idosubaru

i put a hose clamp around a broken tab fuel pump cap on a 2003 Outback once. drove it about 300 miles like that and the oring pushed out again but car was home then and i swapped in another pump. if you pull the fuel hose in the engine bay it's a quick test for that cap - the fuel will just trickle out/not come out at all when you turn the key - it'll obviously not be enough to run a car. i diagnose them in like 4 minutes that way. pull line, crank car .

i'm guessing headgaskets or possibly trapped air (burping). *** when it runs hot turn the cabin heat on high for a few minutes - does the air start out hot then cool down after a minute or three? it's not the water pump. subaru water pump failure is nearly impossilbe. leaking water pump gasket or weep hole happens rarely, but you're not indicating any leaks. subaru water pump impellers don't fail to the point they don't push fluids. they're just blades that go around and around. as long as the car didn't sit in salt for a year those blades didn't rust away. thermostat is a slight possibility. check the *radiator* coolant level, not the overflow tank. that's the most imperative, overflow is not indicative of radiator coolant level which is the engines source for cooling. Why do you say it was "overfilled by previous owner"? Just because it's high does not mean it was overfilled by someone unless you saw them poor it in. More than likely the engine overheated and pushed excessive coolant into the overflow tank which never got sucked back into the engine.

you do not need a catalytic converter. the P0420 code can not cause running issues - it's impossible for the rear sensor to cause the engine to run poorly because the ECU doesn't even use the rear O2 sensor for running. so if you "fix" the P0420 code you'll still have running issues. disconnect the rear O2 sensor and see if that changes anything, just for kicks. even if you want to "fix the P0420 code" due to the check engine light - i wouldn't bother worrying about it until you get the drivability issue under control. a nice clear converter with no P0420 on a car that doesn't run well/isn't trustworthy is a pretty bad idea in my book. 1. start a new thread with the running issues and all the check engine light codes. 2. mileage and have plugs/wires ever been changed?

in genearl if you have multiple codes - clear them and see which ones come back. but if it's two wheel sensor codes they could both be bad. the connector is always above the gas pedal. if you can't find it - you're not trying hard enough - don't expect it to be a big flashing neon sign standing alone in a vacuum for any skinny monkey to find - you have to stand on your head and look up with a flashlight when they're taped up under there with the wiring harness. it's likely stuffed/ziptied/taped tight to other wiring. give it some good effort, lighting, and you'll find it. google it - there's lots of threads online about it. https://www.google.com/search?q=diagnostic+ABS+connector+subaru&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=628&tbm=isch&imgil=2NekA2bOu6KguM%253A%253BHnZ15792uX1smM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.subaruoutback.org%25252Fforums%25252F81-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension%25252F76345-97-legacy-outback-abs-diagnostic-connector.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=2NekA2bOu6KguM%253A%252CHnZ15792uX1smM%252C_&usg=__Q56OHU66oF2sQEtFG1wQ1RSIIC4%3D#imgrc=_ http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/113645-how-to-read-abs-codes/

definitely replace the timing belt, pulleys, and tensioner (timing belt kit). the grease in the pulley bearings degrades so yes replace for certain. techincally you can regrease them or replace just the bearings, but very few people do that over just buying the relatively inexpensive kits. water pump and cam/crank seals typically have few issues, won't cause engine issues or stranding, so they're much less alarming anyway. sometimes i do it all at once to be done for 100,000 miles but it's far from necessary and almost zero risk so largely personal preference at work.

it's one bolt and super easy, it's easier than an oil change. buy a cheap EBAY sensor and pay someone to install it for you if you can't. it's so easy (one bolt) anyone with a set of tools would gladly do it for a few bucks.

yes it's the same basic process (if not identical). plug is above gas pedal - ground the proper pin and it spits the code at you. so far every subaru brake code i've ever encountered has been a speed sensor and they're almost always a front sensor. replace and done. they fail so rarely that even a used one is an option if that sounds enticing for any reasons - lots of local pull it yourself yards, buddy with a parts car, etc.

yep, normal, just resurface them. i would be sure to use flat glass like the head resurfacing thread or take it to a machine shop. i wouldn't run them just eyeballing the sanding process. but i get maybe it's fine, just hard to rubber stamp that online without seeing it.

if you're running into blocks let's be really clear on there tests that only take minutes to perform? 1. you have spark at all 4 cylinders (not just 1 or 2)? 2. pull the fuel line in the engine bay and crank - does gas pour out? 3. did you rotate the timing belt while looking at it (more than just a visual check with one side cover removed?)? 4. did your knock sensor code go away when it was replaced?

got it. it has to run good. the ECU doesn't even use the sensor for the P0420 code to run the engine. you can literally remove it, cut the wires to it, and your car will drive exactly the same. unless there's some additional symptom/issue and this is just a phantom code, but that's rare and you haven't described anthing else - besides a bump which is unclear at the moment. you might have an outlier but in general they'll come back at some point in the future. converter replacement is usually not needed but often the only consistent approach for repeatable diagnosis and repair. general mecanics rarely specialize in familiarizing themselves with all makes, models, and engines variants, but here's what a thorough diagnosis begins to look like - though it's very possible not a mechanic in your town even does this: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/66-problems-maintenance/49537-p0420-diagnosis.html

pull the fuse as a temporary solution. the switch that turns the heated seats on - is it a lighted switch - and is that light on?

