idosubaru

Yes that car OBD port is just like LT said - by left knee. get your head WAAAAY down there to see it, don't just expect it to wave at you! lol and you're correct that's the starting point. get the code and post it here - don't tell us what the auto guy said it is (like the tow driver saying fuel pump....nope, unlikely). but checking fuel is easy - phillips head screw - crank - does fuel flow out like a garden hose or not? Advance and Autozone NAPA Oreillys and others all scan codes for free. If ou're rolling newer cars with OBD systems it's wise to just get a cheap Ebay scanner - they're like $35 and well worth having. or the bluetooth ones as well. laptop cables are great but less portable. scanner and OBD bluetooth can be left in the glovebox or a work bag. running and then dying to a no start condition is odd, that's usually timing belt. but on an otherwise unknown vehicle with so many unknowns - MAF will cause a no start, really bad plugs/wires that have never been changed, crank and cam sensor are the most likely. knock sensor is possible if it was previously running very rough, but unlikely to go from "fine" to "no start" so abruptly. $8 ebay specials are great solutions here.

I always use antiseize. I've still seen them more difficult to remove than id hope only a few years later. It ends up clumpy and dried up like clay and coagulated in certain areas and absent in others. Doesn't seem like it's doing much. Certainly should be done in rust prone conditions though. And truthfully in rust prone areas if they're that bad to start - that's probably not the only rust on the vehicle and they're very unlikely to survive another 10 years anyway, where they'd have long enough to get really bad. Maybe over 10 years they wouldn't rust so bad the ball joint rips out of the ball and needs chiseling and drilling to remove the remainder of the ball out of the knuckle (the really bad ones), I haven't seen any with enough age to say that doesn't happen or it does. Maybe the question is - if there's existing rust is that likely to progress some regardless of external intrusion?

Read the check engine codes with a scanner. Pull fuel line and check for fuel. But it's probably not the fuel pump. Subarus don't have fuel pump issues. Use a Subaru water pump gaskets. Far better metal instead of thin paper. Oil pump = one oring, crank seal and sealant. That engine also has two cam cap orings. Replace the one on the front while it's apart. The other is on the passengers rear of engine, easy to replace. Oil pump is on front of engine behind timing belt. That's why you do it with the timing belt. That's an interference engine - they bend valves if the belt breaks. Rear oil leak is probably valve covers. If it's rear separator the engine has to be pulled. Head leak may just be valve covers - they routinely leak and always need replaced at some point.

Do you have any torque bind? Is this a new to you vehicle? Mobile version doesn't show your location but rust prone areas have a wide variety of noises due to rusty brake components. Clunking is one as unevenly warn pads flop in the clips when slides don't move or torque unevenly. Rear will be drums and I'm far less familiar with those but they aren't immune from rust and failures as well. It's still a guess and not a diagnosis. Take note if steering or braking impact the noise. When I does it again play with brakes and steering. Struts and wheel bearings would be other guesses.

You're probably limited by the particular yard, ask each independently for the color code or to send a picture. I already told you to look through all 00-04 outbacks for color codes and names. Cars101.com If there's no variation then you have nothing to worry about - all 00-04 Outbacks in white will work. Legacy won't have the cladding and often varies with those side mouldings or strips and such.

Check your brakes - pull both pads both sides and check caliper slides. Frozen calipers will allow various forms of play and pads can clunk around. Take note if it's left right or center?

Yeah removing the ball joint from the control arm is the easy part. Out of the knuckle can be the part that no tool can manage on 1 out of 20 rusty Subarus. If you're not dealing with those then yeah, no big deal.

Why was it replaced? Those ball joint separators break on really bad ball joints but yours being replaced should be a breeze if there even is ever a next time.

EJ18 intake manifold bolts right up to the EJ22 so you could do a real simple engine swap later. EJ18 doesn't have a knock sensor. But it has the hole drilled and tapped for it. So if you used an EJ22 intake manifold with it, which has a knock sensor, it just threads right in. I'd look for an EJ22 intake manifold to work with the EJ18 engine, the EJ18s have some wonky and messy looking intake set ups IMO. But I realize you're aiming for cheap and simple so probably extra work and cost you don't want. But maybe worth a look on car-part or thread in parts wanted here. EJ18 and 1995 and earlier EJ22s are dual port exhaust. 1996+ EJ22 exhaust is single port. What state do you live in? Friend of mine had two EJ18s.

