heartless

yeah - this car is relatively new to me and by the time it was road worthy (after Thanksgiving) it was already quite chilly out and temps went downhill from there - we have had 40 something days straight of below zero so I havent really been too motivated to really go over things yet. one of these days it will warm up (i hope...)

6 month warranty on used is far better than what most offer around here - usually only 30 to 60 days - with a rare 90 day if you are lucky. The tranny I got that turned out to be junk only had 30 days - by the time the shop could get to my car (one of the best in the area, very busy), get it installed and test it we were one day over the 30 days and the jy refused to honor - trying to blame the shop for doing shoddy work. $500 for the cost of the tranny, $75 in fuel, and an entire day to go get it wasted. Needless to say, I will NEVER deal with that jy again.

What Miles said. Soaking the seat area in a good pentrating oil should help as well as a last resort, thread the castle nut back on the stud until the top of the nut is flush with the top of the stud and whack with a hammer to unseat....if you are changing the tie-rod end, it isnt a big deal, but if you plan to re-use only do this if all else fails to avoid damaging the threads.

actually - early this morning I discovered the dimming isnt completely gone - but it is much less noticeable - as in barely there - really have to be watching for it to notice it. When the weather warms up enough that I can tolerate being out for more than a couple of minutes at a time, I will begin checking grounds...

the junk yards should know the mileage on the tranny - BUT - dont be lulled into a false sense of security with just low mileage - find out how long it has been sitting around and where it has been sitting - indoors, outdoors, etc. I bought a used tranny with only 31,000 miles on it - turned out to be junk. got another tranny with 158,000 miles on it - works great - shifts smooth as silk.

turns out the local farm & home store had batteries on sale this week - got myself a 72/24 month for $70 AND free installation and a $5 credit for the old battery! And the best part - the headlights no longer dim when hitting the brakes!

i have never put a double din radio in, so not 100% sure, but removing the storage compartment may be all you need to do to make it work - a couple of extra screws and the compartment is gone... I just installed an aftermarket single din with bluetooth & USB in my 95 Legacy - it is AWESOME! hands free phone right thru the stereo. can charge my phone and play music from it at the same time via the USB cable. can play tunes via BT as well and it has streaming Pandora capability as well (thru the phone) All for under $150. found an adapter harness for 5 bucks, and an external mic for the phone for another 5-6 bucks and good to go!

the Aisin pump and coated metal gasket are OE type. I have used Mizumo timing kits several times with no issues.

have worked on my own cars all my life - since my first - a 1973 Ford Maverick with a 302. I sometimes miss that old car lol leverage is just making the wrench handle longer. I frequently use a 24 inch piece of pipe that will fit over the end of the ratchet wrench to get enough leverage to break a stubborn bolt loose. that and liberal applications of a good penetrating oil like PB Blaster can do wonders. But yeah, if you dont have anyone to help guide you, it can be rather intimidating. That is where places like this can be real helpful - there a bunch of great people here - guys and gals - that are very willing to help out as much as they can short of actually being there. I bought my first Subaru in 2000 - found the USMB shortly thereafter, learned a lot about that car, and have been hanging around ever since. On my third Subaru now. have done a lot of things over the years - from wait tables, to retail sales, to working in a civil engineering office as a drafter. drove semi for 18 years - solo - developed foot problems so couldnt do that anymore, went back to school and just graduated in December at the ripe old age of 50 with an Associates Degree in Accounting and a 3.9 GPA. Working for a small trucking company now, in the office, putting my schooling to good use.

most of my driving is "country" - 2 lane roads, 55mph speed limits. Before the bitter cold hit I was running about 24-25 mpg, since the 1st "polar vortex" hit (and never really went away) my mileage has dropped to low 23s to high 22s

hehehe well, got the charging system check done - just as I suspected - battery is old and weak. Supposed to be 640 CCA - only registering 495...I see a new battery in my near future....

Same here - 95 Legacy and mileage is down with the bitter cold BB, I am just an hour west of you - about sick of this frigid stuff...

umm - I am the "missus" LOL (its ok - common mistake online ) since I have to go to town tomorrow anyway, gonna run by Advance Auto and have them do a charging system check - see just how bad things really are. Yesterday was payday, so I might be able to swing a new battery if I need it bad enough.

unfortunately that is an interference type motor meaning when the timing belt goes, there is going to be internal damage - not sure if it is a valve to valve problem or valve to piston problem on the 2002 - I am sure someone else will clarify that one for you. If it is valve to valve you might be able to get away with just changing heads, not the entire engine.

