nipper

At this low mialage it can be anything, but it sounds like a suspension bushing or sway bar issue. Gp over the car, all the rubber parts. Age is just as bad as milege and maint should be done by the calender on this car.

Why are people hinting at the engine, that would be one of the last places i would look after hearing the car has been tuned up. What does the tach do when this happens? Does it go away if you manually shift the car. What happens in D3 Put the FWD fuse in a for a while and see what happens.

So a shop replaced all the clutches and the solenoid? Do all the tires match? What kind of shop did the repair and how much did they charge.

Dear SOA.....

Subaru lesson #237 Piston slap. In the good ol days pistons had long skirts. Cylinders are slightly wider at the bottom then the top. The piston skirts helped keep the pistons straight in the cylinder. More mass in thew piston meant more force to move it and a longer time for it to heat up. In modern engines the skirt is almost gone. This allows for the piston to actually shift around in the cylinder and make noise. Once the piston warms up it expnads and the issue goes away. The mass is gone for quicker revving, better MPG and faster warmup. All engines and compressors have some piston slap, some worse then others, and not all of it can be heard.

OK i give up on this one. On the LINK i posted it pretty much holds you by the hand and tells you how to do it. Good luck on your issue.

Clutch - switch needs adjustment. Starting issue - CTS most likely. SOUnds like it may be getting too much fuel on startup as the ECU does not know how warm the engine is.

First lets get the fule filter replaced. Once it fires off how does it run till it is warmed up. Does it do this on just the first start of the day or while still cold. I am thinking Coolant Temp Sensor. Don't ever go to that shop again, they are idiots. If they only rely on codes to diagnose, they will never find any problem for anyone. CTS and other sensors will not throw a code when bad, and others wont if they are just sluggish. I am not understanding the clutch issue, if any, or how it is connected to everything else. Why do you think your clutch switch is good?

Could it be a deisel?

http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2011/04/big-news-subaru-reveals-grand-outback/

SO this does it in a "Hot Soak" condition. Does it restart after it stalls immediatly? When it restarts is ther e a puf of brown smoke? Hoe old is the O2 sensor? And change the PCV valve just because.

WOUld the digrams from the FSM help (97 ?) If so prvt me with your email

How many miles and condition

Lets start with the basics. Mileage and last time the timing belt was changed. When it stalls does it just cut out or does it stumble/cough then dies. Sucks down?

Define NEW and define OLD. Ethanol can be a wild card, but depending upon how new it is it shouldnt be an issue. Newer outbacks are heavier then older outbacks hence the MPG difference between the two cars. Your driving habits from the old car may not bode well with the new car. Try staying at 65 as the tipping point for some subarus is 68 where the MPG drops.

I have seen clutches go anywhere between 10,000 miles and 160,000 miles. It just depends upon the drivers skills and bad/good habits. A worn clutch is never something that should be held against a car.

Tell them as long as they are in there to replace the tensioner idler seals water pump main seal reseal the oil pump etc and pay for them yourself. It really should only be a parts charge to you and maybe at the most another hour labor

Why waver just because people do not take care of thier cars. Sooby waterpumps never leak that early, more like 140 or more if not replaced with the timing belt. I would go on to the next car. The only other car as bullit proof for a 17yo is a volvo. There are affordable BMW and MB in that year but they can be pricey to repair.

http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/traction/tech_traction_4wd_2.htm

HOw many miles on this car?

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/28/video-subaru-wrx-flips-end-over-end-at-global-rallycross-champi/#continued

If the service manager is not in work clothes, ask to talk to the technician who worked on the car. Not all service writers and managers are techs.

NO thats not it. all i can come up with is an under pressure tire and thats a longshot may just be one of those things unless you drive around an oval at speed for 200 miles

Learn how to use the search function it is great http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=81497&highlight=Reading+Transmission+Codes

[quote name=dmorrow;1005823 I mentioned in an earlier post that my tires have always been matched up. I forgot to mention that the tires had been put on after a tire rotation with the tread the wrong direction' date=' ie with the rotation arrow pointing in the wrong direction. I noticed this, but didn't think it was important. It was recently remedied. Is there any possibility that the tires with the tread in the wrong direction could over time (1 year) cause this? I did just check the tires and they are all spot on accurate with respect to diameter. Tx! D[/quote] Were all 4 backwards? Yes it is inportant as tires pump water out from the tire to prevent hydroplaning.