idosubaru

Exactly.!

Awesome. Thanks for reporting back If it’s a whir whine roar or groan those symptoms while turning are wheel bearings every time on Subarus. CVs happen on slower sharper turns, not wide sweeping turns at speed. Had I seen those two comments outside of all the other text it would have been obvious.

Yes it’s the FWD fuse holder. So you’re just reading the cap. Lift that lid and install a fuse for FWD. there’s no fuse installed, just an empty fuse slot once you lift the lid.

Well good grief you're a lucky joker - those are both 4.11 final drives! Swap away lucky duck! You may have two issues - a failed rear diff and a bad transfer clutch pack. But I'll get there in a moment. I was thinking mainly rust like the rear cross member causing droop/sagging. I didn't realize you were actually under there pushing things around. I thought you just leaned over and sort of guessed what was happening. It is not supposed to have the FWD fuse in it. With the fuse installed the FWD light illuminates on the dash and the car drives in FWD mode. Without the fuse it runs in normal 4WD. Technically it controls the Duty C solenoid and clutch plates - so "disconnecting the rear drive shaft" is close to what it does, but not exactly. If the plates are warn and sticking in the grooves - then this causes "binding". Someone may have installed the FWD fuse to alleviate the binding. So by taking the fuse out - you'll be returning it to normal 4WD function of a Subaru. Keep an eye out for binding. If you have binding you can pull the rear housing and probably just file/sand the grooves down in the clutch basket, or swap the rear housing from another 98 or earlier Subaru (or 99 Legacy or Outback)....or reinstall the FWD fuse! or maybe you're again lucky and the FWD fuse was installed for absolutely on reason at all....that's just kind of weird. It would be like coming home and finding a fire truck hose connected to a hydrant and snaking across your property to your front porch....there's usually no good reason to see that.

Odd. I have suspicions about why that happened, but it won't matter so I'll ignore the symptom change for now. Because the caliper pin bushings can gradually resist and then seize (usually due to swelling - there's one per caliper on that car) and cause noise and potentially, though less likely, vibrations. They slowly start to get stiff inside the bore, and the caliper wants to "rock" as one pin slides fine, and one doesn't. So the symptoms gradually get worse and include noise and eventually vibrations as the bushing worsens from resistance to totally seized in place and the caliper movement is crooked and pads wear unevenly front to back, the caliper is cock eyed...etc - leading to noises. Familiarity. Us Subaru folks could probably drive it one time and we'd know. Modern wheel bearings are hard to diagnose. They can pass every test on the vehicle. A. Check for play. (this one is basically a waste of time on Subaru's - it happens so much less often than other symptoms I don't even bother) B. Rotate huge (wheel off) by hand and feel for resistance or noise in a certain spot. C. Use a mechancis stethostope around the wheel bearing while turning the wheel D. Use an infrared temp gun - check both sides after driving a reasonable distance - if one is 50+ degrees hotter than the other you found your bad wheel bearing (assuming brakes are working correctly). CV joints - the inner joint will not click like the outer joint. First check the boot for signs of breakage or loss of grease. One of the most consistent tests I've found for the inner CV is to do this: 1. with car at a full stop make a close to 90 degree turn while giving it gas all the way through the turn (you don't have to floor it just give it consistent acceleration/loading) 2. this might vary or not be true but I think it works best when the car is at a stop facing UP a steep incline, then start the turn from a stop. Listen for a noise then. I'm going to call it "clicking" because that's probably the best word but it won't sound like the traditional "CV clicking" most people are accustomed to with the outer joints. Less frequency and more of a dull thunk thunk thunk and less audible, than a typical outer CV joint. Like you might just hear three muffled, rythmic (happening at equal intervals) thunks instead of the numerous small clicks of a typical outer joint.

Headgaskets - install a 95-98 EJ22 engine. Make sure it's burped, Subaru OEM thermostat and radiator cap. But you will find the headgaskets are bad eventually. The previous owner sold it with bad headgaskets and you bought it with bad headgaskets. That's the worst Subaru engine to buy used without very careful attention to details.

make sure the diff is bad. did the axles just pop out or is the diff definitely bad? Pop the axles back in. With that bad of an issue I’d wonder if the suspension is rusted and the axles have too much play or pulled out due to flex/suspension falling apart. what’s the last work or time this car had a tire off the ground for work? let’s assume it is the diff: you’ll probably just want to install the diff. I’ve done it and it’s not hard but but it’s not as easy as you describe FWD will only work if it’s an automatic. Some people think manuals “have the fuse” but they don’t. Only autos. If auto - remove axles and beat the outer cup out of the axles to install back into the hubs to keep your wheel bearings together. Install FWD fuse. Sounds like you’ve got parts car so you might have extra axles laying around for this purpose If the rear diff is bad enough you’ll have to remove that and address the rear driveshaft as well. You didn’t tell us enough info to tell what gear ratio you have. 99 2.5 is a 4.11. Is your 96 a 2.2 or 2.5? Is it an auto or manual?

