idosubaru

fip it at will - don't even think about it. what you may need to think about is not ever driving on pavement/dry pavement with the 4WD "on". don't forget it and leave it on or have the switch somewhere where a pet or person can accidentally bump it (both of which i've seen happen) i've wired them before such that they will also light a light in the cabin so you're reminded that it's on. as for when to flip the switch, it doesn't matter. when the car is running and driving essentially the TCU is constantly adjusting the application of it as well. one could argue that the switch is safer for the transmission than the TCU control - which would allow more slip so to speak - kind of like riding a clutch. the switch will be instantaneous loading of the clutches and never using the clutches for large amounts of mileage (when it's off). a pointless point - except to say that overtly granular technical banter can sound good but not really add up to anything practical. the best data point is that people have been doing this for decades now, i've done it a bunch of times. if this is the initial onset of torque bind you might even repair the vehicle with a fluid flush or 3 drain and refills. that's freed almost every one i've encountered so far when they initially start failing, car sat for awhile, or were moderately binding. the fresh fluid aids the clutches.

i've never seen TCU codes in an OBII scan - i've done 2004 and earlier routinely. so maybe that's a 2005+ thing. you can fix it by removing the rear half of the driveshaft and installing the FWD fuse. then you'll have time to plan your repair or drive it indefinitely and get studded snow tires for winter.

if you don't understand then ignore the second sentence - first sentence tells everything you need to know: remove the lower engine mount nuts - 14mm each. that's what holds the engine to the crossmember - just above the exhaust. unbolt the pitch stopper - located at back of engine in the engine bay. if you're unfamiliar with those terms google them or get a Subaru FSM - if you don't know those terms then you should definitely get a SUbaru FSM for the job. they're readily avialable online for free.

nice work, those bearings can be very tricky to R&R.

130 psi is too low.

Phase I EJ22 equipped vehicle with no rust, new timing kit, plugs, wires, and front diff/ATF and run it another 100,000 miles. It's the perfect college car. They're hard to find due to age but worth the effort to find one or go get one from far away. found in 1998 and earlier impreza's (all of them except the 98 RS) and legacy's, and 1996 MT outback. after that avoid the DOHC Phase EJ25 found in: 1996 automatic outbacks and 1997-1999 Outback, Legacy GT, LSi's, and 1998 Forester and Impreza RS. That's the worst of the EJ25 for a myriad of reasons already discussed ad naseum.

that explains it. if you're dealing in $2,000 range Subaru's in the northeast you're almost always dealing with rust. so yes old, cheap, poor condition SUbaru's around here often have rust issues. this includes rear strut mounts and a litany of other issues. it's not a defect, though you may consider it a weak spot on severely rusted cars. i've seen the rear strut mounts rust right through too - on cars that have had exhaust replaced multiple times, rear quarter panel rot in the typical places, and rusty oil pans. this hardly counts as a "defect"

Chux - does the diaphragm move the lever both ways? I can see how giving it vacuum makes it move one way - but how does it go back the opposite way? I forgot this: the DIFF light in the dash will sometimes blink rapidly (randomly) while driving and then go off - like it's trying to engage. What actually triggers the DIFF light to turn on - does anyone know? Because that might point to the problem - it's like it's trying to turn on but not quite? It's not the switch in the center console...

cars101.com performance is largely personal preference and swayed by prior experiences. if you're coming from a pleasant experience with a turbo audi or big block american vehicle - you'll think Subaru's are slow or unrefined or whatever attracted to those. if you're coming from a foreign dinky econoox it'll feel awesome. test drive one. at first glance the spec's dont' look stellar for acceleration, but it is a 2.0 liter engine, not really what most 2.0 driving people are primarily worried about: http://www.caranddriver.com/subaru/xv-crosstrek

