idosubaru

smart check on the vacuum. have the valve clearances ever been tested? compression or even a leak down test on that cylinder #4 would be interesting - see if it's bleeding somewhere?

I got lucky or maybe it separated and just rotated inside the CV on the interstate but not until I took some sharp turns off the exit ramp did it give enough room to pull completely out of the joint and then flop around, by that time at slow speeds. But yeah - if it pulled out on the interstate i imagine that would maybe be ugly those axles are heavy to be flopping around with all that length/leverage too. I haven't bought an aftermarket axle in over 10 years and routinely post and coach people to avoid them. Not only for risk aversion - but also it's unfortunate that most people are supporting this awful supply of craptastic axles

Read check engine codes Check compression

Installed an aftermarket axle that someone had in January...I don't do this often but sometimes they're just available and why not, they can't all fail, right? 50 miles later on the interstate the axle blew out of the CV cup. No jack and very few tools - luckily I had a knife and screwdriver. Drove up on curb - with the broken joint it couldn't push the car onto the curb so I used the spare as a ramp. Cut inner joint and popped the circlip out, pulled it apart insitu on the trans. Got it locked in 4WD. Finished the 120 mile round trip in RWD. I had been given two new axles, I tossed the other brand new one in the scrap pile, it was a different brand but it's not worth my time. Never had an OEM or FWE failure, although that's what i use on lifted subarus and used to drive them 50,000 miles with cracked boots and noisy joints.

there's little experience with those specific axles, so you won't get any sizable statistically significant feedback. aftermarkets should be avoided. this is how it works - very roughly 50% are fine out of the box - that's why people say things like "I used this one axle and i worked great". And then others fail. and long term failure rates are another thing. oddly, a 50% failure rate at any other business would drive people nuts or to lawyers or the BBB - but somehow it's okay with axles, which is astonishing. if they're currently working, the only symptoms are noise, and there's some compelling reason...cheap, lazy, busy - just reboot them and clean/regrease thoroughly. I'd bet money on 100 of those outlasting 100 aftermarket axles for 5 years. Options: A used axle: www.car-part.com. They're $15 - $35 all day long and can be bought with good boots, but I'd reboot them first unless they look stellar. Buy a used axle and reboot it from the same website. FWE sells the best axles available: https://www.facebook.com/FW-Enterprises-LLC-503867596304519/

Leak - pressure test at shop and no notice of leaks suggests it's not leaking Radiator cap - check/clean where it seat on and inside the radiator to make sure it's clean. Make absolutely certain it's properly burped. they can be annoying and unforgiving with any air in the system. Otherwise it sounds like it's headed towards an internal headgasket breach pushing exhaust into the coolant. Typical signs are loosing cabin heat followed by overheating.

wow good call - they've got tons of 1/4" stuff, excellent listings and easy navigation. no 1/8" though.

i've seen lots of tee fitting and push connectors so there are some options if i can't find the exact same thing at NAPA, i didn't see etrailer though, i'll give them a look. these are 1/8" so the 1/4" wouldn't work without adapters/couplers.

Exactly what he just said - easily can be towed on a dolly following his instructions. except if you're dealing with rust i'd take a closed end wrench, preferably a long one or one you can extend (two interlocked wrenches) and any 6 point tools that might fit in confined spaces. or if they're rusted really bad it's actually helpful if they just shear off, LOL. I towed one Subaru with the FWD fuse in the holder and left the engine running the entire time so it was circulating fluid. still on the road last i heard.

check valve clearance. if they're tight you can slip the shim out and ground it down (the side facing away from the cam lobes). carbon build up in the heads.

The idea that the car is 95% different is ambiguous. the engine and transmission have been around awhile. axles, knuckles, struts, suspension are usually the same or minor tweaks. For example - you'd think multi generations after the initial 1993 impreza they would be radically different - but 1993 imprezas can use struts up to 2007 (maybe later) and you can install 2014 brake calipers (maybe later as well) on that 1993 rust bucket. so you've got a new big chunk of metal is sitting on and being driven by *yawn*, the same old stuff. aesthetics are rarely warranty points and electronics are constantly changing. Let's look at how well the "first model year" idea would have protected someone in the past? Major issues in the past few decades: headgaskets....oil consumption....delayed engagement into drive...they were all first "engine/transmission" or phase issues, not to be confused with first model year. so the "first model year" approach would have been worthless for the past 3 decades or more. Subaru doesn't marry first model year with first year of mechanicals - the things that actually cause warranty/reliability issues. EJ25 came out second model year, Phase II mechanicals rolled into the last year of a generation...etc. That said - one could find a few glitches along the way - but they're minor and it would be hard to tell if they favor first year models. As to the warranty, it's insurance. you're not likely to use it - but how bad off will you be (financially, time, emotionally, vehicles, job). As a generality (which are always inherently idivdually inaccurate), it probably makes sense for a lot of new car consumers. Given the cost of a new car, maintenance, resale value after 100,000 miles - it's not a lot of money. Much depends on your personality, how well you communicate, your capacity to navigate future situations, whether you get really perturbed by outlier situations, or just walk through it with grace. for example, if you're too busy to navigate any issues,warranty may make more sense. If you're the anecdotal type to end up saying things like "I'm never buying from company X, Y, Z again" - because of one experience - the warranty may make more sense to insulate you. if you're not sure, ask your co-workers, relatives, neighbors, people you communicate with frequently, they'll know.