Description is hard to follow with just words, but that's normal on symptoms like this. It's more of an art/feel than words can easily get to......during sweeping turns but goes away while braking. If you take the same sweeping turns with symptoms at the same speed but apply brakes while doing so...what happens? Does it not do it while brakign simply becaues you're less likely to be traveling that speed on a sharp turn or is it definitively braking related? If it *immediatley* goes away while braking then I'd suspect the brakes. ***With that much rust inspect the caliper slide pins. ***Remove or replace the rubber bushings on the slide pins. If the slide pins were ever regreased with regular brake grease then the bushings are swollen and causing the issue. Replace and use Sil Glyde or the high grade synthetic (i think it's the purple or green can of Permatex). if regular permatex caliper grease was ever used - that's the issue. Brakes Wheel bearing - modern wheel bearings are notoriously hard to diagnose. Generic old school ideas about bearing play and noise can be placed in the trash. Bushings CV axle inner joint

Your title says "vibration in front end *after*...." Do you mean that - that the vibration started after all that work? If so - then one of those parts is likely the problem. What brand parts were used for those items? Maybe the CV was internally pulled apart or not fully seated back into the trans after the work...depending how bad the symptoms are - that would normally almost undrivable, but can drive that way, just usually aggressive enough symptoms most people woudl be terrified to do so. Or do you mean the symptoms prompted all that work and the symptoms still persist after it? Can you describe the vibration more? Is it's rhythmic like to the tires? Is it front, center, rear, left or right? Is it always there or only sometimes? How does it compare to a wheel bearing failing? Are those suspected? How old are the tires? Have the tires been rotated front to back to see if the symptoms move to the front/back? Describe the clunk - a one time clunk or something else? Random thunk or repeating at even intervals? Who's idea was it to replace all those tie rods, ball joints, and struts? That's an excessive amount of work for a 2014 Forester, Subaru tie rods and ball joints are robust and no often in need of replacement, making them poor choices to replace as a guess.

If you suspect CV, and that’s the most common of all the possibilities, it seems very likely. Those front inner boots see a lot of heat and are first to fail on 2000+ Subarus. Also aftermarket boots don’t last as long as Subaru boots. Good luck !

The combination you listed isn’t possible. Yes get ECU that matches the intake manifold. But it’s going to want stock TPS, and other sensors as well. Hard to say what is stock or not or what you’ll run into on a custom job - and we know the listed engine/head/intake isn’t correct.

It's my understanding the newer ones have addressed weak oil control rings. They're still filling them with 0 weight oil and if they just tweaked low friction rings, they're still low friction rings. But the learning curve, recalls, and extended warranties are over.

Good eye and nose! I'd assume the oil supply circuit is leaking - I'm the least familiar with Turbo's but I'd be checking into the oil feed lines and crush washers on the banjo bolts. And of course keep your eye out for other potential leaks - valve covers...etc. Here's a picture for reference: https://www.flatironstuning.com/subaru-oem-turbo-oil-feed-line-02-07-wrx

That’s not remotely possible. With all the EA mentions I assume it’s an EA82T engine? Can you post a picture of the engine? EA and EJ engines easily swap - engine mounts are in the same location. And it’s relatively simple to bolt an EJ22 to an EA transmission. it’s worth looking into an EJ22 swap if it is an EA engine. I get that custom installs are confusing and challenging but this is worth a look.

Already done HG depends on quality of the job as already stated. Subaru Dealers seem to have a good track record with HG. If you find one done at a dealer you can ask the local dealers about that VIN number. They can often tell you what’s been done to it.

Let’s ignore that quote. It’s widely known original factory installed 05-09 HGs leak oil and get worse over time. No Subaru since 1994 mixes coolant and oil, don’t need to worry about that. It can happen but it’s an outlier. 250,000 is a decent chunk of miles. Choose wisely.

Great, thanks for letting me know those dates. I didn't think that would be it anyway but good to confirm. The resistor and TCM didn't fix it. Wow. What torque converter did you use? Original or a different one? I'm not aware of anyway - but I wonder if there's some way for the rear MPT (center diff) could be causing this. It has to be that or wiring. Does the TCM use any engine sensors besides the TPS?

