CNY_Dave

How about a slim stick-on row of red LEDs?

Just don't be 'that guy' and make everyone behind you squint when there's no reason to have the fogs on... I hate that guy!

When I had the wrong solenoid in my trans, when it was essentially locking up in park/neutral, it would lurch when I turned the key off. It is a very distinct lurch, completely seperate from not using the P brake on a hill.

That is a torque bind symptom. Have you tried driving with the FWD fuse in with the fresh fluid to help flush the valve and solenoid?

Somewhat well known problem, some years the hoses don't seal as well when it gets really cold. Tightening the fuel line clamps usually helps.

Might have been at subaruoutback.org... here or there there's a sticky thread on it.

Some greasy sludge is normal.

Try wiggling the engine and trans and listening for a contact point.

Would a sticky valve show up on a vacuum gauge?

I thought the hot metal item was the transmission dropping resistor... There's a DRL thread on site somewhere, a quick search will turn it up.

Not the shift rod, but the rod for the parking pawl.

If they changed an axle with a torn boot hoping the noise would go away (vs actually diagnosing the axle) they may not have sufficient skill to diagnose your problem. A whine when accelerating only is consistent with a bad differential.

To clarify- The select rod itself is small and low down and goes into the valve body, it has a linkage that goes to the park pawl rod, which is almost in the middle of the trans and is visible near the rear of the pan if you look up into the hole that also opens into the tailsection.

If putting in the FWD fuse eliminated the bind the fluid changing has a shot at working...

That could just be the gear select rod, it is visible when you take off the pan and 'look up'. It runs into the tailhousing to activate the parking brake. It is narrower than any of the rotating shafts.

You could measure from the bellhousing seating face to the mounting face of the TC. Then measure engine bellhousing seating face to the flex-plate mounting face. Then make a small pic and figure if the TC is far enough back that it won't touch the flex-plate. If the flex plate is recessed just place a flat board or such across the bellhousing and measure from that.

The funny thing is, the poncho SD455 was a total smogged-out wuss engine.

Buy a 3.0... if the AWD doesn't work when you stomp on the gas from a stop the fronts spin like mad

You can look in the portion where the hollow extension shaft engeges the pump, not sure if damage will be visible.

If you look at where the starter goes or at the bottom of the TC, the TC should be very close to scraping were it to move back further. If you think it's seated and you never force the motor back into the tc and you do not use the bolts to pull the motor back you won't damage the pump. If the TC is seated and p[ushed back the flexplate will not touch it until you slide the TC forwards. On mine the key to seating it was turning while lifting the front of the TC a little, if the weight of the TC is on the shaft it will 'cock' it just enough to prevent seating.

I would guess if the FWD does not light and the AT Temp light does not flash then the FWD signal from the fuse is not making it to the TCU.

Upshift/downshift issues will have nothing to do with the duty C solenoid (more properly called the transfer dity solenoid) or the AWD functionality. No check engine light and no codes, does the ATF temp light flash on startup?

Wow, how did they trick a savvy consumer like you into such a horrible purchase?

Just a bump on the info some swap guides may show '04 and '03 as swappable, which for at least outbacks is not the case unless you swap over the transfer duty solenoid, the awd valve, and the valve plate under the AWD valve (4 bolts total, but inside the tail housing)

I know on my 03 the ducts to the foot wells are TOO DANG SMALL!!!