heartless

quick and easy check jack front of car up - a shop jack under the front cross member, in the middle, works very well...just make sure you arent on the oil pan grab a tire at 12 and 6 o'clock and try to wiggle it - check both sides... if there is movement, it is very likely the wheel bearing is shot same check can be performed on the rear of the car using the rear diff as a jacking point. as an example (a rather extreme one...) - Wheel Bearing Job FAIL yours probably wont be quite that bad, but that will give you an idea of what you are looking for...that was on a 1990 Legacy wagon these cars use pressed in roller type bearings so changing them can be a challenge if you dont have the right tools.

be sure to post up what you find out - I was thinking of getting new flex lines for my 95 wagon - 19 year old rubber is a ticking time bomb...

no schrader valves on a subaru - you have to hook into the fuel line itself with a T-fitting has any fresh gas been put into the car since your friend purchased it? it could simply be bad gas if it was sitting

I can help with the FSM pages - http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/ 90-94 are basically all the same mechanically - there may be minor differences in wiring colors however...

they are for diagnostic purposes. there are actually 2 pairs, one green pair and one black pair. What year is your car?

www.car-part.com I doubt you will find a "new" one anywhere - the car is too old, so used is the way to go - the trim level shouldnt matter so much for the trunk latch. 1990-1992 for sure should be compatible - possibly up to 94

the biggest issue with the older Subarus is lack of maintenance. A little time spent catching things up and you will have yourself a great running, uber reliable vehicle. As Miles noted - the mileage on that car is low for the year - I have a 1990 Legacy LS wagon out in the yard with well over 240K on it - still runs/drives great, and a 1995 Legacy L wagon that is now my daily driver that has 210K on it - both have the same motor as your 92, the non-interference EJ22 if it is the cam case covers leaking oil a set of these from rockauto.com for around $25-30 shipped will fix that problem - altho, you being in Subaru country, check around locally, you may be able to get them cheaper (no shipping costs) Other areas prone to oil leaking are the front seals - cam and crank, which can (and should) be replaced during a timing job, and the oil pressure switch that sits on top front, under the alternator...my 95 just had an issue with that one... also a cheap and easy fix.

^ this. full tune up, maybe knock sensor. clear the codes - can be accomplished by disconnecting battery for a half hour or so drive the car and see what comes back

1996 was the last year of the non-interference 2.2 - and yes, it has been covered, many times.

if the car is in otherwise good shape and runs well, then a tranny swap could be a worthwhile endeavor.

if the previous owner had no proof of any work, then yes, treat it as if nothing has been done and do it all. complete timing job, including water pump, all timing components & seals, and an oil pump reseal - there are good kits on ebay for around $200 with everything you need. Mizumo Auto and The Import Experts are 2 trusted sellers there. a search here will turn up good directions on how to do the job yourself. the 2.2 is an easy motor to work on. Complete tune up, including plugs (basic NGKs are all you need, dont waste your money on fancy plugs), wires (OEM or NGK only), pcv, filters, and possibly vacuum lines if they are hard/brittle. a couple dollars worth of the "by the foot" stuff of the appropriate size works well. Knock sensors can be had pretty cheaply - $25 or so, again, on ebay - just make sure you are getting the correct one for your car/engine... not sure if there is a way to "test" it, but this can cause fuel mileage issues, as can the MAP problem. tranny slipping - you can try a fluid flush and maybe adding a tranny additive - Lucas makes one that was used a lot in the older Ford Taurus trannies that had issues with engagement/slipping with good success - but generally speaking, slipping is not a good sign. the slight burning smell could simply be an oil leak dripping onto the hot exhaust and burning off. common leak areas are the front timing seals (cam and crank), and the cam case cover seals (commonly called valve covers) - they use a rubber seal, not a gasket. the seal gets hard with age & heat and tends to leak. a new seat of seals with bolt grommets can be had at RockAuto.com for around $25 and change (I just bought a set for my 95 Legacy wagon). Also check the axle boots for tears - especially passenger side close to the cat convertor - torn boots can allow the grease to fly out & hit the exhaust - this is usually pretty stinky, tho.

