idosubaru

I have a set of 14" Subaru rims with snow tires on them. I installed them on the XT6 today. Mad rubbing on turns - heard that before so I'm assuming it's tie rods rubbing the rims on turns? Dark and snowy so I didn't bother checking today. I have a 2" lift and had 16" Forester wheels but I don't think that should matter?

Go to tirerack.com and read through some reviews of tires that fit your needs. That's the best way to get good advice.

I've owned (own) both. I wouldn't waver from the power perspective at all. I'm not performance oriented but for power the EJ25 does great behind the auto's and the H6's while really nice aren't really speed demons, seems to me the EJ25 is a good bet. You test drove one so you should know. I like the 6 cylinder based on marginally better reliability, nice power, and more features. Not sure which models have what now but a few years ago you had to get the H6 to get all the decked out stuff - VDC in particular, side impact air bags, etc. As for AWD in favor of PT4WD - if that's due to snow you can not beat having snow tires, studs for that matter. Snow tires are more important than 4WD if you're dealing with slick road conditions. The Subaru with studs is amazing, good snows is nice too. If you're looking to buy brand new - like 2010 - be sure to spend some time at 65mph plus test driving. There's a known issue with some models (Outbacks I believe) having a steering shimmy that Subaru has not been able to fully resolve yet. Sounds like you're good to go either way.

those pins are real tricky but should come out. have you tried a c-clamp, pounding, or large channel locks? what have you tried to get them loose? if they don't, just buy a used set of calipers. i even have a set i'd sell if you want to PM or email me.

right, you and i are talking about different things/answering different questions. i thought he was asking if he needed anything else other than a head gasket between the head and block. sounds like you're answering a different question. there are no orings to buy between the head and block - he already has the headgasket, so he already essentially has the oring. i think his question is a little vague. "cylinders" to the block - not really, but i'm not sure what you're asking, that doesn't sound like familiar head gasket repair terminology to me so i'm not sure. in the end - he said he had the head gaskets so that's why i said "no" - he doesn't need anything else between the heads and gasket. clear as mud ivan?

i don't have a problem swapping transmissions, i don't know how many i've done. but i wouldn't call it easy, meaning anyone should try it. it's a big job wrestling it apart from the engine and getting it back in there. if you don't have a problem wiggling and wrestling large objects in tight spaces while lying on your back, then yes you can do this. it's basically unbolt a bunch of stuff and reinstall. having help is a huge plus - particularly your first time. maneuvering a trans from under a car is fun. make sure you properly engage/install the torque converter or you'll break your new transmission. folks miss that, it's easy to get it wrong because of a 1/4" off and not seeing it. being in vermont, if you've got rusty exhaust bolts or other bolts those might become your worst nightmare. but yeah these transmissions can be found easily for cheap so it wouldn't be too bad to fix price wise the car isn't worth much, they're a bare bones, basic vehicle and a very old model at that. no ABS, not safe, no air bags, no upgrade options, if it doesn't run i wouldn't expect much for it.

Man - you need two oil pans? What are you doing up there!?!? I have an H6 and the oil pan certainly looks a good bit different. I'd be interested in buying that H6 oil pan if you don't use it, let me know. EJ oil pans shouldn't be too hard to find, some folks on here have blown engines - davebugs does, maybe he'll sell you one or two?

the reason i say wrap it is because a split boot require cutting the old boot off - rendering zero protecting for the joint/grease once the split boots fails. a tear is at least just a tear but has *some* buffer from the old boot being in place. installing a split boot requires removing that minimal buffer. a split boot is good for passing inspection, that's about it. i'd install one on a rear axle just to pass inspection if they made them - DANG IT, they don't make one for the most useful axle!?!? i actually replace the boots, that's the way to go. but i can totally understand not wanting/being able to do that or paying someone to do it on an old car.

The caliper is fine, they don't fail that often, they're just lazy and don't care about your money. I've rebuilt calipers before too - like GD said the kits are like $10...actually the last EJ kit I bought was $6 I think to rebuild the entire caliper - that's how complicated they are Anyway - you likely don't need that anyway. Sometimes the pins are a bear to get out. I typically use a pair of large channel locks and position them with the top end on the back of the pin and the bottom end on the caliper ear (not the pin obviously or it won't come through) and squeeze. Once the pin is out it's all easy - just regrease and replace any torn boots and install new pads/rotors. Two 17mm bolts on the back hold the caliper in place, those need to come off to replace the rotor. Don't have to complete remove the calpier, just unmount it, so leave the lines in place. Very easy job - only hard part will be having something sufficient to get that pin out - channel locks or brass drift...etc.

depends on which parts. brakes - get that stuff anywhere. the best thing you can do on a car this old is to flush all the fluid, make sure the rubber lines are good, regrease all the caliper slides, and get rotors and pads. you can even have your rotors turned, place close to me only charges $15 each. i like NAPA's Adaptive One i think they're called - ceramic brakes. But they are spendy, but come with new caliper clips. Wheel bearings, anywhere should be fine. You also have the option of just installing a set of used hubs with new bearings in them. Can actually be cheaper too. Struts - they can be used as well if you want to save a few bucks. There are parts that folks familiar with Subaru typically recommend from Subaru. None of what you're asking about falls under that category, for most people.

ah ha, gotcha. so the carbs and FI's wiring harness is completely different, even for body side stuff? that makes sense. I have an XT6 about to go to the scrap yard, for a few bucks i'll cut the body side harness off so you have something to plug into a digidash.

