1 Lucky Texan

I used my floor jack on the end of my breaker bar to bust the upper and lower plugs loose on the rear diff. Do the upper one first. Kinda a standard recomm. due to the remote possibility of draining the diff and not being able to fill it if the upper plug is stuck - couldn't even drive the car to the store to by some penetrating oil! be careful, there's no hurry!

T-70 Torx I think I got mine from Amazon but i also have read AutoZones carries it. maybe Lisle branded?

yeah, even the bottle says just take 5 oz w'ever out and add the conditioner. Turkey baster works. Don't dump in the overflow tank. don't let pets/toddlers near open/spilled coolant. It is a sweet but deadly substance.

how long since the timing belt was changed? could it have slipped a tooth?

seems a little like a leaking injector. Coupla things to try. easiest is, next morning/time when you feel the car would fail, cycle the key to ON (not START) and wit 8 seconds, then back to OFF, then back to ON/wait * seconds, then repeat 2-3 more times. Each time, you should hear the faint sound of the fuel pump pressurizing the rails. THEN start. You may still need your foot on the floor. But, if it starts more quickly, it means you are losing fuel pressure when the cars sits for a period. Another test would be to pull the spark plugs in the morning and look for one wet with fuel. That could be the cyl, with a leaky injector.

there is an option to make the OEM security system auto-arm on last door closure (or dirver's door?). Doesn't lock any doors, just arms the sec. sys. I believe I read it was in that area and making the connection 'enabled' auto-arming.

I'd be surprised if it didn't swap over. Just, I don't have experience doing that.

if you can't get to a mechanic soon to have the leak found and hoses/parts replaced, you could use a bottle of Subaru Coolant Conditioner, it may slow down or stop a small leak. (not recommended in the system has already had some leak stop installed, that ism do NOT double dose the cooling system with leak stop!) Mechanic will probably pressure test and change the hose. Small possibility there is a different type of leak involving a crack or pinhole in a more expensive part.

OK, seems like a camshaft was not responding quickly enough to the control to alter it's timing - maybe the exhaust cam on bank 2? anyway, seems like they have it under control.

that Hopkins funnel with the tube on it works quite well for the front diff and auto trans. The transfer pump works for the rear diff. well, did for my cars. I may cut 2-3 inches off the funnel's tubing so it can support itself better, but really, it works fine as is. The black plastic adapter on the bottom fits well inside the dipstick tubes - just pour diff oil VERY slowly and it works. Before switching to fill with a different fluid, I use some of the old fluid I drained to flush the funnel/tube with. That way, I don't get any trans fluid in the diff or vice-versa .

sounds odd the way it was explained to you. a parts store should be able to retrieve the code at no charge . Do that and post the code(s) here. For now, do not concern yourself with any diagnosis the parts store makes and don't purchase anything until the guys here see the code.

while you try to discover the source of the leak, keep the coolant level correct - you DO NOT want to overheat your engine!

Intake will get you more noise. Cheapest loud exhaust would be a 'turn down tip' . Unlikely those will boost power. not much you can do except shed weight. Lighter rims, lightweight crank pulley, lightweight flywheel if 5 spd . If you literally will NEVER have passengers, take the seats out, or just the rear seat. If you will ALWAYS be able to call someone local for help - leave the spare and jack/tools at home, etc. Rule of thumb, 9-13 pounds = 1 hp. There are mods you can do to make the car easier to throw around the corners, but non-turbo soobs don't have a lot of options for more power.

maybe an anti-roll bar problem. Broken mount or endlink ?

what's wrong with the present starter? There are rebuild kits for them to replace worn contacts and plungers too.

are the brake lights working? might be a TSB, not recall? anyway - look at this; http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1791887

some pics;

I'm not sure on a 2009 if Subaru's ATF-HP trans fluid w'ever is 'required'. It's good stuff, just may be pricey and inconvenient to acquire. (One trick to try, get pricing on any OEM parts/fluids from an on-line dealer like Fred Beans or genuinesubaruparts - others, and ask your local dealer to match prices, has worked for me and others on occasion) There may be a Castrol or other fluid that would be a reasonable fluid to use. Coolant may also be a point of contention - some people do just fine with a fluid like peak Global, others say you must use the Subaru coolant. There are 2 kinds so, check the manual. diffs, any name brand GL-5 is fine (synthetic or dino), check the manual, some cars actually spec different viscosities F vs R. I used a gear oil pump for the rear and a funnel with a hose on it for the front fluid fills. power steering also uses Dexron III or 6 w'ever fluid. Not some generic PS fluid off the shelf. I have used many brands and they all seem OK in my limited experience. valvoline, shell, castrol, redline, etc. I even use walmart supertech synth engine oil in my cars for winter time use. As you can imagine, there's a lot of 'discussion' about fluids and when you begin to vary from what your manual suggests, you assume some risk. Often minor, but who really knows?

fingers crossed

^^^ good post. If the battery is original, it is getting older. maybe a tone ring sensor wire took a hit at one of the wheels?

some people advise against full-stroke bleeding using the pedal precisely because it can tear-up seals in the MC in older cars.

I dunno what they are, but if you can post pics, someone will know.

consider a brake fluid flush and the front diff's fluid. maybe even use a turkey baster with a hose to pull out some power steering fluid but, maybe only if it looks like coffee. maybe a bottle of Techron through a tank of gas. take a look at when the car gets spark plugs. read the manual about use of the spare tire and towing the car. that's all I can think of - congrats!

is there a good ground from the engine? the plugs still need that return path. or maybe a CPS problem?

miles touched on a good point. Ask in a new thread for recommendations of a shop near Boise. You not only could find someone to handle a pre-purchase inspection for you, but sometimes a shop may know of a regular customer with a decent car for sale. I've even seen some shops with bulletin-board posting of cars for sale. At least there'd be a good chance the car saw some care during its life. 'Network' with your fellow churchgoers, PTA parents and teachers, neighbors, even relatives in retirement communities, etc.