Rooster2

With cut wires, the alarm system has probably been removed. Sounds like the wiring system could be a mess, and not likely to be easily fixable.

Yep, agreed, it is an Outback sedan. I have seen a few around.

I have always purchased the blue bottle, not the high millage formula. My 99 Subie is still running strong on Trans X, since started using this product 6 or 7 years back. Using Trans X fixes the problem entirely for about a year, then the lazy shifting slowly starts to return. I then drain and fill the tranny 3 times, with short drives between drains, then add the Trans X on the last fill. I now have 241K miles on my 99, so am sure that Trans X has no negative impact on the longevity of the tranny. It may even help to make the tranny last longer. So far, I think everyone using this product has been satisfyed with the results. It should solve your problem.

For $3500 you could pretty well drop in a new engine. Chasing an oil leak on a 12 year old car is quite normal. All cars that age will leak oil. On my two old Subies, I had oil leaks that I cut the oil leak in half by adding "stop leak" products to the oil. Several different brands are available at any parts store. Eventually, I had the valve covers replaced to end the oil leaks. It is rather inexpensive to have that done.Good chance that is where your leak is originating. Spend your $3500 on something worthwhile, An engine reseal sound like a waste of good money.

Maybe the knock sensor is bad?? I can't remember if a 91 has a knock sensor, but probably so.

Was the thermostat changed?? That affects temperature most of all. If so, see the picture above. If changed, I hope a quality Subaru thermostat was installed, not a cheapie after market unit. The cheapie unit will not work as well.

Always best to go back to basics. How long has it been since a tune up of new spark plugs and plug wires?? New plugs and wires can help gas millage. An O2 sensor may help as well. If you are handy with a wrench, it is not much work to do this work yourself, and save what a shop would charge you.

U-tube video is unavailable.

Agree with John.

Sounds like a wheel bearing to me. The left rear tire sounds like a separate issue.

With calcium deposits all around the radiator, don't be surprised that the radiator leaks from the over heating, and will need to be replaced. It took a new radiator after replacing the "cooked' motor in wife's car.

You need to take the car back to where recent work was done to find out what is going on. Never experienced anything like you have, and I have done quite a bit of A/C service work on my Subies and other cars.

Unfortunately, I don't expect that doing a head gasket change is going to fix the problem. When a Subie head gasket blows, it over heats the engine. The engine has a lot of aluminum, which will warp if over heated. Good chance the heads are warped. You just don't know how many times the engine was over heated, until it died. Also, 99 Subie main bearings are not the strongest, so over heating them causes early failure. I learned a lot about this, when my wife's 98 Outback blew the head gasket, and she drove on. It is a wonder it did not lock up, but she did get it home. It did start and run after a cool down, but poorly........just too much warpage, and leakage. The motor was shot. My opinion, is that you are wasting your time and money with any work on existing bad head gasket motor. Far better off swapping in a good motor.

The drain and fill really needs to be done 3 times, not just once, with short drives between drains, since about half the ATF stays in the torque converter, and won't drain out. What is there to re-learn, or reprogram of the trans with simple fluid change?? I have no idea what is to be gained??

definitely a metal to metal sound. Perhaps a bad bearing in the alternator. In this situation, it is nice to have a mechanics stethoscope . It looks just like what a medical doctor uses to check your heart. Only difference on the mechanics stethoscope, on the business end is a short rod of metal. Put the ear pieces on your head, then touch the metal rod to what might be making the noise. Once you find the source, you will hear it loud and clear in your ears. This tool is available at parts stores.

All Subarus are not expensive to insure. What model Impreza have you purchased? If you bought a WRX or STI, these are performance models, so suspect insuring would cost more then a base model Impreza. Suggest you shop around for insurance. Update.......I went on line and saw the following........ 2017 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Premium with EyeSight + BSD/RCTA + SRF + Moonroof + Starlink listed for about $25K. Even if this car has more extras then your "Premium," it will not cost much to insure, and is not a high performance car, or one that is at high risk for theft. I don't think your "broker" guy knows what he is talking about. Nothing that he has told you seems correct.

Well hopefully the engine is in good shape, and has been well maintained with oil changes on time. Used WRXs may have been driven hard, and put away wet by previous owner(s). That being said, reputation wise..........all Subarus are reliable cars

I doubt that anyone on this forum will be able to answer your question. Don't think it likely that anyone has looked into this. Prolly best to stick with what you know works, the 2000-2003 Outback models. I go to a family owned muffler shop where I live. They cut, bend, and weld into place pipes as needed. Cost is a lot less then national chain muffler shops like Midas and Car-X, where they want to replace the entire exhaust system from cat to end of tail pipe for big bucks. Maybe there is a family owned muffler shop in your area? Worth checking out.

Good advise from those who posted above. I would also suggest when your car is in the warm garage to put the battery on a battery charger over night, when outside temp is below zero. Don't need doing this daily, maybe a few times per week to make sure the battery stays fully charged. The battery charger will stop charging, when battery is fully charged.

Agree with others, sad to say, but that engine is shot, and all but done for, and cannot ever be counted on. Far better to install a good used engine and drive on.

Buy a "one man brake bleeder" kit. They are cheap, and work great. Here is a URL to a you tube video showing how it is done. www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfTmlOZbXgs The guy in the video makes his own catch bottle, but you can buy a kit with a catch bottle included.

Good move, thanks for posting the advise.

Probably also a good idea to change the spark plugs. You just don't know how long they have been in use, unless you have complete service records on the car. Your car sounds like a good one. Enjoy!

mfg. date of 4/98 would definitely be a 98 model.

I am running 215 X 70 X 15 on my 99 OBW, which is the same body style as yours. I don't think you will have any problems with tire clearance, my concern is whether the 16" wheels will fit over the disc brake caliper??