Topic: Barn, From Jets

[OrcasNotOilers]

Also replaced the rear endlinks with Audi front endlinks and dropped in some new fasteners and painted the swaybar bushing body mount brackets because they were out.

B7 links, right? I've been putting this off for a while and need to get on it.

[seat safety switch]

B7 links, right? I've been putting this off for a while and need to get on it.

Yeah, 2001 Audi A4 front endlinks. Note that they are directional so get the front left and front right parts.

The URO ones (I know, URO sucks) came with bolts and nuts.

[ultimatt]

NAPA cavity wax. Smells good, probably does what it says.

[seat safety switch]

Started tearing it down for the rad swap and timing belt today. Obviously, Subaru must have been cross-training some GM mechanics because the factory thermostat gasket was installed pinched and may have been the source of the leaking coolant.

Snapped the AC tensioner because I miscommunicated the status of the lockdown bolt before an impact wrench was introduced to it.

Most of the bolts on the timing cover inspection cover pulled out of the back cover, so I'm just going to seal that itshay up with duct tape or something when it's back together. I really don't want to yank a cam pulley just to replace some overpriced timing cover plastics.

One of the (URO-provided) swaybar endlink bolts worked its nut free and disappeared sometime over the last few weeks, so I also need to fix that.

[seat safety switch]

Went to pick n pull, got a "new" AC tensioner shuttle, realized we put a dent in the passenger side fender leaning on it to get the crank pulley off, did the timing belt properly (I hope) and started buttoning everything back up.

Also had to cut the little hose leading off the water pump because it was stuck on there but good. I don't even know what that thing is for.

WTB: Saabaru fenders or really good PDR

[jellynuts]

You know my vote:

http://www.calgarydentrepair.com/

Brian was a Subie enthusiast and a WSC member, although not active these days.  Also, great customer service. 

Sasha's awesome too.

[bigdl]

You know my vote:

http://www.calgarydentrepair.com/

Brian was a Subie enthusiast and a WSC member, although not active these days.  Also, great customer service. 

Sasha's awesome too.

They are both good at what they do!

[seat safety switch]

So we got it all buttoned back up, and it starts and drives, but it immediately flat spotted the AC tensioner idler (belt too tight?) and also the crank pulley is wobbling now.

Now it's sitting in a field until I can get all the itshay I need to try another run at this thing, and I really hope I didn't somehow mess up the crank keyway because I am not putting another engine in it before the snow falls.

WTB: Crank pulley tool, crank pulley, new crank bolt, new AC tensioner idler.

I need a drink.

[seat safety switch]

Finally back together again. Looks like the pulley wasn't quite on the key, or it slipped during torquing, and mushroomed the end of the key a bit while putting a savage divot into the back of the pulley where it shouldn't have been. Swapped to the spare pulley I had lying around and put a new crank bolt into it.

It was really scary for awhile there, somewhat glad that (for now, at least) I'm not going to be pulling the crank sprocket, redoing the entire timing belt job and replacing the key.

The Company23 crank tool is pretty good, but it is definitely one of those tools I will probably lend out more than I ever use.

Dropped the rad back in, bled the coolant, and gave it an oil change. Feels like a freakin' rocket compared to the Town Car. Did not replace the AC tensioner, just took the whole mess off the front end.

[ultimatt]

I've used the tool once and lent it out .... more times than I have fingers

[seat safety switch]

I spent most of my time screaming and freaking out but luckily someone else got pictures.

Make a mess, clean it up:


Mushroomed woodruff key:


Banged-up crank pulley:


Epoxied in a rivnut to fix the cracked lower timing cover:

[blame]

Oh dang, that pulley was like 90° out. Was it put on that way? Or did it wiggle off the key or something?

[jellynuts]

Oh dang, that pulley was like 90° out. Was it put on that way? Or did it wiggle off the key or something?

Yeah, that's insane!  There are no marks between the two points.  Just a clean 90°.  This would make a great Gr. 9 trig question with circles and triangles. 

[seat safety switch]

I think that I put it on right, but I suspect it slipped off the key and rode on top of the key as we were torquing it.

Judging from the witness marks on the key it was definitely dragged across its face.

[mudferret]

Saab. Fancy. Red. Fast.

[seat safety switch]

So ever since it started getting warm again, I've noticed that the temp gauge will creep up if the car has been sitting in stop-and-go traffic for long enough. I tested the fan system and checked for leaks, but didn't find any until this weekend when I noticed a white deposit on the timing cover, around where the upper rad hose connects to the block. Sure enough, the hose clamp for the upper rad hose had backed off.

I also rebuilt the AC tensioner with the Dorman AC tensioner bolt kit and a new pulley from RockAuto, and then reset the belts. It looks like I got the wrong belt for the alternator again (RockAuto/Gates' suggested 5PK880 doesn't seem to fit, the car had a Subaru-branded 5PK885) but I managed to get everything buttoned back up.

Replaced the PCV, and it came out filled with a ton of rancid-smelling, brown liquid oil for some reason. PCV still clicked but it was probably time to replace it anyway.

