ferret

Neutral Switch on the Trans...... Subaru ONLY part...... not expensive at all..... I have posted about it on USMB, but did a FULL WRITEUP quite a few years ago on the Forester Board: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f89/neutral-switch-78655/#post870591

Runs when first started , then quits... A/C Clutch Clearance... covered many times here and other forums: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/ac-runs-intermittently-04-forester-75562/#post848614

With all 4 cylinder misfires, and bad idle..... I still say IF you have an EGR, it MAY BE STICKING OPEN. When you start the car cold..... the EGR is not used..... AFTER warmup, the EGR functions. and THIS is when I had the BAD IDLE. I have seen this on Foresters and Outbacks..... after MAY a dealer handed the owner many bills and not fixing the problem, Especially on the electronic EGR. It has a stepper motor that pushes DOWN on the EGR plunger. but when the stepper returns, Electronically the ECM thinks it returned as the stepper motor DID. But the plunger with carbon built up on it does NOT , sticks open even at idle, and causes the low looping idle,,,,, and bad bad exhaust smell. http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/low-idle-stuttering-erratic-jerking-various-rpms-76450/index3.html#post887065

Your can does not have a MAF, it is a MAP engine. That's the last picture you unplugged on top of the throttle body. Long Long ago on MY04 Forester 5 speed I had something similar. Cold the engine ran flawlessly. After it warmed up, I had idle and misfire problems. My problem turned out to be the electronically controlled EGR. IF you have an EGR, it will be just to the right of the throttle body as you stand in front of he car ( drivers side). After so many miles, carbon builds up and when they open, they STICK and don't close. Check and see IF you have an EGR.

Just reading thru this thread.... To me All points to a failing, not yet failed, Alternator. Battery not fully charging,,,,,, not over 14V when running...... possibly a defective diode in the diode Trio injecting a small amount of AC into the system causing the bad idle..... But those are my observations just reading the symptoms as presented.... remember we can't touch, see, hear or test anything .... just read whats in the thread.

Not certain of this will fit the 98 or not, but I have used 3 of these to date. First was over 2 years ago without any failures. Only shortcoming is the smaller diameter nuts they send to use with the springs/donut flange end, Comes with 5 year warranty. So far very pleased. About $130 and $20 for shipping .... out of Canada,,,,, and shipping was very prompt. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2000-2005-Subaru-Outback-2-5L-Direct-Fit-Catalytic-Converter-with-Gaskets-/253163659384?hash=item3af1bae078:g:4cUAAOSwn-tZKdir

I installed a set a few years ago when our daughter had a 98 Forester, ALL LEAKED within the first year, Their lifetime warranty wanted them shipped back to them in the ORIGINAL boxes. I would pay shipping BOTH WAYS. I replaced them with something that was cheaper than the shipping...... shortly after sold the car, I did not have a good experience with them. YES I have had silver AND black KYBs. If I plan on keeping a car from now on, I will spend the few extra dollars for KYB, never had one fail yet,

2002 manual, does it have the HILLHOLDER ? If it does, the return spring is known for breaking locking a front wheel and opposite rear wheel. Hillholder is located under the hood, on the drivers side, mounted on the frame rail just below and to the front of the Master Cylinder, Spring is NOT a Subaru part, but the entire hill holder is and it's not cheap. Quick fix is to back-off the adjusting nut on the cable coming from the clutch pedal until it has NO effect, Then zip tie the Hillholder in place as if the clutch is NOT depressed. Unless you can find one in a junkyard and just get the return spring from it.

In late 2001 and early 2002 there were a run of DEFECTIVE oxygen sensors. The Front Sensor that is. If yours is original, read on. These fail AFTER the car warms up and is in CLOSED LOOP MODE. When cold, vehicle runs fine. When it gets warm, it starts shutting the engine off like you have a blocked fuel filter or the fuel pump is shutting off. The way to check this is either to have an OBDII scanner that can display LIVE DATA, and watch the FRONT Oxygen Sensor. If it all of a sudden goes RICH ( over 1v and stays there while the engine is stumbling ) , this SHUTS the injectors off and this is why the engine stumbles and seems to shut off. Another way is WHEN it's acting up, shut off the engine, open the hood and down on the passenger side UNPLUG the front oxygen sensor. THIS WILL SET A CHECK ENGINE code. puts the car in OPEN LOOP mode, and see if the cars can be driven WITHOUT the stumbling.. This is how we diagnosed quiet a few of these 10 plus years ago. Just another thing to check IF you have an original front oxygen sensor.

