porcupine73

Hello and welcome! It's not good to have different tires on the front and rear. Subaru wants them all within 1/4" circumference of each other or it can cause issues/damage to the AWD. Not sure about the shaking, have they shaken down the entire suspension to look for loose/worn components?

Neo HP 800 wheel bearing grease is what some d00ds on nasioc like. It does seem to work quite well; it's a pasty PAO synthetic EP grease. Supposed to be good up to 800F. The reseal kits are pretty easy to do, it really helps if you have compressed air to get the pistons out but there are alternatives. The OEM reseal kits also include packs of the Subaru specified red niglube, which is nearly impossible to find elsewhere except from Japan.

Hi. The ABS relay is probably stuck. See info below. I won't say it is 'safe' to operate the vehicle with the ABS unit disconnected. However, not all vehicles came with ABS and the brakes will still work without the ABS unit. ABS Relay Sticking (EndWrench.com) Legacy, Impreza and SVX through 1996 If you encounter a case of the ABS hydraulic motor continuing to run or buzz when the ignition is off, and/or an illuminated ABS warning light and a Code 52 (faulty hydraulic motor and/or motor relay) stored in memory, follow these steps: Note: This condition may be intermittent and difficult to duplicate. 1. If the ABS hydraulic unit continues to run with the key off, confirm the trouble code, if any, and follow the diagnostic chart in the appropriate service manual. 2. Check the wiring harness to make sure it is not the source of the problem. 3. If you have determined that the ABS hydraulic control unit motor is indeed faulty, replace it with the modified relay, part number 26735AA012 (there will be a white line under the word “Japan” on the case). Always check part number supercession for any changes.

After a good wire brushing, I've been spraying kanolabs molyfilm on the hub to rotor interfaces and the rotor to wheel interfaces. The stuff sticks pretty well and rust doesn't form through it. It dries fast too (but it smells something horrible in the process), so dirt won't stick to it like it might with something greasy/oily. For cylinder and other storage prep, sta-bil (pepboys has the sta-bil fogging oil) or amsoil may work well. The amsoil fogging oil smells a lot like lube control LC20 which could probably also be used for anti-rust storage. Those should come off pretty easily with solvent/brake cleaner. Amsoil heavy duty metal protector works very well too, but it isn't as easy to remove. Kanolabs also has a 'weatherpruf' product that says removes easily with mineral spirits and protects up to one year outdoors. For parts you don't want to get oily, VCI paper (volatile corrosion inhibitor) might work. That's what some Subaru parts come packed in such as cam sprockets and oil pumps. It is impregnated with something that offgases I think to help protect against rust. Do your rotors look like this? If so it might be excessive: Other pics: KalCoAuto synthetic blinker fluid says it's good for 1.5MM blinks...

Cool send some of that free oil up this way! Yes older engines that liked an oil with more ZDDP don't often like the new API spec pcmo oils. Not sure if the HDD oils are limiting anything yet something about plugging up the particulate filters or something. SX-UP is(was?) a great additive specifically made for boosting newer oils for use in older engines. It is/was made by specialtyformulations.com but they were moving since Nov '06 and I don't think they've resumed shipping yet....too bad their air tool oil is awesome. In addition to slob I think vsot (valvoline synthetic oil treatment) has a lot of ZDDP too.

What to buy depends on what you're looking for and how much you're willing to spend. The durlasts from autozone are fairly inexpensive; not sure how true they are or how well they wear. There's a ton of info at stoptech.com about bedding in, etc, what that sandpaper feeling you might have is ('cementite inclusions' or something I think they say?). Been getting good results so far with brembo sport slotted fronts from tirerack and stoptech slotted rears with OEM pads. Oh whatever rotors you get, if you can get ones that have the threaded 8mm holes to drive the rotor off the hub, that may make future removal a lot easier. I had to heat and pound my old ones off with a sledge hammer.

