porcupine73

Some of those other auto makers newer transverse mount jobbies you nearly have to take the engine out or at least rock it to get some of the plugs out, but Subaru's are still pretty straightfoward and can be done without such extreme measures. Just use the right size 6pt spark plug socket and if it seems too tight don't just torque the heck out of it, that's when the plugs snap off or gall out the threads and stuff.

I don't know about NJ dealers, you could check at schaefferoil.com. You pretty much would have to find a dealer that specifically carries the #132; schaeffer themselves have like a $300 minimum order so you can't really order it direct from them.

Yep that's the stuff, I guess they don't show the schaeffer part #. Not sure how much one tooth off would drop compression; EndWrench article says 'A properly timed car will typically crank out 175 psi. Two teeth off will drop it to around 110 and the engine won’t start'

Hm, a few ideas: order from a local dealer, even if they charge you list at most it'll be a couple bucks per nut. That is weird, I even checked mcmaster which usually has just about everything, but in the two styles I believe those nuts to be, either flange hex or serrated hex, they only go up to M10 or skip M14. They have them in that size as a nylon insert locknut, part number 90576A147 (Metric Zinc-Plated Steel Nylon-Insert Locknut M14 Size, 1.5mm Special Pitch, 22mm W, 14mm H) mcmaster calls these kinds of nuts (locknuts) 'distorted-thread': Uniquely shaped threads on these all-metal, one-piece nuts provide a vibration-resistant friction fit, so the nut stays put. Nuts are not reusable.

Are you sure the timing belt marks are all aligned properly and/or it didn't jump teeth (like due to faulty tensioner and/or if MT the guide plate thingy over the crank sprocket)? If you want to try an additive schaeffer's #132 moly e.p. would be what I'd use (can get online from speedpartz).

Benefits of replacing the boot(s) (if it hasn't been torn for very long) include retaining the Subaru OE quality. Otherwise it is usually much easier to just install a replacement/rebuilt half shaft. However sometimes these things aren't the highest quality and even though they may have a lifetime warranty you still have to spend time (or money if you have someone else do the work) replacing it if it fails.

Hello, have you been using the Subaru coolant conditioner (holts radweld)? I have an '00obw also (106k) and it says to put that in every coolant change due to propensity for external head gasket leaks. You might not see coolant on the floor if you still have the plastic under door installed as that might be catching it. Radiator cap in good shape, etc? Any oily residue in the coolant? Any cloudiness in the engine oil? Even a small leak that starts leaking when the slightest pressure is in the system could result in the coolant loss you are seeing. AFAIK (hope!) the somewhat common internal head gasket leak was at least not as bad by this model year? Definitely keep the coolant level topped up, before every trip if need be - even if you are fortunate enough to not have a blown head gasket if the heads warp from overheating that will not be cheap to fix.

Hey alright it fixed itself! Those are the best problems. Sorry about that front post, I always try to read too fast and miss little details like the fact that is was the RR tire.

I think it is recommended to replace the gasket even if it looks OK. If you start sucking air anywhere after the MAF sensor then that's unmetered air and could cause driveability issues. Later models sometimes had just a MAP sensor in those cases it might not matter as much but could still cause high or erratic idle. What brand injector cleaning are you running? I've found that after running an initial 'shock dose' if you will, that it is more effective to run a few ounces or whatever you want with every tank. Some of these cleaners are very good (such as redline si-1) but if you read their literature it shows it may take a while for it to completely disolve all the carbon and stuff.

Has the front stabilizer bar fractured? My '00obw developed these same symptoms after it busted, and only in the left turns. It turns out the stabilizer bar busted, and was dangling down and rubbing on the tire in sharp left hand turns.

If you're thinking of replacing the injectors, you could just pull them and send them somewhere for cleaning. I pulled mine out and sent them to witchhunterperformance. Anyway, I did pull the steering pump in the process but I was replacing the steering pump anyway. I think you do need to pull the pump because one of the items holding the injectors in place also holds the power steering pump lines. You might get away without removing the steering pump if you unhook the discharge banjo bolt. Anyway you need new o-rings and stuff when putting the new injectors in. This whole thing is a little bit tricky; I ended up sucking air around two of my injectors after the replacement.

Is there any like federal regulations in the US or something about how much a vehicle can be rated to tow?

I had problems getting the connector off too. I kept playing with it with a pair of needle nose pliers and/or a screwdriver I think and it finally popped off.

Well dudes you can get silicone by the gallon, and heck the 55 gallon drum if you want, under the brand name Lubricone from KanoLabs. They also make other products, such as Kroil which is regarded by many as the top of the line penetrating oil. They say they sell only to businesses but if you just put something in the company name box in the checkout they'll send it to you. I've tried a lot of their stuff, and if you use even a moderate amount of these kinds of things get some of the diy spray bottles from harbor freight man I love those things.

I'd check the owner's manual. Usually it shows the jacking positions and spots for jackstands. On most vehicles if you look down along the bottom of the vehicle under the doors there is a little sill there, and there's sometimes a little groove or slot in it for the tire changing jack to hook to help keep from slipping out. Usually I put my jackstands in this position on the outside of the sill (not on the sill - that'll make it fold over).