any check engine lights? vacuum leaks often cause this - too much air and giving it gas will overcome a slight leak. check fuel pressure after the filter?

Much appreciated, thanks.

You can go anywhere for maintenance - just keep records, but I'd even recommend doing that even if you're using a dealer. Not a big deal. Subaru's aren't rare enough to worry about. 100,000 impreza's. that's comparable with other models on the road and for the fewer numbers they probably also have fewer options, offerings, and changes. Some rural areas like the south and select other areas are prone to mechanics not wanting to work on certain vehicles, but you just find another mechanic. Maintenance costs are almost entirely dictated by YOU. Your maintenance competence and local service integrity. If you're terrible at comprehending service, finding good service people, it's very possible to get caught up in the marketing driven service industry. That happens across all shops - independent, dealer, big, small, any manufacturer. Ideally you have some capacity or an honest mechanic. Otherwise it's a roll of the dice no matter what you buy. Pretty routine to rack up thousands of dollars in maintenance when a car needs nothing or very simple service. I could share a few dozens stories but this thread would get too lengthy.

I've told nearly the identical story for years, after years with progressive - i added a truck, better coverage, half the cost. I wonder if geico and progressive are similar operationally speaking and how they fit the market, and there are discounted plan can be financially advantageous, like through a brokers or group affiliated plans like I have.... Auto Owners scores well in some reviews but isn't available where I live.

Awesome, thanks! Do you know if they are typically in stock? Very rural here so shelves are usually light. picture attached.

EJ18 doesn't have knock control. Google it until you find someone that's done EJ18 heads on an EJ25 block, surely it's been done before? 1. Install the EJ18 wiring harness on the entire EJ25 long block. Only issue there is those 96's have HLA's (which I prefer myself) but require premium gas. 97+ heads are better. 2. Get EJ22 heads and bolt the EJ18 heads to it. The shop gives away customers engines?

Check Engine light - Read the code - it's telling you what the problem (regarding the ECU anyway) is, and post the exact number here. Speed sensor - you damaged the sensor, connector, or wheel bearing with the integrated tone ring. Check continuity and resistance per the FSM.

Exactly. XT6 air suspension.They're 1/8" (3.2 mm) diameter (OD).

I have an aftermarket airline Tee fitting for my XT6 and want some more. But I can't find them anywhere. They're screw on Tee fittings with a Schrader valve. I've had them over 10 years and don't recall where they came from. I'll try and attach a pic tomorrow, it's not loading now.

The one question mark I'd have with that car is it probably has old timing pulleys and tensioners. If you're buying a car at 199k you'd presumably expecting at least 250k if not 300k out of it. That's a lot of miles on old pulleys and an interference engine (generally bends valves if the pulleys fail). The pulleys/tensioner can be replaced in an hour or two, but would cost a good deal at a shop. Dealers don't typically replace those items, maybe the tensioner, and the lower cogged idler is the most common to fail. But unlikely they replaced all 4.

I'd be more inclined to pay top dollar if: 1. i had some kind of backstory - was it overheated and how much/badly? 2. were the heads resurfaced? those engines don't overheat right away when the headgaskets fail so #1 is not that big of a deal anyway and #2 isn't as crucial on those heads as others IMO, but i'd still prefer it. I always resurface the heads, dealers don't but usually get away with it so there's good evidence that #2, by itself, isn't a huge concern either. So i wouldn't rule it out based on #1 o #2 or worry about them much but if i could get good feedback on them i'd be less concerned about getting a "deal" and I'd say get the car regardless of minor negotiations.

Gotcha on the brokers, good to know that's a reasonable option. That makes sense, there's certainly great people that are brokers. What leverage does a broker have that an individual does not? Is company XYZ going to give them a better rate than and individual calling the same company.

a couple members here frequently mention Master Craft and they're generally a lower price point i believe.

It's not a ground issue. 200 amps is normal for starting the vehicle right, so that shouldn't be an issue unless it's combined with something else...? 1. disconnect ECU and see if the lights turn off 2. disconnect the alternator and see if the lights go off 3. pull the fusible links and fuses one at a time to see which one turns the lights off.