ThosL

Your hubris and arrogance is damaging to free and vital debate. If you don't have verifiable evidence with statistics to back it up than keep your yap shut.

The last time I had the job done was by F and S in Waterbury, one of the best Subaru mechanics around and the price was about the same. With mechanics charging too much on these jobs turning simple mechanical work into a religion, it isn't surprising that jobs don't get done on time leading to more serious mechanical, economic and other problems or customers look elsewhere. The perfect is the enemy of the good. With Subarus that are 20 years old you don't have to go to dealers or demand oe parts. Personally I would go for recycled parts off other Subarus but a lot of mechanics insist on putting in their own new parts and making money on that end too. Plus if you are going to slam, slander or defame non-oe manufacturers, you had better have a lot of studies and real, verifiable statistics--instead of anecdotal evidence to back it up.

The pump was "Carquest" from Advance. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/carquest-new-water-pump-t2254/3130258-P?searchTerm=water+pump The local shop is excellent, they will put in your parts or used ones from the boneyard. I consider comments about it being too cheap to be off the wall elitist, as I have had two water pump jobs on the same era Subarus for around $300 labor. Mechanic gets $150 shop gets $150 or so. What the heck is low about that? In this economy, are you kidding me?

I got some of the 3M aluminum tape with the high temperature metal cement and two hose clamps, hopefully it will hold.

I may try that but the pipe is tapered into the joint so unless the aluminum tape is formable, it may not be possible to get the effect with the hose clamps.

The pipe in back of the cat converters on my 97 Outback sprung a break; I picked up a couple high temperature fixes, will update on results. I'm sure industry has all types of fixes in addition to welding.

Do any of the exhaust system patches work? There are many products, I am surprised in this day and age there are not products that would seal leaks. Are there any epoxies, wraps or other products that help that?

It did not look worn; the water pump was leaking a little, less than a quart every few days, but the last Subaru it became more of a problem, I suppose when the shaft starts leaking.

I had the mechanic replace the water pump and timing belt, neither showed much wear or breakdown but probably better sooner than later? Water pump/timing belt were probably replaced with the engine job in the last 10 years or so. Total cost: $300 labor plus tax; $65 for parts.

Keep us updated; since you can't successfully nullify the vin number, I'm not sure how thieves would fence this one, chop shops aren't going to give you much. Think like a criminal and fight them on that basis. The vehicle I had stolen in the 1980s turned up after a joyride by some punks days later.

I hope a police report was filed within a day of the theft. Set your Craigslist notifications for your Subaru Brat as you could set it up as soon as one surfaces. Also look at all ways the thieves could fence it. Transporting across state lines is also a very serious crime. Hope you track it down, do research on how people have been successful retrieving their cars, happened to me once.

Do water pumps leak on and off if they are in decline? I had it checked out by a local mechanic earlier in the week, he did not have the vehicle running while on the lift, so is accurate diagnosis still likely? It can go quite a distance well over 100 miles without leaking significantly, assuming I am losing water out there. I will check again all hoses, and the overflow tank to see if this is really the problem.

Once I got the coil today, I pulled out the old one and then found it was not compatible. Good guy at Advance came out who is working on his mechanic certification and the wire was literally broken down corroded in the socket. So once I cleaned out the coil receptacle hole, I could put the old wire back in, no bad stuttering but the wire will need to be replaced. I heard Rock Auto is good, beats the $50 plus I see at Advance and Auto Zone.

It's the coil, I saw the sparks jumping out of it periodically. I'll check around on this as it is pretty bad.

Is the diagnostic for coil failing hard start up, with check engine light flashing and then that going away when it heats up?

97 Outback 2.5. My guess is wires too. I ordered what I thought was an OE set on ebay for around $30 but had to cancel it when I realized it was only one.

I ran a test at Auto Zone: It came back as ignition coil, based on: PO301 PO302 PO303 PO304 PO400 egr P1100 low input. I'm thinking wires as when it warms up it runs well. I don't think I've changed them since I bought it, a year ago.

I ran a test at Auto Zone: It came back as ignition coil, based on: PO301 PO302 PO303 PO304 PO400 egr P1100 low input. I'm thinking wires as when it warms up it runs well. I don't think I've changed them since I bought it, a year ago.

Very likely it's the plug wires. I will have to buy a set of those for around $30.

Cold or wet in the morning, vehicle runs crappy until it really warms up. Check engine light flashes. Once it warms up in 15 minutes or longer it runs well.

Wow, I thought the pre-2004 Subarus were the problems with all the head gasket failures. Personally I would like everything manual as much as possible from windows to tranny to hi and low gear and stick shift. You are basically screwed with extensive electrical or computer problems. I guess I should be happy with my under $1000 97 limited.

I have been getting really lousy start-ups on winter mornings. A friend said I needed to put a can of dry gas in, I don't recall doing so. What are the best option on this?

Whatever is the most reasonable with quality a concern; I haven't ever had short term failure and found some very reasonable replacement places when absolutely necessary. The way some of these inspections give you the Torquemada treatment you wonder why some people don't take out their anger on them, better than turning anger inward. Those in power can do some pretty nasty things. .

I'd also keep in mind that if the compression comes up the crankshaft or other effects may do bad things, it happened to me and others I have spoken to. 2.5 replacements are hard to find, maybe because of the difficulty of finding a good one.

Relatively easy, and it sure beats having the drag; on the last half tank of 7 gallons I got around 100 miles with the drag. Advance auto had the caliper for $50 with the discounts, free brake bleed kit and other brake replacement rentals.....I had to separate the new caliper from the bracket for the time being as I don't have the 17mm to install it. Junkyards did not have OE calipers.