uniberp

Maybe the oil was overfilled at some point after the recovery. Reading the dipstick is a littel tricky. Level ground, engine cooled, all oil drianed back to pan.

Exhausts are pretty easy to drop in one piece from head to the flange in front of the rear axle. I'd do it. Are they the same ID?

I can only imaging that it dilutes the ATF and smoothes the vibration at idle, which is caused by various other problems that shoud be corrected instead, like plugs, wires, belts, vacuum leaks, etc.

Look under your hood when it is running and make sure the front crankshaft pulley is not wobbling. It should be obvious if it is. This can cause vibration and requires varying degrees of repair. But think. The drivetrain, aside from the engine and front end of torque convertor is not operating while sitting still. And rarely does a TC have problems. There are many thread about fixing that problem. It's nto common, but it happens. You may have a simple problem fixed by a tank of premium or changing the spark plugs.

To support and adjust the angle of the engine during removal, I used a ~4 foot 2x4 supported by 2 shorter lengths of 2x4 upright on the 'frame rails', nex to the abs unit and behind the battery. Then use a hook bolt through the AC bracket, and wrenched the nut to move the engine fron up and down. I was a bit nervous about putting the weight right on the fender lip, not wanting to damage the panels, so I used the 2x4 uprights to take the wieght instead. Working underneath has advantages, like when you are tired, you're already laying down.

You can also drop the tranny, which allows you to avoid draining coolant. I used a Harbor Freight scissors type tranny jack for my auto. The tranny stays under the car, behind the crossmember. With the car on tall jackstands, its not bad working from underneath, and not so far to lean in when working from the top. Uses less floorspace that way, and less chance of banging into bodywork. See the NASIOC threads on changing separator plate for pics.

Your car should be idling quite a bit lower, at about 700 rpm. The shuddering is caused by the engine straining against the tranny, when not returning to a correct lower idle speed. It is not your transmission causing it. It may be caused by a vacuum leak on the intake somewhere. Check\tighten the connections between the MAF and the throttle body. The lower part that connects to the throttle body is especially susceptible to crimping. Something is wrong in an idle circuit somewhere. It can be several things. Search IAC Idle Air Control here.

My dealer wanted $16 each, but after my spaz attack he gave me 2 for $10. I needed them and he had them. My KYB GR2's for the rear came without nuts, for some reason. They also used m14x1.5 on the top and the strut body was painted grey . The fronts used m12 and were black painted strut bodies.

I would say your throwout bearing is about to bite it. Probably about past time for a new pressureplate, disc, reface flywheel, bearing supports too.

M14x1.5 I wouldn't use lug nuts. They are not as precisely threaded, which helps avoid cross threading them. They may not take 110 Ft. Lbs very well either, which is hte torque setting for strut bolts. You can get m14x1.5 at ace hardware, without the flange. You can use a hardened washer instead. The subaru part number is 20550AA010

PBlaster "Corrosion Stop" is now officially in my cabinet, and I spray it on all exposed under-car exposed parts, boltheads, nuts, bolt holes,brake line connections, anything that will rust, except the exhaust pipes themselves. I spray a little on the exhaust nuts, and it seems to burn down to a protective layer. I think it's basically grease disolved in acetone, but it leaves a pretty dry surface after a couple days. They still use mountains of salt here in Chicago. It's pretty flat and just absorbs into the soil. In 50 years nothing will grow here at all. As it is, we have to bring in topsoil to grow anything besides weeds. Also, I at least loosen and retighten caliper bolts, if not remove and antisieze them. I did brakes and struts recently. What do you do for winter preparation?

I agree, in the same somewhat soulless manner. In addition, my pretty simple requirements are: 6: Disc brakes, although drums last llonger and give adequate casual performance, so my 99 FOrester still fills the bill. 7: Airbags, so I never expect anyone to ride in my really old junk. But as to quirks, yes, you can call them that. I prefer so think of them as singular correctable yet regrettable glaring flaws. 8. The leaky separator plate issue on certain years. Huge expensive job for a cheap part. 9. Passenger inner CV boot failure, however, I can't see abetter way. 10. Exhaust rattles. Makes expensive car sound cheap. Others are uncorrectable, or don't need correction, or are not mechanical faults at all. 11. Engine noise, which I'm sure has been mentioned. These buggers are noisy, that's all there is to it, and in a symbol obsessed society, where the tradition of the supremacy of silent engines still lives, it's a little hard for many to handle. I like it. Makes them cheap in the secondary market. Only the wise know. I think engine noise is the biggest 'daily' quirk. 12. Confidence in the rain. I confess, it feels a little odd to just drive at normal speeds when everyone else seems to be hampered. Here in Chicago, of course, the change of seasons induces panic in all the scampering commuter mammals. 13. I have to throw in "user serviceable", as the cars seem uniquely designed to be servicable even in difficult and remote conditions. The drivetrain breaks down into just enought small enough components that can be brought in by camel if necessary. I think that's why the Forester remains pretty unchanged in the lineup. If I lived in some bush country with limited road access, that would be my nice car. Not my truck, but my nice car.

