idosubaru

they'll tow other Subarus just fine, I've done it with a dolly. Just avoid steep grades and 90+ Summer heat and humidity with the H6's if you're towing really large loads. I would guess same applies to H4's I've just never towed huge loads with them.

Duplicate.

Test drive both but get an outback. Larger, usually better trimmed, optioned, and more available making it easier just based on statistics alone - more supply and also better online support. Forester is simply a cheaper car and it shows in those ways. in my view if you need a wagon and are practical (as many people on here are) and are at all likely to need space - get the bigger outback. If you can live fine with a sedan but a little extra space sounds nice to toss your hipster dog in the back into then consider them too. There's a few differences but Subaru is small and generally keeps things very similar. Regardless of external appearances much of the engine, trans, brakes, suspension...lots of stuff is the same between forester and legacy and outback. So mechanically and practically there's no difference. Most people try to decide which engine they want: H4 simplicity with maybe headgasket issues. H6 for more power and if you avoid or work around their rare headgasket episodes they make 300,000 miles really inexpensive and reliably. They basically have nearly zero issues and can easily make 300,000 miles with one spark plug, VCG, oil cooler gasket change and checking serpentine belts and bearings (cheap and easy) every 60k. They are my preference due to that mechanical and practical simplicity. But I like the H4's as well, they're easy to address a few of their high mileage weak points. Turbos - fun but less practical. At those mileages most vehicles will need: 1. Brake caliper slide pin grease and brake clips. Simple and cheap but most shops I see don't do them. Very bad idea particularly in the rust belt. 2. Exhaust if you live in the rust belt. 3. Struts. 200,000 mile struts are outliers not the norm. 4. Timing. 1997 and newer 4 cylinder EJ engines are interference engines and have a timing belt. The tensioner and all the pulleys need replaced. Many times only the belt has been replaced. If it's breaks they usually bend multiple valves. Proper timing belt and tune up and another easy reliable 100k on oil changes here you come.

lol aaahhhhhaaa ha! Right! I remember feeling like I didn't like it while I'm doing it...I had to tell myself - seriously this is so dumb to even think about on this car - how many of these have you stared at after the fact your entire life!?

H6 are great. Im probably reading the situation differently and less about the engine. I realize that trades are common and I've done it some but in my experience top notch products, situations, and sellers aren't the norm when it comes to trading with unknown parties (not counting friends, acquaintenances). All for a vehicle that has a significant weak spot for getting dumped with an expensive issue, is likely to have other maintenance needs, and he's "tried to get a car for two years via trade" and with a heavy desire for towing...sounds like a lot of room for falling short of expectations. So yes - H6's are great. I'd just walk carefully and investigate the seller and car very thoroughly. How important is towing. arw inspections and issue. Has this car driven much in the last year. Why are they selling. Why are they wanting to trade. What about maintenance and expenses - oil leaks struts brakes cv axles tires rusty exhaust are all extremely common to need attention. Is that same or not as current car and are you ready to spring for those if needed? And yes those are ambiguous assumptions but im seeing other factors more than engine choice.

They can tow but they are not forgiving. You can easily tow an SVX with a dinky Honda Civic..heck my 20 HP Kubota tractor could tow the SVX....flat, easy, frigid winter temps and take it easy at 2am with no traffic. physical limits and risk are mathematical curves - not hard lines and limits. Ive towed other Subarus and large boats with H6 outbacks - I assume you're using a tow dolly which is about the only way without way to much weight. can push you just because of weight if braking/steering/grades are excessive.

clean them really well and use your finger to generously press quality sealant around the perimeter and you're done forever.

