Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

1320321323325326385

Comments

  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    If the gear oil was changed, what type of oil was put in? If to has slip agents, the synchros won't be as effective.

    Jim
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    Sounds like your dad is right. (I know...at 17 it's hard to believe! :P )

    What you could do is ignore the fuel gauge and simply reset (zero) the trip odometer every time you fill up. Then refill at around 250 miles. After doing this a few times you should have a good idea of your fuel economy and probably use a higher number than 250 based on the size of your fuel tank.

    HTH,

    Jim
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Yep, it's been years since I've depended on a fuel guage to let me know if I need to fill up. The trip odometer is a much more accurate guage of how far you have to go on a tank. It will simply take running down a few full tanks until you get an idea of where that edge is.

    Fill up, drive until you think you're getting close, and then fill up. you'll be able to calculate your maileage on the gas you used, and based on the number of gallons you put back in and the size of the tank, you'll have a good idea of how much gas was left in the tank. Then you'll have an idea of how much farther you could have gone on that last tank.

    Knowing the range of your car on a full tank is a good thing! :P
  • ladywclassladywclass Member Posts: 1,713
    Just a woman's voice here, Heather. The guys are right. I have always relied more on how far I've driven than on the gauge to tell me when to fill the gas tank.

    I know when my Outback gets to about 280 miles traveled around town it's time to fill it up!

    Brenda
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    The guys are right.

    First Heather's dad is right and now the guys are right? Wow! We're on a roll. :shades:

    Jim
  • heatherashleyheatherashley Member Posts: 3
    thank you so much guys! now im not as worried about the situation! wow, you guys must know alot about cars(subarus) hehe! so until i can get it into the shop, ill follow your advice!! thanks again
  • subi4obssubi4obs Member Posts: 32
    I don't know anything about the Subaru Legacy, especially not from 1995, so I tried finding any kind of illustration of the fuel tank. I didn't have any luck in my quick search, however, I saw this paragraph mentioning the sending unit at:
    drivewire fuel pumps.
    Summed up, it says it might be found from under the back seat or trunk. And I saw one at ebay. Looks like you might be able to get to the wiring connector at least and give that a check for looseness or any other problem.
    They apparently cost around $37 at rockauto.com, for the kind I saw there anyway, but replacing it yourself (or Dad) might be trouble if you had to remove the gas tank or other such difficulties.
    Maybe it wouldn't cost a whole lot to have done. I've never had one changed on any of my cars/trucks, only changed one out on a pontoon boat once and that's very different.

    Good luck with that.

    BTW, I use the trip odometer alot, too, mainly from keeping track of mileage. I just didn't think other people did as much as was said here. Still, it's nice to have a working gauge!
  • ladywclassladywclass Member Posts: 1,713
    don't let it go to your head ... :P
  • heatherashleyheatherashley Member Posts: 3
    thanks so much for all your help! cars, they are such a pain but we need them more than anything!!
  • amsbearamsbear Member Posts: 147
    Anyone out there have experience with replacing the starter on a 98 Outback Automatic? Mine is getting flaky and probably needs replacement fairly soon.

    Looking it over in my Haynes manual, it doesn't seem too bad. Maybe a little tough getting to the mounting bolts from what I can see.

    I investigated some prices from various online sources and get various price quotes. Maybe I will just have to burn some subie-bucks at the dealer to ensure I get the right part.

    Any thoughts or experiences out there? (xwesx ???? you out there???)

    Alan
    98 OBW Ltd Auto w/119,500 miles
  • ebony5ebony5 Member Posts: 142
    I too use my trip odometer to calculate when to refuel in my '96 OBW, but I suggest that it be done at around 200 miles. I do not like to go below 1/4 of a tank because there may be sediment at the bottom of the tank which could possibly affect the fuel pump etc.(especially in older vehicles). I may be wrong on this and overly cautious; if anyone has additional information concerning this feel free to comment.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    After a week hiatus, I am back and as troublesome as ever. :P

    Of all the starters I have replaced, this one is the easiest. Located on the top right rear of the engine, it is easily accessible save for the myriad of hoses and cables through which you will need to snake your hands and the unit upon removal/installation. There is one bolt on the top of the unit that affixes both the starter and the transaxle housing to the engine, then another bolt on the bottom that you will likely need to access from below. That one is a bit of a pain as you find it more by feel than sight, but it is not too difficult to get a wrench on it and it tends to snap free with relative ease (emphasis, mind you, on relative). Take the bottom bolt out FIRST to make the process simple on yourself. You should afford yourself enough room just by driving it up on ramps prior to the work.

