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As funny as it sounds, I've used the nail technique for several years now with great success on my 96 OBW. I did have to add 1 or 2 more in the last year or so, but the original nails have stayed putt and kept those initial rattles silent.

Thanks Paul, here's the link to save time for those interested http://www.geocities.com/samiam_68/SubaruCCS/SSC_Fix.htm

I don't know what's in it but it does work. I started using it in all our yard equipment (mowers, wood chipper, leaf blower, weed wacker, snowthrower, etc) it does such a good job at cleaning the carbs out ( which tends to gum up from time to time. I periodically treat the older Outback with Seafoam (In the gas, oil, and throttle body) - I can definitly feel the difference after a treatment. I've also tried MMO, which didn't do as well - made the engine sound more noisy for some reason, so I just stick with Seafoam. Paul

161K on my 96 OBW. They've soften a bit over that time but still very driveable, I'm actually quite amazed at how the original suspension and exhaust components have held up. Kind of lessens the pain of the HG replacement.

WAWalker, Is that the small round shaped drum with the foam edging? My '96 still has it's orginal, the foam is actually crumbling from age. Good to know if the P0400 ever shows up again, but I may replace it anyways due to age and condition. Thanks for that info. Paul

Things to check:1) EGR Valve itself 2) BPT (Back Pressure Transducer) 3) EGR Solenoid 4) Condition of vacuum hoses between the throttle body, BPT, EGR Valve and Solenoid BTW, this is for a 2.5EJ, so I don't know of the similarities, or differences, of the EGR systems btween the 2 engines. I assume they are similar. I assume also you and your mechanic have checked the operation of the EGR valve - basic. Once the engine is warmed-up, you should be able to rev the engine by hand at the throttle body, observe if the EGR valve is opening above 2K rpm and closing at idle (not sticking). Does it hold a vacuum test? I'd changed the vacuum lines first, since they're an inexpensive and quick replacement. Then move on to replacing the BPT - I've never found any info on how to test/check this qizmo, though I'm sure there must be some type of vacuum measurements that could be done. If memory serves me, the BPT is around $50. Oh, and make sure there is no moisture in the vacuum lines, or the BPT also - that can cause CELs, my mechanic says moisture was my culprit, and it eventually solved my EGR woes. Anyone else add-to or correct me on the above? Paul

Just an FYI, I'm sure most people here are aware of the other forums out there on the WEB (USMB is diffently the best though), but for anyone thinking about a new Subaru and/or extended warranty coverages, they should check out Edmunds Subaru forum thread on what people are paying, and the experiences with their dealership - as a comparison. http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?50@783.YHNoc1PuJ5b.0@.ef17adf!make=Subaru&model=Outback&ed_makeindex=.ef17adf People are reporting paying hundreds less under invoice on various models of 05 Subies in the US, and much better numbers on extended warranties than I've seen posted here. Thought this might be of help to someone in the market. Paul

hmmmm, isn't it coppers don't last as long as platinums? coppers typically should be checked/replaced at 30K platinums at 60K and Iridiums at 120K. I would concur with the NGK brand for Subaru's, copper or the platinums. Subaru mechanics I've spoken to mostly state to stay with NGK for best performance. Anyone else?

If you search the forums here for "tensioner" "noise" you'll find lots of discussions from members attempting to diagnose various engines noises from what *might* be mistaken for "valve chatter", "piston slap", "bearing failure" etc. I had spoken to a service manager at a local dealership some time ago about subie owners complaining of various engine noises (referencing my own concerns on my 96 OBW), he stated that the tensioner can often be the culprit of "knocking" or "tapping" coming from the engine, but not always necessarily in need of servicing. I'm not saying that the sounds you're hearing is the tensioner, especially since it seems to appear under load - but it may be something to keep in mind and be aware of. Certainly try some of the easier suggestions first that have been posted earlier in this thread. http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/EngineNoiseInfo.pdf http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9136&highlight=tensioner+noise The quote below taken from the above link: * inspect the timing belt tensioner, the vibration can cause these to fail, look for signs of an oil leak from the hydraulic cylinder and signs that the hydraulic spring is weak. If the tensioner has failed the timing belt will be loose and most of the time you will get a tapping sound that sounds like piston slap or valve clatter. Eventually the timing belt will slip and you could end up with a catostrophic engine failure.

Any chance that what you are hearing might be a noisy hydraulic tensioner for the timing belt?

