BigMattyD

Here is my opinion: If you are concerned that there is some other type of damage to your engine and don't want to spend a lot of money, do this: Take the car home, remove the old timing belt, and install a new one yourself. Cost: Timing belt (60-70 bucks?) Do not replace any seals, oil pump, h20 pump, idlers, tensioner, etc. Make sure the timing belt is installed correctly. Now you can do a compression test. If the results are ok, you may elect to remove the timing belt and replace any of the above maintenance items. If the compression test is horrible, you are at the point at which you can decide whether or not you want to keep the car. If you have never dont a timing belt, search for posts on this board. They are very informative and give you all the info you need to be able to do the job without any special tools. If you want to do the compression test, you will need to buy a compression gauge at your local auto parts store. I do not believe they are all that pricey. I have a strong feeling that your car will be ok with the new timing belt installed. Matt

He might be trying to get you to give up on the car and sell it to him at a low, low, price, so he can fix it and keep it for himself!! What nipper said is right.. If the timing belt is off, the compression values are suspect, and the first thing to do is replace the timing belt. It is not too difficult a job. Even I have done it... If the car was working fine up to that point, I don't think it has serious compression issues. It is more likely that the timing belt slipped and screwed up the valve timing, causing a sudden loss of power, possibly backfiring, etc, or a no-run situation. Matt D

To remove the caliper bracket, you can use a box end wrench and a small size sledge hammer. Put the box end on the bolt head and use moderate force taps on the other end of the wrench to loosen the bolt. (Poor man's impact wrench.) Of course, soak it with penetrating oil first, and you may want to turn the front wheels to whatever side gives you the most room to work... Matt

On my car, you remove the top and bottom caliper bolts, and you may have to remove the caliper bracket, and you can then pull the rotors off. I do not know of any late model subarus in which you have to remove the 32 mm axle nut. If the rotors will not easily pull off, you can use a hammer to dislodge them, since you will be replacing them, or you can thread the lower caliper bolt (that you removed from the caliper) into the small threaded hole on the hub of the rotor and tighten it, which will push against the wheel hub and separate the rotor from the hub. I believe there are two or three threaded holes for that purpose. I replaced my rotors about 3 mo. ago, so my memory is already starting to fade. Matt

Nipper: Isn't it possible that the front O2 sensor being out of whack could also cause a catalyst efficiency code?? That is, if the ECU is comparing front vs rear O2 readings, and the front is off, but the rear is working normally, it would provide a confusing set of data, triggering the fault.. It is still possible that just the front O2 sensor is faulty, in my estimation, but it wouldn't hurt to change both unless the cost of the second sensor would break your budget. Matt

I agree with changing the o2 sensor first. It can cause a catalyst failure code. In fact I was recently diagnosing a supposed catalyst problem, and one of the associated faults that could cause that code was a failing o2 sensor. I believe others have reported driveability issues with poor o2 sensors, but I have no expierience of that myself. Just because two mechanics said it could'nt possibly be the o2 sensor doesn't mean it's true. I mean, come on, that's why many of the people on this board work on their own cars... matt

here is a website: www.subarupartsforyou.com

I agree with setright. I think you need to do a good brake fluid change. I have replaced my pads and rotors, and the pedal still feels soft and will travel almost to the floor when I really step on it. I think I may have a small amount of air in the lines from when I tried to change the brake fluid last year. I am going to do it again, but with better technique this time. Last time, I was trying to do it by myself without the aid of a pressure bleeder. This time, I will either get someone to help me so that I can regulate the flow thru the bleeder valves, or I will invest in a pressure system so I can do it myself. Matt

I think that if you want to turn off the DRL's, by all means, go ahead, it's your car. That said, I also leave my lights on continuously. Even on a bright sunny day, it improves others' ability to see and recognize your car. This is especially important to those people who are driving in a state of fatigue or daydreaming. Headlights or tail lights just attract more attention. I have been driving this way for five years, and have only had to replace the headlamps once. I have never had to replace any of the other lamps. Matt

Scan for codes when the problem is happening, like they said earlier, go to the dealership and pick up your friendly Subaru technician and drive him/her down the street to the gas station. Fill the tank and replicate the problem, and have him read the codes while it's happening. Then you'll have a better indication of what's going on. matt

If you are only replacing the timing belt, you should be able to do it without removing the radiator, as you don't need as much space as when you are trying to remove oil seals, etc. If you are going to be doing other maintenance.. seals, pump, etc, go ahead and remove the radiator. It is so much easier. If you have done it on the stand, you will be able to do it in the engine bay. Make sure you have a good set of socket extensions of various lengths... Matt D

Note to all: To diagnose trouble codes, I have been using the online service found at alldatadiy.com. You have to pay for a yearly subscription, but the info is specific to your car, and they have excellent troubleshooting charts for the trouble codes. They also have correct wiring diagrams, not the generic ones in the Haynes manual. They even have diagrams of connector locations, pinouts, and fuse/relay locations, sensor locations... I have used it to diagnose and repair problems on my Buick Skylark and my Dodge Caravan, and it has proven indispensable. I believe alldata is actually providing scans of the factory service manual for the vehicle. Remember that Haynes, Chilton's, etc. try to provide good information, but for a range of model years, and engine types, option packages, etc. That said, the first thing I buy when I get a new car is a Haynes manual. I have never used alldata for my Subaru, because I haven't needed it yet... Matt D

