1 Lucky Texan

some additional info - much of this is arguable, just what I take from what I've read; modern turbo cars do not have unusually high HG problems like the late 90s 2.5 NA engines. the late 90s 2.5 that do exhibit HG problems, IF properly rebuilt with mls-type gaskets, are 'likely' as reliable as any other used engine. WRXes are cheap-ish sporty cars, be VERY careful buying used as 'kids' have probably reamed-out many of them. At least pay to have the pipe dropped and the turbo inspected for shaft play. learn about the banjo bolt oil screen problem on some turbo cars 'most' people would say the cars ARE very easy DIY vehicles. other than sparkplugs on H6es and some parts under turbo piping, access is good to excellent. tuning the ECU and go-fast bits are both easier to find for the turbo cars. the Forester is a frequently overlooked platform and would make a great 'sleeper'.

supercharging the H6 has been done - see user cardoc postings at subaruoutback.org (but I think boost was only about 1/3 the turbo imprezas) but really, unless you want a HUGE project, just get an STI or WRX to begin with. I LOVE my 06 WRX Wagon. what kind of motorsports are you interested in? if you want an eighth or quater-miler, Subaru is not a great choice - start with a Mustang or similar. but, if you are interested in a road course, or autoX or rallyX, get a WRX or STI. 3142plateless by alckytxn, on Flickr

does this car have a brake light on the hatch? maybe the wires in the rubber channel to thatch are worn-thru and shorting? also, I once had a car that had those 1157 bulbs with dual filaments and a filament sagged and touched to other filament leading to some odd electrical issues.

yeah, I figured. I do some easy, medium wrenching but have never seen what a clutch/pressure plate system looks like IRL. I expect to have poor clutch lifespan as the car rarely sees the highway and , although I try to be careful, I probably don't have the best shifting habits. thanx guys

best to find yourself safe 'skid pads' (asphalt, concrete, gravel,dirt) and practice first - try to feel and listen what the car is like before things get squirrelly. Sometimes the front will plow before you fishtail - etc. If you ever switch tire model, do the tests again.

you can make the car more fun to throw around the corner. And reducing mass will give it a little more pep. lighter rims, maybe a lightweight crank pulley. If 5spd, a lighter flywheel. Never haul around tools or heavy gear. If you will always be near home - consider leaving the spare and jack where a friend could bring them to you. If you literally never have passengers, remove the seats. suspension and brake upgrades are common - try a search here, at subaruoutback.org and maybe NASIOC boxer4racing.com and others have bits to help with suspension and similar mods.

Our 03 has it next to the battery like that. It has the weather [ackage but I'm not certain about towing package. We have no hitch. I wouldn't change it unless the case got opened or maybe someone used an incorrect fluid or similar major issue. supposedly, that filter (which is very different from an oil filter BTW) was added by JATCO or whoever to clean-out any debris after original assembly.

Fair - no way a car this old would have the brake lights in the inhibitor circuitry right?

I was just wondering if it's reasonable to expect the fluid reservoir for the clutch on my 06 WRX might actually be 'synchronized' with clutch wear? It seems to be about halfway between max and min. Or, is there an inspection port for looking at clutch material?

2.5 liter? 105K miles OR 105 MONTHS, whichever comes first. belts are tough - an idler will seize or dump its bearings before the belt breaks. then you have bent valves. get the TB area serviced soon, new idlers, tensioner probably waterpump and maybe cam/crank seals. Consider having the oil pump backing plate resealed.

many items of an upgraded suspension will add NVH. The endlinks have bushings so, not really a big deal. You could just run what you have until one breaks, then get some kartboy or Whiteline w'ever endlinks. My kartboy links made no difference I could detect in noise. But I had some prothane rear transverse link bushings on the wife's Outback and they were VERY noisy - got them changed out for Febest rubber units now. So, it kinda depends on where and what is being swapped out. just wondering if they were in with the swaybar deal or not. something to keep an eye on too.

definitely check spark plug tubes for oil.

if you don't already have up-sized rims, you 'might' need to also consider the cost of new rims to clear those calipers. I don't know if you will also need new brackets? swaybar deal seems legit. do you get metal endlinks with it? Old resin endlinks might not survive the extra strain for long.

try a search. I had to replace o-rings on both my soobs. now the PS is as [Foghorn Leghorn] "quiet as a caterpillar walking across a moss bed in tennis shoes - SNEAKERS that is!" [/Foghorn Leghorn]

look in the power steering reservoir for bubbles. do you hear it inside the car? overcharged a/c can make a weird noise - sometimes described as 'hooting'.

I have learned a LOT from the Forums.

I have some pics with rough measurements of free length and top and bottom diameter measurements of my 06 WRX WAGON OEM springs if that would help. pm me with an e-addy that can receive large-ish pics (2.5M each) otherwise I cannot answer the question. maybe that suspension thread at NASIOC has some guidance.

it's your call - if you have fairly low miles on a trans that is known to you and hasn't been neglected - changing the center diff is probably a good choice. but a high-mileage trans....well, you might consider a lower miles unit from a wreck and swap it in. Maybe someone will reply who has been in your situation.

OK, but what if your struts were worn-out back at 75K? just saying, for the labor/hassle, I think a lot of people would go with new KYBs. But, I can understand wanting to save the money. . . . . . . . . . I also have regretted saving money.

I think 60K is a lot of miles on stock struts. They probably have 'some' life left. May depend on what type of miles though. I had a rear strut leaking on our Outback at about 63K miles (well, that was about when it was discovered....) I change all 4 struts and, while perhaps not 'worn out' the other 3 were noticeably weak compared to the new struts. But, her car gets 95% side street use. Highway miles are different, I'd think dirt/gravel would be the worst. just a single observation.

are all 4 tires the same brand/model/size ? Likely center diff - particularly if this is a manual transmission. HOWEVER - torque bind is almost always felt as a jerkiness or 'holding back' when turning in tight circles. What you describe, if it's noise only, could be something else. A bad front CV joint or possibly a bad driveshaft component (u-joint or carrier bearing.) Try to make arrangements with a good mechanic familiar with Subarus and demonstrate the problem for him.

this will probably be annoying but, 'just to be clear' you shold NOT use the triangle/arrow on the front of the crank sprocket. Only use the dash on the tab at the back of that sprocket (arrow will at about 3 O'clock position) do a tooth count

hand crank the cams and sprocket to their marks, do a tooth count. are you moving the intake over? maybe some IAC problem? can you scan for codes?