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Comments
Got a question, how do I adjust the headlights on a 01' Legacy GT? The large bolt sticking out toward the bottom does the hight adjustment, but I see no adjuster for the side? There is something sticking out at the top toward the middle of the light housing but it has a palstic duda on it which just turns freely?
Thanks
Dash lights - consider yourself lucky that the bulbs have lasted this long. Yes, it's about one hours' worth of labor for a little bulb.
Colin - good luck. Maybe Ed from ISR will reply.
Dennis
Vince
Ross
Sorry to hear about the problems. Unfortuantely, I don't think I can be of much help. Just hoping you get this figured out as soon as possible.
Good luck,
Ken
Someone on the iClub confirmed that the heater lines do plumb right in the area I'm having a problem, so this evening I'll be taking a better look. My dad worked on the left side of the engine when we did the cams a year ago, and he remembers the hoses. But I'm not pulling the heads this time, so I hope after I pull away some plumbing up top it's easy to reach the leak and fix it.
I'll see if I can get my wife or any other helpers to take pics. Sorry, but once I get dirty I don't touch my digicam.
-Colin
There is a lot of pressure in the main line leading to the heater when the heat is off, but the pressure drops quite a bit as the flow rate picks up (ie, Bernoulli's principle). Leak rates are proportional to pressure, so you can use these principles to home in on the problem. If you think the heat setting has a direct effect on the leak rate, it would confirm your notion that it is a heater line. Can you tell if the coolant was leaking less when you switched the heat on?
Craig
Just refilling the radiator resulted in a pretty obvious leak, so I don't really think I need to test the car with the heater running to see it really spew-- it might be interesting but probably just make a bigger mess in the garage then I've already got.
The flush & fill was probably just coincidental timing for something that worked loose or wasn't properly secured after last year's work. It held through last winter but this year when I started using the heat again it sprang free.
-Colin
z
96 Legacy L wagon. Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks
Thanks,
Mike
The old rule of thumb was 1/2" (half inch) movement when pressing down at the midpoint of the longest distance between pulleys. More than 1/2" is too loose and less is too tight & bad for the bearings.
Jim
-mike
With the brake noise, we were able to find a single cause, so we were able to come up with something.
It's a bit different with the clutch shudder/chutter/judder. In looking at the complaints, we have found that there can be numerous causes. Some - characteristic, other's we were able to make a repair.
If you are having a problem, I can only suggest that you have a dealer take a look at it. Test drive with them to demonstrate what you mean and I'm sure that they can address it.
I have a hard time relating to it, because I have never experienced it. When repairs are done or if someone contacts us about a problem, we track it to try to find a common issue. When we do, we can issue a technical service bulletin, but we can't with what we have right now.
What year Subaru do you have? How many miles and when does it occur?
Patti
to those who do their own oil change, how do you maintain the warranty with subaru? And also any websites on how to DIY oil change for our cars? Thanks.
Just keep your receipts for oil and filters and you should be fine.
I know juice has lots of good photos on changing oil on our vehicles. It's super easy. You may also want to try doing a search over at i-club too.
Ken
a few questions;
any noises during this vibration?
what octane do you use?
does it do this in any weather, or only now during the winter?
how long has it been doing it?
have you taken it to a dealer yet?
-Colin
1. no noises during vibration
2. I use regular
3. It seems to have been doing it all along, but has become really annoying in the last few months. Weather here (MD)has been quite mild, not really winter yet.
4. I haven't taken it to a dealer yet.
Also: most noticable in the driver's seat. Less so in the back seats.
Joe
Thanks,
Patti
See if the service writer or manager wants to drive while you ride along to hear the sound.
-Colin
Thank you
Well, my tip for the week is to check your battery water levels! Mine died this past week after gross neglect. It's funny that while I spend much time obsessing over some stuff, I forget something as simple as this.
Any how, one cell was dry and is toast. Adding distilled water was too little, too late. I got 3.5 years out of it, which isn't too bad, but I bet it would have gone 5 years had I added distilled water with each oil change (I will now).
Side note: the 5 speeds get a measly 260 CCAs out of the stock battery. My replacement makes more than double. Don't get stuck in the cold with 260 CCAs and a low water level!
I could jump it, but the battery would not hold a charge so it was replaced.
-juice
-mike
anyway, I decided to stay home Wednesday and took a peek with a friend who was home too. after about 45 minutes of light disassembly and testing, we concluded with our inspection mirrors that it was probably a head gasket. :-(
the heater hoses looked fine and were reasonably dry, and coolant seemed to be seeping from between the block and the head, dripping from the rear edge of the head.
