Rooster2

If the blue tint halogens are an after market product, I would suspect they are the problem. I tried them several years ago on my Audi, and they were terrible. I couldn't see sh*t. Suggest reverting back to OEM bulbs, if the blues are after market.

The headlight bulb will have a part number printed on the base of the bulb, so it is easy to match numbers to purchase the correct bulb. I did that recently on my 99 Subie. Also, when replacing the bulb, don't touch the bulb glass envelope, as oil from your fingers will cause hot spots on the bulb, and the bulb to have a shorter life span. I always use rubbing alcohol on a kleenex to clean the glass envelope on any new bulb before replacement just to make sure that the glass is super clean.

You might do well to take the alternator into an auto parts store, and ask them to help you replace it. I would suggest going there when they are not busy, so the counter guy can spend some time with you. That way, several Subie alternators from different models can be layed out on the counter, and visually inspected to see if physically they will interchange with yours. The amp output may be less, if you use an alternator not specifically designed for your car, so you will need to know the amp output of old vs new alternators to see if they are compatible enough to do the job for you.

I have had a consistent good experience at Discount Tire. Fair pricing and great service. Also nice that they will fix flats for free on any car that you own, not just on the tires that they sold you. Big O Tire here in Indiana is pretty good too, but really only as good as the guy that you are dealing with there. Stay away from Walmart. Those dummies working the tire shop are really too dumb to be even hired by Walmart. I wouldn't even trust those guys to properly do an oil change.

Just got her broke in.........many happy more miles to you and your '97.

Yes, JB weld holds up very well to exhaust heat. JB lasted at least 4 years. The exhaust pipe finally rusted through in other areas, so had to replace. This was on an after market exhaust pipe from a cheapie muffler shop for an old VW. It even surprised me how long the JB held up.

I had a 91 Leggy that develped automatic tranny problems. With 178K on the odo, I dropped the pan to change the filter screen. The trany had had minimal fluid change, however, the pan filter screen was like new with no particles in it, and no sludge in the pan. Since doing all that work, I have read here on this forum, that there is little to be gained by dropping the pan. It was really difficult removing the remnants of the pan gasket form the pan and bottom of the trany. Plus, there is a down side, that the pan will possibly develop a leak. My pan started to leak even after my best work. My best advise on the trany is to fill and drain the trany three times to flush out old ATF, as all ATF cannot be drained when pulling the trany drain plug. About half the ATF remains in the torque converter, and will not drain away. Your 97 will not have an external spin on filter, Subaru started the external filter on the 99 model. Good luck on all that work. Subies are satisfying to work on. The engines are well made, including the bolts and nuts that hold everything together. Also, suggest pulling the road wheels off to see how much brake pad remains. If you change pads, suggest flushing out the brake fluid. If the color of the brake fluid in the under hood reservoir is the color of ice tea, then it is a good idea to replace the brake fluid. A "one man" fluid changer kit works great to do this.

No need to grind it clean. If you can get your fingers to the leak, simply hand rub sand paper, or rub with your fingers, to clean off the rust and dirt. Use rubbing alcohol, or another suitable solvent to wipe off any rust dust. Once cleaned, JB Weld should hold just fine. I have done this several times before. It works great! Just let it harden up over night before starting the motor.

before you go and spend a lot of money, I have made permanent repairs using JB Weld on exhaust system holes that has lasted for years. The trick is to have a very clean surface before applying JB Weld. my other thought is to take your car to a custom muffler shop, where they can cut out, and weld in new mufflers and pipes, while retaining your standard muffler exhaust tip.

my best guess is that you have a tire out of balance, or a bad tire. Prolly one of the front tires. They will do that, wobble at certain speeds, and not at other speeds. Get all four tires balanced, hope that fixes the problem.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it does sound like your head gasket is going bad, and not the water pump. The problem typically starts as you described with on again, off again over heating. Your husband knows to do the right thing by turning on the heater to help cool down the engine. The probable reason the one time you turned on the heater, and it did not blow hot air for a while, is because the bad head gasket allows exhaust gas to enter the cooling system. With enough hot gas in the cooling system, the water coolant can't circulate properly, resulting in temporary no heat, and engine over heating. There is a ton of info written on this forum about bad head gaskets, the sympthoms, and the fix. Access the "search" heading on this website to become highly educated on the subject. Keep us posted on getting your problem fixed. Also, BTW, please don't drive your car with in an over heated state. That will absolutely destroy the engine, but I hope you already know this.

