Mr B

Shut all the door/bonnet and let alarm finish squeeling if will ! If siren does stop try cycling alarm couple times via the remotes and see if works on them ! Also check battery voltage is over 12.4V Trouble with pin code is if someones changed it subaru recorded one won't work read manual for info on entering pin code as quite fussy on how done. easy enough reset pin or add remotes as long as got one remote that works alarm . M30.doc

Rusty rear flange on those cats are pretty much the norm. what we do is cut flange off and use a clamp pipe on remaining pipe tail or if good enough can weld on new flange . Seems it an XT you would be best getting mid and rear box made up by a local decent powerflow centre perhaps, they could design centre pipe slip right on cat remaining tail if rest of it good and solid and tweak cat shields to suite new joint . not great options for ones with same flange angle and most used not lot better or wise buy .

http://jdmfsm.info/Auto/Japan/Subaru/Forester/2004/

^ Good idea fully write current motor off first. You'll find one in UK if phone around specialist breakers, not overly cheap used unless get lucky in a local breakers first . If buy from USA, buy oem motor not the dorman brand parts as they junk ... Is couple subaru parts sellers on ebay so find and message them on motor pricing, also call importcarparts and see if they can do it and the cost . Not often for parts fails but unfortunately not super cheap when do . Seems able do labour yourself if you can get decent price new unit go for it as job jobbed and won't be revisiting it . good luck ...

motor is forester specific, to make it worse 05 onward is slightly different, whether can be retrofitted I don't know as never tried. We either source used from good breakers or specialist subaru breakers or get new, don't do many to be honest and part of reason no pattern parts cover it for europe . Worth a look on eBay for 02 to 05 foresters breaking .

Exact details of crank but no start will help diagnosis, example, if cranking and absolute no firing it probably sensor issue . checking spark on cop pack would be good . can't see it being something that going fix itself or type of fuel in use . If you can here fuel pump priming when key turned on then it should run few seconds or splutter on that line pressure even if pump didn't run when cranking so if no firing cop not getting signals as ecu probably getting poor data on a sensor. very common for specific temp condition trigger sensor component fault . You can review sensors using service manual data but better diagnosis needs oscilloscope and possibly fault be more persistent which could even give a fault code to help point probable area start checks .

Euro4 ecu needs SSM2 for best data reading and resetting, freessm (run on notebook) and obd cable with iso support will read most data. Later Euro 5/6 has extended OBD2 support which better and manual reset procedure for oil dilution reset .

^ Not really wanting put you off but just want you going into it eyes wide open and taking extra care on ones you view. Ignore anything traders/sellers tell you and use common sense and own suspicions and anything not perfect just move on. You need look and drive a few to actually gain knowledge base of good/bad right/faulty and judge value accurately . Extended test drive is a must on these, they need b road and traffic and bit of dual carriageway too, if can't get a days test it going be a case of long test drive and perhaps return next day for another drive and sealing the deal if all good. Other thing can do is get someone read the ecu data and see status of soot levels, regen count and oil dilution as this can show possible ongoing problems . Your annual mileage makes it worth a go, people under 18Kmls a year are better off with a petrol as cheaper in long term.

I'm just giving you the reality, if you get a bad one it will be ballache and serious big bills, Subaru themselves don't want admit any issues thus help you get is limited and not warranty covered unless get lucky . I got a lot of customers who keen on the diesel, I won't buy them for customer resale as simply don't want hassle and bad rep that they could give, we currently have one for personal use and loan car basically for our own personal learning . It a 50/50 gamble on the pre 2014 stuff and even the post 2014 not proven itself fully . It is a complex diesel and boxer layout makes it more complex plus subaru had no diesel background work from so it a lot of high tech and tricky emission control in a short learning curve :-/

Sounds good To be honest I wouldn't do too much to it, subtle changes to rollbars & custom springs can improve handling if mainly used on A roads & motorways. Custom exhaust helps a lot on turbos, remap with slight boost increase would give good gain of power, brake upgrade and good tyres important before more hp. Be sure service well with frequent engine oil and coolant flushes using quality products, the 2.5 head gaskets will thank you for that. Great practical and fun cars when take time find a proper clean one, facelift looks okay :-/ i'm more of a SF forester fan but like you say beauty is in eye of beholder . Keep enjoying it ...

old id gold, I would buy pre dpf diesel. Not a lot of benefit in going newer diesels and anything under 2014 is risky era on the boxer diesel . They super pricey when get problems, your sort of mileage would probably be good to dpf but software issues with injector relearning and some component issues makes them a bit of a gamble . You could be good for few years and really enjoy it or end up with 500 and £1000 bill after bill within first year if unlucky. Would have buy very wisely, do huge amount of research from previous dealers that handled the car, very thorough extended test drive and not go too cheap or will be buying problems for sure . I've had a few in and early heater plug issue not biggest concern as fixable, dpf, injector learning and awful dmf clutches are the other problems, clutch expensive but resolvable, dpf and injector learning issues not really got cures as so much of it linked to the software mapping and actual design of dpf which can't legally remove unfortunately .

