porcupine73

How much for the extra warranty and exactly what does it cover and for how long? Best bet for the money would be change out the ATF to the best stuff you can find (i.e. synthetic like schaeffer, redline, amsoil, mobil1, or specialty formulations). And maybe put on a cooler. I would do that before spending money on some warranty.

Hi, on the suby's I have the exits the block and enters the radiator at the top, then the lower radiator hose goes to the water pump suction. OK, if you can get the fans to go on by using a variable resistor in place of the ECT sensor, then either the sensor is faulty or the engine is not reaching sufficient temp to make the fans go on. They usually won't come on until like 202 deg. F which if it's cold out and/or heat is on engine might never reach at idle.

I wouldn't worry about going WOT. Sure, there's additional force on the bearings and stuff, but as long as you have a good oil with good AW characteristics and stuff it will handle it. I don't know if you have AT or MT, but I would try to avoid lugging the engine.

Set there at idle and then reach up in there and _gently_ move/shake/jiggle the harnesses and stuff back there and see if it happens then (perhaps a loose connection?).

If you have a haynes manual (for any vehicle) available, check out like inside the back cover. All the haynes manuals I've had anyway had a full color glossy page showing like 16 different spark plug issues and the possible causes.

The temp sensor might not be a bad thing to try, especially if you don't want to mess around checking connections and stuff. Note there are two temp sensors - one for the ECU fuel maps, the other for the temp gauge. Does it bottom out suddenly or slowly (if you were able to notice)?

Some of those other auto makers newer transverse mount jobbies you nearly have to take the engine out or at least rock it to get some of the plugs out, but Subaru's are still pretty straightfoward and can be done without such extreme measures. Just use the right size 6pt spark plug socket and if it seems too tight don't just torque the heck out of it, that's when the plugs snap off or gall out the threads and stuff.

I don't know about NJ dealers, you could check at schaefferoil.com. You pretty much would have to find a dealer that specifically carries the #132; schaeffer themselves have like a $300 minimum order so you can't really order it direct from them.

Yep that's the stuff, I guess they don't show the schaeffer part #. Not sure how much one tooth off would drop compression; EndWrench article says 'A properly timed car will typically crank out 175 psi. Two teeth off will drop it to around 110 and the engine won’t start'

Hm, a few ideas: order from a local dealer, even if they charge you list at most it'll be a couple bucks per nut. That is weird, I even checked mcmaster which usually has just about everything, but in the two styles I believe those nuts to be, either flange hex or serrated hex, they only go up to M10 or skip M14. They have them in that size as a nylon insert locknut, part number 90576A147 (Metric Zinc-Plated Steel Nylon-Insert Locknut M14 Size, 1.5mm Special Pitch, 22mm W, 14mm H) mcmaster calls these kinds of nuts (locknuts) 'distorted-thread': Uniquely shaped threads on these all-metal, one-piece nuts provide a vibration-resistant friction fit, so the nut stays put. Nuts are not reusable.

Are you sure the timing belt marks are all aligned properly and/or it didn't jump teeth (like due to faulty tensioner and/or if MT the guide plate thingy over the crank sprocket)? If you want to try an additive schaeffer's #132 moly e.p. would be what I'd use (can get online from speedpartz).

Benefits of replacing the boot(s) (if it hasn't been torn for very long) include retaining the Subaru OE quality. Otherwise it is usually much easier to just install a replacement/rebuilt half shaft. However sometimes these things aren't the highest quality and even though they may have a lifetime warranty you still have to spend time (or money if you have someone else do the work) replacing it if it fails.

Hello, have you been using the Subaru coolant conditioner (holts radweld)? I have an '00obw also (106k) and it says to put that in every coolant change due to propensity for external head gasket leaks. You might not see coolant on the floor if you still have the plastic under door installed as that might be catching it. Radiator cap in good shape, etc? Any oily residue in the coolant? Any cloudiness in the engine oil? Even a small leak that starts leaking when the slightest pressure is in the system could result in the coolant loss you are seeing. AFAIK (hope!) the somewhat common internal head gasket leak was at least not as bad by this model year? Definitely keep the coolant level topped up, before every trip if need be - even if you are fortunate enough to not have a blown head gasket if the heads warp from overheating that will not be cheap to fix.

