Hotshot

I just put a sony head unit in my 97 obw, and it has an input on the front, and bult in subwoofer options. I can either run it off the amp in the headunit, or just uotput the signal for an external amp. How can the sub not be used with a new head unit? Isnt it basically just two leads that connect to an amplifier?

Do the low fuel lights typically come on when the needle is lower on the gauge than other cars? I have run my obw a little below the empty mark, and no light showed up.

The check engine light was on for a while in my 97 OBW with 200k miles, and when they checked it at the dealer, they also said it was the CC starting to go. They also said that untill it plugged up, it really wasnt any big deal, and it would be fine to hold out on replacing the 1000$ unit untill it completely failed.

I was doing a little of that today, and this makes me want to go out with my camera sometime tomorrow.

It appears to have gotten worse. Now, when coming off any start at any speed, the car starts jerking untill I let off the gas. I am really hoping I dont need a transmission too, but this one does have 200k miles on it.

No idea what type of wires they are. What would they look like if they were original? They have all red connectors and cables. Getting the tansmission mount replaced didnt change anything, I could tell any difference in how it drove. Ill see if I can get a video clip of the tach while it does this.

I'll see if it changes after I get the mount replaced. There isnt a thump when it occurs, just a pause in the tach movement and the engine sounds like it misses a beat. engine was replaced a year or two ago, and I think that the plugs and wires probably were too. If not, they have 200k miles on them, which could be the problem if they were just switched over.

Another thing I forgot to mention was that while I was getting the torque bind fixed at the dealer, they said that I had a broken transmission mount, and they ordered the new one. Would this be enough to cause it?

It doesnt do it while idling or under light driving, just when I am pushing it a little. there is usually a "pop" when each plug fires, but the sound is absent when the pauses occur. I am really starting to think new plugs and wires.

There is no stalling, and other than this minor issue, it runs great. The air intake filter in it is brand new, though I am not sure of the brand. Could it cause too much of a restriction of the airflow? When it "skips" it sounds like the plug isnt firing for the cylinder. I am wondering if I might need to change the plugs and wires. I dont think it would be a fuel filter problem either.

Well, after I got the Outback back from the dealer after having the torque bind issue fixed and new tires put on, I thought I was good to go. Now there is something else I am worried about: when I lay on the gas a little harder than usual to accelerate, instead of it accelerating smoothly, there seems to be pauses in the engine, almost like a cylinder isn't firing. There is also a whistling at high RPMs that I am not sure about. Any ideas?

Wish I could go, but I dont think I could justify the gas $ to get there.

If I was more mechanically inclined and had a little more experience and time, I would have considered doing it myself. I just got the car back today, and the cost for the parts was just a little less than the tranny you got, but they charged 2x that in labor. Runs great now though, and I love it.

Pretty sure it was around 150-175k at the time.

I found out the hard way that it is better to spend the money up front and do something right the first time, instead of half-assing it and having it screw up more stuff later.

The check engine light that was on in my 97 OB apparantly was a catalytic convertier problem too. The dealer said that it really wasnt that big of a deal, and that you could just drive it untill the whole thing failed. So if you cant tell a difference, I dont think I would worry about it.

Looks like fun, and I cant blame you for putting the $ into getting a brat instead of a lift.

Good car, but once again, this particular model is known to have headgasket problems. I currently drive one, and its previous owner just had to replace the engine because of this flaw.

With my problem, the dealer said that it was turning on pavement and other hard surfaces that causes the damage the fastest, though you can get it by highway driving too. When I asked if I could drive my car or wait untill I had it repaired, he said that if I was just going to take it on the interstate for a few miles for a few days it would be alright, but that I should avoid driving around town at all costs.

Awesome car, especially for how old it is and the awesome shape it is in. The knob on the gear stick is awesome.

I had to find out the hard way about how picky my outback is with tires. It could be possible that all the weight of the tools plus you being on one side of the vehicle caused uneven tire wear. Couldn't hurt to check the tread depths, and it is way easier than flushing out the tranny. My problem was with unevenly replaced tires, but there was little weight carried, no towing, and no major hill climbing. sounds like your problem is different than mine anyways.

My aunt blew an engine because the stock thermostat stuck...

Just got back from the dealer today... 900$+ tires if the clutches arnt fused together or the clutch case isnt beat to hell. Dont even want to think about it if it is, but from what the dealer said, it isnt very advanced. Thanks to everyone here that posted for their guidance on this. As soon as I began to tell the tech there the symptoms, the first two words out of his mouth were "Torque Bind" When I told him that the solenoid was dead and the clutches were iffy, he agreed and said that I had been doing my homework on it.

you have any pics from the side? Looks good.

I just got back from the dealer today, and I am looking at a mimimum of 900$ plus tires because my car's previous owner replaced one tire before the rest. I would have to say YES, it IS mandatory While I was talking to a tech there about the off-size tire I had on it, he actually said 1/8" instead of 1/4".