1 Lucky Texan

if the valve heads were banging around in there - probably need some pistons

prices at Amazon will fluctuate - I sometimes use camelcamelcamel to set 'alerts' and it will also show the 'history' of prices. It won't work for items with low sales it seems. Beck-Arnley generally makes good stuff i think. prices at RockAuto seem to range from $29 to $45, you can almost always find a 5% off coupon for them, try to combine items from the same warehouse or shipping can be crazy. For first time users, Advance offers $40 coupons at their website I think?

you could ask in a new thread for an independent mechanic near your city - might save you several hundred dollars.

external leaking? If it's coolant - try using the Subaru Coolant Conditioner - use it only once and only per instructions on the bottle. people report reduced or cured external leaks. oil you may be able to live with if extra vigilant checking the dipstick. You are actually way overdue for the timing belt system to be serviced - it's 105 MONTHS if that occurs before 105K miles. many used cars would need a timing belt - or, the previous owners will claim they did it, and either they lie, or they did belt-only which is not a proper TB system servicing. has the transmission been serviced? the 4EAT is generally robust - many people have them last a VERY long time with just fluid changes and being diligent about same-size tires. 3 drain/fill/drive-a-little fluid change cycles on the trans gets about 85% new fluid if you DIY. if you DO replace the headgaskets, have the heads properly surfaced and strongly consider using multi layer steel gaskets. (turbo motor type) I'm no expert here - but I think the car could give you very good service for a while going forward. It will never be a new car, but it may not be the money pit some other used car would be.

check Amazon? maybe that Febest company offers them - they seem to have decent quality other parts.

^^^ what he said - newer cars climate systems will always use the a/c compressor/evaporator coil to help 'dehumidify' when defrost is selected.

seal looks cracked, but I was more concerned it may be very wobbly or even off-center. It's bearing was the worst one when I did my WRX TB - and there are on-line pics and experiences posted that indicate it is a real weak-spot. well, on the 2.5 DOHC anyway. anyway, hope you get it sorted-out.

does that system have a toothed idler? is it in good shape? sometimes things fail - maybe the tensioner is now bad or maybe a mount bolt has cracked???? have you done a tooth count?

dunno about any off-road comparisons, but you might take a look at Pirelli Cinturato . For cheaper/'value' tires, look at Kumho. tirerack has a tire selection guide that might be worth a look too. GG and other members here that experience snow should have good suggestions I'd think.

wheel bearing certainly possible and sometimes tricky to diagnose on Soobs - you could try to measure the temp at the hub with an infrared remote thermometer after a highway run, compare to the other side, if consistently 30-40-50 degs F hotter, suspect bearing (possibly dragging brake caliper too) getting the rear of the ground and feeling of the coil spring and/or using a mechanics stethoscope on the hub while turning the wheel by hand may reveal some roughness or vibration - compare to other side. Lift the wheel in the 6 oclock to 12 oclock direction - should be no movement - again, compare sides.

brake pedal switch ?

kinda wondering about a battery cable issue(corrosion can 'wick' down under the insulation). - though successful jump-starting seems to exonerate them? Still, measuring the voltage drop across the battery cable - or even feeling if it gets hot might be a good idea.

stock intake IS cold air - changes to it 'may' make more noise, but can also cause issues with the air intake sensor. exhaust 'may' get you a pony or 2, unlikely more than that, possible zero power increase - soobs breathe well from the factory, BUT a cheap way to get more sound is a muffler delete with a tip turn-down. check youtube for examples. rims are pricey, but you get to personalize the car and, if lighter, free-up some power for acceleration. perrin crank pulley is under $120 or so, much lighter than stock. Someday, the car will need a clutch - save your money for a little lighter flywheel. look for a local SCCA chapter, they run autox es in parking lots and you only run in your class against the clock - fun and not too expensive (gas, extra tire and brake wear) usually just have to volunteer to help run events. Sometimes you can get access to used parts from other enthusiasts and some help upgrading your car - in addition to increased driving skill.

CVT may be more easily damaged if ANY internal parts are still moving - so 'maybe?' the system purposely prevents shifting for a few xtra milliseconds?

might need to find stiffer springs - if original, your struts and springs are likely very tired - particularly on a postal vehicle. Brake upgrade might be worth investigating too. if you only have a short block - wonder how much you're gonna have to spend on heads and timing gear? seems like a very big project

pretend to shop for a car and test drive another one to confirm "they all do that" before a service writer tells you "they all do that"

but you CAN make it more fun to throw around corners - suspension and braking upgrades will do that. and shedding mass is good - lighter rims, lightweight crank pulley, lightweight flywheel - all helps it spin-up quicker and accelerate a little faster. take out the rear seat if you never have passengers, leave the spare tire and tools at home if you can always call for help. 11lbs mass = ~1 hp 4 pounds off rotating mass = ~ 1 hp, it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.

you might consider researching where the Subaru dealerships are along the route.

maybe double check air pressure in the spare. maybe double check lugnut torque clean the glass inside and out if really loaded with passengers and gear, boost tire pressure a coupla pounds - never above the max on the sidewall though. maybe blast all the dead bees out of the radiator. when was the cabin air filter checke last?

good news!

did Canada get those DR trans?

hmmm...if no luck , maybe check into planetary or portal hubs? probably $$$$$$$

some people have had bad u-joints mimic TB - but you'd expect to feel that with/without FWD fuse in place I guess? if there's any suspicion about final drives, you could put the FWD fuse in, go to a large flat parking lot, mark the tires with chalk at the bottom, then drive X number of rotations forward and have a helper pace you and you when to stop with a chalk mark on the bottom. Compare all 4 tires. Subaru want you to be within 1/4" in circumference so - 40 revolutions is 10" or less difference from any chalk mark to any other chalk mark? w'ever - you do the math lol!

if you took one of these on your trip - USE IT!

big hassle but 'free' to try - swap axles left to right. if the sound changes - likely a bad axle - if not, more likely the diff or trans or flexplate or ???? but, axles are more likely to click or thump I think.