davebugs

I had suggested sending the rad out for cleaning and pressure testing in a PM when all this started last night. Folks run all kinds of crap through these cars in addition to a new rad cap and thermostat before realizing what the repair really entails. Perhaps the OP should post the PM's that several of us replied to. Seems like we're all basically saying the same stuff. After all we've all seen this before.

The bumper covers and lights will interchange. And I realize trying to save a buck. But locally that junk bumper cover goes for 150, then 50-65 for each fog light, more if you need the holder as well. 150 is sounding fair.

I was looking for a sticky or other procedure on how to put photo's in a post. This was a rare thread about it that I could find. There's gotta be a sticky somewhere isn't there? Somthing that I can bookmark since the memory isn't always so hot? I don't want to host them myself, use photobucket, etc. They are cropped and small. Thanks.

Well - that makes a few of us then.

I use lock-ease in every car that is subjected to being outside in the winter in all the door locks. All my vehicles, friends vehicles, etc. Never used if for ingitions but it does make sense. I've actually had luck w/PB Blaster on ignitions and locks getting them free'd up. I'll have to keep an eye out for this tri-flow product.

I've always done them out of the car. On a 2.2 I believe they would be easy to do. The 2.5 has less room. I use fel-pro kits but some recomment Suby only. Too bad all that other work was just done. Would have been a good time to yank the engine, do the baffle plate, valve covers, spark plugs, etc.

My local dealer used to cut them from the vin for 3 bucks. Now they say 28 bucks. Title, drivers license, I think they mayneed to fill out a form or something else as a CYA move. Said too many repo guys were getting keys, etc. State was cracking down. But it could have just been turned into yet another "profit center". For 3 bucsk I just always had them cut from the vin. Now that they are 28 bucks Lowe's works for me.

I've had this happen. Replaced rear struts - no alignment.

Recent thread here about this. This week or last. DIscussing anti-seize, etc. Common problem. Relatively easy to prevent but a pain when that prevention wasn't taken.

Never bought a "blem" battery. Interstate does sell the cheap powervolt's that are pretty much junk. I used to buy a decent amount of the Powervolt universal batteries(top and side posts on the same battery). IIR "Blem" tires don't carry any warranty so I'd expect the batteries to be the same.

Still - nothing beats the correct tool for the job. Especially when it's been botched before. I used to do it that way mostly when the engine was on the stand. Then I priced the factory tool, decided to have one made instead. Personally I feel much better now. I have one for 2'2.s (and early 2.5's) and later 2.5's. I just think a much better job is done when the crank bolt socket is literally coming through the middle of the tool holding the harmonic balancer from turning. You have both handles side by side and it's much easier to torque. Anyways - doesn't matter - he's too far away. But I'd still highly recommend buying, borrowing, renting the appropriate tool. If it happens again to this same engine I doubt he'll be as fortunate(lucky).

You may wanna update your profile to better reflect where you are. Not just you a lot of folks have a town in there that means nothing to most of us. There is a Pittsfield PA and I was gonna offer my tool to hold the harmonic balancer, and had used harmonic balancers if necessary. I wish you well. Perhaps it was caught in time.

My favorite question - where in the He11 is Pittsfield?? If you post a better location you may get an offer of help. The harmonic balancers coming loose is common when TB's, WP's etc are done by folks who don't know Suby's. It's why I chose to have wrenches made to hold them tight when torqueing the crank bolt, I also use permatex red on the back of the harmonic balancer - can't hurt. Some of us have good used harmonic balancers, some tools, and may be able to offer some assistance - especially if we knew where you were. Don't run the car like this. You don't want any (or anymore) crankshaft damage now that you know what's going on.

Don't know why Interstate is head and shoulders above the crowd - but they are in my experience. This winter I needed a battery for my "new" 97 Astro van which no-one local had so I had to settle for Advance's best. I would have gladly paid even more for the Interstate. Last van 90 Astro had an Interstate in it when I bought it. I had the van over 8 years. Twice in the winter the ex-wife left an interior light on for weeks in the middle of the winter. I still don't use my newer van much. Anyways it came back from stone cold dead twice. Was still performing well when I sold the van last fall. With the cars I buy and sell I see similar stellar performance. They didn't offer one for my VW diesel at the time I needed one. I debated about an Ultima red top but went with Advance's best. I have red top Altima's(perhaps it's Ultima's) in several antiques and haven't been inpressed with their performance - but they never leak!

I started to have the same issues (that would have caused a CEL) with my last swap. In the end I was unwilling to use the 97 2.2 due to other reasons. But I wasn't looking forward to the challenge of figuring out what to do with the EVAP system. I did start a thread here about it a few weeks ago. First thing I'd do is look to see if either car had the charcoal canister up by the ABS unit just behind the radiator on the passenger side and the hoses running to it. If they are the same you're in pretty good shape.

