a97obw

Step one: Remove the lower engine to transaxle bolt on the drivers side. The one you should wear a heavy leather glove to save your knuckles. IF you can break this 14mm (across the flats) nut loose, it's all downhill from there! Wheres my salve. OUCH!

My first impression of the front grille was "oh my gawd! they took the nose from a 50 year old Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider and stuck it on a Subaru!" http://www.motorbase.com/profiles/vehicle/picture.ehtml?i=61;p=1178100901 Then I mentioned my thought to my older brother (the gearhead that owned the 92 SVX that was in the Dome at the 92 New Orleans auto show) and he told me no duh......one of the head dudes for the design team came from Alfa Romeo! His initial impression was not enough power for the weight, and might go over about the same as the Baja.

This afternoon, after several weeks of diagnosing the crud in the coolant expansion tank, changing radiator caps, filling it up when the fans start to come on with the front on an incline....I thought I had it whipped and then today....temp gauge goes from normal to 1/8" below "H" on the gauge. NO heat coming from the heater, wound up driving about 4 miles to get it home. Expansion tank has overflown, bound to be the head gaskets. Guess it'll go in the garage until I can fix it, meanwhile I'll drive my 69 Porsche 912 with the VW Type IV 2.0 liter vanagon engine conversion. Then I start thinking......how about a 2.0 liter VW type IV engine in my 97 Outback wagon with the 5 speed manual transmission?? I'd have an air cooled engine and it'd be the end all for the head gasket problem! Think it could be done??

Well, like they say, "GM doesn't use unnecessary parts" I'd say yeah, I'd remove the axle and put on the seal protectors. (Although I did run one without the inner protector for a long long time on my 92 Legacy AWD automatic wagon!)

I'm certain he is speaking of the metal rings that fit over the axle ends against the inner and outer CV joints that protect the seals at the wheel hub and the transmission output shaft. Some of the reman axles I have seen/used have these, others don't. They are just a friction fit to the axles. Light tapping with a hammer around the backside of them will pop them off. Then put them on the new/reman axle and tap them back on. The issue I'm seeing is the quality and design of the axle boots with these reman axles. And it seems it is the luck of the draw. Some of the boots are nice and thick/heavy rubber material, and others feel very cheap/thin. I should think this would be a major concern, especially for the one that is in close proximity to the cat. converter. Even the shape of the bellows can be different, all of these deviations from the same manufacturer at the same parts store. The Autozone ones don't come with a new axle nut, the O'Reilly ones do.

A few weeks ago I changed the transmission oil in my 5 speed 97 Legacy OBW over to synthetic with the Valvoline SynPower stuff. About 2 weeks after that, and right after resetting the trip odometer after a refuel, my speedometer started acting up. Bouncing all around at any speed, the regular odometer as well as the trip were indicating erroneous mileage vs. mileposts on the interstate; at first it was about 50% of the distance traveled, then when the speedometer finally quit I got the CEL and the code was for the VSS. So the speedometer and the odometer are dead, no amount of whapping the dash or fiddling with the stalks will bring them back to life. Figuring it is in fact the VSS, I had the local dealer order one for me, and here is what should be the correct part. Hope to install it today, will report back whether it fixed the problem or not. Again, 97 Legacy Outback wagon, 5 speed manual at 91k miles. <img src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/Huffmeister/IMG_0538.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com"> EDIT: I now have a WORKING speedometer and odometer! Remove/replace took all of about 15 minutes total. The trick is to use a 17mm (across the flats) open end wrench with very small ends to enable you to actually turn the sensor in getting it in/out. Not much room against the transmission case. When I removed the original one, I noticed that down in "the hole" and around the slotted drive, this area is BONE DRY. I can't see where any type of lubrication is going on with this thing. I put just a dab of grease on the tab of the new one and a light smearing of grease around the shoulder before installing. Access was from the top once I removed the snorkulus air box stuff. Took a few pics, will get them up in a bit.