Hey alright it fixed itself! Those are the best problems. Sorry about that front post, I always try to read too fast and miss little details like the fact that is was the RR tire.

I think it is recommended to replace the gasket even if it looks OK. If you start sucking air anywhere after the MAF sensor then that's unmetered air and could cause driveability issues. Later models sometimes had just a MAP sensor in those cases it might not matter as much but could still cause high or erratic idle. What brand injector cleaning are you running? I've found that after running an initial 'shock dose' if you will, that it is more effective to run a few ounces or whatever you want with every tank. Some of these cleaners are very good (such as redline si-1) but if you read their literature it shows it may take a while for it to completely disolve all the carbon and stuff.

Has the front stabilizer bar fractured? My '00obw developed these same symptoms after it busted, and only in the left turns. It turns out the stabilizer bar busted, and was dangling down and rubbing on the tire in sharp left hand turns.

If you're thinking of replacing the injectors, you could just pull them and send them somewhere for cleaning. I pulled mine out and sent them to witchhunterperformance. Anyway, I did pull the steering pump in the process but I was replacing the steering pump anyway. I think you do need to pull the pump because one of the items holding the injectors in place also holds the power steering pump lines. You might get away without removing the steering pump if you unhook the discharge banjo bolt. Anyway you need new o-rings and stuff when putting the new injectors in. This whole thing is a little bit tricky; I ended up sucking air around two of my injectors after the replacement.

Is there any like federal regulations in the US or something about how much a vehicle can be rated to tow?

I had problems getting the connector off too. I kept playing with it with a pair of needle nose pliers and/or a screwdriver I think and it finally popped off.

Well dudes you can get silicone by the gallon, and heck the 55 gallon drum if you want, under the brand name Lubricone from KanoLabs. They also make other products, such as Kroil which is regarded by many as the top of the line penetrating oil. They say they sell only to businesses but if you just put something in the company name box in the checkout they'll send it to you. I've tried a lot of their stuff, and if you use even a moderate amount of these kinds of things get some of the diy spray bottles from harbor freight man I love those things.

I'd check the owner's manual. Usually it shows the jacking positions and spots for jackstands. On most vehicles if you look down along the bottom of the vehicle under the doors there is a little sill there, and there's sometimes a little groove or slot in it for the tire changing jack to hook to help keep from slipping out. Usually I put my jackstands in this position on the outside of the sill (not on the sill - that'll make it fold over).

Yah I've had the snow build up so bad in the wheel wheels especially it turns to ice that you can hear it rubbing on the tire when making a turn. I try to kick it out with boots on or flush some water on it or something. The silicone idea - I like it I'm going to give it a try. If you buy silicone by the gallon and use the harbor freight rechargable DIY spray can it is a lot cheaper than the aeresol cans.

Hi Bill. There's a few sources I know of: 1. techinfo.subaru.com - can get entire set of OE manuals on CD (not sure how far back yearwise they go) for like $200 2. eBay - got a complete set of OE printed manuals for '00OBW for $150 (I think I did a 'best offer' which was accepted). 3. alldatadiy.com - gets you access to lots of good apparantly OE material with the diagrams for not much cash outlay upfront (yearly subscription). Depending on what you're looking for haynes/chilton are usually available though they're not my favorite.

It seemed to me, at least when looking at a Forester sitting next to an Outback at the dealer, that the space behind the rear seat on the Forester was quite a bit less than on the Outback.

Perhaps a dum question, but your fluid level and quality is good in the current AT? Someone didn't put the wrong ATF in it before like I don't know maybe for some other Japanese make that might have more heavily friction modified fluid than Dexron III?