Rooster2

Agree, since the 92 is AWD, it still needs all 4 tires to match.

I own a 98 with transplanted 95 2.2 motor. I had a shop install the motor, so not sure what they did. Re antifreeze..........what type is not that important..........use either the pre-mix or concentrate that you dilute with distilled water. No coolant additive needed. Re thermostat...........my opinion.........buy a good one, not a cheapie. Some say only Subaru OEM, but I have used after market thermostats with good result.

The weakness of the 99 motor is head gaskets. Better to replace the HGs with genuine Subaru OEM HGs, while the motor is apart. Also, prolly best to replace the timing belt and tensioners. Subie motors aren't known for spinning rod bearings without a good cause, particularily at 70K miles. Was the motor run when low on oil? Was the oil changed regularily? The spun rod bearing raises a red flag with me enough to cause concern on the entire health of the motor.

Thanks guys, you answered what I needed to learn.

Follow up from yesterday's post asking about CEL on 98 OBW with 2.2 95 motor. CEL is on, pulled code, and got PO 141, which I think is O2 sensor. Which one is bad......... closest to engine, or closest to tail pipe? Thanks for advise!

Never got a code number, just the announcement, bank 2, sensor 2. I should have asked for the code number. It has always been my experience that the first sensor closest to the motor is the one that goes bad. I have never had the sensor further back in the exhaust system go bad. Prolly better if I go elsewhere to get a 2nd reading, and get the code number this time.

My 98 OBW with 95 2.2 motor threw a CEL. I had the code read at an automotive store. Guy who read the code, said reader says bad O2 sensor, "bank 1, sensor 2." I am guessing that is the first O2 sensor coming off the motor. Can anyone confirm this?? Thanks.............Rooster2

I would be surprised if it had a part number, if you are talking about the plastic bleeder screw on top of the radiator. It is simply a common screw/bolt. Suggest you go to a hardware store that stocks a wide range of screw/bolt/washer/nut hardware. Ace hardware or Lowes would carry it. You should be able to find one right away; prolly made out of metal not plastic. Use a plastic or fiber washer to create a good seal.

I recently bought one from Advance Auto Parts. Can't remember which brand, but bought one of their better ones. It works just fine. So, gotta think a good one from any parts strore will work just fine.

my same thought as the others.......the washer pump motor is bad. That is an ez fix. Re power seat, since the seat moves, you know the seat motor, and power to it are good. I would suspect a bad seat switch., or, check to see if any foreign object is wedged in the seat track causing binding that prevents prevent seat from moving front/back.

bad coolant temp sensor??

I haven't personally swapped out a hub, but had it done by a friend of mine on my drive way. Sourced a hub from a wrecking yard that works great. Didn't seem to be anything that difficult.

Good work!

Glad you found a fix with that loose ground wire. Hope all stays well.

I have both a 98 and 99 OBW. They are really pretty much the same car. The 98 OBW is the limited with key and fob. The fob controls the keyless remote and alarm system. On the left side of the steering wheel on the dash is a a blinking light, that when blinking indicates the alarm is activated. My 99 has a fob, but is the standard model without the alarm system, so no blinking light on the dash. The fob simply locks and unlocks the doors. My fob was broken when I purchased as a used car, so don't know if the horn is used to indicate doors locked or unlocked. It has been my understanding that the Limited model comes with the alarm system as standard equipment. The alarm system has it's own little speaker under the hood to make noise, when the alarm system is activated. It does not use the car's horn. There is also a button under the dash that can be pushed to turn off the alarm system.

If you suspect any damage to the coil pack, then I would replace it. They are cheap and easy to find at a wrecking yard.

Sometimes the best deal, is the deal that never took place. Buying a car with a strong oil leak, with thoughts that the motor may have been over heated, isn't a good start in buying a used car. The seller wanting near retail didn't make the deal any good. Consider yourself lucky.........there are better used Subies out there, that will be better values for your money.

I own the very same 98 Limited OBW. They are very nice cars. Leather seats much better then standard cloth seats. Also, more sound insulation added to the Limited model, so they drive quieter. Only weak spot is the head gaskets. Ask to see a receipt as to when the HGs were replaced, and if with a Subaru OEM HGs. Anything other then a Subaru HG is subject to wearing out faster. Good also to ask for all receipts owner may have on work done on the car, to tell you how well the car has been taken care of. Otherwise everything else about the 98 is good. Figure on the car being good for 300K miles if maintained properly. $3700 is a good asking price, you prolly can buy at a lower price through negotiation.

Just yesterday, I was doing some Spring cleaning, and ran across several issues of End Wrench, that I had forgotten I had. The issues are keepers for good Subie info. Sorry to hear that End Wrench is gone. I didn't know that.

Much the same thought as above. My wife severely cooked the 2.5 motor in her 98 OBW. It is the same motor as in the 99 you are looking at. The aluminum block, and prolly everything else was warped, so it was leaking oil noticeably. It just wasn't worth trying to fix, so dropped in a motor from a wrecking yard, and all is well. The seller saying cost of repair is $1,000. This is not a realistic figure. You could prolly pull the engine using drive up plastic ramps to get under the car, and an engine hoist. Lots written about engine swaps here. Just use the "search" function on this site to learn how, and what swaps right in.

Can you replace with a Nissan alternator? If so, a unit for which Nissan and model year.

When I have trouble with the squirters dribbling out fluid, I use a pin, as in a pin from a new dress shirt. Poke the end of the pin into the squirter hole, and move it around a bit. Doing that loosens up, and gets rid of the crud that is causing the trouble. Hope this works for you.

No, head gasket is not going to cause massive oil leak. Most likely a bad seal. Don't drive it with the bad oil leak, because of fear of running out of oil. No oil will destroy a motor in a hurry.

The Driveworks filter from Advance is made in China. I would not recommend Driveworks for that reason.

Yea, I wrote the original post on using Trans-X. At the time, several years back, I knew a guy who was kind of a dealer for Amsoil, so I bought some. I have since come to the opinion that Amsoil is not anything special. Since then, I have been using Walmart brand ATF with no complaints. I would not start using Trans-X, unless you are experiencing forward gear engagement problems. I don't know that the expensive synthetics like Mobil-1 etc. are all that much better. It is more important to have good clean tranny fluid in your tranny then anything else. Be aware that your 99 has an external tranny fluid filter. It looks exactly like an oil filter in shape and size, but is different internally. Don't try using an oil fliter. Filter cost is about $35.00 for a new one. It is right next to the tranny pan. Don't bother dropping the pan to change the internal screen. They just don't clog up. Ask me if you need further advise on how to change the ATF. I have experience doing this. Regards, Rooster2