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If so, how did the tune work out (I'm considering stage 1, as stage 2 requires an exhaust pipe/cat converter swap that will void the XT's engine warranty.).
REPLACEMENT Radiator - Aluminum Core, Plastic Endtanks
or
CSF Radiator
From Car Parts Wholesale.com, unless someone has a better alternative source.
I was wondering if anyone else has had this happen. Yesterday was pouring rain, but I do not remember what the weather was like the first time it happened 5 months ago. I am nervous because in 2 weeks my daughter is supposed to take this vehicle back to school.
Any help would be appreciated.
Being somewhat cheap (and handy..), I cleaned the wire and the socket well, and put it back together. A year later it is still holding up, but I should go ahead and replace it before it fails again.
Follow the advice above.
In order of least expense, try spark plugs, then spark plug wires, then the ignition coil.
For fuel supply swap out the fuel filter.
Those are the cheap fixes that you can do yourself. At 125k it's not a bad time to change all the wear items anyway.
The car was part of a Subaru recall for some valve in the gas tank and I had that done in October. I don't know if that has anything to do with the problem but since it misfired once at the end of August,I would think not.
Of course, I can not do any of these things myself since I know very little about cars. I do however have mechanics that I trust.
I had a '93 Miata that ate spark plug wires every 30k miles.
In your car, I would have been on my FIFTH set!
Anyway, for those who wonder, I've learned using an ECU curve remapping device in any capacity requires flashing the ECU EPROM.
Not doin' it - like my warranty.
Mine is maybe a little quieter when cold above 2k, but not much. Perhaps velocity and inertia keeps them riding more true? Usually mine goes quiet within 5 minutes - around the time the temp gauge nears the first notch on a cold morning. This might be earlier than some as my garage rarely dips below the freezing mark.
1) Did you check line pressure? If it is too low and the pressure switch on the R-D isn't working, you could be torturing a good pump.
2) Same with a bad expansion valve on the evaporator. It is supposed to only let enough liquid freon pass that the cabin heat can evaporate back into a gas. If it lets too much thru, liquid freon returns to the compressor. As a liquid cannot be compressed, it can stall the compressor.
3) Along these lines, there is also a temp switch somewhere that doesn't let the system run when the temp is below around 35 degrees or so for the same reason - you cannot evaporate the pressurized freon below that temp, and it will kill the compressor. Maybe that sensor is bad.
You really are going to need some professional diagnosis to be sure what to go after.
The car is my wifes daily driver so I don't drive it much. I asked her about a squeal but she said she cannot recall hearing anything. I guess I'll keep plugging away.
Again, thanks for the input.
Thanks for the reply and opinion. I'm about 99% sure I do have a real problem developing. No way a new tranny should completely yellow it's juice (not a hint of red left) by 15K miles, and this one did. The shock shift first showed up, occasionally, by 10K, just something funky going on. Didn't expect this on my first brand new subie, my old auto 92 Loyale did 150K with no real issues, other than always rotten brakes.
I've been defrauded (or gross incompetenced) by my dealers shop on another car this last year, so I'm reluctant to go back there. (One strike and your out when it's as ridiculous as the issue was.) I'll give my closer local subie dealer a shot at it, I'm at 4/24 on the 5/60, so it should work out OK.
I love this 06 Forester, other than a few P0420 codes and this tranny issue it's a great car, and I don't think the tranny is a common issue from what I've read. Thanks again, keep up the good work! (I love that rainy day advice, gotta fight fire with fire)
One problem with changing tranny fluid is that you actually only drain out about 1/3 or so of the total contents. By contrast, you get better than 90% with an engine oil change. So the 4 quarts of red stuff that you put in mixes with brown, and looks yellow at time zero. There are three approaches to improving this:
1) Repetitive changes with a 2 mile drive between each drain. 3 such cycles gets you something like 90% new fluid, plus the continued loosening of crud.
2) A two man operation in which one pours in fresh while a second person monitors how much and what color pumps out thru the removed cooler line with the engine running (very risky unless you know what you are doing!)
