this?

OK so is the MAF in the intake part of the engine? From OB99W's post thats what I understand. According to the mechanic at Suby today this AF (as he called it) was in the exhaust side (exhaust itself?). He refered to it as AF sensor. I think I might be confusing everyone - if so apologies. I will check out the MAF and get the part number etc and post up. Thanks for the contiuing assistance.

Grossgary thanks for your post. Can someone post up a pic or a diag of where the AF/MAF sensor is so I can try the disconect and see how car runs and also try and remove and inspect it. I have good intermediate mechanic skills but no ramps or lifts so under car work can be tricky for me. I do have a good independent to do the HG work and any other. Prices are way high for the sensor probably even compared to new in USA - remember I am in UK and it seems we are £ for $ over here. If car runs OK with AF disconected is it OK to run it like this?

This is part of the continuing issues I have. My earlier post detailed my decision to go ahead with HG replacement and then the bad running that developed recently. Just as I was getting ready to do the HGs on the car and happy to do so it starts running bad - hestitating, juddering generally failing to respond. I thought it might be bad fuel so treated with Dry Gas. It seemed to be getting better (my imagination perhaps) but yesterday it finally threw a CEL when running poorly.So today I took it off to the Suby dealer and got a faulty AF (air flow meter) diagnosed as the CEL code. This part costs $580 + $140 to fit at the dealership:mad: . So rather than just go ahead with this, or the HG job I have booked it into them for a diagnosis on the AF sensor to see if it is broke before I replace. At the same time they will evaluate the car for the HG problem (external look only) including sniffing the coolant. I see from a search that the AF (I assume this is the MAF) sometimes benefits from a clean. To get to the dealers today involved city driving which I havent done recently and the car ran horribly in town even stalling when at the lights (a first) On the open road it seems to run much better - hence why I thought the problem might have been a fuel issue that was getting better. Now I can see that the AF is probably goosed. Any comments on this are most welcome. I will post up the result of the diagnosis later in the week.

Rooster thanks. I was thinking maybe bad gas after doing a bit of searching and reading on here. Will see if I can track down some dry gas additive. And it has been pretty wet around here what with snow melt and rain.

Thanks for all the continuing replies. Yes mechanic has prior experience of HG repairs and after discussing with him am happy with his level of experience. He has track record with cometic gaskets in NA and turbo as well as rally spec subies. Just to add to my woes and concerns recently (last 4 days) car has begun to "judder when running at low revs under load. This can be quite a kangaroo situation although running revs >2500 irons it out. Today when sitting at tickover just after one of these incidents I could detect a bit of lumpiness as if allcylanders not running right. It is intermittent and so I dont know if its related to the HG issue. I did run my fuel tank low before re filling prior to this so initially thought - dirt. But problem is persisting although intermitent. No CEL being given Any thoughts?

Ok for those who asked here is what I have been quoted. Best deal I have had is $1400- 1600 all in for both HG replacements, heads skimmed, cam seal and valve cover gaskets replaced. This is a local suby independent. He recommends Cometic gaskets for the repair any comments on this?). While he is in will check water pump, tensioner, pulley wheels, clutch etc and see if anything else is worth doing. Other quotes were higher with local suby dealer quoted $1800 just for labour alone. Had a quote of $1500 for replacement engine but no guarantee on its conditon. So far no goopy bits in the coolant and oil dipstick and filler cap is fine.

The Dude - yes I will post up the quote - I am expecting it to be same in £ as in dollars. In other words if $1500 in USA then I fully expect £1500 in UK. Just on dealer time alone @ £70/$140 per hour that soon adds up. By the way can you tell me in the +/- $1500 for HG repair is that only HG replacement or does it include the other items people recommend are replaced at same time as HG - water pump , seals, separator plate etc?

No sludge or anything like that on oil filler cap. Oil is clean. Will call local dealer for a cost estimate. Did i pretty much cover all the other to do items in my previous post that should be done if I am getting the HGs done?

Bad news - today I noticed "foam" in the coolant expansion tank after being on a run. After letting car cool down and the coolant level settle I started the car up -- bubbles in the tank. So I guess I need to get the headgasket done asap? Note I have absolutely no overheating symptoms and oil is clean. I have a 400 mile trip coming up - is it safe to drive? I ha ve read many other posts on the HG issue and it seems like if I am going to get it done I should: Do both sides relace water pump change all cam seals tensioner replaced radiator clean anything else? This isa 2.5l 2001 with 100,000 miles on it, I assume it will be aworthwhile repair?

Thanks for the replies - will try the re programe route. Car is 2.5l 2001 my; only one remote fob.

My infra red key no longer operates the doors remotely. Have put a new battery in but still nothing. Is there a batery in the car receiver? I am assuming not. Most probably a problem with the key electrics? Anyone else experienced this problem?

I did my first oil and filter change (for me) on my Suby recently. It had been using oil (which was unusual) and ever since the previous dealer service at 90,000 miles it had been smelling a bit. When I got under the car there was quite a bit of oil around. I found that the dealer had not tightened the sump plug up enough- it was only finger tight!. I now hope the car is back to no oil consumption as before.

Not covered by 100,000 mile warranty in UK as far as I know. Iam UK based despite my profile location showing Georgia. I mentioned the coolant consumption to the local Subaru dealer when I first had it serviced and they said the couldnt find anything wrong. Its only since finding this forum that I have found out that HG is a long standing Suby problem.

Having read a lot about HG issues on the forum I want to get something clear in my mind. Ever since I got my 2001 2.5 Legacy (second hand ) with 18,000 miles on it I noticed that it was losing coolant. I was always having to add to the expansion bottle. After finding this forum and reading posts I added the "coolant conditioner" at around 90,000 miles since when I have had very little coolant loss - although I can see some dampness on left hand side (sitting in car) of engine around head gasket. I have no other issues , no oil in coolant, coolant in oil or bubbles in expansion tank so I am assuming all I have is a leak of coolant to the outside. So question - should I worry and go and get the HG replaced or is it okay to wait and if it doesnt get any worse just leave it?

A while ago I had my knock sensor replaced and I assume to clear the codes they disconnected the battery? Anyway was under the hood looking to see if I could locate the sensor for future reference and noticed a loose red wire with a spade connnector on it hanging free in the vicinity of the positive battery post. There was an identical wire beside it connected to the battery post. Both lead are about 6" long and lead back to what looks like a couple of fuses. Anyway I connected the loose wire to the post beside the other one. Now when the car is started (with the audio unit on) or it is switched on it works briefely then displays "CALL" and ceases working, but remains powered up. I then push the "Band" or "CD" button depending on what I was listening to and all is good again until I switch off the engine. I am assuming its because I reconnected the wire but cant see why. I never noticed it loose before and have never had any audio unit problems before. Coincidence or cause? 2001 Legacy 2.5.

Been quoted £100 all in - about $200 (Part i3 about $110). Told it can be done in a 30 min time slot. Is this something I should consider doing myself? Not familiar with sensor so figure am happy to have garage do it. Assume they also have to clear the memory of the code?