Split boots are terrible, save yourself the agony. If you don't want to repair it properly, just pack it with grease and then make a stout wrapping for it. it can work even on the outer joints on the front which articulate alot, the inners are easy since they don't move nearly as much. get creative with rubber, zip ties, hose clamps, goop, whatever. if it doesn't work, do it again with something beefier, it'll work.

they are plug and play with XT's/XT6's for the most part though those sensors need to be swapped still. a few on the XT forum have done it. i have a new digidash and have thought about putting it in my XT6. could an XT/XT6 harness be installed in an EA82...they're EA platforms? maybe certain years - like when the XT was available?

gotcha, i thought it was XT6 specific but it's been awhile since i've worked on EA82 stuff.

they don't fail often and aren't hard to replace, i'd go used on these. i can garauntee folks on here have one, post in the parts wanted forum. i can't even imagine Subaru's price on something like this.

not sure about EA stuff but on the XT6's they have a goofy bolt to secure part of the a/c compressor/bracket. you can toss some nuts on the threads, then flip it around to use it to get those allen heads off as it's the same 14mm.

keep in mind salvages yards HAVE NO IDEA what interchanges and what does not in general. so what they say isn't really worth much at all for Subaru specific questions like this. all they do is read whatever the junkyard database tells them, they might act like it is fact but it might be wrong, it might be right. that being said, i don't know but i would suspect they're interchangeable. this newer stuff is hard to tell, it's expensive, not a lot of junk and cheap cars floating around yet and folks haven't played with them enough to learn what interchanges and what doesn't. when switching models/years you also want to make sure the final drive ratios match with the trans. you can still use it, but have to match the rear diff if it's different.

there is no oring between the heads and engine block, all you need is the head gaskets. but between the cam carrier and the head is an oring (that miles is talking about). keep in mind it's a metal reinforced oring, do not install a regular oring here. i've only seen them avialable from subaru (used to be $2.13) and thepartsbin.com use the fel-pro permatorque head gaskets - they don't require retorquing the heads. all other gaskets are supposed to be retorqued, including Subaru gaskets - which is really annoying.

yes headgaskets can leak oil. clean up and verify or you're positive that's where it's coming from? i recall hearing of someone a long time ago on another board that pulled the valve covers and "tigthened" like the bottom corner head bolts or something to try and stop a small leak. some of the head bolts (at least on an XT6) can be accessed without removing anything - like cams and all that - just a couple bolts for the valve cover). i'm not saying it's a good idea, but it would be easy and maybe worth a shot if you're about to do the head gaskets anyway.

not sure, but i looked it up earlier this year. 96 OBW i think? maybe it's 97...almost positive it's a legacy and i think it's outback? shoudl just take a couple shots on the online place to pull it up.

as for snow performance - nothing beats good tires. i'd rather have a FWD car with happakellita's or studs than a 4WD truck with non-snow tires. i love having LSD - but i'm also doing signfiicant off road and snow driving.

true, good point, gas mileage doesn't affect me in any way, mostly a novelty. you can start you're own "i like it low" thread, that's disgusting, you don't have to come into a thread about a lifted XT6 to talk about liking them low. i've owned like 20 XT6's in 17 years and i'm all about function. having a low car doesn't get me through the fields to put 5 deer in my XT6:grin: if you're not a member of the subaruxt.com forum, you might want to go check it out and roll around the floor with all your nonfunctional, impractical low riding buddies! for real, go join over there for all your XT specific needs and a neat community.

Are you positive it's the blower fan? I can't stress how odd it is for a Subaru blower fan to fail.....much less one this old? No, junkyard is your best solution, paying dealer price you would have to question someone's intelligence. It should be comforting to know that Subaru blower fans almost never fail. Most90's, and 80's for that matter, Subaru's still have the originals in them. That's why there is no other new units available - there's no market, demand, or money in it. Even if they made aftermarkets, I'd rather have a used Subaru unit than a cheap aftermarket. Good news is they are also simple to replace, like an 8 year old could do it. So if you're not comfortable doing it, nearly anyone can, a friend, mechanic, doesn't have to be Subaru dealer. You could even have any electric motor rebuilder fix or rebuild yours. Brushes and bearings, they're very simple.

Have it rebuilt locally if there are any electrical/automotive rebuilders that know what they're doing. There's one year Outback that had a recall and Subaru carries them for $75 (that's the discounted online pricing - so should be $100 at the dealer). They probably made tons of of them for the recall. Not sure how recalls are done but you could even check to see if yours was ever performed, but sounds like it's too late.

pull the blower motor out and check for debris/insulation up through/in the vent lines.