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First of all, thanks to all who replied, this has been most helpful. I will have to pour over some more information to figure out where I want to go next with this. In terms of ease, the EJ Dual Range would be the best, as it should be a relatively straight swap (according to subaru australia's website, some of them are evel 4.11, so no diff change needed), but of course, those are not available (althoug Allied Armarment were discussing trying to import some). Regardless, don't worry about thread hijacks, please continue discussing any aspect of this you can think of, as more information is always better than less. If I was closer, I would probably just take it to Mudrat to get the EA Dual Range LSD swap done, but shipping would not be fun to the other side of the country.....I was hoping to put something together myself. Thanks, keep the info coming!

I really wish I was in the Pacific North West, working on subarus would be so much easier! That sounds like a great deal, and I would snatch it up as soon as I could scrape together the money, if it was closer. Regardless, I may look into shipping or something of the kind (I have always wanted to go out west.......). So basically the swap would be mechanically similar to the EA dual range swap? If this is the case, it sounds like it would not be too bad.

Can it be done? I want to put a XT Turbo 5Spd AWD transmission w/ the center diff lock into my 5Spd 98 legacy. Check my list and see how close I am. I searched, as I thought this came up a while back, but I could not find the thread. Definately Needed: EJ-EA Engine Adaptor Plate. EA Flywheel/Clutch (Redrilled?) Matching Rear Diff (3.90) Rig a vaccum pull for the Diff Lock Unknown: New Driveshaft (shorter/longer?) Different Crossmember? Anything Else? If I could get this to work out, it would be great, as I would have AWD on the street (which I like, as spinning wheels in the rain does not really excite me), and be able to lock the center for some trail running....still no low-range, but going from the 4.11 to the 3.90 would "correct" my gearing from my lift and bigger tires (pictures forthcoming) regardless, so I would essentially be back to stock gearing, and I am willing to give up the dual range to retain the AWD (as opposed to swapping an EA d/r in). Any help is greatly appreciated!

I am really interested in this as well, as I just got my lift done on my 98 Legacy, and if the numbers for ratios quoted above are correct, this would be perfect with my 27" BFGs, as in High it would return my gearing to stock, fixing the speedo and odometer inaccuracies, and in low it would give me the little extra needed for those steep hills. Keep us updated!

I had full sized spares in both my 96 and 98 rear bays, but to get them to fit the plastic tray had to be removed. The carpet floor fits "ok," (not perfectly, but close enough to not notice). However, they may have changed the well design in 2000, I have not tried a full size on my mom's 03 Outback yet...good to know there may be problems with it. Not too helpful, but all I know on the subject.

The computer is located in the passenger's side footwell, on the far right (as if you were sitting in the seat) side, behind some plastic trim and a metal support of some sort. When I installed the factory cruise control in my 96 Leg, it was an absoulte PAIN IN THE A$$ to get in, mainly because of the metal bar in the way, so if you have them, take cutting tools. The computer is in a small metal case, about 4" x 4" x 1". In the later models (like my 98 and my dad's 99 legacies) they moved them to the driver's side, directly under the steering column, so if you are jumping years (putting this computer on a 98, for example), you will not put it back where you got it from.

I could have sworn that the 96 2.5s had the scoops. Regardless, the transmission information is correct. I have never heard of any issues with the 2.2 or 1.8 headgaskets whatsoever, certianly not with the earlier 2.2s (96 and earlier). I am sure there have been failures, but there are sporadic failures present in any engine......I have never heard anything about an endemic problem such as is present in the earlier 2.5L engines.

I am not trying to be smart or anything, but a bunch of the things you listed do not suprise me as needing replacment whatsoever. However, the mileage at which you are having to get them replaced, and the cost you are paying does. Things such as timing belt, water pump, oil seals, valve cover gaskets, rattling heat-shields, etc are kind of par for the course, but you usually don't see them until between 150,000 and 200,000 miles. And the check engine lights are notoriously finicky too. If you haven't, it may be worth getting a carfax report to see if there are any discrepancies in the odometer, because most everything you listed sounds pretty routine for higher mileage cars. Regarding the cost, your dealer is ripping you off. If my local (independent) mechanic did all of that it would not have been over $1200-$1400 total, and if I had done that (most all of what you listed is actually pretty simple), it would have been half that. Get a Carfax, find a better mechanic, and see what they have to say. BTW, the head gasket issues are only for the 2.5L engine, which you may or may not have. If you have an automatic with the hood scoop, you have a 2.5 in the 96. If you have a 5 Speed or an auto w/ no hood scoop, you have a 2.2. That said, it is possible that you just got a bad one, and nothing you do will help it. Fortunately, the bad ones seem to be few and far between, as we have had 7 with no major problems whatsoever.