The front right end of my '98 outback gives a duh,duh,duh when going over... "Zis is KAOS! Ve don't duh duh duh here!" (Bernie Koppel as Head of Kaos from Get Smart) In my 97 Outback wagon it was the front left strut. Replaced both front struts and the upper mounts, the mounts were probably ok, but the strut had a definite "dead spot" in it where there was no resistance in up/down motion for about an inch or so. No more noise. That's my bet.

If it's the 4 cam 2.5 engine you better make note of where some gasket sealant material was used around the corners of the semi-circular areas over the cam housings, and put a dab of it on your new gaskets before you install the valve covers!

Perhaps a 901 transmission, the side shifter type from a Porsche 914? They've got really tall gears as the stock Type IV VW engine doesn't like to turn too many RPM. I've got a 2 liter Type IV in my 69 912 and a 901 transmission from a 70-71 911T. Simple, reliable and affordable while my original engine and transmission sit in a box!

Jack the car and remove the wheel. Remove the center cap of the wheel and put the wheel back on the car. Lower with jack to ground. Use 1/2' drive breaker bar and 1 1/8" socket (I believe) and break the axle nut loose. Jack up the car once again and remove the wheel. Remove the lower pinch bolt that holds the ball joint to the hub. You might want to spray a little penetrating oil there around the ball joint to make things a bit easier. Inboard side of axle: there is a roll pin you must use a punch and hammer to drive out of the joint end that slides over the splines of the output shaft on the transmission. If it is the right (passenger side) axle, the easiest method is to assemble several 3/8 socket extensions about 2 feet long, find a socket that just fits over the top of the punch, lower this whole assembly down from the top and using the hammer drive out the roll pin. Be careful as you are in very near proximity to the oxygen sensor in the exhaust manifold. (That is why it a SOB! to try and drive the roll pin UP from underneath the car, which is how you should do for the left (drivers side). Now that the roll pin is either completely out or far enough for the axle to slide off the splines, put your left foot on the lower suspension arm and grab the hub with both hands. Lift the hub while pushing down with your foot. It will seperate. The hub or your shoulder that is. Swing the hub outward, pull the axle off the splines, lower it so it is out of the way, install axle nut and tap on end of axle nut/axle with hammer via the 1 1/8" socket (I believe) to drive the outboard end of the axle out of the hub. And my favorite part: reverse for assembly! Note that some of the reman axles have the metal seal protectors on them, where others don't. If they are missing from the reman axle, lightly tap them off the old axle and then tap them on the new one before you install it. BE CAREFUL AND SAFE. HAVE REDUNDENCY IN YOUR JACKING/SUPPORTING METHODS!

Not familiar with the Impreza, but if it is like the Legacies there should have been a roll pin that holds the axle to the output shaft at the transmission. Easiest way to remove/replace the axles is to remove the lower pinch bolt just below the ball joint on the hub, put one foot on the lower arm and lifting up on the hub give it a push/lift to seperate. So I can see that if the mechanic didn't get the ball joint assembly back in the hub correctly then the pinch bolt wouldn't find its correct spot and hold things together. If that's the case consider yourself very very fortunate a MAJOR accident didn't occur! I'd look around for that roll pin.

I'm considering a 2.2 replacement for my existing 2.5 in my 97 Outback wagon 5 speed. I've got a line on a 2.2 from a 93 legacy sedan automatic with 120k miles that can be bought for less than the cost of a new crank angle sensor for a 92 legacy. "Must" it be a 2.2 from a 95 and up that would be "plug and play" with the electrical/exhaust manifold etc.? I'm guessing the flywheel from my 97 would bolt up to the 2.2 and the clutch components as well? Or would I need to find a flywheel etc. for the 2.2 that came out of an automatic to be installed in my manual outback?

