littlecars Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 I just replaced the head gaskets. Now It is idleing poorly, but runs good at high/ RPM's. The check engion light is not on. Any ideas? Maybe a vacumm leak? I have checked everything twice and have not found anything wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 i would suspect a vacuum leak. with the engine running, just squirt some starter fluid around the manifold, vacuum leaks are really easy to find that way. did you pull the engine or leave it in the car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 This is an EJ25 DOHC, right? What year? Mileage? Was it idling okay before you worked on the head gaskets? I still think it might be a good idea to pull the Idle Air Control valve and give it and its connecting hoses a thorough cleaning. Also check/clean the electrical connectors for the IACV, MAF and the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. Good luck, Brent. Keep trying things and asking questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 O.K. I am going to go and try these thing right now. It ran perfict before I did any work to it. The check engion light came on so I went to autozone and had then scan it. It said misfire on #2 and #4. Since they are on the same side of the engion, this might help me out. Thinking back to when I was doing the work, I did not gap the new spark plugs I put in. I was told they were pregapped, so I just looked at them. they looked to be gapped about the same as the old ones wo I threw them in. Do you think I should pull them out and check there gap? if so what should I gap them to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 It is the 2.5l dohc with 105,000 miles. it has been whell taken care of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Plugs are fine, they come pre gapped. 2 and 4 are on the same side of the engine. Car ran fine before the job. Car runs crummy after #1 cause, timing belt is off a tooth. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 I pulled the engion to do the head gaskets. I just sprayed 1 1/2 bottles of starting fluid and did not find any vacumn leaks. It was hard to spray it under the box that is above the tranny but I did the best I could and the idle did not change at all. I also diconnected and cleaned every electrical connector. I am going to go back outside and clean the idle valve thingy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 If the timing belt was off a tooth would it run bad just at idle? My car runs at freeway speeds just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Still probably the belt. Sometimes I've seen bogus cam or crank codes since it doesn't understand that the belt can be off. And these codes are intermittent. I'm in the belt is off a tooth or more camp as an educated guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 If the timing belt was off a tooth would it run bad just at idle? My car runs at freeway speeds just fine. yes depending upon which way its off a tooth. Modern computer controls can try to correct for many things, and sometimes manages to do it well, like smooth running at highwya speed but poor running at idle. Also just check the obvious, like a disconnected vac line at the air intake box. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Whell, I am going to start tearing it down to check the timing belt. I hope that is it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 This is for a 1995 http://www.lovehorsepower.com/SubaruDocs/TimingWaterPump.htm but the pics are great. I think the cam timing is page 2 or 3 also www.endwrench.com in the archives under engine. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 First link didn't work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 try http://www.lovehorsepower.com/ go to the subaru pages, then the timing belt page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 O.K. I just ripped the covers off and the timing belt is right on the money. I was hopeing to find something wrong. This should not matter but I also replaced the water pump and thermistate whiill I was in there. The temp is fine though so I dont think this is relivent, but I thought I would add it anywheys. Any more thoughts??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 I just ran outside to make sure the woodruff keys holding the gears onto the cams are still there, and they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I don't mean to be condescending. But please double check all 3 markings. Crank and both cams. Remember to line up with the dots. Not hash marks or arrows. Although if you used the wrong marks usually you'd be having worse issues. It's really sounding like the TB. One of the other options is that the HG has issues. Not torqued correctly, non OEM gaskets, etc. on the drivers side. Usually it seems the other head is what bends valves first(1&3). Perhaps others will have other idea's. Make SURE that the cam sprocket on that side is seated properly(actually BOTH sides). I realize it's tight now - but is it seated properly at the notch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I don't mean to be condescending. But please double check all 3 markings. Crank and both cams. Remember to line up with the dots. Not hash marks or arrows. Although if you used the wrong marks usually you'd be having worse issues. It's really sounding like the TB. One of the other options is that the HG has issues. Not torqued correctly, non OEM gaskets, etc. on the drivers side. Usually it seems the other head is what bends valves first(1&3). Perhaps others will have other idea's. Make SURE that the cam sprocket on that side is seated properly(actually BOTH sides). I realize it's tight now - but is it seated properly at the notch? What he said. Many have been fooled thinking everything is on the mark just to find out its not on the 7th look. