Subaru Forester XT help

[stephen87]

Question for the mechanically inclined. My girlfriend has a 2010 Forester XT. Recently, it started smoking lightly and was a hard start. Autozone told her to add oil. She did and it was 2qts over for less than 24 hours. I did an oil change and it started smoking heavily. Took it to have the code run and timing on all four banks are over-advanced. Will over-advanced timing cause the car to smoke heavily? I'm thinking a timing belt should fix it. Any second opinions?

 

[natdscott]

Stop driving it and call a dealer right friggin snappy.

 

[singlestacksig]

if the timing belt has gone bad there is a possibility that it has slipped and your timing is off.. that is really bad for a Subaru..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_engine

 

[BugI02]

Possible problem with crank position sensor. Timing winds up off because computer doesn't have a precise reading to work with

 

[BugI02]

Stop driving it and call a dealer right friggin snappy.

Agree with this, not worth trashing the motor while trying to do triage

 

[BugI02]

Agree with this, not worth trashing the motor while trying to do triage

Thought all the turbos had timing chains but checked, this one does have a belt. Recommended change at 105k miles

This was originally going to be an edit but hit the wrong button apparently

 

[rem788]

Does this engine have variable valve timing? Depending on codes there might be an issue with the variable valve timing system. It is unusual for all banks to be involved at the same time. Usually intake or exhaust but not both/all. Since all the banks are indicating advanced timing this could indicate belt issues as others have stated. I would not drive the vehicle as I am not sure if this is an interference engine, meaning valves could hit pistons if valve timing gets too far off.

 

[PaulF]

Hi. Good advice here. Stop Driving it. Take it to a qualified Subaru mechanic if this falls outside your experience/comfort level.

Are you getting faults codes P0011 and P0021 stored in the ECM? Static or sporadic? If you want to tackle this yourself here are a few tips:

1) Check the condition and level of your engine oil. Too low, too high, too dirty...change the engine oil and filter. The P0011 is "sometimes known" to appear when the engine gets too low on oil, and can be an early warning of turbocharger failure (if equipped).

2) Verify base timing. (Follow the service manual or YouTube.) I have actually seen those jump a tooth or two for no apparent reason.

3) Locate and check the camshaft adjuster solenoid(s). These are lowest-bidder parts and have a reputation for failing. Your car may only have one of these valves, the higher-end Subarus (WRX STi) will have more. Check for physical clogs or damaged screens. Also check for open circuit across the contacts. Check the wiring leading to the solenoid for damage. Check the fuses.

Good luck. I hope this helps.