idosubaru

a 5 speed will bolt right in. if you use an XT6 5 speed you'll need: 5 speed trans mount (i think) 5 speed drive shaft (different length than the auto's, you'll only need the front half) 5 speed flywheel in place of the flexplate you'll need a 5 speed brake master cylinder with the gadgets on it if you want the hill-holder system to work (not necessary for the trans though) center console parts - trim up front with the stick shift and DIFF LOCk button in center console clutch linkages under the stick pedal assembly (pain the rump roast to remove, remove the steering column for better access) clutch cable vacuum lines are slightly different - easiest to just pull a set from a manual trans XT6 and look at the sticker on the underside of the hood for routing. the DIFF LOCK button works via vacuum and a solenoid that is usually left connected to the trans, so if you see the big dish shaped thing on the drivers side of the trans, that's the solenoid you'll need for the diff lock actuator to work. and finally you'll need a new rear differential assembly that's a 3.9 gear ratio as the 5 speed trans is a 3.9 gear ratio and the auto is a 3.7. you'll need to play with the wiring to get the rear reverse lights to work. if you use a different trans then certain points are different, like if you use a 3.7 manual trans then you wouldn't need a new rear differential.

yah, i have 100's of thousands of miles on K&N filters...100's of thousands on the same one in fact with no issues. they last forever.

i have a delta cam set on my XT6 as well. (i posted at http://www.xt6.net so you can read/ask more there if you'd like). i have the very aggressive set, i have the numbers posted over at xt6.net as well, compared to the mild grind.

http://www.thepartsbin.com has the correct oil pump o-ring listed for the EA82 and ER27. they are always very difficult to remove. just keep trying. i ended up getting mine out and reusing it....and mechanic beware, don't plan on reusing that old o-ring. mine was brittle and in horrible shape and fell apart. but i'm thinking that thing is in there so tight i don't know that it could ever leak. it's a tough call, mine was in terrible shape but it was so damn hard to get out i can't imagine it leaking so i still can't decide if i'll replace it next time i have to do one. next time i would install the oring and possibly use some anaerobic sealant in a strategic position as well.

it's under warranty right? make them replace the trans. they admitted low line pressure? that's amazing they admitted it. are the coolant lines blocked or pinched? check the transmission pan for dents. a severe dent up into the pan will restrict flow to the ATF sump, there isn't much clearance between the oil pan and the bottom of the sump..which is really the bottom of the ATF filter on older 4EAT's. this is a hard to diagnose issue, have a look at the pan. a quick visual, just look under the car, look at the pan and make sure it's good. if the CE light came on, they can retrieve that code from a read memory state. AUTOZONE and other parts places will retrieve the code for free...but the dealer may have already cleared it. i'd let AUTOZONE see what they come up with on their OBDII scanner. if they say they can't retrieve the code then i would suspect them to be full of $#^&@...actually i'd suspect that before i entered the shop (which i would never do).

i'm not familiar with the torque bind, but the clutch packs shouldn't be that bad to replace, i know of a handful of people that have replaced them on the older model 4EAT's in the XT6. it's at the very rear of the transmission, the tailhousing holds all the clutch pack parts. it's the rear of the trans that the drive shaft conects too. shouldn't be that bad if i recall and it might even be possible with the trans in the car??

well if it does it while you're sitting motionless (but in drive) then it's likely the flexplate like someone mentioned. pull the access plug and keep turning it over by hand and maybe you'll see a crack in it. if someone has worked on this car....anything that would require removing the crank, like timing belts, water pump, oil pump, seals...then maybe they cracked the flex plate while holding it still to remove the crank pulley. even if something is wrong with it, there's no garauntee you'll be able to see it through that hole though, you can only see a percentage of the entire plate. check underneath the car, there's a small opening on most auto's that you can actually see the teeth of the torque converter through. maybe something is wedged in there and hitting the teeth on the torque converter. have you listened to it whine as you switch from drive (making the noise) to park (not making the noise)? does it gradually fade away? can you hear it better from the bottom or top of the TC housing? i had a horribly cracked flexplate and it didn't seem to make much noise, but my car is loud so even a substantial noise to someone else might be a drop in the bucket for me.

i've never needed a puller to remove XT6 steering columns. haven't had too much trouble getting them off. keep wiggling/pushing/pulling it and it'll come out in short order.

