idosubaru

pull valve covers and insert gauge. FSM's are free all over the internet. find out what years are the same (for legacy it would be any 2005-2009 legacy/outback) and you can use any of those FSM valve adustment procedures for that vehicle. If your 2005 impreza is like 05-09 legacy/outbacks then you can use any of those. if the 2005 impreza engine is like 00-04 legacy/outbacks then you can use any of those as well.

i never knew a good way to consistently install distributors - i'd just look at another engine or picture and copy that orientation. following the "0 degree" mark never seemed to work right for me.

Mechanically speaking it is 100% benign. You can cut the rear O2 sensor off the car and run it indefinitely with a P0420 code with zero ill effects. To that extent it's benign. But i understand what you're saying.... Emissions does complicate things, but he cleared the code and the P0420 didn't come back for two weeks. Plenty time for all the monitors to set and pass emissions. Clear the code, then check again (with the CEL off) - if there's no pending code - then simply clear it and go have emissions done while the light is out. People do that all the time. Then you'll have time to plan what you want to do in the future and don't have to feel railroaded into a massive repair costs right now. There's also a $5 spacer. Remove rear sensor, install spark plug non-fouler, reinstall rear sensor into spark plug non-fouler. Code goes away. But it is annoying if you want to retain cruise and it's reappearing all the time. And a proper tune up, fuel system cleaning, checking fuel trims/ O2 sensors, would be wise and hopefully mitigate things. I generally plan on owning my cars 300,000 miles so I'll just replace O2 sensors around 175k just because I highly doubt they'll make 300,000 miles, so I might as well replace them early and curb any potential issues and get the most out of my O2 sensor costs. They can be tested to. A mechanic (Caboobaru above) mentions testing fuel trims and comparing left and right sides and looking for issues there regarding the front O2 sensors. I'd probably start there.

That might convince me to turn my 2003 Outback Sedan into a parts car. Pull the non-VDC trans and put it in my VDC outback. Everyone online says "electronics, VDC must be more complicated, etc, no way they could swap.....". It's hard for me to imagine VDC (particularly this first early version) is anything more than just a more robust software control of the same transmission...and the ABS and engine. I highly doubt the VDC trans is any different except the VTD...but like anyone else - I hate to guess and be wrong. I might check pinouts on the trans and see how they compare.

rusty lines above the fuel tank as LT said. access is under rear seat cushion - pull cushion and cover plate to access brake lines on passengers side i believe. run new line, bend to shape, splice it in. you can run the line then let a shop do the flared fittings, that's another option if you like to DIY as much as possible but don't want to mess with flaring tools and seating those in awkward positions. but i'm assuming some things - ideally you tell us year, vehicle, and mileage, any recent brake work, last time brakes/fluid were checked (ever, never...?) check behind each wheel - it could also be a leaky caliper or rear drum. those are the most common leak points, others are possible. look under the car for signs of fluid. it could also have just gotten too low if all that brake pads are low. as they wear the fluid fills behind the ever extending pistons, draining the reservoir. it goes back up when you install new pads and push the pistons back in to make room for the new pads. push pistons back, pushes fluid back through lines and up into the reservoir, filling it back up.

I've seen people mention them and no issues. But the same is true of the $60 radiators available at your local parts stores that you don't like. So yeah- have at it, there's no considerable known difference between the all aluminum and cheap plastic side tank ones but all metal sure sounds better and probably is, there's just little data to back it up.

Need brackets, calipers, and rotors. And pads and clips! You don't need backing plates. You'll want to make sure they fit under whatever wheels you're running. Larger front calipers won't fit under some 14" and 15" wheels depending which wheels and calipers. I have a set or two available but they're easily found too

that was from memory, here's a comment i made shortly after that swap: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/123251-01-vdc-auto-trans-interchange/

