porcupine73

The threads I read say about 2" lift. For new parts prices, just check any of the many online Subaru dealers such as subaru-parts-dealer.com Or you could pull the entire strut/spring/mount assemblies out of a scrap yard maybe. Actually, I'm not sure what vehicle you have, but I was planning to sell my brand new OE all four struts and springs for my '96 AT Legacy Brighton if I do the Outbackification to it.

I think you have to be in the forum threads display (but not in a thread itself) and then click 'new thread' at the top of the screen.

Wow sorry to hear that Bob! But surely you can still at least live out your Subaru fantasies vicariously through this board!

Hi! How'd you get this car home? Well, I'd think even if the front diff were wasted maybe it would at least drive the rear wheels being AWD? Is the FWD fuse installed? You could check the front diff level and see if there's any oil in there and/or lots of shavings. Could pull one of the ATF cooler hoses off the radiator and see if the AT is even pumping fluid.

When using turn signal, does the light not come on at all or does it just stay on, 'cause of course you could manually flash them with the signal lever until you get it fixed if the signals at least illuminate.

Pulling the covers would be most certain way to check. I think you can get the LH cover off without pulling the crank pulley, then just rotate the crank with a socket and breaker bar on the crank pulley bolt and check the entire length of the belt. I wouldn't wait too too long to check it out because if it hasn't been done it's due and being the DOHC the intake/exhaust valves can collide not only with the pistons but with each other as well.

Looks pretty easy based on previous posts; just need the Outback struts and springs from say the same year as the Legacy. If you plan to go Outback tires (or anything with a different circumference than your original Legacy tires), note that the speedo will be off.

What code (the P0 or P1) number did you read? If you just unplug the knock sensor you're going to run at fully retarded timing as ECU will know knock sensor isn't working. You could unplug the harness and make sure nothing's corroded in there. I've heard of people leaving the sensor connected but pulling it out and wrapping it in bubble wrap and then running premium gas but that could be risky.

Sometimes sales listings will say 'no accidents', which you wouldn't be able to claim. You might run a carfax on it yourself before putting up for sale so you know what people will see. The appearance of a vehicle after repair can certainly be undetectable, so if you're rating appearance then I don't see any reason to think about the accident.

That works! I like the look of the round lights. Wish I'd gotten round...

Hi nipper. I like the lights near the bumper too in case I want to strap plywood to the roof rack. I put some KC Hilites on my '96 Legacy by using a piece of angle aluminum and some Stanley L brackets and mounting the lights to the angle aluminum. This is the only pic I have handy right now; I can take a close up pic of just the lights later tonight if you're interested.

Good point moodybluser, I changed my mind and would go with the OBS. For some reason I glanced over the 'sedan', I prefer the wagons for more space! And good point nipper surely good gas mileage is great for anyone esp. college students The wagon is so great for hauling stuff, and even fitting like hot water tanks and dryers or what have you.

Hello! I've got an '00OBW also and live in NY (Buffalo), and yep there's a lot of rust on the calipers, underbody, and all over the place, except the body panels yet, at least that I can see, thankfully. You could paint the calipers, say yellow I see that sometimes, with high temp paint if it bugs you. I know you said passing inspection wasn't the point of your post, but did you have the check engine light on when you went in or disconnect the battery recently? There's lots of things that can be done to drop the emissions down for the test.

How long has the new engine been in there? Could've been an air pocket in the cooling system causing localized heating that you might not have seen on the temp gauge. Or might have had a slow leak or something that eventually consumed all the coolant in the overflow tank, and voila, air pocket. Esp. if you had to add coolant when you got to auto zone. I'm not overly familiar with engines to know the ramifications of rod knock if that's what it has. I mean who knows how long the engine would still run? Is it really noisy?

Hi Gil! If both vehicles check out good, I'd go for the 98 Legacy Sedan. Plenty of room to store winter emergency items, plus in a real emergency you can sleep in the back. Nothing like them Subaru's for these Buffalo winters! Too bad the salt is so rough.

