idosubaru

sounds like you have a leak somewhere, need to find out a general area where the water is coming in. feel all the carpet areas and pull the truck carpeting up and see what's happening underneath.

After the wheels are off it requires removing two nuts (actually removing one nut and loosening the second). WOW - TWO ENTIRE NUTS, WHAT A JOB!!!better make sure that guy is certified, bonified, insured, experienced, tested, and mack-daddy talented for two whole nuts....for five hundred dollars. wow. i'll remove your two nuts for $250...LMAO actually i even did this job once (just to see if i could) by removing only one nut...it's not a good way to do it, i just wanted to try it once. you can probably be fairly certain they'll replace the tie rods for the higher figure, they have zero incentive to replace the boot - even though Subaru tie rods are robust and not prone to failure and boot replacement is often a good fit. Boots are $30 or so at the auto parts store. They could do the job in a half hour - so figure two hours labor and you're looking at $150 - $200 for boot replacement....possibly a $100 if you can find someone honest to replace the boot. 1. there's no need to have a dealer do this, it's so easy that's way overkill to pay their exorbitant prices. 2. if it's done right an alignment is not needed and simply an upsell. you didn't need an alignment before and a rack boot is no cause for alignment. if you need an alignment after a steering rack boot job, particularly by the dealer (since they're replacing with identical parts) then either: A. they are upselling you needlessly or B. incompetent either way - go elsewhere. done properly it is very easy to do tie rod ends and not loose alignment. given the nature of geometry and that you're using threads, you can either install it exactly the same way it was (thereby retaining alignment) or you can install it differently and loose your alignment. alignment is only lost if someone wants it to be...and they have financial incentive for that.

dave - i have a 95 Legacy and 97 Impreza digital FSM's...is that what you're looking for?

are you sure it's drinking through the valve stem seals and not the rings or elsewhere? i'd verify that before anything else. maybe you could even identify which stem seals are leaking and save yourself some times by only replacing those? compressed air int he cylinders will help keep the valve closed...but that is probably mostly helpful in ideal conditions. with little room to work i'm wondering if you would really be able to compress the springs properly for removal/install without putting any pressure at all on the valve itself that exceeds the air pressure? maybe the rope would work, i couldn't quite get that to work the one time i tried it. guess it has to be the right thickness and stuffed in tight, mine moved, squished and wouldn't hold. but i was trying to keep the motor from turning over - higher forces probably. i was reading actually earlier today that it is possible on EJ engines but is not fun. someone made the comment that maybe it would be worth it to try to do one or two that way but doing them all would be simpler to pull the lump. don't forget with the lower engine mounts and dogbone disconnected you can gain a lot of engine lift too....that might help and only requires 4 nuts at most. i'm getting ready to replace some valve stem seals and valves in some EJ heads and it looks very simple, seems like they come off easily with needle nose pliers and you simply push them back in place.

at $60 - $70 for an entire set of valve stem seals, Subaru is pricey. don't see a lot of reviews or folks talking about valve stem seals, though I did see Shawn mention aftermarket is bad. stories, experiences anyone? it's a really good car with low miles so i'll probably opt for Subaru this time....but

a quick and no doubt limited run down: EA engines are old school Subarus: XT, GL's, Loyale's, RX, Brats, all the old school Subaru's. 70's - early 90's stuff. EJ engines are found in Impreza, Legacy, Forester, Baja. from 1990 - roughly current. ER27 and EG33 are one model engines for the XT6 and SVX. The ER27 is very similar to EA engines - same pistons, valves, etc, just two more cylinders. the numbers following the letters are the size of the motor. EJ22 is a 2.2 liter, etc. EZ are the 6 cylinder motors used in 2001+ Subaru Outbacks and Tribecas.

you can remove and replace the valves. lap in some new valves and you should be golden.

