idosubaru

auto/manual shouldn't matter. subaru has a site called opposed forces - google it and it cross references all parts like that for you. that being said - do you have any exhaust leaks? you can't have any exhaust leaks. cardoc has an extensive thread on subaruoutback.org - it details how you need to read the ECU data to determine what's wrong - could be a litany of things causing improper fueling. find that thread and he details a few causes he has found - read that thread before you do anything else - or at least the first page. if you don't do that the only way you'll "fix" it is to install a new converter $$$$$$ - which will in turn fail in the future for the same reason the original failed. keep in mind - all Subaru converters last the life of the vehicle and should never need replaced, if they do then something "caused" it and needs remedied before you install a new expensive converter...unless you like throwing expensive parts at issues. the problem is analying that data is something no mechanic does (except cardoc in Austin, Texas at his shop), folks on subaruoutback are getting free software to read the data and posting it for him to look at the fuel trims and ascertain what's wrong. quite a few threads have been started over there.

you did the right thing, that is the far better motor.

got any Subaru body parts/sheet metal around to cut up? didn't you just total one of your rides...maybe it's all mangled? i've cut rust repair panels out of subaru parts i've got on hand before and they worked fine.

copy, i've got 1/2" and 3/4" impact wrenches, i guess my question is about 3/8" impact wrenches, will a decent one knock out most lugs that i encounter?

depends on ones definition of "need to". you could test the clearances and see how they are, then decide. testing is easier than adjusting. it should be done but the difficulty/cost on that particular motor means it's often ignored. it's a convoluted job on that particular motor. they get tight over time and burn exhaust valves....sometimes. it doesn't happen often and takes at least 150k for the valves to start getting tight. the 96 models have HLA's which never need adjusting...are you positive it's the original EJ25 engine in the vehicle? you could swap in a 1996 EJ25 quicker than it takes to adjust the valves probably. LOL

+1 axle needs checked. a free test if you're unsure is to swap axles side to side and see if the clunk moves with the axle. if power steering is leaking that bad might try some power steering stop leak. i generally don't like that stuff but if it's a rack that's leaking and going to get swapped anyway it's worth a shot.

i want to get a 3/8" impact wrench just for less weight. but - quite a few online reviews say don't use a 3/8 for lug nuts which is what i want to use it for mostly. maybe that's because it's a lot of shop guys working on overtorqued lugs? it's for my own cars which i don't overtighten and never seem hard to get off, seems like a 3/8" with close specs should be fine. my current 1/2" is rated at like 340 and there are 3/8" pushing 300...seems more than enough for lugs?

i've done that a couple times thinking the same thing - it is harder than it looks for someone not into body work. the slight curves in the original metal make it hard to get a flat plate to fit right. i'm sure with practice it can be done i just don't have time to practice, tool up, and set up. but yeah - it's not hard to get the job done...getting it to look good is another thing.

you say temp and level? for level, it doesn't really matter if you turn the engine on/off or not. don't turn it off and if you can't read it then try turning it off and letting it set for just a minute. can check it without warming it up - it'll still show and let you know it's either good or not. in general you won't have much ATF gone unless there's some leak somewhere so it's almost certain to be fine, which a quick glance will show. if then there's any questions then do the full warm up thing. some have "cold" and "warm" levels on the stick - so you just use the "cold" level if checking when cold.

what heartless just said,. replace the knock sensor, very common wear item. they're on ebay for like $10.

none of this likely matters, if you're looking to score a cheap car on ebay you're not likely to want to pay $100 for a "maybe"....but, good call on the pre-sale inspections. the companies that i've seen, i've had a few inspect cars i've sold, are actually decent and i'd consider it worth the money if it's like $100 or so - they aren't always favorable to older cars as they're used to doing inspections on garage queen BMW's, but you'll get accurate and detailed reports and you'll want that kind of scrutiny as the buyer. as the seller it's annoying having your Subaru wedged between a few year old beemer and mercedes appointments. they do an extensive job with a keen eye on collision damage/repairs, floods, the big ticket stuff like that. they take zillions of pictures and detailed notes. they of course won't have any subaru specific knowledge at all, you may very well be able to inform them about things like headgasket external leak inspection or a coolant in exhaust test, torque bind, etc. not sure if they would oblige but i see no reason for a non-invasive, no tool required test or glance in a particular area.

