nipper

i agree everyone should know how to drive a stick, as human beings we are mnore then capable of driving the. It gives someone who fiddles with cars a better idea as to how everything intereacts, shift points, the idea of what lugging is etc. However modern computer controlled automatics are just as effecient as manuals. nipper

You want him to be able to afford parts and make progress on the car, instead of being discouraged and never making any ground (at his age i had a Lancia and that was not fun). nipper

try www.1stsubaru.com. Someplace in there is a picture of the drive belt system. Also do a search here for idler pully (alot of timing belts will come up but there are some drive belts in there too). I do have one troubling observation, I am seeing more and more of these type problems popping up. How many miles are on your car? nipper

Whoever came up with the 98% number has to stop sniffing the seafoam. The only car out there with a 100% failure rate is a dodge neon, and look how many of those are on the road today. nipper

so your not married i guess? hehehehehehehe

i had a 1998 2.2 and now a 1997 2.5 DOHC. I love the 2.5 as the einge just keeps pulling when going over hills at highway speed. The 2.2 would always be hinting. I love my 2.5

Not to mention it takes alot of heat over quite alot of time to heat it up enough to really make a difference (unless you use your oven). nipper

actually sometimes we do get to make the calls Subaru hasnt really been in that "we need to get bigger, faster every year" race. But the piston slap came about because of EPA polution standards. Longer piston skirts are more mass to heat up. Mor emass alos means slower throttle response etc. There is always a bit of a learning curve with these things as sometimes the mandates come out before the sollutions can be fully tested. It still takes time to pile the miles on cars even as test mules. This is why i am against CA instantly requireing tougher standards as no one will be able to meet them. Oil also changes as time goes on. What was available the day the car was made may be much better today then yesterday. So as long as your out of warrenty go with what works. nipper

this is not relearning anything, this is something else. Double check the electrical connection and the EGR, IAC and all vacume hoses. nipper

Wow, ive never had mine on for maybe more then 15 minutes tops. I think your motor may need to be romoved and the guts re-greased. nipper

i like the lines of 1997, and great colors are available. Otherwise we are talking used cars here, so as far as i am concerned the HG argument is moot. Any car that is 8 years old or more can blow a HG. You have to look at the entire car as a whole. Any of the outback years are a good buy. Everything that you touch (which is the quickets way to have a car feel like junk) works and stays in good shape. Body doesnt seem to get too many rattles, if any with age. go to www.cars101.com to see what the differnce in years are to see which one would fit you. nipper

I would say no. The car is powerful, and a bit exotic. Parts are expensive (even for adults). Part of me says go ahead and sell it to him as he will never have the money to keep it running and on the road for any length of time, the other part worries about when he does get it on the raod. Here on Long Island we loose way too many 16-17-18 yo's to cars that are way beyond their means and ability of self control. Telephone poles and trees are unforgiving. nipper

All it says is "they can not be removed without a hydraulic press and the right adapters" which roughly translated means a big hammer and some forthought. nipper

What he said. If a sensoe was in the direct line of impact I would replace it. If it wasnt and everything is OK the SRS light wont be on. nipper

Hints of Topgear here..... nipper

6 volts. It took two hours on a 10amp trickle charger. All is well now. I forgot one thing about Blu, so I have perfect confidence all is well For the last few days Blu was putting out 14.1-14.2 volts, which hit me as odd. It was in spec, but Blu always is a 13.5-13.8 kind of guy. I guess the extra output was the alt trying to charge a battery that wouldnt hold a charge. I dont have a fast charge/booster as I only need one once every 5 years or so, and a trickle charge can charge a motorcycle battery in an hour or so. I wish I had the room for a quickcharger/booster but then that would just be another toy...er um tool mipper

I actually ihave quite a thick skin, i do let a lot of things roll off, but the only thing i have left (for now) is my expertise, and i really take offense when that is put into doubt. Don't get me wrong i am the first to admit i'm wrong, or that i learned something new (life is one big leanring curve). One self pitty moment if i may. I cant lift wieghts like i used to and lost alot of what i gained in the gym. I may never be able to ride a road racing bicycle again (and i loved that). I dont know if i can get back on a motorcycle again (its a goal). I cant walk more then 20 minutes without pain (I used to walk for hours). I am on disability and the only way I make that work is by living with my elderly mother (alot to be said for a paid for roof over ones head). My industry sector is dead, and in this economy I dont know where to look at or to turn next. I am 57 (dont look it so that helps) but am not ready to go back to work yet (though I am extreemly bored and depressed). I can not pull a wrench anymore for a living (my first love). I have nerve damage in my spine that makes it so a bunch of muscles just wont work (but i think time and natured may be helping that as i am feeling new burniing pain in areas, a good thing). I look like a rolled over turtel when I am on back so I dont get under even Blu anymore. So yes sometimes I have to pay people to work on my car. So the only part of my dignity I have left is what i can teach others (and learn form others), so just allow me that. Ok self pity is over And who would have thunk that I dont have jumper cables .... grrr now I have to wait for the charger to charge the car. nipper

odd i thought they were a bit sloppy when i last drove an eclipse. nipper

Actually its not an unusual thing, just rare. If the store doesnt sell alot of betteries over time it can happen. Happened alot when i used to work in a shop, just throw the charger on it or boost start the car and let it charge itself. nipper

Went to my non-napa napa store (hes napa but really pissed off at them). Got the proper battery for Blu (70.00), and of course, dead. That hasnt happened to me in eons. Have the charger on it now. Not a biggie, but i aint yanking it out to take it back, as my back is already mad at me. interestingly the interstate in there was huge cpompared to the one that is supposed to be in there. But that doesnt really mean anything except that all my extra neat wiring looms now are accesable nipper

Thats where i got mine too. nipper

So its not just me. I remember the last time i bought a battery it seemed like the minimum cold cranking amps on a 6 year battery was over 600. Now i see them as low as 425. That seems too low for anyone who doesnt consider cold to be 65 degrees. I guess that goes back to cost/vs weight and using the rule that after one year most people throw out reciepts. nipper

PS Advance sells excide batteries, and i'm not hearing good things about them. i'm shocked no one has said go out and get a 200.00 gel battery (overkill for me). nipper

Even with a trickle charger on over night its just borderline. I'm not one to run down my battery by using the car as a gaint boom box nipper

Got to throw a tester on the car today, battery is borderline so above freezing the car starts (started fine this morning but sounded a little "odd"), below no start. Alt is fine, but i knew that. A car with a dead battery in the morning is usually a dome light left on or a tired battery. What ticks me off is that i thought i paid for a 5 year battery and it has a three year in it. So the three year interstate battery lasted a little over three years, about par for the course. I guess i'll hit Autozone as they have a free install (i cant bend with heavy wieghts). I have a napa around the block from me but ts on a second floor with grumpy old men and doubt they would help me with the battery. nipper