2X2KOB

Checking for stored codes in the OBDII system might be informative.

Yo Bard, you know about the recall on the rear subframe anti-corrosion finish on that 2000 OBW, right?

I doubt that it's really a misfire. If it were, you'd probably have a CEL and one of the P030X codes. You could try pulling a plug wire to see what a REAL misfire feels like.

GO underneath with a rubber hammer or a chunk of wood and bang on the exhaust heat shields, pretty soon you'll find the one that makes the noise you are so familiar with.

Remove each wheel and visually inspect the brakes first. Look for consistency in pad thickness, and anything else that might look dodgy. Likr ctoth said, lubrication on the sliders is important. It might just be a characteristic of the new pads. I've seen plenty of Volvos with good brakes that squeak, Subarus, not so much.

I don't know about the secret Subaru undercoating compound, but I would like to say that if you are going to spray something over existing rust, take steps to get rid of absolutely all the rust that is there first. Spraying stuff on top of rust won't stop it, it'll just hide it while it eats holes in your car. This would seem to be the responsibility of whoever did the repair, and don't let them spray over rust either.

Sounds like the clutch is worn, but I would expect some slipping to be evident, also. Any idea how many miles the clutch itself has? If it's 240k like the engine, I'd say that's a fairly respectable lifespan.

Sounds like you need to adjust the latch a little bit.

Is it necessary to remove the radiator during the timing belt change, or can it be done without breaking into the cooling system?

In that case, I'd use the same belt.

That's bloody strange. If there aren't any clues or answers in the owner's manual, I would try disconnecting the battery again for 15 minutes or so, then reconnecting and see what happens. This is strictly guesswork, of course. :-\

1) removed wheels 2) cleaned off mud & snow 3) re-balanced wheels (on a spin balancer I presume) Between steps 2 & 3, whoever did the balancing would have been able to tell if the clean wheels were out of balance. Unless, of course, they knocked off all the existing weights at the same time they cleaned the wheels. In any case, spraying off the wheels at the carwash should be sufficient to eliminate vibration, if the wheels are in balance.

I can change a timing belt in a few hours (or a day) or so, but even so I would never re-use an old one. That's like using junkyard brake pads. Although I have actually done that - back when I had no money.

Take those two crossbars off the roof rack. Less wind resistance, quieter. And fill your tires with helium!

Right, it's probably air. This is NOT normal. Bleeding isn't that difficult, keep at it until all the fluid is flushed. Info: http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wp_howto_bleedbrakes.shtml

I replaced mine with a generic from oxygensensors.com. The data sheet they sent was very informative. I think what the 4 wire sensors have is an extra ground, but I could be mistaken.

Cool! I hope it lasts 250K!

Is the "sticky" engine to trans problem a factor on the manuals, automatics, or both? I'm just mentally preparing myself for the day I get to change my head gaskets, which hasn't happened yet.

The engine computer monitors the voltage output of a second oxygen sensor that is installed behind the catalytic convertor, which measures the oxygen content of the exhaust gas stream and therefore the efficiency of the catalytic convertor. That's the plan, anyway. There's some belief that, on this specific car, the computer's parameters are set to be too sensitive which results in frequent setting of the check engine light with the P0420 code. When I had the same problem (at 150k) a new oxgen sensor fixed it. You might have a bad cat, but a new sensor is a lot cheaper. If you can turn a wrench and splice wires, you can try a $70 generic replacement first.

Good job! $1400 ia a great price.

Can you identify it? It might be wiser to just move on. What's the rest of the car like?

Can you attribute this buildup to your tap water? How long did it take to get this way?

Why is it that you want to do this?

Some of the model airplane hobby shops sell a special thick type of super glue with some sort of filler in it. That might work. Clean it real good first with lacquer thinner or alcohol.

Thanks for the tip - glad to know I can do this.