Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
VISITING HOST
I am more the proactive type (well, at least not the "neglect it for 100K mile type") and would like to take his car in to have all the maintenance neglect taken care of before something worse happens. My question is: can anyone give me an idea of which services I should have done at this point? I'm scared that the automotive shop might try to take advantage of me considering the amount of disregard that has already gone into this car. What definitely needs to be done? What should be done if recommended? What should I not get done even if recommended?
Thanks in advance for all the input!
* gear oil or ATF
* rear diff fluid
* brake fluid
Then the spark plugs, plug wires, and maybe even the ignition coil if you have any misfires or codes.
Fuel filter, air filter, oil and filter, cabin filter, PCV valve.
Maybe even the 02 sensors.
You want to replace all the serviceable items, basically.
Also, check the CV boots for cracks/splits, inspect the tie rod ends and ball joints, and ensure the struts are in good working order (or replace them).
Oh, and if it is an automatic transmission, be sure to change out the front differential's gear oil as well.
Honestly, your fella's car likely isn't suffering much yet from all that neglect, so it's a good thing the car (and he) has someone like you looking out for it. :shades:
If you end up having a shop do all this, and they replace all those basic maintenance items, you could be in for upwards of $2,000 by the end of it. Were you doing it yourself, parts would be somewhere around what, about $600-700?
The first thing I noticed was a miss in the engine. Then the check engine light started flashing, then after a few minutes just stays on.
After talking to a Subaru mechanic I removed the timing belt and looked at the idlers and noticed the water pump leaks. The idlers look good, except the one with teeth on it. It feels dry. Water pump seems to turn fine, but will get replaced because it leaks. The belt was not loose.
What I am concerned about is I am not sure that is where the noise is coming from, in spite of what Subaru says. I can easily change all the idlers and water pump and belt, but that would be frustrating if the problem continues.
Any one ever run in to something weird like this? The clicking sounds like it is deep in the engine.
What the heck could it be? Broken piston? Something loose?
Any help would be appreciated
Piston slap requires a trained ear but the way to test for a loose wrist pin (the pin that attaches the piston to the connecting rod) is to pull off each plug wire with the engine idlling (using insulated pliers of course)..if the noise suddenly doubles in frequency (from "click" to "click-click") then that's a loose pin.
There is that clunking when I rev the engine from an idle. Any ideas on that?
Thanks for your reply.
Also, I once had a porsche 928 make a very ominous knocking sound and it turns out the AC compressor was loose!
Wrist pin noises are not too "heavy" a sound. If you are in the San Francisco area, I an send you to a great Subaru shop.
I am pretty sure the clicking is another problem of its own. Since the timing belt is off I took another look at the idlers. The one at the bottom with teeth definitely does not sound right. It turn just fine but sounds dry and I can barely hear a clicking noise. I wonder if putting a load on would make the clicking! Also the idler the tensioner pushes against does not sound right either. Any way I will change them all.
When I got the car about 80K ago it was leaking oil out of both cams and the front crank seal. So I took it all apart and discovered that at one time the pulley had come loose so some idiot drilled a hole through the timing belt pulley and crank and pressed in a pin. It took a grinder to get it off. I filled in the key area with JB weld and put it all back together ( using blue lock tight) and the problem has not reoccurred. The pulley is still quite tight.
When I put it back together I used idlers from Rock Auto. According to Subaru that is not a good idea. He said they often fail early. Maybe he is right.
replace motor with used motor: $4200
replace head gasket only: $3400
replace motor with reblt moto: $5500
I consulted another mechanic who has worked on the car before and he said he wouldn't touch it for any price because of high miles (over 250K) and his experiences of installing rebuilt motors only to have them blow again fairly quickly.
So given the cost of repairs, the value of the car at this point, and the cost of repairs, are we done with this vehicle?
Thanks for any insight that comes from more experience...
sam
I would think that at 250k miles it's probably tired, and just about every wear-and-tear item is worn out. I'm talking all the bushings, hoses, shocks, etc.
It may be time to retire her, unless she's in unusually good shape or you have other attachments to it for some reason (first new car?).
If you have a shop replace both gaskets, plus the timing belt, pulleys, water pump, and other misc. bits and pieces (drive belts, seals, etc), you should be looking at $2,200 to $2,400. Tops. The parts I listed might run up to $700 of that total.
But in ANY event---this whole decision depends on what the rest of the car is like. If you really haven't done much to it otherwise, it's probably time to let it go. At 250K, most cars are pretty worn out. yes, yes, people do drive them at 250K++ and brag about it, but a car like that can self-destruct at any moment with some large component catastrophe.
