fleming442

Thanks! I'll probably just try another from CQ. It's a daily driver, and they are close. I haven't had any problems with the pass. side that I put in last year. I guess I just got a bad one.

I just replaced everything in the front end (halfshaft, tierods, and ball joints), and now I have a clicking on hard left turns. Is it possible that the "new" halfshaft has a bad CV joint. I've probably put about 300 mi. on the car since the parts. The shaft came from Carquest (reman).

There is a HUGE thread about this on outback.com. I remember seeing a reply that said the rear suspension changes caster & camber with travel. I have an 02 OBW, and have had her cranked up in the triple digits. It was very stable, but then again, the problem seems to be '05 & up. Tires make all the difference in the world. I had some cheesy Firehawk GTII's with alot of wear put me off the road because they hydro'd. I got some Bridgestone Grid 0019's mainly because I like the aggressive tread pattern. So far they have made it up my driveway when my 2500HD had trouble in 4WD!

Thanks for the replies!!!! That's what I was looking for. I don't mess with CG much (at all), but was looking to spend about $100 or less/wheel.

So, is this bunch just too cheap, or does noone have aftermarket wheels? I have a bent factory on my 02 OBW, and thought it would be a good time to jazz it up a little. After doing a search on here, all I come up with is: the factories have a 56.1mm center bore, a 48-55mm offset, and a 5x100 bolt pattern. I see multiple mentions of the aftermarkets being mostly 35mm offset, and implications of premature bearing wear. Seriously? I just can't see 10-15mm making that much of a difference, other than it looking screwy for sticking out too far. I'm not looking to break the bank, but I would like something other than the boring factories. So, let me see some pics; what have you done?

Mine comes on about every 2 months. I've tried all the cheap fixes, aside from replacing the cats. I just use the trusty Actron to clear it, so I don't have that annoying little light on.

Gary, check your PM's. I have a pressure bleeder. You are welcome to it if you're in Westmonster!

I concur. I went through a similar deal on my wife's old Civic. The NAPA stuff was leaps and bounds better than the Midas crap. To clarify, I was looking at the Borla cat back due to it's SS const. Jeg's has them for $497.

Yeah, it had to happen at work. There is alot of ghettofabulous foot traffic past our unsecured lot. One chick had her SUV broken into, but I can understand that because the idiot left her purse on the seat. They got one dude's cat. conv. off his 4runner, and now this.

So, I get in the car to go to work (37mi. one way), and I noticed a slight thumping. It sounded like a flatspotted tire, and I have a slow leak. So, I figured I just needed some air. I stop at a couple of places in my hometown before I head down the road. They are all $.75 for air (what a rip!), and all out of service. Go figure. I'll take my chances. I made it down to work uneventfully, but the trip home was not so much. The thumping had gotten louder with a noticeable vibration to go along with it. It got to the point I was doing 50 in the slow lane with the hazards on, hoping I could just get it home. I was thinking of everything: bad tierod end(s)- could end up real bad if it broke, ball joint- same dismal scenario, steering rack- even worse. Luckily, I got it home. I didn't really have time to go in depth, but curiosity got the best of me. I gave it a couple of good shoves with my boot. Then, I noticed a gap between the rim and rotor. Now, I had just rotated the tires 2 weeks prior, and I have been tinkering with cars for the better part of 20yrs. I have never had lugnuts come loose. I hit them lightly with an impact then torqued them to 80 ft/lb. I remember it distinctly. The only solution I could come up with is: Some S.O.B. tried to steal my freakin' wheel!!!!! 4/5 of the lugnuts were loose; the only one tight was the lock. Sorry for the long post, but heed it as fair warning. Some crackhead is out there trying to get your stuff! My question is: when I do dive in, aside from the obvious (egged out holes in the rim, mangled stud threads), what else should I check (Wheel bearing, tierod ends, etc.)?

