idosubaru

on older soobs the steering wheel sits on a splined shaft on the steering column. if it's off a tooth the steering wheel needs to be reset, it's not an alignment thing. take it to the dealer and have them reset it.

right, yours probably doesn't have the heater. this one may be for the heater that's available in some other seat option....leather, heater, controls...etc. i'm not very famililar with all the options available on your vehicle, but you could thumb through on-line or through your owners manual and probably see what seat options were available that you don't have and BINGO, that's what the wires are for. without being there and doing it myself i'm guessing - heated seats.

if it's never been changed, a few changes may be in order. too bad ATF is expensive! hate to do it on a questionable trans!

it could be that the car is wired for additional options...like heated seats, electronic controls, etc. vehicles are often wired with options they don't have installed. makes it easy to install them yourself afterwards, tha'ts nice byproduct of that! another possibility that is seat related or pseudo-seat related is that the seat belt clip may be integrated with the seat and the sensor that lets you know your seat belt isn't buckled is routed under there as well. maybe the previous owner didn't like the ding/ding/ding noise from the seat belt not being buckled. but i doubt this is the case.

i highly doubt your filter is clogged. i'd drain and refill again. i'd refrain from the lucas myself but i'm not trying to debate that point here. the filters in these things are really not much of a filter at all, that's why i say i wouldn't replace it. they are only screens and they set such that they really only prevent things from entering the trans oil pump, they don't "capture" much and i've never pulled one out that even had a shred of clog or dirt on it. the on in my fried transmission was even fine. particles come out with a fluid change, the screen only prevents them from getting sucked up and circulated. okay i've said enough...but i wouldn't waste my time replacing the filter unless it's the screw on type...and i don't think those came out until 1998.

you'll have to ask locally about local emissions laws. around here so long as a catalytic converter is on and functioning properly it will pass. i've had very very old converters and larger aftermarket hi-flow jobbies pass just fine. tried once without any converter and did not pass. exhaust changes don't affect anything around here, so long as a converter is somewhere int he mix. i've done tons of stuff to mine, always passes except the one time i didn't have one! but even around here each state has different laws, some areas don't have emissions at all, some don't allow exhaust modifications...etc.

read thoroughly through the owners manual. it may touch on options you don't have, such as NAV. sometimes they even mention quirks to vehicles....like the old subaru's reading near zero oil pressure. i doubt you'll find anything out about the ticking, but NAV options may be in there and oil weight will certainly be in there. i'd personally run 10w-30 synthetic in your part of the country all year long. i would ask subaru to install the NAV system. i would also ask about the tick...that doesn't sound right to me.

if you did a drain and refill, it may help to do that a couple more times. once doesn't get much of the fluid out like an engine oil change. i disconnect all the shift resistors on my subaru's (except the wifes). it firms and quickens the shifts, i think it feels better. it's on the front passengers side strut tower on the older subaru's, not sure about yours. i dont' have my impreza on me to look at. i bet you have WAY more than 1,000 miles left on it. without driving it, i'd guess it may even be fine. deteriorated and gunky internals may cause slow shifting or engaging but without any damaged or faulty parts the trans may be fine for a long time.

no on the pressure relief valve thing for engine/trans oils.

i'd start sourcing a new trans. time means alot. if your trans goes out then it's hit or miss to get a good deal. if you look over a couple weeks or months and just keep your antenna's out there you can usually get one much cheaper and lower miles. that's great mileage out of the original auto AWD trans. i'd expect some seals and internals are compromised. it could run a very long time like it is (or it may not!).

what engine? 87 wagon is EA82 i think? if you ever get a check engine light you need to find the code. a bad water temp sensor should throw a code (but i've seen them not). additionally, i've never seen a failed water temp sensor. it's usually corrossion at the connection/harness. huge issue on %50+ of the subaru's i've had. i have a write up at http://www.xt6.net on how to permanently address this issue. basically install new wire and solder it directly to the water temp sensor. i have pictures and details there (and i think i posted it here as well). on multiple occaissions i've run subaru's without thermostats before and while i don't recommend it, it didn't cause any noticeable running issues at all. how old is the ignition system? plugs, wires, cap rotor? i'm guessing plugs/wires may alleviate this as well.

frank, twice i've had distributors test within spec's of the FSM and they were still bad. spent hours trouble shooting (you could probably find my threads here or http://www.xt6.net) and in the end both times it was distributor related. i don't know how, i still haven't taken them apart but they were both on vehicles that i did extensive engine work on and the disty sat for awhile. whether that down time caused corrosion or what i don't know but i've never had one fail in a running vehicle. both times they worked fine, car ran fine, took it down for a few weeks/months for engine work and they didn't work when reinstalled. but they tested fine, go figure.

