davebugs

I don't know where in the country your town is - so I expect others don't as well. You may want to consider updating your profile. Around here Advance Auto Parts has atleast some Powerbuilt stuff. Occasionally I "borrow" a front end servce kit or something from them. I have bought one of the little jacks as well after 2 of mine died on the same day. I think it was on sale for under 20 bucks at that time. It's been doing well for a year but it doesn't get much use. Usually it's a bigger floor jack or a hydraulic scissors jack that I use. For supporting tranny's when pulling engines I use a screw type scissors jack from the pile that I have in the garage. I think they had a promo on a jack and stand set when I bought my jack. I'm pretty sure it's not the best made - but what do you want for under 20 bucks? I have broken front end service kit pieces from their borrowed set.

I wasn't gonna say anything. There are a lot of red RTV's out there. For all I know it'll work. I was concerned that he's not using Suby seals. Suby doesn't have an oil pump gasket. That's why I assume he's not using Suby OEM parts. But it could be like the recent guy that used Ebay HG's. When he does it again it'll go much quicker. Ultra Grey is all that you need for a Suby. It's a little stiffer getting it outta the tube and after it sets up. It's all I use on Suby's. Not red, or Blue, or Black, just Ultra Grey.

Great pics.

Sometimes that oil pump Oring can be a bugger to stay in place. I often use petroleum jelly to hold it. It's been a while since I did a 94 or earlier. If those have the thin Orings - one behind the drivers side cam seal and the other on the back of the engine on the pass side I'd do them as well.

It's sounding like you're not using Suby seals. I'd rethink that. The reason I say this is that Subaru doesn't have a gasket for the oil pump - just the Oring. Other than that it's Ultra Grey. I use a pic to get the seals, if they are stubborn sometimes I use a very long shafted thin screwdriver and use it to push them out at the bottom typically. I put it between the shaft and seal on the side, get it past the lip, then lift the handle up and push it in a bit more. Then I really puch it out from the bottom back rather than pull it out. You may have to do this on both sides of the shaft. I just received the Lisle tool last week and haven't used it yet. But I've got 2 to do next week if I can get the time. The idlers should arrive on tuesday. The oil pump is kinda glued on there from the factory. I usually end up prying it best from the bottom IIR. Either the oil pump or water pump has a bolt or 2 in weird recessed places. Double check by eye and feel to make sure you got them all. Please update the original post to reflect what year, and engine size just for kicks. For pointers like the oil pump screws particularly on the 2.5. If it's a 2.2 and a 95 to 98 or so you wanna do those thin cam Orings as well while you're in there.

I believe you may need to disconnect the dogbone, take the engine mount nuts off, and push/pull the engine to the opposite side and perhaps raise it a bit. I just pull the engine. Think it makes for a better and easier job. But I think the above is what some others do. I know I've sold a few dogbone's from folks breaking them doing this.

Please do some searching around here before replacing the rear main seal. Most here will advise against it. Including me. Not wanting to start a pissing contest thought. It does seem counterintuitive. But of all the engines that I remove usually the rear main has stuff on it from the baffle plate leaking. The only rear main's that are truely leaking are ones that have been replaced. What does that tell ya? Anyways I usually do 95-99's and a few 2000 2.5 SOHC's with the metal baffle plate. So I guess I'm not much of an expert. But yes - a PVC collar works great for all the seals on a Suby. Infact the crank and cam seals are close enough that you can use the same piece of PVC for them. I replace everything except the main seal (by choice - unless it's definately leaking). Crank & cam seals, reseal baffle plate (whether leaking or not), usually valve covers and the plug Oriings. On the older 2.2's the cam Orings. Idlers, tensioner idler or if new style whole tensioner. All belts, usually both rad hoses, new coolant, spark plugs, etc. I do a decent amount of Suby's and replace about one rear main per year. My local dealer doesn't even stock them - what does that tell ya? A lot of the mechanics have their "private stash" and I end up getting one of those and the dealership orders one for me to replace it. Actually whether to replace the rear main would make an excellent pole here. For all I know it's already been done. I know my decision so it's not worth trying to figure out how to conduct a pole. But I would be curious.

Send me a pic and a location. If noone else has one I'l lbe parting a 97 OBW in a few weeks. I'll look for it and it's part# then.

Usually it's the top mount. Not worth going used in my opinion even if you have one setting there. Then again I'm usually selling the car so I fix them correctly. If it were my personal beater things might be different. My VW TDI gets swaybar bushings every 60k and strut mount bearings about the same. A lot of times they actually rust now that I don't drive much anymore. Pushing 180k and due for swaybar bushing as I write this. I just found the new ones while cleaning up the garage a bit. Gotta do rear axle bushings and It's best to remove the rear axle. Not looking forward to that job. But it still looks better than a Subaru rear wheel bearing job. 174k with some heavy loads (sometimes people, sometimes stuff) I guess it's time.

I don't align cars but those lower 2 bolts I think they spin to adjust. They aren't normal bolts. I forget the fancy name. Basically the centers are off center. On some struts you have to pay attention when you mount the top hardware or they will torque like that. I never install them that way. I loosen everything up, fight with that rubber shim that the coil rides on, and pay attention when redoing the top part. I haven't done a front one recently enough to remember any more details. Perhaps someone else here has? If it is the mount you may be able to just lower the axle enough to undo the old mount and install a new one. I'm usually checking the strut anyways so I take it off. Sometimes there will be rubber dust on the strut tower, or signs of wear where the metal ring meets the rubber. In extreme cases rips or big cracks. But usually they just look dry rotted and tons of small cracks. Sometimes you do see the dust though.

