1 Lucky Texan

details on car might help, model, miles, new to you, general condition, etc. did the vapor smell sweet - toasted marshmallow smell? have you checked coolant level in the radiator? did you install a new thermostat? it MUST be OEM-style;

suspect the radiator is clogged, or, almost seems like the tb is slipping on the water pump (weak tensioner?) or some other wp problem.

tires must be the same 'rolling diameter' - best interpreted as; the same brand/size and model. if the snow tires meet that criteria, they would not cause a problem (other than being a poor choice of tire in LA) . If the snow or any other tires are mixed sizes - that CAN cause a problem. was there any bucking or jerking during tight turns - like maneuvering in parking lots?

absolutely NO CHANCE timing is off 2-3 teeth? also, check that the IACV hose is connected under the intake tubing.

OK, put everything back together, make sure the battery has a strong charge, and crank using the 'clear flood' procedure. HOLDING (not pumping, not halfway, not lifting your foot during cranking....) the gas pedal flat to the floor while cranking signals the ECU to cut fuel. The car may need several revolutions to get the fuel out of the cylinders and re-wet the rings with oil - so, expect a loooong crank followed by some sputtering and then, hopefully, it will start.

any idea what happened to the trans? Did you have mixed tires or loose fluid?

that alt. probably had the Tribec's ECU controlling it's field - not sure, maybe GD can explain.

kinda reminds me of all the dieseling and knock cars did in the late 70s and 80s - they told us it was "the sound of economy" lol! they brag about a 5% increase in FUEL economy but they're ashamed to tell folks they're gonna burn oil 300% faster than before!, the LEAST they could have done is WARN people that they must check their oil more frequently. And why doesn't the maintenance schedule have a 1,000 mile interval with an 'I' to inspect the oil level? still, if this is the new normal, some of us old guys will struggle to adapt!

are plugs wet? maybe flooded - but that seems unlikely to have caused the original stall-out.

it isn't too difficult to inspect the fuel pump, just be careful with the plastic bits on top. see; http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/110-gen-2-2000-2004/41182-symptoms-fuel-pump-o-ring-problem.html

interesting I thought the OEM trans filter was internally built differently from an oil filter? First I heard of anyone using an oil filter there.

I have more trouble with the auto stick but, general consesnus is to wait longer, and use the lower reading on the 2 sides of the stick. As my eyes have gotten older, I sometimes need a lot more light if the oil is fresh.

well, it points to the system losing pressure when hot, not sure WHERE it would be happening....you'd expect if it were a line/hose under the hood, you just might track it down by smell. but, I suppose it could be an injector or the pump....?

a/c dries the air so it defogs the inside of a window better.

ah, key is ON DOH! I guess I missed that.

interesting, I don't think they both are controlled by a single relay that could be stuck. maybe the CTS is bad telling the ECU the car is always hot?

heartless, thanx for the post - I also have been lubing it unsuccessfully, I never thought about cleaning it first, makes sense though.

next time you feel certain it would fail to start properly, cycle the key to ON (not start), wait 3-4 seconds, back to OFF, to ON, wait, back to OFF, to ON, wait 3-4secs. back to OFF, then immediately try starting. Each ON cycle should fire-up the fuel pump to pressurize the system. if, as I also suspect, Subaru Scott is right, the newly pressurized system should start properly, proving that, over time, the hot/warm system is leaking-down fuel pressure.

put a hose to your ear and carefully move it around in the engine bay to locate the area it's coming from? check for a crack at the Y pipe on the exhaust. try a vacuum gauge test - get it on loan from a parts store, check on-line for guides of all the stuff it can show.

I always wondered how much debris was in a trans pan - re they usually nasty? (it's been decades since I pulled a trans pan, on US cars, and they didn't 'seem' bad.)

the smell could be grease from a torn CV boot. being on a low traction service is the least likely to create torque bind. Of course, it doesn't mean the car didn't arrive to the gravel area with a problem.

if you feel it in the steering wheel, you want to have lug nuts and studs checked for proper torque and cracks, etc. as said above, swap the tires front to back and test. sometimes, flakes of rust or other debris can be caiught somewhere in the hub-rotor-wheel 'sandwich' and cause issues.

my youngest daughter has back pain and when we were replacing her car, the most economical vehicle we investigated that had back-friendly seating was a Chevy Impala. have you ever tried back support product like those made by Obus Forme' ? it seems to help many folks.

My brother-in-law's Toyota seized its engine during an oil consumption test! dealership didn't believe him when he complained of excessive consumption. He was a staunch multiple Toyota owner - now driving a Honda.

tune-up as said, NGK plugs, new NGK wires (if original, yours are 21 years old) , check for oil on the plug boots. if oily, may need valve cover gaskets and plug tube seals.