i'd just run the stock axles, they are very robust and unlikely to have issues. and if they do you'll likely have plenty of signs and warnings, they aren't likely to explode or fail catastrophically as long as they're not aftermarket axles (in which case i have seen that happen...in an XT6 no doubt). yeah the 4.44 ring gear just bolts to the LSD chunk like the 3.9 does. it'll go right in no problem, nothing really different about it. the problem is you really want the same ring and pinion set matched to the case and side bearing retainers as they set the backlash and gear mesh properly and bearing preload....if you only swap the LSD chunk none of that changes. you're swapping the ring..or ring and pinion into a new case/pinion set/side diff retainer bearings, so all of that changes. it is immensely critical on front diff bearings - mine just blew up in less than 10,000 miles when i set mine inadvertently wrong. not sure if the rears are more tolerable obviously they're far smaller and not loaded as much/integrated to the trans...but i'd be sure to hear from the folks that really know this stuff well first.

i've bought a few Subarus on ebay. it's a terrible place to sell (unless it's a novelty item like a brat), a good place to buy. some that i've bought were with known issues. great vehicles, low prices, and the issues were clearly represented. others were ready to tag and drive and served me well. one i flew 800 miles and drove it back. i prefer to talk to people before i buy, not just to learn the car but to learn the seller....how good are you at talking to and sizing people up? generally doesn't take long to discern the doctor that wants the car out of their hair or a used car lot with an honest salesmen from some hard to talk to, doesn't want to spend the time talking, has a funny story with lots of unverifiable and mixed info, gotta turn a buck, shady guy. you're dealing with less than ideal communication lines and long distances - if there's any red flag or hint of uneasiness - move on, there's plenty of vehicles out there. so far i've had 100% success buying from ebay as have my relatives. i got a less than stellar deal from a board member...short on info, not quick to answer questions or provide any history. i wouldn't have bought the car if i didn't know him on the board so i gave him the benefit of the doubt since we were working across thousands of miles...turned out lots of missing info on that car, unanswered questions turned into actual non-working stuff, and i probably should have stuck with my gut instincts. but a friend has been driving and putting that car to good use for a few years so all is well, i just burned a lot of time in that and use it as an example of looking for red flags and moving on no matter what. as with anything - with a little time and subaru specific/purchasing familiarity you can get a good deal without it being all that risky. most used cars of any age on a local lot are being flipped from auction...hardly to be considered free of risk.

it doesn't matter. keep rolling. they're all the same size. sure - check tread diameter if you want - i wouldn't waste my time as i've been around Subaru's long enough to know it won't matter. You can put completely different brand/tread on there and it won't matter. if slight variations in tires (other than size/circumference) could blow up your transmission then that assumes some kind of resistance/weight/inertia difference causes issues - you'd have to worry about different amounts of grease in the DOJ's, the CV band clamps being different weights, axles being different weights, rocks stuck in the tread, mud or snow caked in the rim making them weigh different amounts....subaru transmissions would be blowing up all the time based on the way some people talk about tires on Subarus. there are tire shops around here that install two new tires on subarus - one on the front and one on the opposite side rear. i'm not saying i recommend that or think it's a good idea and i've never done it...but apparently it is suggested that due to the way open differentials work (only one tire in the rear and one tire in the front is actually driven by the trans), it's possible to do that. get a FWD car stuck - only one tire spins - that's why FWD tires don't need to match even up front. get a 4WD Subaru (without rear LSD or VDC or DCCD - none of which yours has stock) stuck and how many tires spin - 2.

