I just picked up this car for my wife. It is a 2.5L with 5spd. I was going up a steep hill in 2nd gear and at one point the clutch started to slip. I backed off the accelerator and it grabbed again. Looks like the clutch will be due for replacement soon. Unless there is some adjustment to the clutch I can do. I have limited to no experience with hydraulic clutches. Is there a clutch adjustment?

 

Anyways, the car has 173k miles on it and no way to verify if the timing belt has ever been replaced. I'm thinking since the clutch slipped and probably needs to be replaced I can just pull the engine to do that and then get to the timing belt components easier. I want to change all of the seals as well. I think I read somewhere there is a special tool need to get to the cam shaft seals. Is this true?

 

I've also read that these head gaskets were prone to going out. Since I will have the engine out would it be a good idea to yank the heads and do the gaskets as well?

 

Anyone know of good write ups for: timing belt, pulley and seal replacement; head gasket replacement? Also any advice on part brands for the listed jobs I'm about to do i.e. clutch, seals, pulleys, head gaskets. This car is going to be a dd so high performance isn't on the menu.

 

Thanks in advance. I have plenty of experience on the ea71, ea81, ea82 engine models. This a new world of subaru to me.

Grip Force Clutches - Ebay, I've used lots.

Search this form, lot's of good information on doing the T-belt and seals, a seal  puller does make the cam seals easier, but you can do them without them.

If the HG are not leaking, leave them alone unless you have extra money to throw at the engine.  Yes they may start leaking but you may also get years of use out of the engine with no leaks.

 

I'm always of the mind set if it's not broken don't fix it.

It is possible the belts have been done with that mileage. It is possible the HG had been done with the miles. But then again you are at the miles where they usually fail (about 150,000)

 

If you pull the motor, you can re-torque the heads and get by that way. HG failures are caused by corrosion from lack of coolant maintenance.

 

definitely do the seals and timing belt

I ordered a Gates timing belt with water pump kit, Sachs clutch kit, camshaft seals, front crankshaft seal, rear seal, oil pan gasket, and valve cover seal set. I'm going with the idea on the head gaskets if it ain't broke don't fix it. Probably jut re-torque them and add the headgasket conditioner from Subaru. Am I missing anything I should do while the engine is out?

Sounds like a good lineup. I believe Sachs is the same as exedy - Good clutches.

 

When the engine is out, take a look at the oil separater plate on the back. (it will be above and to the right of the the rear main seal. These were prone to leak and are generally responsible in my experience for the classic burning oil smell of subarus.) A seperator plate leak will drip right down onto the y pipe and give that roasted oil smell.

 

On a 2000, they were aluminum and far better than the plastic ones of the 90s, but if it's showing leakage, the dealer has a steel one that was an upgrade to fix the problem. I think it cost me $13. a couple years ago when I did it on my wife's 2000 Outback.

The general consensus here on the board is--don't touch the rear main seal unless it is really, obviously bad!  You'll do more harm than good.

 

But do reseal the oil separator plate at the rear of the block (if it's plastic, replace it with metal one.)

 

Good luck!

Yah. The rear main should basically go forever if it's not messed with.

Very good info guys. Thanks. I won't touch that rear main seal unless it is leaking. I would have had no idea what to call that oil separator plate after I pulled the engine and saw it leaking. If the oil separator isn't leaking and it is the aluminum one should I mess with it or leave it alone? Just from reading this I'm feeling like I should go ahead and replace it with a steel one and reseal. BTW I did a quick search on the oil separator plate and came up with this: http://allwheeldriveauto.com/subaru-seperator-plate-explained/. Very informative. Another question; I think I read there is an o-ring on the oil pump that leaks. Just in case does anyone know the part number or size for replacement? Also, head torquing sequence and ft/lbs specs?

Beergarage.com has pics of the oil pump o-ring. The o-ring is a dealer only part as far as I know. I think he has pics of the separator plate too.

 

While at the dealer get an o-ring for the wrist pin access cover. It's the diamond shape cover opposite the separator plate.

Update: I have all the parts. Few other things going on right now. I'm planning on starting this job on the 18th when I have a week off work. Just in case there are any snags.

If the aluminum seperator plate is ok, I wouldn't  mess with it. It was the earlier plastic ones that were a real problem. I did the one on my wife's car since it was seeping fairly steadily, but then there was close to 300k on the motor at the time.

If the engine is out, resealing the separator plate is 15 minutes of work to prevent spending 8-12 hours pulling the engine again in 50k miles to fix the leak that started right after you put the engine back in last time.

 

My law: "If it ain't broke, it will be."

I finally got around to this job Friday. I am glad I decided to do the timing belt. It appears a near disaster was avoided.

It looks like the thing was rubbing on the guard that is over the camshaft. The gates kit came with a plastic spacer for proper installation. Everything went off without a hitch. Almost, now that the new clutch is in I have a new symptom. The clutch seems to be fine except now the pedal only returns about 2/3 the way up. If i pull the pedall all the way to the top and check the fork it is not touching the piston from the clutch slave cylinder. If I release the clutch pedal and let it rest where it wants to stop on its own and check the fork is touching the slave cylinder piston as I feel it should. I've never had any experience with hydraulic clutches so any advice on adjustments, if there are any, on the clutch system to make up for the slack I now have. BTW, this slack was not present before the clutch replacement.

 

I plan on bleeding the clutch tomorrow. I assume its as easy as using my vacuum connected t the bleeder valve and sucking the old brake fluid out while filling with new fluid. Is this correct?

Probably need a new clutch master cylinder. There is a valve in the MC which is supposed to let fluid in from the reservoir so the slave cylinder extends all the way. Right now you have a vacuum in the system holding the slave cylinder in. If you open the bleeder now air will suck into the slave cylinder and mayl not work out.

Try working the pedal all the way up and down a bunch of times with the reservoir cap off. If you can get the system to pull fluid in and start working properly, then open the bleeder and flush the system until new fluid comes out of the bleeder.

I could try bleeding the air out like I do with power steering systems. I put my vacuum to the reservoir in place of the cap. Put vacuum on it until no more bubbles. But yes, I will try what you suggest and if it doesn't work I can get a new master cylinder.

 

It does seem strange that this only occurred immediately after I replaced the clutch. Is the rod from the slave cylinder always supposed to remain in contact with the fork? When I let off the pedal the two remain in contact. When I pull the clutch pedal the rest of the way up the rod pulls away from the fork. It would be difficult to measure but just guessing its moving away 1/8 to 1/4 inch.

As far as I know the slave cylinder pushrod has a spring behind it which is supposed to keep it pushed against the fork at all times.

Well, I pushed the plunger into the slave cylinder and watched the fluid level rise in the master cylinder. Then I sucked the master cylinder near dry and refilled with new fluid. THen I loosened the bleeder valve and put my vacuum to that. I let the mc run near dry twice filling it with new brake fluid each time. I topped it off and just drove it about 30 miles around town today. The pedal feels better and is returning to the top as it should. We'll see if it lasts.