Fairtax4me

Pull that hose off and trim off the cracked end. Should be fine after that. Remove the radiator cap and check that the inner washer is clean and the seat for the cap inside the filler neck is clean. If the washer is cut or split the cap will not hold pressure and needs to be replaced. It may be a good idea to just replace the cap anyway. Also, when filling the cooling system the engine block has to be filled with coolant through the upper radiator hose before filling the radiator. This will minimize the amount of air in the cooling system and prevent overheating due to low coolant level.

That's typically the clock spring behind the steering wheel. If turning the wheel while pushing the horn button will make the horn work sporadically, this is a key indicator of a bad clock spring. I think Subaru has a different name for it but I can't remember it off-hand. They're usually fairly expensive from a dealer. Used may be a gamble but worth a shot as long as you install it correctly.

Lots going on there. Sounds like the car is more than worth the time to keep it in good shape though. Temp gauge reading low is probably corrosion on the spade connector for the temp sensor. It's the single wire sensor. Hidden under the wiring that goes under the intake manifold below the PCV valve/IACV area. AC compressor kicking on and off is pretty normal and you will feel the power difference when its on. Might want to get a set of gauges on it and check the charge level though. If its low the compressor will cycle more often than it should and can be damaged. Not sure about the chirping from the dash, possibly the AC belt is loose and is slipping a bit when engine speed jumps up during downshifts? The 4EAT is known for rough 1-2 and 2-3 shifts when cold. There are some kits that claim to fix the issue, but I'm not sure how successful they are. Best thing is to keep clean fluid in it. TransX may help. I had tried Lucas something or other (Trans-fix?) in my 95 and it seemed to help the cold shift issue. Rumbly idle can actually be caused by cheap aftermarket front axles. A set of Subaru greens should help that. Not sure about the whine, but if its comig from the fuel pump that's bad. I've never been able to hear the pump over the engine in any of the Subarus I've driven. Pull the cover behind the right rear seat and give a good listen with a stethoscope to confirm if its the pump. Could just be a loose or bent heat shield rubbing on the exhaust pipe. Gear oil on the rear diff from the pinion seal is pretty common. I see that a lot on these cars. Doesn't ever look like a major leak though, just enough to get everything "damp" looking.

Good deal! Glad to hear its fixed! Thanks for posting the resolution.

Aftermarket rotors seem to wear at much faster rate than factory rotors. I generally have to replace them when the pads wear out because they end up too thin to have turned. There are some decent quality aftermarket replacements out there, but you're generally much better off with new rotors from a dealer. I'd much rather turn dealer rotors (even if it puts them near minimum spec) than buy aftermarket and have to replace them.

99 and later Impreza and Forester use a 3 wire type. 2000 and later legacy use a 3 wire. Not sure about the really new stuff.

How fast does the oil pressure light turn off after starting? When you took the heads off did you pull all of the shims out of the buckets for the valves? The shims set valve lash clearance and can not get mixed up. They have to go back exactly where they came from.

Advanceautoparts.com Find you stuff in stock at the local store. Order online and use a coupon code from Retailmenot.com. Pickup in store and get it all the same day. Sometimes you can split it into two orders and you can use the code twice and save more money.

Sounds like a bad crankshaft position sensor or camshaft position sensor. Certainly sounds electrical so the Check engine light should be on with a code. Most parts stores will scan it for free. With as many cars as you have it may be a good idea to invest in an OBD2 scanner. There is an app called Torque for Android phones that uses a $15 Bluetooth adapter. There are also some handheld scanners on eBay for about $20 which will at least read and erase the codes. Fuel filter is easy, its on the drivers strut tower right in front of the brake booster.

It's pretty standard depending on how many wires are in the plug. One of them goes to the fuse box to act as the field exciter, the other to the charge light in the dash. I don't recall exactly what the third wire is for on the later alternators, but it seems to me that it went to the fuse box as well. These wires are not part of the main engine /ECU harness and are probably still hooked up where they need to be in the car, unless you pulled them out. All of them run from the general area of the fuse box behind the battery, across the AC compressor to the top of the alternator. You should be able to trace each wire to its source to determine where it needs to be hooked up in your swap. I would think the only one you need to worry about is the one for the light, since presumably you'll be carrying over the fuse panel from the swap car.

I would mark the spring plate at the end of the top spring coil before disassembly and try to re-install it in the same position relative to the coil.

