1 Lucky Texan

no inserts unless there's some odd-ball person out there that has experimented with putting a Koni insert inside. You want KYB replacement struts. Sounds like you have done strut swaps before so, probably be easy enough for you. There may even be a youtube video or 2 of the process. I'd check Amazon or RockAuto for pricing. Good time to inspect and maybe grease brakes, look for split cvj boots - general inspection stuff.

no failure, but my observation on my WRX; did TB service based on almost 9 years, but only 64K miles or so. 2 idlers were very loose - skate wheel loose. One of those was the toothed idler, it was also a little wobbly - maybe a mm or so of deflection. maybe it would have lasted another 40K, I doubt it and am glad I did the service.

were they the same brand and model? they can fit the same size rims and be the same profile - but still be different CIRCUMFERENCE. Even if one pair is bald and the othe rpair has 3/4 of their tread might be enough to cause an issue. any grabbing or binding/jerking during tight circles on dry pavement?

were the tires you replaced IDENTICAL to the rear tires? pretty sure even in '85 you need 4 identical tires. Try swapping ONE front tire to the rear , open diffs might let that work. just wondering if you have torque bind.

swap tire pairs front to back ??? I know next to nothing about an 85, just hoping to mention something worth a second look. tires all the same? If the car is stone cold, is the problem the same or better?

^^^^ yeah, I was gonna post that some of what was mentioned seemed like it could be a frozen brake caliper but......?

if you were coasting in Neutral would it behave the same?

oh, I'm quite sure there's a quality difference on the hoses, if I get 3 years+ out of the cheap part I won't complain. The scattering of reviews on UAC hoses I could find seem generally OK. fingers crossed. I did find a shop within a coupla miles that does hose rebuilding so, got that under control. Great suggestion GD , thanx again. now, in which of these unpacked boxes from after my move did I put the gauge set.......

I have 'rented' a pump before from the parts store so, yeah, I'll do that and use the gauges and 2 12oz cans - that should get me close to the volume listed on the car. no need to worry about oil compatibility? w'ever they offer will be OK? I will not throw my old hose out - didn't know getting it rebuilt was even an option ! thanx for mentioning that. - $80 would be 1/2 the cost of new OEM and it seems clear to me the metal parts are fine. probably get it repaired and hold in reserve if this UAC part fails early. How would I find a hose rebuilder? lol, off to do some searches! are 2 parts held in place at the firewall with that one bolt in the middle of that odd-shaped part?

I admit things aren't clear even using the Subaru part numbers from opposedforces so, there's a lot I won't know until I can inspect or compare parts. Hoping also for decent weather when the parts come in - may not be able to get right on the project. I may try to video the little pores leaking out - I was using an LED flashlight and maybe the spectrum had just enough of the right blue to make a little fluorescence - I think I had put some dye in the system at some point in the past. Might not have even spotted them in the daytime. Still, the hose is covered in oil.....plus, knowing the discharge hose's history (on my 3rd one) I'm not surprised it needs changing. if I get oil, or a refrig. can with oil in it, from the parts store, is that oil gonna be compatible? do I need to worry about that? The system has been open in the past, plus, as said, oil has dripped out - thinking 1/2oz to maybe a full oz would be good to put in after the hose swap. getting ; SPECTRA PREMIUM CF14007 {#45121AE02A, 45122AE01A, 45131AE01A} fan assembly and, UAC HA111777C {#73422AE08A, 73422AE08B, SOA635095} Suction Line hose both from RockAuto (coupla other items too)

well, after posting I spent some time shopping. The OEM hose is around 160 bucks, a UAC item from RockAuto is $17 ! and, the fan is also offered by several aftermarket co.s . I think I'm gonna try one made by Spectra - I 'back-tested' these brands looking at Amazon reviews, you're right, there aren't a lot, but ,yeah, not enough reviews to really dilute any 'fake' reviews so, not 'risk-free' decisions on my part for either item. wonder if I can do the fan assembly swap without taking a hose off? I'm not opposed to doing it from underneath even if the undercover has to come off. and the way the hose seems to go into the firewall is odd.

