1 Lucky Texan

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.

I mis-remembered what car it was. but here's the post I recall; http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/66-problems-maintenance/41079-oil-light-flickers-low-rpm.html

OK, level seems OK. (left side is driver's side in the US) Is there a CEL or any flashing lights on the dash? Maybe some gummy deposits are causing a valve to stick until warmed up? Another fluid drain and fill or 2 might be worth trying. Also, some folks report success usingadditives in the trans. CRC Transmax or similar. I wouldn't expect miracles if something's actually broken - but the fact that it seems OK after a warm-up is kinda positive that some remedial treatment with good fluid might help. It actually takes about 3 drain/fill routines to get about 85% new fluid since so much stays in the TC.

yikes! paper towel ?

just to be clear, and forgive me if this is obvious to you but, it isn't to everyone, the AT fluid's stick is designed to be used with the car idling. It will show a higher level if check with the engine off. It's the stick on the lekt side by the firewall. The stick on the other side is the front diff. Sometimes those have confused people as well. Also, any work or wrecks to the car before this began?

I read once of a guy with similar symptoms (but in an STI) and he discovered mis-routing of breather and PCV hoses. It caused a vacuum in is crankcase. He even heard gurgling I think from the dipstick tube? maybe pull the stick and check for the feeling of a vacuum from the tube - or if the pressure light goes off/changes? weird I know but, easy to check.

there are factors that will alter different folks experience of course. Just saying that clicking when turning is not an indicator of immediate failure. Outer joint with split boot off road is gonna have a much lower lifespan than a highway cruiser with a split inner boot. I have know one person that broke a half-axle. It was a Honda (FWD) and he was trying to leave from a stop light, the axle broke, and his car just sat there making some odd noises. Our cars should still move at least. Zero failures is the goal, but as failures go, even a broken axle may not be all that bad. I'd rather have happen on my 03 H6 than the fuel pump cap/o-ring failure for example. just save your money and get it fixed. maybe before Thanksgiving OK? No need to park the car and get a second job to pay off an emergency loan if you hear some clicking today.

my experience is mostly with Honda axles. If they click only when turning, keep driving. when they START clicking going straight - save up for the axle and change it. You can drive for MONTHS on clicking axles. No one can say precisely when one will break.

will the car jump start? also, if this car has seen a lot of starts/stops in it's life, the starter could need solenoid contacts - easy rebuild.

as mentioned above, the gas is inside typical struts just to keep foaming under control - maybe to help limit pulling in moist air too? Typical car struts aren't made to operate lying down or upside down and, like mentioned above, you are instructed to cycle them before installation help move the oil back to where it belongs after shipping.

nvrmd

unlikely the final drives are the same (unless internal parts were changed) unless the rear diff was swapped-over from the same car. So, the car has probably been operating under some degree of TB since the swap, and the center diff is now bad. I could be wrong - but that issue needs to be double-checked or you risk performing a repair that will not last.

um - can you tell us to what fuse you are referring? In a 5 spd manual, there is no control over the center diff short of removing mechanical parts. And, in the pre-2004 or so autos I KNOW, the fuse is INSTALLED in a FWD slot - not 'removed'. I THINK the same might be true for later 4EATs and the 5EATs but - I have no direct experience with them. so, w'ever fuse you are handling, it is unrelated to your 5 spd manual transmission's AWD/FWD operation.

wow - broken ring lands? oil definitely reduces the octane of fuel so, pinging makes sense with the blow-by pushing oil thru. what a mess

Foresters got a timing chain in 2011. In general, the older a car is, the less important it's 'model reliability' is, and the more important its prior care and current condition becomes. shop carefully and pay a good mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection.

if the car is new to you guys, maybe the prev. owner swapped trans or rear diff and they are different final drive ratios.

I suppose this could be a front diff issue. also, has the car ever had a rear diff swap?

When I replaced the struts on my wife's car, It was the first time I handled items like that. The gas that is in them is a very minor amount of pressure and the rods of the un-assembled struts are easily pushed down by hand. Of course, the oil is resisting that too, but the gas pressure is minimal compared to those springs - like 1:300 ratio.

can you turn tight circles on dry pavement without jerkiness/bucking or giving the car a lot of gas? Are all the tires the same brand/model/size? you may need to have a mechanic take a look at the vehicle. Seems like more than one problem.

I'd say there's no reason the sides shouldn't be mirror images of each other so, there is something bent/broken/worn causing the issue, or an incorrect part might have been used for some past repair.

sounds like a plan. BTW - a car t'stat can be tested on the stove top, should open at around 175 degrees (just before boiling) close again when it cools. I even test them before I install a new one. NOTE! if you test an old one, make certain the pot/pan you use is THOROUGHLY washed. Ethylene Glycol coolants are toxic. Never even taste it and if it's left out, pets and even children can be attracted to it because it has a sweet smell/taste. no exaggeration - sever kidney damage.

first - I have no connection with the dealership in Oneonta - but it seems they have some good reviews. That's all. glad they seemed helpful on the phone. The nose-up 'burping' has been done a lot on older soobs, may be less necessary on newer ones. Still, many cars (some Toyotas and Hondas I know of) require special coolant fill procedures like filling the block first or opening an air-bleed near the top of the block. Subarus are not unique to this. I'm no expert, but the basics of the 'typical' headgasket failures in Subarus are mostly of 2 types - external 'weeping'/dripping of withe coolant or oil or both. Just drops on the plastic undercover or ground and sometimes blown back onto exhaust and undercarriage by airflow. Easy to keep up with if you diligently check fluid levels. Then there is the type with symptoms closer to what you experience, that is very high combustion pressure push past the HG into the much lower pressure of the cooling jacket. Those gasses begin to expand immediately and can push fluid/bubbles into the overflow bottle past even a good radiator cap. usually no white smoke, usually no 'chocolate mousse' in the oil. Just fuel/combustion gasses in the coolant. yes. there can be other type of failure, just that for Soobs, they are less common. Because of the origin of the pressure and the direction of flow, it is EXTREMELY unlikely any product added to the coolant can help with the last type of failure listed above. I would say less than 1% chance of success. There is also a risk of clogging the radiator or other deleterious effects. If you had white smoke out the tailpipe - maybe it would help. I don't know though. Foe external weeping as described above, there is a Subaru Coolant Conditioner. It seems to be product similar to that thermaguard and other cooling system "leak-stops". One other point I don't recall (sorry if it was mentioned already) if your engine has been overheated severely, or maybe too many times, bearing damage could have occurred. If there is a good possibility of this, best approach may be swapping in a low miles used engine from a wreck. possibly about the same money as a rebuild or even cheaper.

sweet ride!