1 Lucky Texan

the older the vehicles in question get, the less important the reliability reputation from WHEN THEY WERE NEW. The individual car's history and care - plus its current condition - are the most important issues. a late 90s 2.2 might have an OK engine, but a trans that is about to blow. A newer 2.5 that has had a new shortblock and MLS gaskets installed by a good mechanic, 'could' be MUCH more reliable over-all. shop carefully, consider having a soob-experienced mechanic do an inspection, and you shouldn't do any worse than most of us when buying a used car. ALL used cars come with risk.

while not transportation-related, I have always worked in manufacturing and there's always trade-offs. But getting and keeping customers is usually the bottom line. Unless you're lucky to be in some kind of g'mint protected monopoly - you will have a lot of price-pressure from your competition such that, they sorta set your prices. So, your net profit comes most often from internal savings; Trying to save on materials and production labor, save on returns/repairs, save on legal, save on taxes, save on advertising, save on engineering and testing, save on capital expenditures, etc. folks who never had to please a customer or make payroll often don't fully understand the constraints placed on a business by market forces. I also think about that when some politician wants my vote.

you might ask for a recomendation for a mechanic near you - in a new thread here. There's nothing wrong with paying for a pre-purchase inspection. It may give you a list of problems that you can use to negotiate a lower price. may help you avoid some expensive headaches too.

you might ask about Subarue xperienced independent mechanics near your city. Maybe drive by , visit, ask tell them what you're thinking about buying and ask how much they would charge for a pre-purchase inspection, Schmooze a little - take them some donuts in the morning w'ever. Maybe get a chance to ask if they have any customers that might be trading-up soon.

whoa! um, I assume it wasn't spinning? if it was - maybe your socket is cracked or too large???? weird.

even though there is laughter - I have used my feet/legs for many jobs under the car! nice trick with the bag too.

did the brake hose get twisted at some point? maybe after some work on that corner. (struts or ???) anyway, hydraulic hoses can (rare) fail in such a way as to create a 'check valve' on the inside and pressure can't be relieved properly. an '06, I'd probably replace the front hoses as a pair. in case the one is 'ballooning' a little from age.

seems like a handy feature.

rust?

I believe 'some' sensors use a 5V reference voltage from the ECU. I guess one bad sensor on that line could screw-up the other sensors on that line - who knows which DTC would get reported first? I think, if ground connections have been refreshed and the wiring all looks good - you should put in a MAF sensor. Even if you're wrong - you're further along in the diagnosis AND you have new (newer) MAF sensor. ANY 17 year-old sensor could be bad.

must check trans fluid while idling - only fluid like that. where did you get the filter? It is built differently that an engine oil filter and there may be some aftermarket units that 'fit' but are inappropriate.

if you have synthetic gear lube in the trans, switching to a non-synth GL-5 might help.

if you do a google search with just ' Subaru P1443 ' there's tons of hits. here a link to this same Forum;http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/142640-p1443-cel-code-evap-system-fix/ here's a link to a thread at the Forester Forum which includes a 'spider blockage' post; http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/code-p1443-35503/

partially blocked AND leaking exhaust? vacuum gauge testing would help diagnose a blockage. someone's going to need to get it on a lift and examine it I think. how many miles on the car? well maintained?

look in the specifications area of the manual. some info on-line says 89ftlbs.

man - when things go south, the expertise on this forum really shines.

well, there is a 'tube' around them on DOHC engines. That is, on your engine, did you have to put the socket inside a tube in the head to seat it onto the plug? what car/engine is this?

um - I suppose you mean the spark plug flew out and has stripped part of the threads out? maybe I'm confused but, it seems you may be best to get a used or rebuilt head for that side of the car. any pics of the plug and the hole? maybe using a mirror will get some nice pics too?

cool!

maybe a rear brake caliper problem or bent caliper guide pin? how did the pads you removed look? symmetrical wear or was one of the pair much thinner or possibly wedge shaped? also, did you by any chance remove the rotor? maybe some debris is stuck between the backside and the brake shield.

vacuum gauges often loend free from parts stores. You can also spray carb cleaner around the vacuum lines and the intake manifold while idling - any change in idle might mean you've found a vacuum leak. Try wiggling/bending the harness to the MAF while idling, see if anything changes. Wires can have opens inside the insulation. Maybe get a MAF from a wreck? chances are it was working when the car crashed. Should be cheaper than a new one. Hopefully lower miles than the one you have now. any oil in the spark plug tubes? Is the poor-running/misfiring related to rain/ moisture at all? many people report problems with non-NGK plugs, also, if you replace plug wires, Subaru or denso is preferred. whining is sometimes air in the power steering fluid. coulpa bad o-rings on the suction hose adapter on top of the pump. Could also be alternator or tensioner pulley i guess. Look in the PS tank while idling;

all of us pick some 'path' we're comfortable with, but, it needs to be done from a position of knowledge - at least he's asking questions. "A Smart man learns from his mistakes, a Wise man learns from the mistakes of Others."

we have a 06 WRX and an 03 H6 Outback. is the a/c working OK? any noise or problems with the steering? are all 4 tires the same brand/size/model/wear? you might consider adjusting the parking brake shoes - there's a rubber plug on the rear backing plates for access. I'd be tempted to replace the cap and o-ring on the fuel pump. inspect the rear bushings on the front lower control arms. If original, the struts are certainly worn-out. you can search for most of those issues here and at subaruoutback.org .

from wikipedia; also;http://drive2.subaru.com/Win11/itsWhatMakes.htm

pretty sure those years cross-over the change from EJ to FB engines. EJ have timing beltes that need that system serviced every 105K miles or 105 Months. FB have chains. Early FBs seem to be getting a reputation for a high incidence of oil consumption.