1 Lucky Texan

inspect for oily-looking places. If the system is empty, may as well replace the o-rings at the compressor at least. Then, use one can with dye when you re-charge. don't forget to look at the condenser - sometimes rocks will poke a hole in them.

supposedly, there is a 'clear flood' mode triggered in the ECU at full throttle during start only. The ECU will cut the injectors off/way down so a flooded engine has a chance to start. Some people run into this in cold weather when they start the car, move it 20 feet, turn it off, get out to close a gate or garage door (for example), then try to restart. The cylinders can have too much fuel sitting in them.

start soaking everything in penetrant now. +1 on impact wrench (I have an electric) The strut mount nuts are tiny - don't over torque. do the axle boots look good? Ball joints tight? be careful.

In the US, all cars were required to be OBDII in 96 so, those counter jockeys need a lesson. Some 95s and maybe a 94 Nissan were even OBDII earlier than required.

throttle cable may need some attention/lube. possible throttle position sensor problem i guess. can you read the codes(s) ? AutoGroan and places like that will read CEL codes at no charge. most people report good luck with inexpensive knock sensors as from ebay, rockauto, etc. Clean the block where it goes on, point the cable the same direction as the old one, don't over torque the bolt. maybe someone else will chime in with advice.

coupla good points up there guys - If they can be turned by a good shop to within spec, original Subaru rotors should be kept. Personally, if i had to get new rotors, I'd pay a little extra for Centric Premium and cross my fingers. I dunno how much new Subaru rotors would cost.

do not buy 'economy' pads, they are crap.

yep - kinda like;

you probably have bent valves now. probably explains fast cranking. Check compression.

I think the best approach would be to swap in a WRX or possibly an STI engine. check over at NASIOC for lots of info on stuff like that. But, even as is, some suspension and brake and tire upgrades could make the car a lot of fun to throw around the corners. Anything can be made faster with enough $$$ ,but, 'the Man' doesn't let you go too fast on his roads, he doesn't really care how flat you can turn corners though!

cool! thanx for getting back to us with the solution.

very odd symptoms, maybe you have a wheel that is dragging and the small extra brake pressure is locking it up, engaging the ABS? I dunno what the symptoms would be like if there was air in the ABS lines but, perhaps you need a very extensive bleed of the entire system, or a vacuum bleed or ??? do all the wheels turn freely with no odd sounds?

sometimes rodents nest in the system, maybe some blockage from something like that?

good idea running some premium fuel with Techron or SeaFoam added thru a tank or 2. Throttle body cleaning too. I admit, I don't see how it could be related, but a longshot would be to check the fuel pump for the cap/o-ring problem.

after a brief search, I did see a coupla posted ECUs that ship worldwide on ebay, did you try there? a dealership may be able to at least confirm if the ECU is damaged, or just needs reprogramming. also, I THINK there may be a couple availble thru this German site - do a search using the number 22611AJ220 http://www.autoteileplus.de/

yeah, brain f@rt posting from work, thanx

nvrmd

seems like a good chance that's a bad ECU, also, wiring, connector or general electrical problems I guess (did the car ever suffer a severe issue with battery connections?, jump starting?, bad alternator? and flooding in the car? rodents damaging wires?) check; http://www.datsc.com/tabid/122/OBD-Error-Code/P0604/Diagnostics/subaru/Default.aspx http://engine-codes.com/p0604_subaru.html http://www.rs25.com/forums/f72/119103-p0604-i-have-cel-can-t-find-info-anywhere-2.html

hip spoiler! sweet!

I'd guess the front diff would have to break enough that something was slipping before you'd get RWD. If you wanted to force it, you could remove an axle (but not the stub - still need to seal the diff.) But, the above would be a poor substitute for an actual repair!

wow GG, that seems weird. Any AT or CEL lights? this is a longshot but, maybe try a batt cable disconnect type reset?

really? good fuel flow? possible cam position sensor. Or crank postition sensor but I THINK injectors are cut off if the cam sensor is bad. any DTC//'check engine light' codes?

if you feel like being a real pioneer, take a look here; http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/104-gen-4-2010-present/83865-how-fast-can-cvt-go-reverse.html definition of 'mid engine' is somewhat nebulous, but most folks claim it is when the CG of the engine lies inside the front and rear axle lines (inside the wheel base) So, technically, the old Mazda RX-7 was mid-engine, despite the engine being in front of the driver, and in front of the transmission.

wow - google it, it's legit 'Air Conditioner Refrigerant Charge Loss' never heard of such a thing before

if you are certain the problem is not related to the security system. And, the use of starter fluid or other tests seem to indicate no/low fuel delivery, it may be worth the effort to remove the fuel pump assembly and look for a broken tab on the cap and/or swollen/failed o-ring. It's a known gen 2 problem here in the US. but, as mentioned above, your model 04 may not be prone to that failure.