A salvage yard could be the way to go if you don't want to buy new from a dealer. Though if you get it from a Subaru dealer who sells parts online it will probably be less than your local dealer. I just had to do this job on '00obw. subarupartsforyou.com sent me the parking brake kit (includes shoes for both sides and clip to hook to parking brake cable, about $65 I think). The springs, cups, and hold down pins I think were about $60 for both sides. The adjusters were more than I expected, I think almost $15 each, so if you can reuse your adjusters that might save some $. I still have all the old parts from my '00obw (not sure if that would fit your '99 outback). If you're really in a jam I could probably ship it to you, but the springs and cups and stuff are in pretty bad shape. Here's the diagram I used to order the rear parking brake parts for '00obw:

Yah some automakers are worried about phosphorous spoiling the cats before the emissions warranty runs out. That might happen if the engine starts burning through oil. So the API specs have been limiting phosphorous. Zinc is consequently limited if the blender is getting the phosphorous from ZDDP: reduce phosphorous means reduce ZDDP, which has zinc too. There are aftermarket additives such as slob (street legal oil boost) that are nearly entirely ZDDP.

Hi stingypaperwaffles and welcome! One easy, quick thing to check might be to see if the front sway bar has fractured, usually at the LH (driver) side bushing. A number of people have had this happen on the '00obw's (myself included). Then in sharp right turns I think it was I would get a clunk. It was the busted part of the sway bar rubbing on the inside of the tire and getting thrown around. The issue could easily be something else too though, just the sway bar is a quick easy thing to look at and some '00obw's had problems with them fracturing.

Oh ok cool. I've never seen the air suspension. I thought it was just air bags inside the springs like you see on pickup trucks sometimes. Anyway, AFIAK if you get the smaller diameter top springs, get impreza/forester upper spring seats. Otherwise get legacy/outback upper springs seats. I just used some king/scoprion lift springs with GR-2's on '00obw and whiteline endlinks. Seems to work very well. Handling is much improved over what it was. It is about a 1.5" lift, though I haven't ever driven any sporty good handling vehicles so I probably don't know what I'm missing. It is noticeably stiffer than before and you feel the road more but that's the way I like it. You must become one with the road luke....

Depends on what you're looking for. Those springs appear to be lowering springs, which is fine if you want a little lower ride. Whatever springs you get, make sure the top diameter is the same as what you have now, or get the upper spring seats for the springs you get. Some non-US Subaru's have different springs, so if you get something from Australia for example (i.e. Whiteline) they may be spec'd for the Australian version. The pdm-racing site appears to have notes about this in their spring selection guide.

The Subaru wheel studs are 12mm x 1.25mm thread pitch. I'm not familiar with flange type lug nuts; does it keep the wheel centered properly?

Cool. Wow thats, like, a lot of pressure.

Code 45 Intake manifold pressure signal Detects open or shorted input signal circuit. Sounds like you already searched and found this info, but here it is anyway: Service Note: Harsh AWD Engagement and TCU Code 45 1999-2002 All Models You may encounter a 1999-2002 Subaru vehicle with a customer report of a loud bang emanating from the rear of the vehicle during slow-speed acceleration on ice or snow. This may be caused by the transfer clutch being engaged when the system detects wheel slippage. Inspect the vehicle to see if a TCU Code 45 (intake manifold pressure sensor) is present. If so, first inspect the wiring and connectors as directed in the appropriate service manual. Next, confirm that the AWD system is operating correctly. Replacement of the TCU may be needed to correct the problem. Please note that if the vehicle is also experiencing an ECM code for the intake manifold pressure sensor, replacing the TCU will not correct the problem.

True there may be risks with this method. Do you think it could particularly be an issue in the phase II 2.5L's with the external peeping leak? Like if that part of the HG is already weak, maybe the vacuum's opposite force from the normal pressure during heat could make it give way?

Wow that's quite a setup. Say what are those propane tanks in the bottom of the pic for? My '00obw doesn't have the bleeder screw on the radiator. The '94 and '96 do. The success of the vacuum coolant refill method lies in having a good vacuum (say >26mmHg) built up in the cooling system before pulling in the fresh coolant. If there is nearly no air in the system, then there is nearly no air that can get trapped and form air pockets. You could use a much lower vacuum to pull the coolant in, but that would still allow air pockets to get trapped. Atmospheric pressure is approx. 14.7 psia at sea level. So if you could pull a perfect vacuum in the cooling system (which is impossible on earth, and definitely impossible with the venturi type vacuum device), there would be less than 15psi negative pressure on the cooling system components.

