Nbe1210

Nothing was done other than the exhaust. We unplugged and replugged in the 02 sensors but nothing more. I believe the 02 code is PO420. I checked the transmission fluid. That's it. ?????????

I just replaced the exhaust from the front cat all the way back on my 97 legacy Brighton with a used exhaust from a 98 outback. It fit perfect and I only payed $150 for it. When I started up the car it was idling rough and the check engine light was on. I thought the light was from th e 02 sensor so I disconnected the battery and it was still there after 10 minutes disconnected. We checked the wires form the distributor and they were all firing. I left my friends place and went to the auto parts store to scan the codes. The car ran really rough at idle and stalled as I was turning into the parking lot. I almost hit the sign as I lost my power steering suddenly. It was close. They scanned the codes. I started the car and drove the 10 minutes home and the car ran perfectly. So hear are the codes P0403 - Exhaust Gas Recirculation Circuit Malfunction po505 Idle control system malfuction P0443 Evaporative Emission Control System Purge Control Valve Circuit Malfunction I found this info on the interweb. Any ideas? I have no clue what's happening. Thanks for any help

I got one bolt off on Friday but couldn't even get a wrench on the other bolt. I'll use a lift and get it eventually. I need to get the heat shields off and I should be able to get it but I didn't want to be cutting them off right next to my face. The new exhaust looks identical. I dragged it under the car and it seems to be the same. I am connecting from the flange just upstream from the first cat. Is there something I don't know? Is it really important to reinstall the heat shields? They will probably be a pain as the screws are rusted to junk. Thanks for the help

I picked up the exhaust the other day and it looks good. It includes both cats so it is everything that i need. I grabbed a couple gaskets and some hangers and will hopefully be putting it on soon. My one concern is that the existing flange upstream from the front cat is going to dissolve when I take the old exhaust off. I was planning on cutting the bolts with a grinder. Any tips on how to remove it gently or just hope I get lucky and it is not totally rusted out? Any suggestions on what type of bolts to use also? All I need to do is reattach the muffler I bought to the exhaust, as it would not all fit in one piece in the car, and attach the front cat to the existing exhaust. Thanks

152k miles on my 97 Brighton. Runs good, new exhaust coming this weekend, hopefully. Second motor and trans due to *harlies Subaru in Augusta, ME selling me a car with tires of different sizes. If only I knew then what I know now.

I spoke with the seller of the 98 Outback exhaust. http://nh.craigslist.org/pts/3625761662.html He says he has the cat/s (not sure if both or just one) and the o2 sensors as well. I'm going to check it out this afternoon. Bratman said above that the 98 outback exhaust should fit my 97 brighton as long as it is wagon to wagon. I have gotten mixed part numbers from different sites. Some match, some don't. Does anyone else have any experience with this as I don't think i will be able to tell just looking at it? Keep your fingers crossed for me. I may get out of this bind for ~$200 after hangers, gaskets and other random stuff. Thanks for all the help and I'll post my progress. This car has some years yet (I hope).

I'm finding lots of Outback exhaust systems but not many Legacy exhausts. Does anyone know if they are the same from the cat back since the engine is a different size? I have looked up parts online and they seem to be different part #s. Thanks

My thought is if this pipe works out I can pick up a cat somewhere (used or new) and piece this thing together for considerably less than $600. A friend has a lift and I could get it up and figure it out, hopefully with minimal welding.

I found this on C-list. Does anyone know if the exhaust on a 97 legacy is the same as a 98 outback? This is about 5 minutes from me and I can check it out this weekend if they respond. http://nh.craigslist.org/pts/3625761662.html Thanks again for all the tips and advice. The fumes are getting worse so i need to move. I've found that with windows up and the fan on at least 2 I have a enough positive pressure to keep the exhaust out. Open windows seem to be drawing in the fumes now. Does anyone know a good shop in SE New Hampshire or Southern ME if this doesn't pan out?

I'll look into a muffler exhaust shop and climb under the car this week to try to see exactly what's wrong. I'm skiing today since I will not have time to do that once the baby is here. The place I took the car earlier this week that quoted me the $600 are guys that will usually patch/band aid anything so I won't get my hopes up. I would like to get another couple years out of the car so I question buying cheap pipes and cats from eBay that will quit right after the warranty is up. I replaced the cat back pipe on my Toyota truck many years ago and I bought an aftermarket pipe. It didn't fit so I took it back and bought the Toyota one for $75 more and I weighed probably ten pounds more and didn't feel like it was made of rice paper. Thanks for all the help. I'll report back when I get something going.

Thanks. This is the info I need. Now I have some hope. $3-400 is a lot less than $600. For me anyway. I'll look into some salvaged parts and the split flange too. Thanks for all the help. This site has saved my @55 a few times already so add this to the tally. Good people.

There is some rust behind the fenders, on the wheel wells and on the jam of one of the rear doors (typical I think), as I said the tranny is shifting funny and the head is leaking a little. I get some random clunks from the front end which makes me think something may be on the horizon. I just replaced the front brakes, stereo, o2 sensors and climate control myself. Both rear struts were replaced in the last few years. I can repair some things but I have my limits. I'm handy and can figure things out but I am not a mechanic and do not have all the tools needed. I basically have wrenches, sockets etc. I figure things out as i go and usually do ok largely thanks to this site. I think this one is over my head considering how rusted together the exhaust is under the car.

That is my problem. The car has some quirks and I'm torn whether to fix it or move on. It's been a good car but has seen some problems lately. I might fix it and it runs for 2-3 years no problem or another big ticket item breaks and I'm in trouble again. I guess I'm just looking for some feedback. I've got about 3 weeks or so until the baby comes to figure it out. Thanks for any help.

