Rooster2

12/31/11 is coming up fast, especially with all the holiday activities. You need to get this fixed right away, so dealer or Subaru doesn't try to wiggle out of repair coverage. It is never good trying to get something fixed under warranty, after time has expired. Agree you should contact Subaru directly. I would contact the Subaru Zone Manager, and submit your problem, as you have had 2 dealerships not fix the problem. If it were me, I would push for a replacement transmission. Time is short, act now.

Glad you and your family are okay. My 2 cents worth.........I am thinking the $7K+ as pay off from your insurance company is a fair figure. To me the $1,300 for buy back seems high. If the car were to go to auction to dealers and wrecking yard buyers, it seems unlikely to fetch that high a figure. I am thinking at auction, it would bring maybe $600-$800.

I agree, the leak is very slow. It never presented any problem to me.

Yea, I am thinking the same thing. Replace the coolant temperature sensor may fix the problem. If not, you are not out much time or money doing this work. I don't know if all 2.5 temp sensors are the same.

I, and a friend replaced my right front wheel bearing on my 99 OBW last summer using Harbor Freight's version of the Hub Shark or Hub Tamer. Harbor Freight calls their product the U.S. General Front Wheel Bearing Adapters, item #66829. Their system is a large set of circular plates with a threaded center with a large bolt that threads to the center of the correct size circular plate. Yes, the system works okay. I think Hub Shark and Hub Tamer work the same way. The difficult part is removing the outer race which will remain with the hub when the bearing is pushed out. The race is pressed in really tight, and can be a struggle to remove. My buddy moved away, so he is no longer available to work with me on any future wheel bearing replacements. I will gladly sell you my kit that has been used just once for $50, if you pay the freight. Send me a private message if interested.

For what it is worth.......I have 2 OBWs, both had the resonators rust out in the past two years. Both times, I have gone to my local family owned torch, bend, weld muffler shop. The chain muffler shop is Ralph's Muffler here in Indy, but I am betting you have a similar shop in your area. I had the resonators replaced with a piece of pipe on both cars. The sound is still perfectly stock. I could hear no difference with the new pipe in place. Cost was about $45 out the door. We get a fair amount of salt on the roads here in Indy, and the pipes have held up well. I recently looked at both, and both have no rust forming on them. For my money, the family owned torch, bend, weld approach is the way to go.

I would be inclined to think it is a loose or bad "top hat." This is the rubber covered bearing that is located at the top of the strut shock absorber. Suggest you spray the top of each shock absorber with some spray silicone white grease. It helped quiet down my wife's car with this problem.

Yes, if the compressor is still good, then no need to replace it. Ester oil is compatible with the remnants of R-12 oil. It is the other compressor oil, PAG oil, that is not compatible with remnants of R-12 oil. Years ago, I had a shop replace R-12 with R-134 in a 91 Subbie Leggie wagon. They opened the system, when replacing the engine. As far as I know, they did nothing more then just replace with R-134 and ester oil. R-134 cooled the car down great. No leaks resulted. System still worked good years later when I sold the car.

I have had good success with Bosch Platinum plugs, the cheapest platinum plugs they sell. Got 50K miles on my 99 OBW, still runs good, going strong. Also using Bosch wires. I have never torque wrench tightened spark plugs. I just made sure they were nice and tight upon installation. With such limited space, it has got to be difficult using a torque wrench on plugs in a Subie.

Project update.........cold here in Indiana today. Temp in high 30's with 25-30 mph wind blowing/gusting out of the west. Not the day I wanted to install the small water by-pass hose, or whatever it is. I looked closely at the used freebie hose the counter parts guy gave me from the dealer. The rubber skin where the spring clamp resides was torn a tiny bit, but did not necessarily looked like it would cause a leak. I installed this hose, then thought better of it. It would be my luck that my wife would blow open that hose in the middle of winter in the worst of weather. I decided to do better. Another dealer did not have the hose in stock. So, I went to Auto Zone, I found the manager old (Jim) there, who also works the counter. He knows his stuff, and has been a big help in the past. AZ did not have an exact match, but he took time to search their rack stock, and found a hose that could be cut to do the job. He sold me the hose for under $4, and it fit perfectly. Always better to have a new fresh hose installed vs. old questionable one. I filled my Subie with antifreeze, burped, and all seems to be well. No drips from under the front of the car after a good 10+ minute drive. This project was exasperating, but getting this hose replaced at a private garage, or dealership, would have more than likely required a 4 day wait for parts, so I am ahead in the game. Gotta think having this job done at a shop would have cost me over $100, more like $125. Thanks to all for the advise.

Good info, thanks! Yep, that is the correct hose, I can easily tell by the picture shown. Parts guy must be new, or not that sharp. I asked him if the hose for the 2.2 fit the 96-99 2.5 motor. He had to look it up to tell me that it was the same hose. Since the hose was used for so many years, up to at least 2009, I am surprised that the dealer didn't have a couple in stock.

