Fairtax4me

There are many sources for the particulate that gets stuck all over the paint of a car. Brakes are one of the primary sources for metallic particles, but you pick up a lot of stuff from the road that gets thrown all over the car as well. You don't need a detailer. Get a clay bar kit from any auto parts store and you can clear all of that off on your own. Do the whole car then wax it and it'll shine like (almost) new.

I ordered one kit with the cheapo pump and threw out the pump because it just looked like crap. I make sure to buy the Aisin water pumps because they're much better quality.

Part of the plug boot is still in there. These also have a tendancy for the click thing on the ends of the wires to break off and stay on the plug.

I always give plug wires a twist first, about 45-60 degrees and back, to break the rubber boot loose from the plug. Then they're easier to pull off.

I've heard of aluminum castings being porous before, and even saw a few Saab engine blocks replaced under warranty for coolant leaks when I was working at the dealer. What brand of water pump did you get with the kit?

Unhook the battery -, wait about 2 minutes, then hit the brake pedal a few times. This discharges the storage capacitors in the airbag module. Then before working on the wheel disconnect the yellow connector under the steering column. Press the yellow release tab so the green slide button pops out, then the connectors pull apart. The clock-spring itself is not easily serviceable, and not really meant to be taken apart. All it is is a housing for a ribbon cable. On the 95s there is a gear assembly on the front which spins to indicate when the assembly is centered, but its in a sealed chamber and not exposed to dust/dirt. Not likely there is anything wrong with that or the clockspring itself. You do want to make sure the column cover is clipped together correctly and secured to the column correctly. There could also be just dirt/dust from over the years in between the column cover or clockspring and the wheel. I removed one once and found a ribbon from a balloon wrapped around the steering shaft. I've also seen those stretchy elastic bands like on the hanging air fresheners wrapped around there before.

If the tires are old or spent some time sitting in one place one or more could be flat-spotted. Usually noticeable when the tire is cold, and goes away as the tire warms up and becomes more flexible. This can also be caused by a manufacturing defect that makes a section of the tread stiffer than the rest. Pulling only at certain speeds is also a characteristic of a tire defect, though it could be an alignment issue as well.

Unhook the battery - , wait about 2 minutes, then hit the brake pedal a couple times. This will drain the capacitors in the airbag module. Then before working on the wheel, poke under the steering column and unplug the yellow connector.

You will want to stick to 99-03 year range. You can also search by the trans Id number on the white sticker by the starter.

I've seen some problems with the select switch on the wheel when its cold. Pulling the switch apart and cleaning the contacts, then applying fresh silicone grease to the contact plate and pivot joints usually fixes the problem.

My girlfriends car was sitting at a stop light in gear a few months ago and stalled for no reason. Running fine, smooth idle, then it just quit like the key was turned off. Restarted the engine, drove all the way home, let it idle in the driveway for almost an hour, no problems. Checked for codes and there were none. Wiggle tested all the wiring under the hood looking for a loose connector and came up empty handed. Ive driven the car several times since then, let it idle for long periods, no signs of any problems at all. Sometimes its just a fluke.

My mistake, I misread the post. The oil pressure switch is a common leak, but is not the reason for the CEL. Though an oil leak is a problem, it is mechanical and is not a problem able to be monitored by the ECU. The ECU only monitors for conditions that will adversely affect the emissions output of the engine. If your mechanic can't properly scan the car for codes, you need to take the car to a shop that can.

It plugs into the yellow connector under the drivers dash. Near the steering column. This will only work if your code reader is designed to read OBD1 codes. If you have a basic OBD2 code reader it will probably not communicate with the car. This will only allow you to read codes from the ECM, which can also be done without the use of a scanner. It will not read TCU, ABS, or Airbag codes.

A blinking CEL indicates a steady misfire, which is a condition that is allowing unburned fuel out of the engine into the atmosphere, and will cause severe damage to the catalytic converters. This can cause the catalytic converters to overheat and catch fire, and catch the car on fire. This is NOT safe to take on a 3 hour drive, with the CEL blinking. The cruise is disabled when the CEL is on, which is why the Cruise light is on. You need to get the car to a competent shop that can diagnose the problem. Depending on the mileage on the car, this could be as simple as a bad spark plug or plug wires.

Did you pull the transmission to replace the clutch? If yes have you checked the bolts on the rear driveshaft flange?

I don't know exactly which wires on an 05. On the older cars there were 6 wires, and the power and ground for the pump were the two largest wires. Did you replace just the pump or the entire assembly?

They're diagnostic connectors. It puts the ECU in test mode which cycles all of the relays and solenoids in the car.

As far as I can tell the Outback and Forester brake hoses for this year range are the same part. So ive searched here, Subaruoutback.org, and Subaruforester.org, and the only threads with people getting stainless hoses were for like 05-up cars. I did see mention that the mounts that secure the hoses to the strut/knuckle are adjustable so that gives some wiggle room in case the caliper mount point is slightly different, but no mentions to overall length. I will try to send Centric an email to ask about the hose lengths. Not sure why I didnt think of that. Thanks!

They're going on my lifted 96 and the factory rubber lines are stretched to their limit. I've already "adjusted" the line mounts about as much as they can be. Any more and Ill have to start adding hard line. Just hoping to figure out if Ill NEED to add more line before I get everything apart and find out the hard way. The rear calipers have similar line placement. Going to check the fronts this weekend, but they look to be pretty close to the original calipers.

I have a WRX caliper kit in a box waiting for my front pads to wear out. That time is fast approaching, and I'm looking into a set of stainless brake lines from Stop-tech. Wondering if anyone here has bought a set for a 96-99 Outback or Forester. Im trying to figure out if they're any longer than the original brake hoses. Same length is fine, but any shorter than stock and they'll be a no-go. Can't seem to find anything that specifies the length of these, even on the Centric website. Or if anyone has suggestions for another brand to look into.

Auto or manual trans? Other years will interchange, but vary depending on auto or manual. Just have to make sure to match the final drive ratio with the rear diff. Check car-part.com for used near you.

I know the flaw in the 00-04 pumps is very obvious if you pull the pump. You know something's not right just by lookin at it. There's a round metal cap that will crack on the side by the tabs that hold it on and the oring that seals it will pop out.

Have to order head gaskets for the block to match the bore size. So you'll want 2.5 head gaskets. Timing belt I'm not sure on the phase2 engines. I do know the blocks are all the same width, (can stick a phase2 block between phase1 heads with no other parts needed) so I would match the TB kit to the heads and call it good.

Cel, battery and oil lights on means the engine stalled. Probably trying to figure out its base idle settings since the battery was unhooked. It hadn't figured it out quite yet when you pushed the clutch in, and it stalled. Usually best to let the engine idle until the fan cycles once after unhooking the battery to let it figure itself out before you go driving around. Not something I would worry about too much unless it happens again. Doesn't hurt to make sure all the vacuum, breather, and PCV hoses are connected where they're supposed to be.

I always check first thing in the morning before the car is started for the day. This allows the oil to settle into the pan overnight, and ensures the oil level will be accurate. After the engine has been running a lot of oil is still in the heads and dripping down from the block. If you check the oil level immediately after turning the engine off, then check again an hour later you will get different readings as the oil settles out of the crank-case back down into the pan.