if the rims were'nt cleaned/dressed properly before installing the new tires then it is possible to have a small leak that will only be fixed by remounting the rims properly. if the tires are that new then it should still be under some kind of warranty. temperature dropping can account for some, but usually won't continute happening and should be fairly even across all tires. 1. check for a puncture in the tire (nail or some other object). these can be very slow leaks and sometimes never leak at all. i've pulled plenty of tires/wheels that had nails but never leaked. 2. check valve stem. splash some soapy water around a fullly inflated tire valve stem (leave the cap on the valve stem), look for bubbles. splash soapy water inside the valve stem and see if it bubbles. 3. have the tires remounted and ask them to clean the wheels off really good before mounting. only need to have the one remounted if it's the only one leaking. i've had to have this done before.

check your front differential fluid level. if that is fine, i would guess the front diff has some bad gears or spots somewhere. have you ever drained the front diff oil? do that and have a look at the differential oil that comes out. have it pass through a small screen or in a bucket of some sort so you can have a look to see if there are any pieces in the fluid. don't forget to refill the fluid. you say it only makes the noise when in drive, does it make the noise when you're in drive but at a stop? in other words does the vehicle moving make a difference? say you're at a stop and hit the gas with the brake pedal on, will it make the noise?

follow the air intake hose to where it bolts to the intake manifold...rubber/plastic tube bolts to the metal engine intake. here you'll find the throttle position sensor.

spark plugs were gapped properly before you installed them? how are the plug wires? they can be difficult to seat and these motors are picky about their ignition wires. don't replace with a cheap set of wires either. i personally would replace the ignition wires first (with magnecor wires www.magencor.com). then move on from there, like with the grounding mod. with the age, the wires are a good replacement item anyway. come to think of it, i replaced my spark plugs this summer and was waiting on delivery of a set of wires so i did the plugs alone first. this is on my 97 OBS as well with 65,000 miles. car ran like crap, bought a cheap wire to replace the suspect wire and it ran better for about 10 miles then ran crappy again. replaced with the new wires when i got them in and all was well. air pocket in oil filter, no way.

FWD/AWD or Auto/Manual make a difference? just a shot in the dark, i don't believe the issue would reside here.

2.2 has noticeably less power than the 2.5. but it's not a big deal in my oppinion, the 2.2 in my 97 OBS does just fine, drives great. the mid-90's 2.2 is a rock solid engine. you are putting the percentages in your favor with a 2.2 more than with a 2.5. not that the 2.5 sucks or is a horrible motor, but there are head gasket issues with it. type in "head gasket" in a search here or on the internet and you'll see plenty of info on the 2.5 liter motor, but rarely do you ever see head gasket issues on a 2.2 liter. look for a good deal, 6 G's sounds like a average at best deal on this vehicle. but if your current vehicle is on it's way out then your ability to be picky diminishes. even a good mechanic won't be able to tell the beginnings of the typical head gasket issue, so i wouldn't let even a thorough inspection matter much in your decision.

i've done this before, never needed to do anymore than pull the hoses to the heater core and hold the outdoor garden hose up to the pipes, blowing it out. done it a number of times, works great, easy to do and never had any problems. i wouldn't use high pressure. you could also try shop air if you'd like. best advice i can give is do it before it gets any colder. you won't like doing this when it's 10 degrees outside...oh wait you guys do celsius...you know, really really cold.

what he said - the front diff is basically part of the transmission. it can be seperated, but noone does it. and depending on the failure mode another diff might fail in short order. if the trans caused the front diff to fail, the new one will as well. if the diff failed and....i'm not exactly sure of the terminoloy here, but if it failed and the resultant vibrations/damage to the diff also damaged where it mates to the trans internally....then the new diff will eventually (less than a year) be ruined by the damaged trans (that sustained damage from the previously damaged front diff). so installing a new front diff isn't necessarly the best option unless yo'ure positive you won't be doing this again in one year. the only person i know that tried to replace his front diff had this exact thing happen. i actually gave him a front diff and it was toast in short order for the exactd reasons i stated above. that being said - you'll likely have to buy a transmission anyway, just buy and install the whole thing. much simpler and less labor for your mechanic. and you'll have a hard time finding just a front diff. good luck and have fun,

sealing the rear cover of a diff is way easier than doing an axle change in my oppinion. drain fluid, remove cover, seal and reinstall cover. super easy...you will likely have to drop the diff down though but that isn't all that difficult, should just be three bolts to unbolt the diff and you might have to unbolt the driveshaft to let the diff come free, but it might just have enough play to come down on it's own. have somethign on the ground under the diff so it doesn't fall all the way to the ground when you remove it...like a jack maybe (but dont' let the jack get in the way of the diff cover. it could just be *wet* from either previous leaks up front (while driving leaks from up front fly back and attach to things, like the bottom of the rear diff. and sometimes it could just be a very minor leak. i'd clean it off, change the fluid with fresh fluid and see how it does. or just reseal, can't imagine it's that hard but i've never done it. post on the off-road forum of this site, those guys rebuild rear diffs all day long, they'll definitely know exactly what to do.

i just did this - not a bad job at all. the crank pulley was annoying (very hard to slide off)....but that's not necessary unless you want to do the oil pump seals which is a good idea. and the cam bolts are a serious PITA. i used strap wrenches and they did no good, just slipped and slipped. i will order the special tool now to loosen the cam bolts.

get a used one or visit ccr's homepage, they have a link to a place in colorado that rebuilds distributors for decent prices. if you plan to keep it awhile then a rebuilt distributor isn't a bad deal if you're planning for high mileage.

