Olnick

All good suggestions. Biggest question to me would be, how comfortable are you with your relatives' "car care skills?" Have they kept up with preventive maintenance over the years? Age and mileage are less of a factor than how well the car has been maintained. Example: Last Fall my son and I drove his 19-year old Legacy with over 200,000 miles from Seattle to Colorado and back--3,500-miles in one week--without a hiccup. Carried a basic tool kit, oil & coolant but never had to touch them. However we had just refreshed the front end: TB, idlers, seals, oil pump, water pump & t-stat, hoses, fluids & filters. Car already had new plugs & wires, O2 sensor & knock sensor. Inspected brakes, wheels & tires. Oh, and we replaced both front axles while we were in Colorado (so close to MWE!) In short, the car never gave us a moment's concern. But we did everything we could to make sure it was in good condition before we set out. Good luck and Godspeed to you. Sounds like a wonderful trip.

I understand where you're coming from and generally agree. I strongly believe in OEM parts--wouldn't risk anything else for engine seals, gaskets, plug wires and many other parts. But when it comes to items with a big price differential (TB idlers and O2 sensors come to mind) that's when I start to question and do research. When I'm reasonably satisfied with quality and price I might chance it. Still a bit of crapshoot maybe but I try to make sure my odds are okay! Paid less than half that for a Bosch Universal two years ago, put it on my son's '92 Legacy and the car has run beautifully ever since. And that includes a one week 3500-mile jaunt through the PNW to Colorado and back. So, until someone can (1) define just what constitutes an "OEM" O2 sensor and (2) present proof that the "OEM" performs better than a quality aftermarket, I will remain skeptical. Hearsay and repetitious mantra don't cut it for me. As you stated at the beginning of this thread, "I'm interested in saving money, here." Well, me too Brother! Good luck.

Congrats mrtoyou7747, glad you got 'er done. If you angled it correctly and torqued it properly (about 14 ft-lbs) you should be golden. Just an aside, it's generally not wise to use a torque wrench to break a bolt loose.

I'm glad that you are happy with your O2 sensor decision, kanurys. Personally, I have yet to hear any definitive proof that the front sensor "must be OEM." For that matter I've yet to hear anyone define just what a Subaru OEM sensor is!

Post your request in the Older Generation Forum. You won't get any helpful responses here!

Nah! Ya think?

No CEL? (Does your CEL light up when you start?) Might want to try a tuneup, new NGK plugs and OEM wires. New PCV and clean the oil/gunk out of the hoses connected to it. New air and fuel filters. Wouldn't hurt to give the IACV a good cleaning. I like to take mine out of the car and give it a really good flushing. One possibility at that mileage might be the ECTS (Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor). Hate to suggest throwing parts at a problem but could be worth considering--about $30 IIRC. Good luck.

There's no compression on the Right (passenger) side cam so it can be positioned easily. The Left (driver) side does have compression, it will resist you!

Wonder what kind of mpg it gets? Or would it be gpm?

Way to go! Congrats!

I know nothing about machining and resurfacing but Wow! That looks terrible, even to my untrained eye.

Yup! Any pull-and-pays near you--in case cleaning doesn't work?

Good luck tcspeer. Hope the MAF does the trick for you. Might try cleaning the old one (gently with the proper spray cleaner!) and clean the contacts in the electrical connector first--before you go looking for a replacement. Let us know how it turns out. Aloha!

Good catch on the ATF hoses, gentlemen! Guess I only ever think of manual tranny!

By all means remove the radiator & fans! They should come out as a unit as I remember, just remove hoses, electrical connections and two bolts. Very easy to do and that few inches of space gives you all the visibility and access you need. You do not need to remove the condenser (the A/C 'radiator') just be careful, maybe protect it a bit with cardboard. Good luck.

A couple of thoughts, dmorrow: 1) You seem to trust your dealership. Now armed with more knowledge, go back and ask them specific questions--"Where did you put that 'special lubricant' and what did you expect it to accomplish?" "Why do you recommend a new transfer clutch when my car doesn't have one?" "What would a new viscous coupler + installation cost?" 2) Personally, I would try to find a small independent shop (one that specializes in Subarus if possible!) and see what input they can give you--and get an estimate from them. 3) Add your state to your ID info. It could help you get more localized help and recommendations. As a matter of fact I believe some USMB members run small shops in Eastern Pennsylvania! 4) FYI, the critical tire measurement is circumference not diameter, maximum 1/4" deviation. Good luck.

Good input, curtisbad. Thanks.

General concensus here on the board--by members who are far better mechanics than me--is OEM wires & NGK plugs only. I've stuck with that over the years and have always had excellent results. Not saying you're definitely going to have problems with aftermarket. But my philosophy is "why chance it?"

1) Simplest way is to open your hood and look at the black plastic timing belt covers on the front of the engine. If it's got two lobes on each side, one stacked over the other, it's DOHC. One lobe on each side means SOHC. I'm guessing yours should be SOHC. 2) Where are you buying your parts, an automotive chain store? I'd strongly suggest you NOT use aftermarket wires--go to Subaru and get OEM wires! And use NGK plugs, you can buy those anywhere. Good luck.

Yikes! Maybe they've improved in modern times but I'd never judge anything based on a Subaru gas gauge! Only way to really know actual mpg is to measure gallons fill-up to fill-up and divide into mileage from the odometer. On the bright side, it sounds like you're busy learning all you can about your beautiful new wheels.

Might try swapping your right side wheels and see if the problem goes.

Try "EJ25 engine swap" and select "New Gen" under Tech Forums. I just did and got 5 pages of threads!

Only the absolute fearless amongst us, the true Subaru Heroes! But you'll be okay, just study & research as much as possible as you go. Use the search function--I seem to recall some threads in the past about splitting & rebuilding the block. And good luck.

Seems pretty steep to me! I'd look for a small independent shop that specializes in Japanese cars--specifically Subaru if possible. Good luck.

Just add a pint to your crankcase oil (make sure you don't overfill the crankcase) and drive around normally for a few days. Or try davebugs' suggestion, "a SPIRITED drive of 10-20 miles after it's warmed up!" When you're satisfied that the lifter tick is gone, change your oil and filter. Good luck.