Numbchux

Fix this. Any other diagnosis/repair is a waste of time and money.

AT shift cables, all the time. Although they usually break. We probably stocked 3 different part numbers, and sold one once a week or so.

Yea, it certainly could be something like that. I looked once with the shifter at each end of the travel, and didn't notice anything shifting like that, so I got to thinking if I should suspect something internal. Once I get the title for sure, I'll start tearing it apart and look for parts binding (or if I run out of things to do, I'll tear some stuff off the parts car for some experimentation). We sold a lot of cables when I was at the dealership, so maybe it's just that simple.

That was my first thought, but after playing with it for awhile the other day, I think electrically it's reading correctly, as you can pull the shifter all the way down to "1" and it will barely engage Drive, so I'm thinking more on the linkage side of it. That's a good point, and that could cause an issue at both ends of the travel like I'm seeing. This car has higher mileage (210k or something) and has been sitting for the last year or so...

My concerns are diameter and length. Upper spring perch is usually integrated into the original top mount, so you frequently have to add the stock EA82 mount, or redesign a mount/spring perch. Adding the second mount, from SuberDave's build: Or replace it. Like Nico did, these crazy custom anodized aluminum pillowball mounts for his Ohlin's Not saying you shouldn't do it. Just brainstorming some challenges that will depend on the specific coilover design and what you've got in mind.

On my most recent purchase, my '01 VDC, I got some assurance that there will be a title, so I'm beginning a plan to fix it. One of the issues is related to the shifter. What it feels like is that something in the linkage (cable, etc.) is binding/bending. I have to mess with it to get it to "engage" park (electronically, the prawl engages, but the light on the dash won't always come on, which of course prevents the car from starting). And when I pull it down towards the gears, I have to pull it all the way to "1" to get it to engage "D". Having to jiggle the shifter to get it to start made me first think it was the range/neutral switch on the transmission, but since it doesn't work the other way, I'm tempted to think it's something else. This kind of reminds me of an SVX I had briefly. The story when I bought it was that the shift cable had broken, and they put a new one in it, and it still didn't work correctly so it needed some internal repair. We found that the brand-new OE cable would kink when "pushing". So we could start it, and one guy hold the brakes, while the other guy reaches down with a pliers from under the hood and pull on the shifter to put it in gear. Then you could drive it, and the cable would "pull" just fine back into Park. Now, we test drove it, and the transmission was also slipping REALLY badly, so we parted out the car, so we never attempted to fix it. The difference is that it would go into Park just fine. I put this Outback up on ramps, and took a look in a few positions, and I didn't see the cable obviously doing anything like that, or shifting in the mounts (or mounts deforming). So, long story short. Anyone seen anything internal in the transmission binding causing cable issues? Or should I focus my diagnostic on external parts?

Yes, I think the first gen Legacy/Liberty is the only exception. I don't know about '93-'94, but certainly by '95, even the Impreza had it in the rear.

Codes?

Something like that works for springs. But to do it right, you still need dampers. I ran Miata application rears for some time with Ground-Control sleeves like that and was very happy with them. carfreek, I fear that the issue you'll find, is your kit will only likely work with one brand of coilovers.

It's been an awful long time since I paid any attention to an EA82 wiring diagram, so I don't remember. It was well-labeled on the diagrams, though. Being a reed switch, it'll be pretty hard to read it with a multimeter (might read AC voltage while spinning the cable).

I've not seen an EA82 cluster that couldn't supply a VSS signal (I did one into a carbed '86 wagon years ago that I'm almost positive had the factory cluster in it). Certainly anything fuel injected would use it. Sounds more like boost cut.

Yea, I rebuild my own calipers/cylinders almost always. But I've never had any luck extracting bleeders. It's basically the only time I'll buy a caliper/cylinder.

Yea, I've seen stuff like that done a 2 or 3 times. Obviously an enormous amount of custom fab work, and usually requires a considerable body lift to make room for upper control arm mounts. Pretty awesome stuff, but hardly a feasible option for a typical street car.

Here's a sweet hint about LMGTFY, check the results to make sure it actually supports your own point. Not so in this case, it continues to stack evidence that this is not a thing. Add quotes to it so that google searches it as a phrase, and there's some mention of a Polaris Ranger with a ridiculous lift but no details, and quickly devolves to modifying hellcat airdams, and hatch strut deletes.... I'll admit, I'm far from perfect and definitely don't know everything, so maybe you'll teach me something. But Parts has been my career for about 10 years, some of which at a Subaru dealership, and I've driven almost exclusively neglected Subarus for much longer. If something like this existed, I think I'd know. And you come across as such a lazy, condescending ***, I don't mind calling you out on it. Don't like it? Change it.

