Fix It

Fixing the head gaskets on a Subaru 2.5 liter engine is a challenging task. It should only be undertaken if you have considerable experience working on cars and have a full set of automotive tools, both standard and metric. You should always wear safety glasses and gloves for protection. Keep a fire extinguisher in the work area for emergencies, and read through the entire procedure before starting work.

Instructions

1

Relieve the pressure in the fuel system as follows: Remove the fuel filler cap; Disconnect the fuel pump relay; Run the engine until it stops. Be sure to reinstall the relay when you have completed the repairs. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery. Be sure to disengage the security system before disconnecting the battery.

2

Drain the engine coolant into a container and save it for re-use or recycling. Remove the spark plugs, timing belt covers, the timing belt, camshaft sprockets and camshafts. Follow the procedures to mark the components in order to re-install the camshafts properly.

3

Remove the intake and exhaust manifolds (use the penetrating oil to loosen the bolts if necessary) and any other brackets, hoses or components blocking access to the heads.

4

Loosen the head bolts in the reverse order they are installed: Start with the outside bolts in an "X" pattern and loosen the center bolts last. The erence below will indicate the exact sequence. Remove the heads and place a clean towel in each cylinder to prevent contamination.

5

Clean the gasket mating surfaces caully and thoroughly. Install the new gaskets on the head locating lugs and install the heads with the bolts finger tight. Use the torque wrench and angle indicators in the tightening sequence and procedures to complete the installation process. Assemble the other parts in reverse of the order they were removed.

First introduced in 1995, Outback is a crossover automobile with four wheel drive manufactured by Subaru and sold worldwide. All Outback crossovers require periodic adjustment, often erred to as "alignment." The factory specifications for the alignment are the same for all 2000 Outback models. These specifications are given for a vehicle at curb height with one-half tank of fuel.

Camber

Measured in degrees, camber is the outward or inward tilt of the wheel in relation to the center of the vehicle. The Outback camber angle should be the same on both left and right wheels. Camber angles must be +0.20 degrees with the measuring accuracy of 0.30 degrees on the front wheels and -0.35 degrees with the measuring accuracy of 0.45 degrees on the rear wheels.

Caster

Caster is both the rearward and the forward tilt of the steering knuckle from the true vertical. Caster is the measurement in angles that is responsible for directional stability. The Outback caster angle should be the same on both rear and front wheels. The angle must be +2.50 degrees with the maximum allowable difference of 1.0 degree.

Toe

Toe is the difference between the leading and trailing inside edges of the front wheels. Total toe angles on the Outback models must be +0.00 degrees with measuring range of 0.20 degrees. Toe-in specification should be set at 0 mm with maximum allowable difference of 3.0 mm.

The Subaru 2.5L engine is made from aluminum alloy. In order for the heads to properly seal and to prevent warping, a special sequence must be followed when installing the head bolts. Not only is the tightening method critical, so is the order. You will need both inch and foot pound torque wrenches as well as a torque angle gauge.

Clean All Surfaces

Clean the cylinder heads and the block mating surfaces thoroughly with lacquer thinner or acetone. Avoid any scraping tools that could mar the surface.

Position New Parts

Lubricate all bolts and washers with engine oil and place the new gasket on the head locating pins. Position the head on the block and finger tighten all bolts.

The Tightening Sequence

The order for tightening is as follows: top center, bottom center, left top, bottom right, bottom left, top right. Follow this sequence for each step.

Tight but not too Tight

Tighten all bolts to 22 foot-pounds. Tighten all bolts to 51 foot-pounds. This first sequence sets the gasket. Loosen all bolts in reverse order. Loosen them again another 160. Tighten bolts one and two to 25 to 36 foot-pounds. Tighten bolts three, four, five and six to 132 inch-pounds.

Final Procedure

Use the torque angle gauge to tighten all bolts another 90. Follow the sequence again and tighten them another 45. Tighten bolts one and two only an additional 45(turbocharged models only).

The Subaru Impreza is a compact car that has been in production since 1993. The 2002 model belongs to the second generation of this series, which includes the 2002 through 2007 Imprezas. The heater case in the 2002 Impreza contains the heater core, which is a radiator containing coolant. Hot coolant from the engine circulates through the heater core, heating the cars interior. The procedure for removing the heater case is the same for all Imprezas made from 1998 to 2005.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench to prevent the engine from starting during the heater case removal. Wait 10 minutes before proceeding to prevent your vehicles airbag from accidentally deploying.

2

Place a container below the radiator, and remove the drain plug for the radiator with a socket wrench. Allow the coolant to drain from the radiator into the container, and store the coolant for later use. Replace the drain plug for the radiator.

3

Detach the hoses from the heater core, and plug the open ends of the hoses with shop rags. Remove the radio console from the dashboard with a socket wrench to provide clearance for the heater case. Disconnect the cup holder.

4

Turn the boot for the shift lever over if your car has a manual transmission. Remove the upper cover for the select lever if your car has an automatic transmission. Detach the cover for the console with a socket wrench, and disconnect the audio assembly from the console. Detach the cable and electrical connectors for the antenna.