I just had a VW where the horn worked but the airbag "section" didn't. I'm telling ya - having them diagnose it was the best 50 bucks I've spent in a long time. They have sections of harness to plug in to bypass sections of the wireing at a time. Atleast they did for the SRS system. I would have been days trying to diagnose, swapping parts, etc.

Usually that's the mount in my experience. Usually the top. IIR you need to compress them a bit but not break them down. But I haven't done any this year and my memory isn't the best. I still mark and loosen everything up and possible remove the entire assembly. I always have a car aligned after new struts - no matter how well I mark, etc. Usually it changes the "stance" of the car with fresh struts so I figure that should change the alignment. On a VW it could also be a strut bearing but it groans.

Are you sure it's not the mount? Often clunking is the mount. Cheaper than a strut and I always go new. I think they are maybe 20 bucks. I forget but I've replaced a lot on fronts and backs. Also I've had quote's vary from almost 50 bucks to 12 bucks on strut mounts on Suby's and VW's so it's definately a call around item.

Didn't save that part. But if it's pricey I'll be parting a 97 OBW in about 2 weeks.

Too bad you didn't know you needed this a week or so ago when I scrapped a 96 Impreza sedan with all that stuff in it. Might have increased your odds.

I believe they changed designs in 98 - but an expect should chime in. I do know that 97's have the shims to adjust the valves. If the 98's are a different design I'd swap them both for consistency sake or just get a 97 head.

Yea - look in the middle of my post that you quoted: "Knowing the source of you HG's I'd say you found the problem."

I can tell you that I recently had a 99 Impreza. Airbag light was on, as well as no horn and I don't believe cruise worked. Everything was plugged in. I took it to the dealer to diagnose. Didn't want to mess with trying to diagnose ABS with my limited electrical skills. Within a half hour they found the problem using a special wireing harness that proved it was the clock spring. FYI a new clock spriing was like 500 bucks. I put a used one in and all was fine. I just did a VW Golf where the horn worked but the airbag light was on. Clockspring is more integrated with the steering wheel so I replaced the wheel and the problem went away. So the clockspriing has several "wires" in it. There could be a chance that a car with cruise even has more wires in the clock spring. But I don't know that would seem like a stupid idea.

torque bind or brake caliper would be my first 2 guesses. The usual question - do all the tires match, does the "AT oil temp" light blink 16 times when you start the car, etc. Does one rim feel way hotter than the rest after a short drive? Parking brake seem to be working properly(and releasing). That kinda stuff.

I've only experienced one 1.8 in a 95 Impreza SW. I bought it by accident. It now has a new timing belt and Subaru clutch. Otta get terrific mileage with the 5 speed. Wish it would sell. It's been around too long. I don't plan on learning much about 1.8's. But I still say that all the 96 and up 2.2 and 2.5's that I've ever seen or worked on have had an EGR. Not that I claim to be an expert but I've seen my share. I think it would be hard to be a regional thing with them made in the same factories but then again they could be built for emissions expectations for the market they were originally shipped to. But I never realized all 1.8's had EGR. That's actually a bit curious.

I can't recall where it is. But I've got a 96 2.5 setting here that had bad bearings I took out of a running(poorly running) car with no CEL about a month ago. Tell me where it is, make me an offer. I may be able to get it out tomorrow. I believe I've looked at one trouble shooting a car but it wasn't the problem so I forget where it is. Unless it's not on the engine?

I have a 95 Impreza 1.8 5 speed that has an EGR. I was shocked. Every 96 and up that I've seem (auto or stick) has had an EGR. Perhaps it's a where you are at in the country thing?

WP's usually leak - I haven't had a Subaru one fail any other way - and I don't consider the gasket leaking a "real" failure. T-stat - some folks boil them. These are both cheap and easy items to replace but that may not help in your diagnosis. Knowing the source of you HG's I'd say you found the problem. When you do it again I strongly suggest using Subaru crank and cam seals while you're in there. Assuming that you use Subaru HG's. Also new oil Pump Oring, check the screws, reseal pump(ultra grey no gasket). I myself can't understand why folks do all this work and use cheap parts in a very critical, internal place. I use aftermarket WP's Intake and exhaust gaskets, belts, etc. But always Suby HG's and seals (crank, cam, and WP). It'll be much easier the second time.

I've been resisting the urge to post. But I'd make a serious bet that it's the HG's again. What brand HG's were installed? By someone knowledgable about Subaru's? Were heads checked and/or resurfaced?

I believe I have a set or two for air cooled VW's. 4 lug cars and I may have had a set for even older 5 lug VW's with the really large centers up through 67. I think they were somewhat popular, lower budget wheels back in the day. Thin chrome and all. I remember waxing them when new and the chrome was paper thin and there still were what looked like sanding or grinding marks/scratches in the part of the wheel that shows the most that is where you'd really want it smooth and shiny. Now that I think of it they may be what is on my '79 Beetle Convertible. But I'm hardly a wheel expert.