if your codes are posted in the order they were retrieved from the car, then start by replacing the knock sensor, clear the codes and see what, if anything, comes back. It is quite common for one problem to set multiple codes. harsh shifting in the first few minutes, while still cold, is fairly common as well - how does it perform when fully warmed up? When did the car last get a full tune up and/or timing job?

based on the bolded part of your post - I am going to guess that because of the bad cable clamp, there was too much draw/strain on the electrical system with the AC on, and coupled with the low speed during the turn, reducing the alternator's output - that is the source of your "power" failure. get your battery and cables back up to snuff and I bet things will run much more smoothly for you.

odd combination to go out together there... perhaps this could help a little (1990-94 are all basically the same): http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/Legacy%20Outback/1990-1994/

my 1995 Legacy does the same thing when jacking it up, as did my 1990 Legacy - it means nothing other than there is slightly more weight to one side of the center jacking point. (remember that the drivers side has a heavy battery, while the passenger side doesnt...) As Imdew pointed out, how the car handles and rides, and wheel well clearance when on the ground, is a much better indicator of strut/spring condition.

can you give a few more details, please? are you talking about engine power? electrical power? what exactly is happening?

keep the 2.2 - for several reasons... the non-interference 2.2 is one of the most durable engines Subaru ever produced 96 is the last year for non-interference 2.2 engines - no major issues if you pop a timing belt (2.5 are all interference) the 2.5 is prone to headgasket problems - you dont want to go there...

agreed - my 89 GL (same basic car) had over 268K on it when I took it off the road because of salt cancer - still started easy and ran great - probably would have easily passed 300K had it not been so rusted out...

no timing light involved. remove the 2 outer covers - 3 bolts each - this will expose the cam pulleys. using a socket on the main crank bolt, rotate the engine by hand until you can see the hash mark (not the arrow) on the outside edge of one of the cam pulleys pointing straight up - there is a notch in the rear timing cover that it should be lined up with. once you have one pulley lined up in the correct position - check the other pulley to see where the same marking is - it too "should" be pointing straight up - if it is not, the cam timing is off and this is the source of your backfiring problems. there are some really good pictures of the hash mark you are looking for in this thread: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/117660-timing-and-belt/

Congrats on the new ride! (and your new obsession! muah-ha-ha!) I second the KYB struts - excellent value for the money. Spring rates - have no idea, maybe someone else can help you with that. 255K on a 2.2 isnt that bad - as long as you take care of it & keep the fluids full, it will keep on going.

what "gear"? main crank gear/pulley is keyed with a woodruff key - should be no slop cam pulleys are also keyed with a pin - again, should be no slop Idler gear/pulley is bolted straight thru, but should spin smoothly/freely... smooth idler pulleys also bolted straight thru... the only one that "moves" is the tensioner pulley and if that is sloppy, it needs a new tensioner (the hydralic part). a sloppy/weak tensioner will allow the timing belt to jump unexpectedly, and usually at the worst possible moment...have had it happen...

not necessarily - some wont run at all, others will run fine once warmed up - depends on which way the timing is off and how far. the computer will compensate for small differences if it is in the right direction. pull the outer timing covers off and verify the timing is correct and go from there.

this technically belongs in the older gen section, and would probably get a lot more responses there.

it is very possible that it just simply isnt warming up completely until you hit the freeway. I live out in the country and local speed limits are 55mph - no city driving here - have had mine (both a 1990 & a '95) take 5-7 miles in really cold weather to fully warm up, even after letting the engine warm up for several minutes before driving, but I am probably pushing it a little harder out here in the boonies than you are in town... I am betting that as the weather warms up, it will start shifting sooner...