lassensurf

Just bought a used 2010 Legacy 3.6R. a week ago, the brake light, traction control, cruise, and CEL lights started flashing. Read some stuff on-line, got some gas, checked the cap and it went away. Then came back, only it idles rough. Then CEL stayed on, and runs rough except when I'm accelerating. On the way home from work yesterday had an Oreilly check the code, said cylinder 3 misfire. Checked at home and now it's cylinder 5-6. Cleared it, took it for a drive, CEL is not on anymore but still giving a cylinder 5 misfire. When I clear the codes or disconnect the battery it runs great for a mile or two before going weird again. I tried disconnecting the battery and let it idle for 15 minutes and it was smooth the whole time, drove to work and it started again. Even when the codes are clear, the traction light stays on. Right now it's just traction light with flashing brake light and rough idle. Whats going on??

It's crashed, they say it was a "good hit" and the transmission is unaffected. They Offer a full 30-day refund. They don't wanna ship it because if it doesn't work they're stuck with the shipping costs. I'll call em tomorrow and offer to pay for the extra shipping or something.

So, found a tranny nearby, 122k miles, yard wants $275 (includes delivery to the shop), but now they don't want to ship it since Vin numbers show different production dates (both are 96 2.2 Legacy's) how do I convince the guy it should be fine?

Thanks for the feedback. Prolly won't try to change anything. Keep it simple. Just have to have one shipped from somewhere I guess.

My transmission finally kicked the bucket at 248k miles. A little trouble shifting two days ago, then yesterday, a lot more trouble, then, just slowly putters to a stop. Nothing wrong with the engine. No trouble with fluid (except it's now full of junk), shop says it needs a rebuild or replacement. Which transmissions will fit on this car? Only other 95-97 2.2 Legacy's? Or will something else fit it, too? Any thoughts on switching to Manual, or FWD? Not many used trannies around here, it'd be nice to have some options, or get an idea of how to ship one.

I'll have to check for it for that. Never considered it'd be that. Tried pumping it and looking for leaks anywhere and everywhere I could think. Looks like there might be a slow leak on the front passenger line, but seems the MC is bad, too. No longer losing any fluid, and brake pedal won't hold pressure, just sinks to the floor after a few seconds. Might be a couple things, but I'll def have to check out the rear line, too.

96 Legacy L A month ago, brakes got soft, saw I'd lost fluid, just some. First time ever. No leaks anywhere. Topped it off and brakes were great. Then a few days ago happened again on way to work. Topped off fluid, but brakes were still a bit soft. Took it easy getting home. right near home, brakes got REALLY soft, scary soft. Checked fluid, no loss of fluid. Thought there might've been a leak on passenger front, but can't replicate it or find it. Finished getting home, but brakes pulled to driver side the few times I got some pressure behind them and then never again. No broken hoses, no leaks. Pumped brakes like crazy trying to find it. No more loss of fluid, but brake pedal still sinks to the floor. Car stops, but not on a dime if you know what I mean. Is this a leak that I can't find that's magically plugged itself up, or is it the Master Cylinder? There is a slight hissing sound when pumping the brakes, but not sure if that's anything unusual.

Thanks for the tip on refilling the cooling system. I don't think it's the tensioner, I took several minutes to press it in with a C-clamp and held it in place with a pin, and with the belt, made sure all timing marks were lined up as close as can be (which seems to be half a tooth off of the pulley marks, it's either half a tooth, or 1.5 teeth off, so I went with the half), stared at it for a while and turned the engine several times to check, second-guessed myself, took the belt off and did it again, just to make sure). The belt is on tight, and drove for 5-10 miles without any issues. And the noises started gradually, and got worse, instead of all-of-a-sudden. Plus, if it was the timing belt, it would be affecting all cylinders, wouldn't it? Sometimes 1 &3 would be off, sometimes 2&4. Right?