Thanks for the clarification. In that case, I am going to have to revise my suggestions, and agree that it may well be in the transmission. Neither a frozen parking brake or a stuck hill-holder would have any effect on the actual stick whatsoever. For transmission problems (which, if it is one, I still don't think it has anything to do with the AWD system, as even if the coupling was messed up, it would still shift fine), I unfortunately can't give much more advice than to suggest the linkage between the shifter and the transmission be checked. I don't know exactly how, but perhaps it is loose and getting jammed and then releases. Other than that, I don't know enough about the transmission internals to be of much help.

Define "locked up transmission" for us. To answer your question directly, no, a manual is not subject to the bind being referred to by Nipper and 75subie, but if you could describe the symptoms exactly it would help. For example, when it is "locked up", can you move the stick shift between gears, (with or without the clutch in), etc? Or is it just "locked up" in that the vehicle won't move? If it is simply that the vehicle won't move, the a frozen parking brake (not a bound transmission), or the previously mentioned frozen hill holder still top my list. No matter what, since it is a 5 speed (I thought you had mentioned that when I posted before, but could not find the mention......then I re-read the thread title ), I simply don't think it is the AWD system, as all it is is a viscous coupling between the front and rear, and even if it locked up, it would demonstrate substantially different symptoms (and NOT fix its self).

As a counter-point to 75subie's and Nipper's post regarding if it is an auto, if it is a manual: Does it only do it on hills, with the nose of the car up? If so, your Hill Holder is probably going south. On our old 88 wagon, it siezed up on a hill once and locked up. On that car, we just disabled it (I can give you some instructions on this if you need), but you could opt to fix it. If it is a manual, that would be my guess, the 5 Speed AWD system is pretty bomb-proof, and a fozen parking brake would most likely not fix its self.

I have a setup VERY similar to that of Jamal, FF1000s (with 100w replacment lamps), on similar brackets on the bumper (I have a 98 Leg), wired thru a relay to an arming switch and the high beams. If you have some electrical tools and knowledge, you can even do what I did and modify a stock fog light switch to act as the arming switch (It will not function properly without some modification). This setup is the best, as it gives you 3 levels of lighting, low, high, and high + driving lights. Also, the fact that they dip with the high beams makes them much more safe for other drivers, as you should be dipping your high beams for oncoming traffic anyway.

No great advice to add here, I just figured I would tell you I am currently feeling your pain, as I tried to replace a half-shaft today myself. I am having very similar problems, but with a twist! In my ignorance, after failing to separate the ball joint from the knuckle (pinch bolt all the way out, sway bar disconnected), decided to disconnect the ball joint from the lower control arm. Castle nut off, I pried down on the lower control arm. Well, mine was not stuck like yours, but as it came out it mauled all the threads on the bottom of the ball joint. So, not only do I have to replace it, I couldn't put the nut back on to wail on to get it to separate from the knuckle. Eventually, after trying many different things, I got a 1/4-20 die to thread onto the bolt (not cut new threads, it actually threaded on the old threads when nothing else would.....go figure). I then proceeded to try to pry it out of the steering knuckle with a 6’ digger bar…….and I bent the bar. Yup. A ~1” diameter iron digger bar. So, that was where I left it for tonight, I will try some more ignorance in the morning. As I said, no useful advice, but just take comfort in the fact that your woes are being replicated several hundred miles south of you right now.

I would replace it. I had a small starburst in my windshield, and less than 4 months later it cracked across the entire windshield. Of course, I have no-deductible comprehensive glass insurance, so it was free for me. Regarding the new windshield never sealing, I think this is a non-issue, as long as you (as stated above) use a REPUTABLE, LOCAL shop to do it. I have not had any leaking or rust issues for the last 2 years with the one I had replaced, but the company I used has a very good reputation. Just my opinion.

