[jmaynard]

My 2000 OBL wagon, 209K miles, has developed a few problems I think are related:

1) My engine oil has started smelling like gasoline and getting thin.
2) I'm getting the smell of burning oil on hot manifold when I stop after driving a while.
3) My gas mileage has gone to ****, especially if I make short trips.

My gut tells me I'm dealing with a broken ring and blow-by. Am I right? What else could be causing this? I have a CHECK ENGINE light, but that's the usual P0420, with no other codes.

If that's the case, how dire is the situation? Should I think about a rebuild, or a replacement engine, or just junk the car?

 

[jmaynard]

My mileage is even worse than it has been in the past. When I first got the car, it would get 23 MPG or so driving around town; now for the same kind of trips it's down to about 18. On long trips (25 miles round trip) it's down to about 22 from 27 or 28.

The car's in decent shape, with little rust but the kinds of dings you'd expect to get over 13 years in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Most things on it work fine, though there are little details like the front sunroof doesn't open. The interior's in good condition plus or minus a couple of tears. The $3K I sunk into timing belt and such and head gaskets 19K miles ago looks like it's gone completely down the drain.

Looks like the going price for a used engine is a kilobuck. No JDM options are listed. I can't seem to check LKQ's inventory; I'll call them tomorrow.

Overall, I'm happy but not ecstatic with the car. It's always been underpowered to my way of thinking. I wouldn't mind keeping it, but I don't know if I want to keep it long enough to justify a couple thousand in repairs. (I have no idea what an engine swap involves; if it's not beyond my own abilities, it would certainly stretch them. I don't mind turning a wrench, but have no experience in anything that complex.)

I've been looking at other vehicles on and off on Craigslist, and options abound. Some, I'd even enjoy driving. If I do that, would I stand a chance of getting anything decent in the way of money for the Outback? I have no idea what they sell for in this condition.