idosubaru

I’ll see if I can tell anything, Ive got a 2014 Forester parts car for a 2017. may not have a chance until tomorrow. I think those are the same generation as 2018, let me know if you need any parts.

I’m not sure what youre asking - you ask if they swap but mention multiple times “taller”, what does “taller” mean to you? The struts don’t change the car height, so I’m not sure where you’re seeing they’re taller or why it matters - once installed there is no appreciable difference. Most people swap struts and keep the original springs. Use 00-04 springs on 00-04 outbacks and 05-09 springs on 05-09 outbacks. Use 00-04 struts on 00-09 outbacks. if you want to worry about “height” then the discussion is about springs - most people install turbo baja springs in 00-09 outback at get a stiffer rear and extra 1”+ bump for loads/towing. Anyway height is about springs, not struts....you’re asking about struts but talking about height I already said all this but 00-04 and 05-09 Outback struts are interchangeable. It’s very well known across Subaru world - as I already said people install 00-04 all the time in 05-09s, it’s almost a standard “upgrade” in DIY Subaru circles. If you do go OEM, the OEM 00-04 struts are good struts.

Here’s my “write up” on removing those when like all 50 of them were stripped. Granted I had the motor out of the car but I’ve done one off bolts here and there the same way. I used a heavy steel mallet, a good but heavier than a hammer. https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/alternate-method-for-removing-stubborn-rusty-seized-bolts.122882/

ah that’s important “even when the car is off”? If it’s making a noise with the car off - and where are the keys, in the ignition or not? On or off? i would check the speaker surrounds/grilles. and see if he can narrow down where it’s coming from - the left, right, or center? For the video Maybe you could post it elsewhere like Dropbox or YouTube and give a link?

Great. Good eye. some of the Timing cover bolts do have orings. There’s a bunch in total, but I forget which are inner or outer or bolt related. There are some between the rear timing cover and the block. Hopefully not one of those. That’s interesting one of those can leak that much. Sorry I was confused. Pics can be tough. Close gives detail but maybe not location. Too far gives location but no detail. Lighting, angle, etc.

I couldn’t hear any audio in the video or see enough to see anything. While driving or idling or both? Does steering, brake pedal or gas pedal change it - or its always doing it? Does he have a go pro to record it? maybe get an app that can record decibel level and compare it to other news one on the lot? A second dealership or regional rep is ideal if the dealer can’t find anything.

You can ask here - specifically the “New Gen forum” about mechanical issues. There are a couple of shop owners, workers, and very experienced hobbyists here. There is a Crosstek specific forum as well you can google Zap I think is there and might chime in 1. take it to the dealer. 2. take it to a different dealer. 3. call the regional Subaru rep Sorry to hear about your brother that’s terribly haunting, good on you remembering him in that way. Well done. My email is idosubaru@gmail.com, shoot me an email as I’d love to send you some Subaru trinkets for your history with Subaru and your brother.

What am I looking at to lower my XT6 front 1”? It is lifted too much for the front axles - lets call it 3”. support engine, lower crossmember, remove crossmember bolts, and install blocks between cross member and body? do I also have to drop the trans mount? Can the pitch stopper and steering shaft, handle a 1” drop? I’m going to lower the lift or drop the front if it’s not too much effort. I assume I have to lower the lift but if I can get an easy 1” drop I’ll do it.

That sure looks like the front to me, but maybe it’s just the angle or orientation of the pic confusing us. if you’re back under it John, grab another pic maybe from further back to see more of the surrounding area. From that small pic it looks like the front cover and probable crank seal. you asked earlier - it’s just one crank seal behind the crank pulley that taps into the front cover. Just like any other ER or EJ Subaru engine.

They’re interchangeable. It’s pretty common to use 00-04 struts in 05-09s because the 05-09 struts suck. They’re so bad I wouldn’t waste my time swapping in used 05-09s. The couple times I’ve done it Ive regretted it because they’re so short lived. im unsure if the top mounts are interchangeable but the struts are. I think the top mounts are but I’m uncertain.

Pop the trunk and read the flashing LED under the trunk shelf on the ECU. Slow blinks are 10 and fast blinks are 1. 2 slow and 3 fast = code 23. 2 slow and 3 fast and 3 slow and 4 fast is two codes: 23, and 34. Count them all until you the cycle repeats back the first number you read. is the CEL on all the time or only sometimes? Does it ever go off?

Great! You got a number reading to look at? Who measured it? You’ll be golden with a new battery. You can also have it tested and get a replacement under warranty maybe? But then you’re stuck to the low capacity stock battery that is adequate but incredibly unforgiving for your use.

Oh woah, that picture is the back of the cover? I think that’s confusing us. The oil cooler hose bracket bolts to the back like that? I thought those bolted to the front. I’m all turned around then, it’s too close for me to see the entire context. I can picture the rear of the covers very well. I’ll try to remember to check my spare H6 engine I have in the garage tomorrow.

