1 Lucky Texan

can you grind down the outside of the special socket enough to both fit and still work?

or, get a lower-miles 2.5 engine from a wreck (probably running OK when it crashed) and pull the heads - resurface and reinstall with multilayer steel/turbo gaskets - new timing belt system components, and drive for another 200K+ DOH! - beat by seconds!

check the new pump for cap/o-ring problem.

double check the oil pick-up - look here; http://photos.killerbmotorsport.com/GalleryThumbnails.aspx?gallery=244340 any chance PCV and breather hoses have been misrouted? I read one thread once where that messed with oil pressure readings.

any progress on this?

any progress on this?

any progress on this?

^^^ HAHAHAHA!!! uh, funny, but, really glad there were no injuries.

vacuum could also demonstrate there's still a leak that needs to be addressed - but, gg's experience is that, the majority of time, a vacuum session is unneeded. I suspect it may depend on factors like ;how long and how - 'severely' - the system may have been exposed to the atmosphere, catch it quickly and there' not much moisture inside. probably the older a system is, the more o-rings that may need to be addressed. Also, if the system has had to be re-charged multiple times, it may have a little more moisture in it, etc.

wait - is the trans a 5spd or automatic? NON-synthetic GL-5 for 5spd, Dex III as said for auto. , any GL-5 will work for rear diff, check the manual for viscosity. has the timing belt been changed? it should have been at 105K - maybe it has slipped and is causing the problem you have now?

lots of swap info at nasioc.com - you can make any project work with enough time and money. H6 , diesel, supercharger, etc. but, it could actually be easier - and maybe not much more expensive, to get 2 wrecked WRXes, one wrecked in the front, one wrecked in the rear, build one good car and sell any usable leftover parts. Or just carefully shop for a WRX that hasn't been abused.You get matching final drive ratios, a wiring harness that works with the ECU, dash and rest of the car, a transmission and drivetrain built for the power, less worn-out and fatigued rubber parts, the ability to tune the ECU for power, lots of aftermarket suspension and other go-fast bits. (I'd probably recommend an 06 or 07, but almost any of them are gonna be a much easier and maybe not much more expensive than the swap.)

I'm not certain, but that tensioner bracket 'may' have been superseded by a new design anyway - pretty sure it was on later WRX engines anyway. new bracket from an on-line dealer might be an option, check fredbeansparts.com , subarugenuineparts.com , etc.

sounds like your compressor is past any easy fixes - but there's still some good reading 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+compressor+o-rings+valve

i THINK rod knock would almost always be worse as you rev higher. anyone? but I don't want to think a new tensioner is bad letting the belt flop around. There is a video at youtube showing a guy using a screwdriver on the tensioner to smooth-out belt travel and stop a knocking sound. piston slap? seems unlikely but, maybe possible in a JDM ej25? like wtdash - I have read that, since Japanese drivers know that stringent emissions testing is likely gonna force them into a new car quickly, they tend to not do proper maintenance and many of those front clip motors are in bad shape. Not sure if it's a universal truth though. anyway, try to get pics of the problems you found if you still have pieces of the JDM motor and its cut wires and sealant smeared everywhere. just CYA.

well, non-functioning or intermittent fan could be the cause of overheating - particularly if the overheat events seemed limited to stops or very slow driving.

I grease those slots - some people have found some aftermarket pads that needed the pad backplate filed/ground a little on those ears - maybe flashing or paint causes them to stick a little. Doesn't seem like oversize ears would lead to a rattle....? whne you pulled the old pads out - were they evenly worn ; inside-to-outside pad, and 'toe-to-heel' on individual pads? just seems like your noise might be something like heat shield now - or unrelated to any recent service like the brakes. maybe check that a CV boot band hasn't come loose? Any chance a sway bay endlink is loose?

after which service did it begin?

NASIOC has such a list, but it may be highly Impreza-weighted.

hope you started daily PB Blaster use on the ball joint last week - that part won't be fun to change. Start putting penetrating oil on every bolt and nut today!

how old are the plugs?

same listed size but different brand is not good enough. Mother Subie wants same CIRCUMFERENCE within 1/4" . Now, many people feel the actual tolerance is a little greater than that but.....it just isn't worth testing the theory . get the tires right. Certainly do not expose any new trans to the same mixed tire set.

any chance the exhaust system took a hit? P0420 code can def be set if exh sys leaks.

got a helper? see if a squirting some starter fluid in the intake makes things worse (flooding?), better (fuel starved?) or about the same.(spark or timing?) scan for a 'pending' code.

disconnect the batt - hit the brake pedal, wait a few minutes and reconnect. Start without touching the gas pedal. maybe it learned some odd TPS position or ??????

there may be a big hose from the IACV that didn't get connected under the intake tubing.