Yah I've had the snow build up so bad in the wheel wheels especially it turns to ice that you can hear it rubbing on the tire when making a turn. I try to kick it out with boots on or flush some water on it or something. The silicone idea - I like it I'm going to give it a try. If you buy silicone by the gallon and use the harbor freight rechargable DIY spray can it is a lot cheaper than the aeresol cans.

Hi Bill. There's a few sources I know of: 1. techinfo.subaru.com - can get entire set of OE manuals on CD (not sure how far back yearwise they go) for like $200 2. eBay - got a complete set of OE printed manuals for '00OBW for $150 (I think I did a 'best offer' which was accepted). 3. alldatadiy.com - gets you access to lots of good apparantly OE material with the diagrams for not much cash outlay upfront (yearly subscription). Depending on what you're looking for haynes/chilton are usually available though they're not my favorite.

It seemed to me, at least when looking at a Forester sitting next to an Outback at the dealer, that the space behind the rear seat on the Forester was quite a bit less than on the Outback.

Perhaps a dum question, but your fluid level and quality is good in the current AT? Someone didn't put the wrong ATF in it before like I don't know maybe for some other Japanese make that might have more heavily friction modified fluid than Dexron III?

If the existing tranny was actually slipping as much as you said for that long you probably wore off not a trivial amount of clutch material. So anyway, if you already paid for/committed another transmission you really have no choice but to follow through. Maybe you don't have to install it right away if there don't seem to be any issues at the moment but AT slipping=not good. Typically if the TCU detects any slippage it will crank up the line pressure to the max to try to prevent the slipping which may also result in harsher shifts. If it still slips at max line pressure that then that's not good.

I haven't heard a whole lot about the VDC's, but don't the WRX's pretty much run that kind of thing with the DCCD without too many problems? Anyway, I think the 6cyl is pretty reliable, I have heard of someone having timing chain issues but subaru replaced the engine under warranty. Now I"m not trying to direct anyone away from this awesome forum but there is a related site that has a somewhat active specific forum about subaruoutback H6's.

Yah that turbo forester, 0-60 in like 5.9 seconds, now that's not too shaby compared to other common production cars. And even if it is the ultimate 'lesbaru' it wouldn't be any worse than when I saw a jeep with the bumper sticker 'bad girls drive bad toys' but it was a guy driving it.

OK well I called replacementshocks.com, they use one of those call centers in India, and they had the rears I think in stock but didn't have the fronts in stock and couldn't tell me when they'd ship, so they were off my list. Summit was out because they're out of stock. Tirerack has everything in stock, but I went with eBay 'performance peddler' which says they're ready for next day shipment, plus I could get some time interest free with the paypal buyer credit which is handy considering Christmas is just around the corner!

Oh yah, tirerack, I got snow tires from them a couple years ago and yes great service. Well maybe I should make a little matrix for my own reference of prices; these are for '96 Legacy Outback front and rear KYB-GR2 struts, they fit other years as well. KYB GR-2 (front right) 235632 or (front left) 235633replacementshocks.com 78.95 (free shipping)summitracing.com 79.95 ($8.95 or 9.95 flat rate shipping per order)tirerack.com 83.00 (plus $26.24 shipping for 4 struts)ebay performance peddler 83.19 (free shipping) KYB GR-2 (rear right) 335020 or (rear left) 335021replacementshocks.com 65.95 (free shipping)summitracing.com 69.88 ($8.95 or 9.95 flat rate shipping per order)tirerack.com 69.00 (plus $26.24 shipping for 4 struts)ebay performance peddler 73.63 (free shipping) Comments: do i need an alignment kit to do a legacy to outback strut&spring conversion on a '96 lgeacy? If so the bonus is tirerack has Ingalla fastcam bolts in +/- 2.0 deg. in stock. Otherwise I could use some recent feedback on eBay and they say this stuff is in stock. Summit I love I get stuff overnight but they're out for at least a week. Tirerack has great service but their shipping charge makes them quite a bit more expensive than the rest.

If you think it's an oil pressure problem first I guess you'd have to see if the oil pressure is OK. If you just want to hook up an oil pressure gauge temporarily to check the pressure, then take the pressure switch out from under the alternator and screw in an oil pressure gauge. Most 'test' gauges probably include a bunch of adapters so one of them should be the 1/8" bspt. Then screw the factory pressure switch back in when you're done. Did you take the back cover off before loctiting the screws to see how the rotors looked? I mean if they were all chewed up that wouldn't be good, or if the vanes are excessively worn it could reduce it's pumping capacity. There's not a whole lot in there and it's driven right off the crank. Are you sure the oil pump o-ring was seated properly? When I replaced my oil pump the oil pump o-ring fell out of place during the install but fortunately I took it back off to see how the ultra grey looked so I caught it in time; otherwise I don't know what happens, maybe it could kind of short circuit some of the discharge flow back to the suction side. Also I guess if the bypass/pressure limiter were weak or leaking it be recirculating flow there too. Also in a previous post on here somewhere someone had maybe a similar issue and it turned out that a piece of the permatex ultra grey got stuck in an oil passage somewhere and they fished it out with a pipe cleaner or something like that. So maybe the anaerobic sealant is a better way to go is what I've heard others say?