What are XTs, they have a screw or bolt. Ive never had issues. I recall fixing one or two 15 or 20 years ago. Been driving XTs for 25 years as daily drivers. If its coming loose then probably need to fix it right? Clean the threads, helicoil, rivnuts, use a bolt. All would be quick and easy. Just fix it and never think about it again. I'd move to a bolt and do a helicoil or maybe a rivnut if applicable.

You need a "Diagnosis" not guesses. The shops are just guessing, not diagnosing. Guessing is fine if it's relatively cheap. I was helping someone out today while traveling and I told them I was guessing and couldn't diagnose without time and my garage with me. It was a $26 guess, that's reasonable. And I happened to be right. Pretty sad I can guess $26 and get it right with hardly any tools and a dealer full of far more training, equipment and experience gets it wrong for $1,700. Can I come work on your car? I'll fix it for $500. If I was going to guess I would never have guessed fuel injectors, they don't fail like that, orings usually leak and smell externally, all four injectors failing at the same time is unlikely to say the least. Poor choice in multiple ways. 1. First step: OBD codes: has the check engine light ever come on? (weird this hasn't been mentioned yet?) 2. Have the codes been checked for pending/codes in memory (if equipped) ? 3. Have the spark plugs, wires and air filter ever been replaced? I was working on an engine (not mine) a few weeks ago. Started beautifully for few years, then one day it starts sometimes and not others and floods easily. The air filter was a matt of clotted dirty mess. Started it without the air filter in and it cranked right up. New air filter and no problems since. Probably not the case here but let's at least rule out simple stuff.

This is really simple: All 1999-2001 are Phase II EJ22's (legacy and impreza) The 1997 is a Phase I. Phase II the spark plug wires go through the valve covers. Phase I - the spark plug wires go over top the valve covers. Completely different electronics, intake manifold bolt pattern, and idle control. Both are interference engines. You could swap just the short blocks. Timing pulleys and tensioners, oil pump, and water pump are the same but the belt is different. If the tensioners are different you can just swap the bracket they bolt to and interchange tensioners. But 1997 is usually the newer style tensioner same as the 1999 and I'd use new tensioners anyway on interference engines. Can't really interchange heads and intake manifold easily or without workarounds and/or issues, mostly idling issues.

Just look at the paint code stamped on the plate. Easy. Car-part.com for matching parts I've never called one place that would ship a fender so find one close is usually required. Sift through all five years of 00-04 and look at the colors offered on cars101 to look for changes. The dark red changes for instance, 00-01 are not the same as 02-04. outback sedan I've got two in my driveway, helped a friend buy a white one, seen a bunch. Ask someone who's done it before how "rigorous" it really is in your state. Some states are very thorough and a work out, some are a insanely easy and nearly impossible to fail unless you try or are lazy bones, but all are set up to seem and sound "rigorous".

Good grief. That's incredibly unfortunate. Did the police mention what the typical prognosis is and how they're usually found? Spread the word via Facebook and Nextdoor (if it's sizable in your area) Talk to the dealer and/or see if you can get this article on TV or paper? It's a stretch but if the right person heard the grandfather story and being in a Subaru area it would be journalism worthy. I'd already like to hear more - so would others. There's a zillion "Seattle area - stolen subaru..." threads - is there a trend with how/where those are found?

Good idea to check but on that year and engine it's the rings. I'd try at least one oil change with thicker oil. Id run 20w50 in non-winter one oil change just to see what happens. It's such a common issue I'm sure you can google for a runs down on repair process. Messing with modern Subaru (and other) rings isn't something to take lightly. GD says a new person is going to mess it up their first attempt but maybe he's taking about honing?

that's not good. that ring affects the internal bearing preload and maybe the backlash setting of the front ring and pinion. if you didn't count and mark exactly how many turns it took to remove or set it up on a dial guage you'll probably need a new transmission in the future. about 18,000 miles the last one i had happen.

give fan 12 volts and see if the fan motor works (same plug as the other fan if you just want to swap as a test - but the bottom bolt pattern is different - one has one bolt,t he other has two). check relays on fender rail - passengers side i think are some relays. i think they're all the same and you can just swap them to test.

