1 Lucky Texan

if you could get freezefram data to see the fuel trims, that might help you decide if there's still some problem to track down or not. I assume the tire size is the the same as listed on the door card? A bottle of Techron 'could' help restore the injectors spray PATTERN. But i wouldn't use any fuel additive in each tank. make certain the plugs are proper for the car and all the grounds are good. NGK is best for plugs and plug wires. Maker sure you use the OEM type thermostat and that someone hasn't pulled yours out of the car. Make sure you aren't dragging any brakes. make sure the wheel alignment is OK. those could be small 'parasitic' losses to mileage. BUT, I think you are close to the best the car can do given your usage. The short trips means a higher total proportion of engine time is run when 'cold' and that means injector pulses are in 'choke' mode.

yeah, seems more like a vacuum leak, possibly clogged exhaust. vacuum gauges are cheap and there's a decent sized list of failure modes that it help can detect. I dunno when TB changes are due on that model - could be a slipped timing belt I guess. has the CEL returned? can you get a blink code?

did you change the fluid in the diffs? what fluid did you use? do you regularly drive thru high water? (you may need a snorkel on the diff's vent) I've never checked the diff's temp - maybe it always feels hot?

what was the donor vehicle? will the car smoothly idle thru tight circles in a parking lot? no jerking?

clean/change the PCV valve ?

maybe PM Ivan ?

Could you take some off the valve's stem?

the manual advises to tighten the axle nut with no weight on the tire. Did you torque it sitting on the ground or in the air? I put a big screwdriver in a rotor vane and 'buck-up' against the caliper to torque the axle nut. no harm in checking the nut to make sure it is still staked in place.

what's the source of the replacement axle? MANY people have had problems with rebuilt axles, sometimes even new aftermarket axles.

if it does it reliably after you start and idle in the mornings, you could 'probably' prove it's the belt again by spraying something like this on it;

more likely than you think! http://www.lonestarrallycross.com/

I think you should inspect the crank pulley for separation.

you could bypass it by connecting the hoses. No heat for the summer. use the time to save up/shop for new part.

is the CEL on? post ths codes for us. Do you mean the engine is missing? or is there a vibration in car? does it jerk when parking in a parking lot? describe what's going on with a word other than shuddering.

PB Blaster is unlikely to affect rice. (test ii with some rice from the kitchen?) anything I can think of to 'dissolve' rice is too risky for the metals. (Hydrogen peroxide from the beauty shop, liquid Plumber, etc.) borescope is a good idea.

weird (oh, and sorry it happened to you) any dents in the oil pan? the oil pressure thing is weird, wondering about a cracked pick-up tube. maybe a different engine IS a good idea.

no problems with the coupla times I used them.

what code was set? checked the cam/crank timing yet? also, confirm the big IAC hose is attached to the intake.

I've read in the past that CardOne re-builds the re-mans for Subaru dealerships but, I have no idea how that could be confirmed. If he had bought a NEW Subaru axle, it may have had green paint on it.

any codes stored?

MUST have pulses from crank sensor. Missing 'lugs' on the crank sprocket, bad CPS, ignitor, etc. But, seems like you could have a bad fuel pump or ?

I *borrowed* this from another forum - maybe it will work; 06-09: How To Read Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) How to Read Diagnostic Trouble Codes on 2005 thru 2009 Subaru Legacy and Outback The 2005 thru 2009 model year Legacy and Outback can display Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) directly on the dashboard. No scan tool is needed. No jumper wires are required, and it is not necessary to count blinky lights. The codes are displayed in plain text on the instrument cluster. Trouble codes from the ECM (Engine Control Module), TCM (Transmission Control Module) and ABSCM/VDCCM (ABS or VDC Control Module) are displayed. This procedure was distilled from the FSM. The English translation in the FSM is not very good, so I have attempted to make it easier to follow. The FSM has this procedure in the Body Section, Instrument/Driver Information, Comination Meter System chapter. Some notes before starting: - I believe this procedure will work for all 2005 to 2009 Legacys and Outbacks. However, I have only tested the procedure on my car, a 2007 Outback 2.5i automatic. - I don't know of a way to reset the codes without a scan tool. Disconnecting the battery may or may not work. - Exactly what you will see depends on what type of display your car has. There are two images of tables below, one for the Normal display and one for the Multi-Information Display that is found on Turbo models. The Procedure Starting condition: key off, headlight switch off. Steps 1 through 7 must be performed within 10 seconds. 1. Turn key to ON position. This is the normal running position, the click just before starting, when all the lights on the dash come on, but before you twist to START. Don't start the engine! 2. Within 3 seconds, turn the headlight switch ON. 3. Press the Trip/Odometer button 4 times. 4. Turn the headlight switch OFF. 5. Press the Trip/Odometer button 4 times. 6. Turn headlight swtich ON. 7. Press Trip/Odometer button 4 times. At this point, the DTC display will begin. 8. Turn headlight switch OFF. Not necessary for the procedure, but your display may be dimmed and hard to read in bright sunlight. Besides, why drain the battery? The DTCs for each module will display in order: ECM, TCM, ABSCM/VDCCM. Press the Trip/Odometer button to cycle between modules. The FSM states that the display will cycle between modules automatically every three seconds if the button is not pushed, but that did not happen in my car - I had to push the button to cycle the display. For each module, there are three display states: - Receiving DTC from module (blinking "P" or "C") - DTC detected & displayed ("P" or "C" followed by 4 digits) - No DTC found ("P" or "C" followed by "----") If there is a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus communication error, you will see only "----" in the display. Basically, that means that the network in your car is broken. That will need to be repaired before anything else can be done. See the table below that applies to your car, depending on which type of display you have. Notes - TCM error codes will not be displayed for cars with manual transmissions. The TCM display state will remain in "Receiving DTC" (blinking "P" on display). In my case, my car is an automatic, but the blinking "P" remained, possibly because I have no codes set. - To cancel the DTC display, turn the key to OFF. - If the engine is started, the DTC display will remain until the car starts to move. (I did not test this) - Past DTCs that have been repaired will be displayed until the engine is started 3 times. (I did not test this) Display Tables Normal Display Multi-Information Display from; http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/99-do-yourself-illustrated-guides/19053-06-09-how-read-diagnostic-trouble-codes-dtcs.html

IAC air tube under the intake might be loose (guessing a 93 has something like that?) crank/cam timing could be slipped dirty/gummed-up throttle body

if it clicks at low speed, have someone pace the car in a parking lot and do left, then right circles. In general, if you hear a Rzeppa joint clicking, it will be the one on the inside of a turn. The articulation is greater due to the Ackerman angle. But that is a good point above about rebuilding both - plus, you'd have the opportunity to swap sides - the little-used reverse surfaces will now be getting forward wear, might extend the life of the axles.

got it is the concern on the cat/O2 due to a P0420 code? if so, you might read here; http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/66-problems-maintenance/49537-p0420-diagnosis.html