porcupine73

Wow congrats on the purchase of the scanner, what model is it? Too bad I'm on the other side of the country otherwise I'd be keeping a cabinet full of oreos and beer for my repair emergencies! Does matco have trucks they sell tools out of like snapon? I've never seen one, but actually I've only seen a few tool trucks in my lifetime. I got a 1/4" matco air wratchet off eBay man I love that thing.

Nice description jamal. One possibility if the vehicle is supposed to have a sway bar but doesn't is that someone removed it previously, like maybe an endlink broke or something and they just removed everything in stead of fixing it. Though it is a safety inspection item, at least in NY. I need to look at my '96 legacy brighton and see if there is one on the rear, I know there is on my '00obw but it's pretty small diameter at least compared to the front.

Your list is already fairly complete, timing belt, water pump, cam seals, also replace front crank seal, possibly the geared idler, and at least check the other idlers for free play, grinding, etc. A new tensioner is required only really if the existing one is leaking or if you want to play it safe, I would just use a new one. That price sounds terribly high to me but I don't live in Denver. I would insist on all OE parts.

Things I like about alldata: search function (but only works for parts or systems like 'oxygen sensor', doesn't work for things like 'valve cover bolt torque'). They do seem to keep the TSB's and manual corrections/additions up to date. The site is pretty fast and I've never gotten an error or anything like 'down for maintenance' (yet!). I imagine their coverage varies by manufacturer and maybe even make, like if they can work out a deal to use the OE material. The Subaru images are not nearly as good a resolution as those in the OE manual but they are pretty good. I did notice in a couple spots it shows pictures of the dohc engine but I have the sohc, I don't know how the OE manual corresponds. Also, the OE manual I think shows the VIN range it covers but I don't remember for sure if alldata had that listed. All in all I think it's a pretty good value, it gives you convenient legal access to the material without a lot of initial cash outlay.

Sounds good kimkathan. Does the engine crank but not start, or does it not even crank? I would think if there is something up with the NSS circuit (it might not be the switch itself, it could be out of adjustment or a bad connection) then it wouldn't even crank, you know like protection to keep from cranking it in gear.

I agree BushmasterSI, I would have preferred the CD(s) as well but I didn't know they were available until after I already bought the printed manuals. The printed manuals are nice but sometimes it is a little tricky to find things in them. I have alldata too and I find myself using that a lot because I can print it out and write on it and get it oily and stuff and then just reprint it and for Sub's anyway alldata appears to have the same images and text as the OE manuals.

I looked at the eBay CD's but never ordered one. Somewhere on the techinfo site I recall being able to download the entire service manual pdf's for my vehicle or maybe it was on CD for $199 which I thought was not a bad value. I paid $50 less for a set of OE printed manuals on eBay.

The ECU will throw a code only if it can tell there's something wrong in the circuit, like low input or high input, (like short or open), if the sensor is just grossly inaccurate, the ECU probably can't tell there's an issue. (Actually I did get a MIL for the ECT on my '96 last year and replaced it but I do mainly cold starts and never noticed any issue). Why do you think that P1101 code has to do with fuel metering? It does on some vehicles like Mazda, but P1xxx codes are manufacturer specific so some generic list may not be accurate.

Hello. I've got a '96 Legacy too. Engine Coolant Temp Sensor (ECT) (kind of buried near the idle air control valve (IACV) is known for causing warm start problems. I have the alldata for the '96 and P1xxx codes are manufacturer specific so I'll see what I can find... edit: hm, well it says P1101 is neutral position switch circuit malfunction, does the thing not even crank, or does it crank but not start? If no cranking at all, then something may very well be botched up with that switch. alldata tells me there might be the same code for the TCU and the ECU but I didn't see anything else listed for this code.

It might have taken it a bit to melt the water frozen rock solid in the upper radiator hose so it could start circulating again. There hot water would have just been touching the wall of ice but not running over it so it could have taken time to melt.

How much does that on-star service cost? I'm guessing it must be like $25 a month. I don't know that I'd want to pay that much for what it offers. I mean if you already have a cell phone and don't make a habit of locking your keys in the car and not having any spares then...