Went to my Subie dealer to buy a small molded coolant hose for 98 OBW with new to it 95, 2.2 motor. The small molded hose is located directly above where the lower rad hose bolts to the bottom of the block. It is less than an inch in diameter, and maybe 4 inches long, and makes nearly a right hand turn in the middle. Counter guy wanted the VIN from the 95, which is impossible, since I own the engine only. After fumbling around with his computer, and checking some paper work lying around, he identified the part number, only to tell me that he did not have the part in stock, and prolly other dealers in town wouldn't have in stock also. To order, my cost would be $25. After pleading my story, that I currently have the car up on ramps blocking my driveway, he says he will check for another source. The parts guy disappears back to the repair bays, and returns a few minutes later with the correct hose in hand. He was nice enough to take the hose from a short block lying around. I tried to pay for the hose, but he said "no charge." What a nice guy. He went out of his way to do me a good turn. I will install later today, and hope the hose doesn't leak. I am reluctant to name the dealer for maybe the parts guy could get into trouble with his boss for doing what he did. Who knows. I suspect there are dealer employees on this forum, who could advise if naming the dealer could present an issue. Nice to tell a story, where a dealer guy goes out of his way to do a good turn.

Yea, your creation should work. Sockets and drives are chrome plated on really hardened steel. Welding super hard steel may present some issues, I don't know. I wish Subaru would sell their cars with holes drilled in the fender liners creating good access to the spark plugs with the road wheels removed. Sure would make spark plug changes much easier. The holes could be filled with circular plastic inserts to keep dirt out of the engine bay, when access is not needed.

Your new tires will be slightly taller, and slightly narrower then what is on the car now. Like others said......they will fit. If you have all wheel drive, make sure all tires are the same size on the car.

Thanks for the advise, I appreciate it.

Another thought........some years back, I had a beloved car that I bought new in 1984. I truly loved that car, but finally the rear suspension mount broke because of rust. It was time to put the car down. I did not have the heart to send it to a wrecking yard, so I donated the car to Goodwill Industries. It sold at their weekly auction for $200. I am happy I went this route.

Without fixing the tranny, you don't really have a sell-able car, particularly with it being a 94 with 250K miles. At this point it is basically a "parts car." I frequent wrecking yards, and see cars that physically look good with maybe 150K miles on the odo. I have to guess the reason the car is now in the yard is because either the engine or tranny has gone bad, and the owner gave up on repairing the car. The only avenue left was to sell it to the wrecking yard, and get perhaps $200-400 for the car. I know this is not what you want to hear, but it is the unfortunate reality of car ownership. You may want to call a couple of wrecking yards to get a quote for what they would pay you for your car.

Ask the owner what car (year and model) these wheels came from. Like said.....you need to know that they will fit your car. Otherwise you have wasted $30 and your time.

It is no wonder that a shop wants $400 to install plugs, from what you described. I was thinking about installing the plugs myself, now I hesitate to enter a PITA arena. Let me guess, I bet the battery, and air intake system, maybe more, have to be removed to gain access space to work, just like on my 99 OBW? It all adds up making plug R & R labor intensive. Still, I will take a look see at what is there, and get codes pulled if there is a CEL...............Thanks GD for your advise

I have done well with Advance Auto Parts (their house brand) ceramic pads. Seem to wear well, stop well, and don't cost much. Get 20% off if you buy at their website, then pick up at their store.

Friend of my wife has an 06 Turbo Baha with 77K miles. She says it has an engine miss. I don't know if engine was throwing a CEL code? An independent shop wants $400 to do a tune up, which wasn't explained what work would be done for that amount of money. I said I would take a look at the Baha this weekend. I am thinking it maybe just needs a set of plugs, and maybe wires. How difficult is it to install a set of spark plugs in a Baha? I have heard that it is somewhat easier then installing plugs in a gen 1, 2.5 that I have in my 99 OBW. If plugs are needed.........any brand and plug model recommended? If there is a CEL, I will have the code pulled at a parts store. Thanks for any advise.

That may be so. "Big 30" code may be for purchase of $100 or more. Still there is always an active discount when ordering on line from Advance Auto Parts.

Check the ATF fluid level. Dip stick is hidden low, down on the firewall on driver's side. It is a short little dip stick that is not easily found. Is the ATF at the proper level on the stick? How does the ATF fluid look? Fresh...light redish color, or black as crude oil?

I recently changed the front 02 sensor on m 99 OBW. The old sensor set off a CEL, and the code told me the sensor was bad. This was at 190 K miles on my OBW. I am pretty sure mine was the original, but who knows for sure when you buy your car used. I am guessing you bought yours used, and so don't know the early history on the car. I don't think there is any reliable way to know if your 02 sensor is the original. If it is not throwing a CEL, I wouldn't replace it. You might be better served by adding Seafoam to your gas tank, and also fed directly into your engine to clean out deposits. Adding a good quality fuel injector cleaner would be a good idea too. Just don't add both products to the gas tank at the same time.

I agree with other posts........once the piston seizes up, the caliper needs to be replaced. I don't think it is worth the time, effort, and energy to mess with the old caliper to get it to work. I like buying auto parts from Advance Auto Parts. They offer discounts when you order on line, then can pick up at their store within a half hour or so. I think I used their "big 30" code for their best discount, when ordering. I think it gave a $30 discount off the radiator I ordered. Last summer I put one of their calipers on the front of my 99 OBW. I bought caliper only. It came with a new mounting bracket and anti squeal shims. Caliper works great.