aircraft engineer

yes, I see the FAQ thread - not there (it's a bolt size question I posted separately)

What I'm looking for is the bolt threads for taking off the brake disc/drums 7x1 7x1.5? hole measures 6.8 with my caliper so it's 7 major dia.

Just trying to look for things is a bit "difficult"

Fun in a Tacoma junkyard. this is nothing to do with the oile leak - when you take off the rear hub, take off the link bolts FIRST and last take off the strut attachments. it would have been nice if it hadn't been sitting on the ground to start with. The trailing link bolt is a rubber mount and "difficult to remove unless the hub is attached to the STRUT" Of course, the MUD didn't help either zzz <-- I would have CUT the link if I had a saw

Just curious - where are you finding the part numbers/year info?

Porcupine - any number identification / manufacturer on that seal tool?

it was a question, not an "answer". (but, yeah, I checked the 'net and found that it was introduced in 1998) I figure that at $40 each it has to be faster and easier than messing with the bearings in the housings. Just take off and replace (painless). Last time I did one it was a Tempo FRONT and it was a FIRST CLASS pain - I wound up going the replacement route there, too. BTW - bigbusa - I have a full set of tools but no garage other than one of the harbor freight tarp versions (too much junk in REAL garage to fit in a car.) Generally I use my air tools when I can - faster. About the Tempo I mentioned - I got able to pull the hub/struts off both sides and replace them at 45 min per side - in the driveway - in the rain. My expertise is in Mercedes Diesels (190/200D old stuff), Tempo, Dodge Caravan, and Cessna (yeah, it's not a car, but what the heck - never bothered getting my A&P though). I guess that once one gets old (about social security) one gets reluctant to get dirty unless absolutely necessary

Maybe they didn't make the Forester in 97?

BTW - IF you can get URETHANE glue in there it's better - it bonds to both metal and "rubber" (the wheel coating isn't actually "rubber" - it's a synthetic)

IF you can get the glue inside the opening, IT WILL CURE - the cyanoacrylate glues are ANAEROBIC but work better with "small clearances" (they cure in LACK of air, not "dry" IN air - it's why superglue stays liquid until you press your fingers together :-\ . Try the "gel" version if you can - it's "thicker" and doesn't need the thin mating surface to set up the bond)

OK - what's the plate for and where is it? something else to replace? Engine is staying in unless everything breaks apart

anybody know if the rear wheel housings for the Forester and the Impreza are identical for 1997? Since I have to pull them to do the bearings anyway, IF the ones from a junkyard are OK I can just pop them in (found FORESTER rear suspension in a junkyard - on a car of course, not Impreza) At least I'll get to see if the rear brakes are as good as the fronts (almost new) and maybe need to fix them too - what she didn't say is that _I_ do the work. Ain't that what elder Bro's (pee-chai <- that's Thai for older Bro - I speak it too a bit) are for? Anyway - I'm not keen on doing the HEAD GASKETS unless there is a REAL requirement to do them. I see no oil leakage from anywhere that is CLOSE to the head gaskets but some have said that it's another location that leaks. Also - IF there is no oil visible on the lower part of the valve covers why would I need to replace the gaskets? I didn't see the response before I posted before, thanks I'll get the dragon wagon fixed eventually... soon, I hope

duplicate - deleted

grumble grumble... just what I wanted - another thing to work on without a GARAGE and in the wet cold winter ... Nothing quite like laying on my back under a car in a cold driveway...in 40F weather :-\ I power washed the engine lower and the valve covers don't show and oil on the lower cover to head interfaces so I think they aren't the problem. I can DO the main /cam seals but how do I seat the seals without removing the radiator for clearance?

they are full of it about the cat converter - they work BETTER. The ethanol makes less work since there are less HC (hydrocarbons). I wouldn't use E85 though (a fuel we have in the US 85% ethanol) You are safe with E10 (unless they are RADICALLY different in the fuel system from US cars - as others have said EVERYTHING here uses E10 or MTBE blends particularly in the winter). Avoid METHANOL, though - it eats seals (at least on older vehicles) mtbe - methyl tri butyl ether ("oxygen additive") might not be "tri" but it doesn't matter anyway

pulled the inside plastic panel - looks like a leak from the tail light - very wet on the inside I suspected the taillight because the backup light was corroded into the connector bayonet. bolts don't look loose (might be though) somebody said 5 - I can only see 4 at the corners. the 5th?? long screws - need to use a deep socket to access (I only found 4) oh well, it's black silicone time... any way to drain the jack compartment? - it seems to have 2 inches or so of water inside and it won't drain. (brute force, of course - just drill a small hole from the outside...) Not like the mercedes diesels I'm familiar with at all

thanks for the possibilities - will try 'em all and see what happens (the shotgun approach)

After heavy rain it seems to fill up (somehow) No apparent reason - no apparent leaks but it fills up - a slight water trail across the drivers side from the tail light area into the well, but no other indication. No apparent window seal leakage but I haven't pulled the plastic interior trim yet. Seems to happen driving on wet roads but not sitting in the rain (might be wrong, though). I've thought about just drilling a 1/4 dia drain hole in the bottom of the tire well. Other than that I take out the rubber plug and bail the water into the hole to get it out. Used vehicle, just acquired, 97 impreza wagon L