heartless

possibly...will have to check. well darn - apparently that is in section 4 of the FSM - that I dont have...Sorry

ok, so how much of a PITA is it too get off? and do I need to replace the gasket for it? and gods honest truth - where the heck is it on an EJ??????

well, changed the CTS yesterday - boy was that a fun exercise... anyway, no joy - still wants to surge at idle when warm....guess i need to move to the IAC next - did pick up a can of Seafoam while at the parts store yesterday... so, I have done the Seafoam thing with an EA82 before...but not on an EJ - where exactly do i need to be using the stuff to clean the IAC??? have heard of people using the brake booster vacuum tube, but that doesnt get to the IAC very well - or does it???

yes, i have tried the 'fix-a-flat' stuff - which can actually damage alloy wheels, btw - the slime stuff around here is rather expensive, so no, have not tried that. Have had the wheels cleaned up in the past, new valve stems, etc - makes no difference. In fact, the guy did a thourough clean of the wheel's mating surfaces before installing this set of tires, still have a leaking issue - the wheel itself has become pourous - probably from too many applications of fix-a-flat or some such similar product... :-\ Thanks for the replies guys...I will be checking the circumference before actually putting them on the car...but nice to know that the wheel type shouldnt really matter.

ok, I have a "leaky" wheel/tire - slow leak over the course of a few days... this has been an issue with this car from the day I got it (came with alloys)... so the question is: will it make a difference if I run 2 alloys and 2 steelies?? as long as the tires are the same circumference, it shouldnt matter, should it? and where should i run them? same side? or same axle? or does it really matter? the other half's now retired sedan has steelies on it - same exact tire that I am running, and very close to the same mileage on said tires - one of his also has a slow leak - altho much slower than mine is - so would be kind of pointless to change them all...and I would take a measurement to be sure they are within the recommended circumference before actually putting them on the car... i am just so tired of futzing with this stupid leak every few days - have to warm up the compressor (it will pop a breaker if I dont in the cold weather) then air up the tire before i can go anywhere Dont really care how it looks - just tired of the low tire issue...

hmmm - 2 year old Napa axles??? could very well be the problem...

Happy Birthday Tom!! yeah, it is kinda sad to see a 'Ru parked for the winter, since that is when they shine best - BUT - considering all the work to repair the rust on this particular car - i completely understand why it is getting put away. And besides, he does still have the Trashwagon to play in the snow with! (You do still have it, dont you, Tom??)

Happy Birthday Tom !! (even if I am a day late sorry)

Would appreciate any numbers you can share - and besides, might help someone else down the line as well.. dont have a Haynes for this car - but DO have an FSM - guess i have just been to busy/lazy to look it up two wire, brown connector - so it would look like this? \/ http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Coolant-Temperature-Sensor-Beck-Arnley_26977880-P_290_R|GRPSENSAMS_____

thanks for the input Miles. coolant is going to get flushed twice this year - still havent put that new radiator in. so I am sure that THAT part of the system will be good LOL will have to look into getting a CTS for it - this would be the one on the block, right? just behind the power steering pump, kind of buried back there?

ok I have searched, and searched with various terms, and am not finding anything definitive for this issue....most results have the problem when cold and/or are in the older gen section... 1990 Legacy, EJ22, 4EAT - AWD, 218K on the clock. initial cold start - kind of rough - takes it moment to bring the idle up to normal "warm up" mode, but one there it idles fine. After driving a bit - it is a minimum of 10 miles to anything for me - and the car is fully warmed up - pull in somewhere and put trans in park, the idle starts surging up, down, up, down - almost stalling at the low point, over 1200 at the high point. this has been going on for some time now - started during the late summer months, and getting worse as the temps get colder. actually starting to do it a little while waiting at a light, trans in gear, brakes on. actually had a guy ask the other night if I was even gonna make it to where i was going, he was very concerned - had stopped at a quik mart & left it "running" while I ran inside... short history - knock sensor replaced about 2 years ago, perhaps a little longer O2 sensor replaced last year engine was pulled, resealed and timing belts, etc*, replaced this past summer (thanks again to Miles, Tom & Kara for the help!) MAF changed out this past summer as well (used) * the 'etc' includes new idler pulleys, seals, water pump, and other associated necessities I cant afford to just start throwing parts at this thing - unemployed for more than 2 years now, and no UI bennies for the past several months = very broke I do have access to a couple of parts cars however.

pin boot kit from Advance Auto... $5.79... http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Disc-Brake-Caliper-Guide-Pin-Boot-Kit-USA-Brake_18310285-P_363_R|GRPBRHWAMS_____ pin/bolt kit - also from advance auto - $15.39... http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Disc-Brake-Caliper-Bolt-Pin-USA-Brake_20310120-P_351_R|GRPBRHWAMS_____ a shade over 20 bucks for both...problem solved

ROOWHO cant - one must have 10 posts minimum to have pm priveleges sorry I'm not much more help right now...

you will get more help if you post this in the "New Generation" section of the forums. And Welcome!

