idosubaru

wiggle the wiring while the ECU is in place and see if that initiates symptoms as well. this may isolate whether the wiring or ECU are to blame. pull the connectors out and check all the pins are you positive the connectors were fully seated when you were wrestling with the ECU? why were you messing with the TPS and ECU to begin with? if you have easy access - get another EA82 ECU and swap it out and see if it does the same thing.

Pretty sure that's a 16.9 gallon tank, so if the light comes on with 2.7 gallons left, that's 14.2 gallons, right about what you're saying. i've looked it up before in owners manuals - it specifically states how many gallons are left when the light comes on. outbacks are usually around 2.7-2.9 i think. imprezas a little lower.

it's almost always the front diff and not the center diff if you're absolutely positive it's one of those two things creating the noise. 5 speed center diff failure results in torque bind. they can make noise in the rear extension housing, but it's not common. i drove one to failure, my noisy front diff lasted 18,000 miles before it locked up.

Just do some basic math at a gas station. If you have a 16 gallon tank and you never put in more than 13 gallons then you're never getting low enough to trigger a "low fuel light" (they usually come on between 2.5-3 gallons depending on vehicle). look up how much gas your vehicle holds when full and the owners manual will tell you how much gas triggers the low fuel light. (online, owners manual, cars101.com, etc) Do all Subaru's have low fuel lights? Check your owners manual? If you have a 16 gallon tank and you never put in more than 13 gallons then you're never getting low enough to trigger a 3 gallon or less "low fuel light".

oh my, two different opinions, now what!?!? i don't know anything about them but... The honda will be worth more in the future. Depending how you buy/drive/etc it may not actually cost you any less to own a honda. Or you might just prefer having a lesser priced vehicle (teenagers, insurance, work use, etc). It can cost you $5,000 to own a car whether you originally paid $7k or $12k. $7k buy and $2k sell is exactly the same cost as $12k buy and $7k sell. So sometimes you can get the more advantageous car for nearly he same net cost.

drill out a pin under the rubber boot. I feel like it's a pin that's pushed into place and then the end is flattened to secure it, like it's a one time use fastener. once that's done the triangular fascia piece that rests against the door is now removed. then you unscrew the screws behind the mirror that hold it to the housing. then the entire assembly pulls through the mirror side of the housing. i forget what I've reassembled them with - i presume just a bolt and a nut, make sure they are shallow nuts and a short bolt because it needs to fit underneath the rubber boot? a pin and cotter pin clip may be better.

If i really wanted one I'd do a little more research to verify that they really do fail to open differential - which people have said before. They tend to be pricey so I wouldn't want to gamble and assume that's what I'm getting.

that would be awesome.

smart to pass. i would avoid rust at all costs - too many sticking caliper slide pins, brake lines leaking, exhaust rusted through, leaky fuel, sheared fasteners, they end up being time suckers and always get worse. i'd gladly give up a day or so buying one from the south/west, but i totally get that long distance doesn't work for everyone.

Okay - it sounds like it's in the transmission then. Rear clutch pack issues seem more likely. Yes you can run it in FWD with the rear driveshaft removed just fine, assuming everything else is working properly.

flashing 16 times indicates a fault code in the transmission - google the procedure for reading the codes. it's a little convoluted so most people dont' know it off the top of their head. 1. does the car die while idling or only when you put it into park? it almost sounds like the torque converter is locked and it's just stalling out. try starting it in park and in nuetral and see if that makes a difference? can you get it into drive and moving forward at all?

1. Does it have the crank sprocket and drivers side cam sprocket from "old motor" or "replacement motor"? Those are the only differences between 00-04 EJ25's. They are otherwise all plug and play interchangeable. There are no wiring harness issues between those two engines. 2. Clear codes and see which come back first. 3. Did you disconnect, check, and reseat the main harness plugs? 4. Was the previous engine running perfectly well immediately before the swap? Did it sit for a long time? If so you may have rodent damage to wiring and this isn't swap related. I've seen so many Subarus with multiple disconnected ground straps, I'm not sure when and how it matters but it's not commonly a huge issue. I'd like to know which ones actually cause issues. That might make it easier to focus and track down.

1. You should describe the wiring issues - a disconnected/cut Duty C or trans signal will give torque bind. 2. Is the trans operating perfectly otherwise? 3. If it's only binding when turning then we can nearly guarantee that they're the same. Mismatched will bind even while driving forward. If you've driven a good bit you'll know the answer to that question. 4. List any check engine codes. 5. Is the AT light flashing 16 times on start up? 6. Changing the fluid a few times immediately at the first onset of symptoms is usually very helpful particularly if a car sat for awhile. Granted this one was improperly towed but probably still worth a shot. Theres a good chance the clutches are hosed but want to rule out simple things like fluid changes, wiring, or wrong rear diff. The rear clutches can be rebuilt without dropping the trans so it's not a show stopper. Annoying working under a car but otherwise not a big deal. If the FWD fuse works you can just install a toggle switch to switch between FWD and 4WD, it's really easy.