I agree though...putting in ANOTHER high mileage 2.5L engine that hasn't had head gasket replacements is just asking for trouble.
Now then...if....IF....you could find a low miles Subaru 2.5L engine (say 70K miles or so) and if....IF....you've done a lot of replacement work on your car, and if....IF...the body and interior are very nice.....then you might consider it.
I have noticed a vibration/shudder under low acceleration. This is mostly in the 30-40 mph and 1500-2000 rpm range. The entire car shakes (not the steering wheel).
From what I have found- it is the Torque Converter that needs to be replaced.: Thoughts?
---------------------
Tech bulletin 16-74-09.. seems to be a wider spread problem than I first thought with other Subie models involved. All done on my car and seems to be running great, so far.
5AT Torque Converter Shudder/Vibration. Bulletin Description: If you encounter a vehicle that has a shudder/vibration which could be felt in 3rd, 4th and 5th gear during slight acceleration, it may be caused by the transmission torque converter during lockup operation. A countermeasure was made to the final machining process of the sliding surface for the lock up clutch to provide more stabilization and eliminate the shudder/vibration.
----------------------
Around the same time I have noticed that the usually smooth-shifting H6 shifts harder and also feels like it is skipping a bit when accelerating on the highway. Kind of like it is chugging along. Good power still though. Would this be the torque converter too??
Thanks!
Aside from that, it sounds like your wiring is grounded somewhere (prior to the relay) and causing it to get power when it should not.
Oh, another option may be to pull the emergency brake one click. That should turn the DRLs off, as the car thinks it is parked. I use that trick on mine when I'm trying to be sneaky and don't want any vehicle lights.
I also own a 2006 Subaru Outback (has 70K) and have had no problems with it until about a week ago when it stalled out and now I have the "er HC" showing up on the odometer. I have tried to fix it with all the recommended ways but nothing seems to work and I am worried that my ECM is fried and I have to replace it (when I hook up an OBD2 I just get a connection error) Which would be no problem to find one in a junk yard for a cheap price, but when i called the dealership to see which models and years of subaru would work i was told the ECM is VIN specific and can't be reprogrammed once set. I was wondering if anyone had replaced the ECM in their vehicle with a used one, or if I do need to get a new one?
Any help would be great.
I also own a 2006 Subaru Outback (has 70K) and have had no problems with it until about a week ago when it stalled out and now I have the "er HC" showing up on the odometer. I have tried to fix it with all the recommended ways but nothing seems to work and I am worried that my ECM is fried and I have to replace it (when I hook up an OBD2 I just get a connection error) Which would be no problem to find one in a junk yard for a cheap price, but when i called the dealership to see which models and years of subaru would work i was told the ECM is VIN specific and can't be reprogrammed once set. I was wondering if anyone had replaced the ECM in their vehicle with a used one, or if I do need to get a new one?
Any help would be great.
I don't always pull the mats out when vacuuming it, but I did this time and noticed the deterioration on both top and underside. It still seems like a new car to me and didn't expect to see this.
I've had Subarus since 87 and have never had the factory floor mats show wear like this one even at 90K. Is this covered under the 3/36 warranty?
Yeah I know this isn't as serious as most stuff but they probably want an arm and leg for replacements. Has anyone else noticed this or is this a fluke on mine? Thanks.
If you're up for it, get a Chase Subaru credit card, and you can earn 3% cash back on everything, up to $500 a year. Then use the Subaru Bucks to buy accessories, pay for service, tires, and yes, even new floor mats.
I've paid for body damage (and got cash from the other guy's insurance company - ka-ching!), accessories, a Subaru Gold warranty, you name it. They come in $100 increments and the register at the dealer accepts them like cash.
I'll have to take a look at my friend's 2010, though, since he uses the stock carpeted mats.
I like WeatherTech products too. Made in USA.
I'm going to show this mat to the dealer.
That sounds like a good plan, especially if there is damage/wear on the bottom of the mat. That seems odd to me. Even the mats in my 1998 Escort, with 155,000 miles and 14 years on them, look perfectly new on the bottom. The tops are a different story....
It's a real shame given that the OBW has been pretty much bulletproof otherwise. Washed and waxed a few weeks back, and rubber door/window seals treated only yesterday.
I'm going to drive it for a few days to see what happens, but I'll probably open a case just so that the situation is on record. It would be nice to think that they would come to my rescue given the car's history if the patch doesn't work.