AdventureSubaru

Not much. You could probably learn a lot by taking a trip to a pick n pull or similar self serve auto yard and just looking for a manual sunroof so you can view the mechanics of it. I think some of the 80s hondas had them. You could try and swap one in, but it may or may not fit well with the roof lines of a subaru.

Emissions codes can pop up for the simplest and silliest of things. Including a fuel cap that isn't tightened all the way. Most of the auto parts chains will pull the check engine codes for free. Stop by an Auto Zone, Advanced Auto parts, O'reillys etc. And have them pull the code. Write down the code and research the possible causes of that specific code. Very often it will be a vacuum hose leak somewhere, or simple sensors that are no longer functioning properly. Check engine lights are rarely a sign that there is a large issue. Certain things can be ignored for years and some things make more sense to replace to help the engine operate as it should. Welcome to the board! When you get a chance, post up a picture of your car. My sister and brother in law recently bought a 2000 Legacy GT as their first car and LOVE it.

Not likely to find an aftermarket that will fit without a good deal of modification. Your best bet would be to try and find a used one from a 2000-2004 Legacy GT or similar. Would be the same body and should require less work on your part.

If you keep the old car (often as a buy-back from the insurance company) you will have a nice stash of good parts. great looking wagon. And it's the 90s outback with a 2.2! Great find. 97 and up had the DOHC engine that had all the head gasket issues. Best of both worlds in that 96.

Usual causes for missing - spark plug wires, ignition coil, spark plugs. When was the last time these were changed? Plug wires in particular don't often last long - especially if they are not Subaru or NGK wires. Check also for oil on the plugs/bottom of the plug wires as it's a common issue with an easy fix. I've also had mass air flow cause intermittent but worsening symptoms like that. Fuel related issues could be clogged filter or a dying fuel pump. We're at 337,000 miles on our 2000 Legacy Outback so it's well worth some effort to keep them running well.

No, the 25D ended in 99. The 2003 will be the EJ25e - a much much better engine.

As facing the car from the front - it will be on the left corner of the block. Under the power steering pump. You'll probably be looking between the power steering pump and the alternator to spot it. The good EJ25s are the ones from 2000+ before that, i'd avoid anything with that stamp.

If it ran worse after cleaning the motor, you probably fried the plug wires by getting moisture in there. See if your hesitation goes away with a new set. Get subaru or NGK. The MAF or fuel pump are other possibilities. I had similar issues on my impreza before replacing the MAF

A flashing CEL means a misfire. Check the connections of your plug wires on both ends and look for any loose wiring under the hood. Something may have been missed at the shop. The exhaust would do that since the spark is intermittent. The issues should be one in the same. To clear codes, you just disconnect the battery for a while. This is very unlikely to do anything for your misfire though. Could be anything from a missed wiring connector, to a fouled plug. Likely this is not a big issue, just a pain to find the culprit.

Eventually, someone with more first hand experience will chime in I'm sure, but if you can get a buddy to help, I'd imagine if one puts the car in gear and pushes the gas and you look underneath, you'll see the axle spinning but not going anywhere. If so, you found your problem. If there is no movement, you likely have internal issue and swapping a used transmission is likely the way to proceed. It's a bit of a chore but not super complicated. These cars are simple to work on. Someone may correct me or refine what I said further, but it's a starting point.

Enkeis!

That sedan looks nice and clean. Yeah, either of those look pretty solid from the pictures. That's the best of the modern Subaru motors in there.

If the pump is rusty, probably replace it anyway. That's a likely culprit. if it's rusted, it won't last long anyway. Your fuel filter is mounted by the strut tower on the drivers side of the engine bay. You can disconnect it and blow air through it to see if it is clogged. check the fuel lines for bad rust. Most likely a new (or good used) fuel pump will fix it.

1990-1996 Subaru Legacy tons of cargo space. (roof racks both stock and aftermarket give you even more) Seats 5. Ej22 motor - non interference years (best subaru motor made since the EA81) Cheap to buy. Cheap/easy to repair. 30 MPG highway for AWD models that are running well. Be willing to pay a little extra for a car that has lower mileage and hasn't been beaten to death. these will commonly get to 300k with normal maintenance and only minor repair.

Yeah, why not do it yourself? if you can swap a starter on a subaru, you can swap an engine on a subaru. they are extremely simple to work on. If not, there are lots of Subaru guys around that area. You may try putting an ad on craigslist gigs to find a guy to do it. Better that they know subarus, but anyone who can turn a wrench and follow instructions can do it. If it's an automatic transmission, be sure to read the thread on seating a torque converter properly. it's not hard to do, but some people miss the last and very important step.

The notorious engine to avoid is the EJ25D - the DOHC engine from the 90s outbacks. The EJ25e from 2000+ outbacks etc. is far better. The EJ22 is probably the best motor Subaru came out with since the EA81 - especially the non-interference years. We have a 2000 outback with the EJ25e which sounds like the ballpark you are looking at. The motor has been a champ and is at 336,000 miles. The motor wont take abuse as readily as the earlier ej22 but if taken care of is still a very dependable engine. The 2000+ model years were still prone to head gasket issues. usually within the first 200k. There are write ups on here that explain that using the thicker turbo gaskets combined with good head resurfacing pretty much fixes the issue. (assuming the engine wasn't overheated/warped heads.) The 2000+ engine also is said to be less tolerant of running low on oil (as all higher mileage subarus of all engines will leak some oil.) The 2000+ is an interference engine. Keep up on the timing belt changes. So long as maintenance is done at the right times, the engine is not that far behind the EJ22 in reliability. Not so for the earlier EJ25D in which headgaskets go at any time for any reason.

The 5 speed is also pretty hard to find in those years. Most were automatics.

If it's running well, thats a pretty good deal. Check for head gasket leaks as that was about the only weak spot on this platform. Otherwise, if it runs, drives, shifts and stops nicely you've got a good deal on a reliable car. My wife drives a 2000 outback. We drove it 6 hours down to L.A. to visit family this weekend. It turned 336,000 miles on the trip and will be closer to 337 by the time we get home. They are great cars.

Unless they are making noise, leave them alone. "If it aint broke, don't fix it."

I guess I haven't been staring at subaru motors enough lately. I stand corrected.

x2. don't start it or drive it until you know the issue. Pull the timing covers and check. I had a sprocket go bad a couple months ago. had to do a timing job in a dennys parking lot. Lucky though that the engine was okay.

I've had good luck with used parts. Chances are though, thyat your alternator is fine. if that tensioner wasn't doing it's job properly, the alternator couldn't charge properly either. Nothing wrong with a $25. alt though. Nice to have as a spare "just in case"

Another vote for the "starter bump" method. Just make sure you have it wedged right and it comes loosens right up. The other option is to slide two socket extensions into the open holes on the front of the pulley, then wedge a really big screwdriver or a crow bar between them to keep it from rotating. Then you can just pull away on your breaker bar. But you'll probably want a cheater pipe on the bar because it takes a lot of "omph" tpo get it to break loose. Done it both ways. Starter bump just seems easier. more food for thought - non interference engines are great to learn timing belts on. If you don't get it right the first time, just try again. It's really as simple as it looks in the write ups though. Anyone who's not afraid of some wrenching can get it done.

Saw your other post. If you were experiencing alternator issues, i'd say you found your culprit.

Looks like the tensioner bracket for your alternator/belt broke. You can replace it in about 10 minutes time. You should be able to find one at a junkyard. Most any 90s legacy bracket should be the same.