heartless

ok, to close this one out... finally got around to changing the pressure sending unit (one wire sender, threaded into the block under the alternator) - got a new unit installed, wiped down the plug (old sending unit was leaking a bit of oil) plugged it back in, and no more flickering oil light.. it was a bad sending unit after all..

Other half's 06 LL Bean Outback has been showing classic signs of head gasket issues - on an H6 with well over 200K, coolant loss - apparently just "disappearing" and recently not running very well in general. He wanted to get something a bit newer, with low miles, and after much soul searching, researching and thinking about things, he decided not to go Subaru again.. just too many problems with the newer FB engines, and the CVTs - he did not want to screw around with all of that mess... So, Friday evening he came home with a 2017 Mazda CX5. A bit fancier than we are used to with all the electronic "stuff", but a nice vehicle in general. The LL Bean will be sticking around for a while yet - not giving up on it completely.. but yeah, it deserves a break - has been a pretty good car for a lot of years now. have tossed around the idea of pulling the engine and doing head gaskets & timing on it.. but then again.. it has overheated a few times now.. not for long, it was always caught quickly, but still.. multiple overheats.. might be better off with a different engine - JDM perhaps?

yeah.. salvage title on it? No way in he-double toothpicks.. forgetaboutit... I dont care how nice it looks right now..

at 235K i would think it is due for a complete refresh... why screw around with doing just one thing? If you have to take things apart, do it all, and be done with it for a while.

when the cable broke on my 02 forester, i had the shift mechanism completely apart - cleaned and re-lubricated everything.. pretty simple mechanism in general if you have the time to do it, might be worth while to get in there and have a look see.. make sure there is nothing physically getting in the way and everything is working the way it should. the other alternative to malfunction would be the brake switch down at the pedal.. And now that i am thinking about it.. that could be the source of what you are feeling.. the plunger of the brake switch doing funky things... hmmmm...

based on these statements, i would say definitely clutch related.

hate to say it, but I have to agree with both ido and jonathan - no way I would get a teenager (even a supposedly responsible one) a turbo anything, let alone a WRX. sure, it is a pretty nice looking car, but like ido asked - WHY is it being sold? the REAL reason? is it because of the needed timing job? or is there some other hidden defect that has not been mentioned? A turbo is just not a good choice for a first car for a kid.. or even a 2nd car, for that matter.. unless the kid is paying for it him/her self, there is no way i would go there as a parent.

that switch is 100% electrical, so not sure how brake pedal "pressure" is making a difference.. unless there is something related to the brake switch that is affecting operation (the one that tells the brake lights to come on - and unless i am majorly mistaken, it also tells the shifter switch it is ok to release) *see page 37 of the "1990 Legacy Wiring Diagrams" found here: http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/Legacy_Outback/1990-1994/ going to toss this out there as something to try.. when you put your foot on the brake and are ready to move the shift lever, try pushing it forward just a tad, before pulling back..

i am just grateful i was not the one that did the axle work - that time.. LOL they had to come get the car, for free, and get it taken care of. and I completely understand about the lack of sleep and memory issues - oh, boy, do i understand!!

If the tranny end of the axle has slipped out, you might be able to see it looking down from under the hood.. (no need to jack it up) Had a sudden issue with my 2002 Forester after an axle swap.. it was apparently not pushed in far enough.. popped out and made an awful racket when i pulled into the local convenience store.. was pretty obvious when i popped the hood and started looking.. if you can get it jacked up to get under it, also make sure to check the shifter cable for any potential issues (rusted ends, bent cable near the end, and/or fatigued cable)

would that be the 4spd auto, or 5 - assuming 4 with the 2.5... other half has an 06 with the H6 & 5spd auto..

the ratcheting noise sounds very much like a failed/slipped axle.. but that does not really explain the delayed engagement so yeah.. dented pan? fluid level correct? color of fluid?

which engine/trans has it got?

yeah, ok, i do remember that conversation.. the forester strut swap i did is completely irrelevant to this application.. was the older style.. not sure if this will help, or confuse you more, lol, but found this... https://www.northursalia.com/techdocs/spring/spring.html

i guess you really should be looking at what style struts your 01 has does it bolt directly to the knuckle? or not? that will be a deciding factor on what you can or cant use. Forester rear struts bolt directly to the knuckle (two bolts) not sure what year it started, but the newer legacy/outbacks went to a completely different style.. and i have no idea what the Baja uses.

Any time there are flickering dash lights on a Subaru (possibly other makes as well) one should suspect the alternator. This is true from the old GL/DL days right on thru to present - makes no difference if it is a 4cyl or 6 - the symptoms are pretty much the same. I have said this before, but it bears repeating.... A bad battery can kill a good alternator - and - a bad alternator can kill a good battery.. the two are very closely related. troubleshooting the problem can be as simple as making a trip to your local chain auto parts store (Advance, O'Reilly's, etc) and asking them to do a charging system check. Granted, there are occasions when the alternator shows ok on one of these tests, but is still bad.. have had it happen to me personally.. the alternator was only failing under very specific circumstances, but I still had the flickering dash lights (especially noticeable at night) which led to a correct diagnoses. Generally speaking, aftermarket alternators for Subarus are usually crap and fail pretty quickly. I have had excellent results getting a stock alternator rebuilt at a place that specializes in such work.. cost was comparable to a "new" aftermarket unit at a parts store, but far more reliable.

found this on Nasioc... (for an 03 WRX) yours may be similar.. I have honestly never had the need to actually pull one, so not positive on how.

because there are a lot more Foresters around than Baja's? Just a wild guess, but probably pretty accurate.. I put Forester struts & springs on a 95 Legacy i had and absolutely loved it. better ground (snow) clearance & a little stiffer, so less body roll. Just made the car all that more enjoyable to drive to me.

probably a bit better than the old school twist in coil spacers, but yeah... gimmick... and not the right way to "fix" things.. short term, maybe, but not long term

this is not what is needed in this situation.. he needs better support, not added height/ground clearance.. big difference between the two

i think i would start with the swap.. cheapest course of action and would verify it that is indeed the problem

yes, old hard rubber does not seal well at all and allows leaks - they dont have to be cracked refresh things with some new vacuum line.

yup, aftermarket wheel bearings - even decent name ones - are generally 2 yrs or less on a daily driver... if you dont drive the vehicle every day, you might get longer..

with enough elbow grease, yes it does work.. The one that i like is Goof-off - BUT - try it in an inconspicuous area first to be sure it wont damage the paint... like in the spare tire well, maybe? also make sure you are well ventilated.. it does have a strong smell I personally have not had any problems with it damaging paint, but always best to make sure. Goof-Off will cut thru sticky residue from just about anything. also works well fro removing tar splatters, and other icky things. There is another called Goo-Gone, but that does not work nearly as well imho.

lol, ok, so maybe not,