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but I think that may be another subject.

I have a 99 Forester and I just leaned down from above and changed mine. I used an old SAE wrench that was fairly close, but not a real fit on it. I would think the special wrench would make it easier.Look at the new sensor to figure how the connector comes off.

Bob, Subaru's socket is pretty lousy and a few fires and a lot of short circuits have come from it. If you are going to go to the trouble to add one get a good socket from another car. I know the BMW one is fine becuase I have one of those. Heck any GM or Ford should ahve one too. All you need to do is drill a hole for the socket and run a heavy power line and fuse. If it were mine I would pick up power under the hood and run it back, but its your baby.

And seem to cost nearly as much.

It could have a bend in the subframe. When you get it ruuning take it to a frame shop for advice. Sometimes a tiny tweak can put it right back in business.

Nice car. I have only known one owner and his only problem was a burned out headlight. Somehow I don't think putting in a bit tougher bulb after warranty would be too hard. Subaru must have gotten a bad batch from a supplier.

My Forester has about the same mileage. I figure the cats are borderline now and I knew oxegen sensors should be cahnged around 100,000 miles. I changed the front ox sensor and the light has stayed out for about a month. My light only came on when someting cooled the cats enough to throw off the efficiency.The real cure will probaly be to change at least the front cat, but if the light stays off for a few more months it might mean the oxegen sensor was enough to get by for a while. I am sure I don't have to tell you how much cheaper an oxegen sensor is that a cat.

I've never seen a flex plate affect balance much, a flywheel and clutch cover yes.

Thant should be hydraulic only and the cams should make noise only if you switched followers. You did disconnect injsetor or short plugs to narrow it down did you not? I have heard some injectors make a clicking sound too.

Some of them are balanced together. Hint, when you remove a clutch or torque converter mark the postion with a scribe if you are going to reinstall the same unit.You know the balance was good before right? On busses we would start them up and run the engine with the tranny off and balance the clutch with washers.

Especially when stuff is rusty. Brrr, reminds me of being on my back on the ice in Maine changing brake lines. It went in the quickest and easiest way I could manage.

Sometimes it's nice to live in Texas and here in CA with no salt.

The new corporate snout seems kind of a shame. I bet the B9 is a nice driving car too, but no car dressed for Halloween is ever going to be in my driveway.

We can see if this link works. It is in the archives if it does not. http://www.endwrench.com/archive/syselec.html

In the clear. The recall went to 2003 if I remember correctly. I have the post 2003 gaskets on mine now and I am not sure when they hit the production line. It does not matter much becuse if they think you could leak they will ask you to come in for the goop. If you add the goop you are warrented to 100,000 miles. I had mine replaced way before Subaru recognised the problem and they still paid me back on a second owner car way over the mileage.

this is so common Subrau has issued a bulletin on it and posted it on Endwrench.

There was a recall on some models for doing just that. Check with the dealer, it's a master cyl, booster problem.

Since this is a 98 Forester it should have shim adjustment.

One thing that can do that is a slightly worn cam that gets mated witha slightly worn follower. The adjustment can be fine at the top but wear on the ramp can make a tick and it will look OK.I had a tick on my Mercedes that made me near nuts until I pulled the cam and had it on the bench where I could see the worn spot.

Don't look under the dash and you will be fine.

To go a bit furthur on the fair side Subaru paid for my phase 2 head gasketswhen I was the second owner and it was way out of warranty. On the other hand my friend Ernie had one of those Toyotas that needed a whole new engine. The way Toyota handled it has made him a customer for life.

good point Setright, I remember folks complaining about knocking timing belt tensions a while ago.

I was thinking it was earlier than that. Great, this gives you a pretty good chance!

I can't complain about the Michellins on my Forester. They seem to be called Weatherwise. I'm not even sure you can still get them as they are a few years old. The car has 122,000 miles and the first set lasted over 60,000 miles and were replaced after a tire was trashed on a cross country trip. These have been on the car ever since and still have way too much tread to change. They are fairly quiet and go very well in Tahoe's snow and the mud I see regulary this time of year.

Take off the drive belts for a cold start if no noise....