    Good luck, and be sure to get that negative battery terminal cranked down well.... :blush:

    I'm at 210.5K now and still counting.... :D
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    I hear this often as well but have never been affected by pump problems. I typically put between 11.5 and (rarely) 14.5 in my '96. It will "run out" at 15.2 with the 16 gallon tank and I have only had that happen once when I stupidly relied on past experience to dictate the current situation (the, "I always make this trip on one tank" argument). Depending on the time of year, the mileage is 180 to 350. At consistent -30F temps in January, city driving for 180 miles will net me a 12-gallon fillup. At 80F in July, highway driving for 350 miles will net me a 14.5ish-gallon fillup. I typically use 250 as my marker. If I see the trip guage at that, I know it is about that time.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • goose2112goose2112 Member Posts: 3
    Hello, thanks for the responses.

    Ummmm, silly question but by gear oil do you mean transmission fluid or something else ?

    I do know that I am very good with following the proper Subaru maintenance schedules and everything except for 2 oil changes were done at the dealership.

    One thing that just occured to me is that at 24K a couple of transmission bearings were replaced under warranty but I don't recall any significant changes after this was done.
    I don't think this would be related (?)
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    For a manual tranny: the gearbox and front diffy share the oil. From memory it's like 75w-90 gear oil (check the manual). Preferably without slip additives. The slip additives make the synchros less efficient.

    For an auto tranny: use automatic transmission fluid in the tranny. The front diffy takes gear oil (completely separate fill and drain ports from the tranny) use the same gear oil as in the rear diffy.

    I should have clarified whether you had a manual or auto tranny.

    Jim
  • poodog13poodog13 Member Posts: 320
    My wife drives an '05 Forester and I occassionally drive when we are both in her car on weekends. I drive an '06 Nissan Maxima.

    I've complained to her several times that her brakes are mushy and that there seems to be little engagement unless pressed nearly all the way down. When brake engagement does occur, it seems to be abrupt rather than gradual. I've criticized her braking a being jerky in the past but am starting to wonder if it's her brakes and not her.

    She said she's asked the dealer to look at them twice and that they said there is nothing wrong and that's just the way Subarus are set up. Sounds like a cop-out to me, any thoughts or similar experiences?
  • amsbearamsbear Member Posts: 147
    xwesx,

    Thanks for the tip(s). Today it started up without incident. There must be a bad spot within the motor and by chance I get positioned on it from time to time.

    About two weeks ago, I pulled the battery cables off and wire brushed the connectors and terminals. Reinstalling, I ensured that everything was tight. This seems to have helped the situation some.

    I looked over the starter and its connectors and bolts yesterday evening, and it seems like a reasonable DIYer. Yep, plenty of hoses between it and the firewall.

    As far as the replacement starter goes, are there any recommendations out there? I see various brands at differing prices (i.e. Denso, Bosch, Duralast).

    Thanks,

    Alan 98 OBW Ltd
  • subi4obssubi4obs Member Posts: 32
    On my '04 Impreza Outback Sport I noticed a change in the way the brake pedal felt after the first year. Coming up on the 2nd year now and the brake pedal can feel "mushy", even drops out from under my foot a little at stops before going firm again.

    Coming up on its 30K mile checkup so it'll be a brakeline bleed and refill at the very least.

    Level still shows it's okay. Must be air or water in the line(s)somehow. Oddly enough, first time I noticed anything about it was after a tire rotation so I hope nothing happened during that.

    I'd think it too soon for your wife's Forester to be needing the brakelines bled but it being a SUV maybe it is affected more than my little OBS.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    I've never felt I had a problem with my '96 Outback, but I have driven an '01 Frontier a few times in the past couple weeks and I do notice that the brakes respond much more quickly in that rig. I had to train myself for a lighter foot because I was tending to try stopping on every dime I saw along the roadway.... :blush:

    Granted though, my other vehicles are 1969 models.....
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    What does it do when it does not start? Just a click? Nothing? Mine did that when I first bought it as well (just a click), and I think a shop replaced the solenoid, maybe the whole starter. I cannot remember now. I had taken it there for the emmisions test and they couldn't start it so I had them throw it in. I would have to go back to the records though. :(

    -Wes-
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • amsbearamsbear Member Posts: 147
    Wes,

    I definitely hear the click of the solenoid engaging. Turning the key a 2nd or 3rd time and it will crank and start up normally.

