idosubaru

i've seen it mentioned before about duty a's causing shift shock - actually i think Skip from here has a really old thread about it? if you have no flashing then the dropping resistor is probably plugged in.

sticking to OEM oil is absurd, though i can envision a very busy person that doesn't ever want to think about cars sticking with it for convenience. in general there are some parts that are best to stay Subaru OEM on and some that don't matter. some folks are Subaru all (or almost all) the time, that's overkill but it certainly won't hurt you - it's definitely consistent and works, but it's too costly and unnecessary so for folks that don't mind asking around a bit you can usually find out which items you can vere away from Subaru with. correct - Subaru doesn't manufacturer all parts but that doesn't mean Subaru designs freely move to the open market either. take head gaskets for instance - you won't find any aftermarkets that look like the Subaru OEM gaskets. Are you familiar with EJ engine head gasket failures? Notorious Phase I issues, Phase II issues with a Subaru extended 100,000 mile head gasket only warranty. They updated the head gasket, that's the one to use. Fel Pro's are known to fail. That's one case where you can't get the Subaru OEM design in aftermarket and that happens a lot. Just to muddy it up some more - just because the same company supplies Subaru and aftermarket doesn't mean it's the same part...though it probably is a high probability. If 50,000 Oxygen sensors come off the line, the ones with better QC (quality control) "numbers" could go to Subaru, the rest that pass the minimums to the aftermarket community. Or companies can follow Subaru's spec's for Subaru and change those spec's for aftermarket since there are no demands there - say open up the limits a little, not have as quite the same tolerances, etc. Doubt that happens often and Subaru's are probably too small of a market for companies to pay as much attention too - they'd send that kind of process control to larger quantity markets where they stand to make more money. When folks recommend Subaru specific parts like ignition wires (that's only on EJ engines by the way - older motors could care less, i think they'll run on co-ax cable!!!) are a great example, that doesn't mean aftermarkets are terrible. Aftermarket ignition wires cause problems 4% of the time (made up the number). That's very annoying to me given the quantity of stuff i'm doing and my time is too valuable for that 4%. Most folks probably dont' care - "sweet those wires worked, awesome". I have no desire to waste my time installing wires that might fail. So when some of us recommend not using aftermarket wires and axles - two parts prone to issues - it's because we've seen multiple examples of issues...but that still doesn't mean it's "common"...or "common" is relative i guess.

i've cleaned, greased, and rebooted clicking/vibrating axles before and they quiet right up, even on my lifted XT6 last year. might be worth a shot since aftermarket axles aren't great quality anyway.

early Subaru ABS issues were often the result of a bad relay i believe, might be as simple as that. do some searching here, it's fairly common and specifics aren't coming to me at the moment. if it is the unit then you'll need to break open some brake lines to swap it out as fluid flows through it. it's been awhile but i don't think there's lots of differences in the hydraulic unit itself. i feel like there's two styles...but kind of fuzzy. take the unit or picture with you and read the label - manufacturer and compare. check the junk yard cross listing as well, that should point you in the right direction.

here's a picture from Josh's page: http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru/images/trannyresistor1.jpg make sure the dropping resistor is plugged in. i actually unplug them sometimes to get firmer shifting and leave them that way for years, but folks will say that makes your transmission blow up, so i don't officially recommend it . maybe yours is unplugged? you *should* have a blinking AT light though if it is. dropping resistors that i've seen are located like you said on the p/s strut tower. it's an aluminum rectangular device, the size *very roughly* of a pack of gum? unfortunately i've never heard of them failing so that seems unlikely as it's just a resistor but of course anything can fail. hope it did or is unplugged. fluid level is good, any AT blinking at start up?

