1 Lucky Texan

I would definitely inspect the bolt's magnet - it sits adjacent to the diff and actually is in a bad position to have 'chunks' from elsewhere in the trans. on it - there are internal bulkheads that make it difficult for mainshaft or driven gear pieces to get to it. Of course - more than 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon of 'sludge' could be a bad sign - as well as a metallic particle sheen to the fluid. if someone other than you has been maintaining the car - incorrect fluid may have been used in the trans in the past. normally it should be a non-synthetic GL-5. (other fluids known to work for people which may have some type of synthetic substance in them are Walmart synth-blend gear oil, and Redline Lightweight Shockproof, Motul 300 has a following but I know nothing about it.) Redline LW Shockproof quieted the front diff in our 03 H6 Outback a little. I have Amsoil Severe Gear in my WRX's trans at the moment. NO FLUID will repair something broken, but the right fluid can help the trans shift better and maybe last longer. Just based on what you've written, I might be tempted to run Redline LW or HW Shockproof while saving up for a used transmission swap. check LKQ or car-part.com

good info - kinda confusing for us that don't handle this stuff regularly. found a coupla pics - here's the '78' (11 mm?) are these the same size as marked?

it says; Subaru: 5 models, 178 variants between 2002 and 2006. OIL PUMP ASSEMBLY-ENGINE Part Number: 15010AA290 ; 15010AA260; 15010AA261; 15010AA262 so, I assume all non-turbo models in that range have those numbers stock and they are 7mm very interesting looks like the 10mm part number is; used in 7 models, 275 variants between 1991 and 2009. Part Number: 15010AA300 ; 15010AA103; 15010AA104; 15010AA105; 15010AA106; 15010AA107; 15010AA108; 15010AA109; 15010AA280

DOH! - of course - that would be under ecu control, I forgot.

in Slovakia - could this model be drive-by-wire?

GD - which cars have the 7mm pump and what is the number for the 10mm pump?

all I have for this are wild guesses; double check cam/crank timing? maybe skipped a tooth vacuum gauge testing night be a good, cheap place to start - online charts will show you what it can help diagnose. there's also a youtube video showing how to inspect for 'dropped' valve guides. they can even shift around leading to intermittent symptoms. take the oil fill cap off and feel for a pulse there when the sound happens. maybe something odd like a broken ring land causing too much crankcase pressure? otherwise???? something loose in side the cam cover? broken valve spring? hope someone else has some ideas for you.

just a thought but, in Colorado, I'd expect you could find a used trans with maybe half those miles.

did you take the pitch stop loose too? I have read of folks using ratchet straps or similar to pull the engine left or right a inch or so - but that may stress hoses too much?

I learn so much here.

someone used to advocate drilling them from the backside in increasing large diameter until the bolt came loose. Seems tricky to get a pilot drill centered but....? I haven't tried it. but yeah, you guys that deal with rust and road salts, ugh, I try to be sympathetic.

how many miles on this engine? might be better to do the work on a lower-miles junkyard enigine, then swap. particularly given the info above about oil pumps. Suppose your rod bearings are 'almost' done-in? You wouldn't want to put $2k into your engine and have a bearing fail in a few weeks. If you have a lot of miles and have had overheat incidents, could be risky to do all that work on the present engine.

oops, beat by the expert.

first, other than maybe headgaskets - any GOOD mechanic should have no trouble doing that work for likely hundreds less than, and as good as, a dealer. if you ask for a shop recommendation near your town in a new thread, someone may know a good Subaru-experienced mechanic. The HGs neead proper resurfacing on the heads and likely a multilayer steel gasket upgrade.

as just a DIY hack, I also kinda 'pick my battles' and have no qualms using cheap stuff if it will get the job done. But, if I decide I need a quality tool, I buy it with no hesitation - never regretted that decision yet. Even if I misjudge how often I use it, I figure a son-in-law will inherit it - or my kids will get a coupla bucks more at the estate sale lol!

name brand non-synth GL-5 should be fine. Also, the Subaru Extra-S or w'ever it's called now, should be available in quarts now. if you want a single fluid 'upgrade', these all have a following. Motul 300, Amsoil Severe gear or Redline Lightweight Shockproof. there's an inexpensive 'dark horse' contender that has a following - Walmart SuperTech synth-blend. just over $5 a quart too!

I'm no professional mechanic or machinist - but one mistake I see a lot is, folks not using a lubricant/coolant when they drill. GD, got a link to type burr you use?

I don't think the rear sensor is used for f:a adjustment until the canbus stuff came along - maybe 05-ish ? anyway, even if it's an exhaust leak or rodent-chewed wires, States/areas with emissions testing are not gonna let it slide.

I think I just estimated from an assortment I bought but, you might find a part number at www.opposedforces.com . my H6 took 1 but I think my WRX had 2 stacked.

yes, I had to swap o-rings on our 03 H6. and o-rings in the a/c . there's some things to check; rear bushings on lower control arms accessory belt idler and tensioner pulley bearings water in taillights mine's beginning to need inner tierods. pass side split inner cv boots (more damage from exhaust heat than the other side) keep the cooling system in top-notch condition. watch for drips at o'flow tube on nipple at rad neck - I clamped it with small zip-ties

cool! are there special filters for high volume fuel pumps? I never thought of that before. I bet those folks running E85 are pushing a lot of volume. anyway, sounds really interesting - wish I had the time/money to boost my WRX more. For some reason, I just destroyed my second gear - stock power and only 63K miles. I hope folks are doing 6spd STi trans swaps with all that new power.

some people's older soobs are rusting-out brake lines above the fuel tank. some are using the old lines to pull generic line thru and making flare (right?) connections to the good porting of the remaining lines. inspection as said above the first step of course - hoping it's an easier fix like a bad rubber line or piston seal.

a different approach than putting in billet al to make it semi-closed deck? http://www.cgperformance.com/subaru_block.htm

hey! GD! nice to hear from you!

did anyone use the car while you were gone? was it running well before you left? after you installed a new battery - it still didn't start until jumped from another vehicle? how many miles on the car?