I'm having multiple problems with my 97 Outback wagon. 3 weeks ago I changed the manual transmission gear oil with Valvoline Synpower synthetic gear oil. Same for rear differential. Drove car on 300 mile round trip and got 29 MPG. Best it's ever done. Same week I installed new front struts. No more log wagon! Today I had the alignment checked and adjusted. Should be good to go. Two days ago I noticed the speedometer was acting eratically. Swinging 10 MPH or more, at 3200 RPM I should be indicating 70 MPH. It was showing about a mean of 60, then today it only indicates up to about 40 MPH at highway speed. Cruise control "tries" to work in 4th gear at about 40, then disconnects. Doesn't work at all in 5th gear at highway speed. I'm still searching the archives about the speed sensor or the speedometer head possibly being the culprit. Then this afternoon I opened the hood after shutting off the engine. Hear a "bubbling" sound. Feel upper radiator hose and I can feel the "bubbling". Before my eyes the upper hose begins to collapse as if under suction. I open the radiator cap and the vacuum is released and the upper hose returns to it's normal shape. Radiator very low, nothing in overflow tank. Put cap back on, again, the car isn't running, and the upper hose once again starts to collapse! Remove radiator cap and "swoosh" the vacuum is once again released and hose returns to being round instead of flat. Fill radiator, add water in expansion tank to mark, crank up without the radiator cap on and get an instant "Old Faithful" response from the radiator, run engine a bit more and add water as it is running. Go for a drive, get back and check things out. Hose is once again collapsing, and the expansion tank is almost full to the top. With engine running I notice a couple of bubbles in the expansion tank every 5 seconds or so. Never, not once, has the temperature gauge deviated from just below half way in indication. I've owned Fiats, Volkswagens and Porsches and trust me, the temp gauge gets noticed every few seconds as habit. Wet spot on top of engine passenger side just below the power steering pump. At 91k miles I think my 2.5 has the failing head gasket. But the speedometer thing has me baffled.

When you refill with water/coolant and squeeze the upper hose for the "burping" you will probably hear that little valve in the thermostat making a "clicking" noise.

My 92 Legacy AWD automatic wagon (the one that went to Montana!) would pull my 5X8 "Iron Dog" trailer with the 2X6 heavy pine flooring and my Kawasaki Bayou 220 ATV like it wasn't even attached. It would cruise at 70 no problem. Now with the Honda Fourtrax 300 4X4 you knew you were towing something! Keep the tongue weight light and use big wheels/tires on the trailer. Hope that helps.

I just happened to take a look today at the clearance between the front tires and the OEM front struts I replaced a couple weeks ago on my 97 Legacy Outback. I made note of the alignment bolts at the hub connection and put them back in the same spot with the new struts. Car drives fine for now, but plan on taking it in for an alignment. Anyway, with the stock aluminum 15" wheels and the garish Michelin white letter tires that were OEM, there is practically no clearance between the inner side at the top of the tires and the strut. Anybody got a 97 that can give me "finger measure" on this? Thanks! BTW....I was using the search feature for this and ran across a thread about replacing the axle assembly on the passenger side---the side above the cat (and on the 92 right above the oxygen sensor) and as I did this also a week ago, instead of getting under the car and driving the roll pin up, try putting the top of your punch in a socket that just fits, then add about 2 feet of socket extensions and drive it out from the top down. Works great!

T + 33 hours 45 minutes. The Subie has landed and both driver and car home and safe in Dillon. I feel GREAT!

Tonight he is planning on getting to his new home of Dillon MT. Then at some point in the near future he and my nephew up in East Glacier are going to have to work something out to get the car up there. I bought the 92 back in 96, it had 60k miles on it when I bought it from the local Ford dealership as a trade in. Found out the name of the previous owner, and she mailed me every bit of documentation she had from day one. The car was originally sold out of Salt Lake City, she moved to Wisconsin, then to Mississippi. I used the wagon in my Land Surveying business until about November 01 when I bought the 97 outback. The 92 had been down a lot of gravel roads, dirt trails and construction sites for right at another 100k miles. It NEVER missed a beat, never failed me in my travels. But alas, it sat outside for the past 4 years with an ocaissonal monthly drive around the block. Decided since the only thing wrong with it was that the A/C had a very slow leak of the R12 it would better serve a less "tropical" climate than here in Mississippi. Hence the donation. I had spent several weeks in my spare time getting the wagon ready for this day. New timing belt, oil pump O ring and front crank seal, water pump, hoses, tensioner, tensioner pulley, transmission filter, plugs and wires,valve cover gaskets...even the O ring that fits at the base of the oil filler that always seems to leak over time, fuel and air filters, changed all fluids, replaced brake pads....the works. I was sad to see it drive off yesterday, but this evening I'm feeling pretty good about my little 92. Glad to find a place where other enthusiasts can ride "shotgun" for the adventure!

