wyrldtraveler

Knock sensor is something nobody thought to check. Appreciate the input. On my list for the weekend. As for the other sensors, most places only carry cheap Chinese knockoffs, so I will look into the A/F sensor. Aside from the random backfiring (usually under acceleration/engine braking), the car runs great and is getting 28MPG with the Check Engine lamp on, which I understand is 'limping home mode' so I'm not otherwise concerned about the cat. converter being clogged - it did the same thing with and without a converter installed. (Dealer mechanic verified that the converter was not clogged by running 8ft of rebar up the pipe after removing the muffler that time.) This life has no shortage of adventures. It's the sensor failing which concerned me, but knowing that Bosch is not reliable for this car, I will get Denso next trip to the Great Shopping Mall of the North. Thanks to all for the great advice.

That's plenty of lift. I don't want to install retractable ladders. Camber bolts would be Forester spec, or something different (suggestions welcome)???

Getting a straight answer about 'octane ratings' or anything else is difficult. The culture is one where an answer is expected - a correct answer is often elusive. I've gotten both 'yes they are different' and 'no they are the same as the US' from fuel station personnel. The vehicle is all stock with the exception of a 2 ohm resister to delete the rear O2 sensor (eliminated the one CEL 0420) but now generates CEL 0136 after about 100 miles of driving. The vehicle has gone through a half dozen o2 sensors - they don't last more than a week and, at $160 apiece (expensive imported car - but they are all imported, it's just not Nissan or Toyota), I'm not excited about the probability of it working. My next experiment is to order the spacer for the rear sensor and put it back where the delete is currently and see what code it throws then. There's no indication that the fuel is oxygenated, either, but I don't think that would cause the exhaust to be that hot. The local mechanics aren't the sharpest bunch and the dealer was stumped as well, blaming it on the car not being one that his dealership ever sold..

ECU is programmed from the factory to run best at 87 Octane, says the Owner's Manual for this 2002 Impreza Wagon 2.5L TS. Only fuels available here are 91 Octane and 95 Octane, which burns out the O2 sensors in minutes. The 2.5L motor was not sold here, so even the dealership is clueless. My best guess is that the ECU needs to be remapped. What is the easiest and most cost-effective solution here? Signs & Symptoms: Car backfires, but runs fine in 'limp home mode' with a steady CEL. (It currently gets about 28 MPG with the #2 O2 sensor bypassed.) Car has been driven like this for about 100K miles without noticeable effects, other than the occasional backfiring of the motor and the accusatory glowing CEL. There are no emissions testing and the ones that do exist are not enforced (as one can see from the trucks belching thick black smoke every time they hit the accelerator.) Compliance with EPA rules is not required. Treat this as an off-road build in your replies please.

Dziekuje, Mibars. I am confused if you are discussing shocks or struts. Most of the advice in the forum revolves around adding spacers or replacing springs.

Thanks for the welcome, el_freddo. I put the pics on the original post. You can't really see where the right front was run over by a bus. Hubcaps didn't make it, but not a big deal. It isn't a show car. I'm concerned about the CV joints and the drivetrain matching up properly, more than anything else. Do Not Break is a ground rule.