    This latest time was a little different where during the subsequent turning of the key I would hear a slight movement of the starter motor. Then the next attempt it would engage and crank normally.

    Since then there has been no issue starting the car. Now I need to find some wood to knock on. :D

    Alan
    98 OBW Ltd
  • n00kn00k Member Posts: 3
    Hello. I am having a problem starting my 95 legacy. The starter is turning, battery is good, but I am getting no spark from the ignition coil. There is an igniter which sends a signal? to the coil to let it know when to fire? is how it was explained to me. I was also told that it may be a crankshaft timing sensor or my ECM. What I was wondering was how and if I can check these three components. I know how to get to them and everything, just don't know how to check them. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Just replace the coil, I think it's something like $80 for the OE one and there's only one for all 4 cylinders.

    I had to replace mine when a chipmunk chewed up my wires! :mad:

    I also replaced the spark plug wires. Yours are probably 12 years old now!

    -juice
  • edunnettedunnett Member Posts: 553
    It's been some time since I've posted! Work has been just terrible for the last 18 months and this is the first tiny brake I've gotten! I hope to be returning more soon, but just wanted to say 'Hi' and glad to see there are still a few familiar names around. :-)
    -Elissa ('04 F-XT)
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    hey Elissa, don't work so hard and enjoy your XT more!

    John
  • n00kn00k Member Posts: 3
    damn chipmunks. hopefully he was nawing on them when you tried starting your car.
    the problem is, my car began to not start if it was still warm. say i would run into the beer store and come back out, it would not start. crank it a few times wait about five minutes and it would start. it was livable so i didn't look into it until it totally [non-permissible content removed] itself. now by the research i did last nite, it seems that the problem may be the crankshaft position sensor. i am assuming that it would send a signal to the igniter which in turn sends a signal to the coil (or it goes straight to the coil) to let it know when to spark. make sense? i don't really know. but if you can give me some other advice, i believe that i am going to go ahead and order the sensor and try that (it is only $50). if that doesn't work i'll go shoot a chipmunk :)

    thanks for the response,
    kk
  • edunnettedunnett Member Posts: 553
    Thanks John! It's good to be back! And I AM enjoying the XT! Love that little bugger and the 86 Civic is still hanging in there! Funny thing I forgot to mention... as my manager tries to staff up here so the likes of me can stop slaving so hard, one of his goals is to get me back on Edmunds.com during my lunch hour! LOL Yes, he actually says that in our staff meetings "we've got to staff up to a point that Elissa can visit Edmunds". -elissa
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Well, now there is a caring manager! :shades:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    It very well might be the position sensor. I had this exact problem with mine for years (argh it was annoying, but absolutely predictable) and have had no problems at all since I replaced the cam, crank, and knock sensors (now that I think about it!). I replaced them all when, I think, the ECU said the cam sensor had failed. But, replacing the cam sensor did nothing to improve the way the car ran (though no problems starting, per se). After that, I replaced the knock sensor and it was good to go, but went ahead and did the crank sensor just out of spite. Good luck with it. That was 2 years ago and not a single problem (with that) since. ;)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • allsop44allsop44 Member Posts: 5
    I have a 95 Subaru Legacy that doesn't want to start after i've been driving. I've taken it in & they thought it was the fuel pump then they thought it was the fuel filter. They changed the fuel filter but it still didn't help. I thought it wasn't getting a spark, so I took it back in & that wasn't the case. Why would the car be good for most of the day but when I turn the car off it takes 5-10 minutes to try and get it started again? Can anyone help Me?
  • samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    Does it only happen in this hot weather? Sounds like possible heat soak. If the weather is hot and you shut the car off, some fuel in the fuel rail under the hood may become vaporized due to extreme temperatures in the engine bay, and you have something similar to a vapor lock. When the car has a chance to cool off and / or clear the fuel rail, it will start again.