Price. The later 2.5's seem to have different HG issues (external leaking). So you end up doing HG's on the new engine anyways. Would need intakes swapped for the electronics. I'd expect others as well. But the above issues are enough for me.

No PS line bracket - but it doesn't matter. GG covered the tough stuff. Allow a little time for possible vacuum and breather hose work. Thats usually the tough part. And use the flexplate/flywheel from the 2.5. You will probably need the Ypipe from the 96.

Correct. The ramps were to make it easier to look for the clip INSIDE the car on the clutch pedal arm. But it's sounding more and more like it's the slave.

For slave cylinders I never go OEM. Just isn't really that high tech or much of a Subaru specific part to spend the extra cash on it in my opinion. NAPA seems to stock them better than Advance or my local place. I bought a couple last year and I think they were right around 48-55 bucks. I have had one like Gloyale says - the spring clip on the pedal itself - easy fix. I might suggest pulling the car up on rhino ramps or something to make it easier to see - get it off the ground a little.

If you put them beside the ones that you take off they certainly look like "double row" rahter than the bottom "single row" idler. Atleast to me they have.

Yes they should be identical. They ship them both the same (and the sturdier version) so that folks don't put them in the wrong place. Occasionally I buy a car where folks have re-installed the OEM's and switched positions and the one fails that is now on the top that should be on the bottom. Skip actually had posted a pic a while ago with an engine that he had with the same problem.

I've probably bought a dozen or so kits from theimportexperts and I don't recall ever getting any bolts like I said. And why in the world lock washers? I'd be interested in hearing if anyone else received bolts, the correct length bolts, or lock washers. I'm thinking yours was a fluke. Like I said usually I have them send the idlers, usually an extra idler or two (especially the splined one), and no TB so they may not just throw the bolts in mine.

Look for an old copy of the idiots book - try and find one with the ring binder kinda thing. It lays flatter when you're working on the car. Quite good precedures for adjusting valves, etc. Hopefully this is the style of book that she bought. The newer ones don't lay flat. It was updated in the later years - but not by John Muir if I recall - somewhere along the line he killed himself. An attempt but not as good as the original material. There is a site (now that I rarely work on them) and it's not vwvortex - that seems to be mainly kids and watercooled VW's. http://www.thesamba.com is the site. Appears to be good for buying/selling but I don't know about good info. I haven't done anything I didn't already know how to do in years. If you do find a good site please post the link here. Even a lot of the parts catalogs will help tell you which carb was stock, etc. Gotta remember - they were very simple Lego cars. Hardly any left that are virginal. A lot of those catalogs you can look things up by engine#. Keep the valves adjusted. Keep oil level constant - almost 3 quarts - I use 30 straight weight. I know it's obvious but the oil both lubricates and does some of the cooling as well. That car should be pre-emissions which is good. Unfortunately it has the McPhearson strut setup. Just more expensive with no benefit that I can see. One other suggestion. By now the rear is probably starting to sag. Best solution is JC Whitney(I'm not joking). Most of their stuff is crap but they are the only ones that seem to have the old VW listing for Gabriel air shocks. Makes a whole lot more sense than killing yourself adjusting the torsion bars. Places that handle Gabriels locally have always been unable (or incompetent) to look them up so I always get them from Whitney. I used to have the part# but one time someone thought they would "help" me and cleaned up some cardboard in the garage. Yep - the part of the Gariel air shock box was one of the things missing. Keep it from sagging - it'll only get worse and you really do want to avoid the torsion bar fix. Fun cars - I have several but only one Super Beetle because it's a last year convertible.

I don't recall ever getting bolts for anything but the special one for the tensioner. But I usually reuse the ones that I take off anyways. And I have never seen lock washers on the bolts. Where did they come from? I have installed a lot of those kits but I get my own belt.

You're having classic slave cylinder symptons. Sometimes bleeding it will help for a short period of time - but you're kidding yourself. After all how did the air get in there? They are only like 50 bucks. 2 14mm bolts IIR. A dab of grease. Need to remove the airbox to get to it - but it's very easy to do. Bleeding it can be a bit of a pain. DOT 3 fluid if needed. Probably a procedure around here somewhere. But at that miles and that age, and the cost of a slave cylinder it would be the first thing that I did. Note that when bleeding it can be a pain. Aften I push the shaft(perhaps incorrect word) into the slave to get air to flow up to the master cylinder. It's often a bit stiff but can be done. I only do this after trying to bleed it in the normal manner.