aircraft engineer

for a good selection of SUB timing parts stuff try these guys http://www.theimportexperts.com a kit of everything to do the engine front (belt, pulleys, tensioner, waterpump, valve cover gaskets, cam seals - all of it) was about $300 (the tensioner was $89 - if you don't need it you don't have to buy it - they sell lesser kits, even customize to what you need) I have reservations about the Chinese timing belt, so got the German (made in Mexico) belt for $10 extra If you have it out, might as well fix it "right"

there's another way, too - do a differential compression test It uses a meter and compressed air one of these - http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94190 They can be a bit tricky to use if you don't know what you are doing. It's not the old "crank it and see what it pumps up to" compression tester.

it was HER IMP I was working on ^ post above

sticky like glue strip. Not tape

OK - this may sound dumb - but why would you need higher flow? at 20mpg at 20mph the flow is 1 gallon/hour. Even at 60 it's 3gph (in this example) 1 gallon every 20 minutes? Most of the pumps I've seen are 1 quart/minute which is about 20X what you need just asking...

aluminum heads - good idea to resurface when you have them out Cheaper than doing it again later

feed them something "bad for them"? I use "one bite" with mice - but martens aren't rodents and probably wouldn't like corn or peanut butter. :-p You COULD try a rat trap or 2 strategically placed. they get snapped once or twice and they won't be back (either that or it might "terminate with extreme prejudice") you just need to remember to TAKE OUT THE TRAPS BEFORE DRIVING (and not get snapped yourself)

they made a big difference on the Chev S-10 my sister had. She's wondering if she can find them for IMPs

as near as I can tell the whole thing is glued together. 2 pieces probably ultrasonic welded. IF you want to / need to put a bead of silicone around the joint on the top and down the sides (not to likely to need it on the bottom) I tried to take apart the IMP tail light assy but didn't have any luck and I wasn't about to "break it" It had been collecting water down from the bad seal - the body to lens seal - and was it's own little swimming pool. The water had been coming into the lens thru the backup light plastic fitting (down the hatch, over the lens, thru the sealant that had been "poked", down the black inside of the lens and into the bulb access. - I suspect it had been leaking for months and in Washington, we are a "bit damp" in the winter ) I was trying to clean the backup light lens - finally gave up and swashed around a towel on a chopstick and dried it. Where it is now, it doesn't matter - PHOENIX - hot and dry (my sister's not mine - I just did all the work) You need to get the sealant - don't worry, just put the new sealant on the same places that are on the lens that's in there now.

I guess I should be GLAD I don't live in "road salt land" any more. The ones I pulled were "undo the nut and pull out the bolt" easy. The "trailing arm link bolt" was a real problem, though. (not rusted, just tight and a definite lack of access to the nut)

20V electric impact wrench for when I don't have air available. Goes with the 20V angle grinder that was on the Schucks/Kraeger/Checker day before Xmas sale for "$29.99* for the set including a plastic carry/storage box" "*after rebate" actually not a bad unit - 1/2 drive and the 20V will run it a bit - never actually used it yet - just been working close to the "air"

sorry - I did it with a short phillips - but one of those articulated screwdrivers with the flex shafts and removable tips should give you better access. #2 IIRC

oh well... figured it was just "too simple" a solution.

doesn't come apart (at least the Impreza didn't) IF it's like the IMP, the plastic lens ASSEMBLY (2 piece - inner black, outer red/clear but you can't take it apart - or at least not the IMP - I tried) is literally GLUED onto the sheet metal from the OUTSIDE and held on with between 3 and 5 nuts on long shafts (on the IMP I found 4, plus another that was probably supposed to be removed but the plastic pulled out of the shaft so I just put it back the same way - it didn't appear to be holding it, just positioning it) - the "glue" is a thick sealant not really a "glue" I got some 1/4 inch width butyl rubber windshield sealant and put a pass around the plastic where the "old" sealant was. IF you don't get all of the old sealant off, don't worry - the new sealant will stick to the old quite easily and seal. IF you use the butyl, it will be "difficult" to get out later but it WILL be sealed. Others mentioned using a hair dryer to heat up the sealant before trying to push the light assembly off of the car. Soften it up a bit and make it easier to get out

pretty unlikely they would fit. The bolt circle is OK - 100mm. now for the other question - WHY would you want to go to 14 inch wheels??? go get a set of factory 15 (or 16 if they will clear) inch alloy wheels

