goblinsgarage

Hello Suby world! I have lurked the Ultimate Subaru forums many times to diagnose and repair various problems with my 1996 Impreza Outback. She has racked up almost 310k and been the only car I have ever owned since I got my drivers license. It's fair to say that I'm very attached to this car.... Here's are the issues/symptoms: ONE: When turning sharply at a slow speed (parking, 90 degree, U turns, etc) a prominent 'clicking' noise is very loud. Seems at its worst when turning right; very audible from the front passenger side. Lately I have noticed a very light swaying sensation when accelerating. I am assuming that the front right CV axle needs to be replaced? How do I determine if the whole axle needs to be replaced or just the boot? I can get an aftermarket complete CV axle assembly for $65 including shipping here: http://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1990/subaru/legacy/driveshaft_-ar-_axle/cv_axle_assembly.html?brand=usa_industries. Truth be told, my poor old Suby has a growing list of minor problems and the major ones that require attention and $ are coming up more and more as she racks up the miles. Is it a waste of money to get the cheap re-manned assembly from Parts Geek, or should I invest in OEM/MWE? I can see green boots on there now, so I know she still has OEM right now. I'm not in a financial position to dump more than about $300 per major problem (which is why I have become my own mechanic...with y'all's help of course). Should I be concerned about torque bind? Should I do the 'fuse test' just to be sure? Should I flush/change the front differential fluid to see if the clicking goes away before I buy parts, or is it past that point? (I don't remember the last time it was changed, embarrassingly enough) TWO: When going over the slightest bump in the road, the back end right in the rear axle area 'clunks' very deeply. It's very sensitive to bumps and 'creaky' over all, especially in 'cold' temps (40 degrees or less...Texas...). If you happen to be sitting in the back passenger side seat, it feels like the rear end of the car is falling off and your butt is going to hit the pavement. Sound like rear CV axle is toast as well? I haven't checked the struts yet.Any thoughts/expertise/answers are welcome and appreciated! -Erica