Bushwick

OK, I finally tracked down a rear sway bar from an 04' STi along with the bushings. It's symmetrical w/o the hoop for the exhaust pipe, and very thick. Anyways, I looked at some Foresters and they seemed to basically have the exact same clip (that goes around the bushing) as the 99' and earlier Outbacks. Do I need a clip from a newer Forester? I grabbed a set from the older Forester as I wasn't sure until it was off, but it looks like I can dremel the outer contours of the bushing OFF and work it down a bit to fit the older Forester clips w/o issues as the clips have tabs on the outside that should stop it from sliding out. Just wondering if the sway bar will hit the exhaust or not? Or does the exhaust radius need reworked? EDIT: FWIW, I also looked at the body mount (it acts like a stand off and moves the bar further away from the body rail) the clip goes into, again it was the same height as the Legacy one.

Is it firing with starter fluid?

Make SURE you get a brand new timing belt installed with the replacement engine. Right the mileage down on your odometer, and use that as a guide to change it in 60k (miles) and no longer to avoid this happening again. Was the block or pistons damaged? If not, just drop the heads and replace. Don't see why you'd replace the entire engine as I believe these are only "valve to valve" interference engines and not "valve to piston" interference which are worse.

Just some things I'd personally do if I were you: 1. Fix that evap leak. It's probably the reason. 2. Check the tires with an actual gauge (don't rely on gas station gauge as they are not accurate or can be way off) and make sure they are at the recommended pressure. 3. Replace the O2 sensor if you have higher mileage. They can play a huge part with MPG. 4. Start filling the tank at a 1/4 and try and avoid going below that. Reset your trip odometer EVERY time you refill the tank. I got in the habit of doing this myself years back. Every time I fill the tank and get back in the car, I always reset it before starting the car. Reason being is I know EXACTLY how many miles it was driven with X amount of fuel added. 5. Do a full tune-up. Dirty air filter is especially problematic. Start running synthetic oil. A 5quarts+ bottle costs less than a gas refill. Auto Zone often runs deals where they knock a few bucks off if you pair it with a certain brand oil filter like Bosch, so you can get both for around $35 or less. Your MPG should improve around 1 MPG on average. Change the plugs and wires too if it has them.

That's really AWESOME! I was wondering about the factory warranty, but figured it wasn't viable due to age or something. That's a long trek to drive, but I'm sure there's a rental car place near there if you are forced to drive it. I had mine towed from the PO's home (about 50 miles south from me) as it wasn't road worthy at the time. First tow truck place wanted $350 0_o to flat bed it to me. Second place I called wanted $150 so went that route. So you can expect to pay a TON of $$$ if they are greedy. Since it'll need fixed anyways, I'd drive it to them rather than get stuck footing a ridiculous tow bill if they won't cover it. Worse case it makes it most of the way and the overall tow would be much less, though I suspect it'll make the trip if it's just starting to fail. GL Another option would be renting a small truck/van and car dolly from U-Haul (remember it's AWD though, so find out what's need to make it safe to tow that way, if possible). If you have a vehicle with a hitch, it'd be WAY cheaper as a dolly is cheap to rent and isn't affected by mileage. If the vehicle is more robust, you can rent an actual trailer from them.

Only ill-effect is the AC compressor over time might seize up or not work correctly next time if it stays put for a lengthy period. It might also get noisy. I'm running mine belt-less for the time being due to a noisy pulley. Running front defrost with heater won't have the benefit of acting like a dehumidifier, but I've yet to see my windows fog with front defrost on, unlike my 9-3 that has issues w/o the AC hooked up.

I know in other cars it's *possible* for oil to get pulled up and into the brake booster. Can't remember if a bad check valve is culprit or not, but it's easy to figure out if oil is in there or not with a long skinny rod or similar.

I'd seriously look into local lemon laws as you might be able to get a full refund and get out from under it, then look for another identical model w/o the problems. They sold the car with a minor warranty, so it's definitely not an "as-is" vehicle. Considering the low mileage and the severity + cost of the repairs it's needing WAY prematurely, it's possible it's a bonafide lemon, meaning it'll probably have something constantly failing on it. Now a rear bearing is going bad? No offense, but "loving" a car that's racking up a ton of expensive repairs that aren't typically common with a car that's still technically "new" with 30k miles, is a major headache that will only get worse and deplete your hard-earned savings. Maybe it's had wrong or mismatched parts installed in the drive line after a minor, unreported accident and was sold/traded-in before any issues manifested? Maybe it was constantly breaking down for the previous owner and now it's passed on to you.....