2012 still iffy, injector learning and dpf issues still persist, issue as well is a lot of subaru specialist don't have answers for lot of the issues (myself included) . I wouldn't waste my money on any modern dpf diesel, dpf is ridiculous waste of resources and reduces engine efficiency & in long term makes it use more fuel , It all a con for emission figures and nothing else unfortunately and one that if look into through an engineers perspective actually is far worse for planets pollution situation :-/

Bit pricey for just just basic clutch job. They not hard or over time consuming to do and clutch kit not overly costly either, ideally want flywheel skimmed as new clutch on old flywheel waste of time really, sure you can get away with it when condition fair but it bad practice and can end up twice the bills .... I would say 400-480 about right cost with skimmed old fly and all parts required, get good clutch like luk or exedy .

unfortunately not, is easy diy one though, just couple alloy flat bar strips off the number plate holes to a 25x50mm or 75mm alloy angle cut to required length for spotlight spacing. Alloy bar easily shaped for nice contour and can go to back of angle keeping joints neat, less than £20 in materials inc stainless m6 bolts/nuts/washers . You then feed a flat bar through the grill, can do one in centre as this lines up with bonnet latch support upright for easy attachment, can do 2 bars through grill but bit more work, 1 works fine and doubles as track for wiring .With fairly slim lights this keeps them flush to bumper so less prone to damage and vehicle length not increased . You can get some A-bars with spot mounts, iffy with insurance these days though .

^ rectangular like the Hellas ideally I think . Very easy make your own light bar, problem with ebay one is sticks outwards a lot as bumper already protrudes massively on the SG fozzy, can make simple one from some alloy flat bar and short length alloy angle plus some stainless bolts or rivets and fit similar by using number plate fixings but also have 2 flat bars go through grill to keep it firm, wiring can run under one of these bars (ebay one one just 2 plate fixings will flex a lot making lighting look flickery) . doing this means lights can mount above and flush to bumper . We done a couple and alloy bumper lipped skid pan to replace the plastic nappy :-) ...

If rollbar feels loose in the bar rubber D bushes get new pair. Febi Bilstein, Delphi or Firstline would be options . Firstline less half cost of our local factors on eBay, not used Firstline but at eBay price of around £8 a pair inc P&P hard beat (£18 at our factors :-O ) Do measure rollbar diameter to see size compatible ...

impreza subframes will fit ...

^ only if was liked to gearbox reverse switch and new oil helping movement/function of it !

The 255lph walbro does whine a bit, was old one same flow model ? Is a lot of china pumps out there .... The earlier sti (pre 2008) or wrx (2008-2009 wrx is same pump as earlier sti) is easy swap, we used them few times as easy find a few low mile pumps pulled purely for tuning and they cheap grade A quality pumps . I would imagine your issue was more than one fault, hopefully some of new parts have helped and bit of diagnosis can finish it off .

I would be inclined pick up a used oem sti/wrx pump and confirm the FPR is standard as your last attempt and tidy up before handing it to specialist . Just no need for a 255lph pump and you better off with oem match/quality . O2 readings etc should give someone idea/clues if fueling off, being intermittent stumble/miss possibly not but hopefully good visual inspection and diagnostics can pin something down . We got well over 20K in diagnostics kit, picoscope being one of our newer ones and it super useful, can pick out faulty commutator on a fuel pump motor for example in 5 minutes, intermittent stuff can still be pain but can't see it going be too much of a problem for Subaru specialist .

Using the new parts cannon technique is expensive ... Got be super fussy buying used turbo models, Subaru of this generation are above average in reliability so you guys been unlucky with what purchased . I wouldn't use a 255lph pump on it (assume running standard boost and map), ideally want pick up an sti or 2008-2009 wrx oem pump . We don't use walbro full stop, use denso mostly or bosch . You want get fuel pressure checked & see FPR (fuel Pressure regulator) is standard unit and working right. If has aftermarket FPR get an oem fitted . Ideally these faults needs diagnosis, we can run pressure guage in fuel line and also use an oscilloscope on pump power supply so can see pump operation and motor health etc . Can use oscilloscope on ignition too to rule out or pin down fault .

^ probably eBay but always worth getting price from local supplier before committing . personally I think Meyle drop links are better than the blueprint, can't go far wrong with blueprint stuff in general, ignition leads are junk though ;-) We find eBay prices can be better than what we get trade from local factors, so much so we got about 4K in common parts stocked now as makes prices better for customer plus jobs can be done quicker because stocked and using our preferred quality which generally fits far better as well as lasting like oem too .

Only brands we use are Blueprint or Meyle HD, we not had bother with either and price sensible too . Blueprint ADS78504 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anti-Roll-Bar-Link-fits-SUBARU-FORESTER-Front-Left-or-Right-2-0-2-5-2002-on-New-/232082360398? Meyle HD 34-160600003/HD http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MEYLE-Front-Right-Stabiliser-anti-roll-bar-DROP-LINK-ROD-No-34-16-060-0003-HD-/361074352328? l like the Meyle ( used these on few local farm foresters and they been going strong almost 3yrs), left and right are same part so no need worry handed )

All my parts drivers have wired call mic and speaker system and 90% of similar business use do too without major drama as being described, is it a distraction, yes, but so is so many other things. How many people actually pay actual full possible 100% attention/focus when driving. emergency services etc use radio communication while in some awkward driving situations without major drama. Used sensibly for audio communication it not a big problem, If think driving so difficult while talking to someone try manoeuvring a helicopter while talking to ground crew via headset ...

It the individual not the technology, people been using CB and radio equipment in vehicles for over 3 decades without massive drama. I can remember the huge mobile box heavy as a car battery we had back in 1990 and amount of people using CB. It no drama with common sense, unfortunately newer generation don't have common sense and also suffer an addiction to social network apps which are the big problem not a basic audio phone call .