post a picture the oil filter may not be seated properly? an old oil filter ring could have been stuck on the engine and now there are two gaskets there. i don't believe yours has an oil cooler on it but oil cooler gaskets are known to leak as well. headgasket assuming you don't have an oil cooler then simply clean it up, change the oil filter and keep an eye on it.

i spent way too much time searching and got nowhere except "Recycle it"...all over WV government websites. that's a nice suggestion.... i would think it's bad for septic unless you're in a unique situation..otherwise it hampers the biomechanical process that bacteria serve by killing them? but it will surprise you to know i'm not a septic expert. LOL

Note: *** Auto parts stores take oil only here - no antifreeze. Where I live in WV - there's no place to recycle coolant....what are you folks doing with antifreeze? (you might have to email me your response LOL?) In Maryland Advance Auto would take coolant with oil, that's not the case for the Advance Auto's here in WV, I guess they use a different recycling program or it's changed. "Technically" speaking I have been told that shops are required to take coolant...but the last time i went they didn't want it so I left with it, i'm not pressing it. I'm not well versed on toxins or degrading but this entire area has no coolant recycling at all....yet a lot of people work on their own stuff out here - where's it all going? Down the city sewage drains at night?

There are a number of reasons that junkyard compressors are the way to go: 1. they are so cheap. subaru compressors don't fail often so they're almost worthless as a used part anyway. i don't bother keeping them half the time if i part a car out. 2. they are so easy to replace. remove the belt, remove 2 12mm bolts for the lines, and the 3-5 14mm bolts holding it in place and out it comes. super easy. http://www.car-parts.com is the database the junkyards use, find a decent priced one and have it shipped rather than pay high local prices. you can also post here for one, someone may have one in the parts wanted forum. usually a couple folks parting one out too - someone is parting out a 2001 OBW in the parts wanted forum here, contact them. compressors do fail, just not often. if it has enough (and not too much) refrigerant and the comp seems to be cracking up then it's probably bad. hard to say without working on it myself of course but if a shop said that and things are adding up then it's easy to believe.

like they suggested, i wouldn't use the fiber one either. maybe if i saw it i'd feel more comfortable giving it a go for 3,000 miles, i mean other folks obviously use them, but sounds like you're on the right track to just replace it. raises hand. i never knew you were supposed to replace them until i saw folks mention it on a forum, so i never have. i guess i have 500,000 miles on multiple personal subaru's over the decades and have never changed one. since i never had a problem i just keep reusing them.

have you looked into how much pressure you should be getting? here are some numbers from someone else that look about like yours: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4581

TPS - you can probably google plenty of information about H6 TPS's.

after 20 years who knows, smell could just be smell in the vents or something from not being used...i don't know. A/C is a closed system so *it* shouldn't make the cabin air smell at all, that would be very odd. wash the hoses out in a container FIRST and then make a decision. if i comes out clean, just a compressor and orings. if it comes out dirty or with metal/particles in it - then post here and we'll start there. no point in writing books about contingencies, start by cleaning the hose out and let us know what you find. http://www.car-parts.com for used compressors. find the cheapest and have it shipped to you. almost all of them ship. if you find particles i would be replacing everything you can that is easily accessible, basically everything under the hood...just not the heater core stuff/evaporator. condensor is easy, it's held in by like two bolts and the hoses for most Subaru's - so yes it would be almost silly not to replace it as long as you can get a good deal on one. they're essentially worthless since Subaru A/C parts don't have many issues so they're no demand.