I installed an 01 H6 transmission into a 2003. This is assuming the yard/information I got from the donor transmission was correct, but I did see and investigate the car. It's just been a long time since I did it. I started a thread about it years ago, maybe you can dig it up to verify. The battery/odometer weren't showing mileage so I did some investigation to determine it's mileage before I bought it. Turned out it was a Subaru rebuilt transmission. I'm in a similar boat - I could use that 01 transmission that's in my 2003 now (because it also has blown headgasket) and install it in my 2002 at the moment...but my 2002 is a VDC...and no one has definitively answered that question yet. in 04 H6 transmissions the Duty C is wired backwards (CNY_Dave knows more about this specifically). If that's the only difference then just swap the tail housing or wiring and you're done? I would bet all 01-04 H6 non-VDC transmissions can all be interchanged, possibly with just that simple step if it happens to be an 04. I'm still wondering if there's really much difference between VDC and non-VDC besides the tail housing/VTD. Seems highly possible that VDC is entirely electronic and largely in the TCU.

Excellent, thanks for that nugget. Of course it did, I told you it would but it didn't really have any other choice. The P0420 algorithm and rear sensor in that car isn't even used by the ECU for driving/performance/engine management. You could literally cut off the rear O2 sensor and the car would run absolutely perfectly like a dream, it would just say "check engine" and give you that benign code. When I said you could drive it 200,000 miles with that code on - I wasn't making that up, it's not a guess, it's just a completely benign code for that ECU. On other vehicles and even other Subaru's that might not be true but it is on this one.

+1 check fuel clamps in engine bay. tighten them a bit.

remove the main intake hose and under there you'll find some space.

It's highly dependent on your ability to research and plan and location and resources. It's custom so it's gonna be very expensive. Need to find someone willing to do it. There's a few people here that probably would do it for you. You can always start a thread and ask. Location likely matters. I doubt you're driving 3,000 miles for a mechanic. If you can find a local mechanic willing to try one option is to: 1. source a bellhousing adapter (SJR?) and a prefab wiring harness from someone in here that does that (the difficult part) 2. then have the mechanic do the easy install of those components. The it's little more than swapping an engine and making a few adjustments. Looking for a mechanic willing to do the EJ wiring harness prep and bellhousing adapter and learning curve from scratch is going to be the hard part.

No one else with comments on that bearing repair? Has the fluid been drained and checked yet? Id drain the fluid and check for materials. You may even be able to ask a UOA lab if an oil analysis would tell you if there's bearing or front diff particulates suspended in the gear oil? If the bearing and R&P materials are different then that may be determinant as to wether it's a bearing or the R&P (which is like $800 just for the parts)

No one else with comments on that bearing repair? Has the fluid been drained and checked yet? Id drain the fluid and check for materials. You may even be able to ask a UOA lab if an oil analysis would tell you if there's bearing or front diff particulates suspended in the gear oil? If the bearing and R&P materials are different then that may be determinant as to wether it's a bearing or the R&P (which is like $800 just for the parts)

The bearing repair sounds unlikely for Subarus. I haven't attempted that but I've done some trans disassembly, scanned FSMs numerous times regarding Subaru front diffs and done some minor front diff repair and I think the trans must be dropped, bellhousing removed and front diff disassembled to replace the bearings. Big job a big money backlash and bearing preload need done precisely or the repair will damage more in the ensuing miles. I've seen that happen. Front diff repair followed by front diff failure. I totally understand the hesitation of used trans. That said if you buy smart, from a wreck, it's pretty easy to get into a fine transmission. In the end it's the difference between risk of used, risk of rebuilds, risk of another used car. None of those options are 100% warranty driven assuredness with no risk. So to be accurate they need to compared quantitatively. A known good part that was tested was running and driving isnt much more risky than a current engine or had your transmission with no issues that one wouldn't even think about or question. Also there's enough transmission rebuild issues after the fact I'm not at all sold on longevity and value of repair for rebuilt transmissions. I've seen tons of issues with them, it's easy to google, I would find it very hard to choose that route myself. Google it and you'll see. So you might be better off with another vehicle. Though even a used car can have risk it's just a matter of what's acceptable and realizing that unless you're buying new or long term warranties you're comparing various risks with possibly little substantial differences - differences which vary by experience, resources and individuals.

