Setright

Having done it on a SOHC EJ22, I can verify that it's possible. Didn't remove anything else, at all. I would think that the DOHC engines would be easier, since the valve covers are more flat - the EJ22 cover could only just clear the valve train with the cover pressed against the chassis.

The cabin ventilation draws air from the grille just ahead of the windscreen. Between this and the engine bay there is a full-with rubber seal that separates the grille from the engine bay. Open the hood and check to see if it is bent, cracked, missing...

Boxer engines put extra stress on their valve cover seals because the oil tends to stay in the "top" of the engine. With age comes a tendency to leak, on the underside where most people dont see it, and the oil runs straight onto the exhaust manifolds. This is most likely the cause of the burning smell. Valve cover gaskets are cheap and easy to replace. The PCV valve should be replaced at the same time - to avoid excess gas pressure inside the engine block, pushing the oil out. If the right side CV boot has been replace and the mechanic didn't wipe excess grease of the axle it will fly off and hit the catalyst - REALLY bad burning smell, but harmless. The clutch judder can be terrible. The only fix is to get a new clutch. Subaru knows it, but it can be difficult to get a dealer to admit it.

Subylvr, my 1990 "GX" did not have sub-par interior materials. On the contrary, after 14 years it still looks new, apart from a slight sag in the driver seat squab. Thick fabric covers nearly everything, and nowhere does it show any signs of friction wearing it down. All this at 190k miles! Must be why I was able to sell it for 12% of its original price

Your post begs the question: "Which car?"

It's a headgasket. My EJ22 behaved like this at around the 120k mile mark. The overheating will happen more and more often as time goes by. Start saving for a new set of gaskets. Stuck thermostat will not affect cabin heat.

May I recommend reseting the ECU when you replace the sensor? Battery disconnect for an hour, connect back up, start and idle until the engine reaches normal operating temp, switch off. She'll be like a brand new engine

Oil seals: Cam shafts front and rear, crank front and rear (engine or tranny needs to come out). Certainly oil pump o-ring and housing seal. Valve cover seals, including those around the bolts. CV boots will need inspection. If its and early model manual transmission, the main bearings fail around 120k, and should have been replaced. 162k miles is only about half-way for the engine

It is the KNOCK sensor, no question. Cam and crank angle are at the front of the engine, immediately behind the cam belt covers. There was a redesign of the internals of the knock sensor, and the good one has a white connector - grey on the old style. If the sensor returns a garbage signal, the ECU retards the timing and you can limp home. Just don't expect any throttle response

As some of you may have noticed, my tag has changed, I bought a four year old Impreza to replace my 12 year old Legacy! How do I fix the Imp's long travel brake pedal? The pedal doesn't firm up until it has gone about half an inch lower than the throttle, and this makes heel-and-toe gear changes nearly impossible. In the Legacy, they lined up perfectly, and throttle "blipping" on downshifts was a cinch A new MC is a possibility, but I would rather do the relavtively easy job of replacing the brake hoses - should give other benefits too. Anyone care to share their experience?

Reset the ECU. Should be enough to disconnect the battery for an hour. Connect, idle up to operating temp, and shut off again. You might want to replace the knock sensor. Sometimes they break down interally and create a "lose connection" which amplifies engine noise, and gives you timing retarded to the back-stop.

Agree fully on the max 5mm tolerance. Make sure the total diameter will fit inside the wheel well and clear the lower spring dish on the struts, the tolerance here is quite narrow from stock.

..you are telling your brother the sad story of a long-term relationship breakdown and interrupt the conversation to say "Hey look! A Subaru!"

I think that they lost hydraulic lifters in 1997.

subyluvr, that Volvo has had a rebuild! True, it was at 1 million miles... (oil changes every 3k miles, as I recall.)

The engine should go double that mileage without bother. Provided of course you replace oil/oil filter and coolant at the required intervals

I would second the 120k-140k miles life expectancy. So, if the pump is ok now, replace it later - how much time before you reach "critical mileage? BTW, the main worry is the bearing, which might fail and allow enough play to let the timing belt jump a tooth. As soon as this happens, you will notice the difference. That would be the time to replace the pump!

I am sorry, know what? How to form their own opinions based on some random, unscientific tests. I can do this on my own

Nasty. If you're quick some Holts exhaust bandage might hold together for a few months longer :-)

I expect they vacuum all the air out, and then fill it with coolant under pressure. You can also disconnect the throttle body coolant hose, this is the highest point in the system, and will help when bleeding.

Have you done any axles work lately? Leftover grease on the axle/CV can spray onto the catalyst and the smell will linger for AGES!

Legacies are very reliable, and in that sense: Less work means easier. If something does go wrong, you can rest assured that we'll help you out

Nope, Mintex OE pads. MDB1496 Slightly better friction and temperature characteristics, and will take a good beating! I would strongly recommend slotted rotors, too.

Mainly on the assumption that they have been there a long time, it's an aluminium block. If they have seized, you probably won't notice until the plugs have pulled the threads out with them

I second the pulg wire suggestion. However, the clicking noise can't help trace the faulty one, the injectors are providing the clicking noise, not the plugs! Replace the set, it's the best way to be sure.