Suzam

Have a hydrocarbon test done on the coolant. That will tell you if exhaust gases are getting passed the head gasket. If no gases are found then more than likely it's a different problem. Short list of other things, off the top of my head: Radiator cap. Water pump. Radiator (clogged or damaged) Cooling fan operation correct. Genuine Subaru thermostat. Bad Heater core. Also a proper burping of the cooling system is important.

Use the search function to find a few posts on JDM headlights. Be aware that the focus of the projector lights is backwards (for a RHD setup). You will not see the curbside well and you will blind oncoming traffic.

How did you come across this beauty? Was she in VT or did you by sight unseen and ship it back east?

You may want to check the cam seals also. They usually need to be replaced around the same time as the TB. I would think about changing the valve cover gaskets as well. Along with the idlers and tensioner I'd consider replacing the water pump while you are in there.

A fast check of the duty C solenoid is to put any size good fuse in the FWD plug under the hood on the passenger side near the firewall. This should light a FWD light on the dash and if the binding goes away, you just diagnosed that the duty C is bad. If it still does it, several fluid changes might help. Also double check that all 4 tires are correct pressure and match , same brand and type and within .25 inches of circumference.

If you bought all the bulbs from the same place, try a different supplier. If the bulbs were handled incorrectly during shipping like being banged, dropped etc. that could be a cause for premature failure. I went through about 6 bulbs in 2 different cars within about 18 months. All bought at the same auto supply in double packs. After purchasing from a different retailer I had no problems. Did you make sure that you never touched the glass bulb itself? Oils from you skin can cause bulbs to burnout quickly. You can clean them with isopropyl alcohol wipes before installing them. Have you confirmed that the filaments were broken in the bulbs? Have you checked the wires and sockets themselves?

Any Outback 2000-2004 would fit. I would think any used auto parts yard that have Subarus would have one. If you know of any yards near you, you might get lucky. If that's all you need maybe someone on the board here would pick one up next time they see it. The postage should be minimal.

Was it raining or was the road wet when this happened? Did you check the drive belt? A wet pulley and belt could slip at higher RPMs causing the alternator output to drop. When dry or at lower RPM the belt would be able to catch again.

If you check on tirerack.com the site will give you alternate fittings for your model. However 15" are out of the question for fit. By the time you would find a different size wheel to buy plus the cost of the original size tire for the car wouldn't be that much more in cost. Tire and wheel combination are in the original body style design. There would be a point where saving cost on different wheels and tires would compromise the originals for the car. handling and safety could suffer if the overall change was dramatic. Better to stay with the OEM unless you were going for more expensive tires and wheels for better handling and control. Going for inexpensive may not be a good idea.

+1 on the top plug first. You don't want to pull the bottom and drain the oil out and not be able to refill it because you can't remove the top one!

Yes, often times I will reread my post and edit some of it not reading the entire sentence. Thanks! For clarification: For the most part I don't think additives are needed on a regular basis.

I've only used Techron when I wanted to clean the contacts for the gas gauge, which worked well. Otherwise a can of Dry Gas to remove moisture from the tank in all my cars every fall is all I've ever used. For the most part I don't think additives aren't needed on a regular basis.

We should get a sticky on this subject. Seems like a lot of posts about flashing lights after battery disconnects and recharges etc. I personally posted a few replies to reconnect the battery with the key in the on position after the battery has been disconnected. It seems it is almost as popular as the virgin switch.

Do the fans run at all with the AC or defrost on and the blower fan running? If they don't, it may be bad wiring and not the temp switch that is the problem.

You'll need to remove the door panel and adjust the small bracket stops near the top of the door frame that limit the window travel. Loosen the bracket and adjust it when you have the window at the proper closed height. If you are unsure about the panel removal use the search for location of the screws and fasteners.

Beware! It could be that it wasn't working before and the fluid was changed to see if it would fix it. Unless you can verify low fluid is the cause, you should assume it will need major work and consider how willing you are to purchase it and repair or replace the transmission.

How about a little more info. How many miles on the engine? Can you explain the overheating scenario better? When, where, how, etc.

The 2000 OBW had small rotors and Subaru upped the size starting in 2001. You may be experiencing disk material build up on the rotors. When they get hot the disk material will transfer to the rotor creating a buildup which creates uneven surfaces. Getting the rotors resurfaced should solve that problem, and high quality pads should help. You might want to considered ceramic pads to help keep it from happening.

How many miles? What are the RPMs when it idles down?

Not sure what you mean by "vent door" but check THIS THREAD for a problem with the gusset at the very front of the window.

If this is an "S" model you are most likely hearing the limited slip differential working. I can make my 01 Outback Ltd do the same thing since new. A good amount of spin to the rear wheels and it clunks in pretty hard. Not really anything to worry about. Under normal conditions it functions fine, just when there is rear slippage is when I notice it, but I have to be driving a little aggressively to make it happen.

How are the pads? My daughter's 97 had a similar issue as the weather got colder a month ago. Turns out the front pads were almost gone (without any warning). New front pads and a flush of the brake fluid and no more light.

Have you checked the switch on top of the steering column in front of the dashboard? See post #4 in THIS thread.

+1 on the terminal connectors, the smoke to me means bad contact of the terminals and the connectors. Cheap fix that needs to be done anyway. Although.... I just replaced the OEM battery in our 2002 Outback Ltd this fall so you maybe in need soon.

In my younger years I installed a set of driving lights on a 69 Chevy and wired then directly into the floor foot switch for the low/high beams (remember them?). When I switched on the driving lights they drew power from the low beams and the headlight relay went crazy throwing them on and off at a fast rate until it just stopped and stayed open. No fuse to blow out in that circuit. Once off the low beams went back on.