I'm doing long-deferred maintenance and repairs on a 2002 Impreza Wagon 2.5 TS. The car was operated by someone who knows little about cars (but drives like he's still teaching the Offensive Driving and Escape Course at bodyguard school. (Once drove 300 miles in 4.2 hours on roads that DOT would have closed following an earthquake.) The (originally US) car is located in Panama. (As I write, I can look out the window and physically see the "End of the Internet" before the footpath enters the rainforest on the other side of the river.) Parts are a challenge, especially as the 2.5L motor was not sold in Panama. I have the luxury of making my own schedule and no wife to harass me, unlike him. Modifications I would like to add: Slight lift Replace or rebuild the front seats Dash and rear cameras with DVR Navigation or display system (preferably one that connects through the phone so I don't have to pay for another data subscription) Cruise control Reflash ECU And why: I'm not looking at anything special, but sometimes water levels get rather high (the car has been known to 'float' across some low-lying intersections in downpours) and it is showing some 'saggy butt' phenomenon. Given that the suspension components are original from the factory in the US and it has 175K miles on the odometer, I am not surprised. a lift of 1-2 inches (2.5 - 5cm) would help immensely with scraping the undercarriage on some of the roads. The seats are pretty worn looking and the cushioning is about gone from the above driver (who now has back issues - so a lumbar cushion would be great for him.) Cameras are a must for insurance reasons. (Fraud, etc.) White people all live in mansions, you know, and make our spending money speculating on the stock market and playing polo. (I know you all are relating to this lifestyle. I sarcastically explained this to a lawyer (who busted out laughing), but her secretary was incredulous, "Of course, like on the television!") I wish I was joking, but it really happened... Navigation system would be helpful for using Waze, which is useful for tracking the speed traps and the traffic accidents. ("Didn't you know that my husband is a big-shot politician so I can cut you off without warning, Mister BigTruck? How dare you hit my overpriced luxury SUV even though I am violating the traffic laws!") Commercial vehicles cannot move to the side of the road until the special traffic investigators arrive, of which there are few. Collide with a truck or a taxi and cancel the rest of your plans for the day. Cruise control is a 'nice to have'. Not sure it is worth it. ECU is programmed from the factory to run best at 87 Octane. Only fuels available here are 91 Octane and 95 Octane, which burns out the O2 sensors in minutes. Car backfires, but runs fine in 'limp home mode' with a steady CEL. It currently gets about 28 MPG with the #2 O2 sensor bypassed and has been driven like this for about 100K miles without noticeable damage. There are no emissions testing and the ones that do exist are not enforced (as one can see from the trucks belching thick black smoke every time they hit the accelerator.) Compliance with EPA rules is not required. Forester parts are more plentiful (due to the off-road like paved roads.) Before I pay for the parts (returns are not permitted in most stores) I want to make sure that I don't have to special order something from the States (in which case I will throw it into a suitcase next trip to save on air freight costs.) One of the benefits of 'white privilege' is that one has the added bonus of having to pay a 'premium' on almost everything. I'm in the US about twice a year. Other than that, I can use parts from anywhere. Trying to keep costs down on a car that will probably cost the equivalent in parts and labor to fix as it is worth. The info on the board has been wonderful, but I am concerned about manufacturers changing things over the years and the parts that once worked being no longer available (or not acting the same way). Bless you all. I'll post a photo later when it stops raining. so hard.

My first post, please be gentle. I'm doing long-deferred maintenance and repairs on a 2002 Impreza Wagon 2.5 TS. The car was operated by someone who knows little about cars (but drives like he's still teaching the Offensive Driving and Escape Course at bodyguard school. (Once drove 300 miles in 4.2 hours on roads that DOT would have closed following an earthquake.) The car is located in Panama. (As I write, I can look out the window and physically see the "End of the Internet" before the footpath enters the rainforest on the other side of the river.) Parts are a challenge, especially as the 2.5L motor was not sold in Panama. Limiting the current discussion only to suspension, I have read that a simple lift using Forester springs instead of OEM spec parts would give it a slight raise. I'm not looking at anything special, but sometimes water levels get rather high (the car has been known to 'float' across some low-lying intersections in downpours) and it is showing some 'saggy butt' phenomenon. Given that the suspension components are original from the factory in the US and it has 175K miles on the odometer, I am not surprised. Forester parts are more plentiful (for above reasons.) Before I pay for the parts (returns are not permitted in most stores) I want to make sure that I don't have to special order something from the States (in which case I will throw it into a suitcase next trip to save on air freight costs.) One of the benefits of 'white privilege' is that one has the added bonus of having to pay a 'premium' on almost everything. Trying to keep costs down on a car that will probably cost the equivalent in parts and lobor to fix as it is worth. Please confirm that I can get away with just putting in Forester shocks or tell me that it is a bad idea (and what else I would need). The info on the board has been wonderful, but I am concerned about manufacturers changing things over the years and the parts that once worked being no longer available (or not acting the same way). Bless you all.