BigMattyD

The black box with all the rubber hoses is usually part of the evaporative emissions system. It stores the fuel vapors to be burned off later, instead of allowing them to escape into the environment. It is the same as the "charcoal canister," I think. I don't think you need to worry about it unless you get a check engine light, but if you want to keep the car in perfect shape, go ahead and replace them. matt

Thanks to rweddy for posting the solution to this problem. I had been experiencing the intermittent door locks for several years. It is very annoying when you have to keep cycling the door locks until you finally get them to unlock. It was very easy to get the part out of the door. I did not need to do anything but unclip the control rods, and remove the three screws holding the assembly in place, as well as the electrical connector. I was then able to remove the assembly through one of the access holes in the door. I disassembled the switch and placed a small drop of epoxy on the same part of the switch you did. It is important that it is a relatively small, flat drop, that will serve to slightly thicken the piece, allowing for greater pressure on the spring contacts. It works perfectly now, even in the 95 degree heat. Previously, the heat would cause unreliable performance. Matt D.

Blasphemy!!! Why would anyone want to debadge their sweet Subaru??? Well, I guess some people do it. All is forgiven. Matt

It sounds like it may be a security system. The switch you found may be the reset switch. That is my guess. Matt D

The timing belt idler pulleys (I think that's what you meant by rollers) seem really expensive to me, a set of four probably cost you more than the rest of the parts combined. If they were not bad, I wouldn't have changed them, but I guess if two were shot, I would gett all four as well.... Matt

The photos are from underneath. Of course, my digital camera is much smaller than my head, so I was able to get access to some areas that you might not easily see normally, but it gives some real perspective to thhee arrangement and location of the parts. matt

Yes, the duct tape or locking extension is a good piece of advice. The first time I chamged my plugs, I got the socket stuck in the hole and had to "custom-fabricate" an extraction tool by bending a small hook at the end of a metal coat hanger. It worked really well to grab the socket, so I haven't graduated to the duct tape myself... I agree on the anti-seize every time. A jar of it will cost ten dollars or less and probably last your lifetime. If you have a torque wrench, you can torque the plugs to about 12 ft lbs, or if you have a good feel for it, it is just slightly tight. Matt

Please consider adding this to the USRM. Apparently, it is common for the shifter bushings to wear out. I have posted several photos from my repair. Here is the link to the original thread; http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?p=488603#post488603 matt

Update on photos: I moved my photos to the USMB... Here is a link: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?cat=881 Also, I am going to submit to USRM because several people have asked about it. matt

Does all speeds include zero, or did you mean only when the car is rolling? I guess that would be the first question to ask... matt

I would check the brakes first. I drove around in my wife's car trying to diagnose the squeal I heard for a few weeks while the rotors were being destroyed by my worn pads. I thought it wasn't the brakes because it would stop on braking. Well, I was wrong. Check that, then think about other stuff, bearings, etc. Matt

I had good wear, traction, and stability, as well as a great price on Yokohama Avid Touring. I got them from tirerack.com. They are for normal driving and are all-season. I had excellent results on snow when the tires were new, but as the tread wore down, obviously they weren't as good. I began to use dedicated snow tires two years ago for all my cars. Where I live, it is just a good idea. I like tirerack.com because you have the ability to compare lots of different tires and get real-world reviews. That is something I have never gotten at a tire store. There is no way to tell how well a tire performs based on brand name, price, or appearance, and that is all you have to go on unless you do some research. Matt

I used a c-clamp to compress mine, it seemed to work well. The key is to go slowly to give time for the adjuster to equilibrate while you're compressing it. This is for the old style adjuster. I hear the newer ones may be a little more finicky. Matt D

I use distilled water to mix my coolant, but you may want to know that there is water available that is reverse osmosis. I know that when I used to work in a grocery store, we offered fill-your-own water that was purified by filtration and reverse osmosis. Recently I have seen similar setups in Wal-mart grocery stores. I will continue to use distilled water, however. I use name brand anti-freeze (prestone, Zerex, etc.) Matt

I am just posting my opinion, but I have used the cheap autolite plugs and had no problems with pinging, misfires, or performance. They also lasted quite a long time. I inspected them about once a year. My plugs are easy to get to, but if they were not, I would use the longest lasting ones possible. matt d

Yes, getting a simultaneous battery and brake lamp are almost pathognomonic for a bad alternator. Good job at diagnosis... matt d

I had a graphic equalizer in the second slot back when I was into car audio. It fit perfectly. It was a full size DIN unit. matt d

The axle nut is 32mm I believe.. matt

I think you will probably be okay, but for peace of mind, when I changed my first timing belt at 105k, I also changed the oil seals, resealed the oil pump, and replaced the thermostat and radiator hoses. I chalked it up as preventive maintenance. None of my seals were leaking, and my water pump was fine, but I figured I was less likely to have to take apart the engine again anytime soon. I will probably wait till 200k to change the timing belt again, and when I do, I may change the idler pulleys... Matt

There is a california spec belt for the 95 and 96 2.2 engines. I got the california spec because they are recommended for 105000 mile intervals. I am not sure if they are made differently or if they are just warranted for longer service. My original timing belt easily lasted 105000 miles before I got around to changing it. matt

I thought the term "REX" was the cool-dudes' slang for the WRX... I think I have seen it used before, anyway... Or, maybe, with all that power in inexperienced hands, you will get in a lot of "rex." The insurance companies love that.... Matt

I think 50 dollars is a reasonable price. If I had a good friend that would do it for me, I would probably pay him 15 to 20 dollars, so for a professional shop, 50 would be ok with me. matt

I tried the babelfish translation, it is extremely funny, kind of like the english assembly instructions we get with our cheap Chinese products at walmart, etc... Any way, it was kind of difficult to get a real sense of the vehicle, but it did look interesting. The funny thing is, the people in the ads look American, not Japanese... Matt

I think the distinction between old school and new school has been clarified... I still feel like my 96 Legacy is a "new" car. These subarus really age well compared to GM, Ford, etc... I live in the rust belt and I am starting to get some rust around the door edges. If it weren't for that, my car would really feel new. I am very impressed with my Subaru, and that is why I hope to stay in the Subaru family as much as I can. If Subaru built a true minivan-like vehicle, I would have one. As it is, I got a Dodge Grand Caravan. It is four years newer but has had more problems already.... Matt

Good thing there are smart dudes like us here on the USMB to keep people from listening to bad mechanics.... Matt D