What he said. The only EJ22 that works in your car is the later 99-2001 phase II which is more closely akin to the EJ25. Otherwise yes they are plug and play. A few years ago they weren't expensive though around here. Again the difference between where GD lives and rust prone areas. Rust devalues the cars and sends them to the scrap yard, this process happens quicker and more often with the lower value vehicles which is what the Phase II EJ22's came in. Price may creep up as supply dwindles though, that happens sometimes. I bought an low mileage one from a reputable place (they pull immediately and store indoors, unlike anyone else local). It was $600, there were cheaper ones available, and EJ25s go for $1,000.

"Needed a lot of work", like what? Verify trans and rear diff are same gear ratio. Have the trans or diff ever been swapped? Install the FWD fuse and see if that mitigates it. The one I saw towed a long distance on a dolly hosed the center differential in the manual transmission. I think most of the issues happen in the center diff/MPT clutch packs because that's where one thing is spinning and another is not, with no fluid circulating either. I doubt the rear diff is the culprit, Subaru rear diff failure is rare. If they do fail due to high loads it's the stubby shafts that shear off which clearly isn't the case here. usually they're replaced only to find that didn't repair the issue. Clunk - check the rear diff or trans mount bushings first.

check engine - usually the really annoying P0420 emissions crap or a knock sensor (cheap ebay ones and 15-30 minutes to install). a cylinder misfire probably just means it needs plugs and wires (those engines aren't too forgiving of anything but stock NGK plugs and NGK or high quality wires). Gates kits on amazon are popular for TB, though recently some people have balked at those. KYB is widely popular and used for Subarus for struts. Everything else is rather generic. sloppy shifter i'm less familiar with, I think that should just be bushings. you just mean flopping around, not poorly shifting/popping out of gear right (which would indicate bad synchros)? speaking of which - change the gear oil immediately.

all 3 failing in nearly similar fashion is interesting. extensive carbon build up in the intake/valves/combustion chamber is my first guess based on experience. Random guessing: would timing chain tensioner issues impact timing/cam sensor? FPR - can those affect one side? Unlikely but if someone hacked a spark plug job the plugs, coil packs, could be problematic. Make sure they're replaced (wouldn't be the first time i've seen half of spark plugs replaced), COP's seated and not installed on the wrong cylinder (which they're so tight i'm not sure that's even possible).

it depends which 99 you're talking about. foresters and imprezas have a Phase II engine in 99 and outbacks/legacy's have a Phase I. totally different answers. nothing above 99 will work in an outback/legacy, but may in forester/impreza. 99 legacy/outback: any 1996-1998 EJ25 and 99 outback/legacy EJ25. 1995-1998 EJ22's can also work - i have a full thread dedicated to that swap, search for it. 99 forester/impreza: any 1999-2001 EJ22. 1999 forester/impreza. any 2000-2004 EJ25. past 2004 i'm uncertain but it depends on which models i think as they started rolling out extra O2 sensors on some models and variable valves, etc.

1. reset the codes and see which ones come back first 2. you probably need to swap the crank sprocket and drivers side cam sprocket - they have different trigger marks, but otherwise are identical. trigger marks are on the back if you want to look for them. although if it drives maybe you already swapped them? 3. pull main engine connector, clean/inspect, plug it back in and make sure it's fully seated.

Hahahaha. Totally get that, much more efficient your way. Your description is keen, Ive done lots of that and built software for spacecraft, not on the throne though Lol.

I guess what I'd like to know is what happens when these solenoids fail? Can they fail and remain open or remain closed and what happens if they do? Line pressure solenoid? TCC solenoid?

Right on I'll read codes when I'm back in town. I'm assuming replacement is the probable solution. I'll still investigate for learning and practical reasons though.

I think it does have a code for a solenoid, I just don't recall which one(s).

*** Odd change of events - I revved the engine up to like 6,000+ RPM's and held it there for a few seconds (because what do I have to loose?) and the car slowly started going in reverse and after 10 feet backwards, 10 feet forwards....it seemed to be improving. It's a slow engagement, like a slipping clutch, but seemed to be improving. I didn't "drive it" just went forward/backward a few times for a few feet. What does that mean? I'm thinking it means it needs a tall, cold bottle of Trans X...! LOL Yes - it's full. It acts like it's in neutral in all gears (except in park, it's in park). No noise, no nothing, just neutral, engine purring right along without a glitch. Stupid question, but did you check fluid level? What does it do if you put it in gear and give it gas? Well - until that little 6,000+ rpm stint I just pulled...

Just google it - I think I found the part number in about 11 seconds: http://parts.subaru.com/p/Subaru__/SOLENOID-ASSEMBLY-CONTROL/49242512/31939AA052.html They're easy to replace. You just drop the pan and unbolt the solenoid, they're actually really easy to replace minus just crawling under the car and wire wheeling/cleaning the pan and resealing it. parts wanted forum here for a used one, ebay, amazon, subaru....lots of options.