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Valve/engine woes. Should I call it a day?

44 messages,  Last post on Oct 08, 2012 at 9:29 PM

You are in the Subaru Forester Maintenance & Repair Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Forester, Wagon, SUV

Messages Page 3 of 5

#20 of 44 NAKED without my Forester by tbird69

Aug 06, 2009 (9:29 am)

Ok, sorry for the cheap attention grabbing header, but I'm in the middle of a major problem ... my 1999 Forester, which I love, died on the highway 3 weeks ago ... reading some of the posts here sounds familiar ... intermittent check engine light ... rough, choking acceleration a few times .... then Christmas-time, all the lights on the dashboard light up like a tree ... then engine would turn over but no start ... got it towed home ..still turned over but no start ... towed it to local garage ... the engine had seized by then ...
 
so long story short ... I elected to have a new/used engine in ... now the mechanic can't get the thing to idle ... seems they got a 1998 twin cam engine from a Forester which they heard run and compression tested before I went to yard to purchase ...
 
my question is , is there any nuances or special hook ups that my local mechanic, who is good but not a Subaru guy, may have missed? ... can this even be done?
 
I'm a teacher who has one more week of summer vacation and needs to get my car back ...
 
Thanx for any help!!
Peace, Tbird69

#21 of 44 Re: NAKED without my Forester [tbird69] by ateixeira

Aug 06, 2009 (9:58 am)

Replying to: tbird69 (Aug 06, 2009 9:29 am)
I think the 99 was still a twin cam but the intake changed a lot compared to the 98. Only in 2000 did they move to the Phase II SOHC engine.
 
Engine internals should be the same from 98 to 99, I believe.
 
I'd be pulling anything and everything off the 99 engine you took out, make sure all the intake especially is back on. I remember that if you didn't reconnect one single wire in the intake, the engine would not start.

#22 of 44 Re: NAKED without my Forester [ateixeira] by tbird69

Aug 06, 2009 (12:42 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Aug 06, 2009 9:58 am)
thanx .. I'll pass it that on ... they seem to have gotten the engine to start, it just doesn't idle ... they are leaning to messin' with the onboard computer which scares me a bit ... :/

#23 of 44 Re: NAKED without my Forester [tbird69] by xwesx

Aug 06, 2009 (11:43 pm)

Replying to: tbird69 (Aug 06, 2009 12:42 pm)
Yeah, I agree with AJ. Tell them to use the long block from the '98 only.... all the bolt-ons, sensors, etc., from the '99 should go back on it!

#24 of 44 Re: NAKED without my Forester [xwesx] by tbird69

Aug 07, 2009 (8:04 am)

Replying to: xwesx (Aug 06, 2009 11:43 pm)
well the plot thickens ... seems the intake from my '99 is too long for 98 block, which is why they have connection issues ... could that be true or are these guys yankin' my chain ...
 
starting to panic! OY

#25 of 44 Re: NAKED without my Forester [tbird69] by ateixeira

Aug 07, 2009 (8:55 am)

Replying to: tbird69 (Aug 07, 2009 8:04 am)
You can remove the intake silencer. I did, and it's not necessary. Anything before the air filter is optional.

#26 of 44 Re: NAKED without my Forester [ateixeira] by tbird69

Aug 07, 2009 (12:25 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Aug 07, 2009 8:55 am)
I guess what I meant was wide then ... from head to head the '99 intake seems longer then the '98 ... is that what xwesx meant by "long block"?

#27 of 44 Re: NAKED without my Forester [tbird69] by ateixeira

Aug 07, 2009 (12:29 pm)

Replying to: tbird69 (Aug 07, 2009 12:25 pm)
I don't know about differences with the block, sorry.
 
The intake is plastic - careful use of a heat gun can bend it a bit.

#28 of 44 Re: NAKED without my Forester [ateixeira] by tbird69

Aug 07, 2009 (1:03 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Aug 07, 2009 12:29 pm)
OY, I thought it was aluminum, felt like it .. I don't think I trust these guys with a heat gun ... maybe I'll see if junkyard will take twincam back in exchange for for a SOHC if they got one

#29 of 44 Re: NAKED without my Forester [tbird69] by xwesx

Aug 07, 2009 (4:11 pm)

Replying to: tbird69 (Aug 07, 2009 1:03 pm)
I think you two are speaking of different parts of the intake! The intake manifold is aluminum, and that is what tbird69 is talking about. The pre-manifold piping (between the manifold and the air filter) is plastic.
 
But, I am concerned about there being a difference in the sizes of the blocks! I am really surprised to hear that. Are both of these engines DOHC (dual overhead cams)? I thought that it was mentioned earlier that they are, but I am not aware of any block or head changes that would result in a differently sized manifold. Maybe one of these engines is a 2.2L rather than a 2.5. I think the Impreza still had 2.2L available in '98... isn't that right?
 
By long block, I meant the block and heads... no manifolds, accessories, sensors, etc.

Messages Page 3 of 5

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