Yep. The one I did is fine.

hard to say without being there in person, it sounds like the diff but hate to say that over the internet on a car i've never seen, driven, or touched...could be an axle still, maybe. 1. i'd just replace the transmission. $500 trans $500 install and you're never thinking about it again for $1,000. but since i do my own work that's easy for me to say, it's not my $500. Some places will install a transmission even cheaper - a transmission shop can do it really fast (trans jacks, they do it every day) - so they "can" charge the cheapest just because it's easier for them but they're also accustomed to high dollar rebuilds and it may not be worth their time to give good deals so to speak. But it's worth a call "How much to install a used transmission?" www.car-part.com there's a bunch in CA for $450 - $600 $450 415-821-3100 $480 1-800-424-2002

I had one not working like 15 years ago and just bolted the end of a 2 foot or so rod to the lever that switches it on/off on the side of the transmission. then I ran the piece of metal into the cabin around the shifter/passengers seat area and I could just push/pull it to lock the 4WD. at the time it was better than troubleshooting some wonky system I didn't understand or know where/how to look in the middle of winter with no garage and no internet. there's like 2 bolts that hold the cable against the transmission - those need removed for there to be enough slack for the lever to move. unbolt those two bolts and the lever itself is free to move by hand...assuming you can get enough leverage, it's a very short lever. you could probably even just run it up into the engine bay somehow, that would be easier than snaking it into the cabin which isn't immediately straight forward or simple. you'll just have to pop the hood every time you need to lock it - but that beats messing with 4 feet of snow.

like he said - bring that strut top further in. current orientation is incorrect so mark them and you know there's only two more possibilities. Install both fronts in the other two orientations and one will be right - mark that and copy.

this: it's the orange on on this cooler, pictured here: https://www.amazon.com/Subaru-21311AA051-Oil-Cooler/dp/B00IGZPVDC don't really need torque spec's if you're comfortable around Subaru wrenching, though i understand the desire. i'd get a FSM - even an EJ25 FSM, they're free all over the place and will cover most of the same common parts - timing bolts, covers, oil cooler, etc.

I'd list it with 127,000 with a rebuilt engine from XYZ, including all new parts from Subaru. It has a complete timing kit - belt, all the pulleys, and tensioner. Head gaskets not only replaced but with Subaru gaskets and the heads were resurfaced. Call the shop, or look at your paper work, and ask if the remaining warranty is still valid if you sell the car. I would wait for a buyer that wants that car and encourage people to go look at every other Subaru in town, as you're waiting for a buyer that wants a Subaru with top notch headgasket and timing belt maintenance. I used to do that all the time and it commands a higher price *and* reduces the number of people that come look at that car which is a huge help to me. I dont' want to be talking to and test driving. When I was doing it more often I would usually sell the car to the first person who looked at it. But I wasn't scared to email/text and tell people to go look at other subarus, i'm not negotiating much, there's plenty of other average Subarus out there with far more unknowns and questionable headgaskets/timing belt jobs. The higher price was nice but the fewer test drives and tire kickers was a huge positive as well. You've got a car - during tax and snow season in the most competitive Subaru market in the country - you should be able to do something similar.

no interference valves, no headgasket issues, easy to replace spark plugs, wires, and valve cover gaskets, no oil in the spark plug tubes, half the number of cam seals to leak, probably HLA's so no valve adjustment ever needed, no cracking plastic cam pulleys....an easy 250,000 miles... what are you going to do with all that extra time?!

It won't work on a 1994 and earlier EA/ER Subarus, so we can't answer without knowing what Subarus we're talking about. It won't read anything but engine codes in other Subaru's - so we can't talk of it's functionality without knowing if you want more than just engine code reading? In general, OBD2 is a standardized protocol so it should work fine. It's kind of like asking if a mouse will work with your computer - in most general senses - yes.

there's a bracket holding the lever on the front passengers side of the transmission which switches the transmission between locked and not-locked. you can look at the position of that switch to determine if the controls (button, wiring, fuse, diaphragm, vacuum, etc) are working properly. if that's moving back and forth and your transmission still isn't locked then that's another issue. it's hard to guess what's going on - it sounds like it's simply stuck in the unlocked position mechanically but the light shouldn't be on if that's the case.