Fairtax4me

It almost kinda sounds like the differential locked up. Those don't generally just unlock on their own though. This is an odd one for sure. Where did you buy the axles?

97 outback should have a 2.5 DOHC engine. However, engine swaps are very common on those because the 2.5s mostly suck, or blow, depends on how you look at it. Anyway. EJ engine Identification: Look on top of the engine block next to the alternator. There will be a casting that says either EJ** The stars being numbers. Its about 2 inches wide and 3/4" inch tall. As seen here. EJ20 will be a 2.0 liter engine. Ej22 2.2, Ej25 is a 2.5, etc. Cylinder head identification is easy as well. A DOHC engine will have 2 cams in each cylinder head which means it has to have 4 drive sprockets on the front of the engine. The sprockets are covered by black plastic to protect the timing belt and components from dirt/debris/etc. The DOHC covers will have a bowtie shape, and you can count four dimples in the cover, 2 on each side of the engine. A SOHC head has one camshaft per head, so will only have one dimple on each side.

Probably only 4.5" or somewhere around there.

14" sizes are much easier to find if you can hunt down a set of 14" wheels.

The 2.0 is still open deck similar to the 2.5 but without the head gasket problems. It is still an interference design though (pretty sure at least) so timing belt intervals must be adhered to.

Been over that hill many times. Lots of fun in a Rwd 300hp Mercedes coupe... especially in the snow! Not really. It's only fun if the car is yours, and that particular car wasn't mine, nor even anybody that I know personally. Customer at work, and got to his house to find out he wasn't even in town (harrisonburg), then had to drive it back to c'ville. Gotta love good communication. Great to see someone nearby!

You have to install the cams so the lobes are facing out away from the lifters, place the bearing caps on the cam in their proper positions and tighten the screws a half turn at a time until the caps are fully seated. This site has the FSM for 97 which had the same engine. http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/ Look in the Engine section, Engine DOHC, Service Procedure Camshaft.

84k seems way too young to have needed a rebuild. However, given the proper amount of abuse or incorrect maintenance, it's entirely possible. Unfortunately. I agree that swapping in a used transmission would have been the better option. Check on the bellhousing for the transmission part number and post it up here. It's on the drivers side near the starter. (I think. That's where it is on the manual at least) It's going to be something along these lines: TZ1A4Z**** The last 4 digits will be a combination of letters and numbers that vary depending on year and final drive ratio (diff ratio). Hopefully we can figure out what trans is supposed to be in there, and if you have the right one. Checking the rear diff ratio is fairly simple if you can count. The front is a bit more involved.

Hopefully you tried cleaning it before replacing it.

OUCH! Tire noise tends to be constant and varies with speed rather than throttle. Have you checked the rear differential fluid? How many miles on this car? Another source of strange noises in the middle of the car and is affected by throttle input is the driveshaft carrier bearing. That tends to cause a wobble/shudder under heavy acceleration, mostly at low speed, and can cause a whining or howling sound at higher speeds similar to a bad wheel bearing.

Anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on outside temperature. Is your idle speed around 700 rpm when the engine is fully warm?

Dave is thorough. Part number: http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/cp_partdetail.php?partid=13475

Based on your responses here and in your other thread, I'm gonna say the ECU is not getting proper power, or it's dead. Open the fuse box under the hood and double check slow blow fuse number 2. Pull it out and check it with a multimeter (set to Ω) for continuity across the blades. Also check the connectors in the fuse box for corrosion. That fuse delivers power to the ECU, diagnostic plug, the fuel pump relay, and the main relay. With that fuse removed, check for 12v at the terminals in the box (ground your meter to the battery - ). One of the terminals for that fuse should be hot at all times since it comes straight from the battery.

You could use Wire wheel cleaner. But that can leave the finish dull if you're not careful. Brake cleaner works good too.

And NO CEL? Can you confirm that the CEL works during the bulb test when starting the engine? Guessing this is an auto trans since you have the AT temp light? Which engine are we dealing with? And how many miles on it? Any recent service work?

