idosubaru

Where they all on one side or all front or all rear? I almost never see intake valves out, they don't deteriorate fast at all and safely assumed to last the life of the engine, so I wouldn't worry about those either.

Stats are in your favor to skip it - Subaru doesn't routinely resurface and they have a low failure rate on replacements. Flatness is 1970's shop talk. Resurface for proper Ra/RMS for aluminum and MLS gaskets which are less forgiving as noted by their tighter surface finish spec's.

I resurface the heads myself and H6s have always had more high and low spots than H4s. The hardest parts to get right are all the timing cover orings. check valve clearance. I grind the shims to adjust clearance and put the ground side facing down so it doesn’t matter. No way I’m playing that shim swap measurement song and dance. Theres no big gotchas. It’s like an H4 but larger, heavier, more parts and therefore more cumbersome all around. The upper forward corners of the timing cover/valve cover interface have a funny bracket that kind of “goes one way” to get off and back on but it’s easy once you look at it and it’s a really small minor part. You likely wouldn’t have noticed even.

If there's rust around you it's likely rusted up. I've smashed them so hard the axle nut threads were compressed and unusable. It will damage the threads on the axles if you pound it hard enough. Are you taking it off to repair the axle? If the boots are busted, you could try rebooting it without removing it from the knuckle. Drop the entire knuckle/axle assembly and just reboot it. If it's got green inner cups then it's OEM subaru and will be more reliable than a new aftermarket anyway. I've cleaned ad regreased noisy originanl Subaru joints and they work perfect. It's like a house door hinge - you generally don't replace the door or hinge when it's noisy you just clean it and lubricate it. Unless of course it's old, rusty, warn, and sloppy. OEM axles often aren't though.

Yep - I've cleaned and regreased vibrating axles, not a big deal if they're OEM. They're usually just lacking grease or the grease is contaminated or pours out like liquid. One that I did shook the rear view mirror and is still running on a USMB members car after many years. Talked to him last month. No big deal if they're OEM. Good grief! Were you able to fix it - sometimes those aftermarkets use odd shaped parts that don't interchange with other brands? Stuff like your missing circlip might explain why i've seen a few blow apart within a 100 miles. I always wondered what physical failure can cause multiple brand new aftermarket axles blow to pieces, when i've never even seen quarter million mile OEM's do that. And i've seen and used far more OEM axles than aftermarket. I've seen terribly noisy, sloppy, and vibrating OEM's, but never failure.

Yep. I should look at what sub forum before I post, EA axle supply is an issue. Can't really lump EA and EJ axles together like I used to. Gloyale said in his shop they pull apart all new aftermarket axles and regrease them before installing due to inconsistent grease on the new ones. He said this noticeably reduces future issues.

“Extended” - how long? Oil analysis is the gold standard for determining extended (keeping in mind the ambiguity of that word) oil change intervals. Monitor AT fluid temps to see if you need a cooler. Or get one with a thermostat so it doesn’t overcool, for example in winter.

Clear code - does it come back immediately? Check timing belt for looseness/installation. Check that cam/crank sensor connectors are fully seated and clean. Check that the sensors are installed and properly tigthened down.

Oh you need enclosed. I was thinking an open trailer, they'd be less weight, less expensive and probably better at resale. I guess stopping at hotels is problematic but is an open trailer and tarps an option? An enclosed trailer is heavy and pulls like a parachute. Neither of which are good for Subarus. They have to work harder for the extra weight and the drag inducing cross sectional/frontal area. The car will pull a larger trailer, just tossing out some risk assessment and options.

Oh yeah, they'll be fine. There's room lateral axle differences and suspension geometry. You'll have no worries there. Good sign yours are trouble free, just keep in mind they're far inferior than OEM, and I have seen them blow apart catastrophically while driving. Some folks are prone to think a noise or vibration can't be the axles "because they're new" when in reality they're problematic *because* they're new.

I'd buy a trailer rather than use a uhaul. It'll weigh less than 1,000 pounds easily. Sell it when you get to maryland and it'll probably cost less than renting. My friend in Carroll County used to use them all the time and buy and sell trailers all the time. Let me know what you get and how much, we may be interested in a rust free trailer. As for the uhaul and flirting with weight limits: 1. Engine overheating is every Subaru's, 4 and 6 cylinder, first symptom. Usually when it sees steep grades, high heat, and interstate speeds. Seen it on many subaru's towing over the appalachians. 2. It's August - a terrible time for heat. Drive early and at night if she does it. 3. The CVT's are not forgiving. Change the fluid. It should be changed every 60k anyway. 4. Uhaul's aren't great for Subaru's. Uhaul trailers are very heavy, I guess they have to be for commerical/continual use and renter abuse. and I've had uhaul brakes dragging while driving. My guess it's either because they get beat to snot or the angle of them on a Subaru isn't typical and tends to load the system outside of expected norms. 5. Also keep in mine Uhauls widest uncovered trailer doesn't have a full open back tailgate area. So the 72" trailer can't fit something that needs the full 72" to load. Like a 72" lawn mower for instance won't fit through the gate even though it fits on the trailer. 6. Yes newer CVT's swap - I'm installing a 2017 into a 2013 now. Most are plug and play, some require just swapping some of the external hardware on top. I wouldn't want any of my relatives to do it, but I might be convinced to change the trans fluid, monitor engine/trans fluid temperatures with OBDII device while driving, drive at night and take route 70 with tolls rather than 68 due to it's steeper grades. ...which may be why I'm installing a new CVT into my 2013 outback right now. LOL

