Olnick

No! No! I'm here and I've listened to your every word! Really, I had no idea how heat shields are attached. Just know that the little nuts & bolts are always rusted solid. So I marvel at your mechanical understanding and your industriousness. Keep it up--and keep reporting on it. I love it!

I suggest taking it out of the car to clean. There are (IIRC) 3 bolts, one of them is hidden underneath but you can find it with your fingers! One air hose and one small coolant hose to disconnect. When you have it out, take off the gray plastic top (2 phillips screws) then you can give it a good spray cleaning. Makes me feel so much better to watch the gunk flow out!

Yeah, it recirculates air--and all the crap in it from the crankcase. Try pull the PCV and the hose and flush them out with an aerosol spray, I think you'll be happy you did!

Nope, Techron won't have any effect on your oil. You might want to replace your PCV valve and clean the hose leading to it, that may help.

I'd suggest the Techron Concentrate rather than their injector cleaner. I'm not a big fan of additives but I do believe in that stuff. A bottle in the gas tank every 6 months really makes the old '95 EJ22 smile.

Amen, Brother! Good for you--what a great feeling!

Nope! Too soft. The point of a small safety pin worked best for me.

Thanks, Dave--very helpful. No problems with my Subaru (knock on wood) but you've given me a wakeup call to get proactive with the preventive maint. However we have a shimmy/shake in my wife's Maxima, which got much worse when a shop rotated the tires recently. Yes, a big shop with impact wrenches everywhere! Hopefully a mounting surface cleanup, anti-seize and careful tightening will help. Thanks again.

So, were you experiencing any shake prior to your work? Is it gone now?

Yay! Success! Tragedy averted! Now you can smile as you drive. Enjoy the trip.

I agree with edrach . . . good stuff. Check performance shops in your area for price. Check specs for your car for quantity needed--probably 4 quarts. Here in Honolulu it cost $10 per quart.

Sounds like good news on the water pump. Now you can "drive easier" having checked it out yourself. By all means give it another once-over tomorrow. Naturally it would be better to not lose any coolant, but I don't think a cup every three or four months is enough to panic about. Just check it regularly on your trip. And personally I would NOT put stop leak in the coolant system. Good luck and, again, have a great trip.

Is there an independent shop that knows Subarus in your area? I think I'd trust their opinion more than a dealers!

Sounds like you're off on a nice drive, 11pies! I wouldn't worry about things too much--just check your coolant and oil levels regularly. Oh, and glance at your temperature gauge once in awhile! Might want to carry an OEM thermostat with you just in case. Subies hate cheap parts-store thermostats! Is your timing belt okay at 130k? Have a great trip--and let us know how it goes!

Well live and learn--I never knew that. Thanks, porc! Any idea what year they changed over?

Will someone please explain what you mean by "double row" and "single row."

Yes, I think you did. Proud of you for a very wise decision.

Thanks for sharing the good news with us, Mike!

How smooth is your gear shift action? If it's okay to you then whatever you prefer. I've heard good things about Valvoline Synpower. Redline 75W90ns will make shifts buttery smooth but yeah, it's pricey. Just use it in the tranny, not the rear diff.

Suh-weet! Body looks near perfect. How big are those wheels?

No kidding?

Most here will say only use OEM Subaru wires, and I agree.

For what it's worth, here's what happened to me a few years ago: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=41301&highlight=headlight+connector&page=2

YAY! Congrats!

Don't have the foggiest what goes on inside a gearbox but I keep following your posts just for the pictures. They're beautiful!!!