Glad they got it done, too bad on alignment but at least that's a little more straight forward and should go smoothly minus the time, schedule, waiting, etc. Torch - that nut comes off in 15 seconds. It wasn't a Subaru part so couldn't retain alignment anyway, that was your choice. Aftermarket dimensions can vary and can't be expected to retain alignment. Imdew and myself both described how it's done before the car went to the shop. Take them a Subaru part and explain to them what we told you or just read/show them the very easy/normal/typical directions we wrote. They'd be glad to learn a new skill. We try to help.... If the shop doesn't know how to retain alignment on a tie rod swap then you may want to avoid them for future suspension work (and more). If they don't have a torch and can't retain alignment they sound very limited for a northeast subaru shop.

1 hour labor, 1 hour alignment. It's really easy but the press fit end getting stuck and lock nut and removing it without a special tool (or buying/renting the tool) can be troubling if you're not well experienced with tight fasteners. I can't see yours but that lock nut and the end joint press fit - can be crusty rusty in the northeast and cause a bit of a wrestling match without good tools and torch. I'd inspect the rack boot really well first or have a new steering rack boot on hand just in case - removing a quarter century old boot might render it unusable to reinstall. That's the most dangerous part on the entire vehicle, I'd use Subaru only for tie rods. I would quite literally install a used Subaru OEM before an aftermarket. If you get a Subaru one too it's probably easier to ensure alignment is the same by counting turns...assuming the parts are the same/equivalents. I've replaced subaru inner tie rods without removing the outer tie rod. Loosen the lock nut, turn the inner tie rod out so it comes out of the outer tie rod (thereby skipping the need to remove it). Remove boot. Use inner tie rod tool to swap tie rods. Literally don't have to remover any bolts or nuts - just the boot and tie rod itself. Count the number of turns of the tie rod and install the new one to the same depth.

You weren't satisfied with it by your last two posts - what was the final fix here?

I'd do exactly what you said - the fluid filter, ATF hoses, and do a visual inspection on the side and rear seals. Why was it in the yard, could you tell?

2002 and 2003 is when the rear transfer clutch solenoid wiring was reversed. I’m a little uncertain on that but that might be a good idea to check #4 - they can have “pending” codes, which don’t trigger the CEL. have to read the codes to see them. good to hear it doesn’t. Ive unplugged the shift resistor to firm up lagging slow shifting on 80s and early 90s 4EATs that were known to have slow/lagging shifting from 3-4. It was minor but enough that some people liked to tinker snd do that. There was nothing wrong with them, they were just like that. We just would disconnect the shift resistor entirely (just unplug it) and the shifts are much more crisp/sharp/fast. Could unplug it and drive but maybe it would have adverse affects on newer subarus. FSM may give a simple test you can do.

All non diesel turbo engines are unreliable when compared to non turbo, so it depends what you mean by “reliable”. They’re unforgiving of heat, non synthetic oil, extended oil changes. Even a minor oversight means needing a new block (which are in high demand) By now a 2005 has a long unknown history. If they’ve got a known documented history of maintenance, never been run hot, synthetic oil changed very frequently, and taken care of, and it’s never eaten a turbo or turbo replaced with a cheap aftermarket garbage….they can a decent vehicle. Practically that almost never happens. So yes they’re reliable but no you probably won’t find one in the condition I described. It also needs Subaru timing belt pulleys tensioner and water pump no matter what it’s timing belt history. It’s probably old or has aftermarket parts or the pulleys and tensioner have never been replaced. “New timing belt” isn’t good enough. Has to be Subaru or AISIn and all new pulleys too.

It has the same problem with a new transmission (with original MPT)? It seems like it has to be: a. TCU b. MPT c. Final drive ratio mismatch (I doubt this is it but I don’t like assuming too much from your diagnosis and my interpretation of types descriptions) d. Shift resistor (I’ve never seen one fail or cause those symptoms but it completes the list of *things a proper trans needs to shift properly*) lukcily those are all rather simple to diagnose or swap with a cheap used one 1. Youre positive it’s got the right final drive ratio matching trans and rear diff? 2. why does it have so low miles? 3. I’d swap the TCU. It’s easy and they almost never fail so they’re cheap 4. Scan check engine codes. What do you get? 5. Are there any trans or other lights illuminated on the dash? Unplug the shift resistor - what happens when driving now? Get a used one and swap it in What happens if you manually shift from 1st to 2nd to 3rd to D as needed rather than have it in drive? If you’re in D and manually shift to 3rd before pressing the gas pedal what’s happens?

With relays removed is it 14.0 or 14.5 or…? Test voltage with only one of those two relays installed at a time. Does voltage do same thing or different? The relay test suggests potential JDM light issues - wiring or otherwise. “Began dropping” - give us some numbers and time frame to understand what’s going on. How low does it go? When it’s dripping what happens if you increase RPMs? The alternator isn’t outputting much at idle