idosubaru

totally get it. I was also making the point that if buying any aftermarket axle, it’s helpful to know that what you’re describing is totally normal. Zero surprise. Makes it easier to decide to return them, since that’s normal, rather than thinking it’s some oddity you need to work through.

Definitely keep that one. It’ll be fine if you just clean, regrease and reboot it. OEM axles are excellent quality and durability. Every old or noisy OEM joint I’ve cleaned/regressed/rebooted has ran perfectly quite. if you’ve hard core off-roaded and beat the snot out of it on welded diffs then maybe the axle is trash..

I’m not sure if he’s talking about new ones or old ones with dirt corrosion, rust, on the splines or mushroomed ends but I’d probably return it before shoe horning it in unless he specifically means new ones. I’ve had them be hard to install from those issues I just mentioned but it’s always been due to less than perfect splines on old hubs or old axles. I’ve never had new ones need special attention to install. If you’re not sure why I’d rather keep trying for a good new one.

1. Put good effort or offers out for a set of used OEM axles. 2. Keep returning aftermarket every time they break or have issues. What you described is what they usually do out of the box, in a month, or year - send you back to the store. How much your time is worth determines whether you pick option 1 or 2. If your time is worth little then plan ahead on returning to the store every once in a while and it’ll feel less annoying knowing it’s coming. or keep a spare and/or tools in the trunk for break downs on the road. Replace or Disassemble the axle and be prepared to “lock the center diff” so you can drive home. Then at least you can’t get stranded if you need reliability. I’ve seen countless bad and catastrophically failed aftermarket axles and I’m not a shop. bad out of the box, explode less than a mile after install, a month later, leave people stranded....zero completely catastrophically failed OEM axles. I wouldn’t feel any better than what you do right now when you get a “new” axle that does fit fine. Statistically you’re probably in the majority and won’t have an issue. But the stats are pathetic, probably 30% or some putrid number like that which is intolerable for almost any purchase except axles -somehow people love to buy cheap $9?@@!&&& axles and go back to the store multiple times.

i thought the key code was a 4 digit number code, not letter, but i haven't looked at one in quite a few years.

Awesome. Ive worked on a guys Subaru’s, he ran an NA-T for quite a few miles in a 1997 Impreza. He ran it some on the track, tinkered it, used it as a daily driver, and loved it with no issues. He kept the boost low and monitored EGTs. “red devil”, username on other forums, had classic trials with NA-T decades ago. SC instead of Turbo but Those posts might be worth a look if they’re still around.

his overall theme has been to rering the pistons and leave everything else alone. for general piston slap and engine assembly, search each question you have and you should find what you need. i think bedding is just a matter of oil choice and changing it soon after - he's discussed it before, i'd find his comments on it. context may matter too - why was the engine pulled, total miles.

La Serena. The mountain view from Santiago can be impressive. I should have made more effort to see the south, desert and Andes! Maybe we can return visit some day. Your Brat (Brumby) is fantastic!

look through cars101.com for a comparison of features, etc. crossteks have valve spring issues, make sure you have any related recalls done or avoid that year if it seems worth it. Backup cameras can be added easily - get an LCD equipped stereo/screen unit from another subaru and a camera and cable and install it.

Welcome. I’ve been to Chile. My wife worked in Santiago for 2 years. I walked past a Subaru dealer, should have went inside. She’s fluent but I speak no Spanish. I didn’t get to travel much but went north close to Peru but not quite all the way. People run different size tires all the time. They just need to clear strut, the lower spring base sticks out. See how much room you have there. I would think there’s plenty of room. 90s legacy’s had 15” wheels/tires and the GT had 205/55/16”. Most Likely the clearance is the same between those and yours. You could check by verifying the strut part number is the same and then comparing those tire size differences.

If you’re in a good Subaru market, start at a Subaru dealer. They have a Subaru specific clientele and may like have one that new to offer for sale in their used inventory, which may mean a better offer. Whatever offer you get will probably seem low unless the car you’re buying has more profit built into it. You’ll loose either way, just depends whether you want to feel like you got a smoking deal on the trade in or the new car purchase. The smoking trade in deal is much more likely to happen if you’re in person as well and they know you’re serious. The national crisis may also be impacting volumes in a variety of ways and sowing down demand for trade ins. Id also suggest trying now but don’t hesitate to try again this summer. You don’t want to sell it outright via private sale - so they’re providing you a service, it makes sense you’re going to pay for it one way or another - either with a lower trade or higher price tag on the new purchase.

Anaerobic, it won’t dry in the oil supply. applied carfully anything else works fine. The Right Stuff is excellent for some applications, people. It’s very good at sealing and drying consistently and isn’t very picky.

I would not start guessing. Read the ABS and SRS codes - they're really easy on that car. There's a black like 12 (i'm guessing) pin connected. Ground the right pin and the ABS light or SRS light will flash the trouble codes and tell you which circuit is problematic. You'll just have to google or ask which pin to ground. First flashes are 10's digits and second flashes are ones. So 2 flashes and then 4 is a code 24. Watch the ABS light and start counting after you ground the appropriate pin. Same with SRS code, just a different pin obviously. Don't do anything until you know those codes. Those airbag connectors don't come apart unless you turn your clothes inside out, whistle, cross your eyes, and pull on them with two hands and 3 toes, while standing on your head. Those connectors are nearly impossible to get apart and basically inviting people to damage them they're so asinine. There's no way that the one under the drivers seat was "randomly" loose. It's damaged or something's been done to this vehicle. So - maybe it's caught on something, maybe somethign damaged it, maybe it was pulled very hard and damaged some of the associated wiring or pulled pins out of the connector, or maybe a rodent damaged some of the harness/connector. If you found a disconnected connector I would go right back to where a known problem was and look for additional damage or causative agents. Has the car ever been wrecked? Seats pulled or swapped? Previously rodent damage? On normal, untainted Subaru's, the ABS light is almost always an ABS sensor at one of the wheels. Needs cleaned or it's rusted/warn away. Some 90's models, I think it was like around 95-96 has an ABS relay issue, but that would result in the ABS activating when the car was off and the fix was to replace the relay, it didn't trigger the light. But it may be worth looking up a TSB or more details about it once you find out more info (like the code or we hear additional symptoms/info).

i think people use urethane stuff to form their own rear diff bushings. should be able to search here and find threads on it. i know they've done it for the #11 bushing, i imagine the others can be done too.

