landozion

Spent several hours on the forums here searching flooding/hard start and no code/no start conditions, and one of the possibilities was the ects. Symptoms fit (engine doesnt know how warm it is and compensates with extra gas) and i had a sensor from my parts car. Currently getting 26mpg around town.

Posting this to help anyone who may have the same problem. 97 OBS, about one out of 10 starts it would act like it flooded and take extended cranking to catch. No codes. Started getting worse till it was every other start. Still no codes. Replaced the Engine Coolant Temp Sensor, problem fixed, been two weeks now and two tanks of gas, mpg is up 3mpg.

Well, I have been driving for more than 40 years, and this is the only vehicle I have ever owned with A/C, so I am not too worried about getting through a winter without Air Conditioning. I'm just gonna pull the condenser and see what I can do with the fins, working on it is not really possible with it on the vehicle, no garage and its snowing again. If I can get the fins straightened out, what's a ballpark figure to have someone evacuate and recharge the system?

Thanks for the input folks. You are basically convincing me of what I already thought. Looking at the front of the vehicle, I would estimate more than 1/2 of the fins are flattened, not just bent but so flat a fin comb would not even get in there. I would have to go in with a toothpick or something and do every single fin one at a time. Car has had a hard life with lots of gravel and even more snow including many days literally pushing snow in front of the car to get up to the ski resort. I am guessing that may have damaged the fins. I am liking the idea of a guard of some kind up front. Dont have extra $ for a condensor right now, so I plan on pulling the old one and capping the lines for the winter. Maybe if I get bored this winter try to straighten some fins. I know I will lose what little fluid is still left in the AC system, anything else I should know to disable the AC? Guess it would be a good idea to remove the AC belt too.

97 Impreza, MT with AC. Only overheats when there is snow on the road. Pull over and it quickly cools off at idle engine speed and good to go again. Last time it did this I pulled over and took a look at the radiator. The AC condensor in front of the radiator was over an inch thick in slushy ice. I think it ices up and no air can circulate through to reach the radiator. It looks like most of the fins on the condensor are bent over. Has anyone else had this problem? Runs fine all summer and then starts to overheat when the snow flys, but only on days when there is significant snow on the road. I am thinking of removing the AC condensor and see what it does next time it snows. If that cures it then I would have to put in a new one and charge it come summer. Any thoughts? Oh, new thermostat, and radiator is only a year old.

Subaru mechanic says he is 99.9% sure its the tranny input bearing, they wont even open it up until we line up a replacement tranny because they dont want it stuck on thier lift. (Not that I was planning on having the dealer do the work anyway). None of the shops in the area wants to work on the tranny, they all say find a used one. So I am right back where I was on the original post, searching for a used tranny. Will any other models or years match up to a 1997 phase 2 2.2 OBS manual?

Well, I have tried the suggestion of partially engaging the clutch to check, and though its hard to tell for sure, it seems to point to the clutch. I have also had it at three different shops, and all said they could not tell without opening it up. Two said tranny, one said clutch. I am just reluctant to spend the money to open it up without knowing how much it will end up costing. If its the tranny, I will have wasted money I could have used for a newer vehicle. I am also still confused how the throwout makes noise with the clutch engaged. I have spent hours googling throwout bearings. On a site devoted to how a clutch works I found this quote. "Once the clutch is fully engaged, the release bearing is normally stationary and does not rotate with the pressure plate." That seems to rule out the TO bearing in my case (noise only when engaged, not when pedal is down). Unless nipper is right that it is so worn that it is rattleing when not engaged. Found lots of other folks posting on this issue too, but few who checked back after having work done to say whether a clutch job fixed it. As of now, I am going to drive it till it gets worse and I can make a better diagnosis (while I continue shopping for a newer subaru or a cheap used tranny). Thanks for the suggestions, if I ever get it tracked down I will post back to help the next person with a similar problem.

