OB99W

The full definition for P0446 is ''Evaporative Emission Control System Vent Control Low Input''. As Cougar mentioned, the cause is often a bad (corroded) connection, although the vent control solenoid valve's coil could be bad, etc. The topic comes up here periodically. I'd suggest you scroll down the page and look at the ''Similar Threads'' there, and/or use the forum search function, searching for ''P0446''.

Based on those answers, even though you said that the fuses seem to be good, I'd suggest rechecking them -- specifically, fuse #23 in the main box and fuse #5 in the fuse/relay box. Otherwise, it would appear that you have a wiring/connector problem. Is a voltmeter available?

Are you saying that none of the front parking lights come on whether you use the parking light switch (engine off) or if you use the lighting switch (engine running)?

Using the sight glass on a system running R134a can be misleading. The info in this article might help: http://www.motor.com/magazine/pdfs/041999_07.pdf R12 systems retro-fitted for R134a, depending on how carefully done and/or complete the conversion was, might not work efficiently.

Welcome to the forum. Some mods will be ''ignored'' by the ECU, some won't. There are folks here who are more familiar with the topic than I am, but http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/index.php is probably more of a haven for Impreza modders.

I suppose if it has to happen, those circumstances weren't bad.

If checking for alternator ripple, it's important to make sure that the battery is in good condition, and especially that the terminals are clean and tight. Otherwise, it's possible that excessive ripple will be measured due to the battery not being able to properly ''filter'' the alternator output. If the ripple is high with a good battery and connections, then as Cougar said, the alternator is at fault.

Great, congrats, you're welcome!

Not that I think Wikipedia is the final authority on anything, but this article has some useful info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tap_and_die

There are specifications for hole size versus tap size that should be followed. It's very risky to use a tap on any hole that's undersized -- the tap can jam, sometimes ruining the threads or even breaking in the process of freeing it. As a general rule, the correct size hole, correct lubrication (varies with material being tapped), and frequently backing out the tap to clear chips tends to lead to a successful job. As to a HeliCoil, I'd suggest relying on their specific instructions.

Good possibility, especially if the dash ''BRAKE'' light is also lit.

You may have more than one problem causing the symptoms you've described, but you should deal with the the knock sensor first. Assuming the knock sensor is properly mounted and connected, the code almost always is caused by a cracked sensor. When the ECU determines that the knock sensor is bad and sets the code, it also goes into a ''limping'' mode that retards engine timing (since the ECU can't reliably tell if knock is actually occuring). That will definitely affect performance, and might at least partially be what you're experiencing. While I can understand your concern that a new sensor might not resolve the problems, you may be paying for it anyway. The engine won't run as efficiently as it can if ignition timing is retarded unnecessarily, so a bad knock sensor will somewhat reduce gas mileage -- your out-of-pocket expense for the extra gas will eventually catch up with the cost of a new sensor, but if the sensor hasn't been replaced you'll still have the problem. I'd suggest dealing with the knock sensor, and then seeing what symptoms remain. By the way, sometimes ''whistles'' are caused by exhaust leaks.

The following link has a post by porcupine73 with a picture showing how to access the ''port''. I'd suggest not disturbing the TPS mounting screws if you can at all avoid that. http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/printthread.php?s=&threadid=15014

You're welcome, I'm glad that the links helped. Yes, the screws on the oil pump back plate should be checked for tightness whenever the TB work is done. When they're loose, the oil diversion can cause both a crank seal leak and the HLAs to not pump up readily. Also see: http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/LoyalInfo.pdf

As has been mentioned already, it's not uncommon for the crank pulley bolt to be insufficiently tightened after a timing belt job. Depending on how much torque was applied, it can gradually work loose (sometimes over thousands of miles of use). A squeal/squeak with loading from an accessory like the A/C can be due to the drive belt not being under enough tension -- that could happen if the crank pulley bolt is loose. It's also possible for that noise to occur if the pulley's rubber failure is complete enough for the pulley sections to be slipping with respect to each other. I'd suggest first trying to tighten the crank pulley bolt. If you can, and the wobble goes away, then the pulley itself is probably okay. If the bolt is already tight enough, it's more likely that the pulley's rubber is failing.

Here's someone's experience with crank pulley failure, complete with pictures: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/crank-pulley-failure-beware-7969/

Assuming the mounting bolt is properly tightened, it may be that the crank pulley itself is the cause. The pulley is made of two pieces of metal, joined by a rubber section that sometimes fails. You should be concerned enough to take care of the problem as soon as possible. It might also be the cause of the noise you're hearing, if the pulley sections are loose enough.

Nipper meant that the replacement tire should match the circumference of your other tires within 1/4 inch. See: http://www.endwrench.com/pdf/drivetrain/RearAxleBindingInfoF99.pdf

As you've already determined, manually cranking an engine doesn't lead to reliable cylinder compression measurement. Besides a reasonable (and consistent) speed, it requires about three compression strokes, which on a 4-stroke engine would be six crankshaft revolutions per cylinder. Consistently doing that by hand for each cylinder is impractical, if not impossible. If your main concern is the condition of the heads (cracks, warpage, valve sealing, sealing-surface corrosion, etc.) rather than that of the rings, a good machine shop can pressure test them when any other work is done.

How many revolutions did you manage ''hand turning the crank'' for each cylinder measured? Does the tester screw in, or does it have a hand-held rubber cone?

Codes P1xxx are manufacturer-specific, but the code definitions you gave don't seem to be for Subaru. See if the following help: P1100 (Subaru) Starter Switch Circuit Malfunction P1445 (Subaru) Air Assist Injector Solenoid Valve Malfunction http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f66/p1445-engine-code-45796/ http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1749725

Welcome to the forum. It could be that either the cam or crank sensor has become heat-sensitive, but of course there are other possibilities. Reading the code(s) would be useful, obviously. The larger automotive stores (AutoZone, Advance, etc.) usually will read them for free (in the hope that you'll buy parts from them, but that's not mandatory).

Yes, it's likely that the A/C system is low on refrigerant. There is an automatic ''switch'' that won't allow the compressor to run if that happens. Don't bypass the switch -- it's there to protect the compressor. If the refrigerant is that low, any leaks need to be repaired before the system is recharged.

I've experienced a knock with misfire upon restarting, after having moved the car a short distance. The restart was hours (not minutes) later. This thread might be interesting: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=91822 I now try to avoid very short runs.

You're welcome, glad to offer theories. It wouldn't surprise me if the problem was related to those connectors, since very little ''extra'' resistance will limit the current the heater can draw. Poor contact between mating pins is certainly a possible cause. I've also run into a marginal connection between a wire and a crimped-on pin or splice. In some cases I've extracted pins from connectors and soldered the crimps. I could be wrong, but I suspect that you used a DVM (digital voltmeter) for the measurements. In the case of a voltage that's rapidly switched (PWM or whatever), a DVM's reading will be dependent on the circuit's switching rate versus the DVM's sampling frequency. If you have an analog voltmeter available, you might see what the reading is using that. I find it's often easier to locate poor connections that handle significant current by checking for voltage drop across the connection. For example (should the problem recur), I'd try measuring voltage between the ECU ground pins and a known-good engine ground point -- any voltage seen between them should be very low.