exp2ex

Well my forester has been off the iad for 1 year now.
I love that car. 1999 stick, grey, not the L but the other, I think S.
This car is our beach car. It has gone through stuff that my tundra has almost gotten stuck in.
It is solid as a rock. No rust. No anything ...... BUT

One cylinder is bad. I hear it is a common issue.

Probably been bad for a while. I know that check light has been on and off for a while. with a misfire code.

Checked the sparkplug and it was filled with carbon and wet oil.

Probably a bad cylinder an will need fixin.

Here is my problem.

I am handy and can work on cars. I might not be the best but most of the time I devote to working on airplanes. Airplane engines are pretty easy considering they hang right at your chest level.

I want to get her back on the road and hand her off to my daughter.

I have a machine shop not far away that machined the head on my boat motor for me, so machine work should not be a problem.

Any books I should get ?

Any help ?

Thanks,

Chip Degan

 

toddlamp

Are you getting a good spark out of that plug?

__________________
06XT MT CGM Blouch TD05-18g 8cm equipped
Starting to save for a 6spd swap.

MudRunner

Welcome aboard!

Sounds like the headgasket (the oil makes me say that, I may be wrong). Could be just an ignition related issue, but the headgasket seems likely.

If you have experience with aircraft engines this should be pretty easy, since they're kinda... well, barely... similar. Not really. I guess the only thing they have in common is the basic configuration, unless of course you work on those wicked-awesome STOL birds with the EJ Subaru engine.

ANYWHO, before I get all caught up in my love of airplanes, back on topic.

I bought a Haynes repair manual, and a Chilton one, and went from there. I've been able to tackle everything thus far with those, and help from this group.

Best of luck with the repairs.

__________________
-Zach
MY'00 Outback 4EAT - lifted:
The BattleWagon

exp2ex

Put a new plug in and car ran good for a few miles.

exp2ex

I just ordered the repair manuals. Should be fun.

Lycoming 0-320 on my biplane. Super Acro Sport
Lycoming 0-360 on my unfinshed biplane. Acro sport II
Lycoming 0-290 d2 on my family cruiser. Piper Pacer Pa20

I love the forester and cant wait to wrench on it. After all these years in the north east the engine and underbody look pretty good for 167k on her.

What is the jist on the head gasket repair. Can it be done using a low level lift ?

pleiad7

Some info on the HG issue/repair: Head Gasket Problems - Subaru 2.5 liter engine - Phase 1 and 2

__________________
-Silke
04 FXT PP PSM ~ "Subed"
98 Forester S ~ "Slynki"

huck_this

If you have wet oil on your spark plug I doubt it's your head gasket. Why, because its the cooling jacket that is around your cylinders. You would get overheating problems or burning coolant.

I seem to think that its either blow-by by a bad oil ring or a leaking valve.

Did you try a compression/leak down test on the faulty cylinder?

Also, Subaru engines were designed for A/C. So stripping down a Suby engine will be a walk in the park.

Get the manual. The torque specs are in there. The one for the head bolts is really time consuming!!!

__________________
2001 L 5 spd, Borla header, custom exhaust.

patrickscycleshop

do not WASTE your money on aftermarket gasket sets, the multi layer steel head gaskets made by subaru are the only way to go... a subie gasket set will cost you 400.00 and does not come with valve cover gaskets. speaking from experience on this one.