CNY_Dave

I cannot recc enough using a simple suction device from above. I bought a liquivac one, it works well, is easy to drain, and I had a small problem with it and the company sent me a new part pronto! https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/liquivac-oil-change-system-large-engine-project-model

That's a road trip!

Could be crank seal if it's dry above the crank.

I would say don't flush, but start doing some drain-and-fills. I use a hand pumped suction device that will pull out 3-4 quarts then I add back up to 'full' (checking with engine running in park). Do that once every month say until you've done 3 then you're good.

I think there might be a pressure passage from the main trans body to the tailshaft housing, if there is then it would need a seal, and that might be it.

The way to tell is put in the FWD fuse- if that results in full lockup then it's backwards. Test for lockup by putting fronts on wet grass and rears on pavement and poke the gas. If fronts don;t just spin it's locked up. Test for FWD fuse deactivating is same but fronts should spin and you don;t move. Also on mine when itr was backwards car would lurch after turning it off as the wound-up drivetrain relaxed. Also when reversed mine when slick the fronts would spin then the rears would kick in harshly. I think a 1/2003 trans is a 2003 so no swap would be required.

would not be the first control or pickup coil winding that is good cold and bad hot! The TCU monitors the voltages going to the solenoids, I have no idea what the 'good' window is but it evidently does not just look for 'dead short' or 'fully open'.

I saw one on a part out that said it was a 4 cyl outback so that would indicate 4.44 also at https://mmerlinn.com/catalog/lucy1063650/jt_r22/jtr22010.htm gives "tz1a4zceba as 4.44444444 (40/9 ring/pinion) Legacy Baja/Baja-5 Pick-up Truck 0201-0306 Legacy Outback Limited Sedan/Wagon 0201-0306 Legacy Outback Cold Weather Wagon 0201-0306 Legacy Outback Wagon 0201-0306 4x4, H4-25 Bell = Z4J Case = <>, Screw-on oil filter Tail = 052140 Top valve body = 214086 Center valve body = 214088 Bottom valve body = NF001 Cheese plate = SG Ring gear = 40 teeth <A-A> Pinion shaft = 9 teeth >B< Rear sun =

If you put a 2004 into a 2001 you will need to pull the tailshaft and swap over the transfer solenoid valve and the valve itself.

I think they would be too different. certainly the transfer valve and solenoid would have to be swapped, but worse I think the '05 forester had a much more electronic 4EAT.

I would say safe for testing, but maybe not for regular use. The plates will be spinning relative to each other at a fast rate and any tiny bit of friction will cook 'em.

Is 2010 new enough to be one of the ones where all hell breaks loose when you change the battery or jump start it?

The amount of heat relative to the size of the thing you are heating is more important than the temperature. For a given amount of flame, in increasing order I think butane, propane, mapp, acet-air, acet-oxy. Mapp used to be better too, they changed it at some point.

Just use the coolant conditioner. On an '03 H6 I had a seep like that the conditioner mostly controlled and drove it for almost 200k after seeing the seep.

sounds like this?

Caution on diagnosing side by noise change- I had one (03 outback) where when on the outside (more heavily loaded) the bad bearing got quieter.

Mild (so far) case of bad front diff?

The TCU has separate key-on and always-on power leads, the extreme version of this would be to cut the always-on power lead and connect it to the key-on source.

I use the pedal 'stab' on my forester too! Heck, you can make it downshift coasting downhill with that trick. The H6 is opposite the 4 cyls in one respect- under cruise control it downshifts *earlier* than with it off. I tested this quite a bit. So if you disconnect the wire to the TCU and wire it such that the TCU always thinks the cruise is active, it will downshift earlier. Don;t know if that wire does anything else though.

Typically they will get to the very very very loud stage before falling off. It's the oddball one that falls off early that gets you! I have had some very loud ones that I needed to find with the stethoscope. I had mine up in the air on 4 jackstands, wheels off, idling in drive.

I had a loose front ball joint that would click when putting it in reverse.

Usually the FWD fuse gives some hint if it produces a change in the noise.

It could even be a front ball joint, that was my first clue one was shot.

I had to replace the oil pan on my H6. The oil pan is a little upside-down 'beanie' that just forms the bottom of the fairly deep pan, so not only is the joint under oil, it's under a few inches of oil, maybe 3 or 4. I used ultra-gray and maybe I could have done it using the faster process, but I followed the instructions on the tube and no problems followed.

Wheel bearings that are loose typically will wiggle in any direction, if you make sure to also wiggle with your hands +/- 90° from the caliper, the caliper will have the least influence. Of course the rack etc will want to move as well as any loose tie rod ends as well.