I think most of the current info suggests gross profits (not revenue) usually surprise most people and has shifted greatly over the decades into service/parts, also surprising people, regardless of how we define "most, more, a lot, etc": http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimhenry/2012/02/29/the-surprising-ways-car-dealers-make-the-most-money-off-of-you/2/#41211e9e3ec5 http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/where-does-the-car-dealer-make-money.html I think reliability is a goal but "the most reliabile vehicle possible" doesn't stand alone in a vacuum, which I think you basically say by suggesting the short turn around times. In particular - american consumers don't give vehicles much shelf life. "reliability" is not directly, but incidentally weathered by the constant consumer need for new, change, novelty, warranty, stellar service, etc. That's why Subaru can't just re-instate the EJ22...gotta compete, try new things, be bold, etc. If money flowed directly towards reliability things would change. Marketing teams will say things like, "The best consumer is an unhappy one" - they have anecdotes, psychological studies paradox of choice and on and on and on which drive their teams to create products and a perception that "new is necessary". Seems to me the stagnation of reliabilty is largely a symptom of American consumers driving that market. And while that doesn't provide what I'd prefer in the current offerings of vehicles - it does make for advantages in other ways.

Thanks Toonga. One thing I'm uncertain about: if the lever is "already in" the position the diaphragm makes it move to - then it won't appear to move it, even if it attemps too?

install a used Subaru caliper - high quality grease (Silglyde) and you'll never have issues again. Subaru caliper pistons seizing is unbelievably rare, it's not something that normally happens on Subaru's at all for any reason except sitting in a grassy field in the rust belt - but those cars have rust and metal falling off them left and right. this is not your 2006. even still unless you've actually looked at it - it may be just the slides this time. and it may have been the slides that failed on the first original Subaru calipers. www.car-part.com has plenty of calpiers for you for cheap.

The SUbaru FSM's are readily available free onlilne - use those. i ca't believe haynes and chiltons are still i business. if this was a cheap craigslist special with unknown history and a severely blown gasket it might not last very long when your'e done. signfiicant overheats further compromise the gaskets - and the rod bearings. i've bought plenty of EJ blocks with holes in them or seized - some i knew were previously overheatd or had gaskets replaced, the others I can nearly guarantee they were previously overheated. doing it in the car isn't that bad. i consider it no worse than dealing with separating the engine and trans, TC bolts, lining up the engine and trans, tiling the contraption at the proper angle, getting to the lower bolts by the CV axles, etc. remove the two lower 14mm engine mount nuts and the top pitch stopper. maybe even the rear trans mount if properly supported, though i've never done that, but may give more room for entire lump to rotate. do that and it's not hard at all to do in the car - just jack up the given head you're working on - jack DS up when you're working on it and PS when ou're working on it. in addition to your list: get a complete timing belt kit and come with pulleys and timing tensioner - the Gates kits on amazon are popular and well priced. Subaru water pump gasket and Tstat - the aftermarkets are flimsy cardboard. cam seals, crank seal, and oil pump oring valve cover gaskets and spark plug tube gaskets (those come in a kit together sometimes, just depends) sealant for the oil pump on EJ25's we use the Turbo headgaskets....i haven't looked into any options like that for the EJ22.

I would check the caliper slide pins too - see if they're sticking. otherwise - bearing. subaru wheel bearings rarely have play, I rarely bother testing for play in a Subaru because it's not a helpful diagnosis on them. the few i have seen with play were so obviously wheel bearings they didn't need diagnosed. differential sounds normal. it's a VLSD so it doesn't "lock" until it starts slipping and they often fail/wear to a basic "open" diff with age anyway so you're quarter million miles probably means you've had an open diff for years now.

get a Gates kit on amazon for the timing belt with all new pulleys -they're very cheap. headgasets - resurface the heads and use Subaru EJ25 Turbo headgaskets. you don't want a repeat failure.