I'm glad this benefited the community at large It's nice to be able to give something back to fellow members that have been super helpful getting this car winter and road ready. Just remembered, you *might* need to fiddle with the idle speed slightly if it's not compensating enough. I know on mine there's 2 ways to get the idle up w/o messing with electronics, either adjust the throttle cable's slack, OR adjust the set screw on the underside of the throttle stop. Mine has a center screw with an 8mm nut. Can just loosen the nut, turn bolt with flat head, then tighten the nut while holding bolt still with screw driver. Recommend setting emergency brake or blocking the wheels, put car in drive (auto only), turn on lights, heater (NOT front defrost as that kicks idle up artificially), rear defrost, THEN set the idle screw. Your headlights should remain just as bright at idle while in gear with foot on brake as they do when it's around 1500 rpm (or higher). If the engine idle is allowed to drop too far, it might not charge until you rev 50-100 rpms more. So just keep this in mind as not all cars are the same. * DISCLAIMER* A word of caution though, if you have a healthy amplifier (say at least 60-80 amp draw) do NOT run the amp's power wire off the battery post with this alt and factory charge wires. Reason being is a power consuming amp can easily cook 4 gauge power wire and/or fuse holders and those factory charge wires are WAY smaller than 4 gauge, but if the amp runs directly to the alt's threaded post (amp power wire MUST be fused close to the amp's rating), it has a clear path to power the amp without battling with the car's electronics through 2 tiny power cables that'll get cooked quickly if a big amp is trying to pull too much current through them, which could lead to a fire or a melted mess. Remember, the battery is just for starting the car, the alt actually powers everything. If you run a bunch of accessories off the battery directly, consider upgrading the charge wires to a heavier gauge and add 2 redundant ground straps, 1 from battery (-) to chassis and the other directly to the block (should do this regardless to be safe and keep wires from overheating). This will ensure a healthy operating electrical system. Also, if you do run a big amp and this alt, run the system at high volume with a heavy bass track at idle. Inspect all the wires for overheating, especially where they make connections AND where the power wire enters/exits the fuse holder. Be VERY careful as they can get very hot. Some heat is normal and transmitted from under-hood.

Anerobic sealant that's REALLY tough to pull apart can easily be separated with heat. I had an oil pan my Saab (that I sealed a year before) that REFUSED to come apart. Took my propane bottle attached to MAPP gas torch tip, heated the pan in several spots and after 5 minutes it popped right off. Hopefully that helps with the plate.

^ I'll check eventually, but with holiday and the fact it's working, not concerned but will definitely update eventually. Here's a video of it running: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXsxw9gKhog Near the end, I'm pointing the flashlight at the little block the bolt goes through from the front. It comes REALLY close to the casing, so massage the edges on the casing or remove the block and file back to clear. From the top down view, you only need to grind the radius from the support, and nothing else. Took me less than 10 minutes. Looks more severe with lighting from flashlight. Was snowing really hard when I was doing it and didn't have time to be perfect. Also, as you can see the belt tracks correctly. I've got the belt sorta tight (maybe a 1/4" play). It's yet to squeal and this belt is rather old looking and dry. Probably due to be replaced.