I had noticed some spots on the driveway under it a coupla days ago, and tonight there was an intermittent noise so, when we got home, I did some troubleshooting by flashlight. (can't get her car in the garage here at the new place yet). The spots seem to be a little oily with nearly no smell so PAG or w;ever oil? I can actually watch beads of refrigerant/oil sweat out of 4 tiny 'pores' in the large hose from the a/c comp!!! . going to the firewall. They are evenly spaced in a line about 7/8" apart. I guess migrating thru some inner layer of belting? The entire area and the hose are oily. So, first question, is OEM my first/best choice here? part number seems to be 73422ae07a ? And it seems weird at the firewall, like held in place under a retainer that's part of some tubing going to the dryer? the intermittent noise I was able to confirm was not rpm dependent when we drove to dinner. Got home and it is the left side (US drvrs) fan motor. So, is my first best choice OEM motor only , 45131ae01a ? Aftermarket? some kind of assembly? How easy is it to move the fan blade over? or, is this an opportunity to get some proven upgrade? It gets very hot here and for the money/effort, I'd consider proven aftermarket part of some kind. any guidance appreciated!

there are oil seals in the tensioner. Some argue that a little oil on top of (new style) tensioners is normal. I replaced mine. It had oil on top. Plus, I have more distrust of greases and polymers/seals/rubber than some folks due to intense heat in my part of the country. if you decide to re-use the tensioner, it should be compressed VERY slowly to preserve the seal. over several minutes is usually recommended.

I usually read about Cometic, SixStar and OEM of course . Never read of Stone.

skip to about 2:35

vacuum gauge testing can sometimes be helpful - you can find lots of info and videos on-line how to use it. Often a free loaner from a parts store. clogged exhaust, burned valves, etc. can sometimes be found with it. check timing, if it's jumped a tooth, that could kill power. bad knock sensors sometimes won't throw a code, they will kill power as the timing is severely retarded. one of the few parts where cheap aftermarket seem to work fine for people. try a battery reset for the ECU and see how the car runs better IMMEDIATELY afterwards. If it is just as bad, you're probably looking for something physical, if it runs better, you probably have a sensor or its wiring bad somewhere.

check knock sensor - they can be cracked/bad and often won't throw a code - one of the few sensors that are OK to swap with $10 ebay unit. inspect the cap and o-ring on the fuel pump assembly, maybe the o-ring is starting to rupture?

don't poke around in/at the MAF, just remove it, spray it, I wouldn't start the car' immediately' I guess but, it will dry fairly quickly.

most folks would probably tell you to throw it all away and get a quality paper filter and clean your MAF sensor if the car has one. but, did you consider pouring the fluid into a different spray bottle?

what shop was this? It does seem like they need to be educated about AWD - I think some Audi cars have about the same tire-circum-difference specs as our Soobs.

knock sensor could be cracked - robs power, kills mileage and often there's no code. one of the few sensors where an $8 ebay unit seems to work for people.

hmmmm - unless you bought a kit with a tensioner, you will be re-using your present tensioner along with its pulley. ??? or, wrong kit ???? most folks here would have warned you to get a kit with all Japanese components and a new tensioner. Aisin or dealer-supplied parts

is this something you would drain in the winter? If not, look for that RV 'safety' antifreeze they put in the drinking water tank/system.

clean/dry the suspected area, get a pressure test kit loaned-out from the parts store, look for the leak while under pressure. waterpump definitely possible - miles on it?

well, I can't say it's UNIVERSAL, but those cam arrows may very well all be pointing -uh - North-East , when aligned. keep looking for the marks - should be ' similar' to mike's image posted above or try a google image search, however, EJ22 may be some older marking scheme ???