I value your knowledge nipper, but I was under the impression that if it made noise when the clutch is engaged (foot off the clutch) and stopped making noise when the pedal is on the floor, it was more likely to be the tranny input shaft bearing. While if it made noise while the pedal was depressed or being depressed, that was the TO bearing. Am I wrong on this? It would not surprise me if its the clutch, its original (220K miles), but I dont want to pay to pull the engine for exploratory surgery and find I need a tranny thats more money than the car is worth. I am willing to pay for a clutch job, but probably not for a tranny too.

97 OBS, 5 sp manual, 220K miles is making a whirring noise that is getting worse. Noise is apparent in all gears including neutral, but goes away when I disengage the clutch (pedal in). Sounds to me like a tranny bearing, but it has been suggested it might be a throwout bearing in the clutch (still original clutch). I checked the tranny fluid, looks good and is full. I do not have the tools or a place to work on this myself, so will need to take it to a shop. My understanding is that you pull the engine to do the clutch, and I dont want to pay for that and discover that its the tranny thats the problem. I have started shopping for a replacement used tranny and am shocked at the prices I am being quoted (over 600$ plus 50 or more shipping). Its hard to justify putting that kind of money into a vehicle with this many miles. (clutch/tranny/labor would be over 1500$, needs a timing belt/water pump/cam seals too) If I knew it was just the clutch I would do it, so... can anyone help me diagnose this noise? Or hook me up with a good used tranny in Utah? Thanks for any and all suggestions!

Thanks for the suggestions, as soon as I get some time this weekend (and clear some snow out of the yard for an area to work in) I will crawl under there and check out the boots. This 97 OBS has almost 200K on its original axles, so I may spring for remans on both sides. I am assuming (dangerous I know) that since I feel it in the steering wheel it will be a front one thats bad, and not a rear axle. Hope I dont sound like an idiot, but would a replacement axle include both inboard and outboard cvs? Thanks again

Got a strange one, a wobble in my steering wheel but only when I accelerate. There is also a slight knock noise at the same time. If I let off the gas it stops. I have been driving in deep snow when it started, and thought I had some crud built up, but after a thaw, its still doing it though less. I was thinking a cv joint, but am not getting any clicking noises when turning. Could a wheel bearing cause these symptoms? I have tried shaking the wheels looking for a bad bearing, but no obvious problems. Anyone got any suggestions? :-\ Thanks in advance for your help in diagnosing this.

I need to replace a warped front rotor on my 97 OBS wagon, and was going to get reman calipers as well (200,00 mi). Seems that in mid model year 97 the front caliper changed from a one pot to a two pot. I think the rotor diameter changed at the same time. I have the older one pot. Does anyone know if I can I replace my older rotor and caliper with the newer ones to achieve an upgrade? Did anything else change? ie master cylinder or booster?

Thanks for the quick response 75subie, thats what I was hoping to hear. How hard are parts to find for these older vehicles? I ask because there are a couple junked 79s out in the pasture too, tried to find someone local (wyoming) who wanted em, but no one seemed to. So I am thinking I will take what might be needed or valuable off them and salvage what I can. Probably front clip and maybe some interior stuff, anything else in demand? (Told you I would have lots of questions:grin: )

I am inheriting a 79 fwd manual wagon. (actually its my girlfriend who is inheriting it, I am inheriting the work on it). It has sat for about 5 years, but was running when stored. I need to tow it about 400 miles. I know I couldnt tow a modern subaru on all fours, but can I on this wagon if I put it in nuetral? I have a tow bar I can adapt, so am hoping to do it that way rather than rent a dolly. This will be an ongoing project to get it road worthy again, and I am sure I will be back with a lot more questions. I will probably have to put new tires on it before towing, anything else I should be aware of? Thanks for all your help, have two subarus already (90 justy and 97 OBS) but this beast will be a real learning experience. I dont even know what engine or tranny is in it.

Shhhh!!! Your talking about my favorite stompin grounds, dont need any other folks down there.