I'll try and get a quick video up in a bit with it running and showing voltage. There were a bunch of these in the $50-75 range on car-part.com. This one was actually listed at $35, but they wanted a core and shipping. Told the guy the cost of shipping core back would negate the core charge for me making it a wash, so he worked out a deal of $75 shipped ($25 alt; $25 ship; $25 core). Doing the math, even a "high" mileage 2010-2013, you should easily get a few years out of it, but realistically 10-15k a year means you get one with some life left. This was listed at 35k miles roughly, so it was a no brainer. They aren't all "listed" as 130 amp models in the computers since it was the only option amperage with the 3.6L, meaning "they" see them as just another Subaru alternator The biggest mod was grinding a small bit of the case's ear where it bolts to the adjustable bracket. I used a dremel with reinforced cut off wheel and carefully ground away the offending section (cut off wheel on aluminum works 10X better and FASTER than a typical grinding wheel that clogs) Other option would be working the edge of the bracket instead which isn't visible from front of car. It's just a slight casing reinforcement that's angled and prevents the alt from sitting flush on the adjustable bracket. Either way, I'm happy with how it fit and still smiling over the fact you can keep the factory pulley on it. Though, I'll measure it's OD when I take a pic just to be sure it's the same. If the factory pulley *HAS* a smaller OD (even barely) then the 130 amp unit, running the smaller pulley would give more amperage at idle, just have to be careful you aren't over exceeding the MAX rpm of the alt, which is possible if say the donor car had a 6" crank pulley, but your car has a 6.5" crank pulley =alt spins faster. I didn't bother doing the math with this one. If anyone running a 3.6L has a moment, measure the outside diameter of your crank pulley so we can compare with ours. If it wasn't such a PITA to remove the nut for the alt pulley, I'd be able to measure and and see if they interchange or not, but you need an air compressor to get those off. Looking at the snout where the shaft exits the alt housing, one protrudes a little more, which might cause issues with belt alignment if you tried reusing the thinner ribbed pulley, assuming the pulleys are even swap able. The nuts sit flush with the threading, making it difficult to get an exact measurement w/o removing, as even a few hundredths difference can be an issue.

Seems the car runs fine with just the 1 wire hooked up. Didn't get any warning lights either. If you are looking down at the 3 pronged connector with the alt installed, the prong furthest right (closest to actual charge wire post) is the one that kicks this unit on. Took it out for an hour long drive down the snowiest roads I could find with every accessory on and it didn't miss a beat. Stopped a couple times to check voltage and always around 15v. Still can't believe how lucky to be able to use the Tribeca's wider pulley and still have the grooves that matter line up. Didn't hear any belt slippage either. So, if you want to retrofit one of these 130 amp (2010-2013) alternators to replace the tiny 85-90 amp, look for a 3.6L whatever as these are apparently exclusive to that engine. A few minor mods and it's in and working! Keep in mind it'll parasite an extra HP or 2 when it's charging and weighs a couple pounds heavier.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=9631 OK, if I'm understanding the 95 Legacy's connectors, one wire is the field on, other wire should be for dummy light? Then, the Tribeca has a 3 wire setup, where I'm just going to ignore the 3rd wire. In that image above, the center prong is the field ON connector, right? And the far right is the dash warning light?

When was the last time the timing belt was changed? i.e. how many miles ago? This video should help: The big sprocket has a notch stamped into it. When that notch is at 12 o'clock, the other sprocket on other side should be as well.

Yeah, that's interference, but at least it's a SOHC. I'd at least inspect the pulleys and see how well they spin. If they were new with last belt, should still be good but you never know. If you decide to reuse them, mark the mileage down, and when you get to the mileage where the old belt would have been changed, maybe inspect the pulleys. If they ever start getting noisy while running, replace them.

What year/engine do you have? Is it DOHC? After a certain year, they became interference engines, and the DOHC setup is a little more of a PITA to change a belt. I have the super easy 2.2L SOHC non-interference setup. It took less than an hour to swap the belt. I repacked my bearings since they weren't *that* bad. Worse case in my situation it throws a belt from a failed pulley. The parts get replaced and back on the road. Though it should get 60k miles w/o issue. Will probably replace all 4 pulleys then. Spin them by hand. They should spin smoothly w/o noises/squeaks. If you can feel the bearings then it's either dry or not enough grease. Basically, it's your call. For piece of mind, spend the $136 and be done with it. I was lucky my pulleys weren't that bad yet, and given how simple the timing belt is and NO interference, I wasn't worried. Save your old pulleys as back ups and you'll be able to compare them with what the new ones will be at 60K+ miles later.