Someone correct me if i'm wrong, but the code you pulled can have many causes, the only one costing hundreds and hundreds of dollars being actual catalyst failure. I did some research earlier and found one common cause of this code being a leak in the exhaust system in the area of the cats. Another problem could be poor performance of one or both O2 sensors. I believe the ECU calculates the efficiency of the catalyst by comparing the measurements taken by the two sensors. If they don't fall in the right ranges, it will misinterpret the info. So, i would suggest first looking for any leaks, then changing the O2 sensors. If that solves the problem, you're all set, and if you were to need a new cat, you would probably replace the o2 sensors at that time anyway. Matt

Nurseman, Off topic, but just to let you know... I am in Norwich. If you ever have any Q's about your car or need any help, send me a message. Matt D

Check these photos for a good view of the spring: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?mcats=all&si=&what=allfields&name=bigmattyd&when=0&whenterm=&condition=and Matt

"adjust exhaust valve clearance while lifting up the vehicle". Now, I think that would have been difficult even in my younger days when I used to lift weights!!! Plus, assuming that you've got the vehicle in one hand, you only have one free hand to get at the valves... Matt

I had a similar set of symptoms which turned out to be the camshaft position sensor. I don't remember if the check engine light came on or not, but I don't think it did, or I would have diagnosed the problem sooner. Matt d

The pictures I took are from my 96 Legacy L Sedan, AWD. There are a lot of subtle variations in the shift linkages from the different model years. The spring that you see is a centering spring to help move the shifter back into position after shifting. Your car may not have one. Juan: regarding the "porniness" of my pictures... I had to get deep inside my vehicle to get those pictures, and yes, she had to expose herself, if that's what you're talking about. Actually, maybe it's more like a sex manual, with all the labels, etc. Matt D

I have the same car as you, and my speed sensor died a few years ago, it was replaced easily and quickly. the speed sensor is on the transmission. I think that the failure of the vss itself is more likely than a bad connection, etc. If you replace the VSS and the speedo still doesn't work, then you will need to look further. matt

The part that you are calling the stabilizer bar has two attachment points, one is in the front, on a rod attached to the transmission, with a round rubber bushing and a nut to hold it in place. It is attached in the rear by a rectangular rubber bushing. This bar is part of the gear shift assembly. Basically, it provides a fixed pivot point for the shift lever. The shift lever extends downward from your hand into a ball and socket joint that is toward the rear end of the stabilizer bar. The movable part of the shift mechanism is attached partway up the shift lever, and it connects to the gearshift stub on the transmission. That is the part that you are actually moving back and forth, in and out when you shift gears. It is important that the fulcrum of the lever (the pivot point) remains fixed, otherwise you will not have positive control of the shift rod. As you saw, you lost the ability to shift normally. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/photos/showgallery.php?mcats=all&si=&what=allfields&name=bigmattyd&when=0&whenterm=&condition=and Click on the link to see the photos I posted when I had to repair my shifter. Matt D P.S. Of course, I don't know why yours came apart, but once you have fixed it, it shouldn't happen again.

I had the same symptoms of high speed braking wheel vibration for several years, and was finally fixed by replacing the front rotors. Have not had any vibration for 6+ months. matt P.S. I would have liked to use high quality rotors, but I just used the bargain brand at Advance Auto. They are working well so far, and they were inexpensive. I am sure they will not last as long as OEM or better parts, but if in a pinch financially, they work fine.

I have used regular (cheap) autolite plugs for several years. I put in a set when I bought my car, and inspected them about once a year. It was 3 or 4 years till they looked like they might be ready to be replaced. That was about 40-50000 miles, and they were still working fine. I have never had any fuel economy issues, misfiring, etc. It is my personal opinion, that for the average car, the regular old-fashioned plugs work fine. On my car, the plugs are easy to get to. If I had a car that required several hours worth of work to get to the spark plugs, I would pay for the longest-lasting plugs available. Matt D P.S. I recently decided to switch to higher priced synthetic oil and high-efficiency filters to prolong oil drain interval to 1 year. It works out to be a little cheaper and a lot less work in the long run. So I'm not just a cheapskate.....

I have done a lot of research and decided to switch to AMSOIL oil and filters on all my cars at my next oil change. I plan on running it on an extended drain interval. With two kids now, and three vehicles, I don't have the time or energy to change the oil every three months. I ran a spreadsheet and found that I will also save money on oil and filters in the long run. matt

Blitz may be one of the smartest, most well-informed people in the universe!! Also, I do believe that 5W-30 oil came into fashion in the late 80's due in part to requirements on vehicle manufacturers to improve the fuel mileage of their fleets. I think that 5W-30 is classified "energy conserving" while 10W-40 is not. I think it was an attempt to eke out a small improvement in mpg, perhaps at the risk of using a product less suitable in other areas of performance. I have been using 5W-30 in all my vehicles for many years, and have not suffered. However, I will probably reconsider based on the information I have gained over the past few years, and try to tailor my oil choices to the seasons. It can range from 15 below zero to 97 above here in my area.

I have the answer to your question!!! It is the Vehicle Speed Sensor. It attaches to the transmission on my manual transmission vehicle. When mine failed, the symptoms were exactly the same as yours. I had it fixed at the dealer. The part was about 65 dollars, if I remember correctly. The labor was about a hundred dollars. If I had the wisdom and mechanical know-how then that I do now, I would have replaced it myself. It is a simple swap. The speedo, odo, and cruise control will not work, and the rev limiter will kick in about 1500 rpm too early. Matt D