Mr B

It's best if it needed . If you can cool efficent enough for power with a top mount then they can be best performance solution . Some people fit them at power level that pointless . Also have a lot of owners who don't want trim anything for front mount & keep car as stock as possible . Both solutions are best when used in right scenario .

they should be ones . Want know what size they are, standard or oversize ?? would need work out compression too as don't build an engine without doing so to a specific comp ratio goal . Price in set of rings at say £120 .

Top mount has 2 benefits. more direct better flowing pipe route less chance of damage from stones or parking nudges or grounding issue. Water spray can be useful & if have aftermarket ecu it maybe controlled on throttle rpm etc. You can get stand alone controllers which help make most of water spray system . we see a road car at 460ish hp on recored top mount with water spray and water injection and intake temp drops are excellent and heat soak minimal due to thermal solutions under the hood . Newage STI tmic can handle mid 400hp easily & custom cores with water injection 500hp, classics benefit from fmic more as design limitations make it hard work improving the tmic without big changes & bigger money than decent fmic . Thermal control under hood is important too so adding thermal barriers & improving airflow will reduce heatsoak for top mounts . Ice in the water spray bottle does wonders too & great for drag runs when setup with controller . Top mounts on sti newage tend be well underrated . turbo sunny had same issue but modern bar & plate max sized recored unit on those with water injection can do serious decent power and airflow on sunny core is awful compared to the impreza .

Quality top mounts can work fine and good choice in lot of instances balanced on power & usage & maintain standard characteristic/functions, another top option is chargecooler . no point having front mount if power & usage will be cooled enough buy a top mount implementation, top mounts work better than given credit & more so for uk climate .

legacy also but but get number off yours before buying one .

If just motor get motor but do check mech runs nicely & not worn & lubricate it a bit to give smoother operation & motor less load . Changing just motor is easier as can just remove 3 philips head nuts internally with decent philips bit in a bit ratchet spanner, remove 4 motor bolts & loosen other fixings so motor can be wiggled out, pulling whole lot means glass coming out .

* Trade plates only cover vehicle for no tax, it does not cover no MOT. Only way round no MOT is if use on road directly related to MOT issue, IE work related to repair, testing or a booked MOT itself . Reasonably easy for trade bend rules to work but it obviously would not be legal for example to drive a car hundreds of miles with bald tyres & no brakes just because you hang trade plates on it ;-) Trade plates have many myths ...

Trade plates don't cover no MOT, same laws on MOT as normal, ie driving to booked mot or related work . I always trailor non MOT unless very local & is indeed going to me for repairs or our MOT mans bay . Any cars we sell always have MOT and if not on first day advertised within 2 days, traders who let you test drive with no MOT are taking the p1ss on your licence .

Well a plus you got the cat :-) Could get garage give quote (add re mot & bit more just in case :-S ) and see if worth your hassle . If want easy route try eBay (buy it now) but don't give it away if rest of car VERY good/clean as these faults are super easy put right for diy enthusiast or someone in trade .

No if it the U frame it reasonably easy remove (12 bolts on frame itself) , some can be a right rusted mess. You can get aftermarket frame-brace all in one or hunt down A1 used preferably from jdm import if current one like a wet weekabix . Crossmember more awkward but it normally the U subframe rusts at front due to moisture trap issue . new part or labour on old one going add up along with other bits . Doubt she see more money at end of day with MOT but sale possibly quicker if did ! Some people actually remove the U frames (invalidates insurance though) .

You looking at new discs and pads plus calipers checked as expect pistons partially seized hence disc worn more one side. Rear suspension bushes cat refitted (hopefully you kept that :-/ ) Subframe all depends on how bad it is, if removed they can be blasted, cut & welded with new steel & coated with epoxy paint for better than new long term repair . hard say how much without looking ... If not doing work yourself garage bill for all of it going mount up a bit, Put it on here for your wanting price & on eBay for little more (not as auction as too many idiots). Will sell it easily if rest of car good as those failures easy & cheap for any DIY enthusiast ...

ej255 ej257 are same gasket sets icp do cometic kit, you can get a lot via blueprint which good stuff or oem . 150 to 250 should cover top end gasket required pending on whether get set or mix blueprint/OEM with specific brand HG . I get my parts varying sources, local main dealer, local blueprint stockist & online blueprint/OEM part sellers when prices super low, Got a lot of bits off eBay too when factors shifting excess stock, use ICP at times also, cosworth HG are good, cometic newer HG are better than older design. OEM gaskets for things such as rocker covers, valve stems, crank/cam seals etc are hard beat & hassle free (Nok are oem for lot of seals so can source from many places), we tend use oem & blueprint mainly & cosworth or cometic HG, Blueprint VR or OEM HG in more run of mill repairs . Check out you bores well for ovaling & piston skirt & ringlands for issues, we like CP pistons for higher power mainly street use and they affordable option when standard ring/pistons shot . Just nail down some part numbers & hunt prices, if you got family in trade then blueprint and cometic should be good prices via local motor-factors possibly.