If you're not worried about aftermarket axles then your risk tolerance is plenty high enough to run axles that are 9mm difference. lol Manufacturers make one axle to replace multiple different Subaru part numbers. There have been a few EA82 axles, all interchangeable. There have been a few 90-98 EJ front axles, all (except one oddball!) interchangeable. If Subaru makes a slight change between FWD and AWD axles, or turbo/non turbo, or just a slight revision one year - aftermarket will just make one axle since they're interchangeable. This isn't intended to be research grade, but here's a quickly found illustration of this common reality:

I think the 95 is a 3.9 final drive and the 93 is a 4.11 final drive. So you changed your front differential final drive ratio and the rear needs to match. Of course you should double check since it's been previously swapped and still undiagnosed. You probably need a 4.11 rear differential. Do it now. That's a lot of straining buzzing down the road and screeching tires on bumps.

Oh yeah - the screech noise is binding. You need to verify final drive ratio and install a rear diff that's the same gear ratio as the transmission you installed. The stubby trans shafts may not be fully seated. They will drive a few miles then when a bump/turn pulls them out - WHAM WHAM WHAM car falls apart unless you're limping 5 mph. Check that those stubby shafts are fully seated and the circlips are intact. If that's not it pull the front axles and check the inner joints - they can pull apart during trans swaps and pull the cage past the retaining ring and exhibit similar symptoms.

1507. Did you blow out all ports in the throttle body leading into/out of it too? Doubt you need it but I had some 99 Phase II IACs that are yours if you want me to look. Sounds like you did but if someone else ever read this. If it stalls, all those codes could be meaningless. Reset and check again, more than once if needed, to see which code comes back first. My guess is the momentary loss of consistent power at shut down makes for dirty signals and falsely triggers codes

Great suggestion, not that I can tell. I'll pull it tomorrow and swap.

That’s too bad it wasn’t thr tensioner. that it’s been apart before with past valve work is suspicious. It’s usually the rear (#3 and #5) exhaust valves that are problematic or prone to resulting in a burnt valve. But if they’ve all been apart before that can expand failure mode stats Maybe look into the symptoms of a dropped valve guide?

Excellent - thanks for posting that. I just get low mileage OEM units, I won't install aftermarket on alternator on a Subaru unless i absolutely have to.

I assume I need to replace the oil dipstick tube. But I have two foresters sitting right next to each other and the curvature and spacing of the dipstick tubes are identical. And the dipstick will go almost all the way down in one until the last 4" or so no matter how i turn it. Deer impact - But the front damage didn't require the radiator support to be replaced, just bumper and headlight and all the airbags so I assume they were traveling at a decent clip. It pretty much has to be the dipstick tube but just wanted to make sure because it doesn't appear bent visually when comparing side by side. Much not take much for them to hang out internally on something.

I'm trusting your description of "engine noise" is accurate, I don't get how we are even talking about oxygen sensors and compression and pre detonation. Those don't seem possible to confuse with engine noises to me but I cant' drive/see the car so who knows. You used two words in your original title and text - vibration and knocking. Can you say more about the distinction between those two? How much vibration and how much knocking? Where is it vibrating - steering, mirrors, shifter, entire vehicle? Noise - front, under feet and is there any slight distinction about possible left or right? If it's not an engine noise I'm going back to asking about the CV joints and front diff. Are the axles aftermarket? Are they leaking grease? How old are they/the boots? When it's making the noise under load - what happens when you turn the steering wheel as sharp as you are able - is it just as likely/exact same sound as doing this with a left "turn" or right "turn"? CV joints doing what you describe will be inner joint lack of grease or old grease (it'll pour out like water) or bad inner joint wear or just aftrmarket garbage. They seem to have more or equivalent vibration than noise when it happens at high speeds/load. Front diff will start with more noise than vibration under load. But eventually they'll make loud noise before epic failure.

Oh yeah. Strike two for the tensioner. I was even thinking “I bet it’s aftermarket” when I posted it’s the tensioner. I wouldn’t use an aftermarket belt. They do break prematurely.

