2 Cylinder 05 Suby.

[Jay98LGT]

Alright boys and girls, I've got questions, hoping someone has answers.

 

2005 Legacy 2.5i wagon, 110K on the motor.

 

This morning my dad takes it out to get himself a hair cut, and is sitting idling waiting for the barber to open. Motices it's got a really rough idle and tacs the engine to 3K then lets it off slow, 2 - 3 cylinder suby shows up after that. Just did a tune up on it 2K ago if even that. Plugs are all gaped at .044.

 

Took the wires off the coils one at a time and made a trace to the spider with a large screw driver, I have spark on all 4 posts, have not tested wires yet, I don't know what OHM they should have for resistance. But on cylinders 1 and 3, when the wires were individually off the engine it made no difference to how it ran. With either 2 or 4 off the car ran noticeably rougher.

 

Took the plugs out of the passenger side and inspected them for any kind of fouling or premature wear, nothing, they still look practically brand new.

 

The car has been having intermittent CELS for bank 1 catalytic converter under efficiency and I'm wondering if that was a symptom of something bigger. When the car is driven VERY gently as in little old lady gently and around town only, the light trips, on longer highway drives the light will go out and stay out.

 

I am wondering if it is possible that the 2 wires failed at the same time, or if I have sticky injectors? Any help would be very appreciated!

[Jay98LGT]

Update with another theory.

 

With 110K on the timing belt, is it possible that the belt slipped a couple teeth and now that side of the engine is off timing? If I remove the timing case cover I should be able to tell from the markers on the can gears and cover. Bouncing ideas atm.

[WahooNo2]

some ideas for you...

Are your plugs wet with fuel when you take them out?

Can you see if there is fuel pressure in the fuel rail? if you have access to an ociliscope you can see if the injector are getting voltage or running a 12 volt led off the injector leads.

if that works you can check injector impedence against the others that work they should be same or close... and not open, or really high, google it theres a youtube video. you can check if spark plugs are working too by hooking a wire up to the base of the plug and ground to the engine block, disconnect the fuel pump fuse and have someone crank engine and you will see the spark plug fire

 

if all are good you may want to try fuel injector cleaner that you run into the fuel rail

 

for your timing belt idea you will need to pull the crank pulley but thats not too bad.

 

Try also resetting the ecu by removing the battery cable and pushing the brake pedal

 

check things from easy to do hard

 

let us know how you are doing

[LatentWagen]

Update with another theory.

 

With 110K on the timing belt, is it possible that the belt slipped a couple teeth and now that side of the engine is off timing? If I remove the timing case cover I should be able to tell from the markers on the can gears and cover. Bouncing ideas atm.

 

Very possible. I'd be more worried about the time than the miles. 12 years in the NE is a lot for a rubber belt!

[Jay98LGT]

Alright, been tearing into it and I have way more issues than I thought on first inspection and I know what happened. Harmonic balancer failed, and walked back into the timing case, dragged the belts with it, and the belt for the A\C pulled the timing belt out of tension on the passenger side cam -_-.... ARGH.

 

Now problem. I can't get the bolt to break free on the harmonic balancer. I've tried putting the car in 3rd gear and having someone stand on the brakes. Not breaking, my air wrench isn't beefy enough, or my compressor doesn't have the CFM to break it free. I don't want to use the starter method, I distrust it. So I'm here looking for a little advice.

 

Pictures in the next post.

[Jay98LGT]

 

[Jay98LGT]

She lives. Everything is back together. Now though I need some wisdom from you all again. That harmonic balancer. How does one hold it in place to get the 130~lbs of torque on it? Obviously there is a Subaru tool, that I don't want to buy, that slots into those 4 holes.

Wisdom from those that have done it

[xt2005bonbon]

If you have a 5MT, just put the car in 5th gear, parking brake on, and loosen the bolt using your favorite breaker bar. No need to keep the pulley in place.

[Jay98LGT]

Would the same work for tightening again?

[dieselsquid]

Would the same work for tightening again?

I don't see why not. You always use more torque to remove it than put it on. I just used a chain wrench is my other hand to do it when I did my timing belt.

 

 

-Squid