H6 doesn't have a timing belt it has a chain. The H6 cooling system is weak and prone to overheating if towing heavy loads up steep grades in the heat of summer. Very common issue with H6's. Without opening up a massive discussion about towing - simply put the OBW is small as a dedicated tow vehicle - it has nothing to do almost with engine size alone. Put a huge engine in there and it's still a terrible dedicated heavy tow vehicle. I tow all the time with Subarus and quite a few different H6's. They all do the exact same thing. H6 headgaskets do fail. Internal leaks on H6's do end up for sale, they're prime candidates for trading in or dumping cheap. They can overheat under very specific conditions and go weeks and months between any symptoms. This makes them prime candidates to get a bad deal on. It happens. "My new to me H6 is overheating....". Most of the H6 headgasket failures I've seen were on used car lots. They clearly get traded in and sent to auction and end up for sale on lots. I prefer private owner sales but same idea still applies but I'm good at reading people and walking if needed. Look for bubbles in overflow while idling after its warmed up, after a good interstate stint, and leaving it idle for awhile. Also look for any signs of recent coolant related work - new coolant, radiator, hoses, Tstat. Any of those are immediate red flags on H6's. Repair is tyoicalky replace engine or some DIY it. It's a beastly job. In general the headgaskets seem more robust in that they don't have as frequent low mileage issues as EJ25's. I don't know that we have any statistically meaningful quantitative data on the difference between H6 and H4 failure rates overall, hard to tell with popularity and other variables being so far apart.

I wouldn't even worry about it if it was my car or some folks I do work for. Subarus don't need the key. Just bolt the balancer back on really tight and it'll never budge, done it countless times. 3 foot pipe crank it and done every time. The bigger question is why was it wobbling, they don't just randomly do that? If the balancer was wobbling due to separation it needs replaced or repaired. Repair usually is just a couple tack welds to hold it in place easy. New are pricey and they don't fail often so many people just toss a used one on there as they're a dime a dozen. If it was wobbling due to a loose bolt then someone didn't properly tighten it - who and why?

Make sure a cv axle didn't fail. Remove trans and install another one. Try to keep TC seated but always check it and reseat if necessary. You can read up tips on how to do it. That being said - since you're replacing the transmission it doesn't matter if you keep it seated or not when removing. You'll be pulling that TCto reuse or using the TC that comes with the new trans. Personally I'd use the new transmissions TC if you have no clue what transpires in your old trans. So you'll want to verify the new TC is seated. Flexplate and TC should never touch once engine and trans are bolted together. With that in mind you can measure distances and check before you install if the TC is fully seated.

OEM axles that last the life of the car are like $15-$35 all day long. www.car-part.com In the past Ive called and found a yard that would send me a few OEMs for a deal (always the first place I called). Buy one more than you need as a spare. For $15-$33 who cares? You can buy 3 or 5 OEM axles for $100. I have no need for $200 axles though that's a huge benefit having a one stop simple solution for many. little extra work but considering all the front end and other work you mentioned it's basically nothing for what ends up being a permanent fix and something you'll never have to think about again. When I worked on a lot I always got the 2000+ axles they have better outer boots. Knock the tone ring off and they work in any older 1990s Subarus and 00-04 legacy and outback and compatible Forester and Impreza. 2005+ outback/legacy starts the newer tripod style axles.

Pick n pulls have the best deals. Often $150 or so. Www.car-part.com It depends where you live. PNW prices are high. Also the better you know Subarus the wider range of vehicles and engines you can look for. Impreza legacy outback even EJ18's and older EJ22's can be used if you swap manifold harnesses. I have a complete write up with everything you need to know, look it up it has all the vehciles that have EJ22 you can use.

Thanks for the follow up. Do you know if they replaced a bearing(s) or the ring and pinion? That price is shockingly good for that job and at a dealer. That's a sizable job and requires good diagnosis to justify a proper repair and many places will quote much higher amounts and replace everything or a new trans. Most people opt for a used trans but you know have at least new bearings, maybe new ring and pinion and a 12 month 12,000 mile warranty. Ring and pinion is like $600-$900 in parts only, hard to imagine labor only being $500 for that job.

I like LTs statement if you want a free diagosis, symptoms should change because you're switching sides and the loading changes 180 degrees on the internal bearing parts. Sounds like axle to me or a long shot of a bushing,captive nut failure. If it's an aftermarket axle that's a "good" sign. sounds too intermittent for diff failure. Wheel bearings can fly sneakily under the radar...

1. I didn't read every word here - but it's possible to have a failure and no bent valves. It's of course rare, but if you're the lucky person who had a complete failure and the valves settled without colliding you could get out of this with just a new timing belt, tensioner, and pulleys. install the new belt and tensioner and pulleys and do a leak down test. or you could try to start it. you don't even need to install the timing covers, crank pulley, and drive belts - just leave it all naked and do the test immediately after installing the timing belt. it's hardly any work at all to test it and properly diagnose before moving forward. 2. If you repair - new Subaru headgaskets, new valves, resurface the heads, new timing belt, tensioner, and pulleys.

