heartless

no, you should not need to remove the bumper cover.. grille, most likely will need to be removed attached is the FSM page for my 2002 Forester, yours may be a little different, but it should give you a general idea. Headlight Assembly.pdf

In the wiring section, there should be wiring diagrams for the security system... there should also be a section about the system - for my 02 Forester, it is located in the "Body Cab & Accessories" section under "Security & Locks" - it describes where the module is located... as well as diagnostics for the system. between those, you should be able to figure out how to remove it. Or, pick up a couple of remotes from ebay or whatever... the FSM should have instructions on how to program them to your car

agree, but those are not the "common" type available for rental, and very folks want to purchase them outright

start here with the FSM... I would download it so you have it handy - sometimes the site goes down. http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/Legacy%20Outback/2002/

using the screw type spring compressors kind of depends on the style of the strut/spring assembly... they work fine on the taller assemblies (older legacy & foresters) but would not work well on the shorter ones... with the other half's 06 OBW we ended up taking the assemblies to a local shop to have them do the swap out - we could not get the screw type compressors to work on the short springs this car has. And fwiw - I purchased stock springs from here: https://www.parksubaruoemparts.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=215943

wow - talk about necro-posting... 10 years from the first posting, 7 years from the last

you can also try car-part.com for used ones...

i tried it once, on a non-interference 2.2, and that winter it got stuffed full of hard packed snow & it jumped time... wont ever do it again. Not much fun redoing the timing, outside, in the dead of winter. Definitely do not recommend it on an interference engine - would cause major internal damage if it jumped time.

oh, i agree 100%.. however, the car was being offered to us directly by the owner of a independent shop that I occasionally go to for work... He was called to tow the car and figure out what was wrong with it.. didn't take him long to determine that the engine was pretty well toast after loosing all it's coolant (blown lower radiator hose). He knows we prefer Subarus, and thought he would give us the chance to pick it up cheaply (basically for what the current owner is into him for) IF we were interested... sounds like it is going to end up in the salvage yard at this point. The owner has no interest in trying to fix it. Had the car been in better condition (aside from the engine) we would have considered it further, but in the physical condition it is in (body rust), yeah, it is just not worth messing with. My 2002 Forester L is in much better condition.. and runs. LOL

yeah, we decided to pass on it, for multiple reasons... not the least of which is that we are commited to putting a new roof on the house to the tune of $10k plus...

We have been offered a 2002 LL Bean Outback that was towed in with an overheated motor - this would be the 3.0 H6 with 226K on the clock Body is so-so rust wise, but considering the area, not out of line... Interior is filthy, but for the most part intact - some wear evident on front seats... it has been offered to us for $400 already looked into a motor - $1200 for a JDM with around 60K - can get cheaper but higher miles... So... Would it be worth messing with it?

air bags are there for your/your passengers protection. Why on earth would you want to disable them?

yeah, after battery replacement the remote most likely needs to be re-programed to work correctly. The do not have a memory without the battery. The starters themselves rarely fail, but the contacts in the solenoid can and do wear out. But - as a comparison - I had a 1989 Subaru GL wagon that was still starting on it's original starter with no problems in 2010-2011 (over 20 yrs old) But before you go to all the trouble with futzing around with the starter itself, make sure the battery is good, cables are tight, and all grounds are clean and tight. Inspect the battery cables thoroughly - look for any corrosion (green gunk - especially on the ground cable). Having one loose enough to come off - not exactly good.

remote key fobs have batteries in them - it is possible the battery has died... on the hard starting after sitting a while... yeah, that one is a bit more difficult. In addition to what was suggested above (electrical) it is possible that fuel is draining back to the tank, or it has a leak somewhere...either way, the lines are empty when they shouldn't be... from your description, this sounds quite plausible to me. next time you try to start it & it doesn't want to (providing the electrical all checks out) try turning the key on for a moment then off (do not hit the starter), several times to "prime the system" (get fuel back up the lines to the injectors). Turning the key to "On" tells the fuel pump to run for a moment in preparation for starting. If fuel is draining back to the tank (normally it should not be doing this), by doing it several times (3-4), you are using the fuel pump to get the fuel back up to the engine where it should be. If the car then starts like it should, you will need to investigate WHY the fuel is draining off - loose hose clamp somewhere from the engine swap, perhaps? stranger things have happened...

you need to get the lubricant worked into the latch mechanism - just spraying is sometimes not enough. to work it in, you will need a helper and a screwdriver to push the latch closed - a #2 Phillips works well - and a GOOD penetrating lubricant. My personal preference is PB Blaster. get the hood open and prop it up Spray the latch mechanism thoroughly, then use the screwdriver to to push the latch closed (it will take a little effort), have your helper pull the release as you pull upward with the screwdriver - do this repeatedly, respraying every 2 or 3 times. You will know when it has loosened up because you wont need to 'pull up' anymore to open the latch, it will pop open on it's own. Spray it again to rinse out any loosened rust/dirt/debris. Once you get it loosened up, hit it with some good white lithium spray and it should last a long time.

NGK, without hesitation... both plugs and wires. spark plugs - OE series - part # BKR5E-11, stock # 6953 plug wire set - part # RC-FX41, stock #8004 I have run NGK plugs & wires on every Subaru I have ever owned (on #4 now) and never had a problem with them. Auto Parts Store wires have been nothing but problems. when using the "coin" type gapping tool - it is read at the edge of the electrode when it stops the tool from moving - not the center. These are not the best gapping tools around, but used correctly are ok

www.car-part.com put in your search criteria and have a look at what is available in your area $3500 for a used motor seems a bit steep to me, but different areas will have different pricing..

do the Forester swap, you wont be sorry! but yeah, sounds like the rear suspension is done. If you can, get a set of the Forester strut assemblies - the WHOLE works - strut, spring and tophats. Pull the old out, stuff the new in and done. You may need to loosen the rear sway bar at the frame mounts to make installing a bit easier.

good to hear you got it going.

it could simply be the cold that is causing, and/or adding to your issues. Had a heck of a time getting the old 95 started the last couple of days - (Wisconsin) it has been ridiculously cold. is the car indoors? or outside? Do you have a turbo heater you can point at it to help thaw things out? Just because the filter looks new does not mean it isn't filled with moisture and freezing up

if it is an AWD model, then yes, it should be flatbeded, or trailered.

i dont have any experience with their timing belts, but IIRC they were/are an OE supplier of some parts. I have used other parts of theirs with no problems, but it has been a while

yeah, so? My 02 Forester has 229 plus on the clock.. i would not hesitate to drive it across the country at this point. My point is, it is all about taking care of it, keeping up with maintenance and fixing issues that need fixing. If you take care of the car, it will just keep on going. If you don't take care of it, then yeah, be concerned about it breaking down. And changing the seals should be a part of doing a timing job - skipping them is asking for exactly what happened to you - one pops and oil everywhere. I learned that lesson long ago with the old GL.. didnt change the seals, it was leaking pretty bad (didn't pop one, but might as well have) timing belt went - sheared about 2 inches of teeth off due to the oil saturation. And of course it did this on a very cold day, miles from home...

agree - change the belt as soon as you can. had a belt on my old GL let go because it had gotten oil soaked... on an interference motor, it is not something I would take chances with.

the non-interference 2.2 is basically bullet-proof. they very rarely have headgasket issues, or any major issues for that matter. not saying it never happens, but it is quite rare. I have a 95 Legacy L (up for sale) that I put 98 Forester struts & springs on - nothing else - works great! the additional height is nice. and if you can get your hands on a set, the Forester 15" wheels & tires will fit, too, for just a little more.