corrossion around the bead. tire needs to be dismounted, clean the rim (they usually just dimount, slap grease and remount without cleaning), then reinstall. the valve stems could be leaking....but with multiple tires doing it i'm guessing it's the wheels. maybe the air that was used to fill the tires had alot of water or something else in it that caused excessive corrossion. or maybe it's the weather, salt....there's something in common across the wheels causing that corrossion. i can't think of a common cause for valve stem failure, so while that's possible i say less likey. the valve stems can be tightened with just about anything though. or throw some soap water on them to see if they bubble. make sure the next set of tires you get they replace all the valve stems and clean the wheels good (after they quote you the price!!)

2.5 quarts in 600 miles sounds horrific. a leak down test should show where all this is going. which cylinder/which valve stem and/or which rings are the culprit. depending where/why, thicker oil may mitigate that some if you're going to keep driving it. why was this work done to begin with? what happened to this engine? compressed air in the cylinders will prevent the valve from falling if you want to attempt this in the car. do a search, some people have talked about how to remove the valve stem seals with the engine in the car. i'd pull the heads myself. like shawn said you wouldn't want to do this for all the valve stem seals. maybe if you isolated one a two. but if one or two are bad now i'd probably rather just get it all done right and replace them all. i'd worry that it's wasn't done right, or inferior parts were used and the ones you don't replace may fail in the future. you do not have to pull the engine to do the heads. with air tools you can have both heads off in the same time as it takes to pull an engine out (including set up time of the lift, chains, angling..etc). remove the heads (engine in the car), it's very easy. pulling the engine is a waste of time unless you have to do the rear main, clutch or oil pan at the same time. i think it's a good idea to cool the valve stem seals before installing them to get them in without compromising the aluminum in the heads. i take all my heads to an aluminum head specialist and have had excellent results so i continue to do that and don't actually do my own head work though. but i will say don't buy the cheap valve spring compressor at the auto parts store, they suck on subaru valve springs.

subaru's can definitely leak without mixing coolant and water. actually the long story i mentioned earlier was a coolant leak into the combustion chamber. no coolant was mixing through oil/coolant passages in the gasket or heads. i can only guess that somehow water getting into the combustion chamber also got into the block...through the rings? actually the only blown head gasket subaru i've gotten that had oil/coolant mixing was a blown turbo and that thing was blown to bits. you're using the words "coolant" and "water" interchangeably. water won't show up nearly as much in the oil since it evaporates and burns off easier than coolant. if you have milkshake under your oil cap then you have mixing. if not then maybe not so much. lots of fluid coming out the tail pipe at start up is another sign, that's before it gets so hot it burns up right away. but that's not definitive either way. either way, don't worry about the seafoam. keep changing the oil on time (if it's black, it's not on time!).

yes that's the front differential. the front diff and transmission are considered and assembly and one unit so to speak. in other words you really wouldn't replace the trans without replacing the front diff or the front diff without replacing the trans. i mean you could...but it's not advisable and butt loads of work. and most places won't sell you one without the other. don't know the name, i'd imagine a new cable would have the "end thingie" on it?

also good idea to see what they are selling for on http://www.autotrader.com or http://www.ebay.com (allows you to see the final sale price if you have an account).

yes pour the seafoam in the oil. but seafoam in the oil won't help at all. if coolant is not mixing with your oil then the block is fine and seafoam isn't needed. the heat will damage and warp your heads which seafoam won't protect, but if there's no mixing then your bearings in the block are fine. since you're concerned about the oil, i'm assuming that means you know the oil and coolant are mixing. the coolant in the oil will quickly destroy your bearings regardless of it being mixed with oil or seafoam. i've seen two results of running a vehicle with bad headgaskets. first is the rod bearings do not last very long after you fix it. i tried it once eventhough i heard all the horror stories about how bad coolant is for your bearings. i forget how long, but it lasted a few months before...you guessed it, i proved all the horror stories correct, the rod bearing gave out. the second result of running a bad headgasket too long is the point where the leakage is occurring will wear down significantly the metal in that area. somewhere on here or xt6.net i posted a picture of this engine that was run with a blown headgasket for awhile. the coolant jacket that was leaking was no longer a round hole in the block and head, but was oval and the aluminum had been eaten away in the direction of the leak from the hole. there was only a very small mating surface left for the gasket to even seal on with all that metal gone. i can only guess that some kind of local heating in the area of that leak caused that much metal to be "warn away" so to speak. i decided to install new heads, but kept the block in there. the gasket held fine with no leakage and then the rod bearing blew up so i couldn't tell if it would have lasted or not. if coolant is mixing in the oil and has been for some time i'd start looking for another engine.

