davebugs

o.k. let me try this again. Where is Edgerton? I have no clue - and I'm sure many others don't as well. How about a city/state large enough that actually means something? Yes - you need a harmonic balancer. Make sure the new thermostat is in the correct way (I believe OEM's can only go in one way). Usually in my experience if the hoses were o.k. and the car wasn't bottomed out and broke the plastic neck then it's the gasket that leaks. Hardly ever the pump itself. You'll need a harmonic balancer for sure. After someone can actually tell where you live they may offer a used one that would be much less expensive than a new one. You're gonna have to search around here to see the work around methods to get the crank bolt real tight if you don't have the correct tool. The harmonic balancer doesn't have any timing marks on it - it just drives the accessory belts.

Please update your location with something useful. You're gonna need a better tool than a chain wrench - and now you need a new harmonic balancer as well. In addition to whatever you were originally needing to fix. What engine, mileage, and know maintenance history? Did you check the LITTLE hose coming off the water pump. Have you looked for the WP gasket leaking?

Yep, and crank seal, you'll have the pump cover off anyways. I usually do the spark plugs as well thile I'm doing the major maintenance. I get aftermarket all metal WP but use the OEM gasket - I think they are a much better design/quality. Usually Cardone or Advange's "signature" series. Subaru for the cam/crank seals and WP gasket in my opinion. I'm one that Gary speaks of using the Ebay idlers and getting a different timing belt for an interference engine. I also replace both accessory belts when I'm putting it all back together. If you don't know - READ HERE about the MAJOR problems from not getting the crank bolt tight enough. Frankly if you don't think you can get it tight enough you should pay someone to do the whole job - it'll be cheaper in the long run.

Excellent Progress. Lookin' good.

Yea - you weren't the one sleeping with one eye open in the mountains Saturday night. She went a bit psycho to say the least. Almost 5 years, atleast I don't have to buy this one a house, that gets expensive. As a friend says - "only thing worse than being alone is wanting to be alone" - well actually that's my saying but he literally had a sign made he liked it so much. If you haven't been married I hope you haven't experienced this. I'm quite happy alone, but it's also fun to share things with someone special. The good had been outweighted by the crap for some time now. Since this is a car forum here were some of the original very minor strikes against her. Can't drive a stick and doesn't want to learn how. Doesn't understand why a fella has more than one vehicle. "It's all about me" isn't just a saying but a way of life (need to add her kids and grandkids in there as well). I own 10 cars, trucks, vans, perhaps 11 soon. 7 are sticks, most are antiques. Then there are the cars I fix and sell. She's a neat freak - I'd rather be doing something more enjoyable than cleaning (especially with her if you know what I mean). Why don't women like this date gay guys from the city who are neat, and have one automatic car? I'm sure most of us have lived through this more than one time (I, personally have seen this movie before) on both sides. It always sucks at some level. But I'm about to get the bumper sticker "How can I miss you if you won't go away?". Good news is that she lives 50 miles away, we mostly weekended together so there isn't splitting of stuff, just returning some of her bath robes, slippers, and trinkets(here at the house and in the mountains). But I'm expecting a last stand or two - she had it pretty good and I don't see her giving up that easily. Yea - dating sucks - can't wait to start it all over again! For those of you truely happily married - congratulations, I do believe it's rare. For the rest of us that are single, well, there are worse things. I do believe in Marriage, just not for me at this stage in my life, or my financial life.

Poke around. I just sold some used hitches. I think etrailers.com had some listings. You may want to call Schreck Industries locally in Washington twp. at (724) 727-3444 I worked there years ago. They handle quality stuff and have the expertise to do anything needing done. If you end up going there let me know if you'd like to stop in - perhaps a mile from my house. I don't have much experience with Subaru's as new as yours and I don't work on other folks cars anyways. The GF's 2006 Impreza I kinda have to work on, and I believe that won't be lasting much longer (her - not the car). There are a few relative locals on this MB from time to time several I have met.

Hope you don't mean the one I sold you that needed HG's or an engine - I forget. Then again I really didn't spend much time on it or I would have fixed and sold it myself.

Never seen a plug for the front diff. Try again. Lean over the passenger side fender, see the transmission bellhousing, follow it backwards as it gets skinnier. It might just be a metal loop or the bright plastic as the other dipsticks. I forget since I've been working on my VW lately I may be getting confused abotu it being metal. It's a very short dipstick that you get to front the top passenger side. I've never seen a plug. There could be one on yours but I've never seen one.