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Mine is the DOHC, sorry if I forgot to mention that earlier. The prockets are on there in the right posistion and the marks are definatly lined up right. I checked it several times before putting the cover on the first time and I checked it again just a few minutes ago. But I will not put it all back together until tomarrow and I will check it again then. I know I torqued the head on there correctly. The gaskets I used were Feltpro. They looked like a quality gasket, everything lined up just right and the job went pretty smooth, whell until this! When you say TB, does that mean throttle body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 If I put the wrong cam pullies in the wrong spot would that matter? or is that even possible. I a pretty surI put them on in the same spots I took them off. But not possitive. If I had them in the wrong spot the marks would be way way to far off, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 Sorry I mean Timing Belt. If you look through the posts here Timing Belt is discussed probably 50-100 to one about a throttle body. So I use TB cause I don't know of another short abbreviation. Felpro does make good gaskets. But I don't use their HG's on Suby's. I use their intakes, exhausts, (dealer WP gaskets). I use Felrpo on VW's often and other cars. Suby's are a bit moody when it comes to HG's so I stick with OEM and have never had an issue. If you look around here for threads with folks with isuses after a HG job youi'll see most didn't use OEM gaskets. Whether the issues arise from the gaskets, or if that's just a symptom of other shortcuts/cost cutting I don't know. But I've done a bunch of them with no issues using OEM. I don't like to do things twice. Even if you don't pay yourself much the frustration factor just isn't worth it. If you're gonna do all that work and use Ebay off brand gaskets, well.... perhaps your momma dropped you on your head too many times? (no offense to those that were dropped). You should be doing research AHEAD OF TIME on an undertaking of this size. If not you'll be amazed at how much quicker it goes the second time on the same car. While I'm on pet peeves how about updating your LOCATION with something USEFUL. Perhaps someone local will offer to double check your work. The results may be better in person than you typing your observations and us guessing. Just a thought. Eventually it gets to be like boxing in the dark. Not that we're there yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I am not going to condem the HG without a compression test of some kind. I like felpro gaskets, I have used them to rebuild engines, but subaru HG should only come from subaru. Aftermarket may not have the lateste version of the HG, or may never even be close. I still say most likely your TB is off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 If I put the wrong cam pullies in the wrong spot would that matter? or is that even possible. I a pretty surI put them on in the same spots I took them off. But not possitive. If I had them in the wrong spot the marks would be way way to far off, right? They are marked rather well IIR and the offsets on the different sides are radically different IIR. They are marked L and R IN and EX IIR. Right is Passenger side, L is drivers side. INtake are on the top, EXhaust are on the bottom. I would think the belt routing would be obvious if they were screwed up - but I've been wrong before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlecars Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 I just added my location to my personal information. I definatly didnt try to cut corners by buying felpro gaskets. I thought they were about the best. I didnt by dealer gaskets becouse I work 60 hours a week and I have trouble geting to the local dealer when they are open. Anyone have a preferance of a compression checker that would be easy to use on a subaru? It looks like it will be hard to get it in there. If I have to replace the gasket again should I buy new bolts again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I just added my location to my personal information. I definatly didnt try to cut corners by buying felpro gaskets. I thought they were about the best. I didnt by dealer gaskets becouse I work 60 hours a week and I have trouble geting to the local dealer when they are open. Anyone have a preferance of a compression checker that would be easy to use on a subaru? It looks like it will be hard to get it in there. If I have to replace the gasket again should I buy new bolts again? No new bolts. Use an online supplier like 1stsubaru.com . Compression test will tell us also if the TB is wrong. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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