ECU's are not transmission dependent. There is not "automatic ECU" or "Manual ECU". You can install an ECU from a manual vehicle into an automatic and the other way around all day long with zero issues because they're the same ECU. There's an identifier pin on the harness that "tells" the ECU what transmission it is - so you just need to mimic that. I don't know if this is correct at all, or for your car specifically, but for example it's mentioned and talked about here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/148630-automatic-to-manual/

thanks for the reminder. i thought I just bought some boots and they were like $35 but must have been something else...

If it's any consolation it's how most people operate, they don't only treat mechanics that way! I'm astonished how much low grade advice people offer, listen to, and take. It's the norm and really bizarre to me.

It's usually a failing headgasket. But rule out simple things first. Thermostat you can toss in a pot on the stove and see if it opens...this is of course assuming it's a consistent tstat failure, which i would expect. 1. Check coolant level in the radiator and monitor it consistently - consistently depends how frequenty your symptoms are. 2. Take note how fast the coolant level is dropping in the radiator over days, weeks, months. 3. Make absolutely certain the system is burped of all air - any air pockets can cause overheating. 4. thermostat, radiator cap - OEM are preferred. 5. check the overflow tank for bubbles - look at first start up, after an interstate run, and definitely look immediately if the heater blows cold again or car overheats. 6. do not overheat the engine - it will throw rod bearings out the block which is no fun. Now, questions: A. any recent work to the engine or cooling system? B. how long have you owned this car - did you just buy it this morning off the side of a dark alley for $150? then it's probably got issues. C. or has it driven flawlessly since you bought it new?

simpler to just sell the auto forester and then buy an existing manual trans forester. but i still understand the idea: swap engine, transmission, center console/shifter bits/trim, instrument cluster, cruise control computer, clutch pedal assembly, and rear driveshaft. then you'll have to wire in the rear brake lights to work.

I might pull the #1 and 3 plugs out first - they're easy and #1 has the "different" compression reading - i'd like to see if it looks different in color. Post a picture of it. if the intake manifold leaks enough - it's just flowing coolant right into the cylinders which is going to affect combustion and possibly performance depending how bad it is. i'm not sure how to test whether it's the intake manifold gaskets or not though. here's a picture - the large round opening is the intake pathway through the heads leading the valves/cylinders. the oval passage just above it (at noon in the picture) is the coolant passage. the three bolt holes around those openings are the intake manifold bolt holes - one of which you may have loosened? which cylinder was the bolt you loosened? If you replace them - use dealer only gaskets.

TOD is so common - it's hard to not think that's what it is. If it's a rock knocking that's not going to ever go away. If the noise ever subsides, it's not rod knock. If you don't like ignoring it, repair is generally really simple: 1. reseal the oil pump 2. replace the oil pump 3. Some people say the cam carrier orings sometimes need replaced - but I've had 100% success rate with the two steps I just outlined and many others have had excellent success as well doing the same. Here's a write up intended to be clear cut mechanically driven and not guessing, changing oil weights, and otherwise wandering around what if's, maybes, outliers, and band aids: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/136547-ea82-er27-ticking-tod-hydraulic-valve-lash-hla-noise-diagnose-and-repair/

that's not a diagnosis. if those are 35 stop and go miles to work and two off roading excursions with your buddies and kicking back the beers with Bon Jovi playing while the car idles at your favorite overlook - you're getting good gas mileage. but if you're smelling gas - have you looked under the hood for leaks? check with engine running. sniff from left and right side - which is worse? look at any connections that have been recently worked on - carb, engine pulled...you can even bend them where they connect a little and look for spray - this can amplify small leaks. if there's no obvious leaks then the obvious starting point with any gas engine like this is: 1. is it carbureted? start there - that's usually the problem.

I'd replace the struts, springs, and leave the strut mounts unless they've failed. The only strut mounts I see routinely failing are aftermarket and rusty ones which you probably don't have to deal with. Maybe have 4 strut mounts on hand and just return them if you don't need them. OEM or KYB on the struts.

depends a little bit which system/model/year you're talking about, though we can sort of make some generic assumptions from what you're said. they hold like 5 FOB's and overwrite once you exceed that - so programming a few in would do it, maybe you'd get lucky just programming a different key in multiple times might do it?