I'm pretty much a newbie to fixing cars, and cars in general and am learning as I go, got a 96 Legacy just for this purpose. I'm still making all sorts of stupid mistakes, like this one: 96 Legacy, EJ22, 207k miles on it. Week ago, the crank bolt comes loose and harmonic balancer/crank pulley almost falls off. Make it home, spend the weekend fixing it (that timing sprocket was a BEAST to get off!!), get it back together, fill up the fluids and start driving the 60 miles to work. Sounded like a dream. Within literally, 2 miles, the thermostat is pinned. I figured this might happen and had fluid with me just for such an event, but it happened so fast it caught me off guard. Filled it up, burped it, etc. Went on my way. Thermostat showed hotter than usual for another mile but as I pushed the engine up a hill, something (air bubble?) went and the needle dropped to normal where it stayed. Right after this, I start hearing a metallic tapping from the engine, mostly while idling at lights. Goes away as engine revs up. I'm running late for work so I dump 2 quarts of oil in there. Yes stupid. I know. But in the past few months I'd been leaking a lot more oil than usual, and it was the one thing I didn't check before leaving. Couldn't read any oil on the dipstick, so I dumped em in. Few miles later, tapping/knocking is happening more often, and after driving up a hill, engine starts surging in power, and stalling while idling. I limp into a parking lot, get a ride to work, and that night have the car towed home as it wouldn't even start.. I check it today, drain some of the oil back out, and after many many tries, it starts and runs really rough. Engine throws up 301 and 303 code. Spark plugs look okay, no oil in them, gaps okay, clean, etc. What did I do to my car?

Spark plug #2 was in bad shape. The internal contact was loose and flopping around in it's space. The metal contact in the wire was arc-welded onto the plug and the old grease between the wire and plug was all black and hard. Replaced all four plugs and wires, threw in a new air filter (cuz it's been a while) and the whole thing runs like a dream (minus the shake from the new passenger half-axle I put in last summer, and still leaking a bit of coolant from the engine somewhere on the driver side where it's all wet). Thanks for the tips.

sweet. thanks for the tips. Pulled out the spark plug and the contact cylinder thingy is loose, just flops around in there. Lame.They were NGK from autozone done in May/June. Broke the boot trying to get it off, the metal inside the boot was stuck real tight on the plug. Double lame. Also, there's this brown/black hard crusty buildup all over the spark plug where the boot goes. I used electric grease when I put them on, is it just that stuff getting crusty/rusty? Also, wiped down all wet spots, tightened a couple hoses and leaking seems to have stopped (did that before taking plugs out). Still getting smoke from along exhaust pipes, before and into Y-connector. Not lots, little wisps leaking off all length of the pipes, both sides. (It snowed last night and asphalt outside the garage is steamy in the sun, is it just condensation from the air?)

Just had it checked again. Cylinder 2 misfire. Hmmm. Last time I had a misfire the CEL flashed at me. Any recommendations on brand (since the ones I put in 8 months ago were Autozone)? Also noticed I'm newly leaking coolant out near the water pump thermostat. Didn't do that for two weeks after I replaced both. Also getting white smoke leaking from exhaust, near Y-connector. Never saw that before. Grrrrrr.

I've dug through a buncha old threads and searched around, can't quite find what I'm looking for, hopefully you all can help me out. Got a 96 Subaru Legacy L, Auto. 195k. Replaced the Timing Belt, Water Pump and Thermostat not long ago after an overheat. (Replaced spark plugs and wires about 8 months ago after a misfire). Ran awesome again for a week, then engine starts running rough. Almost like it has the hiccups. RPMs don't change. It does it at all speeds, but worse at idle. Irregular. Sometimes three little "vrums" in a row, sometimes several seconds between them, sometimes one or two at a time. Irregular but everpresent. Sometimes like it's not getting enough gas, then suddenly too much real fast. Again, RPM needle doesn't move, at all, just can feel it and hear it in the way it runs. Like it lurches real quick but not real hard. Fuel filter? Fuel pump? IACV? Something else? I read threads on all these, and none seems to match the same symptoms. I'm really short on time and cash, so I can't afford to tinker a bunch with it. CEL only throws Catalytic converter code like has on and off since I bought it 2 years ago. Any thoughts? Ideas? Solid premonitions?