1. Visit another dealer 2. Call SOA that's your order of operations here. This is so weird - It's actually hard to believe they would call an internal cabin leak normal, that's so nutty it's hard to believe. You don't have any antenna's or device running through the sunroof do you - i've seen those leak before?

the stubs on automatics just pull out and are only held in by circlips. clean it up, make sure the circlip is in place and tap it back in place. i'd remove it from the axle first so it's a little simpler. absolutely do not touch anything else on the front diff like those retaining rings around the stubby shaft - those affect preload and will destroy the diff if you touch them or don't know what you're doing. if the retaining ring or front diff were damaged during the extrication of the axle you may have additional issues. a broken control arm - holy smokes that's some awful rust issues. that's terrible. i'd inspect the underneath of that car for other issues. usually the exhaust, rails, bodies, fenders, doglegs, strut towers and other things rust worse than the control arms....it probably sat forever in a grass field and has massive cancer.

If the pistons are all the way down - turn the cams to their timing marks. Go slow and back off if you feel any abnormal resistance. With the cams properly lined up - even the drivers side under tension - which tends to slip and "snap" out of alignment by 120 degrees or whatever it is - will not hit anything. just move it back the same way it snapped.

Yep, that's what aftermarket axles are good at. If you're around hundreds of Subaru axles over 20 years you'll see it even on non-lifted daily drivers. I've seen them blow up in one mile, seen it a ton of times on many different Subarus. Brand new axle - 50 miles zero off road miles on it yet - blew up on me a couple months ago (someone gave me the axle): http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/162152-blown-axle-and-no-toolsaka-as-if-i-needed-a-reminder-why-i-avoid-aftermarket-axles/

they're easy, exactly the same as SOHC, exact same parts except the belt is longer - all you need are these pictures of the cam marks: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/154659-97-dohc-ej25-timing-marks-with-cam-pin/ Other than those two cam sprockets and the additional marks to line them up to each other - they're just like the SOHC, same exact timing/pulleys/tensioner bracket attachment/oilpump/water pump parts except the belt is longer and two cams each side, that's it. get the FSM. there's probably endwrench articles on it but i've never looked. the pulleys aren't metal so don't leverage against them or hold them with metal tools not properly fitted/placed/sized. they will crack. Remove serpentine belt, crank pulley, timing covers just like any other Subaru. Then it's exactly like any other EJ timing belt except the two cams. Line up the cams like picture above and it's absolutely identical to SOHC EJ engines.

sounds like front diff. mine lasted 18,000 miles from initial noise to locking up. i caused it by improperly playing with the side retaining rings (preload). front inner axle joints can also make noises under load - but they're usually accompanied by vibrations as well. if you have a terrible front axle or aftermarket - you might want to investigate those. used trans - www.car-part.com $500 trans + $500 install = $1,000. beats rebuilt every day, i'm routinely saying I'm not comfortable with success rates of rebuilt Subaru auto trans - as you may be experiencing here.

Wow. That's odd. Sorry to hear that. Send me a private message. Where *exactly* is it leaking? How do you know it's not the windshield? ***can you apply water to a specific drain or corner and isolate the leak? Good news is sunroofs are really simple: 1. The sunroof is compromised in some way. 2. The drains aren't properly fixed to the sunroof 3. The drain lines are clogged or damaged The entire sunroof assembly was replaced? If sunroof was replaced - we can assume that rules out number 1. Need to trace the leak to its source. Noting where it's leaking should tell us which corner and drain is leaking. Check end connections of drains where they attach to sunroof. Blow out drain hoses with compressed air. Check drain lines for leaks (not sure how to check that but maybe plug end and add water.) after verifying end connections aren't leaking where they attach to sunroof. Call SOA and get them involved. I can't imagine they'd

Have you run any used Subaru OEM axles (green inner cups)? Can you swap to EJ hubs and axles? They're routinely and easily swapped into EA82s. Then you'd have almost unlimited cheap 20 year newer OEM axles.