1 Lucky Texan

The only issue I've read about in the past is a CD getting stuck/not ejecting and it causing enough drain to kill the battery.

is the oil pressure switch up top on that engine?

5spd? maybe time for a clutch...

seems unlikely at low miles, but a bad knock sensor can keep timing retarded and kill performance. Might be the only sensor that doesn't need to be OEM. most folks report $25 units work fine if you don't overtorque them and make sure to route the cable from them in the same orietation.

wow!!

that diesel is short enough? there were some Subaru diesel crate engines available at one time, or source a used one from overseas? back in the 70s, folks were putting Kubota diesels in some small cars....... or maybe a Mazda wankel ?

you might try 'popping' the clutch pedal 2-3 times next time it fails. maybe the safety switch on it is failing. Or the one on the brake pedal?

That spare has got to go. otherwise, it's awesome. Hip spoiler could look good....

Denso or OEM (same?) is preferred for sensors. Folks sometimes report problems with aftermarket including Bosch.

^^^ what he said - plus, the filler neck behind the plastic shield gets rusted-out holes.

one very long shot - I once read of someone that had intermittent problems when turning, they found a wire harness section routed near the steering u-joint was abraded and shorting out.

In the past, I've had spurious codes set, often with no driveability problems, on 2 different vehicles - that came down to weak/old/damaged batteries.

I don't think so. The H6es get ECU control of the alt. best bet, find a local rebuilder and have your original alt. rebuilt. unless of course, it was already given up as a core. car may be down a few days. or check into parts from DB electric or Maniac motors(?) in Texas. even an alt from a wrecking yard (must be H6) is preferred over any alt from typical parts retailer .

leak down test should tell you right?

needs a 'Wagon Mafia' sticker

exhaust system leak? a:f problem?

does the noise get increasingly aggressive-sounding with increased rpm, or, does it kinda come-and-go ? if the latter, might be a weak tensioner.

our old 2003 had a an angle/elbow that leaked. Felt sticky and fragile? easy repair with some kinda vacuum line assortment kit from VatoZone w'ever.

can the valve stem be ground down, then bucket put back on?

did you scan for pending codes? I think it's DBW so, I suppose the gas pedal is suspect, the early ones sometimes caused problems. kinda odd...

check level in the RADIATOR until this is resolved. The o'flow bottle is not a reliable indicator of coolant volume.

possible air entrainment issue. May need new o-ring(s) on the suction hose adapter on top of the pump. very common issue.

look for walmart (supertech ?) synthetic BLEND . Some folks say it's great for the money, and evidently the synchros still play nice with it. The cocktail is pricey/fiddly to put together though it does work for most folks. gd is fond of amsoil severe gear. That 's what my shop put in my trans but I don't like it as much as straight Redline shockproof. that's also pricey.

stiffer springs gets you; less roll, less squat, less dive. Given the age of the vehicle, if springs/struts are original, certainly start there. many other bushings are like worn too.

our moderately loaded (3 adults, a little luggage) '03 H6 would begin to overheat when we were going up grades in Nevada heat - 114-117 degrees indicated by the car's therm. I just backed off on the speed. wish I had experimented with downshifting to 3rd. I guess it's just near the limit.