1 Lucky Texan

there are factors that will alter different folks experience of course. Just saying that clicking when turning is not an indicator of immediate failure. Outer joint with split boot off road is gonna have a much lower lifespan than a highway cruiser with a split inner boot. I have know one person that broke a half-axle. It was a Honda (FWD) and he was trying to leave from a stop light, the axle broke, and his car just sat there making some odd noises. Our cars should still move at least. Zero failures is the goal, but as failures go, even a broken axle may not be all that bad. I'd rather have happen on my 03 H6 than the fuel pump cap/o-ring failure for example. just save your money and get it fixed. maybe before Thanksgiving OK? No need to park the car and get a second job to pay off an emergency loan if you hear some clicking today.

my experience is mostly with Honda axles. If they click only when turning, keep driving. when they START clicking going straight - save up for the axle and change it. You can drive for MONTHS on clicking axles. No one can say precisely when one will break.

will the car jump start? also, if this car has seen a lot of starts/stops in it's life, the starter could need solenoid contacts - easy rebuild.

as mentioned above, the gas is inside typical struts just to keep foaming under control - maybe to help limit pulling in moist air too? Typical car struts aren't made to operate lying down or upside down and, like mentioned above, you are instructed to cycle them before installation help move the oil back to where it belongs after shipping.

nvrmd

unlikely the final drives are the same (unless internal parts were changed) unless the rear diff was swapped-over from the same car. So, the car has probably been operating under some degree of TB since the swap, and the center diff is now bad. I could be wrong - but that issue needs to be double-checked or you risk performing a repair that will not last.

um - can you tell us to what fuse you are referring? In a 5 spd manual, there is no control over the center diff short of removing mechanical parts. And, in the pre-2004 or so autos I KNOW, the fuse is INSTALLED in a FWD slot - not 'removed'. I THINK the same might be true for later 4EATs and the 5EATs but - I have no direct experience with them. so, w'ever fuse you are handling, it is unrelated to your 5 spd manual transmission's AWD/FWD operation.

wow - broken ring lands? oil definitely reduces the octane of fuel so, pinging makes sense with the blow-by pushing oil thru. what a mess

Foresters got a timing chain in 2011. In general, the older a car is, the less important it's 'model reliability' is, and the more important its prior care and current condition becomes. shop carefully and pay a good mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection.

if the car is new to you guys, maybe the prev. owner swapped trans or rear diff and they are different final drive ratios.

I suppose this could be a front diff issue. also, has the car ever had a rear diff swap?

When I replaced the struts on my wife's car, It was the first time I handled items like that. The gas that is in them is a very minor amount of pressure and the rods of the un-assembled struts are easily pushed down by hand. Of course, the oil is resisting that too, but the gas pressure is minimal compared to those springs - like 1:300 ratio.

can you turn tight circles on dry pavement without jerkiness/bucking or giving the car a lot of gas? Are all the tires the same brand/model/size? you may need to have a mechanic take a look at the vehicle. Seems like more than one problem.

I'd say there's no reason the sides shouldn't be mirror images of each other so, there is something bent/broken/worn causing the issue, or an incorrect part might have been used for some past repair.

sounds like a plan. BTW - a car t'stat can be tested on the stove top, should open at around 175 degrees (just before boiling) close again when it cools. I even test them before I install a new one. NOTE! if you test an old one, make certain the pot/pan you use is THOROUGHLY washed. Ethylene Glycol coolants are toxic. Never even taste it and if it's left out, pets and even children can be attracted to it because it has a sweet smell/taste. no exaggeration - sever kidney damage.

first - I have no connection with the dealership in Oneonta - but it seems they have some good reviews. That's all. glad they seemed helpful on the phone. The nose-up 'burping' has been done a lot on older soobs, may be less necessary on newer ones. Still, many cars (some Toyotas and Hondas I know of) require special coolant fill procedures like filling the block first or opening an air-bleed near the top of the block. Subarus are not unique to this. I'm no expert, but the basics of the 'typical' headgasket failures in Subarus are mostly of 2 types - external 'weeping'/dripping of withe coolant or oil or both. Just drops on the plastic undercover or ground and sometimes blown back onto exhaust and undercarriage by airflow. Easy to keep up with if you diligently check fluid levels. Then there is the type with symptoms closer to what you experience, that is very high combustion pressure push past the HG into the much lower pressure of the cooling jacket. Those gasses begin to expand immediately and can push fluid/bubbles into the overflow bottle past even a good radiator cap. usually no white smoke, usually no 'chocolate mousse' in the oil. Just fuel/combustion gasses in the coolant. yes. there can be other type of failure, just that for Soobs, they are less common. Because of the origin of the pressure and the direction of flow, it is EXTREMELY unlikely any product added to the coolant can help with the last type of failure listed above. I would say less than 1% chance of success. There is also a risk of clogging the radiator or other deleterious effects. If you had white smoke out the tailpipe - maybe it would help. I don't know though. Foe external weeping as described above, there is a Subaru Coolant Conditioner. It seems to be product similar to that thermaguard and other cooling system "leak-stops". One other point I don't recall (sorry if it was mentioned already) if your engine has been overheated severely, or maybe too many times, bearing damage could have occurred. If there is a good possibility of this, best approach may be swapping in a low miles used engine from a wreck. possibly about the same money as a rebuild or even cheaper.

