idosubaru

the 99 is a different animal being a year change and all. go ahead and search to read all you can about it first and then ask. we don't know your skill set or anything...are you doing the work, someone else? search and ask specific questions about what you don't understand or are confused about. those of us that have done it and have typed essay after essay about it to try and help others are not compelled to help every time someone rephrases the same question. you can answer that question easier than those of us that have done this. your eyes verses our memory! yours will differ from all 1998 and earlier....but i would not trust the model year alone. i would go ahead and count yours to be sure. who knows if there is an exact cut off date and if it's Dec 31 of the given model year. i would rather trust your eyes than any assumptions like that.

probably a good time to swap in another MAF, you probably have access to some? i'm sure someone on here would let you "borrow" one. or wiggle and jiggle the wiring/connections while it's running. start at the connector and gently massage the wiring as you proceed further from the maf. if that makes it stumble or corrects a poorly running engine that usually points to the wiring or connector. i'd be very surprised to find that on this vehicle though being so new and low mileage. this happens but is rare even on older gen stuff. i'm assuming your intake set up is all stock?

all EJ22's are SOHC, so that shouldn't affect anything.

got ya - i've only done one side on an OBS...probably the "easier" side? guess i have something to look forward to next time! like using your extension trick.

ding ding ding - nice call! i've always wondered that about spark plug hole threading/chasing and tapping too...they chase and drill those from time to time and i've always wondered how they do that without dropping something right in the combustion chamber?

junk axle. there's another member with a bad new NAPA axle here: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=86498&highlight=NAPA after market axles are junk...or too put it nicely - risky.

if it exists on other EA82's could it be as simple as creating that same hole? probably has the boss or something marking where it should be already right? then thread something in it? not that i typically suggest drilling into blocks but and EA82 is an EA82.....is....maybe?

type it into yahoo or any other search engine and a legacy forum pops up...it's like this but dedicated to legacy's.

i doubt that's accurate myself, but 4 out of hundred isn't great regardless. statistics are what you make them and i'm doubtful they look for "the worst" statistics so to speak. you've seen all the warnings on here...it doesn't come without reason. Subaru's off the lot have far fewer than 4 out of a hundred coming back with bad axles...so apparently someone can build them properly. they also make really long drift pin tools that help as well and i think i usually do it from underneath. annoying but easier.

not a good solution. i tried the same thing last year. after a couple months my speedometer quit working. what i didn't know is that just on the inside of the transmission is the speedometer gear that drives your speedometer. it's plastic and doesn't take well to the vibrations, mine broke and now doesn't work at all. due to the placement of that gear inside the front diff (which is essentially part of the transmission assembly), it basically means i need to disassemble the transmission to repair that little tiny gear. but... it's far easier for me just to swap transmissions, so that's what i'm going to do about it. i guess if it's the "outer" joint that knocking and problematic then you won't have an issue with it harming the trans side of things so you can try that. but it's likely to get worse and i wouldn't leave it. i learn from my experiences and this is one case where it's not a bad idea for others too as well! get a used Subaru axle or MWE only, don't waste your time with after markets. you can always keep exchanging it until you get a good one but that's annoying and how good can you really trust it to be? if there's so many sucky axles out there...then even the "good" ones probably aren't all that good. many are probably "just barely" good enough to not have noises or vibrations. just not worth it to me.

31.6 in an AWD automatic...WOW. i'm not entirely surprised since an XT6 can get 28 mpg with 6 cylinders and 145hp in the same combo - AWD automatic. but i haven't heard many people quote those kinds of numbers for AWD EA stuff. but of course....not many people drive entirely highway miles either.

quit calling my buddy Major Lazy dum, or i'll kick you!

i'm not well versed on O2 sensors but i'll tell you what i know...or think i know.... newer O2 sensors have heating circuits in them now. they have 3 (or 4) wires for the O2 sensor signal and for the heating element circuit. so these O2 sensors essentially are doing two things - monitoring O2 and heating themselves up. i would imagine that code is for the "heating" portion of the circuitry/sensor, not the sensing portion of the sensor. i'm not sure what you mean by "generic". but i would just find out what brand Subaru uses and by it at the local auto parts store - it'll be the same sensor that subaru uses. Subaru doesn't make O2 sensors, they outsource them...the same way they use NGK spark plugs and Bridgstone tires. Would you go buy your tires from Subaru...he!! no! by "generic" you could also mean "universal" that's what they call the O2 sensors that don't have plugs on them. You cut off the plug from your original and splice it on the new one. These sensors are identical to your stock O2 sensor they are just "universal" and fit multiple models rather than "direct fit" already having the wiring connector on them. BUT!!!!! i don't know if the newer 3/4 wire sensors even have universal style O2 sensors like the older 1 wires sensors do, so maybe this doesn't apply. but in the case of the older ones you stand to save a fair chunk for one wire connection, well worth it. aaaaannnnnyyyyway, like i said i'd just go to the autoparts store, or call them, or look it up on line and see what options they have. or find out what Subaru's comes with for your year....Bosch, NGK??? and then go buy one.