DaveTv, I would think so, but I wouldn't swear by it since I have not personally owned or worked on those model years. If you don't have a local dealer to contact and ask, might I suggest you email or call Jason at 1stsubaruparts.com . Jason is great to work with and will take the time to research your questions. He helped me order just the trailer wiring harness/converter for my 05' (a plug-n-play type harness, normally comes with the hitch, which I didn't need) Paul

Ok, I'd like to request some guiding opinions on what all to look for on 3 different ECL/OBDII codes pulled today on my '96 OBW/2.5 A little background: Over the past couple of months, I've had the check engine light come on intermittantly, usually right after starting out first thing in the morning, sometimes right after filling the gas tank up. Sometime the ECL would blink for a few seconds, then turn solid, sometimes it would just come on solid. This does not happen all the time. And the ECL usually would turn off after driving another 70/80 miles. I've ignored it to this point because of the sporatic frequency of it coming on and then turning off and the car seems to run fine. My thinking was bad gas or an occassional hick-up with the ECU. However, I just recently changed the fuel and air filters along with the PCV, and the ECL came back again today after starting out first thing this morning. I made the decision to finally do something about it and I drove to an AutoZone store which read and pulled the codes for me (free, and even provided me with printouts!!). So I've got these 3 codes along with these descriptions printed out from AutoZone: 1) P0135, The PCM has determined that a malfunction exist in the heater circuit for oxygen sensor 1 in bank 1. (Oxygen sensor 1 is closest to the cylinder head before the catalytic converter, while oxygen sensor 2 & 3 are located further downstream and are typically mounted in or after the catalytic converter) (Bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while bank 2 identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank) 2) P0304, The PCM had determined that a misfire has occurred in cylinder #4. 3) P0420, The PCM had determined that the catalyst system efficiency for bank 1 is below threshold for the current engine operating conditions. (Bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while bank 2 indentifies the cylinders on the opposite bank) So, I'll be for sure looking at the oxygen sensor(s). I replaced the O2 on the pre-cat about 50K miles ago, the car was at approx. 100K. There was no really reason to do so other than preventive maintenance. I still have the original O2 sensor and may throw that back on to see if there are any changes. What about the misfire? Is it likely that these codes are all related to a single problem, or possible different problems that have occurred? What should I be checking for in addition to spark plug wire, ignition coil, plug boot tight on spark plug etc? BTW, The dealer put in new NGK platiums when the head gaskets where done at 138K. They said the wires and coil pack checked out fine. I don't have my Haynes manual readily available at the moment - can anyone direct me to where the "heater circuit" for the oxygen sensor is located, and how to check it if possible? This car now has 157K on her, and basically runs fine, good mpg, even when the ECL comes on. Any help would be appreciated. Paul

I agree you would most likely need the same body style/model to transfer the hitch. My 96 and 05 OBWs have completely different bolt-on configurations. But there must be a range of model years where one system would work.

I've pulled 14' and 16' fishing boats, loaded with gear, on several ocassions, including a 1500+ mile trip into Canada with my '96 OB - no problems. I also have a 8x5 utility trailer that I use to haul landscape materials for the home and other odd jobs - usually 1200 to 1800 lbs combined weight. On the long fishing trips, where I would normally achieve 26/28 mpg, towing the fishing boat drags it down to 20/22mpg. Make sure brakes/fluids/tires are in good condition, and be safe by planning longer stopping distances, drive the speed limit, etc. Even with the expected downshifting/upshifting on hills, Subies do quite well within their rated limits. You should have no problems with a single snowmobile/trailer. Paul

When looking at the differences and considering between the OB models, it should pointed out that the OB XTs are a few thousand dollars less than the 3.0R and VDC OBs. I could not justify the added cost that Subaru and the dealers are asking for the H6, nor did I want the leather trim that is the only option on the H6 models. My opinion is that the H6's are priced a bit too high, and that the 2.5 turbos will far outsell them. And I would give the Forester credit for being more nimble, having much better visability, and having better (larger) cargo access from the rear gate. I think the 2005 2.5 turbo is actually quite refined, and several friends and family members have made similar comments. And Sport Shifting using either the shifter stick or the buttons on the steering wheel is just plain fun - you can't help but grin. Paul

Yeah, they're "parked" correctly. The arms are pretty easy to take off and put back on - I've done it with my '96 OB to repaint them. Actually, I notice yesterday that the '96 wipers come over almost as far as the '05, but they're a thinner profile, so they don't seem to bother me.

Thanks for the suggestions. I may try both the Rain-X (which I have used before with great results), and aftermarket wipers. Actually, the slower intermittant settings do make it less distracting. But I think the Subaru engineers might need to "tweak" the left range sweep for the passenger side wiper - to me it is not acceptable as it is.

