1 Lucky Texan

uh - if it hasn't been done, you need a timing belt service too.

not sure about a sidekick - but you can find videos of performance comparisons between Subarus and many other cars.

you can compress them with the bleeder screw open. that might be the best way regardless, if you wanna get bad fluid out. but, yeah, I never heard of there being a chance of damaging the ABS.

seems like it has gotten better? if you think it has, perhaps give it some more time or swap out another drain and fill with the trans-x. you'll still be in for much less than a trans swap. If it isn't getting better - bail out now and call car-part.com or LKQ and shop for a trans, VDCs are not common.

unlikely but, ABS is most sensitive to low voltage - check the charging system.

You are correct - at cars101.com , it seems 1999 was the last year of 60K miles or 60 MONTHS for timing belt service - after that it seems it went to 105. Not sure about Legacy vs Impreza - but both the 2.2 and the 2.5 in 99 are shown as 60.

if it wasn't done - that car is WAY overdue for timing belt service - 105k miles OR 105 months, whichever is first.

first, I read a lot, but have much less experience that many folks here. Evidently there is a cupro-nickel type of metal tubing that is popular for replacing rusted fuel lines. You might also step-back and see if the car is worth saving - if there's a lot more rust, it may become a problem in multiple ways. Finding a rust-free car with a blown engine might be a good idea - move your known-good parts over to it. Rust Never Sleeps

maybe try re-doing the axle. I used a big screwdriver in a rotor vent, bucked-up against the caliper, when torquing the nut. or a helper on the brakes? worth a try - just a hassle, no $$ involved. 99s probably had a model with ABS as an option.

probably a bad axle. did you torque the axle nut with the weight of the car on the wheel? Subaru FSM wants you to torque the axle nut with the hub in the air. Not sure if that could be an issue - just reaching for ideas.

if it's an 1157 type bulb, it could have a sagging element. I sometimes read of people needing to clean corrosion at the bottom of bulb sockets. there are lights on the hatch right? sometimes the wires in that boot from the body to the hatch get abraded.

brake lines also run over the tank I think (they do on other models) maybe look for a compatible body style with a blown engine? Or just go ahead and use the old fuel and brake lines to pull new lines thru. fumes often come from rusted-out filler. Take the plastic cover off and inspect fill pipe.

triple check cam/crank timing - do a tooth count after lining the marks up. still no codes, pending codes? scan the ECU and post codes here. maybe double check for loose ground wires/connectors. vacuum gauge testing might help - 2-3 things it can locate, cheap/easy, do a search. to me, you're wise to suspect the engine work - but anything could fail on an older car. Fluid change and TRans-X additive might help the tranny.

bad knock sensor will rob power, so will a clogged exhaust or cat. conv. (vacuum gauge test might show clogged exhaust) if you compress the tensioner VERY SLOWLY - you may be able to do it several times. kinda sounds like you just cranked away on it and that can destroy the seal inside.

^^ interesting, but I kinda have a feeling the car is a ticking time bomb. not saying the core wasn't clogged, but I just feel the car got into a cycle of slight overheat which started/increased a HG leak, which introduced a 'gas' bubble, rinse-repeat. or intermittent rad fan operation leading to boilover/local steam bubbles ???? or maybe someone splashed in some Dex ('death' cool lol!) look at some images, seems like it could leave some toasted potato chip debris. anyway, kinda feel like the heater core was more a result of issues, which later caused it to contribute to the problem. There's only 2-3-4 ways 'gas' (as opposed to the more narrow description 'air') can get into the system. I dunno - seems like once or twice a year I read of some new way Subaru cooling systems fail. take care of your cooling systems people!

it is true that there have been a few threads lately that seem to have clogged heater cores. kinda wonder if an overheat/boil-over event can cause the SCC to begin depositing where it shouldn't?

just used the code, thanx

LKQ or car-part.com must be same final drive ratio as front diff

interesting - no chance the owner used any type of leak-fix? or had a different shop do so? you might contact SoA, if there's every indication their products were used per their instructions, maybe there's a chance for some 'good will' with a refund or other assistance. kinda want some lab to analyze the stuff you found to see if it ALL is from the soob product. this may be the first time I've read of a problem with the soob conditioner. a LOT of cars have had this put in them.

check inside the radiator for coolant level too. I also put 2 small zip ties on the little overflow tube at the nipple on the rad's neck - just to make sure air isn't pulled in, instead of coolant.(likely unrelated to your symptoms)

5000fingers (of Dr. Terwilliger ?) - I have had a bad battery set wierd codes in the past on our 03 . maybe check for a bad cell in the battery?

use a little heat from a torch, THEN carefully spray with penetrant - the cooling/contraction may help pull the penetrant into the rusty area. easy-good penetrant is ATF+Acetone 50:50 - shaken before use.

how old is the radiator cap? is fluid being pushed into the overflow? how's the level in the radiator? make sure the little overflow tube isn't jammed againts the bottom of the tank, many of us pull it out and cut the bottm at a 45* angle - use a tiny clamp or a coupla small zip ties on that tube's nipple at the radiator neck. thermostat must be OEM style; since you just bought it, I wouldn't discount the possibility someone has mistakenly put gear oil in the trans - it's been done before. so, also check the front diff's oil level in case it was drained.

any signs or damage to the radiator or the front left corner of the car? just wondering if cooler or filter lines coul;d be pinched or ????