davebugs

Too bad you didn't know you needed this a week or so ago when I scrapped a 96 Impreza sedan with all that stuff in it. Might have increased your odds.

I believe they changed designs in 98 - but an expect should chime in. I do know that 97's have the shims to adjust the valves. If the 98's are a different design I'd swap them both for consistency sake or just get a 97 head.

Yea - look in the middle of my post that you quoted: "Knowing the source of you HG's I'd say you found the problem."

I can tell you that I recently had a 99 Impreza. Airbag light was on, as well as no horn and I don't believe cruise worked. Everything was plugged in. I took it to the dealer to diagnose. Didn't want to mess with trying to diagnose ABS with my limited electrical skills. Within a half hour they found the problem using a special wireing harness that proved it was the clock spring. FYI a new clock spriing was like 500 bucks. I put a used one in and all was fine. I just did a VW Golf where the horn worked but the airbag light was on. Clockspring is more integrated with the steering wheel so I replaced the wheel and the problem went away. So the clockspriing has several "wires" in it. There could be a chance that a car with cruise even has more wires in the clock spring. But I don't know that would seem like a stupid idea.

torque bind or brake caliper would be my first 2 guesses. The usual question - do all the tires match, does the "AT oil temp" light blink 16 times when you start the car, etc. Does one rim feel way hotter than the rest after a short drive? Parking brake seem to be working properly(and releasing). That kinda stuff.

I've only experienced one 1.8 in a 95 Impreza SW. I bought it by accident. It now has a new timing belt and Subaru clutch. Otta get terrific mileage with the 5 speed. Wish it would sell. It's been around too long. I don't plan on learning much about 1.8's. But I still say that all the 96 and up 2.2 and 2.5's that I've ever seen or worked on have had an EGR. Not that I claim to be an expert but I've seen my share. I think it would be hard to be a regional thing with them made in the same factories but then again they could be built for emissions expectations for the market they were originally shipped to. But I never realized all 1.8's had EGR. That's actually a bit curious.

I can't recall where it is. But I've got a 96 2.5 setting here that had bad bearings I took out of a running(poorly running) car with no CEL about a month ago. Tell me where it is, make me an offer. I may be able to get it out tomorrow. I believe I've looked at one trouble shooting a car but it wasn't the problem so I forget where it is. Unless it's not on the engine?

I have a 95 Impreza 1.8 5 speed that has an EGR. I was shocked. Every 96 and up that I've seem (auto or stick) has had an EGR. Perhaps it's a where you are at in the country thing?

WP's usually leak - I haven't had a Subaru one fail any other way - and I don't consider the gasket leaking a "real" failure. T-stat - some folks boil them. These are both cheap and easy items to replace but that may not help in your diagnosis. Knowing the source of you HG's I'd say you found the problem. When you do it again I strongly suggest using Subaru crank and cam seals while you're in there. Assuming that you use Subaru HG's. Also new oil Pump Oring, check the screws, reseal pump(ultra grey no gasket). I myself can't understand why folks do all this work and use cheap parts in a very critical, internal place. I use aftermarket WP's Intake and exhaust gaskets, belts, etc. But always Suby HG's and seals (crank, cam, and WP). It'll be much easier the second time.

I've been resisting the urge to post. But I'd make a serious bet that it's the HG's again. What brand HG's were installed? By someone knowledgable about Subaru's? Were heads checked and/or resurfaced?

I believe I have a set or two for air cooled VW's. 4 lug cars and I may have had a set for even older 5 lug VW's with the really large centers up through 67. I think they were somewhat popular, lower budget wheels back in the day. Thin chrome and all. I remember waxing them when new and the chrome was paper thin and there still were what looked like sanding or grinding marks/scratches in the part of the wheel that shows the most that is where you'd really want it smooth and shiny. Now that I think of it they may be what is on my '79 Beetle Convertible. But I'm hardly a wheel expert.

What condition was the top mount in? That would be my first place to investigate if the strut and coil seemed decent - and if the coil was setting properly. Often when a strut goes bad it swells the rubber piece that helps to hold the coil in place on the bottom. I keep meaning to save them from a scrap car but typically don't pull struts since that makes them too hard to load. I don't know if they are dealer only or other folks handle them. How special could that rubber bushing/coil holder be on the bottom?

That was it. I just stopped to see the situation for myself. They had the tranny in the car and were doing the TC bolts. Stub shaft was missing. He said it was really difficult removing from the old one. He used a large slide hammer. Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the timely reply. I forwarded the info in that thread about the stub axles mostly to the folks that had called an hour or so ago. He was saying htat the seals, etc looked totally different. The diff is trash on the old tranny so he was gonna try pulling the stub shaft to see what was up.

A local garage just called me. 99 Legacy Outback needs a tranny. Customer got a tranny that reads TZ1A2JEBAWZ Garage says same as the vin plate. Problem is that one has 2 female axle connections(splines) and the one the customer obtained has one male and one female. They are 10 miles away and I can go look if necessary but I'm hardly a tranny expert. Ironically my last tranny postings I believe had to do with this same tranny code. Anyone seen this different sexed problem for axles? Is it as simple as buying another axle? I've seen sex/compatability issues with coil packs but not tranny/axle. These guys were ready to lift the repalcement one in when they noticed this. So they are currently stuck.

Shouldn't this original question be a sticky, or FAQ? Or is it and noone seems to find it?

A 2.2 swap on the 97 is easy. On the 99 a little more plumbing on the EVAP stuff since the canister is a different place. The 99 has 4 "extra" bolts/nuts to mate the engine and tranny but doesn't effect much really. Do some searching.

GG, Along with "in the woods", "in the mountains", "up the gravel road", "up the river", and other very useful locations. If you believe that describes it all. How about helping us challenged folks out and out the closest city someone from the other end of the country may have heard of? Or in my case perhaps SW PA incase folks think that "my" Pittsburgh isn't "the" Pittsburgh. A lot of states have city's by the same name in them.

On 2.2's I usually leave the bottom smooth idler till last. I also use the vise crip style plastic clamps to hold the belt on the crank and cam sprockets.

That and a USEFUL location tied to their ID. East "Bumbf ck" while cute doesn't really tell anyone much. There are moe of them than you think! If you're in the witness protection program just the closest major city would be nice. I doubt they'll be looking for you on Subaru forums. This way other members close to you may pay more attention and be able to help you out more.

You should be fine. But if not I've got literally boxes of brackets if you need one.

This might be the rare case where I'd pay to have it flat bedded to me. Them maybe chain it to a tree to get it off. Then you can work on it, jack it up, remove axles, whatever you want when you are at home, have the tools, and there is no sense of urgency. I'm just talking about effective use of your time. Let alone any safety issues.

Don't forget to budget for alignment. I usually use Monroe Sensi-Trak's (sp?). Don't forget to check the mounting gizmo's. I replace as many of them as I do struts.

Something to add to my startup process. Disconnect a different wire (crank position sensor). Thanks.

The MMO really is to make the engine quiter sooner. I doubt it would have effected the oil pump "prime". I forget where you are at. My cliffnotes from my poor memory: 2.5 HG job. Assembled engine, ran for a few minutes and a cam seized. You're redoing it again looking for an oil circulation issue. Assuming the oil passages are all clean and not clogged from the oil pickup tube and Oring, to the oil pump and Oring, passages in the heads, etc. I did see here tonight someone asked basically if you installed the HG's upside down. I have heard of it but never seen it. Did you double check that? I'd assume they would only fit the correct way. But being paranoid I'm always dry fitting thigs making sure the mating surfaces are very clean with the engine on it's side for each head. I double check that the passages line up then.