Ah you broke the flame trap thing. Or whatever it is. I don't know if you can glue that thing back together or not. I would think your best bet in a pinch would be to run to the hardware store and grab some brass fittings. Or you might try checking in the emissions section at you local auto parts store to see if they have something similar that might work. Here's some part numbers: http://opposedforces.com/parts/legacy/us_b11/type_5/carter_ventilation_recirculation/emission_control_pcv/illustration_1/ This isn't helping anything. Wrap it up good with some vinyl or duct tape if you can't get a replacement right away.

I bought the cheapest Valeo kit I could find when I needed one. Has't worked out that great. Very chattery when it's hot, and it doesn't take long to get it hot either, especially with the hills around here. But I think the only Valeo part was the disc, and it was Korean made. Maybe the American made parts are better quality, I don't know. Exedy and Valeo make OE clutches for Subaru. So the parts you get from a dealer are likely to be the same parts as what are on Ebay.

Remove the power steering pump? If something is in the way you should try and move it. This is a critical seal and you need room to be able to get both sealing surfaces as clean as possible, which means removing the intake entirely.

You can buy a scanner, but you need a fairly high end one to be able to read sensor outputs. For now, forget about the scanner and use your eyes instead. Start by doing some basic checks under the hood. Like 1324 suggested look for any loose/broken/split vacuum hoses. There aren't that many. Just follow the vacuum diagram on the under side of the hood to see where each should go. If you had the intake tube off, check all the hoses that attach to it for a good tight fit. Check the clamps on both ends and make sure they're tight. Check around for unplugged electrical connectors. The MAF sensor is one that people often overlook after after removing the intake tube. It stays running by squirting starting fluid in the breather? That says you have a fuel mixture problem. Way too rich or way too lean to maintain combustion. That can be caused by a dozen different things, including a few senors. The most common for causing starting issues is the coolant temp sensor. That can easily be checked with a multimeter if you have one. But either way, stop spraying starting fluid in it. They call it starting fluid because that's what its for, to get it started, not to keep it running. If it won't stay running on it's own the starting fluid will damage the engine. Stop using it, or you'll be worse off than you are now.

Nice looking scope! What kind is it? Does it record (or did you record) the highest and lowest readings from the sensor?

Now cross your fingers and wish upon a shooting star that it does't leak! JK glad to hear you got it out and replaced. Drilling holes in the seal? Braver than I.

It might work. I guess technically all you need to see is a blip in voltage as the engine turns. Most digital meters aren't sensitive enough to show the quick jumps that an analog meter will show. Analog meters are usually pretty cheap though. Doesn't hurt to try the digital and see what you get though! http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03482362000P?prdNo=23&blockNo=23&blockType=G23 Probably find an even cheaper one at wallyworld.

The reason for blocking the rear sensor is that the ECU looks for a change in voltage at the rear sensor compared to the front sensor. The change in voltage is reflective of the change in oxygen content in the exhaust after the catalytic converter does it's work. It has to see a lower voltage reading from the rear sensor in order to determine that the cat is working properly. Removing or partially removing the rear sensor from the exhaust stream effectively lowers (or is it raises... I can't ever remember which way that goes ) the voltage that the sensor sends back to the ECU, which tricks it into thinking the cat is working well, even if it's not there. I can't say exactly why the code hasn't come back, but it very well could have something to do with the blockage of the front sensor. Now that's interesting. They must have had the same idea you had. Or is there where you got your inspiration? Either way. It seems to have worked for you, consequences yet to be seen, hopefully it lasts.

Black is the signal wire. Ground to engine block or outer housing of the sensor. You're looking for a signal in the 0.0 to +1.0V range.

Hmmm... Where did you see clear fluid? Was this on the dipstick? If so, which side of the trans was it on? Or did you drain fluid from the trans? And again, if so, where on the bottom of the trans did you find the drain plug?