1 Lucky Texan

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.

4 year old post. are you having the same symptoms? Go ahead and start a new thread.

some year models have MAFs that become intermittent. maybe tapping/pressing on it and listening for a change in the idle would confirm you need a new MAF? also, carefully inspect the wiring for rodent or other damage. And maybe refresh some ground connections. that's about all the cheap stuff I can think of to try.

are rims and tires on your car 'normal'? that is, no wheel spacers or other modification? maybe you could pretend to shop for a 2nd generation Outback, compare steering feel with a different car before you replace a pump to discover the feeling may be normal.

they should be able to do a battery/charging system test while you're getting the code(s) read.

if you could post the actual trouble code numbers (DTCs) it could, someone else if not me. after recording the code numbers, you can clear them, then monitor how quickly and which ones come back. Sometimes a 'glitch' occurs and might persist for sometime. if yoy're unsure about the injector, swap it with one in a different cylinder and see if the problem moves with the injector.

even seeing some fuel flow, may not mean pressure or volume is adequate. Our cars have a cap/o-ring on the fuel pump that may be ruptured - starving the car of fuel. read here; http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/110-gen-2-2000-2004/41182-symptoms-fuel-pump-o-ring-problem.html

there MAY be a way to mate some connectors under the dash to get a 'blink code'. Here, we can also get auto parts retailers to read codes for us. If you own a smartphone, there is a BlueTooth adapter and free app that will let you read codes and other info for less that $15-$20 or so. hopefully, someone with more experience will chime in.

if your 98 has OBDII similar to our cars - reading and posting the DTC (trouble code) would help a lot. is the light solid or flashing when it happens?

vacuum gauge testing will help confirm exhaust blockage. any CEL codes? as said above A:F ratio is off - kinda wonder if car could also have slipped timing but, exhaust blockage could explain everything. - maybe what killed the original cat has killed the new one?

Make sure then to understand what 'bedding in' is and how to do a mild/medium process just before the autoX event. Unless she is making a dedicated racer, then you will be getting into what the other racers are running for brake/suspension equipment. Ferodo, EBC, Hawk, Carbotech etc. - lots of ways to go. Stop Tech Street performance are a good pad for 'spirited' driving on the street and 'occasional' track use. But, any name brand Ceramic (and even semi-mettalic) would serve her well until she actually starts racing. I put cheap pads on my wife's Outback once - they were some kind of Wagner's on clearance - they were horrible, went back to Centric PQ Ceramic before they were half used up. terrifying. good reading here in the 'white/technical papers; http://stoptech.com/technical-support/technical-white-papers

http://www.abeesautomotive.com/#/home/ still seem to have a high rating on Yelp.

it's a safety thing having mostly to do with limiting belt shifting during jerky-movements to the car being transferred to the crank shaft. I THINK some folks a LONG time ago had timing belts jump if the car was towed by a tow truck or ??? while in gear backwards or possibly in certain types of wrecks. my 06 WRX has 5 of those things. I used toothpicks that were about 1 mm to set them. YMMV

have any repairs, maintenance or wrecks happened just before this began? is there a check engine light? post the failure codes. when was the timing belt system last serviced?

I'm asking because tires are really what stop the car. Our cars , unless racing or maybe towing up and down the mountains, have decent brakes. Folks who felt like they needed upgraded braking, have usually been well served running stickier tires and good pads. Stock pads are (probably) Akebono ceramic, but folks have saved some money using name-brand aftermarket ceramics. I run Centric Posi-Quiet Ceramic on my wife's 03 OBW. I run Stop Tech Street Performance on my WRX (excellent for folks hard on brakes - but lots of dust!). Both with stock rotors. (when I need rotors, I'm getting Centric) At present, the WRX has Kumho ECSTA ASX tires. Some people have found new rubber brakelines (or stainless braided, usually on older cars) and a master cylinder brace have helped them with better brake 'feel' when towing or on the track. I'd make certain you didn't just need a brake fluid flush, better tires and better brake pads (read about 'bedding in' too) before jumping to a caliper upgrade. again, tires stop the car, brakes just stop them from turning. 3142plateless by alckytxn, on Flickr

do you run sticky tires already? if so, what pads have you been running?

what he said ^^^^ seriously, MUCH better to pay to regrease/reboot your NTN axle. MUCH better.

has the car been 'tuned' ? maybe that is throwing the a:f off enough to create a slow warm-up?

I would have said it may have slipped timing, but, you sure it's running as well as before? hmmm, maybe a dirty IACV or gummy throttle body? interesting.

wow - not sure I've read of a seized water pump before.

might not be a good idea to put your smartphone near some megaOersted pole-flipping magnetic field. . . . . . . Use your wife's phone.

anywhere from under 2.5 to 8+ years extremely variable, mostly dependent on climate and any abuse the battery suffered. where I live, 3 years is old for battery - heat is very bad for them. They are expensive enough that having a suspect battery tested is worth the hassle. It's remaining capacity can be tested, checked for dead cells, etc.

There's some evidence online that a Toyota made similar to this has a nipple in a similar location. There are pics of an owner hanging a cup under the nipple to catch drips. Given Toyota's involvement with Subaru, maybe there was some crossover in tech - but fitting a nipple there was abandoned ?