IF you don't need anything other than the bearing and seals - I paid $67 for NGK rear (importexperts) and then got seals locally from a parts store ($17 for all 3) Depending on whether you reuse the nuts from the suspension bolts and the axle nut - add another $20 or so. IF drum brakes, need to have a bottle of brake fluid (not req for discs) It takes maybe 2 hours to do a side (the FIRST one will take a lot longer - learning curve) Figure $100/hour for dealer service (don't know what the book allowed time is) Of course, the "hub tamer" would get it done as well (might even be faster because of not needing to pull the housing and deal with the drum brakes) but there is that specific cost and a hub tamer doesn't have the "additional application" of the press. By the way - I've been wondering if an impact wrench on the "long bolt" might get it out easier? IF it's rusted in, the impact will turn it. Good 6 point impact socket to essentially eliminate the head damage...

I have and use a HF 12ton press. IF you can bend it... Works quite well - removed and re-installed pax rear housing, hub. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=33497 I could have gotten it done for $20/per side here (but I had the press - just had to wait for dry weather since it's sitting outside)

the one I did had a double wammy - a cam seal plus the valve cover gaskets (drivers side but did both anyway) it's not "difficult" to fix, just time consuming. and it runs down to the pipe and burns off there. Check your power steering too - it can also leak.

From what I see in the endwrench timing belt article, it's an attached piece that looks removable (Phase 1 anyway) Since I haven't been into one yet, I can't say for sure

remember - the tensioner SLIDES on those bolts for initial location. You might need to file the groove in the tensioner a bit to clear the bolt shaft. Also, (hate to say this) those probably need to be rethreaded if you are going up a size. I doubt that you can cram in a larger dia bolt without tapping it - and IF you are going that far, you might just as well heli-coil it) Check and see if you can go a bit LONGER first (looking for threads undamaged at the bottom of the hole) Usually even with blind holes, they don't bottom the fastener. If you go up a bit in length you might need to grind off a bit on the end to stop it from bottoming (or add a washer or 2) sorry, Gary - thinking along the same lines

so apparently my off the cuff response about the connection being the issue was accurate? I did an IMP headlight where the plastic plug was melted, too. Similar look, just not in as "dangerous" a location. Go back to the JY and cut off the plug as far back up the harness as you can and splice it in. The terminals in the receptacle look like they are "cleanable" - scrape a bit and wash out. IF you can find just a "dab" of "no-alox" paste (it's for connecting aluminum wiring to copper) put a tiny amount on the connector lugs (inside the one that melted) before pushing them over the spades. use a toothpick and don't get it on the outside - it's a conductor but it will stop the corrosion in there.