I'm still waiting for info on this "strut delete", lol

Yea, when you bottom out the coils against each other, it's called coil bind, and is VERY hard on things. Cutting some of the spring off, would make it easier to bottom out the assembly, but since the travel is limited by the strut, it should be less likely to coil bind at the same point in the strut travel.

There are many many different variations (different part numbers, anyway). I don't know any lengths, but here's what I do know. From my notes (honestly, not sure of the source), an Outback wagon rear is 190 lb/in. Rallitek is 355 lb/in, which is supposedly about 20% softer than King. Baja is stiffer/taller than Outback, as people use that as a lift. Auto transmission usually gets stiffer springs, front and rear, than a manual. Spring rates are probably similar between the same body styles, regardless of height (Legacy sedan vs Outback sedan, Legacy wagon vs Outback wagon). Obviously Outback stuff is taller than Legacy. When I run out of things to do (:eyeroll:), I have Tacoma Offroad bilsteins that I want to test fit in the rear of my '01 OBW parts car, and I plan to take some measurements. But it's fairly low on the list right now.

I just did a KYB warranty exchange through RockAuto. Ended up being out return shipping, and about a 2 week process (luckily I have an extra car). And they only warrant the failed one, not the pair, so now I have a new strut across from a ~50k mile strut. No, not likely to be in stock, but you can typically order in to your local store for free (AutoZone ONLY ships next day air to their stores, so if they can get it, it'll be there in a business day or 2, no shipping charge). And with a friendly store manager, and a nice conversation, you could probably get the pair warranteed. I still order through RockAuto all the time, it's just something to be aware of that is not as transparent up front. If I'm likely to need to warranty something, I almost always buy from a local store.

2005 only on the turbo and H6 models, and trickled into the rest until 07 or 08 Truth is, I don't know where people got the keys they brought in. I just know that we had some frustrated/pissed mechanics with keys that wouldn't program.

Yep, definitely need all the keys there (any keys not present will no longer start the car, so in the event of a stolen key doesn't turn into a stolen car). The dealership I worked at only charged one cutting/programming fee, regardless of how many keys were programmed. We had many customers bring in aftermarket keys. I'd guess we had about a 50% success rate. And in order to find out, the key has to be cut, and all the steps taken towards programming, so you'll be on the hold for the charge, they'd probably let you grab an OEM one (assuming they have one in stock) without charging you the extra programming fee. So just be aware of the gamble, and communicate with the service department up front. You could also try an aftermarket locksmith. They might have other options, and will almost certainly not charge you if it doesn't work. I avoid immobilizer cars personally, and my professional experience was just at the dealership. FYI. DON'T. LOOSE. YOUR. LAST. KEY. In the name of anti-theft, Subaru has designed these systems so that you can't add a new key, without a working key present. The car will have to be towed to a dealer, engine computer and gauge cluster removed, and mailed to Subaru to be reset, sent back, reinstalled, and then keys purchased. This process can easily cost over $1000.

I wonder why all the posts lately about loaded struts/shocks....very strange. These are not available from reputable sources for Subarus. Spring compressors are not scary, or hard to get (most auto parts stores will rent you a set for a completely-refundable deposit). KYB are the best for aftermarket struts/springs, but I've had mediocre luck with them (lifetime warranty. IMO worth spending extra to get from a local source to simplify that warranty process. RockAuto is good about warranty, but you'll still be paying shipping).

These statements SCREAM u-joints. I know you said you swapped shafts, did you replace the joints yourself? Were you careful to maintain the orientation remained the same from the old joints? The FWD fuse basically eliminates any problems in the front end, and almost everything in the transmission. I've never heard a bearing noise (diff or wheel) that I would describe as a vibration, at all. Maybe a rear axle joint, but those fail so infrequently (I don't think I've ever seen one, and they're definitely not common, if available at all, in the aftermarket).

H6s rarely fail externally. So you'll want to give it a good hard drive (A/C on, freeway speeds, up hill) and see if it gets hot. I don't even inspect for an external leak, and that wouldn't give me the slightest pause if I were buying it.

I always inspected and carried spare pullies as well, but I saw plenty of belt failures without pulley failure. I completely blame the tensioner. I'm sure I've driven 50-70k miles on the 2 XT6s I've owned, and never even seen the timing components on either one. As you know (others might not), they share a very similar timing system, but with hydraulic tensioners.

Yea, I never had good luck with EA82 timing belts. I can't count on both hands the number of times I had one break (almost always the LH one, too. You can drive the the RH one broken....) on all the EA82s I ever owned. That why I hate them so much to this day (haven't owned one in more than 10 years...). Didn't seem to matter what parts I used, how it was installed, or anything. I just ran without covers and carried the necessary tools and spares, EVERYWHERE. I actually happened to glance at the clock the last time I changed one on the side of the road, and it was like 18 minutes, including putting coveralls on.