My experiences, I have not seen a GMB pulley fail. I have REPLACED them again at the next timing belt interval. I don't remember the brand on that cogged pulley that failed, but I DO remember the Gates kit changed from when I first started using them, and I charged them only for parts and head repair. I felt partially responsible for that one since I highly recommended the Gates kit at that time, That was a 2004 Forester XS. 6 bent valves..... I really felt bad for them. I am a backyard mechanic who helps people keep their cars going, when they can't afford a dealer or garage prices anymore. But my personal cars have been Subaru's since 1978, 10 to date including the 2001 Outback our daughter has in Pittsburgh.

Since the last GATES kit I used to use came back with a FAILED cheap cogged pulley, I stopped using them a year or 2 ago. ( My own 2 cents and experiences ) I have been using Mitsuboshi only belts on any of the vehicles I service. The kits I now order are from Ebay and have GMB pulleys with them and Asian water pumps. The kits I saw for your 96 are: w/o water pump: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fit-90-97-Subaru-Legacy-Impreza-1-8-2-2L-SOHC-Mitsuboshi-Timing-Belt-EJ18E-EJ22E-/281128491393?fits=Year%3A1996%7CModel%3AImpreza&hash=item4174905981:g:YIYAAOxyfS1RzihH&vxp=mtr with water pump: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fit-90-97-Subaru-Legacy-Impreza-1-8-2-2L-Mitsuboshi-Timing-Belt-AISIN-Water-Pump-/281155773452?fits=Year%3A1996%7CModel%3AImpreza&hash=item417630a40c:g:wzcAAMXQHeBSF5Qo&vxp=mtr

To the best of my experience, only the most expensive ones will 'correct' and not reset the ECM. They have software specific to the mfg and model of vehicle, then you select the sensor you replaced and it runs the test only having to deal with that sensor and the CEL goes out. Not worth investing in for the backyard mechanic..... but nice ti know it's there. BTW, many service departments take the EASY way out also and do an ECM reset as well...... I saw that many times when I used to do part time work at a dealer in the late 90's and early 2000's.

On many scanners, a reset is a reset to the ECM values as well. So all your READINESS tests are now NOT READY and the car has to recompute those values as well as run tests, like EVAP test , as you drive. I mentioned the EVAP test because that requires time from a full tank of gas to 1/2 tank ans reading values in between. Later models have a vacuum pump that runs at a specific interval AFTER you park the vehicle. So SOMETIMES you hear a light 'wirring' coming from the car when it's just sitting there, You could have just replaced the front sensor and driven the vehicle. After so many cycles, the CEL will reset itself and the light will go out. This way you do not reset or disturb other values already set. Just have to ignore the CEL for a few more days before it goes out. Just drive..... eventually your idle will return to normal.

Your clutch is worn and the gap is now too wide. Ref thread: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/163615-intermittent-ac-2004-outback-limited/?do=findComment&comment=1359825

Here's a company I have used from Ebay for 3 replacements thus far. Not one has come back with problems. They Fit EXACTLY as original, unlike many after market exhausts where they are 1/2' too short, or the bend is NOT QUITE CORRECT. First one now was over 2 years ago with no problems. They come out of Toronto and have a 5 year warranty. Below is a link for the last one I used for 2000-2005 Outback. But visit their store for others: http://www.ebay.com/...=item3d3ec45f30 Here's a link to their store since that one is now sold out: http://stores.ebay.com/Exhaust-Catalytic?_trksid=p2047675.l2563 Or you can contact them by clicking Contact Seller and send them a message. They were very easy to deal with.