nipper

I agree, rock solid vac gauge rules out everything in the engine. nipper

High beltlines are in now. They will be for a while too as a way to work with the new crash standards till they figure things out better. nipper

If you do a search here on Rear Main Seal you will see that it gets messey. Its a combination of depth, some wear in the crank where the seal sits, and the knowledge of how to handle a seal issue like this. If it is bone dry leave it alone. This seal doesnt mind being ignored, as opposed to the front main seal. nipper

If it makes it through customs

there is another way they go bad, they fall apart. Do a physical inspection of the part of the Rad that you can't see. Make sure it hasnt lost any cooling fins. nipper

Been doing that test for years on waste spark ignition systems, including subarus. Many people have done it here with no issues. People drive with broken spark plug wires with no issues on subarus (thankfully it is happening less and less). It is a valid test in diagnostics. Another thing would be to thorw a vac gauge on the engine and tell us exactly what it is doing. nipper

Looks more like a capacitor to me. Maybe to have a quick heatup of the defroster. nipper

Sounds like a bad HG again. Where did you source the HG's from? Was the engine ever severly overheated? nipper

When the timing belt was done at 80K were the idler and tensioners replaced? Did this start with the replacement of the axles? replace the PCV valve just for giggles. Remove the accessory drive belts and tell us what happens. Is the engine rocking at all or is it just a vibration that can be felt. Does it seem slower or faster then engine RPM. Remove one plug wire at time, does it have any effect on the vibration? nipper

Yes limp mode is 4500-5000 rpm max and 50mph, no lockup, no AWD. This is not limp mode. Redline on the tach is actually a lilttle below the govenor rpm i do believe. I believe you have a dying solenoid someplace or a bad harness.

There is no reason for a car with bad HG's not to pass emissions. You can even be burning oil at a good clip and pass emissions. They are not looking for the results of those chemical reactions, they are just looking for proper combustion. You can pass emissions with lower then spec compression too. The Stant lever cap is a red hearing. They are telling you that this is just a band aid, and not a fix. If it was truly a fix it wouldn't need a weaker radiator cap. nipper

The TCU does hold codes. Someone needs to go in there and check for codes. The Duty A is possible. The car would have to throw both VSS sensors to go into limp mode. Your car isnt going into limp mode, it is bascially going into confused mode. I know older mechanical valve bodied will force an upshift no matter what you select if you get to redline too long. With your tranny I am not sure if it will do that, or it depends upon your TCU forcing the upshift via the solenoid. If it does the latter you wont get an upshift no matter what if there is a solenoid issue. nipper

i love the bumper

Never thought we would be smuggling Trans-x.

Do NOT play with the rear main seal. They rarely leak. They are a pita to get seated just right so that they don't leak again. Usually it takes a second try to get them right, or a third. Leave it be if it is not leaking. nipper

ewwwww i heard it but i think i am being attacked by flying pigs so i can't really think right now. i heard two noises. Does it do that with the clutch depressed, as you slow down. What happens if you pop the car in neutral? WHat happens if you slow down with the car in gear and at the very last second depress the clutch? Is it affecting the driveablility of the car. DO you feel any matching vibration in the clutch pedal?

Maybe or just wishful thinking, but something is coming... http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/18/rumormill-subaru-version-of-toyota-ft-86-to-be-bigger-get-subs/ And it may not be ugly nipper

Wow slow down here a bit. If you just go tearing things apart we can't help you and it may just come back again. Have you checked the heat sheilds, exhaust system and transmission mounts? Can we have a better description of the noise? nipper

It's very easy to list Kia's bad points. Its everything. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/kia.htm http://www.lemonlawclaims.com/kia_rio_engine_problems.htm Bottom end refers to main bearings and connecting rods and connecting rod bearings. nipper

20 mph is 1st gear. so your not even upshifting at all. second is better for much higher then that. nipper

was there a zap? That would be less then 1.5 seconds. nipper

Just dont confuse the tweeter wires with the heated mirror wires nipper

The ECU will keep the car from doing damage to itself. You have an interesting problem. Unfortunitly sportshift is not mechanically connected the same way a PRND321 is. Nothing has changed over the years otherwise. The car still needs inputs from engine RPM, Road speed (vss), and engine load (MAP) and line (pump) pressure. Without any of these the car may not shift. Shifting is a balance between line pressure and govenor pressure (Road speed). You are loosing signal someplace, not enough to throw a CEL, but enough to screw things up. Unreliable is a car that leaves you stranded, this will not do that. You say the fluids are OK, but when was the last time the fluid was changed? A problem that comes and goes is an electrical issue, not a mechanical one. What you are going to have to do, is leave the car with the dealership. Tell them to throw the subaru monitor on it, and have a mechainc that lives the farthest away take the car and use it. Give them permission to use the car for personal use. Contact the subaru area rep and talk to him. Now as far as diagnoses, lets do some micro analyzing. How long does the car run when this happens. Is it in the AM or Pm or doesnt matter. Is it humid rainy or dry outside. Does it do it just under acceleration or normal driving? nipper

Usually when someone does this, they fry either the main fuse or the fusable links or both. Also check the Alt, usually damage doesnt travel much beyond those parts. nipper

The 20,000 dollar question. How long did the car drive on mismatched tires if it did? A tranny flush is four drain and fills. Sometimes it works sometimes it just delays the inevitable. nipper