Top 20 1998 Subaru Forester - Page 5 Questions & Answers

Subarus tend to block their radiators. Often there is only 10% or less flow. The radiator needs to be taken out and have a radiator shop strip and rod out the core tubes or fit a new or recored radiator.

Your code is for a fault in the EVAP purge sloenoid system.

The smoke and moisture out the tail pipe is normal. The purge solenoid may be stuck open causing fuel vapors to enter the engine on cold start. This will give you a rich fuel smell. The engine normally runs rich on cold start up.

The EVAP purge solenoid is a common failure. Here is a diagnosis pinpoint test to perform on the EVAP system for your fault code. The first thing would be replace the gas cap, or a possible defective Evaporative Emission Canister Vent Solenoid, ( Click Here for Instructions ) if problem persists you will need a good smoke machine to properly diagnose.

Hope this helps.

The main ecu or engine computer is located under the passenger side floor mat. You will have to remove or peel back the carpet to access it. if you remove the kick panel near the door first it will be easier.

The symptoms all indicate a dirty (oily grime) build up in the throttle body interior. You will be pleased to learn the 'fix' should be quick and low cost.Disconnect the air ducting between the air cleaner/filter housing and the throttle body. Spray WD40 or Carb choke cleaner into the throttle body interior and the throttle plate. Rub and wipe away the grime. Keep doing this until the interior looks like new. Turn the throttle Plate by applying pressure the the top half with your fingers. Clean as much as you can beyond it. Locate your idle air control (IAC) valve ( on or near the throttle body) and associated air passages to and from it. Clean these, if necessary dismount the IAC valve and soak the valve until free of all dirt. Reassemble everything and reinstate the ducting and you are done!

Hi by removing the door card and removing a retaining surclip that holds it onto the door handle from the inside it should then just slide out

check fluid level and slave cylnder

You may have a clogged heater core, thus restricting the flow of antifeeze in the engine, causing it to over heat. Are you certain that the car is over heating? Have you checked the coolant temperature switch? I would recommend that you run a system flush. To do this, you will need to turn the heater on while the flush is circulating. This will allow the flush to clean out the heater core.

Hi, as an experienced person on this field, the four wheel drive has nothing to do with the consumption of fuel in your car. Either you use it or not, it consumes the normal fuel usage except you have some other problem with your car....

You can use my tips below to know some of the reasons why your car is using too much gas

Tire Pressure Under-inflated or over-inflated tires can negatively affect gas mileage and pose safety issues. Check the sidewall of the tires to see what the ideal tire pressure is and use a tire pressure gauge to see how your tire pressure compares.
Air Filters A dirty air filter can reduce your gas mileage. Checking it, or having it checked every time you have the oil changed, and changing it when necessary can help increase your fuel efficiency.

Faulty spark plugs, dragging brakes, kinked vacuum lines and faulty fuel injectors can cause your car to use more fuel than you think it should. Take your car to a mechanic; he should be able to identify the problem.

possible ignition problem check ignition coil wires and spark plugs

did you in fact replace the O-2 sensor as well?
What about the ignition coil - have you tested for ohms resistance? (in particular cylinder #3)
the coils are relatively inexpensive, and easy to test for sure. I think it is 10 ohms or less if I recall - similar with the spark plug wires... check those as well - they may be compounding the problem..
One last thing - check to be sure the spark plugs are all the way tight in the cylinders...
Best regards
Ck

Check fuel pump fuse in inside fuse box Check fuel pump relay The pcm sends signal to the injectors I dont know the voltage I when thought the whole book

Subarus can be challenging to "burp" Sometimes it takes several attempts to get the air out of the system. The procedure is simple. Top off the radiator, squeeze the hose a few times to help get the air out, replace the cap and start the car. let it idle or drive slowly near home with the heat on high. once the temp gauge begins to rise, if there is no heat get the car back to the driveway before the temp gauge gets half way. Shut the engine off wait for it to cool, at least 10 minutes. Then check the radiator again. If there is still air top off again and repeat. After 3 or 4 attempts if there is still air and or the coolant reservoir seems to be filling, try replacing the radiator cap. If this doesn't solve the problem, It may be a head gasket.

Start looking for shorts, especially if you have added a light connection for a trailer or had read damage to the vehicle or been four wheeling. If there are no shorts you'll have to consider a faulty ECM since you have eliminated the switches already.

If your key will not come out of the ignition switch then the lock mechanism inside it is already bad and will need to be replaced. There is a good possibility that your vehicle not shifting out of park is related to that as well.

Subarus can be challenging to "burp" Sometimes it takes several attempts to get the air out of the system. The procedure is simple. Top off the radiator, squeeze the hose a few times to help get the air out, replace the cap and start the car. let it idle or drive slowly near home with the heat on high. once the temp gauge begins to rise, if there is no heat get the car back to the driveway before the temp gauge gets half way. Shut the engine off wait for it to cool, at least 10 minutes. Then check the radiator again. If there is still air top off again and repeat. After 3 or 4 attempts if there is still air and or the coolant reservoir seems to be filling, try replacing the radiator cap. If this doesn't solve the problem, It may be a head gasket.

When you open the hood you will see the adjusters for the headlamp, one is for horizontal and the other vertical . Make sure that you have then on when adjusting so they will be even.

if you are having troubles getting the car into gears then it will be hydraulic it will either be your master or slave cylinder that will need to be replaced ,but if the clutch is slipping then it will be your clutch plate that needs to be replaced

providing the oil light didnt come on then i dont think you have damaged the engine ,the smoke could be the oil under the car burning off unless tis coming out the actual exhaust pipe which you havent stated ,so if its just burning oil off then not a problem as it will dry out and i wouldnt worry about the oil under the vehicle as it will stop a lot of corrosion as this is what we done on trucks many years ago and cars too before they had plastic inner wings .it was known as underseal in them days

The belt should be good until at least 150,000.

The ecm would not cause this, it sounds like someone did a poor rebuild, if the engining is reving and the car doesnt what to go then the clutches may be bad, a mass are flow would not cause a trany to go bad, the flashing hold light is a problem but should not be happening after the trany was just rebuilt, something is not right here, the trany was just rebuilt and now the hold light flashes and the motor rev going into 2nd gear, that trany has problems a bad ecm wouuldnt cause this slipping reving problem you are having , i would have a trany shop check to see if that trany was really rebuit.