That's good info Jamal. Thanks! We're undergoing "radio blackout" at the moment, I think he has been driving in non cell phone friendly areas....around Custers' last stand anyway. Last discussion was about 4.5 hours ago and mentioned trying D3 for only a couple minutes then back to regular D. He had stopped at a gas station, I heard "beep beep beep" and then "S**T the gas station is closed!" Told him to shut it down for a while and take a nap. (But tell THAT to a 28 yr. old that hasn't seen his wife in 6 weeks!) Will update when I hear from him. Mission Control over and out! Update! T + 29 hours. Just made contact, he's just east of Billings. Last fill up he shut it down for a few minutes before proceeding. Says it hasn't done the downshifting thing since. Fuel mileage is down from 29 to 24-25. Think it's the hills and possibly the Alcohol/Ethanol cocktail this Southern Subie never sipped! Says he's doing 55 and 60 on the treated surfaces while the others are doing 35. Compared to his Toyota truck, he is in love with the wagon, and it might not make it to my nephew in East Glacier later on as he just might have found a keeper. Passed on info about Bozeman.

My 92 Legacy AWD automatic wagon (162k miles) is on it's 20th hour of travel. Employee left Central Mississippi yesterday about noon, and is nearing Rapid City SD. I'm checking in with the solo pilot and he is somewhat concerned about the 4EAT downshifting out of overdrive at random intervals of about an hour. Cruising at about 75 at 2700, then the shift to about 3k momentarily, then back to overdrive. Says terrain shouldn't be a factor, he's gone up inclines where it stayed in overdrive. I suggested on the next stop he get some rest and take a good nap. Perhaps shutting down the engine for a while and then on re-start hold in start mode for a few seconds before hitting the starter. Maybe the ECU needs to figure the conditions (much higher altitude and MUCH colder!) since his departure. Any thoughts on the matter? Thanks, and God Speed Mini-Me!

If the boss is part of the water pump then I would agree, change the water pump. The OEM ones are very reasonable. For future instances of trying to thread a bolt into a hole with damaged threads, a good trick is to use a 3 corner file on the bolt to file a notch in the first several threads longitudinally with the bolt. Then taker it easy going in with some fine oil. The notch serves as a cutting surface and allows a place for the trash. Thread it in and out a few threads at a time, like a tap. Patience!

The old aircooled VW rod bearing detection trick was to hold the throttle at about 3k RPM for about 30 seconds to a minute, then close the throttle abruptly and listen for the (rattle) snake. You'd have to do this with the throttle linkage under the hood and not merely with the gas pedal. Have you tried that?

I've attempted the DIY window tinting one time. On a 98 degree 100% humidity Mississippi afternoon. Trust me, one drop of sweat (or water) on the paper that you peel off once you have cut your template and you may as well ball that one up and throw it away. I took mine to the guys that do it for a living.

The 91s and 92s got the external transmission filter retrofit for the automatics. It's a bit bigger than the fuel filter and mounted on the drivers side in close proximity to the valve cover. I would definitely pass on a 91 or 92 that didn't have this modification. If you search by my logon name you'll find a picture of it that I posted a few weeks ago.

On the Legacys I'll remove the battery, the windsheild washer tank and the airbox cover. The suggestion of using a piece of rubber hose, I use a piece of fuel tubing, is the only way to fly to get the plugs started. What might surprise you guys, is that in my opinion anyway, the BEST spark plug tool you could ever want to do the job.......is right there in your Subaru tool kit! There is no chance it will get hung up on the sidewalls of the cylinder head, you can use the tire tool if you like to turn it, or better yet just a socket on a ratchet to turn it. Give it a try next time! If the plug wire boots are anything like the 97 2.5 engines, if you can get those off you are 90% done. They can be a bear. I finally found that if you push down on the boot just a bit then pull they come out much easier. Good luck!