Bent a steel rim? Solution: 3 lb sledge hammer.

Me too, now that I need a loup to clearly see those small marks on my regular caliper. Take the battery out between uses. It will die quickly if left in.

You should have a big accident in his lot and somehow claim it was his fault. I bet he never makes another unauthorized change. My local Subaru dealer is either just really casual and not ambitious or just doesn't care. I can't believe he has a captive market, but I don't give him a hard time, since subarus have such a small market share. I'm glad there's at least a factory parts catalog in my community at all.

Propane conversion is not really simple, especially if using injection, and dual fuel is more than 2x as complicated. Ford previously made a dual fuel for US, but it appears no longer. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byfuel/byfueltypeNF.shtml Flex Fuel is Gas/e85

There is no wow there. Combination of existing technologies, increases complexity of nx degree, offsets efficiency advantage. Effiiciency of ic engine is measured in kw output compared to chemical fuel oxidation potential. The term "Dual Fuel" is most commonly used to describe gasoline-LPG combination systems. In EFI systems, the physicla of the injectors are the main issue. Liquid gasoline injectors are a different animal than vapor LPG injectors, and the ECU must accommodate not only different fuel curves, but a completely different set of outputs, for starters. I know of no manufacturer producing cars built as dual fuel. A co in Turkey is offering software for mapping, but fitting the secondary LPG plumbing is still a user issue. mpergielelmhurstil99forester97legato"sport"

Does your car have an oil dipstick?

I just finished the struts too, and disconnected the brakelines at the calipers. It let me be sure they WOULD separate, if I ever neet to replace a caliper, and to flush the brake fluid and bleed the brakes. They have a firmer feel now. I got it aligned and it is great. 1000 miles this past week. Never would have managed that on the old struts.

If your wires are even somewhat corroded, they are probably quite old and that could easily be the source of the hesitation. The wires are subject to engine and resistance heat and lose conductance over time. Buy new good quality wires, OEM or higher grade silicon FITTED wires. Watch for the correct coil end hoods and angle connectors.

http://www.kumhousa.com/pressrelease.do?newsId=156 No kidding. I saw/smelled them at a Discount Tire place. The only thing I can figure out is that they accidently made this formula in the lab and decided it might be a selling point. "The tire is targeted at female consumers who drive such sedans as the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Subaru Outback, Chrysler Sebring and Ford Taurus." The brochure also names the Forester.

Many threads. In general: ~1997-1999 DOHC - Internal HG leak. Requires new HG. 1999-~2002 SOHC- External HG leak. Requires additive.

If I find a deal like that I could deal with some interference at full lock. Thanks, that's exactly the info I need. Depending now on the mfg specifics, I'll go with either a 195/75/14 snow or maybe a 205/75/14 all season. Is there ever snow buildup in the wells problem? And, with the Forester around, I might look for a set of 15 steelies so I can give her my tires when she scrubs ANOTHER set off in 2 years. And when I buy, I'm going to wait for the nastiest, crummiest, snowiest, slushiest day possible so I can more easily rationalize paying for labor. Sorry, tire guys.

A timing belt (thread title) is an entirely diffferent job than "drive" (accessory) belts. Maybe the shops have the 2 confused.

I just finished OB struts in the 97 Legato raising it about 1.5 inch all around. I aligned it back to the painted marks I made but it pulled just very slightly to the right, and driving the car it seemed a bit jumpy toward the right on braking and bumps. I looked at it and thought that the new lower angle of the control arm increased the positive camber, so I adjusted the camber 1 mark inwards on the top bolt of the right side and it felt a lot better and tracked straight. That adjustment is going to be relative for each car, but I expect these are pretty consistent and tight manufacturing tolerances. The tires are pretty old but evenly worn, so I'm going to wait until I get new tires to have a measured shop alignment done. I wonder if toe-in is affected much by the same alteration of the control arm angle. It doesn't appear so, or perhaps a tiny bit.