I guess it really depends on how handy you are....... I recently got freaked out over my exhaust (there's a thread somewhere). It turned out that the gasket had blown out where the mid-pipe meets the muffler. I found some Bosal parts from NOPI, a Borla at Jeg's , an ebay header, and a cat pipe from NAPA would set me back about a G whether I went Bosal or Borla for the catback. So, being the cheapa$$ that I am, I got a gasket from Carquest for about $5. It turned out to be the wrong one. Luckily, Advance had the right one. The studs were rusted so bad that I couldn't even see the flats of the hex, so they had to go. After much drilling and grinding, I had 2 holes that I could get bolts through. Guess what? The flange was rotted well enough that the gasket wouldn't seal. So, off to Advance I go again. This time I bought the last 2 gaskets they had. I sandwiched all 3 together with some red rtv in between, and "WALA"- no more leak for about $20! It did take the better part of the afternoon, though, and I have a fairly well equipped shop. I wouldn't reccomend the apt. parking lot. This was an '02 OBW 2.5/auto w/ 160k mi.

Oh yeah, it's an EJ25/ auto

Well, the way I figure it, the dealer is absolutely out of the question, as are run of the mill muffler shops. I went through that on a Civic, and the crap only lasted 6mo. I have used NAPA stuff in the past, and it is very close to OEM. I have a Magnaflow on my truck; it's SS and very nice. However, I find no listings for OBWs. I would like to go Borla, but I have to weigh out the life of the car vs. the expense of the exhaust. As mentioned before, I HATE doing exhaust work, so my plan is to cut everything off and start anew. I've seen a thread or 2 about the epay headers, and the fit seems to be good.

So, here's the scoop. I need a new muffler. Some may recall my cat issues awhile back. I hate doing exhaust work, and the whole system is sketchy anyhow. I plan on replacing everything underneath. Has anyone used the Borla 14885? Trust me, I'm not buying it unless I can get it for wholesale. The rest of the system was going to consist of the epay header (which I just checked and is no longer there), new 02 sensors, and a NAPA cat pipe. I am open to suggestions, and am curious about your experiences.

Gotcha. Yes the 00 OB pic. Upon further inspection of the other pic , I can now see the IAC (little blurry last nite- got deep in the cups). Most of the time I'm half talking out my azz, but going off general IC engine knowledge.

I added some Justice Brother's Automatic Transmission additive, and did another fluid change with the MaxLife. I doesn't seem to slip going into Drive anymore.

Good luck with that. I thought I was being cool and had my CEL out for the same reason..... If you do a little research, the light will come back on after a proper "drive cycle" ( as cited in the FSM). I usually drive above 80mph, so it hasn't registered as a drive cycle yet. If I get stuck behind some slowpoke for 20min., the CEL will trigger. I'm holding out for new cats as long as I can extinguish the light and pass MD's emmision test.

Are any of those fancy "JDM" housings available, like for Hondas? Those would be sexy. I might even consider some.

Porc, I do not doubt your knowledge. The bottom pic is what I have. However, in the 3rd to last pic, I believe that to be the EGR, no? The IAC looks to be to the left of the PCV. Just my .02

I did mine on my 2.5; is it different than the 2.2? Point is, no hose involved. I just took a couple of bolts out and unplugged it. I used 3M Throttle Plate Cleaner to remove the gunk on the plunger and the seat in the intake. It almost sounds like you guys are talking PCV.:-\

D'OH! I was looking topside and saw what appeared to be a T-stat housing. I'll drop the belly pan and peek again. Yes, I got factory parts. I ought to be used to wasting money; my other car is an Oldsmobile!

Is that bugger really under the intake manifold?!?!?!? I got one to do a PM, but after noting its likely position, I'll be a monkey's uncle if I'm pulling the intake for it!

Every one I ever worked on disarmed by unlocking the door with the key...... Maybe try giving it 2 "pulses" on unlock (turn the key a couple of times)

Only if your meter reads 75,000+ volts! The old school method is to stick a screwdriver in the end of the plugwire, then lay it near the block or some other ground, crank the engine to see if you're getting a spark jumping from the screwdriver to ground. Coils are very high voltage! You don't want to be on the business end.

I've been getting a strange vibration in low rpm, 2nd gear. The car is an 02 OBW/ 2.5/ auto, 145k mi. The fluid was changed (whatever the drain plug will let out) at 137k along with the filter. Is this a torque converter on the way out? I noticed it a couple of months ago, leaving work. I thought it was a rough patch in the road, as it happens in the same place everyday (about 1.5 mi. out). Then, I started noticing it in other places, which leads me to question the trans. I also have a slightly delayed engagement from reverse/ park to forward. There are no idiot lights on the dash, and everything else seems to work. I am just wondering if I should be concerned and look for a lower mileage trans. or, throw a bottle of Trans-X in and let'er eat.