Well, I'll chime in on this as well, because I feel your pain. I don't have an impreza, but on my 98 Legacy L there was this black lip on the front, I guess for aerodynamics (but I have the feeling it is more to make the outback look taller than anything else). Since I was hitting it on curbs and dips on road, I knew it would be bad off road (I will be lifting my legacy soon), so a couple of dremel cutting wheels later it is no more, and I am much happier. Once I get my lift and skid plate in, I will be cutting more, to get the best approach angle.

Actually, as I understand it, the clutch pack can transfer power up to 50-50, front rear, but it is normally 90-10 front rear for better gas mileage. This means you actually get up to 40% transfer. However, I am used to the manual system (which I have in all my roos), which is 50/50 front rear until slippage occures, b/c of the viscous center coupling.

Yes, it does function in reverse, but since you have an automatic, by default 90% of the torque is up front, and it only transfers when it detects you slipping in the front. Now, you were clearly slipping, so it could have been that the other wheels were simply too stuck, and were not able to overcome the terrain, and your effectively open differentials then sent all the power to the free wheel. As much as I wish it was, AWD is not locked like a good 4WD system, so you can get it so stuck that you only spin one wheel (excepting if you have LSDs, or whatnot, and it would still theoretically be possible with LSDs as well).

The only time I had one done, I did not do it myself (I don't have a press), so this is just what the mechanic told me. Because I had driven on the bad bearing so long, it had destroyed the hub (I dropped the rear into a mud puddle off-roading, and then let it sit for about an hour while we recovered the subie with a come-along, then I drove it for several thousand miles with it making unhappy noises, ), so the answer to your question could be either, depending on how bad it is, and how long it has been like this. Not particularly useful information, but that is what I know.

This is far from scientific, but here is what I know. I put a subaru criuse kit on my 96 legacy brighton about a year and a half ago. I found a website that detailed the installation of a kit onto a OBS, and decided to go ahead and get it. I found a place that had the legacy kits (they are no longer made, so good luck finding one if you don't have one), but after checking, they needed not only my model, but my VIN to make sure I got the correct kit. I then went to install it, and it was radically different from the webpage OBS (IIRC, a 96) install, to the tune of different actuators (the OBS was vac driven off the intake, the legacy was electrical). While this doesn't necessarily answer your question, my feeling is that no, it would not work. Hope this helps.

Look closely at your empty hole. Are there two philips head screws, one on either side? If so, take them out, and see if the case is in there. If it is, it should come right out, and be about 4"x5"x.5", as an estimate. My guess is that it is still there, and you do not need it, but check.

The price seems ok, but as long as they are in there, you should get the crank seal replaced as well; another common oil leak location, in my experience. Go ahead and do it, as if you break the timing belt, you will be looking at a valve job at the least, probably much more.

Is there a difference between Legacy and Outback springs then? What I have gathered from the other threads here is that there is not, but I may be wrong. I know there is a difference in struts, and later this year I am planning on putting OB struts on my 98 Legacy L, I just wanted to know if I should change springs as well. I was debating going to the scorpion springs, but for now I think I will just go with the struts (and possibly OB springs), and some 27 x 8.5 x 14 BFGs.

In both the wagons (both EJ22), I now run Mobil 1, of varying weights based on the time of year. I have always used Purolator Pure One filters (with the anti-drainback valve, that retains oil in the filter.....not so important for the subarus, with the filter on the bottom, but very important for the RX-7, w/ the filter on the top). Previously, I used Castrol GTX 10w-30, or 20w-50 exclusively (and liked it), but the Mobil 1 really made the engine in my 96 quiet down, so I am going to stick with it. I still run pure Castrol GTX dino oil in the RX-7, but that is a different story.

Not mine, but my mother's. 2003 OBW, 87 all the way.

I have Potenzas on one of my Subies, and really like them, but......they are the G009 Potenzas, NOT the stock RE92s (which my mom has on her 03 OBW). The G009s seem to grip well in the dry, and wet, and seemed very good in the snow, and were not too expensive. Personally my next set for the 98 legacy will be BFG All Terrain KOs, but that is fodder for the off road forum.