Epilogue - see post #16

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Looks like they're OK now. thanks!

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Not me, a couple of friends of mine (and their friendly dog) on a LONG road trip are stuck a little outside of Asheville, NC.

 

They pulled over because the car, a 1990 Legacy 5MT wagon, was overheating and losing power.

• They told me that there was smoke or steam coming from the front area of the engine "by the oil fill tube."
  
• They said the smoke did not smell sweet but sort of burnt.
  
• They were unable to open the radiator due to the heat but told me the overflow tank was full.
  
• Upon checking the oil, they said it looked too full... but I don't know if they just looked at it or if they wiped and rewet it first..
  
• The radiator fans were working, and incidentally, I installed a new 2-row radiator a couple years ago.

I suspect something timing belt / oil pump / water pump related.

They told me that the cabin heater had blown intermittently and recently cut out but I don't think that's relevant. No other electrical problems.

 

Any help in the area would be appreciated. I'm writing JWX in Atlanta.

"Help" could be anything from a reference to a good deal on a repair, to helping with the repair, or a place to stay. Extra engine maybe? :-\

 

Please call Meghan or Nick at (509) 230-3619 if you can help. Neither of them are very familiar with engines or working on cars.

 

Thanks,

Andy

Edited for a change of location. They have a place to stay so it's primarily a diagnosis/repair issue now.

Try posting this in the New Gen forum for some diagnosis help.

Up in the hills in Boone you'll find Subaru friendly shops. Sorry,can't offer much more than that right now.

You just reminded me of something. In Swannanoa, just east of ashville, is a Subaru shop called Subaru's R us. You can see it from I40. They may be of some help to.

 

 

Subaru's R US

 

372 Buckeye Access Rd

Swannanoa, NC 28778-2935

Phone: (828) 669-1040

thanks guys!

They're having the car inspected at Subarus R Us tomorrow. Many thanks for the reference to them.

Meghan spoke to someone at the shop and is pleased so far. She relayed to me that the shop owner suspects the timing belt and water pump. I gave her a list of a few other things to check (front seals, oil change, etc) and plan to speak with him myself after he's looked at it.

Looks like they're out of the woods. Thanks again guys!

cool I was to far away to help... but was really wishing I could!

 

glad they are alright!

Please let us know how they are treated by Subarus R Us, I've driven past that place dozens of times when I hauled freight and wondered why they're not on this board!

The problem sounds like a blown headgasket.

You got it

You called it. She called me this AM.

 

The problem sounds like a blown headgasket.

Please let us know how they are treated by Subarus R Us, I've driven past that place dozens of times when I hauled freight and wondered why they're not on this board!

 

please do. i pass by it too and have never got to stop and check em out.

i asked about em on here a while back an no one had dealt with them.

might be a little gold mine sitting there beside the interstate.

 

thanks, Bill

You called it. She called me this AM.

 

 

Sorry to hear that was the problem.

me too, I was hoping timing belt.

Meghan got the car back today... with an EJ18 instead of an EJ22. She told me that she'd consented when the shop owner offered it to her as he was apparently unable to find an EJ22. Now I wish I would have called the shop after all before they did any work... also, when she called me to talk to me about OKing work on the car, I was on site watching the fire that burned the building at work (posted in Off Topic) so I don't think I really processed the conversation.

She did say that it felt OK on the freeway but also that it lacked power on hills. Go figure.

Anyway, from what I can tell, she was treated OK by the shop, which apparently doesn't have the best hookup on used parts.