I recently drove around town in a steady all-day rain last week in my 05 Outback XT. I started to get distracted and annoyed as the passenger side wiper sweeps too far into the driver side field of view - so I'm having to look through 2 wiper sweeps (driver and passenger) on each pass. I think what bothers me most is that the passenger wiper sweep stops close to the center field of view on the driver side. The wipers themselves are not as slim in profile as on my 96, so they much more distracting in the field of view. Has anyone else noticed this on their 05? Anyone know if the sweep range can be independently adjusted for either wiper? I may have to see what the dealer service department says but I thought I ask here first as this seems to be a really annoying problem (to me anyways) to an otherwise all-round excellent vehicle. Paul

There are 2 square pressure clips on each of the side floor panels. The floor panels should pop right out with a little prying.

It's hidden on the driver side rear corner panel trim. You have to remove the cargo area driver side floor cover to get behind the trim with your hand to find it. I'm not sure if any aftermarket wiring harness would connect right up to it, so I decided to just purchase Subaru's trailer wiring/converter to avoid any problems. Works quite well. Paul

Sounds like you may have a bad VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) or Speedometer Head - search this forum for "speedometer" and you'll find lots of info on this topic. I don't know what the 93 Impreza's used to drive the speedometer but it's a safe bet that if it does'nt have a speedometer cable, then it is using a electro-mechanical VSS to send inpulses to the ECU and Speedometer Head. If it's similar to my 96 OBW then the VSS should be simple to replace. See if your local library or auto store has a Haynes manual handy. Paul

From etrailer.com for a 91 Subaru Legacy: http://www.etrailer.com/products.asp?model=Legacy&category=hitch&year=1991&make=Subaru&t1=&h=e http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=E&Product_Code=90751&Category_Code=H They have both Drawtite and Hidden Hitch - though they're both the full width square bar style. I don't think the newer round tubular styles came into being until a couple of years ago. As a comparison, the one I purchased for an 05 Subaru Legacy Outback: http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=E&Product_Code=90756&Category_Code=H In the Twin Cities, MN, there are tons of hitch shops and I could of had a drawtite installed for about the same as what I purchased. Very few were carrying the Hidden Hitch line. And installations included the spliced in converter and harness - they could'nt get the Subaru harness. I've had electrical issues with spliced-in harnesses in the past on other vehicles, so the Subaru solution was a BIG factor. Since I had to install the Subaru harness myself, I decided to do the hitch as well. Besides, I like the looks of the round tube style. It's too bad Subaru didn't plan for quick connectors back in the early 90's. Makes the installation hassle free and less worry down the road. IMO. Paul

I have no doubt that there are cheaper installations available. My decisions to go with what I did was based on looks and functionality for a new vehicle. The Hidden Hitch round tube and low visable profile for the 05 looks neat and clean. The quick-snap Subie wiring harness and converter routed nicely on the inside and through the wheel well - with a replacement rubber plug for pass-through to the outside at the bottom of the wheel well. Again you can buy simlar aftermarket rigs for about half the price to the Subaru part - didn't really check if any of them were compatiable with the connector available on the later Subies. I'm assuming it would require a splice connector of some kind - which I don't like. Still cheaper than a Subie dealer install with a beefier hitch to boot. On an older car, like my 96 OBW, I'd probably look for the cheapest install in a class II possible. Sounds like U-haul is right in there in that regards. Paul

If your up to installing it yourself (most are fairly easy -around 30 to 40 minutes) you might try searching online hitch retailers like etrailer.com or the such. If they have one to fit your year, they'll tell you the difficulty factor/time and the hitches come with straight forward installation instructions. I bought a class II hidden hitch for my O5 OBW from etrailer.com for around $157 (that includes the hitch, drawbar, pin, plug cover, and shipping), and the wiring connector from 1stsubaruparts.com for around $60 (plugs right into an available connector on the existing electrical system - no splicing). You should be able to find chromed hitch balls for around $6-7 at your local auto store I'm not sure if Subaru manufactured plugable wiring harness for that model year, but if they don't most aftermarket adaptors w/converters run around $35. Just a thought. Paul

Didn't Subura market metal skid plate(s) in the first years of the Outback, 96 on up. I remember there being a rear diff skid plate option, must of had one for the front diff/tranny and oil pan also. Wonder if they still manufacture these for the newer models, or maybe they just didn't sell well and drop them of the accessory options altogether. My 05 OBW XT has the plastic covering, dealer said it was to keep debris out of the engine compartment. Can be kind of a pain when changing oil/filter, especially since the drain plug is now on the center/driver side and farther back. On my 96 OBW, I can do filter and drain plug easily on the front passenger side with barely being underneath the vehicle. Paul