Sounds likely just generals deposits built up as description doesn't sound overly worrying. Who knows when coolant last done or what junk been in it, leak inhibitors inc subaru's magic one makes right mess in expansion tanks over time . Good flush, expansion bottle clean & refill with good coolant should do job . Do check for leaks after as things like waterpump if old can start leaking after a proper flush, also if leak additive been in it the cause may not of been resolved so keep eye on things for few days ...

Debris scoring mixed with lucubration issues (oil gallery head restrictor partially block or contaminated oil) & excessive head heat probably. Once get some scoring & deforming in the cam journal bearing well the cam journal starts drag & wear rate increases drastically, Excessive head heat softens the alloy, also reduces clearances worsening journal drag . Line honing the head bearing bores works well when damage not to deep, is possible polish cam journals if not too bad but for best assembled clearance new cams & lining honing or just polishing head bearing wells works best & is not silly money either . If heads test good in all other ways it works out better do mirror finish skim & rework cam bearings & valves so better spec than new or used (Do need good reputable or proven machine shop for the work as lot of your run of mill engine machine shops are simply not good enough in surface tolerances & finish) If scoring real deep, head got cracks or been skimmed to limits already then it time junk it .

Blueprint is best option . 22056-AA091 = ADS77210 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sensor-Camshaft-Position-ADS77210-Blue-Print-22056-AA091-/232026129282 22056AA062 22056AA063 = ADS77204 (few others do this one - Intermotor 19214 less than £50 . Jakoparts J5637000 ) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLUE-PRINT-Sensor-camshaft-position-Fits-SUBARU-LEGACY-IMPREZA-FORESTER-ADS77204-/191776791695 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-INTERMOTOR-FRONT-CAMSHAFT-POSITION-SENSOR-19214-/391217652128

You can do 2 things with score marks in cap & head bearing wells. 1. if not deep can be polished out . 2. if deep, head cap face is machined down a fraction making hole fraction smaller & then it line bored & polished . Lot of machine-shops will say can't be done but it because they can't do it, not got the kit or experience. You need a proper machine-shop do this work and fussy one too (not many PROPER ones about) If cams scored get new . Have done this on couple builds we done & finish & spec spot on but does need expert & fussy machinist for proper worthy end result . Cam journal load is minimal compared to say crank so it easier rework & tolerances although important have more scope . With cams like that I think you will need crank bearings for sure, we can normally judge by pre strip oil pressure, stethoscope check, oil condition, head gasket leak internal/external & condition of bores/head & cam journals how good bottom end going be ...

Bearings normally damaged if water in oil & been like it long time. Would take hell of a lot of water in cylinder overload bearings due to hydraulics (water injection for example doesn't kill bearings) & you would bend rods too. Do any cylinders show signs of water ingress ( look nice & clean) As situation unknown and seller obviously sold knowing had issues & been too tight nip it in bud it needs strip down & full check, Rebuild with new waterpump cambelt etc, oilpump seals and shells if needed, check pistons well & bore spec too . If rest of car A1 then probably will work out good in long run, more an issue with seller really, subaru boxers are pretty solid for ragging they get .

Check engine light covers huge range of engine related sensors, exhaust, ignition etc . Ideally want get a scan tool on it to read the codes, would be worth you either buying a basic obd2 scantool or using the freessm software and a obd2 vag cable off ebay or if have android phone use torque app & a bluetooth obd2 mudule. All is cheap and worth learning , quite bit info on here in some threads if search about .

yeh T5 is 5mm & T10 is 10mm Blue looks nice, smart but subtle, is dimming range working on them sensibly .

Probably one of the front sensors, cables tend fail due to movement/steering over time . Worth visually check all the sensor wires & cleaning connector plugs with elec contact cleaner spray, also check the toothed ring on hub as if heavily corroded & full of crud it can effect sensor reading. Sensors easy fit, nothing complicated, they not cheap though, around £100 region for new pattern part .

like the roof-rack, that turned out good. I done strut spacers a few times, works quite well, rear ideally needs camber offset built in the spacer or get some camber bolts for the upper strut to hub hole.. Looks like a nice versatile this foretza :-)

Have a look in the subaru forester service manual, that ecu not not uncommon & shared with impreza too . Clear image of the ecu & the connector port may help supply a matching pinout diagram .

It's ugly but a good ride . Would of sold well if got styling better, the Oz facelift version is quite nice and they were in the c5 and qashqai market before ever realising it . Missed potential until got round to the xv ...

Rear can be slow going & not pretty work when everything seriously corroded solid, long hub bolt to lateral links being common rear annoyance . On the plus side, front is dead easy in comparison, normally no heavy corrosion on fittings unless real unlucky ...