Follow your owners manual for all of the above. Won't notice any real world difference brands here. Personally, I stray away from the cheap oil and FRAM filters which are known to end up in autostore displays cut in half to show their sweet cardboard internal parts. As for plugs, I think stock NGK's are often preferred for Subaru's, again I'd stick with stock plugs.

could you get it spinning in the air and see if it makes noise you can track with a stethoscope? being unloaded it might not make any noise though. if it's diff related you might narrow it down to bearing surface or internals. i assume you drove this car before all this swapping and no noises?

i mentioned that Subaru reuses head bolts. that point is probably gasket dependent or at least it is in other instances. follow the directions of the gasket manufacturer. it seems odd for Fel-Pro to say replace them...except as a CYA which may be why you and I both suggest they just sort of "put it on the package". if you have to replace bolts then subaru becomes cheaper anyway, right?

well crack this post is old but how did you track down this leak in the evaporator if you see this thread again? i have no recollection of those nuts turning any differently than normal CCW, so that should be right. but it's been awhile since i removed one.

not sure that it's an AT verses MT difference, but doesn't matter, it sounds like you're experiencing trigger differences in Phase II engines. check your teeth (back of cam sprocket) and points (crank sprocket circumference) for differences. if you can, post the actual codes if you know them when asking.

i've seen master cylinders fail that kept introducing bubbles into the brake fluid. sounds like MC to me but hate to throw parts, so whatever tests you can do or suggestions made are a good idea.

ha, nice catch JCE, what a sweet typo, thanks. i edited it...i think!? oh good, more information was exactly what we needed, this is making sense now. return the fel-pro gaskets and get Subaru gaskets, that's the problem. torquing procedures are gasket-dependent. it wouldn't surprise me if they stamp that on every headgasket they make as a CYA. makes me wonder, i have a few fel-pro's for older engines that i know aren't to have head bolts replaced i might look at in the morning if i remember. what the automotive classes don't tell you, because they can't cover that much material or specialize, is the idiosyncrasies of various manufacturers, parts, or specific engines. this is where boards like this are very helpful. Subaru EJ engines are not forgiving of headgaskets so this is one case (pun intended? ) where I would use Subaru OEM headgaskets. It's the EJ25 that's problematic but since Fel-Pro headgaskets are known to fail on EJ25's, I would not want them on any EJ engine. which begs the question - why are they being replaced? EJ22's don't blow headgaskets unless they've been beat - overheated, run out of coolant, etc. hopefully just a project for class or for fun? Just to confuse you - Fel-Pro HG's are actually the gasket of choice for EA and ER series Subaru engines for various reasons that don't matter here. so it's not a one-size-fits all idea nor black-and-white...kind of like life you know! the point remains that Subaru's (and likely each manufacturer) have some parts that should be OEM due to lower quality. look up the thread on thermostats showing the picture of a Subaru t-stat and an aftermarket. one looks like a robust piece of industrial machinery, the other looks like my 2 year old might break it (and at times they're known to cause issues). of course it depends how you work and your preference. if you like quick, cheap, and don't care then do whatever you want. if you want quality work, reliability, etc, then this knowledge helps with repeatability and value. i guess maybe American cars little of this matters since they're not going to make it much longer after a repair anyway.

simple, reuse the head bolts. let us know where you're hearing "don't reuse them" since you're having a hard time deciphering the large amount of experience laden support to reuse them and the limited info to not use them. i don't think it's on any of the subaru boards is it? is this from a friend who knows his stuff and is no doubt the man at poker and racing too! :lol::lol: pure joking there. the masses of Subaru experts reuse headbolts. Subaru does it, Subaru specialty shops do it and those of us (some on here work for Subaru) very well versed in Subaru's with thousands of engines and decades of collective experience on here do it. of course you *can* so if you feel better about it and don't mind the cash, then do it, it's not a big deal. at least you won't have to clean the old ones off. cleaning is my least favorite part of engine work.

right thanks. i meant i wasn't sure how to test for other things as well.

any motor will fit with enough time, money, or skill. there's no plug-and-play engine that's what you're looking for if that's what you're asking. best bet is likely to keep the motor that's in there and save up for a different car next time. at 200,000 miles it's not just the motor that's aging it's all sorts of other things too - brakes, driveline, all sorts of bearings everywhere, bushings and rubber galore, etc. which is cool for an easy swap, but for something this extensive i'd at least want most of that in excellent shape. if the engine is running good now then a proper tune up like a complete timing belt job may gain you another 100,000 miles. plenty of time to save up for that WRX or something.

there's a lot of variable to this that are hard to put a price tag on or compare. given a day or two full days work how much is it worth to you? $500 + $500 parts puts it at $1,000. that's as much or less than a dealer but you're doing far more than the head gaskets. adjust that figure up or down as you see fit given the customer, your experience, your time, skills, local economy, local subaru market etc.