you have't told us enough about the headgasket issue yet - there's a few possible failure modes that mean different things. i'm going to assume the normal, more benign failures of an OEM installed factory headgaset (not a replacement thats leaking). ideally you do both because the labor to do the headgaskets includes removing the timing belt - so it's essentially *free* to replace the timing belt, there's literally ZERO work. makes no sense not to do it that way. but if it really comes down the posed question - this is an easy question: do the timing belt immediately. it's FIFTEEN years old - they're supposed to be replaced after 7 years. they degarde, the materials are not likely in good condition. that's like changing your oil every 15,000 miles (on conventional oil) which most people would call stupid. if the timing belt breaks the valves will be bent = more expensive to repair. if the timing belt breaks = you're stranded. the headgaskets on those: 1. if it's leaking coolant externally then change the coolant and add Subaru coolant conditioner and SOHC EJ25 OEM installed gaskets with initials leaks stop leaking every time. 2. if it's leaking oil just keep topping it off - they'll run 50,000+ miles like that and generally get worse slowly and never puke all the oil, so there's zero risk in terms of driving. no break downs, no risk of further damaged, possibility of a $2.50 repair (You haven't told us enough yet about the headgasket leak), no reason to replace headgaskets now.

1989 XT6 manual Push center diff lock button and center diff light in dash flickers but nothing happens. Swapped solenoid in engine compartment. Almost positive I manually put it in 4wd last year. How do I test the big diaphragm on the side of the trans? Is that easily replaceable, looks tight

+1, pry directly out, away from the transmission, not at an angle. it should come out relatively easy once it gets proper pressure. they pop out by hand easily when the full axle is attached, there's just so little to work with when it's just the cup. what prompted this job - noises, vibrations, busted boots, wreck?

What all was damaged? The steering column and ignition - is that it? I would get the wiring diagram for the ignition and trace all the wires to make sure they're connecting properly and see exactly what other components could have been affected. maybe a relay, battery, or starter/solenoid may have been damaged in the process of the ignition shorting out? If the ignition was the only thing damaged then I wolud think it's supporting wiring was compromised or related parts to ignition/starting, like a relay, battery, starter, or solenoid, were damged. I doubt this is the case since the engine does oddly turn over once -but check the fuses particularly the main fuse box in the engine bay. US models don't have a chip in the key - so if yours does it may be distinctly different? what do you mean you "swapped chips"?

look at the oil ports in the corners and you'll see how/why they're one directional.

EG33's and EZ's have been installed into XT6's which are based on an EA82 XT. EA82's have less forward clearance, that's the only major issue right? Move radiator, remove/move A/C. very little side clearance too so do the valve cover gaskets and spark plugs before installing.

Oh - you want to install an EJ22 engine in your cabin under the dash? I don't think an entire engine will fit too well in the front seat or under the dash, but I've never done it. But no, EJ18 and EJ22 ECU's are not interchangeable if that's what you're asking. but again - ECU I doubt matters. all the ECU does is meter incoming air and properly adjust fuel trims. they take AIR FLOW readings and add FUEL. Both ECU's will do that. Same thing with EJ22's and EJ25's - the ECU's are entirely swappable with no advantage either way. there are some tangents to that discussion but they're minor and genearlly reserved for high end applications. for that matter if you're wanting more horsepower you might want to consider an EJ25 swap or frankenmotor - EJ25 block with EJ22 heads. you can probably end up with the same horsepower but less overall work, fewer parts, and more reliability.

depends how valuable your time is. if you're bored and have gobs of time sure do all that wiring work to swap over all the EJ22 stuff. personally i'd just run the EJ18 ECU to avoid all the work - those NA ECU's aren't likely substantially different enough to provide massive gains.

I don't think he needs the VIN plate - it's a SOHC EJ25 engine counting cams or looking to see if the plugs insert straight in or at an angle are dead give aways. Phase I DOHC EJ25: 1997-1999 Outback and 1998 Forester Phase II SOHC EJ25: 1999 Forester and 2000+ Forester and Outback

That's a 1999 Forester engine - not a 1998. So it's Phase II and not compatible. Easiest solution is to bolt the Forester heads to the outback block, then you retain all the Phase II manifold/electronics. And you get to resurface the heads and install new headgaskets. Installing a Phase I engine into a Phase II vehicle is not simple.The idle bypass controllers are significantly difference and not easily dealt with. Prop the throttle open, work the gas pedal as needed and hope for no check engine lights or ignore them.