1 a few years ago, techwood avenue a block from the Georgia Tech football Stadium. a friend (ben webb) comes in and says "gross, they're towing your car". with a handful of friends watching and the frat boys across the street i ran outside and the truck was just pulling away, i ran after it, passed him in the center of the road, jumped on his windshield and beat it until he pulled over (he didn't have much choice). the police came and i explained he was towing my car from somewhere that i was allowed to park in. police made him give me my XT6 back with no fees/fines. 2 severe wobbling driving to georgia a couple years ago on I77 through charlotte, NC at 2am in the morning. Pulled over and the wheel was barely seated on the hub at an angle with one remaining lug nut. tightened up my one lug and limped to the next exit (less than a mile). pulled under a gas station awning and got to work, 4 lug studs had sheared off????? after looking and looking over the whole car, i found that the brake caliper bolts are the exact same thread as the lug studs. so i removed one brake caliper bolt from each front caliper and tightened up the one bolt holding the caliper on. the bolt is really really short and doesn't really want to go through the hub and wheel enough to grab the nut so you have to make sure the wheel is seated tight and reach behind the access hole and hold the bolt in there while grabbing it with the nut in the other hand. then tighten as best you can. finished the drive to atlanta with one stud and 2 brake caliper bolts as temporary studs. i think i just had sockets and such...no hammer to borrow studs from other hubs, i recall trying to get one out. continued on to atlanta and picked up new studs at the subaru dealer. had my friend call around atlanta for me and found a dealer right on my way. 3 a friend told me he knew a guy who had an XT6 i could take it away for free if i came and got it (blown head gaskets). nowhere to put it in georgia so i borrowed a truck, borrowed a tow dolly (from friends) and drove 750 miles to maryland (where i'm from), turned around and drove back to class. still got that one, it's a nice car. and swapping tags....don't tell anyone but i do that all the time. i have 5 running XT6's and one set of tags.

i'd make sure you get the same kind of tire installed. tires can differ some even if they are the same "size".

throw one in the trunk. i bought a brand new one and had it in the trunk until my old one failed. i was most excited that i had the new one on hand. it was night, far from home and raining and i don't have a cell. installed the new one in no time and was on my way....after a jump.

for an 86 it is "Starter circuit OFF".

i don't think the XT6 has an idle adjust screw like the EA82's, but i could be wrong. i think the Idle Air Control Valve controls idle....or it's supposed to. maybe there is a manual screw somewhere though.

the air struts can last awhile if you keep the rust from the metal base from gouging them and rubbing holes in the rubber. i have a thread posted on cleaning them up and painting them to get the rust out of their way. this is XT6 specific info, but the system lay out should be very similar: give the air compressor 12 volts to make sure it comes on. in the XT6 compressor there is a valve located inside the compressor that has wires to it, check that solenoid valve, give it 12 volts and make sure it clicks. while yo'ure in messing with the compressor - replace all 5 o-rings at each air line fitting. (best bet is to make a tool to remove the airpipes without breaking the plastic tabs). any thin tubed object...think like a straw but a little thicker, the air line goes through it and it will push the tabs out of the way. replace those o-rings. the o-rings will leak (they are old you know!). there is also an oring between the drier and the compressor on the compressor assembly. i believe it's just one screw, one bolt and a clip that slides out and the drier comes off to replace that o-ring. (the drier is the part of the compressor assembly that the air line fittings are attached too. there is one solenoid at each strut, the fronts are mounted in the engine bay and the rear solenoids are bolted directly to the strut. give them 12 volts and you should hear them click. at each air line fitting at the solenoids there is an o-ring as well. (same size as the ones at the compressor air line fittings). the rear solenoid bolts to the air strut and has orings as well. the one at the air line fitting is the same as the front orings, the one "inside" the strut is different i believe. just take them in any store that has o-rings and match them up. grease any new oring and install it. there are specific test procedures in the FSM that are most helpful, i would get familiar with those as well. the computer should be under the drivers seat (it is in the XT6 anyway). good luck,