Hey - what'd you do for the cooling? Kennedy adapter for the trans?

Yea - a foot or so infront of the brake booster and down 6 inches or so (from memory) under a few hoses. It's a bright yellow loop - same color as the oil dipstick top. You may literally have to push some small hoses aside to see it - you have to push them aside to reinstall the dipstick or to make way for a funnel to add ATF. But that's where it is.

Please update your info with a meaningful city/state. The ATF dipstick is hidden by some hoses. It's right infront of the brake booster. There are a couple of hoses in the way. It may be easier to see from the front of the car - look for it - its yellow. Beware that sometimes they are stuck into the tube.

Sounds oil pressure related to me. Pump is most suspect but could also be Oring on the pickup tube. When I say it sounds like the pump usually they do not need replaced but just the backing screws tightened. But if I were paying someone to do the job I may just install a new one. If things like crank/cam seals weren't done at TB job time I'd consider them, possible idlers and possible WP. The engine will be have to be torn down to a level where they wouldn't be much more labor - just $'s for parts.

Glad you got it wrapped up - again. Never would have guessed the clutch disc backwards or that it was possible.

Hey - if it only lasts a few seconds are you sure it's not the oil pump/backing screws? Piston slap seems to last several minutes, not seconds.

Search here. Most of your questions should be answered by doing some reading. Look for endwrench links mostly. Use OEM head gaskets. Have the heads checked/surfaced sense you abused it soo long before deciding to fix it.

Sprayway is at my local Sams and lots of other places. Stop at a glass shop. They usually use Sprayway and actually private label it for glass shops. It's what I use. I'ts better than the other glass cleaners that I have tried over the years. It's easily available and cheap enough that I've never looked any further. When I'm at an auction or something and need something I've tried a variety of glass cleaners from Advance, Autozone, Carquest, and local part stores. SPrayway seems to work the best of that I've tried.

I have only installed one of their belts. The MitsubOshi on a 95 2.2 recently. I get my Dayco belts locally and on the DOHC on the drivers side the hash marks on the cams don't totally line up IIR. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy the packaged kit and pitch the belt versus just buying the idlers.

Tom, Thanks. Great to know for when I take the leap to the Phase 2 engines. My only experience with a 99 Forester wasn't so pleasant.

If you find you need one let me know. There were apparently several types - even in the 97 Model Year. I'm parting a 95 Legacy sedan and a 97 Outback both with ABS. The 97 OBW I have driven and know the ABS works/light doesn't come on, etc. The 95 I bought with a bad tranny so I can't speak for it. I also have a 99 on the shelf.

You have a PM.

All the 98 and up's that I've seen are the much more expensive new style. You could get lucky and have the old style two piece one on the 98 though. Even thought they are more money I usually replace the new style tensioners since they are always (it seems to me) on interference engines. They also don't seem to hold up as well recompressing to use again.

I buy these folks kits off of Ebay all the time - with some other stuff thrown in. I don't use their belts on interference engines but I also often get extra idlers (depending on what I already have in stock). theimportexperts.com - I've had excellent luck with them. There are others selling the same parts for essentially the same price. I prefer to build a relationship with one company until I have a reason to look for someone else to deal with. These folks have been very fair to me. YMMV.

I always use a 7/8 box end wrench. Since the old one is always rusty - and I wouldn't want to end up using a pipe wrench. It's easier to keep it "true" when hitting it with the hammer which is often needed. I also usually use Liquid Wrench instead of PB Blaster to soak the sensor down preferable when warm a time or two before attempting removal. Liek hours before. Tehn hit it with PB immediately before removal. I also ALWYAS anti-seize the new one with the highest temp anti-seize that I can find.

The plate on the back gets no sealant. The pump to the engine gets Ultra Grey.

I make them about as tight as I can with a conventional screw driver. Sometimes other folks and I loctite them. Think about how clean Loctite really needs the surfaces to be to work though. I'm undecided if it's a good practice. I rarely have the time to properly clean and wait for the oil pump to dry (like overnight) before re-assembly. In truth I rarely Loctite them - only if a screw or two is really, really loose do I do this to it(them). I figure I'm torqueing them down more than the factory did and that should help avoid future problems. Hopefully others will comment.