Fairtax4me

3M makes a kit with attachments that you chuck into a drill that makes it a breeze. This is just to show what the kit is: http://www.autogeek.net/3m-lens-renewal-kit.html?productid=3m-lens-renewal-kit&channelid=FROOG&gclid=COjyudCUxKsCFYlM4Aod5B4h3g Most auto parts stores have this on the shelf for about the same price. I think I saw it at Walmart once for like $15. Very easy and takes only about 30 minutes to do both lights. I usually do the wet sand and buffer method. But if you're in a pinch and have a can of "Nevr Dull" metal polish sitting in the garage, that works great too.

It's that knock sensor. AFAIK the ECU doesn't care if the O2 sensors are working or not. They won't cause it to go into limp mode. But the knock sensor will. These cars are programmed to rely very heavily on knock sensor input.

Yeah, you can't use regular rubber hose to replace oil or fuel lines. There is a type of hose branded and labeled as "ATF cooler hose" that I just bought 4 feet of from the local advance auto parts just a few weeks ago that is designed for exactly that. I think it was about 2 bucks a foot.

http://www.henrysauto.com/MN.asp?pg=products&specific=143&loadup=1

I wouldn't worry about that one bolt hole not being there on the SOHC bracket. The covers have plenty of other bolts holding them on, and if you really need it a piece metal could be fabbed up pretty easily I would think. Some of that metal plumbers tape could be bent around to work. And it's either galvanized or zinc coated (don;t recall exactly) so it would not rust... right away.

I have a 96 w/ single port heads w/ HLAs. It's easy to tell. Three 10mm bolts and the rocker cover comes off. If there are screws on the ends of the rockers you have solid adjustable lifters. Get the VIN off the engine block and run it on Carfax or Autocheck. Just do the free check thing and it should tell you what year vehicle the engine came from. The VIN is engraved into the block on the lower passenger side of the bellhousing.

I always figured 60k was about the limit for rotors. It depends on what kind of driving you do but I'd say for aftermarket parts that's doing pretty good. I always tend to warp rotors in after about 20k miles.

People replace the steel lines with rubber all the time. Doesn't hurt a thing. If you want the real thing it's a dealer only item, but you can get it for around $35 bucks from your local dealer. Sometimes cheaper if you take them a quote from an online dealer such as https://www.1stsubaruparts.com/partscat.html (copy and paste this part number 45522AE02A ) or http://www.subarupartsforyou.com/cp_partdetail.php?partid=20101

No no, this is from my Sedan that I was DD'ing until I got the wagon. The burntvalvebadheadgasketcorrodedblockdestinedtoalwaysgetthewrongpartswhenIorderthemfromplacesinWAthenIhavetosendthembackandwait2weeks Wagon is an automagic.

You get better mileage on the backroads and state highways because you are not turning 3000+ RPM all the time, and fighting 70+ mph wind. Wind resistance increases exponentially as speed increases. 15 mph and 500 rpm slower will make a big difference in fuel mileage. I get usually 33 mpg out of my 96 sedan AWD manual driving 55-60 on trips. I've been well over 400 miles on a tank on several occasions.

Except for that AC condenser in the way... I would make absolutely sure the crank is stripped out before going to great lengths on repairs. I've seen it happen, but I would think the bolt is more likely to strip than the crank is. Check the bolt carefully.

Updates on these noises. I disassembled the trans in question and sure enough the mainshaft roller bearing is kaput. There isn't any noticeable play in the bearing but there is a definite click/knock from the bearing when the shaft is spinning. The noise I thought was the differential, is not. That sound is still present after swapping the transmission.

Do you know if that car has speed sensitive steering? Most newer cars do, I don't know when or if the Forester ever got that though. But that sort of feature is generally controlled by an electric valve on the pump or rack that just controls fluid pressure to the steering gear. These can malfunction and cause hard steering issues. But you have to have the valve for it to malfunction. (imagine that) Before you replace/rebuild the pump, put a fuse in the FWD fuse holder under the hood, take the car for a drive and see if it changes anything.

Check out Chesterfield Auto Parts in Richmond. It's down on Midlothian Tpk near Belt Blvd. If they even know what it is when they ring you up, it won't be more than 5 or 10 bucks. There is also a place up in Stafford called Pick-a-part or something like that. http://www.chesterfieldauto.com/

Have you checked belt condition? Belt tension? Using the proper fluid? What about your tires? Are they aired up to the correct pressure? Torque bind can cause steering feel issues. Do you have an automatic or manual trans?

We need exact codes. This many codes usually means there is a wiring issue. Poor connections, connectors unplugged, pinched wires, that sort of thing. Check the wires on the O2 sensor plugs, they can often get pulled out by accident and will lead to this sort of trouble. Did you use the knock sensor form your old engine or from the new one?

Most oil leaks end up by the oil pan on these engines. Having a noticeable leak at such a young age is a little strange. How many Km are on this car? I would try to verify that the engine is original to the car. There should be a VIN engraved into the block on the lower corner of the bellhousing on the passenger side.

I have never removed the radiator in either of my subarus to pull an engine. It just isn't necessary. Put a board over it (1/4" plywood will more than suffice) if you're worried about putting a hole through it.

They'll have more than a VOR or two between now and then, the real question is, will they remember to put the orders in together? Honestly though, this is something I'd try to grab from a junkyard. Maybe 10 bucks at most?

Awesome build! Love all the custom work and attention to detail. I seem to remember seeing some large black plastic elbows for emissions tubing at the local auto parts stores in the vacuum section. One of those might look better on the breather hoses than the brass fittings... if you can find any that large.

That is a very clean looking BRAT. I'd like to find one of the '78 variety, but if I found one that is that well off I wouldn't think twice. Nice find!

There is one bolt on the mounting bracket that holds the secondary cat pipe to the transmission, that's all I remove. Then the pipe will drop down plenty far enough to fit the head of a jack between the pipes and differential. You don't want it to hang all the way down on the ground and put stress on the joints of the pipe, so tie it up with a ratchet strap or heavy wire looped over the transmission mount bracket.

No mystery. It just doesn't like you giving all the attention to the engine and had to make itself known. Kinda like a child after a new baby brother or sister is born. I just lower the Y pipe and put the head of the jack under the differential, because I've heard so many stories about deformed transmission pans on these cars. They must just be really thin metal. I've lifted plenty of transmissions by the pan on other cars I've worked on, some even without a block of wood and never had an issue. But the reports of damage on these are numerous everything from pinched wires to broken solenoids to crushed filters not allowing the pump to pull enough fluid. Anyway. Hope you slimed the TC pilot stub with plenty of grease before you put all that back together. Hopefully you won't have to pull the engine again anytime soon, but it will save you some headache if/when you do.

Yeah if it's not a turbo it's a 2.5. You'll get a boost in power out of the 2.5 but you'll have to swap some parts around to use it and even then I'm not entirely sure if you can. I'm no expert, but I know there are some big differences between the phase one 2.2 (pre-99) and phase two 2.5 (post-99). I'd stick with the 2.2 and do the reseal. There is a $3 O-ring on the back of the block that can dry out and leak. The separator plate kit is like $35, and the rear main seal hardly ever leaks, but it's only $15 or so from a dealer.

I hadn't thought about that, but It's worth a check. It seems like the sound is just as loud on both sides of the engine though. edit: Rained all day today and I couldn't get any time under the hood, so no update.