I called around and took it into a trusted local independent. they could still find something small, like a hose, but I did bring in a replacement set of head and intake manifold gaskets to be ready for the worst. and I remembered that a friend never bought me a replacement set of exhaust gaskets after I gave him my spares during his turbo kit install... punk.
Will update everyone later this week.
-Colin
We hoooked it up to a charger for 3 hours after adding distilled water, then tried a battery load tester. It would charge up close to full, but a single load test would kill it again.
So we knew the battery was bad. It was $30 at Wal Mart for 535 CCAs and a 2 year replacement warranty. Hardly worth mentioning, but I figured someone else could learn from my mistake.
Side note: my brother-in-law has the most awesome set of tools I've ever seen, and I mean that. Everything you can imagine. He even has air tools, with every attachment I've ever heard of.
He teaches shop at a school, and restores Corvettes and Firebirds. We hit a junk yard and I got a lit mirror for my Miata (from a Lumina of all things), plus a few odds and ends for his Trans Am. I drove the T/A and besides the wealth of low-end torque it's not the type of car I'd desire at all.
Not one '95 or newer Scooby in both of the junk yards we visited. Lots and lots of DSM cars for whatever reason.
-juice
What battery did you get? I'm also due for a replacement and have been shopping around. Seems like DieHards are quite popular and I'm wondering if the $80 for the Gold model is worth it.
BTW, real dumb question, but how do you check the water levels?
Ken
Bob
Regardless, a new battery is a pretty easy fix. What's the expected life of car batteries these days anyways?
-Brian
I got an "Ever Start" at Wal Mart for $30. I'm not familiar with the brand but didn't have the inclination to shop around in an unfamiliar town (I was in CT), and we were there anyway. It offer 535 CCAs, which is more than double the stocker, so that's fine with me.
Much easier starting now. I think the old one had deteriorated for a while and I didn't even noticed. Shame on me.
-juice
PS Ours are not sealed, you can and should check them
-Brian
Bob
Back in college (I'm saying that like it was a long time ago - only 6 years) I had a '87 Comanche. First thing I did when I bought it used was replace the battery with something like a 650 CCA model. I was one of the few on campus that could successfully start during the cold snap one winter. Sure it sounded like heck while the oil turned from clumps into liquid, but it started nonetheless.
-Brian
-mike
I may just change batteries anyway since it is over 3 years old. I wouldn't want to get stuck during ski season.
Ken
Sorry for bring this topic back up again. I've spent a significant amount of time looking through previous posts, on multiple boards, and each time I give up a little bit easier. So, until the search function turns up the posts I am looking for, I have a question that has been asked before.
I'm bringing my 2001 Outback in for an oil change. I asked the dealer what he could do to fix the early morning squeaking when backing out of the garage, and I was not offered the solution presented here. I mentioned that I recalled hearing of a shim kit that Subaru offered under warranty, but the person I was speaking with said he had heard nothing of this, and their fix was tightening 'something'. Is there a memo or any paperwork or part number that Subaru has for this problem/fix? Is there some way that I can steer this guy so that he can tell me if the shim kit is for me or not? Basically, how can he be informed (what should I tell him), if he is not already?
Thanks all...
Colin II
Len
Side note: according to the guide I used, the auto trannies had batteries with more CCAs. Not sure why, though.
Ken: remember, you can always push start your 5 speed. And my battery, though weak, had enough power to keep my radio station settings, stuff like that. So service it and you'll probably get another year or two out of it.
Len: CR said Sears changed suppliers, so the new Die Hard isn't made by the same folks that made the old one, apparently.
We cleaned the terminals and applied battery terminal spray, an insulating red layer of gunk that my brother-in-law had lying around. OCD is alive and well.
-juice
-juice
What's your goal with this? Are you under 5yrs/60k miles and trying to have something covered under factory powertrain warranty? If so, Patti might be able to help as she has helped many others.
-Colin
Thanks!
Patti
Either way, call the 800 number for starters.
-juice
Do you recall if you crossed high water close to the time it happened? Submerging a hot aluminum block in cold water would cause a sudden change in temperature and could at least in theory cause a cracked block, because the aluminum expands and contracts at a different rate than the steel cylinder liners.
-juice
I need to order oil filters and crush washers. Any advice as to who I should call? I would like to deal with a parts department who will be responsive, that I can speak to a person, and that they will ship in a reasonable amount of time. (I recall Juice had a problem with someone he used a while back, was it subaruparts.com?? Can't remember.)
Get this...I stopped by the dealership to ask how much an oil filter and crush washer would cost.
$5.98 + 0.85 for the crush washer!! I had to bite my tongue from not laughing out loud.