With only 106k miles you still have a LONG time to think. Change the timing belt, idlers, and water pump on time. Take care of oil seals and gaskets that like to leak. Keep up with regular oil and fluid changes and you'll get 300k out of that 2.2 with no trouble. If you need some extra oomph in the meantime, get a set of delta torque grind cams. Or put a 2.5 block in between the existing heads and manifolds. (Called a frankenmotor) That's usually good for another 30-40 horses. There's also a the option for a turbo swap, but you'll be spending $$$$ on engine and drivetrain to handle turbo power.

That works too, though I always test fit new parts to the car if possible to make sure I got the correct part. Now you'll need to compare the new with the old and see if the center hole of the mount is offset slightly. Also check to see if its straight up and down, or tilted off to one side.

If the pedal returns all the way it's not a hydraulic issue. Probably a cracked release fork. They can crack near the pivot point and will flex rather than disengage the clutch.

Did you test fit the new mounts to the car to see of they will only mount one way? The second gen Legacy mounts look symmetrical but the outer stud is about 1/4" further out. Hard to tell by just by eye.

No harm done running the 5 plug in the 2.2. But you do have a point, its interesting that they spec. the 5 for the higher compression 2.5 engine. Seems to go against conventional wisdom, but I'm sure Subaru had a good reason to use a plug with that heat range.

You may want to start a new thread on this and include Year Model and engine size. Getting read to roll 225k in my 96. On its third transmission due to mainshaft bearing failures. Pulled the engine and did a complete reseal at 190k to fix all of the oil leaks (did the head gaskets too, even though it didn't need them at the time). One wheel bearing replaced, have another on the way out. Did rear struts around 170k because the rear springs were worn out and sagging.

I'm guessing you've already searched google? Just how far is it from the pedal to the floor? Pedals aren't normally adjustable up or down, but adjusting the throw of the pedal (lengthening the pushrod that links the pedal to the brake booster) could raise the height of the pedal because of the arc of the pedal arm. I'm wondering if the previous owner had the pedal throw adjusted, and its just a matter of adjusting it back. I've never heard of an extension that makes the pedal pad longer. I've seen plenty that move the pad closer to the driver (for a driver with short legs), but it doesn't seem like that's what you need. The floormat idea could be the way to go, and you could fabricate something yourself out of carpet squares or underlayment foam that would give you as much lift as you need, just stack a few squares on top of each other and stick them under your floor mat. But be careful of it getting in the way of the gas pedal. You don't want the gas pedal to hang on the mat and cause it to get stuck in a down position and cause the car to run away. Once you have a comfortable height glue the squares together, and use Velcro or floor mat clips to hold it in place.

Wiring for the pressure switch is easy to check. The insulation could have rubbed through against the bracket for the alternator/steering pump. If the pump and sensor check out, pull the pan and check the pickup and screen.

Year? Model? Mileage? Any recent work done?

Just to the left of the plug on the alternator, look straight down at the top of the block. The engine code is cast into the block.

You can find detailed alignment adjusting procedures in the FSM for that car or for a 95-99 Legacy L model. (Same suspension design, adjustments, and specs)

Some of the ones I've seen have an arrow that points out. The rear mounts will only fit into the holes in the body one way, so if you get it wrong (120° off) they won't mount up correctly. As long as the arrow or marking indicating the outward facing edge is in the correct position (within a few degrees ateast) you can use a prybar to twist the strut housing into the correct position once the top hat is bolted to the car.

Nice old gen wagon! Pulling in either direction is usually a camber issue on these cars. Are the struts fairly new looking? Any other steering or suspension parts that look new? Most of the time you can eyeball camber by looking at the wheels of the car to see if one wheel is tipped further out at the top than the opposite wheel. Camber is adjusted by the top strut bolt. Rear camber you will need to install cam bolts in order to adjust, unless the previous owner has already done so. Be sure to check rear suspension as well since a rear toe or camber issue can cause pulling the same as in the front. You can easily check toe-in with a tape measure. Measure from the center tread block in the tire to the same point on the opposite tire. Do this in front of and behind the tire. The difference in measurements should be less than 1/8", with the shorter distance being in the front.

Power, no. Might add a few on the very top end of the power curve, but not enough to be a noticeable difference. If you pair it with a set of UEL headers you'll get the Subaru "boxer rumble", which sounds kinda cool, but a some people do it wrong and it just ends up being obnoxious. Still no appreciate difference in power, and to be honest you'll actually lose a bit of power with UEL headers.