Hopefully the vacuum doesn't cause any issues with already potentially fragile HG's....I didn't really think about that. If the system has a 15psig cap, then it can handle at least 15psig positive pressure. The maximum vacuum in the system will be at most -1atm. It's definitely no stronger than -15psig even at sea level. The gauge was reading maybe 27mmHg. The distilled water was just for flushing. The fill was done with 50/50 distilled and Zerex G-05. Mityvac and others make devices to vacuum fill also. There is a TSB from Subaru (#09-39-04 dated 05/07/04) for 2005MY Legacy & Outback Vehicles. The introduction says "The purpose of this bulletin is to address proper refilling of the engine coolant system. To prevent air pockets, an evacuation and refilling tool is required. This required tool can be obtained through Kent Moore, Snap-on or your local tool distributor. The tool creates a vacuum in the coolant system removing possible air pockets allowing for efficient refilling of the engine coolant system." I added an avi version of the video to the page, but it's 28MB (the quicktime .MOV is 4MB, must be compression?)

Maybe this diagram would help? It's for '94 Legacy Wagon. fueltank1994.zip

Yes, I think it was '96MY when Subaru started saying 5W30, and then it was for increased fuel economy. I know my '94 manual says 5W30 is not suggested for sustained high speed operation or something like that.

I'd seen on EndWrench and other places the supposed benefits or refilling the engine coolant with the cooling system under vacuum. If there is little air in the system, then there is little air that can get trapped thus forming an air pocket. Mightyvac and others make vacuum systems for doing this, but they aren't cheap. I picked up a few brass fittings and valves from mcmaster.com and a venturi vacuum device from Harbor Freight and gave it a try. I tried it on my '94 Legacy Wagon and my '00obw after replacing the radiator and heater hoses - seemed to work great in both cases. Since there's a lot of pictures and a video, I made a page for it here. Even after several heat/cool cycles the coolant level has not dropped, so I figure no air is caught in the system? Here's what the system looks like:

Here's the access spot I was thinking of. This is from a '96 Legacy wagon...I have a '94 Legacy wagon too but not sure if this thing is in the same spot? Anyway it doesn't sound like it's the access area you're looking for. Yes I am amazed too sometimes when you look up into the vehicle with a rear wheel off and see all those lines, hoses, and whatnots all rusted up in there...just enough room to see them...

There are one or two access panels just behind the rear seats in the wagon; I'm not sure if these will give you access to what you need. The one on the RH side is usually where the fuel pump discharge, fuel return, and some other line go into...I have a pic somewhere here....

Is that a phase II? (Does that have the external spin on filter on the side of the AT case? (if it's an H4, on H6's the filter is remote mounted). Of course you probably already know you must make sure you get an AT with the same drive ratio as your rear diff, or get the rear diff from the donor car as well. Outback Gear Ratios (EndWrench) When performing repairs on automatic or manual transmission Outback vehicles, be certain to check appropriate. Service materials to determine whether or not the vehicle you are working on has a different final drive ratio than a non-Outback version of the same vehicle. If a different ratio is indicated, be certain to obtain the correct matching parts while performing your repairs.

Is the wheel bent at all? Is the wheel to hub mating surface clean and rust free? I would jack it up and measure the circumference of all the tires. See if the one that makes it pull is much different than the others. Suggested Measuring Device (EndWrench) As you are no doubt aware, all-wheeldrive (AWD) systems are sensitive to variations in tire circumference...Differences of as little as 1/4 inch can have an effect. Subaru recommends the use of a steel tape measure with a thin 1/4 inch blade width to closely follow the tire contour and give accurate results. While these tape measures are commonly available at most hardware stores in 3 and 6 foot lengths, the 10 foot length tape is needed to accommodate larger tire diameters. It may take a little searching or even a special order, but most of the better-known manufacturers, such as Lufkin or Stanley, offer a 10 foot steel tape in the desired 1/4 inch width. (I found this type of tape at Ace Hardware).

Yah I would look into your local/state laws. In NY, pretty much any vehicle sold by a dealer comes with a warranty (length depends on mileage). It makes no difference if the dealer says 'no warranty', 'as is', etc; the law still says 'warranty'.