Well I am gunna commit the unpardenable sin, I am going to ask if somebody would loan or rent me thier valve adjustment tool. SPX-Kentmore, the manufacture of the tool for Subaru, is back ordered until July 5, 2005. None of the dealers I talked to had one including 1st Subaru.

 

The local dealer, Team Nissan-Suzuki-Subaru of South Bend, Indiana, told me my 97 2.5 engine had hydraulic valve adjusters....gotta tell you, it didn't build ANY confidence. I am checking to see what the dealer in Kalamazoo, Maple Hill, has to say. I would just take it to a dealer or shop and have them do it if they had the tool and the shims as the tool is $246 from SPX-Kentmore. I just can't wait until the middle of July.

 

I had a CEL and the ECU told us it was a cylinder #1 misfire. Cylinder #1 valves and cylinder #4 valves were replaced when the pistons had a get-together with the valves after the timing belt jumped ship after the idler pulley melted apart after the water pump seized (I bought the car this way).

 

Cylinder #1 is too tight on the intake and my guess is cylinder #4 will be tight on the exhaust. PULLEAZE don't ask the obvious question, "why didn't you check valve clearance as you were reassembeling?" because I should have and didn't is the only lame reason! Often times the valves are fine after 100K miles so I just thought they would be fine again.

 

Just so you know I have a habbit of treating other peoples tools like rare gems. I realize they aren't free!

 

Let me know,

Greg

 

gwardecke@msn.com

Hi, I did a valve adjustment on my 98 2.5 DOHC using flat screwdrivers, tweezers, and magnetic pick up. It is extremely tedious to do it that way but can be done. If you have taken all of your clearances and are ready to get the shims out of the cam followers, it can be done using flat screw drivers on the edge of the buckets, but the tool would make it a breeze. I gave up on the high cost of the tool and also thought of begging someone to loan me one........good luck.............