Partially maybe - probably largely timing. IPO, filled the quota, and they hung the "No Occupancy" sign. Initial rush favors those who frequent and love Subaru (rather than just word of mouth, i heard about it on a forum, why not jump on...) and a longer roll out would have given people the opportunity to "pad their resume"...though would have been better from a strategic/intentional marketing perspective. They're looking at a wide range of factors to get the most out of their marketing dollars.

copy that - i was able to crawl in behind the tire enough to do it on the ground. i didn't use a torque wrench, just guessed and leveraged with two large interlocked wrenches.

ended up being the drivers side front transverse rear bushing, which i replaced 30,000 miles ago. rubber bushing completely separated from housing, all 360 degrees. there was nothing wrong with the original at 220,000 miles, i just had the cheap FEBEST ones from AMazon on hand and I think i was doing something else so i through these new FEBEST aftermarket ones on. the passengers side looks fine, the drivers side has maybe 30,000 miles on it when it failed. i won't use them for preventative maintenance any more but so far good enough for certain repairs.

i installed two of those FEBEST a couple years ago, one failed at 30,000 a couple weeks ago. the rubber completely separated all 360 degrees. like you said - for $22 and how easy they are to replace, not a catastrophic part, so far it's been worth it to just have one fail. oddly i replaced good OEM units with 220,000 miles since they were so cheap and i think i was already working on somethign else. so i won't use these as "preventative" but they're a good fit for plenty of other situations.

subaru power steering failures are very rare - it is unlikely to be the pump. as he just said - check the pulley alignment - i bet a pulley is bent or the crank pulley is partially separated or something causing excessive perpendicular forces on the belt, not just lateral over tightening.

xt6 radiators were never made by aftermarket suppliers so there's none available. places list "XT6 radiators", but they won't be XT6 radiators, they'll be 4 cylinder XT radiators. the xt6 side tanks are plastic, not metal. fan mounts are different, lower pegs are different, hose diameter is larger.

Bushwick - Thsnks. I'll give it whatever I can in 2-3 hours then I'm done. It runs and drives with no issues but isn't worth much time to me. I'll use a winch. Only thing I have with a low gear is a Kubota and it's definitely too small.

Thanks Larry! I'll make a parts list. Oh right the bumper wraps around to the tire so a fair amount of the gap issue will be there. That makes sense, frame tube will be like the inner fender rails up front, not gonna budge those beasts. Focus on bumper and trunk

Anyone ever pull the rear end after being rear ended? I've donee bunch of fronts. It's pushed in closer to wheels but not rubbing. Can that be pulled out at home to increase gap behind the tire? Or is the metal/integrated body too beefy back there? I assume the light wrinkles in the rear quarter panels are untouchable, I'm not painting this car. It's a friends 02 outback sedan hit in rear. Runs and drives fine gonna get it as good as I can with 3 hours of work or less.

i have to head to a meeting but online parts stored, opposed forces, and even ebay help with determining naming conventions like that. "fender rail" is what i sometimes say, but a quick google search gave unconvincing results, though it did show some smaller components called a "fender rail" that make up parts of the front clip. one diagram i looked at seemed to suggest like 5 parts were utilized to create that entire rail on the side, not just one.

woah crack nice. i don't know 70's stuff like moosen's and these guys but i'd think $5k is possible, particularly depending on mileage. people can go bonkers over sub 100k cars like this. if you buy smart there's no, or negligible loss, and most of the time there's margin to make money on a good purchase. not every time maybe but the majority i've bought could easily be flipped and get my money back if not come out ahead. if 1 out of 5 don't work out or i drive them forever, then so be it. of course, still need cash up front for right now.....

it sounds like headgasket. replace the radiator cap with a Subaru cap. In general yes, but in your case, probably not. *external* leaks are leaks from a hose, radiator, etc, that drip to the ground. check radiator hoses, heater core hoses, oil cooler hoses, and if you live in a rusty area check the hard metal line that runs across the bottom of the engine or the hard metal line that runs under the drivers side head. look for antifreeze/wetness. those are all the components exposed to the elements and prone to issues (though rare on something this new). *internal* leaks are leaks that end up in the combustion chamber and get burned internally - thereby creating a cloud of smoke behind you. you described a cloud of smoke and possible engine symptoms (rough idling). this is indicative of an internal leak, not an external leak. if we assume the cloud of of smoke and rough idling are symptoms of coolant loss - then it's an internal leak. this rules out most hoses and external leaks and suggests an internal issue, which is almost always headgasket. refill the coolant in the radiator and overflow and take note: 1. how long it takes to deplete? 2. look for bubbles in the overflow tank 3. if, after driving, the radiator stays low on coolant and does not draw water from the overflow tank. dont' check this now though - make sure the system is properly filled and driven first.

torque converter seal is about it to replace if the engine has the plastic rear separator plate - install the metal stamped variety (though these early models might have metal) atf hoses are wise rear output shaft seal - though they are replaceable from underneath and don't leak often so you could conceivably leave it if finances are on the table. change the ATF and front diff gear oil some early 4EAT's needed a special Subaru recall filter - i think it was 91-92's but check to make sure 94's weren't included. swap a 5MT? way more work, more expensive parts (pedal assembly, console, cruise, clutch cable, driveshaft), more expensive mainteannce - flywheel, clutch, resurface, you won't have a spare rear extension housing for future maintenance - less reliable (maybe equally reliable at most) with clutch, synchro's, main and input shaft bearing issues, less forgiving torque bind issues, more annoying to tow with, can't manually lock the "center diff". a more expensive, more time consuming, functional downgrade...sounds like a good decision to me.

Yeah the EAs have green test connectors too Have you checked for spark at all four plugs? Have good fuel?