it's good to ask - there are instances where it's a dire necessity like newer Subaru EJ turbo engines that are problematic regarding oil supply. and if you're towing huge loads often, racing, living in sub-saharan africa, or the arctic circle, or you want to make 1,000,000 miles - good to rethink that/ask about oil. but for average daily driver Subarus at least the discussion about ends there - follow the owners manual. as much as i'd like to herald myself as the subaru-shiznit-of oil changing engine longevity and the miles i get out of them, it's got nothing to do with my random selection of on-sale oil and filters, i simply know how to read...the owners manual. for the person that touts a brand or method that gets them 300,000 miles and a clean engine - there's 100 guys buying whatever is on sale and getting the same results....they just don't talk about it. luckily - this forum has more of the "100" guys in it....some forums it's the other way 'round.

you can swap the pans. clean them up and RTV them. you may be able to chase the threads with a tap. you may be able to drill them out and repair them with a helicoil. they make oversized drain plugs to fit in situations like this - i've never done it, you could probably google it and find people that have done it or say not too in a matter of seconds. seems simpler to just swap the oil pan and be done with it and have the pan freshly sealed up too. the down side is that with the engine already in the vehicle though you do have to undo the two lower engine mount nuts (14mm) and jack the engine up a few inches to gain clearance for the sump to snake out of the baffles inside the pan. i have a rusty pan to swap - let me know how long it takes you i've been putting it off too long!

there's also a metal reinforced oring between the cam carrier and head - one per side - so two total for the engine. be sure to use Subaru's metal reinforced oring and not just a rubber oring. i think 85 and 86 EA82's may have come with a regular oring there, later ones get the metal reinforced one. resurface the heads and clean the block well. GD has a great thread about resurfacing heads yourself, it's unbelievably easy to do and you can definitely notice the uneven surface as you do it. takes like 4 minutes, beats driving to the shop, dropping off, coming back later...etc...and it's nearly free.

oil discussions are pointless. follow the owners manual, there's no need to go beyond that. brand and type don't matter, just follow the owners manual. for every person that makes one claim there's someone else doing the opposite and getting 300,000 miles - it's obviously pointless. subaru's (2000+ turbo's notwithstanding) easily make 300,000 miles regardless of conventional, synthetic, etc. people like to talk about oil because everyone is right and no one can resist not being right about something. whatever you do is right because everything works fine...follow the owners manual. conventional, synthetic...just don't be dumb and you're golden.

yeah i wouldn't use that piston, that's terrible. i just rebuilt a caliper last week. i'm sure folks have extra calipers they could send you one or a piston? i don't think i have any rears...maybe?

good job researching and getting your info. this is how i did it, but i've only done it once. cut out and remove as much of the old brake line as you can in one piece so you can mimic all the bends/fitment. once you get it close, snake it through where it goes and tweak the bends as needed once it's in place. some auto parts stores like autozone was the last one i used for brake line/flaring tools - rent the tools for bending and flaring. are aftermarket brake lines lesser material than the original? the original line lasted over 15 years and almost a quarter million miles. i've always wanted to look into flexible stainless steel the whole way just to avoid all the bending and making fittings and try to get one piece from under the seat all the way to the caliper to avoid additional fittings, but i don't know the feasibility of that.

yep, get it. gates are good kits. the tensioners are the expensive part - they used to be around $100 just for the tensioners but they're coming down in price. theimportexperts haven't really kept up with the decrease in tensioner pricing for some reason. some of the cheaper kits on ebay are suspicious in terms of quality but i haven't seen any fail yet, though i avoid them for the most part.

like larry pointed to - www.car-parts.com or ebay - the ebay vendors will ship anything. i've bought entire leather interiors with side impact air bags off of ebay and had them shipped. didn't cost that much and it was for a vehicle that was 7 years old at the time...same as yours right now. no way in a billion years i'd pay for a new seat from Subaru.

follow the owners manual and you're golden. no extra or special maintenance will buy any more miles or reliability over the long term. unless you're planning on racing, rock crawling, towing huge loads...

ha ha, i tried out that filter fairtax, to see what it would do. i generally never type like that anyway...i should start trying that stupid codswalloping spoob more often and see what it does...like right now....oh i can't want to hit post, where is it... edit...i need to go to bed, i should not be laughing this hard at this. lol

yep, sounds like it was pad slapped by some jack rump roast with minimum effort. odd since i've never seen one set of pads for sale, they only come in sets. they just tossed the others away...or saved them for the next subaru, LOL?