1 Lucky Texan

I did mine because one side had a crack about 40% of the way around the rubber, HOWEVER, both of them had very rough/crunchy feeling bearings. under 70K miles on my car (but almost all surface streets) nothing wrong with leaving them in if the bearings feel OK - but check them - easy enough to pull and swap during the procedure.

paging @GeneralDisorder he's in Portland - well,'A' portland - http://superiorsoobie.com/

automatic? you could try using the FWD fuse under the hood. check you manual for spare tire use. are all 4 tires the same? (model/brand and size?)

^^^ excellent post if it didn't stall before landing at some weird position, could have run oil-starved, or become over-heated.

does the exhaust smell sweet-ish? maple syrup or toasted marshmallows? could be coolant - don't trust the overflow bottle's level, check the radiator. that code is unfamiliar to me but doesn't seem trivial - hope I'm wrong, more experienced folks will respond I'm sure.

front struts for my WRX a few weeks ago - $67 each. group N mounts were more than 'stock' but, maybe $220 total? Outback stuff might not be much different? struts from Amazon, mounts from ebay - rented strut spring compressor from VatoZone - $Zero I'm slow at car work - still, only took about half a Saturday. and aftermarket KYB for soobs are 15% stiffer than NEW OEM - so, if you avoid jy struts, car will feel MUCH more 'planted'.

if all the bolts and clips are in place - don't worry about it, UNLESS you plan to actually be offroad a lot, then, GD's suggestion is the way to go.

WRX with an auto would be VERY uncommon. close to 'rare'.

you can search but, axles are a HUGE problem for people, the further you deviate from OEM/new, the more questionable/risky. worst is typical parts store rebuilds. new aftermarket is a coin toss (at present, good luck from new FEQ brand on my WRX) MANY people do great with used OEM from junkyards - might be a good idea to reboot the inner joint - about $20 r so and some time.

wow - didn't know that, cool!

most common issue as mentioned above, loose due to low torque when replaced after TB system service. known but less common is as said above also, it's a 2-piece pulley and the rubber between sections can degrade. either way, it should be addressed. new OEM are kinda pricey, consider a Perrin aftermarket lightweight pulley if yours is bad.

another concern based on your findings - suppose someone got confused draining/filling fluids and the diff is dry or ?????

try whacking the starter with a piece of 2x4 - if that reliably makes it start, worn contacts/plunger in the solenoid are suspect.

here, the a/c system leaks respond well to replacement of 2 o-rings at the compressor - easy. Some folks replace those 2, and the Schrader valves. Charge with the volume listed on the label underhood. I have had to do this too both my 03 and my 06 - holding charge well now. You CAN of course , make the repairs,evacuate (I rented a vac pump from a parts store) to both check for leaks and remove moisture, then charge. You can also charge with one can of refrigerant with a UV dye so future leaking is easier to locate. read here; http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/99-do-yourself-illustrated-guides/43428-diy-c-air-conditioning-leak-refrigerant-repair-5-less-15-minutes-less.html?highlight=diy+a%2Fc+valve+o-ring hopefully someone with more experience will respond and address your other question as well.

if it sucked in the coolant now, it may very well point to a problem with the heater core ,or one of its hose connections, allowing air into the system on cooling in the past.

watch coolant level in the RADIATOR while working on this problem - don't trust the level in the overflow bottle.

25 year-old thermostat might be getting sticky radiator might be partially clogged....who knows without testing/examination? start with the easy/cheap stuff and work your way up no streams of bubbles is a GOOD sign but, don't drive it when it's overheating - that's a recipe for destroying headgaskets for sure as a test, you can also run with the t'stat removed

test thermostat on stove top for smooth operation? does the 'smoke' smell sweet-ish, like coolant? you can have the cooling system pressure tested, that might show source of a leak.

details on car might help, model, miles, new to you, general condition, etc. did the vapor smell sweet - toasted marshmallow smell? have you checked coolant level in the radiator? did you install a new thermostat? it MUST be OEM-style;

suspect the radiator is clogged, or, almost seems like the tb is slipping on the water pump (weak tensioner?) or some other wp problem.

tires must be the same 'rolling diameter' - best interpreted as; the same brand/size and model. if the snow tires meet that criteria, they would not cause a problem (other than being a poor choice of tire in LA) . If the snow or any other tires are mixed sizes - that CAN cause a problem. was there any bucking or jerking during tight turns - like maneuvering in parking lots?

absolutely NO CHANCE timing is off 2-3 teeth? also, check that the IACV hose is connected under the intake tubing.

OK, put everything back together, make sure the battery has a strong charge, and crank using the 'clear flood' procedure. HOLDING (not pumping, not halfway, not lifting your foot during cranking....) the gas pedal flat to the floor while cranking signals the ECU to cut fuel. The car may need several revolutions to get the fuel out of the cylinders and re-wet the rings with oil - so, expect a loooong crank followed by some sputtering and then, hopefully, it will start.

any idea what happened to the trans? Did you have mixed tires or loose fluid?

that alt. probably had the Tribec's ECU controlling it's field - not sure, maybe GD can explain.