if you're even considering extra capacity and the tribeca has it, get it. no good buying a new car and needing more in a couple years. plan ahead. check the steering thread on Subaruoutback.org, that has the best and most up to date information about this issue that I've seen. There are very few 2010+ vehicle owners here. you'd be likely to get one or a handful of responses here which would be anecdotal. all of the Subaru troubleshooting and "fixes" last i heard were not solving the issue completely so if they can't fix it then i'd be suspicious about the 2011 being devoid of the issue. but i haven't looked into it for a couple months, maybe there's more info out there now.

most of what i read seems to suggest hard pedal for power booster. but i have no idea or how to test things. other than leaks i've never seen brake failures other than MC.

Friends 1996 legacy wagon EJ22 auto. Trying to help her fix this cheap. I replaced the MC for her, problem still is the same. Bled the entire system, all new fluid. The brakes have always been weak, like you can't lock them up by smashing on the pedal. One problem is that I can't get the problem to happen. Brakes are weak though, like i said you can't lock them up. But they do work, but i can't get them to "not work" and have the pedal go to the floor like has happened a couple times.

it's not typically broken down into categories like you're mentioning. i mean from a developmental level those hours are sort of calculated that way, but nothing quantitative that's common and we can outline right here. Skip has a great website about a breakdown of all the work and hours for each step of the job and parts prices, etc. Would that help you - just google for skips EJ25 headgasket page or something. it often depends on what all is being done too. a basic gasket slap - no machining, no extras, nothing, just gaskets and necessary seals - is going to be much cheaper than going the whole 9 yards - machining, cleaning, all new valve cover gaskets, grommets, seals, reseal oil pump, separator plate upgrade, etc. are you having a shop or dealer do this or what? might help to know why you're asking. dealer prices typically range from $1,000 - $1,500 depending on various things like mentioned above.

driving conditions will make a big difference. i don't think everyone's experience would be the same EJ22 verses EJ18. tire size, weight, usage, towing, etc will vary. my EJ18 swapped legacy, i know it's still and EJ - but i went from EJ25 to EJ18 and here's the point: highway mileage is 22-35 mpg (with an automatic). 30+ in flat land. mileage decreases with weight (passengers), a/c, larger tires, mountains, etc. XT6 gets better hgwy gas mileage with larger tires and is consistent regardless of a/c, weight, towing, etc, i guess because it has the power to move them. if i did it over again i'd go with an Ej22 because of the mountain grades where i live. like Gloyale said the EJ18 would probably treat you right in an MT EA. but if you're pulling huge wheels, towing, mountains, weight, and interstate driving you might want to consider the EJ22.

Brake options are MIND NUMBING. i agree with ceramics, i've been really pleased with them. that being said i'd pay more attention to replacing all the clips than pad types. i like the Adaptive One ceramics ( i think they're called) from Napa, but they're not cheap. but they come with new clips. i don't use them anymore but from past experience the cheap ones dont' seem to last very long but otherwise dont' perform all that terrible in subaru's. i'd get a mid to high range name brand pad from a parts store and be done with it. i think there's a lot of marketing fat out there for the average daily driver folks like me.

Yes that's steep. I generally distrust anyone else but if they're a good and otherwise honest mechanic with great skills and equipment it might be worth it. depends on your state and the area you live as well. where i live now that's really high, where i came from in the overinflated DC area prices are higher. dealers charge for code resets so can't fault the guy there. so while he is really high, sometimes that's not all bad. paying cheap jack leg around the corner shop to do shady work is no fun to deal with either. Sometimes it's nice to post here "is this something I should try myself?" and let us guide you on difficulty and wether or not to pass. If you're light comes back on it would only be because the angle or torque value isn't right since this does happen to have a specific installation procedure (all documented, pic's from FSM posted, on here). but most likely you'll never have a problem again.

never thought about it but i have a tendency to hit the dawn at the kitchen sink when i'm in a rush and does okay. i'm just going to come out and say it - i use the rubber/nitrile/latex gloves. i'm sorry to let you down. my dad won't touch them. i get made fun of. oh well, easy clean up works for me. you guys don't use the gritty soaps, i like those?

so how exactly does it work - like what do you do and there's two paddles? give a quick run down of what you're doing to go from stop to free way speed up an incline for instance? i'd rather just come on over and watch, but yeah....