Fairtax4me

Is it a three wire or four wire sensor?

Clutch pedal switch is bad or has a bad ground. The clutch switch grounds the interlock relay. Fairly common issue. Try bypassing the switch, if it works you can either replace it, or wire the relay straight to ground.

Auto or manual trans?

Somebody actually posted a pic of the approach a while ago but I can't remember where. Extension goes in just below the inner axle cup right where the cup necks down by the trans. Your wobbly should be able to sit just on the other side of the axle cup with a standard socket.

Its difficult to keep the engine running with the IAC hose disconnected, more-so when you're pouring in a liquid that alters the combustibility of the fuel going in. Easier way. Can of throttle body cleaner. Get the kind with the plastic straw. Pull the IAC hose off of the intake tube, stick the straw in about an inch then slip the end of the hose back onto the nub on the intake tube. Now you can start the engine and it will stay running normally. Maneuver the can so you can connect the straw to the nozzle and spray the cleaner a couple shots at a time into the IAC. Use your left hand to spray and your right hand to work the throttle lever to keep the engine running, and to cause the IAC valve to open and close as you spray in the cleaner.

Wagon/sedan/auto/manual shouldn't make any difference. I don't know specifics about the different units on the older cars. I would think there would be only one unit. Maybe two units at most, and they should be easy to differentiate. Later (after 95) there were a few different types but they are easy to differentiate.

From below use a wobble joint (or universal) and a 12" extension. If its a manual you can get it from the top once the starter is out of the way, but it's usually pretty tight. On autos the AT cooler lines are in the way and it's too tight to turn a ratchet in there. I usually end up using a breaker bar to loosen the bellhousing bolts.

A constant rattle is good because you can easily crawl under the car and listen for the source. A stethoscope is good for reaching further under. Jack stands will let you get all the way under.

Head gasket. If its as bad as it sounds, the radiator hoses will be pressurized very quickly after starting. 20-30 seconds and you'll have pressure in the hoses. Do this with the engine cold. Before starting open the cap, squeeze the upper radiator hose a few times to get a feel for it. Close cap, start engine and squeeze the hose every couple seconds and you'll feel the pressure build up in the system within about 30 seconds, maybe sooner if its really bad. Normally there should be no pressure build until the engine is almost to operating temp.

Crawl under and look. They're easy to find.

It common for the cooler lines to rust out. Easiest way to fix it is yank the steel lines out and just run ATF cooler hose from the trans all the way to the radiator. Its 3/8" inside, IIRC. Be sure to get new screw clamps for the ends. Use zip ties to hold the hoses to the frame. Takes about 6 feet to so both.

Sorry you had to spend that and find out it wasn't the problem! That hose is difficult to see sometimes and almost always the cause of this start-stall problem.

You should be able to use 96-04 legacy Outback or 98-05ish forester. Some time after 02 the axles changed from separate stubs to integrated stubs on the inner joint. You can use those transmissions but they require swapping the front axles as well. 96-99 Legacy GT will work as well.

Kinda hard to get the MILFs when you don't have a house cuz it burned down! Had you removed the injectors or the rails for some reason? Was the injector plug loose?

You probably got an LSi panel. Both my 96 and 95 have redline at 6. Doesn't matter what the guage says, your ECU will hit the rev limiter when its ready.

OBd2 doesn't interface with the TCU. There is a way to get TCU codes manually. I don't know the exact method for that year, but you can search google for the way. There's a black 6 pin plug under the dash on the left hand side with two ground pins taped further up in the harness. One of the ground pins is pushed into one of the terminals in the black plug and you turn the key On then do a secret handshake kind of thing and the light will flash any stored codes.

Are you using the engine control computer from the forester? MAF or MAP sensor? Are you determining engine temp based on computer reading or from a separate guage? If from a guage, what does the engine computer say coolant temp is? If the computer temp sensor is bad the fuel mixture will still be too rich and can cause issues.

Check all of the hoses that attach to the intake tube, make sure they're properly attached at both ends, especially the big hose to the idle control motor.

Stud owners charge a fee for their use.

Can't help with the pic, but 00-04 OB or legacy Sedan will likely be closer to the Baja. Wagons have fold-down seats which will have different mount points on the seat bottom, and will only have side latches on the seat back.

Tell us a bit more about your setup. Fuel control system. Any feedback system? (O2 / A/F sensors) Ignition system?

A mechanical problem typically wil not be intermittent (there one day, gone the next). A stuck brake caliper can cause bad vibration but will need to be driven some to heat up the rotor first. Axle/bearing/u-joint problems just don't come and go, when they wear out they will cause a constant and repeatable problem. An engine running issue can be very intermittent, and with OBD1, the damn thing could be on fire and it wouldn't trip a CEL. You could have the beginning of an ignition coil failure. This can come and go at random, and will usually be most evident when under load. Wheel bearings on these are very difficult to diagnose. They can make noise for a LONG time before ever having any noticable play. Not real sure why the rear diff was leaking gear oil other than maybe a seal was damaged by a previous axle replacement. The rear diffs almost never have problems.

A bolt has a head on it. A stud doesn't have a head on it. Or if it does, its smaller than the threads.

If you still have the door panels off lubricate the tracks and the regulator for the window. If the motor is having to work too hard it can burn the contacts in the switch.

How old are the spark plugs and wires?