    Try giving it 1/2 throttle while cranking - that should clear up the fuel lines very quickly. If that helps, then a professional fuel injection cleaning may help your problem on a more permanent basis.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Good timing.... follow the message thread ending with #6861. Your symptom sounds like what I was talking about. Good to know others have the same problem.... or not. :surprise:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Hmmm... that is an interesting thought. My problem was unrelated to the outside conditions. It happened anywhere from +90 to -50 (F) and nearly always took 5-10 minutes to start. I could crank it till it died and nothing, but wait 5 minutes and try again... if no, then wait 5 minutes and try again. :mad:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • allsop44allsop44 Member Posts: 5
    This problem started last winter when I was driving up the mountain to go snowboarding. The car was running fine up the mtn. but when I went to start it at the end of the day it did the same thing. It acts like it wants to start but it seems like it isn't getting a spark. When started I'm always afraid to turn it off in case it does it again... If it isn't vapor lock or fuel pump or fuel filter could it be something within the engine?
  • samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    Does it start if you press the throttle down about half-way?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Welcome back, Elissa.

    You missed my whole Chipmunk Episode. They chewed up my ignition wires and made my engine run rough.

    9 years and my first problem is due to ... rodents! :cry:

    -juice
  • n00kn00k Member Posts: 3
    no. i changed the crankshaft position sensor this morning and she's starting up fine. thanks for the suggestion though. :)
  • allsop44allsop44 Member Posts: 5
    Yes, sometimes... But, the car always feels like it's trying to turn over but it can't. I thought it wasn't getting a spark so I tested it...It's still getting a spark from what I've seen. At this point I'm very confused on what the problem could be, even when I take it into the shop they can't even find what the problem could be. Could you make any suggestions for me on my next trip into the shop. Cause this is a huge problem & I use my car everyday...
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    So, now, define what you mean by "trying to turn over." Are you saying the engine does not even crank, or that it does crank but does not run. To me, "turn over" means to make a revolution, and that is typically accomplished via the starter. :blush:

    If your car seems to respond to the throttle input, then your problem is likely different from the one I had, but until further information is divulged, I am still leaning toward this being a sensor (electronic) issue rather than mechanical.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    If it has trouble "turning over" before it cools off, it might be your starter is on its last legs. GM's in the 80's were famous for their defective starters - they would not crank fast enough when the engine was hot.
  • psfod3psfod3 Member Posts: 63
    I have a 03 Forester with 114,000 miles on it. At around 65,000 miles I noticed a hot oil or fluid smell when I got out of the car. It was always worse in the rain. It has become so bad I connot drive with the windows down. When I get off the highway I sometimes have to just walk away from the car for a few min till the smell goes away. At around 80,000 miles the dealer changed the steering rack stating there was a power steering fluid leek on the manafold. AS the smell never went away I went to another dealer who at around 92,000 changed all the head gaskets and valve cover gaskets stating that was the cause of the hot oil / fluid smell. The smell is still there and can be very annoying. I always have to have the windows closed when I drive as the engine fan seems to blow the hot air around the car esp when the ac is on. I went to a third dealer who said the drain bolt to the front diff. was a little loose and and there was a slight leak on the manafold. He tightened the bolt at around 110,000 miles but the hot oil smell is still there. I have not changed the timing belt yet because I am not sure if I want to keep the car with this problem. I do not understand how three dealers cannot find the cause to this problem. now I am no longer under extended warrenty and do not want a costly repair. I never see the car leeking oil but when I bring it in for a oil change every 3000 miles it is sometimes low. any suggestions would be very appriciated. ( o rigs , oil pump, etc who knows)
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    if it was me, I would get a can of GUNK and hose everything down. Maybe twice. I would drop the plastic skid guards and start looking. Oil/grease can sometimes travel quite far from its point of origin.

    Your other two options: sell the car, or keep running it to the mechanics. Not much anyone of us can do for you. There could be any number of gaskets/seals/hose leaks causing the problem. If you can figure out which fluid is leaking, that will be a good starting point to solving the problem.

