1 Lucky Texan

aftermarket axles are notoriously poor products, a real gamble. Also, suppose the sold you an Impreza axle ?

check craigs list for someone parting-out a wreck? post a WTB in this Forum and maybe over at www.subaruoutback.org for an engine? you niece should network with close relatives and friends - maybe someone does some wrenching and could help her out?

tried it a coupla times with imageshack - didn't seem to work plus , I get this warning banner: You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community.

is there a way to search for broken p'ket links? or imageshack for that matter - I may try it with i'shack

bad rear bushing on lower control arm could be quite loud.

200K IS a lot of miles, compression test could save you time and money if bad - GenDis is a pro mechanic. if codes come back 1&2 or 3&4 - suspect coilpack , 'waste spark' ign. means cylinders share a coil. if they come should show 1&3 or 2&4, could be slipped timing though that is rare.

plugs should be NGK - the cars can be picky about that. original plug wires could be bad - they also should be OEM. soobs will leak oil from bad valve cover gaskets on the plug wire boots causing misfires. have you scanned for pending codes? if your State inspection doesn't care, you can operate car-free with probably only a benign P0420 code.

if it's the original alt, and you can do without the car for a few days, find a local rebuilder to rebuild your alternator, it will be much better than typical parts store alternator.

on some older soobs, wasn't in a little fuse holder near the right side shock tower? I just dunno what year it began being in the big fuse box.

checked the fluid while idling right? ATF is the only fluid you must check that way. brake lines can leak on top of the fuel tank, watch your brake fluid level. when soobs have been thru 2-3 owners or serviced by 'underqualified' people, sometimes fluids get confused and the wrong fluids drained/filled etc. best to start fresh with fluids if possible, then troubleshoot issues I think.

^^^^ great post

kinda odd symptoms but, what fair said ^^^^^ fits quite well. could there have been a situation where she started the car, turned it off , then fairly soon tried a to re-start it? That could flood the car., prevent starting, and smell like fuel. Holding the gas pedal down on the floor while cranking is the clear flood signal for the car's computer - you could try that. but the prvious overheating event sounds severe - could be lubrication was compromised leading to excessive wear and that could have led to the current issue.

have you checked trans fluid level? ATF is the only fluid you must check while idling. any CEL? you might scan for pending codes.

really- I've made a small atempt to try to see it. I also wonder if folks that are good at orienting themselves/identifying compass directions (good 'sense of direction') can use this subconsciously ? (I play a funtrivia.com game everyday and have submitted a few questions, a Haidinger's Brush ques. is one of my submissions)

what are your local laws for abandoned vehicles? anyway, seems like parting it out or junking it might be best.

I'm not clicking that

Any bucking/jerking in tight parking maneuvers, or tight circles on dry pavement?

another weird polarized light subject; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haidinger%27s_brush

doesn't seem like rod knock. also, doesn't seem like a weak TB tensioner but, I wouldn't ignore that possibility. you may want to skip ahead

there isn't going to be an easy solution. I dunno if sunglasses exist with circular polarization - if they do, may be worth a try. the LCD panels may have a 45* angle of polarization as a compromise since most polarized sunglasses have a vertical poraization. I suspect tilting your head one direction brightens the view while the other direction darkens it?

sure it isn't a wheel bearing? there's half a dozen ways Subaru wheel bearings can fail. worth checking for. Get the rear in the air, use a mechs stethoscope and listen to each side for comparison as you turn the wheel. Feel for vibration on the coil spring, lift/rock in the 12 -to-6 oclock direction too. should be no movement - not even 2mm. you could try FWD fuse , if that makes a difference, could be an issue with the wet clutch pack I guess. Any bucking/jerking in tight parking maneuvers?

many people do 3 drain/fill/drive-a-little procedures to DIY a fluid change. Because the torque converter holds a little over half the fluid that won't just won't drain out, 3 drain and fills gets you about 85% or so new fluid. Some folks who experience 'delayed engagement' or other trans problems might throw a bottle of Trans-X in on the last fill. there are other trickier ways to do fluid changes. one of these helps me with trans and front diff fluid changes;

you can only get about 40-50% of the trans fluid out. Doesn't seem like you drove very far....fill it and drive the car. ATF is the only fluid level you check while idling, move the shifter thru each gear when you approach full, check several times and sneak-up on the full level very slowly, there's only 1/3 pint or something tiny like that between low and full - NOT 1 quart like engine oil. you might check the front differential fluid too. a previous owner may have underfilled it. Or maybe it also needs servicing?

you may be able to use electronics cleaner to clear-out the oil. It is unlikely to be causing a problem but, I'd try to clean it. Or, try brake cleaner or WD-40, maybe followed by electronics cleaner? was there a wreck or work done before the the car became inoperable? Sometimes when the engine is worked on, the IACV's hose gets dislodged from under the intake tubing.

thanx!