you reminded me of something i've done in the past, i wasn't saying that's what you meant. i had good results running 20w-50 in some motors.

i wouldn't try any additives unless the trans was to the point where you wanted another transmission or another vehicle. when you have nothing to loose, then maybe, otherwise i've never used any. did the last owner tell you why they did a transmission fluid flush? if you can talk to them again find out why they did one. ask if it alleviated any symptoms it may have had before the flush. and ask if they did an actual flush or just a drain and refill. if they did the later than you may consider doing it again since that only removes some of the ATF (very different than an engine oil change). they may not answer the first two honestly or may not want to since they sold you the car, but they shouldn't mind letting you know if it was an actual flush or just a drain and refill. you may want to try unplugging the shift resistor on the front passengers side strut tower. i unplug them everytime i get a new Subaru. it causes the transmission to shift a firmer/quicker/with less delay. on the first generation of 4EAT's in the XT6, the 2nd-3rd shift is kind of long and delayed. i'm not that picky or anal about my vehicles but this delay is annoying. someone on xt6.net even had a valve body job done to their transmission to help and it still did it. so i unplug the shift resistor. (or you can buy a $50 kit that does basically the same thing). unplugging it firms up and quickens the shifts and lessens that delay between gears. it will cause your transmission light to blink though as it is a component that's unplugged. if you ever needed to see if your transmission is really throwing a code (instead of just blinking because that one resistor is unplugged), just plug it back in and start the car up. the light won't blink any more. this may mitigate the lag you're feeling.

fairly easy for these to strip even though the bung is iron. it is repairable though they won't repair it. they'll replace the $1,000 part and labor instead of welding on a new $5 bung for the O2 sensor. all exhaust shops carry these O2 sensor bungs, i've had them give me one for free before when i stopped in and asked. if the dealer won't fix it, drive it to an exhaust shop (call around first and try to find and honest guy) and they'll weld a new bung in place for pennies. if you can't find a nice guy to do this for you for the right price (under $100), then you can JB weld it in place yourself (i do NOT recommend this method but it would probably work...for a bit). or you can find a used converter off the internet or from someone on here and install it. i bought an exhaust header earlier this year for about $100 (shipped to my door) with an O2 sensor bung in it from someone on the boards here. $1,000 is rediculous

the power stroke diesels (or other motors) could vary from NA or Subaru stuff. maybe different vehicles have different tolerances? i don't know any subaru peeps with a blown motor due to after market filtration. everyone on this issue should avoid making a general statement based on very small samples...like if i said "K&N's are better because i've had them in a couple 200,000 plus mile subaru's". that doesn't mean anything to me. i know they let more stuff in, now does that matter or not, i'm not sure. the power in this group is that we can amass the many many samples and information that might show a trend. i'm an aerospace engineer, work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and have experience in a clean room working environment assembling vehicles that have to be launched and can never be touched again once in orbit....no maintenance, no air filters, no changes, no touchy touch for decades. i'm not ASE certified but i do have some background in things technical and have disassembled a few motors in my day. i'm curious, not trying to argue. that bobistheoilguy testing is nice. my interpretation is that it shows very little (sorry bob!). even the stock "golden child" air box filter let in a signficant amount of dirt based on the "color test". the significance in this testing to me was not the difference between them but that they all let in a fair amount of particulate matter. still can't see that small percentage difference doing anything. recall that this was only a 500 mile test.....over the course of 100's of thousands of miles i can't imagine that the K&N destroys a motor and the stock does'nt do anything...it still let in alot of stuff. much of it gets burnt, carbonized, and blown through the exhaust and never does anything anyway. that a tiny tiny percentage could be the sole cause of engine failure is hard for me to understand still.

wrong...the XT6 has 5 lug and XT has 4 lug. if you're asking about an XT, they are EA82 and an EA82 lift kit will work on them. the XT6 front suspension is completely different than the XT. it's not "hard" to lift an XT6, just very few people have ever done it on an XT6. all we are saying is the EA82 lift kit will not work on an XT6. we weren't saying it's impossible.

the front suspension of the XT6 is completely different than the XT. the struts and hub are completely different. so anything that modifies the strut or hub will not directly swap to the XT6.

i have air suspension with the height switch installed (not available in the US). haven't gotten it to work yet, but will.