What color is your fluid? I've had trouble checking ATF too. I can't get a good reading when hot, maybe just me, so I check in park a couple minutes after a cold start parked on a level surface after shifting through R-N-D-3-2-1 leaving it in each for a couple seconds. Then I pull the stick out, wipe it clean, reinsert, then pull, then with headlights on, I hold it in front of the headlight to help see level. Turn the dipstick over too and look on both sides. I basically look for the point where the dipstick goes from being completely coated to where it might just have fluid on one edge. Note there are different cold and hot markings. If you just added fluid, I wait a couple minutes, then wipe dipstick off twice and read on the third pull.

Well they can go lots of miles. Number one thing to check would probably be timing belt, 'cause if it snaps when driving (I'm guessing that Outback has the 2.5), you could bend some valves/knick some pistons. Could be head gasket integrity concerns. Check/sniff the ATF too (guessing it's an auto trans?). If it smells burned or looks dark I'd think twice about buying (like drove for a distance on flat tire or something). Check for torque bind, like when driving it, cut the wheel all the way left and right and feel for any binding/excessive resistance to moving. Make sure all the tires are the same brand and tread wear is similar. If you do the timing belt, might want to check that the screws on back of oil pump didn't loosen up. Water pump might be getting up there too. Plus cam & crank seals. Some years had alternator issues I think. Louis

I wouldn't wait too long on the speed sensor, as I think there's two of them, but if the AT loses both signals I think it just locks into second gear or something? Nipper probably knows for sure if this is the case. Sure you can still get home but it won't be fun if you have to go on the highway!

Great thanks for the info guys. I'll check all that stuff out. Actually I have four new strut mounts but I haven't put them in yet. I'll be doing the front brakes on this thing in a couple months so I'll make sure to lube up those pins good. I just got a gallon of kanolabs lubricone so I'll shoot some of that up into the steering column. I think I didn't explain the sound very well though. The sound is definitely coming from the steering column itself right inside the vehicle. It sounds a lot like that rubbing/squeaking sound made when cleaning glass with paper towels and glass cleaner actually. If I put my ear near the steering column it sounds like it's coming from right around the plane of the turn signal lever, which I think I can see the clockspring looking down in there. Thanks again! Actually the checking for plastic in the wheel wells reminds me that at least on the drivers side I have no plastic I bumped a curb and it must have pushed that plastic thing against the wheel, after I pulled out on hiway I heard this loud rubbing sound so I went to pull over and that whole plastic wheel well thing got ripped out and was laying in the road. I stopped and picked it up but didn't put it back in yet.....

Man that car looks brand new. Did those wider tires fit on your original wheels? And were the brake flex hoses still long enough? Any issues getting this thing aligned afterward (if you had it aligned?). Thanks!

A couple months ago a rubbing sort of squeaky/whirring sound started when the I turn the steering wheel in my '96 Legacy. It sounds a lot like maybe a rope being pulled over a log. Doesn't seem to (yet) be causing any problems, but it didn't used to do that. Anything to be concerned about (yet)? No airbag lights on or anything like that. Anywho...could that maybe be the clockspring getting ready to retire? If I look in there by the turn signal lever, I can see some yellowish grease down in there. Is that normal? (confirmed by sticking pinky finger in there-yep it's grease). I think I can see the clockspring down in there which does seem to be the general vicinity of the whirring/squeaking sound. I don't see anything down in there that looks to be obstructing or that fell in there or anything. Thanks!

Nice pics! Looks good! I think I'm going to go ahead with the OB struts/springs on me '96 Legacy after seeing this. Are them brake flex hoses still long enough? Did you have to make any accountance for speedo being off or anything with the OB tires?

Cool. Which Red Line ATF are you using and how many total quarts do you think you've put in over the lifetime of the unit?

Well slipping is never good for an AT as it burns/wears out that valuable clutch material. Does the fluid that's in there smell burned or lock discolored? How did you check the fluid level? If you're a bit low or whatever, it might become more slippy at steep grades as the fluid sloshes more to the front or back of the AT. Where was it leaking from? What kind of ATF are you putting in there?

Is that starter actually brand new or is it a rebuilt? I have had bad experiences with rebuilt parts. If you put a voltmeter on battery and measure when starter is supposed to be cranking, what voltage do you read? Often in 'start' most vehicles cut out all accessories, etc., to provide max juice to starter.