****Edit*** I posted this before I read your reply about it being the rear of the cover.....so it’s likely all irrelevant.... Youre right, it won’t. The picture shows black on the front of the cover. Look at the two bottom bolts on the front cover, and even above them, and the oil cooler hose (and it’s associated bracket) in the picture looks to have oil on it. They’re all black, not silver. I’d follow the black deposits up the crank seal. A rear cover leak isn’t going to make those bolts and hose wet. It seems like oil is running down the face of the cover and then dripping down. Often times it gets blown back and “sprays” areas behind/below when the car is moving. Pictures are tough sometimes - can’t see the whole area and context, so it’s hard to say if that blackness in the picture is 10 years of build up, or a recent leak.

I’m sorry you’ve had some awful experiences. Its frustrating no doubt and a new car is not supposed to do that. Just get a new, better, battery. If you’re going to leave it set then ask what batteries can take that abuse better (lead acid or AGM or which Odysssey battery). The stock battery is small to begin with and you’ve damaged it from running low, maybe the first time it sat for a long time and only incurred short trips. This is common for many newer vehicles, not just crossteks. many newer cars are using small batteries probably for EPA weight reduction fleet mieleage reasons. I’ve seen college students complain about their car, but it’s not the car. it’s because they live on/next to campus, never drive, and already had an ancient battery they’ve run dead multiple times to begin with. Get a new battery. Once it’s been run dead It’s a risky piece of trash. Batteries are not forgiving. Buy a better one with higher capacity - people do it *ALL* the time. You’re not still wearing clothes from middle school because they don’t fit. Your current puny battery doesn’t fit for your usage and you’ve damaged it. people that leave batteries for extended periods of time get a trickle charger. Again - very common for people who don’t use a car battery frequently. Get a new higher capacity battery (don’t get it from the dealer) If you suspect an issue then have the parasitic drag tested - it should be less than 100 milliamperes. Easy test.

We don’t know the history of the vehicle and batteries are *routinely* problematic. 1. test for a drain in the vehicle. It’s a simple test. 2. have the battery tested at any major national chain like advanced auto parts, etc. more than likely the battery is weak and the first time it ran low degraded it and it’s now junk. again we don’t know the history or how likely options 1 and 2 are Get a better battery and never think about it again. Get something with more power then the stock unit. Get an Odyssey if you want the best, call them and ask which one. The battery might be bad or the first time it died degraded its capabilities. They are *not* forgiving. Youre over thinking it. More than likely the first time it ran low was more than a week - and was preceded and/or proceeded by short trips where the battery wasn’t fully charged. Batteries degrade every time they run low - so you’re making it worse every time it does this. You could check for a drain and/or have the battery tested.

That looks (and sounds) a lot like a front crank seal leak. Maybe remove the crank bolt cover (10mm bolts) and the crank pulley bolt (22mm) and crank pulley and see if it's wet behind there? Check the serpentine pulley bearings while the belts are off - they fail all the time. easily replacable - tap out, tap in new ones. I'd clean that area up with a rag and cleaner and see where you start to see oil again - paying particular attention to the seal and grabbing a clear picture of the first signs of oil. Since it sounds like it's leaking badly - it should be easy to see where it emanates from once it's clean. "back plate" - I think he was referencing a 4 cylinder vehicle. your leak is going to be the front crank seal or timing chain cover. oil pans are in that vicinity but I don't see how they could leak only while idling like that. The timing cover bolts are numerous. The front cover can be resealed in the vehicle. It's tight but doable if the bolts aren't rusty. If they are rusty and round out then it's trickier. The rear cover obviously needs the front and all the chain components removed.

I'm betting aftermarket just makes one part. Pins, pin bore, orientation of brake hose are the only minor differences. They can account for those things easily to make one part number.

Looked up OEM or the aftermarket parts? That OEM are left/right handed doesn’t guarantee the aftermarket are. If they can make one part fit both sides, sometimes they do. It’s obviously not common because often they’re totally different, but I’ve seen parts that are left/right handed for OEM but a single part by aftermarket suppliers.

If the caliper bracket is symmetric it could be installed “upside down” on the opposite side on models that have symmetric caliper bolts, which I think this one does.

Hey John. timing chain cover, if it’s not the crank seal or cooler gasket. It would leak more while running due to the timing chain getting doused in oil. I’ve seen them get wet but never drip like you’re seeing. Clean it off and see if you can spot the timing cover mating surface and look there. There’s a front and rear cover, I assume the front is the culprit but I haven’t focused attention on that specific area in awhile. can you post a picture of the leak area? Or email/text it to me.

Bottom caliper slide pin has a bushing, top doesn't. Swap the pins from top to bottom - well I guess you probably can't do that. The pin bores are probably different sizes and the one with a bushing wont' fit in the other bore. I just throw away the pin bushings on personal vehicles and would leave it as is.

XT6 brakes are the same as EA82. Same calipers and front hand brake set up.

if you can't get them locally someone could probably ship you the originals if you need them to retain the parking brake function. that's a very strange repair that someone did - pull the pistons and replace them without using the spindles for the ebrake? Unless they gutted the originals? Either way it's odd. You could also do the rear ebrake conversion and possibly use brake calipers that are more readily available over there?