The hatch handle keeps getting stuck, and apparently that is just a Saabaru "thing" that also makes me look like an idiot at the grocery store. Greasing it actually made it worse so now I'm going to need to figure out how to solve it permanently. In the meantime I've removed the interior trim and attached a pull string to 'reset' the handle when it breaks bad.

Did an oil change.

I've noticed it tramlines really bad with the Speedlines on it, and there's a bit of a tire-noise sound from the rear that I hope isn't wheel bearings.

[mudferret]

You can buy my WRX! 

[seat safety switch]

I farted some brake pads in today and maybe the weird tramlining was sticky caliper slide pins on the front left, because it went away after the job.

When I did the brakes on the '03 2.5TS last time, I handed over the old rotors to be resurfaced. I forgot about them until I actually went to put the pads on and found them in the pile, and amazingly they are the same size, so I also have "new" rotors.

Pro-tip: when you have brake rotors resurfaced, don't leave them in the back of your truck for a year while doing errands until the cardboard box containing them disintegrates and the rotors rust.

[OrcasNotOilers]

The hatch handle keeps getting stuck, and apparently that is just a Saabaru "thing" that also makes me look like an idiot at the grocery store. Greasing it actually made it worse so now I'm going to need to figure out how to solve it permanently. In the meantime I've removed the interior trim and attached a pull string to 'reset' the handle when it breaks bad.

This. I think I know what you're talking about. I've been able to open it from outside, though. The sequence for me is something like:
1. Unlock (usually 3-4 tries with the fob)
2. Try and fail
3. Lock
4. Push handle awkwardly back towards vehicle with fingertips
5. Unlock (another 3-4 fob pushes)
6. Try again, if failed, return to step 3, otherwise Profit???

I have a feeling it is related to the handle not returning all the way back to the un-squeezed position after use. Good to know I shouldn't grease it.

[seat safety switch]

I'll probably try at greasing it again. I did find out the handle part number is 62150AA211, which is used on Legacy wagons up til '04, so at least it's not some one-off astardbay Saab part.

Right now I've been just tugging on the bicycle cable inside the hatch every time it gets stuck. I tied a shoelace onto it so I can pull it through the access hole.

[seat safety switch]

So last night it started overheating like crazy (couldn't even put any load into the engine without the temperature gauge creeping up) when I was like 30km from home. I ended up getting it towed to Vex, so hopefully in the morning they can do a diagnosis and I can figure out how to get it up north so I can fix it.

It was 100% fine on the highway, then I made a stop, turned the engine off, got back in the car a few minutes later and it started overheating before I hit the end of the block.

Did a few roadside checks:

• Hose clamps seem tight, no visible leaks
• Both fans work - off when cold, then drivers-side is on, then both are on as it gets hotter
• When I first pulled over, the top hose felt cooler than the bottom hose. After letting it cool down for a long time and opening the rad cap to do a ghetto roadside bleed, the thermostat opened during the bleed, and then both hoses were equally warm. This didn't fix the overheating.
• At idle, the temperature is a little higher than usual, but is fairly steady. When I put some load in it, it overheats almost immediately. At first, it would start overheating on idle throttle blips, but after the ghetto bleed that stopped, and it would only start overheating under load.
• During the ghetto bleed, when the thermostat opened, steam/smoke started coming out of the filler neck. It didn't smell like exhaust, and the temp gauge was in the high-normal range.
• No obvious leaks from the water pump area, lower rad hose, the radiator, the rad cap, the puke tank. Puke tank hose was not blocked (I blew in it, I always forget how gross coolant tastes)
• Coolant in the puke tank looks a little greasy
• Coolant in the puke tank wasn't bubbling at idle or when the car was shut off
• Engine block is actually quite warm, so it's not the sensor
• When it starts to creep past the 75% line on the temp gauge, the exhaust note changes, like one of the cylinders is pushing water instead of air/fuel mix. Looked like there was some clearish liquid in the muffler of the (catless PO-hacked) exhaust system, but it didn't smell like coolant. Can't imagine it could be anything but coolant, though.

There's quite a few variables since I replaced almost everything in the cooling system when I did the timing belt. I know what everything is pointing to (The Problem Which Dare Not Speak Its Name) but I sure don't want to have to do another timing belt after like < 12000 km, even ignoring the rest of what that job entails.

Sure hope this doesn't get expensive, because this "spend more money for a more reliable Subaru that I don't work on every weekend" experiment has not worked out so far.

[RockThePylon]

Sure hope this doesn't get expensive, because this "spend more money for a more reliable Subaru that I don't work on every weekend" experiment has not worked out so far.

Subaru gonna Subaru.

[Rathburn]

[Asstuna]

I know what everything is pointing to (The Problem Which Dare Not Speak Its Name)

Aw man. Sorry to hear you're going to get to use that leak detector you now own.

[seat safety switch]

Vex burped the living itshay out of it, and it turns out it had like a 1.5-2.0L bubble in the system, caused by the lower rad hose clamp backing off.

Seemed okay on the drive home. I have learned once again that bleeding these cars is a pain in the assay.