My 97 legacy Brighton wagon is leaking exhaust again but this time it is under the front seats from what seems to be the cat. I took it to my local guys who will weld anything and they said it was too much. They have already patched this exhaust 3 or 4 times and the leaky cat was it. They quoted me around $600 to replace the exhaust/cat and said they would try to save the muffler. They are pretty honest in my experiences with them. So here is my dilemma.....Thr car has 150k and change, the head is leaking ever so slightly but not too bad (I rarely ever need to add any oil or coolant), the transmission has been shifting a little funky lately and I'm sure there are other parts ready to go any moment. Also....I just bought a 09 forester for my wife as we have our first baby coming in 3 weeks or so. I can't be driving around with an exhaust filled car with a new little girl. I have had my window down the past couple weeks despite how cold it has been here in NH. I don't know that we can afford another loan right now. Is it worth fixing or should I be on the market for another car? I am pretty handy but not a welder. There is something to be said for the evil you know. Any ideas???? Thanks any help, I need it.

Auto grass looks pretty funny. It kind of negates the fact that you might want to rest your arm on the armrest. I'll have to poke around the hardware store and find a heavy fabric/tarp kind of material nd fit to the armrest. When I get it ill put a picture up. Thanks of the ideas. I might just fit a piece of Tupperware, fill it with soil and plant some grass. Maybe I could grow strawberries in the summer.

Thanks for the suggestions, but as I said, she is a back seat dog. I tried to make the argument for the trunk but to no avail and it is my wife's car so I really can't stop it from happening. I'm moving on to the next step. I'll try to get a pic tomorrow and post it to give some motivation. Thanks for the help. Here is a photo from the interweb of the arm rest. Ours is dark grey but the same otherwise.

Our new to us 09 Forester is already under siege from the dog. She has dug her claws into the center arm rest and punched a nice hole. I know the obvouis solution about keeping the dog out of the car or in the way back but try expaining that to my wife and the dog. So, I need a way to protect the armrest that is not a pain in the but and will fall off all the time like the folded sheet we have there now. I have seen the leather covers for sale but I I don't like leather myself and my wife is a vegeterian. Any ideas? Something durable and would mold to the shape? Get creative and I'll try any reasonable ideas. June is about 50lbs of dog so not huge. Thanks for any help. Also we are getting pounded with snow in NH right now. i drove home from Gunstock to Dover in my 97 Legacy Brighton and it was like nothing. That thing is a tank.

Thanks. I'll have to check the local scrap yards. It's funny they put all that wiring in for the tweeter and the rear speakers when they aren't going to use it.

All done! Here are some pics from the job. Inside the door after the install. Does anyone know what the wires up near the mirror are for? Power mirrors or door locks maybe? The factory speaker was in a harness which I reused. I had to shave the inside of the with a knife as the new speaker didn't fit quite right but all ended well. The pics show the before and after with the stock and the new speaker. This is the new speaker in the factory harness (harness is probably not the right word) I also installed the head unit under the pocket as was suggested and it works well. I can reach it with the cup holder out and rest my hand comfortably on the shifter. Thanks for the tip. And my bored dog Thanks for all the tips. It was all very easy.

I used the straight "help" brand non fouler since I could pick it up at the local auto parts store. Like it said before, I don't know if it will fit in the space you need it so look closely before you order. Maybe make a little cardboard piece and hold it in the spot. Remember the plug sticks out a few inches beyond the end of the L also. Good luck.

I installed a new front 02 sensor on my 97 legacy brighton and my mpgs went up about 2-3. The sensors are pretty cheap on Amazon , <$60, and easy to get to from under the hood. I had to run the car for a few minutes to heat it up and get the old one out but the whole thing took about 25 minutes to replace. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BZEILQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

I pulled the rear door panel off just now and the wires are there. Unfortunately my 7x10s fell part as I pulled the grills off to start taking them out of the box. I guess that solves the fitting a square peg into a round hole problem. I don't think it would of happened anyway. The window crank would have hit them even if I could have somehow fit them in. I guess I'll keep my eyes open for some cheap 6.5" speakers. My new stereo and front speakers should be here this week and I will update my progress. Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.

Good idea switching the pocket with the stereo. Whoever designed that cup holder should be beaten up. It blocks the stereo and spills in to the hvac controls (that's why I had to replace them). Good to know the wires are there also. Thanks for the info.

I tried the rag trick to get the clip off of the window crank and it worked like a charm. Thanks for the tip. Getting it back in might not be so easy but that's a problem for later. I might try taking off the rear door panel tonight to see what kind of mess it will be to fit 7x10s in there. If I can't do it then 2 speakers will have to be enough. Looks like my stereo and speaker are coming the 12th so I will update when I have something worth saying. Also, do I need an install kit for the stereo head unit or should it fit in without? I have an old after market Aiwa stereo in now and I'm hoping to save $20 and reuse the kit if necessary. I did not order one but I'm sure I could grab one at Best Buy or somewhere locally.

Thanks for all the info. I ordered the Sony XS-GT4016F package so when it arrives i will be going at it. The images of the door clip are awesome (I'm a very visual person). Thanks. I replaced the drivers mirror years ago and could not get that window crank off. I ended up pivoting the door panel and just reaching the lowest bolt. The back doors have a "panel" molded into the door but I'm hoping I can cut out the shape I need with a dremel. I'll have to see whats underneath the door panel to determine if my 7x10s will fit. I'm hoping I can drill whatever holes I need to in the door frame to mount them. I'll try to take some pictures as I go and post them but it may be a week or so since I don't have anything to mount yet. Thanks again for all the help.