5

Disconnect the lower cover for the console with a socket wrench, and detach the electrical connector for the seat belt timer. Remove the glove compartment and the console for the instrument panel.

6

Remove the mounting bolts for the steering column with a socket wrench, and lower the column to the floor of the vehicle. Detach the cover for the steering column, and disconnect the opening lever for the hood. Turn the switch for the temperature control to the coldest setting, and set the mode selector switch to the defroster setting. Remove the cables for the mode selector and temperature control switches.

7

Detach the electrical connectors for the instrument panel. Disconnect the retaining bolts on the instrument panel and the grill for the front defroster with a socket wrench. Remove the instrument panel from the vehicle, and detach the cable for the speedometer from the combination meter.

8

Detach the cables for the heater control, and disconnect the electrical wiring harness from the fan motor. Remove the air duct between the blower and heater with a socket wrench. Lift the heater case up and out to remove it from the vehicle.

A broken CV joint can propel your Subaru right off the road. Its a part well worth the time and effort to replace. A 1993 Subaru Legacy has CV axles in the front and rear of the vehicle, depending on the model. The most efficient way to replace a CV joint is to replace the entire CV axle with a new or re-manufactured axle. The front CV axles are more difficult to replace due to the more complicated front steering and suspension assembly, but most aspiring do-it-yourselfers should be up to the task.

Instructions

Preparing to Remove the Axle

1

Park the car on a level surface and set the emergency brake. Make sure the Subaru is parked in third gear or higher if it has a manual transmission. Slightly loosen the lug nuts. Do not jack up the vehicle.

2

Remove any covers over the axle nut (also called the spindle nut, it is located at the center of the wheel on the end of the axle). Pry or beat out any indentations in the slotted portion of the axle, using a straight screwdriver. Spray penetrating oil on the nut if any rust is present. Then, using the breaker bar and a six-point socket of the correct size, break the axle nut free, but do not remove it.

3

Jack up the vehicle and lower it onto a jack stand. Make sure the vehicle is safely supported--you are going to have to crawl underneath it. Remove the wheel and the axle nut.

4

Unbolt the sway bar bracket from the lower control arm. Remove the cotter pin and castellated nut from the lower ball joint. Separate the lower ball joint from the steering knuckle with a ball joint separator. Remove the lower control arm the rest of the way by unbolting it at the two points immediately above where the sway bar bracket was attached.

5

Remove the cotter pin and castellated nut from the tie rod where it attaches to the steering knuckle. Use the tie rod separator to remove the tie rod from the steering knuckle; then push the detached end of the tie rod out of the way.

6

Crawl underneath the vehicle and locate the retaining pin that passes through the axle where it joins the transmission or front differential. Using a hammer and a small punch or a Phillips-head screwdriver, pound out the retaining pin.

Removing and Reinstalling the Axle

7

Remove the CV axle from the end at the transmission. Use a flat screwdriver or another suitable prying tool to separate the axle from the transmission or front differential.

8

Remove the axle from the steering knuckle using the axle puller.

9

Slide the new axle through the steering knuckle, and install the new axle nut. Tighten it by hand for now.

10

Align the axle retention pin holes on the new CV axle and the transmission end. Slide the new axle into place at the transmission end and install a new retention pin.

Finishing the Job

11

Re-install the lower control arm, tie rod and sway bar bracket. Using the torque wrench, tighten the nuts on the lower control arm to 113 Nm, according to the 1993 Subaru Legacy repair manual published by Chilton Library.

12

Tighten down the castellated nuts on the tie rod and ball joint, and install new cotter pins.

13

Torque down the new axle nut--the torque figure for this nut is 186 Nm, as also specified by the 1993 Subaru Legacy repair manual. Using a hammer and screwdriver or punch, score the outside of the axle nut at the keyed portion on the axle.

14

Put the wheel back in place and tighten down the lug nuts. Raise the vehicle, remove the jack stand, and gently lower your Subaru to the ground. Re-tighten the lug nuts.

Removing the catalytic converter from your Subaru Forester will allow you to replace it with a new unit or a performance converter, or improve engine performance. The converter is located in the exhaust system between the muffler and the exhaust manifolds. The catalytic converter is easily removed but you need to change it when the car has not been running as it gets extremely hot when the engine is running.

Instructions

1

Raise the vehicle with a jack and support it on a set of jack stands. Make sure the vehicle is secure and you can safely work under it without it moving or shifting.

2

Locate the catalytic converter under the center of the vehicle. The Forester has six heat shields that surround the converter and pipe. There are three sections on top and three on the bottom that connect together with studs that are pressed into the top sections and nuts that thread on the bottom.

3

Remove the nuts holding on the heat shields with a socket and ratchet or wrench. Remove the lower heat shields and set them aside. Locate the front and rear flanges on the exhaust pipe. The front has three bolts securing it and the rear has two bolts.

4

Remove the three front mounting bolts on the flange and support the pipe with a jack or jack stand. Locate the exhaust hanger on the drivers side of the converter and remove the retainer bolt with a socket and ratchet.

5

Remove the two retaining bolts from the rear flange and remove the jack stand from under the front of the converter. Lower the converter and remove it from under the Forester. The upper heat shields will come down with the converter; set them aside to be used during installation of a new converter.