It's a bit time consuming to do it by taking them off the car - but it saves in aggravation and the need to buy the hub tamer. After FIRST loosening the axle nut while the wheel is still on the ground... (LOTS easier than doing it with the wheel OFF) The problem is getting the housing free - the trailing arm link is difficult to get off (take that one off FIRST - it's the rubber mounted one that goes "forward" (17mm) and saying it's "difficult" to loosen the NUT is being kind - there's almost no clearance for a wrench). Then the "long bolt" (19mm) can be a problem unless you live in "no salt land" (salt makes them tend to corrode in between the bolt and the housing/carrier so use no seize when you put it back together) - the problem is that they seize in the housing (which can be lessened by applying a liberal coat of penetrating oil) Access to an impact wrench might help. I only dealt with "west coast cars" and even after 11 years they weren't rusted in place - YMMV. The axle just popped right out (er.. "in" actually), no rust in there either. IF you are dealing with anti-lock, you have to take off the sensor as well as disconnect both the brake line (on drum brakes) and the e-brake cable (all of this AFTER removing the drum/rotor (+caliper on the disk brake models) . IF you have drum brakes, you might consider doing the brakes at the same time if they are worn down Then remove the 2 strut bolts last and the unit is "free". Now the fun starts - you need access to a hydraulic press and a set of "tools". First you press out the hub by supporting the unit with the bearing puller adapter and holding it up on the arbor press plates. Don't put the puller jaws so close together that it catches the outside 1/2 inner race of the bearing and you will need to use a socket that will clear the inside 1/2 of the bearing inner race (it has to go thru the race to press out the hub - smaller than the race, larger than the hub) Once the hub pops out (with the inner race still attached) you are ready to remove the spring clip. Pull the old seal and remove the large thin ring that retains the bearing in the housing - it's just under the seal and is likely coated with some bearing grease. There was a "notch" in the one I pulled to enable getting a screwdriver underneath and "working it out". It makes it easier IF you remove the backing plate so you won't accidentally bend it during the later press work (4 bolts, 14mm, they were pretty tight) once the retaining ring is out, you get to flip it back over and press out the bearing itself. Pull the 2 grease seals (2 on the inside - 1 "inner" and 1 "outer") Take a look at the position of the hub relative to the inner race. That's the depth you will be pressing the hub into the "new" bearing. Now to do this RIGHT, you need to have an adapter that will catch the bearing lip (the outer race) as well as support the hub so that the bearing will pass thru. The backup brute force method is to put a socket large enough to press against the remaining inner race and press it out that way. The problem with doing it that way is that the outer race tends to expand against the housing because of the load being sent thru the bearing by the inner race. A slight "clearance" is a lot easier to deal with - simple slip fit. Once the bearing is out, pull the inner race off the hub (use the bearing separator) and pull the old grease seal clean the metal pieces up and get ready to put it back together. at this point you will have 1 inner grease seal, 1 inner dust shield seal, 1 outer grease seal, 1 new bearing (doesn't matter whether ball or roller - a well lubricated, well sealed ball bearing lasts just as long as a roller bearing) 1 retaining ring, and the housing. I sat the housing on a piece of 4x4 to make sure it wouldn't damage lips where the seals were going to go in (another post talked about the seal not wanting to go in - some corrosion might leave a "burr" right at the edge of the lip. A quick flick with a rat tail file will take off the.burr easily. make sure the housing is clean - the main enemy of a bearing is DIRT - abrasive of any kind) Clean and lubricate the "new" bearing (the ball bearing will be harder to take apart than the roller bearing) and lube the outside of the bearing as well as the hub inner. Put the bearing into position on the housing and using the old bearing as a press tool, press the bearing into the housing until it "bottoms" (press ONLY on the OUTER RACE or you will damage the bearing) At this point you may need to curse and play with it a bit until you are SURE it's bottomed out while you try to install the retaining ring. IF it snaps in place and won't come out, it's "in". IF it doesn't snap in, the bearing IS NOT SEATED!! Press a little more. Reinstall the backing plate (I loctited the bolts with blue) and torque to 40 (35 to 43) Install the outer grease seal. Now, you need a socket large enough to contact the bearing inner race. Lube the inner race and the hub and the seal too. Press the hub into the bearing and stop when the hub reaches the same point as it was before you pressed it out of the old bearing. Put the inner seals on (there are 2 of them remember) Congratulations - you have just installed a rear wheel bearing. Reverse the removal process and reassemble the rest. Axle nut torque 145 ft-lbs (or 2 men and a small boy standing on a breaker bar - that's related to the "axle nut torque thread") I put anti-seize on all of the bolts as I reassembled them and some down the axle splines as well guess what - since you are doing BOTH of them, you get to do it all AGAIN - ain't it FUN??? takes about 2 hours per side the first time (less if you have the honor of doing it more frequently and get into the "hang of it" - more if you have to deal with %$@!!! corroded bolts and parts or a stubborn trailing arm link bolt)

the last time I had something like that it was a warped rotor. Do a "run out test" with a dial indicator and see how "true" they are (chill spots in the rotor will also give the same effect) another possibility is grease on the pads - even a little bit will cause "interesting things" to happen - particularly silicone grease because it doesn't burn off easily. And a bad wheel bearing will cause a similar effect as well. (assumed non-antilock system - otherwise if antilock - all of above possibilities plus tone ring issues or sensor problems) How does it react in hard braking?

Uh.. dude... I work with torque every day. I'm a FANATIC about torques (except that the place where I work certifies their wrenches and I can only "estimate" accuracy for my "home equipment") The response was to the premise that "more is better" - which in the case of torque is "problematic". In reality, IF you have no extensions or U-joints or offsets plus a lubed bolt/nut you will in all likelihood see close to the "applied torque" until something "gives". You DO understand that torques are derived from "applied pressure thru turn of the nut calculations establishing metal stretch (stress / strain) by measuring the 'ramp angle' ", right? And that torques are actually a "secondary" measurement of that "preload" measurement (true, established by many years of on the job verification and testing, but still a secondary method since "turn of the bolt in a lubricated joint" is generally impractical) The "engineer" in my handle is not a joke - it's reality, but I sometimes "play along" - as in this case of "more is better".

well lets see... 2' breaker plus 2' extension = 4 ' of arm put on 200 pounds of load and get 800 ft-lbs. What was that - about a 20mm x .75 (guessing) bolt/nut combo? 800 should strip one of the 2 - either the nut or the axle.