I am too broke to blow the $90 for a new one right now! LOL still playing catch up after finally getting a job in September after being unemployed for 4 years Getting the 95 up and running ate up nearly all the reserve I had left. Wasting $500 on a junk tranny didnt help any... and no, I didnt get any money back on that one - the crooks!

Hi curls1 - I come in the smaller (to medium) female sizing as well and I have done this job - everything is possible, even for us, with enough leverage! regardless - sounds like you have things well in hand - hope the shop does a good job for you and everything has a happy ending!

I own a 1990 Legacy LS wagon - 1990 doesnt have the connectors on the bellhousing... main harness connectors are on the drivers side of the engine, near the windshied washer pump - definitely check them for corrosion and proper connection. Also check all other grounds - make sure they are clean and tight. did you replace the missing motor mount? What kind of plugs and wires did you use? Basic NGK plugs - BPR6ES-11 - at the proper gap (.044) , are best for this car - it does not need, or want, anything fancy. Cheap, parts store wires are not recommended, however - Good quality NGK wires work well (FX31), or Subaru factory wires. Where exactly is the exhaust broken at? if it is before the cat convertor/O2 sensor this could be a source of some of the codes...if the break is after the convertor, however, it's not likely... What about knock sensor? and last - but definitely not least - timing? it is very possible the timing is slightly off (by one tooth) and this will cause all kinds of running issues, including throwing multiple codes like you have. A quick search on timing here will provide hours worth of knowledge and entertainment. In all honesty, I would be inclined to look here as the primary source of most of your troubles. 1990 is not a complicated year to work on, and is pretty easy to fix if the timing is off - best part is, it is a non-interference motor so no internal damage - just do a proper timing job* on it and it should be good to go. * proper timing job includes all idler pulleys (4), belt, cam & crank oil seals, water pump & thermostat (get either Subaru factory or Stant Exacstat thermostat - no cheepies!), tensioner, and checking/tightening the screws on the back of the oil pump. Timing kits with 90% of the above can be had for under $200

have the same dimming issue with my new to me 95 Legacy - not real bad yet, and weather has been very uncooperative. Was mentioned to me to check all grounds as well... I do know that the battery in this car is getting kind of old - I should probably replace it sooner rather than later...

do what AdventureSubaru suggested - get a friend to help out and watch the front axles while car is in gear & under throttle - if the axles spin, but dont move the wheels you will need new hubs - the splines in the hubs are gone. If the axles dont spin, then the problem is in the tranny/front diff itself and a compatible used tranny would be the best option. The 4EAT is a relatively robust tranny, so a good used one shouldnt be that hard to find - just make sure you have a compatible final ratio to match the rear diff - 1990 should be 4.111 If you were closer, I would offer up the one in my old car - also a 1990 wagon - but I am in north central Wisconsin, and the car is buried under a couple of feet of snow right now... ok, maybe a little more than a couple of feet...LOL

had to tow our mail delivery person out of the drifted snow in front of our house yesterday - a Chevy - might have been a Cobalt - same problem - everything covered in plastic. She managed to find somewhere to put the hook near the center, way under - engine crossmember I think - and we were off...towed her a fair ways up the road to get past the worst of the drifting.

Welcome to your new obsession! LOL rust in the spot you describe is pretty typical on these cars. if it isnt too bad it can be fixed up fairly easy and look good for a few years to come.

current ride is a 65 Legacy L wagon - former was a 90 Lego LS wagon. Welcome to the greatest Subaru board on the net!

after having them on for a little over a month now and having some pretty nasty weather to try them out in, I can highly recommend the Mastercraft Glacier Grip II snow tires - absolutely LOVE them! Excellent traction in snow and on hard packed, icy stuff. As you can see in the pic, they are heavily siped and are studable if studs are allowed in your area. They are a great tire for the money. I went with the 195/75R14 size on the stock steel wheels for my 95 Legacy on Forester struts. Ride and handling are good, and they are pretty quiet as well for a snow tire - not a lot of excess tire noise on dry pavement. Overall, I am very happy with them.

try here: http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/

http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/