3) A fluid flush/exchange machine. Until recently, SOA wasn't keen on tranny or coolant exchange machines because of the risk of contaminating with different types of fluids from other cars. Valid concern!
You might want to tell us where you are. Maybe one of the members of this board could make a recommendation on a competent dealer.
A side note. With 313,226 miles, some of my accessory switch are acting up. On cold morning cruise will not engage properly. I can not bring up my trip odometer, all I see is the lifetime mileage. The rear hatch light does not illuminate from time to time with the hatch open.
Just some things you run into at this mileage level.
Knowing that 'rattling' is possible, the lower skirt is coated in teflon. For a while, SOA was replacing very noisy pistons if they exceeded a certain criteria. Some people were present when this was done and reported that there was little or no scuffing on either the bore or the skirt. The conclusion was that it was annoying but just noise. Supposedly, SOA eventually stopped replacing pistons as it really did little good and could not be shown to be a long term problem.
You hear of Subaru engines leaking fluids, but its rare to hear of one burning oil or with a ring failure.
Again, this is what I have heard - I haven't seen one apart.
I will add that I changed to Mobil 1 and *think* it makes less noise. Maybe that's just wishful thinking?
If your oil loss is still low, you may want to try going up a little bit in oil weight. An old mechanics trick. I believe Subies are 10w-30, so maybe try 10w-40. Who knows, it may buy you another 100K!
Ah, sensors and switches...what can I say there. Getting old like the rest of us.
You're not home free yet. The moon is 250,000 miles one way, so you've got some serious distance to go yet.
I hope to do as well as you have done mileage-wise. Being retired means less $$$ to spend on new cars. I'm just thankful that my '05 Forester is a h*ll of a lot cheaper to maintain than the Beemer 525i that it replaced.
I would entertain getting a new Forester if they had not changed the body style.
Small outside, easy to park, but now roomy inside as well.
I loved my 98, but my wife prefers the 09.
Sort of like the Goldilocks fable. "This bowl is too hot, that one is too cold, the third one is just right." And the "just right" old gen Forester is now the "too big" current Forester.
I was thinking that if the Outback also has the size-creep syndrome, I might check out the Outback as a suitable replacement for the '05 Forester when the time comes to burn up all my Subaru bucks.
the rear cargo area seems to have a smaller footprint
I don't think so - Car & Driver just did an 8 vehicle comparo, and the Forester fit the biggest sheet of plywood on its floor. That is with the seats folded, though.
Lemme see if cars101.com has the measurements - the cargo floor is definitely wider now...
2009+ is 42.2" wide between wheel wells, 35.5" long.
2008 had 37.5" wide, 31.5" long. Definitely smaller.
Maybe you saw the new one with the cargo cover hiding that, it's deceivingly roomy.
I took of the drivers fabric and tossed it into the washing machine. I could not fit it completely on the seat but it does not look bad.
I wish the fabric could be removed, washed and put back on.
Cheers!
Paul
In post 18544 I told about my radiator leaking. Well today, I was to tick marks for the red zone on my temperature gauge (314,002 miles).
Any suggestions on a replacement radiator? How about these:
REPLACEMENT Radiator - Aluminum Core, Plastic Endtanks
or
CSF Radiator
From Car Parts Wholesale.com, unless someone has a better alternative source.
In post 18544 I told about my radiator leaking. Well today, I was to tick marks for the red zone on my temperature gauge (314,002 miles).
Any suggestions on a replacement radiator? How about these:
REPLACEMENT Radiator - Aluminum Core, Plastic Endtanks
or
CSF Radiator
From Car Parts Wholesale.com, unless someone has a better alternative source.
As far as vendors go, I have used Rock Auto in the past and been very pleased with their service as well as the quality of the parts received.
How much trouble am I in since my temperature gauge came within one tick mark of the red zone?
Make sure it is well topped off, and check it again after the first cycle. Not sure if there is a bleed screw up top somewhere, or if the radiator cap is the high point on the Forester. Cycle the heater to get air out of the heater core. Watch the gauge carefully throughout for signs of trouble.
