ron917

Is it that hard on the SOHC engines? Axel has a 2000 which would have the SOHC. What you describe is accurate for the DOHC, but the SOHC looks much easier. Oh, well, guess I'll find out soon enough when I change the plugs on my '07. Axel, not all cars have easy access to spark plugs. Look at a transverse mounted V6, for example. I haven't done it yet, but in my minivan, changing the back 3 plugs requires removing two motor mounts and rotating the engine/transaxle forward while not breaking anything.

Congrats! That's a good looking ride! Best of luck with it.

Is the vent control set to Defrost? The A/C always runs when it is on defrost, regardless of the A/C switch. Most cars do that. If it's not on defrost, then it's time to get out the volt/ohm meter and wiring diagram. Something is shorted or stuck (switch, relay).

14mm, if I recall. When I did an an engine swap, the rebuilt came with a fitting for an oil cooler that my car doesn't have. Had to swap the fitting with the plug from the old engine.

The cruise controls stopped working on my son's 99 Outback. Light came on and the relay(s) clicked, but it didn't actually work. He found a split vacuum hose. There is a hose and pipe that runs from the cruise control vacuum motor. He found the split hose where it connects to a thingy (not sure what it is) on the passenger side. He cut the hose an inch shorter and re-connected, and now all is well.

Those symptoms sound EXACTLY like a crank or cam position sensor going bad. I've had it happen on multiple cars, not on a Subaru, but those sensors all work the same way - they are Hall effect devices. It won't throw a code and light the CEL, because the engine has to start before the ECM will store a code. If you can catch it in the act, a voltmeter (oscilloscope is better) will show that the sensor is sending an incorrect signal or no signal at all.

What you need is a 3/8" drive flex handle (a.k.a. breaker bar) and a standard 14mm socket. It gets in there like it was made for the job, much better than a universal (socket likes to slip with them - no way to get good pressure on the nut). Don't try this with your 1/2" drive flex handle/breaker bar, it won't fit. This is the one in my tool collection: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944363000P?vName=Tools&keyword=flex+handle

You can sprays some lube on the hinges, springs, and other moving parts. We've lubed the hatch handle mechanism on my son's '99 Outback (formerly mine) for several years now. Whenever it gets sticky, just give it a few squirts. I found a lube that works pretty well, standard white grease will probably be OK, too. WD-40 won't last long. The lube gel lasts 6 months or more.

Well, you have to get the crank pulley off first. Do that, then you can get all of the timing covers off (left, right, center). The left and right ones will come off now, if you want to pull them first.

If you can borrow an oscilloscope, that would tell you a lot more than a DVM.

Look for a poor ground connection in that circuit. With electrical issues like this, the problem is often hard to find but easy to fix once you've found it.

Color means nothing, it is only a dye to help find leaks. You must go by the chemistry. There are many coolants with same colors but different chemistrys, and vise-versa. Almost every coolant that is widely available and marketed for "all makes, all models" is the same chemistry as the infamous DexCool. Most of them are green or yellow. It is very difficult to find aftermarket coolant that is not a clone of DexCool. Peak Global (it must say "Global") or Zerex G-05 are the only non-DexCool clones that are sort of easily available. You have to search for them, Wal-Mart, Autozone and Advance Auto don't sell them. You might find green "conventional" anti-freeze, but that contains silicates which should not be used in modern engines. Genuine Subaru coolant is green, but contains no silicates.

The 2010 is a major redesign from 2009. It would be very difficult to say which I would like better without thoroughly checking out the new one in person. If it's not on the lot yet, that's hard to do. Many people (myself included) shy away from the first year of a new design. Some things, like the CVT transmission, are radically different and completely new. There are always bugs to be worked out in a new design, so you have to ask yourself if you are comfortable with being the guinea pig. When the 2010s are actually on the lot for sale, you should be able to get a really good deal on the leftover 2009s. Just some things to consider. EDIT: If you are worried about holding value, it depends where you are. Around here, Subarus don't depreciate much.

Year old gas shouldn't be too bad. I've started a car with 3 year old gas. Then discovered that a tranny cooler line had sprung a leak...

EVOthis, my dealer said the same thing. But the engineers who designed the transmission recommend something else. And that something else is documented in the Owner's Manual and the Service Manual. I'll be following the books.

There's more to it than conventional vs. synthetic. The additives, such as friction modifiers, are dependant on the design and materials used in the transmission. That's why there are so many types of ATF. Using the wrong ATF may cause problems, anything from simple harsh shifting to destroying seals and friction surfaces. There are a lot of "universal" ATFs out there. I'm having a hard time finding an aftermarket fluid that very clearly states that it meets Subaru ATF-HP spec (not just Subaru ATF, that's the old stuff).

Newer 4 speed autos also need the new ATF-HP. Not sure what year the change occurred. My 2007 owner's manual says that for 4 speeds Dexron III can be used TEMPORARILY, but there will be an increase in noise and vibration. Otherwise, the ATF-HP is recommended.

Saw a brief blurb (TSB or Endwrench article) that the new ATF fades quickly and has a distinct odor, but that doesn't indicate a problem. You can't go by color alone - the red/pink is just a dye, and it can fade depending on what the oil manufacturer used. So don't panic yet. If you are concerned, get a sample and send it off for a used oil analysis. That's the only way to know what is really going on. The ATF in my 2007 Outback with 29K miles has faded to amber - it looks just like plain, undyed oil. It smells different than other ATFs, but not burnt - kind of sweet. I'll be doing a drain/fill for the 30K service, and I would recommend that to anyone. There's no such thing as "lifetime" fluid when you expect 200,000 miles out of your car.

I would get a used torque converter. Whether you yank the trans with the engine or not, you'll have the same problem - how to get the TC off of the flex plate. Even if you leave the trans in the car, it will be OK, as long as you are VERY careful to install the torque converter correctly. You'll have to do that whether the trans is in the car or not. Supposedly, it's not hard to do, just very fiddly, you have to make sure it's fully seated. The service manual has measurements to check that the TC is seated correctly. If the engine and trans won't mate the last quarter inch, STOP, the TC isn't fully seated. Don't try to draw them together with the bolts/studs, otherwise you'll be replacing the trans, too.

The torque converter should come out easily with the engine. There's plenty of room. Normally, you want to avoid that, because reseating a Subaru TC is tricky, and if not done correctly, it will destroy the transmission pump. I was very nervous about the TC sliding out when I pulled the engine on the '99 OBW, but fortunately it stayed put. There are threads here on USMB with explicit instructions for reseating the TC. But in the case of an engine that will not turn, the only other option is to pull the engine and trans together.

Do not use the triangle for timing belt changes. Use the line on the reluctor* tooth . Using that line, all of the pistons are at the halfway point in their cylinders, none are at TDC. *reluctor is those extra teeth that stick out on the back of the sprocket. The teeth are sensed by the crank position sensor (it's a Hall effect sensor) so the ECU knows where the crankshaft is.

I've had the same problem, most recently on the '99 OBW (now my son's). It's not limited to Subarus. I've had to take a file or Dremel to the backing plate ears on other cars, too. Not every time, and not all of the pads in a set. Sometimes it's just a paint glob, sometimes it's too much metal.

The triangle is to indicate TDC for the #1 piston.

Everything can be removed, one way or another:grin:. But no simple bolts/screws/clips on the rear quarter panels. You have to cut out the bad part and weld in a patch for a proper fix.

The 2007 Outback does. Not sure what model year that feature first appeared. Maybe check cars101.com?