nipper

If there is no cat no matter what trick he uses it isnt going to work.

A stethascope can be awooden dowel put to your ear. Best to do this with the accesory drive belt off the car can run for this test without the alt as it will take only 15 minutesnnwill also give you safer acess to the timing covers, This method works veyry well. This is something the shop should have done. nipper

Is hard to take O2 reding seriously at this point as A- he has a miss B- he has no cats, meowless he is. nipper

Take a tech with you an dpoint out the noise. I have afeeling this will turn out bad. With the car running look at the main pulley. If it has any wobble at all tow it back to the shop. Remove the drive belt for the accessories and see if the noise goes away, oor spray them with water while it is running and see if the noise changes or go aways. Did they replace the waterpump? Are you SURE the replaced the tensioner and idlers? ARe you secure and brave enough to do the stethascope test? Is this a tinny sound or a deep sound? Is the oil full? Where does it soundlike it is coming from, front or rear of the engine. Manual or auto? This can be a coincidence so i am not ready to condem the shop yet. nipper

Pay no attention to the Cat codes, you have no cat, so ignore it, as you can not do anything about it. Have you done the water test? Spray a mist of water on the coils in the evening and look for sparklies? Thast where i would start. Did you use subaru wires? What kind of plugs did you use?

It is a heavier car then the 99. It also has a differnt gear ratio most likely. Every year newer on a car is another heavier model. The consumers want more and expect more every year. form the 99 to the 2004 crash standards may have changed and added weight. nipper

No you dont. http://www.cars101.com/subaru/subaru_maintenance.html Camshaft Belt (timing belt) 2.5L 4 cylinder (note: 6 cyls have timing chain, should not need replacement)

Did you replace the washer behind the nut? (I got 3 hrs sleep so i apologize for being absent minded). There is a washer/spacer/thingy that is supposed to be replaced. nipper

Heat Sheild. this is common on most cars. Just use a hose clamp to fix it. nipper

Check to see if water is oily. If not its your dying water pump and not dying a full flush that is doing it. Aleays replace a waterpump, idlers tensioner and timing belt together, otherwise Mr Murphy shows up. nipper

Since you know exactly where the part came from and I dont, give me your email and I will send you the FSM for the tranny from a 1998 and then you can find it. nipper

And thats the technical name too!

It is also called the Jiggler Valve. nipper

Just replace it not something to cheap out on unless you like the idea of chainging headgaskets. nipper

Yup replace everything and insepct the pullies for wear. nipper

!st, how did you fill the cooling system You may have a air pocket in the cooling system. If not then Head Gasket. Clogged raditor would overheat or run hot depending on load, OP says it is always overheating.

Lets do the sinple things BEFORE somone screams HG. Temp gauge is working fine (why do people blame the gauges?) Replace the thermostat with one from subaru and the radiator cap. Never doubt the temp gauge as it can get you in expensive trouble weather it is right or wrong. It sounds like your T stat is only opening 1/2 way. nipper

Well so fare almost everone is saying no matter what the clutch has to come apart. i dont really suspect hydraulics, but its a possability, especially with a 18yo driver + the mileage. nipper

There is no such thing as just a bleeding in the Hyd system (clutch) as there is just one way for air to get into it, a leak. If that is the case replace both the master and slave cylinder. I seriously doubt it is a bent clutch fork as that almost never happens on a car that doesnt see rough off roading. Or does it? nipper

i dont do under the car things well (or even bumper heignt or lower), so i only want to get down there once

Anytime you have to tap a gauge to get it to work, the gauge is bad os you have a bad connection at the gauge. Tapping on the gauge has no effect on the sender.

137,000 miles it can be either the clutch or the hydraulics. It is a little early for the hydraulics. Time for ye olde clutch test: Put front bumper against something immovable (big really big tree or building). Set the parking brake. Put the cat in 5th gear. Release the clutch and do everything in your power to keep the car runing. If the clutch is good no matter what you do the car should stall. If you can keep it running then the clutch is on its way out. nipper

Drivers side fog light, 13 years old, still works. Passenger side 2 years old (deer hit) burns out. What size bulb is this? nipper (sorry for the lousy heading, my keyboard is dying)

The suby-vanagon list has looked at this at every angle (and some of them have lost of money to throw at thier conversions) . Why re-invent the wheel?

Did you use the proper fluid? How did you determine the MPG number? May just be a coincidence as 2mpg is hard to say is anything big. A slight change in driving habits can do 2-5 mpg difference. Check tire pressures. nipper