My alt. had noisy bearings so figured it'd be a good time to swap in something bigger in case I ever decide to get around to upgrading the stereo. The only 130 amp Subaru I could find come in the 3.6L 6 cylinder cars. Anyways, found one from a 2011 Tribeca with 35k miles for $75! Seemed like a great deal considering the rebuilt 85 amp is roughly the same price and this 130 amp monster is easily 3 times more expensive new or rebuilt. It needed an ear ground down to clear the adjustable bracket, and 2 high spots lowered to clear the other side of adjustable bolt block. The eyelets for the charge wire needed widening too to accommodate the larger post (10 sec job with drill bit on slow speed). The charge wire clips needed loosened to give extra slack since the charge wire bolt is in a different spot (about 2" further left). Other than that, it's a direct fit physically. The serpentine belt on the Tribeca *IS* a rib or 2 wider, but interestingly enough, after installing the factory belt it sat in the proper grooves (just an extra rib hanging out not being used). It seems to be tracking straight even at higher rpm so not going to bother with swapping the smaller ribbed pulley at this time, though a 1/4" OD difference can cause issues (like not spinning fast enough at idle to kick "ON" and actually charge), but they looked fairly similar. Also forgot to measure the pulley shaft diameter to see if they sit on the same shaft or not. This 130 amp unit, despite being very similar physically, definitely has some weight to it. Must have been a real feat squeezing all those extra windings in there Can't wait to drive at night with every single thing turned on and not so much as a dimming dash light (pet peeve) The biggest difference is the electrical connector for the Tribeca had 3 prongs, whereas the factory alt. has 2. I checked both on wires with engine running and both saw battery voltage, though one wire is clearly a heavier gauge. SO.... I need to know a couple things: 1. I know the one wire is the "ON" source to kick the alternator charging on. What's the 2nd wire for? Heavy gauge is white, smaller gauge is black. 2. The alt has 3 prongs to connect to, any idea what's what? Can I get away with just running 1-2 wire to get it "ON"? Pretty sure I can, but I'd like to know what the 3rd wire was for? This type of alternator came out around 2010 in anything with a 3.6L. I dunno if it's physically the same as the 90 amp in the smaller engine cars.

If you just mean the "belt" and are talking about the rubber compound, you can't go wrong with Goodyear or other high-end rubber belts. I usually go with them or Gates. It's a wear item regardless and *will* fail at some point unlike metal chains that can easily go twice as long with out breaking, though they'll stretch. Rock auto has plenty to choose from. Can get an entire kit (belt + pulleys) for around $100.

This what I mean by "unknown history". If it's an ej25, the odds are high it's been pulled apart at least once. It's cheap insurance and solid piece of mind.

You only had this for 3 months before this failed? Did they sell it "as-is"? Take it the factory warranty isn't applicable anymore? You might want to look into local lemon laws if the expense to repair/replace gets really high. Did you happen to look at the car fax for this? Has it been in an accident or flooded? Just thinking if it'd been partially submerged at some point, and water was able to get past a seal, or maybe it's not original, etc. Just shooting from hip here, but you never know. Might be worth checking out it's past as it might save you from a potentially expensive repair. If you guys can do the trans swap yourself, it'll be the most cost effective way if you are forced to pay out of pocket. Even if you have to run to Auto Zone and spend $100 in basic hand tools like 1/2" breaker, 1/2" ratchet, 14mm-18mm 1/2" sockets, etc. If it's just a trans swap, it'd be easy to do and can save $1500+. Good luck!

Head bolts stretch. I wouldn't reuse old head bolts off a high mileage car, especially one with unknown history. If you are going through the trouble of this swap, better off playing it safe and spending $30 as opposed to accidentally snapping an old, fatigued head bolt in an engine you are trying to install in mid 30's weather, or worse you end up with uneven clamping and a head warps.

I'd use new head bolts. Rockauto has them.

That really stinks. Still surprised with that mileage something like that failing. Anyways, try car-part.com. You'll see widely differing prices, of which the actual price doesn't mean one is necessarily better than the other. There's a local yard near me that's been around forever and they regularly charge 2-5+ times MORE than others. Best yards to buy from are ones that do high volume, meaning they get a car, strip it down, crush body, then store parts indoors or under cover. They can afford to sell at better prices than a yard that sits on a car for a year. Other option is get yours rebuilt, though the price may vary wildly depending on where you go.

Thanks for the link! Sounds pretty easy to get at. I know some 89' Ford Probe had this, but finding one to pirate the insignia from the cluster would be too difficult. One of those SVX's would be easier (the cluster probably still has the correct cover, just no light). Thinking of using a dummy light slot in the cluster (plenty of blanks to choose from or pop out the air ride cover) and swapping insignias while running a simple bulb holder on pigtail. The FWD switch would be more of a convenience (like a low air rear tire which I seem to keep getting) or to mess around in the snow, etc. Would just be nicer to do from the driver's seat as opposed to stopping, raising hood, fumble in dark, etc.