Oh, and good luck! Right now I'm hearing echos of "Houston, we have a problem" (OK, they had there's on the way to, you are on the way back from the moon...)
It may not show symptoms if there is no load on the tires.
The sound only happens for 1-2 min. then it stops and I never know when it'll happen. Can I nicely demand that they replace the bearings? This has been happening for over a year. It doesn't have the same sound as bad bearings, though I'm waiting for the constant sound when a bearing has gone bad. Then I can say for sure what it is.
It will be under powertrain warranty a while longer, at least.
The 2001-2008 body styles were iconic. Before 2009, I would have bought another Forester (if I was economically able). And that is big for me, I have never bought a car from the same manufacturer. My wife on the other hand, owns her third Camry.
Maybe the 2012 model year will be different. But that would mean stopping at 314,254+ miles on this one and that would be hard for a mileage addict like myself.
Let me tell you about the last two items.
The floor area passenger seat rear had a hole the Fred Flintstone could use to get the car moving. While I was driving I could look down and see the road beneath my feet moving.
Now the windshield. It had cracks, but what really got me was when I took it to the car wash. Water came through and not a dribble but like someone had a water gun aimed at me. I might as well have had the windows down. I got drenched.
Since then, I have not owned a used/CPO vehicle.
But I've read that newer cars have more electronics and those electronics are more sensitive to flaky power. Some of the tech people around the forums recommend early replacement (4 or 5 years) just to avoid messing up expensive sensors.
You should get 5-8 years or so. Auto parts stores and dealers will perform free load tests if you ask.
The radiator has a crack in it, so last Tuesday, the 16th I ordered another one. In the mean time, I continue to drive. Six days ago the leak got worst on the way home from the office, I could only drive 3 miles before it started to over heat. I would stop, let it cool a bit and then put in some water/antifreeze. I did this all weekend. Monday when I went to pick my son up from school, I could not start the car. Even a boost would not help. Saw I replace the battery.
I figured age and the frequent starts without a chance to charge back up did it in. I think you need 15-20 minutes of runtime for the alternator to replace the energy lost each time you start your car.
Have you ever replaced the head gaskets? Wheel bearings?
One thing you might consider checking is the alternator, especially if it is original. They do have a life expectancy and the brushes wear down. Even if you do not opt for replacing it, you can overhaul it. The alternator on my Outback was getting weak by 150,000 miles and I finally replaced it shortly after the head gasket job, so somewhere between 192,000 and 200,000.
If you put a multimeter on the battery terminals, it should read about 12.6 volts with the car off and about 14.6 with the engine running. Alternatively, auto parts stores should be able to load test it while it is in the vehicle - I just had that done on my Escort at the local NAPA store earlier this week. I ended up reaplacing the alternator, which I installed Wednesday night.
At 282K miles the front driver/road side bearing was changed, at 311K miles the rear bearing on the same side was changed. There is commentary in previous posts about the bearings. But the others will be changed by the summer.
Your cap has two seals. The lower one keeps the system pressure at plus one atmosphere (14.6 lbs). When pressure reaches that, the spring lifts. The upper seal keeps the fluid from pouring out, and forces it thru the small hole into the overflow tank. I used to remove the lower seal - now all expanding coolant flows directly in the overflow bottle. As the system cools, it pulls it back out of the bottle and into the radiator.
Is it safe? Water boils at 212'F. Adding ethylene glycol (50%) raised the boiling point to about 235'F. Pressurization retards boiling to about 255'F. Net is that if your cooling system is healthy (good water pump, thermostat, etc.), you can get away with just the mix and no pressurization. I've driven around with my labtop OBD scan tool and monitored the temp sender (we engineers get our jollies in strange ways...), and indeed in normal use I never get over about 205'F.
Net is I wouldn't recommend it unless you are in desperate shape, but it is far better to run without pressurization than to let the coolant level drop and risk forming a steam pocket that could blow a head gasket.
Another thought - Did your alternator get a coolant bath when the radiator leaked? That could be related to your dead battery.