sweet ride!

the bearings are not super cheap and if you have no tools or workspace, just get the pulleys. Everyone reports it will work fine. no reason you shouldn't inspect the tensioner since everything will be accessible. maybe wiggle it around and if there's much movement, just prepare your self to order one and change it in the future. But, as said above and from what I read, failure of the tensioner is rare.

how old are the plug wires? Is it worse on humid/wet mornings?

limp mode? My 06 WRX has done that twice due to spurious TGV codes. cleared the ECU and everything went back to normal. knock sensor bad? full of low octane fuel? carbon deposits in cylinders?

Just don't see a lot of wings on wagons. No question it has been done so, just a matter of finding a style you like - then finding a way to attach it without interfering with use of the hatch or creating a water leak. here's some links with a few pics and some info I guess; http://www.speedhunters.com/2008/09/event_gt_gt_hks_hiper_challenge_at_tsukuba_pt_1/ http://www.vividracing.com/catalog/dolphin-rear-wing-02on-subaru-wagon-wrx-p-445.html http://www.aliexpress.com/promotion/automobiles_subaru-wrx-rear-spoiler-promotion.html http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=569818 http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2381565

^^^ yep, plus, some people have used long/overnight coolant system pressurization to find leaking HGs. But, many times the HGs fail in odd ways, like exiting a highway, then, they seem to be OK at idle again. Seems weird that he recommended what he did - like he's ashamed of his work and/or trying to dodge getting back inside this engine. everyone makes mistakes - we make them where I work. But paying customers want a reasonable solution, not a dodge or run-around. you might consider also posting for a shop recommendation here; http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=16 and here; http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=26 hope it works out.

first, thank for your service to our country. (my father, grandfather and all 4 of my uncles served. i did not experience that honor) I did a brief google search around hankins and noticed the dealership in Oneonta (5 star?) seemed to have good reviews. I am very confused about your mechanic and have some concerns his headgasket job has failed. The air pocket/bubble we refer to is NOT the same as combustion products leaking into the coolant system ('blown headgasket). basically, it is a one-time procedure done during or immediately after re-filling the system. Either a special fill thru a temporarily removed hose end, or a 'burping' maneuver often done with the car's front wheels up on ramps or jackstands. He may have needed to have the heads resurfaced or, in some other manner, failed to get the HG job done correctly. But i think you may need to try to get your mechanic to stand by his work - unless you are getting bad 'vibes' from him and want to start over. Again, kinda hoping someone on out Forum has a shop suggestion. Your car may be able to get by fairly well in the summer without a t'stat - you may have lower gas mileage - but winter will be brutal. For you AND the car's engine and performance. You will get poor mileage amd maybe carbon deposits and perhaps stress the catalytic converter. He needs to stand by his work or offer a GOOD diagnosis that points to some unrelated new problem. Kudos on getting the timing belt done on time! I guess we have to assume he used a TRUE OEM-style t'stat and not some aftermarket 'listed' for the car; Our cars are picky about a handful of things; spark plugs and wires, some of the emissions sensors, and thermostats. And no drilling should be required. I have poor social skills, but I've had my best luck with approaches using the following general guidelines; when you discuss your car with your mechanic, try not to use the word 'you' too much. say "I feel the car still needs follow-up service." I need this car to be reliable and safe - i don't care about a slow drip or a tiny rattle or a little dent. I DO need to trust the car was repaired correctly." . Sometimes you have to use a line like; "If you were me, how would feel about this issue?" What should I do next to get my car repaired correctly?" bring up how much you've already paid and car isn't repaired. But, at some point, you may have to decide to write-off your relationship with this guy unless you want to go to small claims or other court. i doubt he wants to be in front of a judge next to a disabled vet! Still, I doubt anyone over the internet can help too much. We do best when people have car problems, not people problems. Even with car problems, it's difficult.

how many miles on the car? when was the timing belt last changed? ANY other issues with the car? any wrecks or repair work before this happened? could be 1 or 2 confusion factors here; if a new t'stat worked when tested on the bench, it should work in the car UNLESS a huge air bubble was somehow preventing coolant flow. A 'subaru expert' would know how to confirm there was no air in the system so......? is coolant being pushed into the overflow bottle? OUT of the overflow bottle? Does coolant pushed in to the overflow get pulled back into the radiator when the car cools? Can you rent or borrow a car for any urgent trips? Also, post a new thread asking for a shop recommendation near Hankins - I think your Subaru Expert has dropped the ball somewhat here.