Check the quality and fit of the rubber molding seal around the trunk lid to see if it is possibly split, or has come loose. Readjust or reglue as needed. That may fix the problem of water entering the trunk. As far as water in the tail light lens, that too could result from a bad trunk seal, crack in the lens, or poor lens seal. You may want to apply some "Seal All" around any suspected places where water could enter the tail light unit. Seal All is a clear contact adhesive and sealant. You could also use clear silicone bathroom caulk to do the job. It is available in any hardware store.

No, standard brake pads from Autozone are not ceramic. With normal use, the pads prolly last 40K miles. When worn out, I return the pads for new ones under their lifetime warranty. Just be sure to save the sales slip, and I keep the box the pads came in. Returning worn out pads in the original box assures an easy return, plus it is easy to compare part stock numbers on new box verses old box to make sure you are getting the right size pads.

some suggestions from some people that have previously changed their pads woudl be nice. thanks! I use the standard pads sold by Autozone. I am sure that they are not the best, but they stop my Subie just fine. The pads do create a lot of black dust that collects on the road wheels, but I don't care. The nice thing is, the pads carry a lifetime guarantee, so when they wear out, I take the worn out pads back to AZ, and exchange them for new ones at no cost. Subie pads are super easy to change, so it is a good do it yourself project that I don't mind doing.

I replaced the knock sensor on my 98 OBW last summer. I had Autozone pull the code to determine the problem. I bought the AZ knock sensor, and have had no issues with it. The knock sensor is screwed into the top of the engine back near the fire wall. It is kind of awkward to replace, as it is not a straight shot with a 3/8 drive with extensions. It really requires a wobbler at the end of the extension, with the socket attached to it, to remove the knock sensor attachment bolt. Just be careful in tightening down the knock sensor bolt, as slightly over tightening it will crack and destroy the new unit. Suggest doing a knock sensor search on this forum to learn what others have written, and view a photo of where to find the knock sensor.

I use one of those diy "one man brake bleeder kits." I received mine as a Christmas gift a few years back, but I can tell that the cost is low. Prolly available at any car parts store. It does a good job of collecting dirty brake fluid, without letting air enter the caliper. I highly recommend the kit.

Same thought.........Subies with all wheel drive need to have all four tires with the same tread depth to operate properly. Running tires with different tread depths cause Subies to develop expensive drive train problems.

Pulling that angry stupid stunt, I hope your buddy has broken up with that girl friend. I would hate to think what she could do, if she really really got mad!!

Nice pixs, nice cars. I can tell that you like your car, and really proud to own and drive Subarina! Many happy miles to the twins!

Yes, it is typical to have the heat shield rattle only at certain engine rpm, like around 1800 to 2000 rpm. My guess, is that only a certain rpm causes the shroud shield to vibrate to cause the noise. Lower or higher then that specific rpm must not set up a harmonic vibration.

same thought as others, it's a loose exhaust heat shield shroud on your exhaust system. It is a low tech problem, therefore, I give it a low tech solution. I drive my car up on ramps, crawl under the car, tap on the shroud with a screw driver to learn where it is loose and makes noise. I then hammar in place (wedge) a good size bolt between the shroud and the exhaust pipe. This prevents the shroud from vibrating. Sure, a low tech fix, but it works. No shroud noise from my car for two years now.

I use a "C" clamp to compress the caliper piston nearly flush with the caliper housing before reinstalling. That gives plenty of room for the new pads to be seated when rebolting. Upon finishing the job, it is necessary to pull forward and backwards gently to readjust the pads for correct braking operation.

I have never heard of JB weld, what does it do and how does it look like? JB weld is sold at car parts stores. It is sold in a circular plastic package. The product is about the same diameter as a hot dog, but only half as long. It is a gray epoxy putty with a black colored core. Use a knife, cut a chunk off, then knead the putty with your fingers to mix thoroughly. Apply to a very clean surface. Job is finished. All you have to do is let dry to harden it up.

Agree with others, JB weld is an excellent product to fix the radiator. The trick is to get the surface super clean with rubbing alcohol, and super dry. Even scrubbing with a tooth brush is recommended. Use JB weld, and let it set up (harden) over night, before driving the car again. Letting it harden for 24 hours before use is even better. I have used it to seal a leak on tubing on the high pressure side of a car's air conditioning system. It held for a good two years plus, until the car was sold.

Way to go! So satisfying to get a project successfully completed.