1 Lucky Texan

there are many things that can cause that code. even exhaust leaks. http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/66-problems-maintenance/49537-p0420-diagnosis.html

A co-worker at my job has been in a position to visit Asia a coupla times - not mechanical related stuff, but he says there can be a big difference in quality among even ISO 9xxx certified companies. Some are certified by Germans, some by Chinese. And, ISO 9xxx really only secures a company's consistency, not their quality. If you turn out crap, ISO 9xxx helps make certain the crap is the same every time. did any ever find a way to get NTK , or whoever makes axles for Subaru, aftermarket? I seem to recall a S. African guy was gonna try that but, I don't recall any details. I wish I knew of some silver coating/paint that I could spray on the inner boot next to the exhaust. Somehow help to further shield it from heat.

have you checked the oil pressure? just wondering if a stuck relief valve could cause high usage? I once read of someone that had the PCV and breather hoses all cross-connected and they had weird issues with oil. just wild guesses since you seemed open to them!

^^^ interesting.

and if any of those little tabs were broken off, you will need a new sprocket.

did a tab break off the crank sprocket or did the crank position sensor get damaged?

knock sensors can be tricky to install correctly, they will crack if over-torqued, the cable must 'dress' away in certain manner or it sits on a bump on some castings causing stress/failure. And I've read that the surface under it needs to be wire brushed. just something to consider

sounds like a plan - good luck

OK, punchy, here's an experiment, save the oil from your old trans, you said it IS syntehtic and seems to cause problems right? Put that oil in the new transmission. If it works OK for you, get the 75/90 synth. if you want fresh oil. It may work for you. Evidently not everyone experiences problems and this way, the test shouldn't cost you much extra $$$. Or, go to the dealer, take your own containers, and beg them to sell you the Extra-S you need. (it comes in 20 liter buckets I THINK?) Or order it from Fred Beans . But it's pricey that way due to shipping. Or, order this-http://www.grimmspeed.com/1-transmission-cocktail-mix/ The 80/90 should work. I dunno about next winter for you - surely the parts houses carry adequate variety of viscosities for your climate.

odd - any check engine light or stored/pending codes? any vacuum or pressure/'whooshing' detected when removing the gas cap? I'm tempted to recommend some SeaFoam through a tank or 2 of gas and throttlebody cleaning but - both guesses.

no additives. The center diff is sealed and runs in it's own silicone fluid.

well, that is usually just shorthand for 5 speed stickshift (MT = Manual Transmission) - but, in 06 they supposedly made a change to the 1st gear synchro so, if you need some specific info on a specific year - maybe someone else will know. The older 5 speeds are the ones that can sometimes be a little more finicky i think. If you have a problem, fluid will not fix the the transmission - but the right fluid (which could be different for a Canadian than - say - a citizen of Florida) can help reduce balky shifting. Other items wear too, like the shifter bushings. the additive packages, and other parameters for engine oil are probably a lot different than for GL-5 .I probably wouldn't use diesel engine oil except as a last resort. maybe start by trying a name brand non-synth. GL-5 in the proper viscosity for your climate or spring for the Subaru Extra-S . The rear diff should do fine on synth, non-synth or Extra-S - but you likely don't need to spend the money for Extra-S for the rear diff. So, drain the transmission into a clean container and use some of that lightly-used synth for the rear diff to reduce the loss.

many people have problems with synthetic as the synchronizers don't work well. the problem is, the tranny shares with a diff and getting a fluid that plays well with both has caused problems for some people. a name brand 'dino' GL-5 'should' work well. If it doesn't, you could try a 'cocktail' as in this huge thread at NASIOC; http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=920674 In my WRX at present I have Redline Lightweight Shockproof. It was great for a coupla seasons but seems to have broken down now. Not sure what I'll try next - kind want to look on the drainplug's magnet.

well, did you see this? http://arduinix.com/index.html

sounds like a fun project - be careful. I think neon needs 160-170 volts doesn't it? (been a long time since i messed with neon bulbs!)

yeah, me approx. 1975. That HP counter up there has a nixie tube display. (in all fairness, I never built anything with them, but have built 7 segment LED displays using discrete drivers and encoders and stuff like that)

I would use an abundance of w'ever method I chose. i would also leash or wrap or otherwise try to restrain any pieces that could conceivably fly away. And wear eye protection. kinda surprised ther isn't room to get some compressors in there. Might only need to grab 3 coils each to have 'enough' control. hose clamps definitely frighteneing, but may leave enough exposed that you could put real compressors on after removal - dunno;

yeah, I know what they are;

be careful - dont' completly trust anything other than springcompressors - and be careful with those! good luck

what kind of circuit for the tach? an elm 327 and a smartphone app like Torque , Or a tactrix cable and laptop running something like RomRaider should display the tach. might be able to derive the gear with tach and speed sensor info.

coverking wet okole

what were the other 2 wires? is it possible some portion of the repair job is allowing some shorting/cross connection?

don't discount the possibility of a bad u-joint or other driveline problem.

ok, that makes sense now.