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Well, in years past EMPI had a good rep with Volkswagon enthusiasts, and after a really bad experience with new O'reilly axles,l I was willing to try anything. Next time I will just junk the EMPI and get one from one of the builders mentioned on this board. This was an odyssey today. I ordered a puch from the auto supply, but it did not come in. Was going to try to remove the strut bolts, but couldn't get the nuts to budge. The ball joint separated easily without damage. The tie rod bolt started spinning when I tried to remove the nut. Finally got it off using an impact gun and putting shear pressure on the tie rod. The pin came out of the old shaft okay, but my son managed to spread the new pin will driving it in. It would not go the last 1/4 so decided to drive it out and try another. In the process of driving it out, he got the ground off screw driver we were using for a drift really stuck in the shaft. Took almost an hour to get that out! Got it back together but the tie rod bolt was buggered and would not take the nut. I just happened to have another one in the garage, so we replaced it- with some difficulty to get the end broke loose from the inner shaft. All in all, it took 3 hours, and I have not put away the tools yet. Next time, it should go smoother.

New Empi axle lasted about 3 months and less than a 1000 miles. Now it clicks making left turns.

Thanks, going to tool store tommorow for a punch and 32mm socket. That nut was off just two months ago when the axle was changed ( crap EMPI) Hopefully, the shop that put it on didn't over torque it. Gonna do it myself this time. What size punch is needed for the pin?

Seems to me a saw a really good tutorial on this board for swapping front axles- had pictures too, can't find it. Anyone know where it is?

Okay , I get it that the side rails are screwed. So are the stiffeners screwed, bolted or just glued?

97 lego, I'm talking about the stiffeners, not the side rails.

I'm buying another wagon that has a rack but no stiffeners on the roof. Anyone know if those stiffeners are bolted or glued on? I would like to add them to protect the roof.

How is the Indian Head stuff to clean up when you change the pump the next time?

I have one but it is not strong enough to get the lower strut bolts loose . I don't think it delivers the torque they claim.

If their pumps are Asin or GMB, those are good pumps. Used them myself. Careful when you torque those bolts. The thread pull out pretty easily.

He knows what he's doing. He ordered another set from National. The inner one didn't even have a lip and just slid right in with no resistance. PIA Sent wife this morning to the dealer 45 miles away to get seals. We'll see how that goes.

Took my 2000 Impreza O/B to a local shop to have front bearings replace. Ordered Timken kits. I don't have a press Mechanic called and said he destroyed the inner seals ( with the lip) trying to get them on. Said they are a 32nd too big. I bought 2 sets of Timkens from 2 different sources. Any idea what is going on here?

Replaced the MAF and all is well. The breather hose was also disconnected from the airbox, which made it idle badly, once it started.

I have a 97 and 98 that both make a small noise like you describe when it is cold. Been doing it for over a year. I once removed the EGR valve and actuated it open and closed - fast. Makes the same sorta noise. I hope you find it for both of us.

When we were deciding on whether to fix the heads or replace the engine on our 2000 Impreza,. I found a fairly low mileage at a salvager in Georgia, complete, ready to drop in for 1000 including shipping to Texas. They were very good to work with, sent picture and the vin of the car. Gotta be careful though. Another one in El Paso was offered for 500. Supposedly it had 85k on it, but upon further investigation, the mileage was unknown as the donor car was on it's second engine. Phase 2, 2.2engines are not so plentiful and cheap as phase 1 motors Check car-part.com oh yeah, when you find one, do a car-fax on the donor car if the vin is available. You might get lucky and find one that has timing belt service listed recently, or it might say the car had 300,000 miles at the last registration.

The front windshield washer motor has just stopped working on the Impreza. Wipers work fine as well as rear washer. Pulled the connector off the motor and am only getting .7 volts. It shares a fuse with the wipers and rear washer. The wiring diagram shows an indirect ground, and power feeds from the bottom of the fuse panel. Any ideas?

You can check Monroe for "Quick Struts" Well worth the money. Just did my wife's Avalon. The kit includes everything, top hats, bearings, bumpers, spring...etc. You just bolt them on . No messing with a spring compressor. I paid about 125 each from an Amazon seller. Can't get close to that if you have to buy new top hats or bearings as well as struts. If you replace the struts only, there is a good chance the bearings or bumpers/top hats will wear out before the cartridge and you will be doing the job again.

Went and checked it out for myself. There is spark on all cylinders. The engine will start if the throttle is held cracked open slightly, and will very slowly accelerate if you push the accelerator ever so slowly. I have seen this before on a Camry. In that case it was the MAF. I jiggled the connector with the engine running and it seemed to respond. I disconnected the MAF and nothing changed. So, I figured maybe since they worked on that left fender maybe the got some spray or paint dust up in there booering up the sensor. I removed the pipe with the sensor in it and blew it out with air OOPS, now it won't start at all. I am ordering another from a yard. Hopefully that is it. I was getting battery voltage to the connector on the harness.

The coil was replaced with a Subaru coil off another car that was running. I don't know how they tested it. The body shop owner's brother is a mechanic, so he says, who brought over a scanner and checked it. I will try somehow to get an arc from the coil to a grounded wire or something- any ideas on a good way to check that without shocking myself?

Okay, the shop that has the car says it is the front two cylinders. They got no spark at the coil.

My son's 97 Lego went into the body shop where they worked on the hood, right front fender and left rear quarter panel, replaced left headlight and both bumpers. It was running fine before. We had pulled the plugs and alternator, when we thought it was totaled and going to salvage and reinstalled them when we realized it was going to be repaired,. Now, it cranks, sputters and won't stay running. I'm told it has spark on only two cylinders, and the code said the coil was bad. Put another coil in it, no change. I have not looked at the car yet- it is 12 miles away at the body shop. Any ideas?

Make your own holes and use a set of old plug wire boot caps as plugs. I did something like this on a Chevy Diesel truck, for access to the turbo downpipe clamp

That cam lobe needs to be mic-ed. If the valve is burnt, Do you know if that valve is original or some aftermarket that was replaced before. There were a batch of exhaust valves labeled as from a popular Italian maker that were counterfeited by some Chinese and they all failed. Oh never mind, I just saw the photos

Leak down check will tell ya. BTW, how where you able to see the face of the valves? Did you turn the cam by hand to open each valve while the head was off?

There is a third possibility for a burnt valve, and it is the most common reason on older BMW boxer engines from the early 80's. That is valve seat metallurgy. The seats are too soft. I had this happen to me, and found the burnt valve early by accident. Had to pull the head to have an stripped exhaust port nipple repaired. I would guess it is a combination of slightly higher heat at that # 4 cyl valve and lack of proper maintenance. It would be interesting to poll Subaru drivers and ask how many actually ever have valve clearances checked. Loud valves save $$$$ Also on your high mileage engine, reduced flow from a slightly clogged cat could account for higher EGT's .