    John
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    A dealer or shop that is really on the ball can put a dye in the oil and then shine a black light on the engine, exposing the source of the leak. When you tell this to some shops, they will roll their eyes because really this is way too much trouble for them. It's so much easier to guess.
  • dsaindsain Member Posts: 17
    When I did my 90K service I added the Subaru conditioner when I changed the coolant. On a 4000 mile road trip at around 104K miles the car got hot idling at a gas station when I went in for coffee (warm air from AC and needle in the red zone), but as soon as I started driving the needle dropped to the normal area. When I got to my destination, I added a half gallon of coolant, and all was well for the next 11 days.

    The return trip took me through 110°+ temps and every hill I watched the needle go up and drop on the down side. My coolant level would drop and I had to top it off regularly. Once back at home, poking around, looks like exhaust gasses bubbling in the overflow tank. Smells like it too. It's also running a little rough @ idle under load (in D or w/AC on). Like one cylinder is weak; it's regular, and feels like 700Hz vibration.

    I'm guessing the head gaskets :sick: - go figure that one'd fail just after the extended warranty expires. Does anyone have any experience with Subaru helping fix this (is there a chance?), or have you done the gaskets yourself. I can't afford to take it into a shop for the job because I need to feed me and my kids on a suck job and feed gas to my car.

    Need the SPX tools for the timing belt and crank pully, but everything else should be common? Has anyone read the TSB - Legacy Cylinder Head R&R, In-Vehicle Procedure Literature #: 02-77-90?

    If it is the head gasket, and I go see George and my local Suba store, is he going to sell me a better gasket than what was originally installed? Will I need to add the stop-leak (cuz that's all it is, same package, just a different label, from a UK manufacturer).

    And last but not least does anyone know anything about slow retracting seatbelts. Driver belt has to be fed in manually most of the time so I don't slam the buckle in the door. (TSB - Slow Retraction of Seatbelts Literature #: 17-08-04)

    Thanks,
    David

    '00 Outback Wagon
    Now ~108k miles
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Wow.... NOT guessing?! Where is the job security in that? :P

    From the stink you describe, I would say it is probably differential oil versus engine oil at this point. So, it is possible that the last tightening did help, but as John suggested, a thorough engine and undercarriage cleaning is in order if you want quick results on stopping the stink. After that, close monitoring to note the source of the culprit. leaks are fairly easy to sniff out early on, but once they start to gunk up it can be quite a guessing game. If the leak is relatively bad, you can see "fresh" oil on near the leak before it turns into a gunky mess further back/down and that can help to pinpoint the problem as well. Replacing head gaskets on a whim? I sure hope THAT was under warranty. Should have had the timing belt replaced concurrently, so a shame if not.

    -Wes-
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Well, at 108K miles, my guess is that Subaru will be reluctant to help at all and will probably only foot a portion of the bill if they do decide you have a "worthy" case. The only thing you can do, though, is call and ask. Barring that, the gasket replacement job is definitely something you can do on your own (without special tools for timing belt or crank pulley) with the time and inclination, but you do not get any guarantee period afterward! I have put 18.5K on mine since I replaced the HGs 10 months ago and all is well thus far - when I arrived at work this morning the ODO read 211000. That was a rarity!

    Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • dsaindsain Member Posts: 17
    I recharged my AC over the weekend and the overheating in hot weather problem went away. So, I wonder how long the problem has been around. I'm probably stuck.

    You say special tools are not needed for timing belt or crank? How do you pull the pulley? I really don't want to use an air impact wrench anywhere near my crankshaft. And the timing belt. I suppose if the heads are taken out the cams are going to move anyway... I don't have a press for the tensioner, but I can probably fudge it.

    David
  • allsop44allsop44 Member Posts: 5
    When I turn the key to start the car it acts like it wants to start but can't. If I leave the key on and hold the gas peddal down the car will finally turn on. I'm not sure how else to explain the problem. It's not the starter cause I just replaced it a month ago! I was told by a friend that it could be a sensor...What do these sensors do? I know that seems like a stupid question to ask but i'm trying to make the effort to learn more about my car & I thank you for helping me...
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Thanks, allsop44. What you are describing is definitely different from the route I was suggesting above.