Yah I'd just do it as soon as convenient, before 105k of course, sure it could last a lot longer than that but if it does break it won't be a cheap fix. There is a common list of other things that should at least be looked at while the timing belt is off and indeed probably just replaced like the cam seals, crank seal (on the oil pump), water pump, the geared idler pulley and inspect the other idlers. I just go with a new tensioner each time that way I don't have to mess with pressing the rod back in and plus I know I've got a good one in there that way.

I hate that problem, this happens on both my '96 and sometimes '00 too. I saw a post on here somewhere about fixing it. On mine if it happens I just slam the hatch really hard and that makes the light go out so I haven't really been motivated to try to fix it. Does your hatch latch stick? It does on both my Sub's. Like you squeeze the handle to pop the hatch, but the handle doesn't return to it's original position, it stays squeezed in unless you manually push it back. And that hatch won't latch if the handle is squeezed in. I fixed that pretty well by spraying the heck out of the mechanisms with Penephite and Lubricone.

I backflushed mine with an inexpensive suction/pressure pump from harbor freight, it'll suck or push one quart of the fluid of your choice and it costs only about $6. It has like a 3/8" hose barb so you hook it up to whatever you want. I have about 5 that I use for various fluids.

What?!?!? well that wasn't any fun.

Reusing the old pulley I guess depends on whether the one you get comes with a new pulley. I don't know exactly what the pump style is for that year, but I just replaced the PS pump on my '00OBW and the new OE pump came with a new pulley installed. To reuse the old pulley I'd had of disassembled the pump since it was welded onto the shaft not just pressed on.

If at all possible flush the rack good before firing up the new pump after the replacement and if practicable install some sort of filter like a hydraulic filter or a magnefine in the PS return line. If the thing is grinding and it got metal shavings into the system for any reason that won't be good.

My experience is soak with Kroil every few days starting as far in advance of the job as possible. It does seem to come out easier with the exhaust warm, like after running for maybe a minute. If wrenching on it in the lefty loosey direction doesn't work sometimes alternating between that and righty tightey can help loosen it. I like to use something (wrench socket whatever) in 6 point rather than 12 point if possible. I've heard that on some Ford diff drain plugs I think it was the dealers warm the drain plug and melt some real beeswax on it and then it comes right out, I don't know if that might work for O2 sensors too!?

There was a post on here before where someone was not getting any output from the ECU for the pump relay, so s/he opened up the ECU and replaced the driving transistor I think it was and that fixed the problem.

Can you check the owner's manual; I would imagine that would say what to do. I'm not sure what would have to be reprogrammed. I had battery out of my '00OBW for three months and the security system remembered my settings, remotes still worked, and was still in valet mode just like it was before I disconnected the battery

I'm probably missing something, but the fuel pump runs for maybe a second when the key is switched to run, which is normal isn't it? Then it runs again when key is in start or is in run and the engine is actually running? I mean there isn't going to be power to the fuel pump simply because the key is in run (without engine running)? Do the Suby's have that sensor where if it thinks the car is flipped over it shuts off the fuel pump?

I think I saw that the flow rate of the PS pump is actually higher at idle than at higher rpm's which if true I am guessing is to make for speed sensitive steering. Are you sure the PS pump and belt are in good shape and the fluid level is correct? A couple turkey baster replacements of the PS fluid would be something cheap to try.

Just curious what brand and type ATF was put in?

Hm, interesting idea! Since you have both vehicles and their associated parts at your disposal maybe you could take some measurements and see what you come up with? Another idea may be, I don't know how rare SVX parts are, but maybe some $$ could be made parting it out? 'tis a wise man that asks 'why not?' while others simply ask 'why?'

Yah if you can blast all the rust off in some manner, harbor freight always has sandblasting equipment on sale but as mentioned you need a good compressor and connection. They have the little handheld guns on sale all the time, some people just use sugar or baking soda in them for blasting, never tried that though. The POR-15 sounds like a great idea I've hard good things about it, just make sure you top coat it afterward or it'll get distorted a little from the sunlight.