Timing tensioner - heat is soaking the hydraulic mechanism. Get it hot snd making the noise and then rev it in park with the timing covers off you’ll see it slapping around Inner axle cv joints. usually there’s considerable vibration - like the rear view mirror is shaking if it’s as bad as you describe. And it’s more prominent under load - accelerating or just driving up a hill.

Take a picture with a cell phone, then enlarge it. Or use reading glasses if you have those. After 40 years old a high percentage of men start to loose close up/small detail vision and the percentage gets higher with age after 40. It would be surprising if you haven't lost close up fine detail vision. modern bulbs suck in terms of robustness. I think "higher end" bulbs can have better characteristics - brightness/perceived brightness, clarity, color, pattern, but sacrifice longevity for it. So you might actually be better off buying cheaper ones depending which ones you're looking at. I generally look for ones that favor longevity which isn't always easy to figure out since that doesn't seem to be the dominant concern. I *think* LED's are the preferred option for longevity but even that, I don't know which ones are quality verses marketing hype. I think GD has posted which LED bulbs he installs? Maybe? If so - he's probably installed a lot of them and has a much better view that those of us just replacing a few here and there. A friend designed circuitry to keep power supply consistent to lights on big rig trucks to keep the bulbs from blowing as often. Their lifespan was drastically improved. The electrical inconsistencies - temporary spikes etc are what fatigued the bulbs. I would assume that is at least partially true for automobiles as well. And I wonder if daytime drivings light are more susceptible since they're always on when turning the car on/off and engine start up - etc. They see all the instantaneously loads or electrical changes commensurate with those electrical moments. Just speculation but keep your power supply fresh.

Yes. Cheers! Preach it! That's one reason I've paid attention to these 3 wire alternators over the years, asking/paying attention to comments about them. Why? How does this impact testing? Can they be swapped with 2 wire alts? I haven't heard good reasons for why. 06 but I think all 6 cylinder Subaru's are this way - I think my H6 outbacks are the same. IOW it's a "feature" of the higher end trims. LMAO Your friend is right - The nature of metallurgical grades make it a stretch to act like it's better than steel or offer value for a new truck buyer. He is right, but in the way us engineers are right when we (I have to try hard to be self aware and manage this) complain about marketing, management, business, accounting, law, social matters and other topics where we talk like we can do another persons job better than others and can't see the forest for the trees. Meanwhile all those other departments are complaining about us engineers social skills, designs, attitudes, complaints, critical nature...see previous comments about the 3 wire alternator. Although Aero's generally don't know alloys. Specifically one individual may, but academically they often have one basic materials 101, or none. "Military Grade" or military reference has been used for decades as marketing tools, some more accurate than others. Over zealous marketing works and should surprise no one, particularly well educated people. People today have highly tuned BS meters, marketing is closely aligned with "might be somewhat true" now. We've moved from suggestive to directly disingenuous. Marketing researches how many adds people see, what it takes to get through the sheer volume. My favorite marketing pro comment ever that is never heard outside of board rooms: "The best consumer is an unhappy one". Welcome to 2022. At a minimum the Military does "spec" things to the extent their process doesn't allow a manufacturer to use a bunch of road side cans smashed together to build a rotor. And there are existing generic aluminum grades that are used by the military. So here are two expanded constructions of the phrase "Military grade": 1. military *only* grade 2. Military *uses this* grade This is an over simplification and stepping out of the metallurgical weeds, but at least makes it easier to see. When truncated by the asterisks, both of those sentences say "military grade" but mean different things. Again, over simplification, but your friend is rightfully arguing for a #1 interpretation since that's almost implied, while Ford is taking......(drum roll please) A NUMBER 2! (comedy points please!). (hit the cymbals). Speaking of fun, crushable, cans - the perception most Americans have of aluminum - is crush beer cans Friday night, "my machinist won't touch aluminum, says it's garbage" and "aluminum welds like !)(*)%!", or "i hate aluminum I have to carry two welders" or "remember that bent Iphone ad - I bow down to the competition, that was brilliant!". Ford was wise to make some steps to temper perception of aluminum for new truck buyers. I got phone calls when those ads and trucks came out (by friends who currently own them). And who cares - I don't think anyone believes their aluminum truck will be a military tank, bullet proof, or will surpass steel. If they do, like many over zealous high expectation consumers, they'll just trade it in and move on. If there's a problem there are lemon laws, warranties, recalls, TSB's, and truck body parts and beds are 100 times easier to replace than a Subaru rear quarter panel.

It didn’t take long, I ordered an alt right away. I also wanted to clarify how 3 wire alternator reference voltage issues may differ from typical 4 cylinder 2 wire alts when testing. I realize most people don’t care. Alternator is connected, but output is zero even at high rpm.