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How do you know you need a new starter ? Your car seems a little too young for that. Most of the time, when the starter does'nt spin but clicks it's the solenoids inner contacts fault. Very easy to replace and much cheaper. Only a few dollars for the L contacts. If you make a search on this BB with «solenoid contacts» for key words, you'll find lots of information on how to do it. Good luck!

Just wondering: how is this a reply to my post?

If the fulid is clear why change it? Usually (like that on my car at least) spent fluid (fluid that has absorbed moisture) becomes a lot darker. Moreover if you start with clean fluid, it will be more difficult to judge when to stop bleeding cause there will be no color difference between old and new. Just mu 2 cents.

Maybe I'm wrong but I think platinium and iridium NGK plugs are copper cored and it's only the tip that's platinum or iridium. Moreover, the very small diameter of the plat or iridium tip makes for less voltage to get a spark. thus better cold starting is one of the advantages.

Pardon my intrusion, but I think I'm staying on the subject. Is just removing the valve covers enough to get at the head bolts and retroque them ? Even if I have a 2.2, my engine goes thru a lot of cold and heat cycles during the winter (often - 25C to 100 C) and I'm thinking of retorking the head bolts as cheap insurance against HG failure. Any opinions on this?

1) No it's not normal. I drive all winter long at temps often around -20C and do not have your symptoms. 2) The shaking might be caused by ice stuck to the inside of your wheels. 3) As for the starting problem, I dont have a clue. Good luck!

Alia, could you tell what is the maximum pressure rating on your bench press in tons? I have a 12 tons press and I'm wondering if it's enough for bearing replacing? Thanks in advance.

The wire comming direct from the bat. is always hot. The smaller one going to the slide connector gets voltage to the solenoid - which in turn makes contact between the bat wire and the starter - only when you turn the key to start. If you get no voltage at the slide connector when the key is at start, it could be the ignition switch, the starter relay (somewhere under the dash - do you kear a click coming from there? - or something having to do with the shift lever starter switch. I'm not too familiar with this last system cause I have a manual. Wait for more help from other members. Good luck!

Could you be more specific? Are you talking about the fuse box in the engine compartment? Where is that ground connection placed? Under the box? Part of the box? And you ran your extra ground wire from the battery to where? Thanks in advance!

Not when you do it with a connecting rod.

No offense to anyone, but I think japanese companies are not run by Samuraïs anymore. The code of profit has dislodged the code of honor.

Just next to the left side (driver's) strut tower. A small cannister with two curved pipes (inlet and outlet) on top of it. Easy to replace if the fuel hoses are not stuck to the filter. Easy method of relieving fuel pressure inside the system: wait three hours, or do it in the morning. In both cases putting a rag or towel around the connection when undoing is less messy.

That's on almost every top of the line Subarus: undercarriage automatic rust treatment.

Same thing happens to me sometimes. It's the brake lever switch that gets stuck. Since mine behaves right now I did'nt do anything but I may have to replace it in the future. Haynes should show you how to get to it. To confirm it's the switch, the next time the brake light stays on, go outside and look at your headlights : the DLRs should be off, since it's the same switch that put them on and off.

If old and brittle, i would replace them. If not, go at them with a pair of battery pliers: give the hose a rotational movement to get it unstuck and then pull at it. My best.

Yea. That's probably part of the answer to my question above: what's the physics or chemistry of brake fluid effectiveness as a plastic cleaner and polisher? It's probably the same brake fluid chemical ingredient that disolves paint and that eats at plastic oxidation (yellow).

The instrument cluster temp gauge is let's say one notch better than an idiot light. I dont remember the exact temps but when I tested mine, i saw that it stayed still (at «normal» from around 160*° F to 195° or something until the rad fan kicked in and lowered the temp again at which time the stat closed and round and round it went. A real temp gauge shows all those fluctuations not the gauge that's already there. I guess they dont want us distracted. It's probably enough that the gauge starts going up around 200° F. What do you think?

Sorry about this strange exhumation. I must have mixed present threads with old while serching the archives.

I would just add something to the info accessible thru my previous post above. I say that i did not have an alignment made cause I thought I had put everything back together exactly like it was. That was a mistake. Four months and approx. 8 or 9 K kilometers later, I just checked the thread depth on all four tire and here are the results: Both front tires: 7/32 on the outside and 4/32 on the inside. Both rear tires: 7/32 inside and outside. Conclusion: have an alignment made after replacing the struts. It does'nt seem to make a difference at the rear but a lot of difference at the front where one of the bolts is used to ajust camber.

Glad you like it. Cohen's songs are about the only ones (+ a couple of french singers maybe) I really listen to the words of.

You can start by having a look here http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=22144&highlight=struts+replacement You might also have a look at the above «unearthed» thread on the same subject

Could you by any chance explain the physics or chemistry of it?

Something was wrong with quality if that's what happened. It's usually the outer boots - more sollicited by suspension movements and closer to ground obstacles - that go first. When an inner boot goes, it's usually the right side one cause of the heat generated by the cat converter.

As far as the starter's solenoid is concerned you only need a couple of L shaped copper contacts. YOur surrest bet would be to go to a starter rebuilder place and buy them there. That's what I did here in MOntreal. Tou shoudl get them for a few dollars. I hold the opinion that it's not the brushes for three reasons: 1) The starter's motor turns only a few seconds at each starts and it would take a lot of starts to go thru a pair of brushes. Not the same for a continuously running motor. 2) The solenoids contacts transfer a lot of amps each time and are prone to arcing by the very nature of their mode of functionning. The brushes are always in contact with the rotor. 3) When I bought the L contacts, I asked if I should also replace the brushes. The technician there told me no, that they very rarely ever fail. That said, it's always possible that I might be wrong. Good luck!

Probably need new solenoid contacts. Do a search with those words and you'll find tons of useful info. Easy to replace with the proper instructions and cheap.