GD is who you want for this.

There was a company in australia/new zealand many years ago that did it, i doubt they're still in existence or doing it. maybe the down under boards/forums/members know or have mention/record. or look up their model names for similar vehicles (like the loyale's equivalent or whatever since those were more common than XT's) and search for those. in the 90's the EU models were said to have higher HP and it was due to injector/ECU differences, if that's true those could be sourced for improvements. if the turbo/intake/exhaust/intercooler/engine tune are maximized and that's not enough, an ECU tweak isn't going to add enough to make someone going through all that expense/effort happy either.

glad you're done, i've seen countless subaru engines without those lower covers, there's no issue. 4 hours, Oh my, i deserve all the eyerolls and cussing you gave me. All while working ***under*** the car makes it 5 times worse. Sockets roll away or get bumped by elbows/knees, under carriage debris falls in eyes...fun fun. I often use a hand socket on engine mount nuts to see if they're going to be nice or not, particularly if there's any angle due to the exhaust being in the way. I've had them start to round and then carefully get them out without fully rounding them off. I've cut/welded/torched many Subaru exhaust nuts, zero engine mount nuts, sorry I didn't give warning. i was wondering if it was really loose or bent, or as you found, not attached, that's why i suggested verifying that before starting anything.

Check the reservoir after turning the steering wheel a bunch and hearing noises - do you see bubbles and foaming in the fulid? Hoses and clamps are all stock, clean, and tight? Are you sure it's power steering related? Use a stethoscope to isolate and verify the noise. It's not the fluid type unless you put something in there that's not supposed to be. How many lock-to-lock turns have you done - make sure you do like 100. Subaru's self-bleed very easily but make sure it was given more than 4 turns. If all of those things check out then you need to differentiate between a rack issue and pump issue - if it's a new aftermarket pump then that could easily be the issue, they're frequently problematic. I'd install a used Subaru OEM pump before a new one from a parts store. Or price out the Subaru pumps - they're expensive but less problematic.

Then again, with rust, stubborn work area, low selection of tools to access those 10mm hold down bolts, and 12 point sockets to round off the exhaust nuts it might take 4 hours. Lol! make sure it’s not just bent and it can’t be pushed/bent back into position first before doing any work.

same here, where i haven't seen an old gen in a yard in 10+ years due to rust - still, a social media or forum post putting a good price on an OEM axle: "$75 for good OEM axle" post title might motivate someone.

it's easier to fix than it seems. i've fixed that same scenario before - recent engine/trans work and that access plate is bent/loose. loosen the two lower 14mm engine mount nuts and lift the engine a little bit and see if you can get enough clearance to access the bolt heads without doing the whole radiator hoses, exhaust, etc. maybe drop the front exhaust headers too if you need another inch or so. also 14mm. rust issues being typically far better out there, this actually could be really easy and take less than 15 minutes with a good jack and tools.

what he just said, buy whatever is cheapest/simplest to exchange when it fails and pack it with good grease. buy two of them so you have a back up. it's worth the effort to try to find used OEM axles. if you really want an OEM axle, i would at least put a good offer on some local forums and see if you find one, particularly if your local market is small enough that shipping those fat hogs isn't problematic!

my first concern is finding out why the price is so low. Maybe it’s just the current crisis and they’re just dumping some vehicles to keep volume up? 2016 I think is right around the time they worked through some CVT and oil consumption learning curves. I think you’re good on those but I forget the exact years they mitigated those issues. They updated the weak sauce EPA driven oil control rings rings and CVT around 2016/2017 and I prefer recommending those years. use heavier weight oil than the 0W the factory and manual require. Subaru chains are great. No maintenance and they’re not problematic on that engine. 142k isn’t bad. I usually get them around 120-140 and run them another 20-150k Struts could be tired. Brake and front diff fluids should be changed if you can’t verify they’ve been done recently. Check rust. Rear Exhaust is the easiest place to look. If it’s all rusty and you keep cars awhile I’d proceed cautiously. Yes it’s a 2016 but I saw a 2014 over a year ago that looked atrocious at all the rear exhaust flanges and hangers

I’m the wrong person to ask. the immobilizer and CANBUS. aftermarket controllers are a work around but I don’t think they cover all aspects of every swap depending which way you’re going.

“replacing broken spring washer” - was that the one for the warn cam lobe? wonder if something happened to that area? Was there any rust there like the engine had say for a long time in outdoor weather or with water/coolant in various places due to a blown headgasket? it seems like it potentially had a blown head gasket when you got it ? I wonder if it sat with water in it at some point and rusted certain areas inside the cam tower? Can’t really access them from the oil pan like other engines. Usually cut the oil filter open and check for any debris is the way to go. Thats great, you ran the engine and are very familiar with it, so carry on as you were. I was wondering if this was a guess or someone unfamiliar with Subarus suggesting it. Ive never heard of a warn Subaru cam in a but I’m not a shop so I’m not tearing down a few a month either.