WOW! awesome - this sounds like someone who's tried about 13 different tools and combinations of things lying around in the garage to do this! i can think of a few similar "learning" experiences myself! bratman is supposed to be sending me some rear cups so i can just install them. this is my daily driver and would rather not risk tearing them apart and not being able to get them apart. but now i know for the next time!

someone on the xt boards just stuck 4.44 gears in his automatic 4EAT XT6 transmission. track times did not get much (if any) better yet and he said he didn't really notice much difference. it was originally stock 3.7. don't know if that means much but you might want to check and see if there's really any gains to be had. i'm wondering if the EA/ER stuff just isn't powerful enough to make good with it? although an EJ25 (4.44) is only 20 hp more than an ER27 (XT6 w/3.7's).

good job DB. get a new knock sensor. if that doesn't suit the wallet, there has been success with filling the cracks with sealant. O2 sensor. it's 10+ years old and 100,000+ miles there's no reason to not replace it. i'd just go with an OEM supplier through the local auto parts store, no point in buying it from Subaru when you can get it elsewhere and treat yourself to coffee, a movie, popcorn, and a nice steak dinner for less money. vacuum lines can vary all over the place, that's just one slight annoyance of the deal, but usually it's very minor to figure out. lots of variables, engine, model, EGR, auto, manual, non EGR, cruise, etc. even EJ25's have different set ups.

if you still wanted to chase this rabbit the question becomes - are the strut mounts (assuming it's the top) interchangeable? in other words put your 99's on the 03's and wam they are then swappable? legacycentral should have some good info on what your options are. NASIOC has excellent resources for impreza's (i have '04 WRX strut bits for my 97), i imagine the legacy stuff is out there too, i'd have a look there.

i assume they drained the old and filled with new fluid? did they try the FWD fuse?

get those questions answered and we'll be more help: did they flush the fluid? does the AT Light flash 16 times on start up? does the binding go away with the FWD fuse? are the final drives FOR SURE the same. forget part numbers, you need to manually check, subaru trans interchange stuff is just too confusing and indeterminate sometimes. if the binding goes away with the FWD fuse, i would personally install a switch so i can selectively alternate between FWD and fully locked 4WD for snow/off road driving. it's actually BETTER that way, you'll have true 4WD on demand anyway. actually that is what i do to my subaru's, what am i talking about!?!? it would be super easy and not cost more than $10 for a switch and some wiring. if the FWD fuse works you have the option of just driving it in FWD. you could disconnect the rear driveshaft and at least for now drive it in FWD. at least you know it's completely driveable for now if you need it. you may have an alternate option: if you still have your old transmission (hopefully they didn't junk it?) you can install the entire rear transfer parts onto your new transmission without even removing the new transmission (the mechanic will like to hear that). clutches and duty C should have been good in your old one - you only mentioned shifting and leaks, nothing related to the clutches or torque bind.

might want to start another thread, i'm not sure what happened here. improper seating of the torque converter won't cause torque bind. i'd start a thread, i don't know what happened, what you did or what exactly you're experiecing. used trans? mileage? AT light blinking? did you install a FWD and see if the torque bind went away?

as for the stripped bolt, chase the threads and find another identical but longer bolt. the longer bolt may reach threads that are deeper than the original and therefore untouched. i do that all the time on stripped engine bolts, there's a chance body bolts may be similar.

at $40....or free-$25 used it's hard to beat just buying an engine stand. the rear main probably isn't leaking, they rarely do (unless someone replaced it before!). sure you need to pull the engine? what if it was just the valve covers or grommets or something simple leaking that doesn't require yanking the lump?

interference engine so have the timing belt done due to age at least - it's 10 years old. timing pulleys should be inspected and replaced if noisy or rough. water pump, oil pump seals and cam seals all reside behind the timing belt as well. everyone that does the job for themself at least inspects if not preventatively does them while they're in there. any seapage and they should be replaced. have the trans fluid and coolant change. general items are in order as well - spark plugs, wires, air filter, and PCV valve. there's a small round $7 filter about the size of a quarter in diameter on one of the vacuum lines, i'd replace that as well. that's probably all i would do if the vehicle is in good condition.

probably some noises and a transmission that eventually won't move. it won't last long, if they're all the same the oil pump in the transmission gets crushed, so no pressure and no moving.

that really doesn't mean anything on Subaru's. TONS of stuff is interchangeable even though the part numbers differ. i have dozens of different part number stuff on mine. i bet they'd know the year interchanges on the legacy boards - like legacycentral