    Are you pressing the pedal all the way to the floor? If so, that should shut off the fuel supply. So, if that allows the car to start, then it sounds like the car is flooding upon the initial attempt to start. If it IS flooding, you should notice a change in the sound of the engine cranking.... like it will go to start like normal, catch (fire) for just a moment but stalls out, then the cranking sounds, hmmm.... easier?, as though the cylinder compression suddenly dropped. At least, that is how mine would sound when I had a flooding problem. When this was happening, I would do as you said - hold the pedal down while cranking to clear the cylinders and it would fire up. But, it would run roughly for about 30 seconds and then smooth out. Is that happening to you? I have a feeling that, whatever your car's problem, it is related to sensors and is running the fuel mixture too rich. I will take a look at the shop bill from that repair and see exactly what was written there, as I had to take it in for repair that time due to a trip scheduled a few days from the onset of the problem.

    This was not a hit-and-miss sort of problem, but was persistent and caused trouble starting the car EVERY time over the 3-4 days before I had it repaired - especially when it was cold.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Well, I suppose it depends on how stubborn everything is. For the crank pulley bolt, I use a vice-grip w/ chain (this is an actual one-piece tool that you can buy, though I am unsure as to the technical name of it) to secure the pulley/crankshaft and provide leverage, then I put a 1/2" breaker bar on the pulley bolt (it uses a 22mm socket) and leverage the two tools against each other to break the bolt loose. Once loose, the pulley itself just shimmys off (on mine). Oh, but then, I replaced a main seal on a friends Nissan Sentra, and the way we did it that time was to pull a spark plug and thread a large rope (about 3/8"?) into the plug hole. With the piston at its lowest position, we threaded a bunch in there and then turned the crank until it pressed up against the rope. It kept the crank from turning and we were able to easily break the bolt loose, and, a few minutes later, tighten it back up again. Another friend, who had seen many seat-of-the-pants single-engine aircraft repairs, saved the day with that suggestion! The trick with the Subaru is only that you would probably need the engine out of the car to easily perform the task of threading in the rope. I'd pull the engine anyway to get to the head gaskets just for ease of work, but I am not sure how you planned to do it.

    For the cam sprockets, the biggest problem with those is getting the darn bolts off and on because the sprockets are carbon-fiber or some such and are quite brittle to anything hard/sharp. For these, pull the valve covers off FIRST and you will see a hex-shaped casting in the camshaft. Hold this and pop them loose with the appropriate socket on a 1/2" driver. The first time I removed them, i used a large, adjustable Channel Lock to hold the sprockets (as they have large hex "nuts" molded into them), but the second time they were apparently too brittle and the Channel Lock caused the material on the nuts to chip away rather than holding. I used a strap wrench the second time and it was a great alternative, but again, depends on the force needed to break them loose as strap wrenches do have their limitations. A fella who read my webpage about the project provided me with the camshaft casting tip... and I am sure it will serve you well!!!! As for keeping the cams from moving? Don't bother. Just do not, and I absolutely repeat, DO NOT turn a camshaft if there is tension (it is pressing valves open) on the other camshaft (on the same side of the engine). If you do, you can bind the valves and cause damage. If not, you can turn them 'till the cows come home and, as long as you align the markings when reinstalling the timing belt, you will have no problems. I probably should not be advocating that... but experience tells me to use care rather than worry. ;) Oh, wait, yours is a 2000? Isn't that a single overhead cam? Hmm, seems, still, like it should not be a problem since the cam will never open intake and exhaust valves simultaneously, unless the valves can actually make contact with the pistons if open at the wrong time. General rule: if there is suddenly a lot of resistance, stop. :D

    When you go to take the heads out, you will need to remove the camshafts. Place them somewhere out of the way and just lay everything out such that you can return the cams and bearings (if not replacing them) to their previous locations. Oh, and have a 1/2" drive, 12-point socket available for pulling the head bolts as they require the 12-point. I should remember the size, but I am drawing a blank there.... 14mm? I'd have to check my toolbox.

    For the tensioner, there are a variety of ways to compress it. A bench press is, obviously, the easiest and most straight forward method, but a large C-clamp will accomplish the same task. I even resorted to placing the tensioner between a 6-ton bottle jack and the trailer hitch on my pickup and slowly compressed it with that combo. The key is just to compress it slowly, regardless of the other details.

    If you want to see the mess I made of mine.... then just click here. So, after seeing that, remember to take all of this for what it is worth!
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
Sign In or Register to comment.