mechanic will be an insane amount of money. personally i'd install a used compressor and charge it and see what happens. they're so cheap and easy it would be worth a shot. you could pull the a/c lines (very easy) and rinse them in some kind of solvent into a pan and see if particles come out. that would only take a few minutes the hose is held to the compressor with one bolt and the other end with one bolt. i'd do that then install a used compressor (if nothing weird comes out of the hoses) and charge it. and new orings at each fitting you disconnect. if it's an automatic you should still change it. one drain and refill only gets a small percentage of the fluid out due to fluid sitting in the torque converter and valve bodies, it's not like engine oil. most of us change it about 3 times in short succession or you can have a professional due it. at 20+ years old and that many miles it needs the old fluid out given you just bought this thing and would like to avoid an expensive transmission repair. if it's a manual then you're fine, all the oil drains out of those. well you still haven't told us if it's an auto or manual. if it's a manual then the front diff shares the trans fluid, it's one and the same you only change the trans fluid. if it's an automatic it has a dedicated front diff with it's own gear oil. you change it like engine oil - drain and refill with gear oil. in my opinion subaru timing belts are super easy...but i don't know you or your skill set. definitely no need to lift engine or special tools. remove drive belts, 22mm bolt on crank pulley, crank pulley, timing covers, then timing belt. lots of information on here on how to do it. get a factory service manual. EJ18's are awesome - keep them from running out of oil and overheating and they easily make 200,000 miles without blinking.

the "metal bits in the a/c" talk is usually not reality...particularly on Subaru's...but not impossible. if you believe it - then change the compressor and the two hoses that connect to it...and if you find it all in a pull it yourself yard, heck replace everything easily accessible which is a lot of the A/C. often mechanics will just say that without a robust look at what's wrong...if that's the case then it may just need properly charged, a leak fixed, or the compressor replaced. good to get new orings in there anyway so might as well knock it all out at once and do as much as you easily can. Auto: change the trans fluid and front diff Manual: change the gear oil I'd want it reliable so personally i'd get an ebay timing belt kit with new timing belt, timing pulleys, and tensioner and replace all of that. easy job on those motors and the kits can be had for $100 or less for everything. if the timing belt is original not only is it over twice it's mileage it's 20 years old, not reliable enough for me. Make sure battery terminal connections are clean and tight to keep battery and alt happy.

what he said - it's under the hood or on the radiator top support plain to see. but it's 21-24 ounces (two cans).

1. Any check engine light? if so - which cylinders were misfiring? 2. have the plugs/wires ever been changed? (if not then they should be with NGK plugs and Subaru wires) 3. has the timing belt ever been changed? (if not it needs replaced, it's 13 years old)

lots of folks think that so it must be common for other manufacturers/engines. since i only know Subaru's i would be clueless about anything else....i'd be reusing bolts the first time i have to do some non-subaru unless folks like you asked this question a lot!

mine seems like it is set in "too far"..a tiny amount of course - since i always reuse axle nuts i took note that the nut did not return to the same position it was in, it was 180 degrees off so not even close and obviously a bit different seating of the hub probably. i felt like it went in a little more than necessary...but who knows i can't really tell. the Subaru hubs do not have a defined ridge that that diagram above shows. i think the hub has a taper to it where it rides against the seal. the only bad part about having it installed too far is that the hub, being used, isn't perfectly clean metal, so it may wear the seal quicker?

When pressing the hub into the knuckle - how do you know when it's fully seated? It seems as if you could "press it in too far"? Got my first wheel bearing job finished today for my 02 OBW daily driver. Thanks for all the help from USMB folks.

that is incorrect. for Subaru's you always reuse the bolts. replacing the bolts is as good as throwing money away. as Doug mentioned the nice thing with new headbolts is that you don't have to clean them, which is really time consuming and gets old quick. but it's not required. there's your hang up - Subaru never made a motor with TTY bolts that require replacement. so i'm not sure where that comment stems from. call the dealer - they'll say the same thing. go by the manual no need to add anything to it.

previous post makes a good point - are the fans coming on when it's overheating? radiator could be clogged? that's a good option - if it shows hydrocarbons in the coolant then your gaskets have failed. if it passes though i wouldn't rule out the headgaskets. it may be that it has inferior quality headgaskets and they didn't hold up. on engines prone to headgasket failure it is not a good idea to use anything, there are better choices than others. your 2001 was eligible for Subaru's 100,000 mile extended headgasket warranty campaign 5 years ago...you're a bit late to that party though.