I don't remember the exact cost - but it was more like $250 for a pair of front calipers for a 1990 Legacy around 6 months ago - and these were caliper & bracket ONLY - no pads. as far as replacing goes - for me, it all depends on just how bad things really are (and that is usually personal opinion) - the pin usually gets the worst of the corrosion & usually because of damaged rubber boots, if I can get the job done for around 20-25 bucks - and still have things working correctly - then yeah, i am gonna go that route. If the piston & piston boot are in bad shape in the caliper along with all of the other cruddiness - then I will more than likely get new calipers - or at the very least, a complete rebuild kit.

i really dont think this is a pad problem - but a pin problem - and no, the pin is not bent - but it is corroded and not allowing the caliper body to move freely. You absolutely MUST get the caliper body off of that pin so you can a) clean and lube it properly, or replace it with new parts that are properly lubed. If you do not do one of the two above you will just be wasting money throwing pads at this car because it will continue to wear just one pad - not to mention the brakes are not functioning at 100%, meaning this is a SAFETY hazard. the caliper MUST be able to move freely back and forth on the pins for proper function of the brakes. Spray the snot out of the offending pin with PB and rotate the caliper back & forth on the pin - once it loosens up, with the caliber rotated up, use a hammer to tap it off of the pin. Inspect the rubber boots - if they are torn they need to be replaced, inspect the pin, if it has pitting from corrosion, it should be replaced. I was able to get replacement parts for my car from Advance Auto for under 20 bucks - new pins and boots. - makes a world of difference in how the car stops.

ok... not braking at the time...changes with very light load changes...i am beginning to lean toward something with the drivetrain (drive shaft/axle related) which could also be wheel bearings, altho - if you arent getting pronounced heat on one wheel - i kind of dont think it is wheel bearing...possibly U-joints?? oh, and on my car, the e-brake is both front wheels - yours may be different however...

yes, a bad wheeling bearing will eventually cause the hub to get hot. you say the fronts are not hot, how about the rears?? dragging brakes can also cause the wheels to feel hot take it for a test drive, then check all 4 wheels for excess heat - if you find one that is warmer than the others, that is the one you need to be looking closely at. hmmm, needs rear brakes? umm, mine makes a kind of grindy, thunky noise as it is in need of new pads on the back (have them, just need to get them on ) but with mine the noise is more pronounced at slow speeds - so...

the GL's are easy to do bearings on - had done my old 89 GL wagon a few times over the course of 8 yrs of ownership - fronts and rears.

oh dear, and the plot thickens... ok, how far from a paved road are you?? end of your drive? how much traffic? if it isnt too busy, go for a short drive, drive slowly & have your window open, see if you can hear anything like this noise at slow speeds. then gradually pick up speed, listening carefully...try to determine when the noise becomes noticeable, and if it is wheel speed related, or engine speed related (you can manually shift to keep the revs up a little to see if it is engine speed related) does it become more pronounced when braking?? you said it got worse when getting off an exit? man, stuff like this is soo hard to diagnose over the internet... I am done with school on the 13th... if you dont have it figured out by then, maybe i could make a little road trip of my own...

Cant say it any better than GD has already said, other than to add that my car is at 218K and going strong - the other half has one that has 262K and still runs like a top. . . heck, my car had 152K on it when i got it - to me, and a few others here, that is "barely broken in" mileage. so, IMHO, your "mechanic" is an idiot and a thief, & obviously knows NOTHING about Subaru longevity. It is quite common for the 2.2 to go for 300,000 plus If the car is in decent physical condition - little to no rust - then yes, keep it & fix it for the kids - even if it means a used motor if the current one was severely overheated. . . still better than trying to buy something else that is an unknown as far as maintenance history goes... that is my 10 cents worth - ultimately it is your decision to make.

as far as I know Kara, your H6 doesnt need the stuff - it is primarily for the EJ25's that were susceptible to the HG issues? perhaps someone else can clarify that one tho... doromb list looks good - and yes - do the water pump if it hasnt been done recently. why take the chance on an old one going out when you are already in there and it isnt that hard to change? do it all and be done with it for a while. my personal opinion - go with the premixed 50/50 coolant, it is already mixed properly with distilled water and is a simple, pour it in job - no muss, no fuss. (do NOT use tap water in your cooling system - the chemicals/minerals in tap water are detrimental to the system) oil pump - do what has already been suggested. reseal, threadlock and tighten the backing plate screws, and put it back on. and all of this work can be done with the engine still in the car - might pull the electric fans out to give yourself a little extra space to work in, but thats about it. (4 - 10mm bolts - 2 top, 2 bottom - and an electrical plug connection each) hardest part of the job is resetting the tensioner - slow compression with a vice - and making sure the proper marks are lined up on the sprockets - plenty of info on this site about doing the job right the first time. search is your friend good luck, and let us know how it goes!

If the car isnt overheating, and you dont see bubbles in the overflow tank, then you probably dont have a headgasket issue. changing the oil seals isnt all that hard, just need to make sure they go in straight. as has been mentioned, the timing belt does need to come off to do this, and if it was leaking that badly, i would just go ahead and do a full timing belt service on it - just for peice of mind. there are some good timing kits available on ebay for between 100-150 bucks that include the belt, idler pulleys, water pump and the front oil seals. somebody post a name of reputable sellers, please? get the kit, a new thermostat, and a new lower radiator hose (oil saturation will cause them to get mushy & leak - had that problem with mine) spend an afternoon, and it will more than likely be good for another 70-100K before needing to be touched again.

Oooo - good find on the bad bearings... Hope that you have found the source of your problem noise with that.

not sure if it is just the angle of the pic or what, but pic #6 - looking down on right front axle - it just doesnt look right to me. . . looks like the inner joint is shot & the axle itself is out of alignment. . . if it is indeed out of whack, that could very well be the source of your "drumming" noise...