1 Lucky Texan

any indication the timing system had been opened-up before?

pull the covers and check cam timing.

bad knock sensor could be pulling ignition advance ?

ferret - I'd be interested in your experience with the GMB parts - kinda worried about them on my WRX.

what about bees in your intercooler? "Uh no sir, I assure you it isn't the heat shields buzzing."

was the canister flooded or was it the valve?

coupla things to try, when you feel it will fail, or immediately after a failure - hold the gas pedal to the floor while starting. Don't pump it or lift until after it starts. that is the 'clear flood' condition for the ECU. if you think it's fuel startved, try spraying some starter fluid in the intake. also, some older soobs have had crank position sensors fail when hot.

if you ask at the Forester forum and over at subaruoutback.org , maybe someone has tried them, but, as you say, they seem new-ish. looks like there's a $70 rebate on any set of Continentals right now.

any oil on the plug wire boots? any differences in the weather conditions when it starts vs when it doesn't ? have you tried starting it with etherstart/starting fluid? could it be flooded now? are the plugs wet with fuel? (if so, hold the gas pedal to the floor and crank , that's the ECU's 'clear flood' procedure) is the IACV hose disconnected from under the intake tubing?

no, those and any green disconnected wires are for diagnostic use only. leave disconnected for normal driving.

18 reviews at TireRack - all but one seem positive after quick glance. I THINK 2 subarus were wearing them.

many parts stores can test alternators/charging circuits. consider a used Subaru alternator from a junkyard - many rebuilts have a poor reputation. Or, locate a local rebuilder and have yours rebuilt.

it's cool, I could have waited longer before posting but his original post went several hours with no response at all, not common here. likely not agressive enough for regular off/soft road use, but the Pirelli Cinturato P7s on our OBW are great - helped get us home from CoSpgs in winter storm 'Ursa' , we were the pilot car leading almost a dozen others off a closed road between Capulin and Clayton NM. hope others reply

nvrmd

maybe you cracked the pump in the trans when you re-installed the engine? it happens frequently.

lock-unlock with the fob a coupla times. or, cycle the ignition on/off 3 times quickly

there may be part numbers or dimensions in this thread;http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/99-do-yourself-illustrated-guides/43428-diy-c-air-conditioning-leak-refrigerant-repair-5-less-15-minutes-less.html

yeah, I just eyeballed it, 1.8 or 2mm thick i think. Some size that required the minimal amount of stretching without being 'saggy' . so far so good. try to get some oil on your little finger to wipe on the new ring and gently wiggle/twist as you insert the hose adapter.

is the trans pan dented? sometimes, a fluid change or 2 or 3 and maybe use of Trans-X will help with delayed engagement and other issues. um - be sure to check trans fluid level while idling.

what do you feel? seat-of-pants vibration? steering wheel? brake pedal? any sound? are the pads wearing evenly - side to side and inner vs outer? same thickness and parallel? swap tire pairs front to back? I think I'd also check rear bushing on the lca - just not sure where else to look. maybe others will have an idea.

after you release the tensioner pin, wrench the crank thru 2 revolutions back to installation position, do a tooth count to confirm timing before the first start. Double check any fluids or connections removed before the installation process; coolant, fan connectors, hoses, etc.

miles on car? check inner tie rods for play. it's extremely rare for rotors to actually 'potato chip'/warp. Vibration or pulsing when braking is much more likely due to uneven pad deposits. This can occur under a couple of conditions; 1. slamming to a stop on hot brakes and holding them clamped at a long light or waiting for a train. etc. 2. Some folks will develop uneven deposits from weeks and weeks of very light brake use. Like lots of highway driving and very little and/or smooth 'drama-free' secondary road drive. one other uncommon thing is a car that sits in certain weather conditions unused for weeks/months at a time. Often, an easy fix if, find a LONG stop-free road and maintain 30-40mph while using your left foot to 'drag' the brakes. Enough to feel it. Do that for a coupla blocks - making SURE you can follow-up with a stop free half to 1 mile cool-down run. If the problem gets WORSE, you may have a bad spot (altered temper to the alloy) on a rotor. If it gets better, you may need to repeat the left foot drag, or investigate a more intense "bedding in" procedure. good reading here; http://stoptech.com/technical-support/technical-white-papers/-warped-brake-disc-and-other-myths

IIRC, any large arrows on the cam pulleys will likely be at a 45* angle when put in 'belt installation position' . you DO NOT want any of the shafts at TDC position.

maybe some of the media in the cat conv is loose and blocking exhaust? vacuum gauge testing might be good - might spot a sticking valve too??? sure the feeling of power loss isn't a sticking brake caliper or some other dirveline issue?

nvrmd