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I went from 225-50-16 in a symetric, non-directional tread to 245-45-16 in an asymetric, direction tread. We'll see how it handles @ VIR in Feb. though.
-mike
Greg
watch that you don't blister them.
-Colin
mike: Can you tell the difference between the symmetric and asymmetric tread in day-to-day driving?
Ken
Happy new year to all. I haven't posted in quite a while, but have 84k on my OB and it has been great 'til last night. Please forgive the length, want to give as much background as possible.
Few weeks ago, since I felt the tranny was sluggish, I had fluid changed, on tranny and differentials,at local Lee Myles.
I noticed a distinct burning smell, that came and went, smell in car is similar to latex balloons.
Was supposed to bring it back to Lee Myles, but didn't have the chance, they seemed to think it was strange since they only changed the fluids.
I did just have the car inspected two days ago.
Well, last night, leaving a friend's house, backing out of their driveway, I started pushing into some snow so I pulled up and starting backing out straighter. I was confronted with a horrible, high pitched, metal against metal, grinding sound.
Tranny shifted ok, and I drove it home like that, (about two miles) but can't imagine what it is!
I looked under the car and see nothing wedged, I checked the tranny fluid, and there is nothing obvious to me (virtually car illiterate)
Sound only occurs with movement,I backed it out of garage a little, was ok in reverse but grotesque in drive.
So, tomorrow, I'll get it towed, but to where?
my regular mechanic or to the tranny place?
any ideas or help would be appreciated!
The whistle is still there. The whistle starts around 65ish and stops around 79ish. Loudest at about 69-72 as long as the accelerator is depressed. No accelerator pressed no noise. Any suggestion how I should discuss this with the service department. I've an appt on Jan 9th. The pinion bearing and gear ring has been replaced and it only made the characteristic of the whistle change to different speeds/sound levels.
Would a quality fluid change possibly help?
Could it be brake pads worn to the warning indicators?
thanks jfi,
You were close. Brakes were recently replaced, I'm pretty fanatical about maintenance since I depend so much on the car. Anyway, my brother in law listened to the sound, noticed it was from the left front and guess the problem before he got under the car. Guess the plate outside the rotor got bent in a spot, even had a small rock wedged in it. He bent it out with a screwdriver and the car is fine. Man, the money you can save when you have a clue. Like I said, I've never run pads that low, so I've never heard such horrible scraping sounds before. Though I spent most of my time looking under the rear tires, I probably would not have noticed the problem looking at the front.
still have that burning smell, though.
thanks again, Vince
Steve
Ken: Not sure since the SP5000s in that size are Asymetrical. I did tell the difference between them being on "correctly" and being on backward!
-mike
Give me a week or so to adjust pressures and hopefully get some dry weather and I'll give you a full report.
Happy New Year!
Ed
Greg
regardless of their W speed rating (all but 3 sizes), the SP5000 is still an all-season. the tread compound and pattern are not going to survive well on a track.
the only thing I like about my AVS Intermediates is the dry tarmac performance, so if I were you I'd certainly use those.
-Colin
-mike
Thanks.
In any case, I'm sure a GL-5 with friction modifiers would be better for the diffy. I'm using Redline in mine.
Jim
Any ideas?
After 2 weeks of paralysing indecision, I went with SP5000s for the GT. I just felt that spending 3 months on 15" rims would be a drag, and although our weather here isn't terribly variable, I still wouldn't want to get caught off guard here or say on a road trip. Plus it may be useful to have some nominal mud ability...who knows?
But.....they are a compromise. I am VERY used to the Zeus like grip of the S-03. The SP5000 is very good, like maybe Mercury or one of the other lesser gods, but Zeus it ain't. Kirsten says good, now I'll slow down maybe....heh heh...hermmm...doh. I mounted 'em to the RS rims, and I will use the GT rims for auto-x and track days (Falken Azenis 205/55/16, 50% tread left).
Ed
Glad to know the seal was replaced under warranty.
I think you made the right choice by going with the SP5000s. It's going to meet the majority of your driving needs/style. Mercury isn't so bad -- he's one quick dude.
Ken
I have a 2001 OB, 4 cyl, 5 sp. I've noticed for a long time that the clutch chatters in the mornings for about the 1st 10 minutes of driving. On a recent road trip, we started to notice the smell of a burning clutch - even after long stretches of road with no shifting, particularly on hills.
I took the car into the dealership yesterday. The service rep said that the chattering clutch was normal - it's a defect in the material they use for the clutch. There may eventually be a service bulletin/fix for it. But he said they would look at the "burning" issue.
Sure enough, we when came back he said we need a new clutch - the existing one is burnt - and they would replace it under warranty as a one time good will gesture. The car has 22k miles on it.
Now, several things don't make sense to me. 1)How could I burn out a clutch in 22k? I've never burned a clutch in 3 cars I've owned and I drive this car very conservatively. And the burning smell we noticed was usually after highway driving. 2) They're going to replace it under warranty - as a good will gesture? I don't think it's good will. They already said there's a known flaw in the clutch material. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but could this burning clutch be another known flaw or an artifact of this material?
Hope someone has some similar experience or input.
Thanks,
CA
There are quite a few who have had problems with their clutches.
Supposedly SOA has a fix for the shuddering, although when I called them to get some details they denied any knowledge.
As a good will gesture (and because they didn't have any better ideas) SOA replaced the tires on my Legacy early around 6k miles in an attempt to cure the shimmy it was experiencing. It didn't work. I didn't consider it a gesture, there's a defect in the vehicle, they should fix it.
Basically, what you've done is isolate the noise to the drive train from the transmission forward. This leaves out the rear diff, rear driveshaft, rear CV joints/axles and rear wheel bearings. My instinct tells me it also is not the front wheel bearings, front CV joints/axles. This leaves only the tranny, and the front differential (my favorite culprit).
I'm guessing they changed the rear pinion gears as these are simple. The front diff would require actual work and actual skill.
Whatever you do, don't tell them you've used the FWD function. They'll surely tell you that the warranty has therefore expired, the sun will not come up tomorrow and that cats and dogs will now sleep together. It is going to be a challenge for you to use the information you now have without spilling the beans. Maybe tell them your cousin from Chicago is a former Subaru Master Tech and was in town for the holidays, took your car for a spin and says "tranny or front diff".
One thing I'd do is to check the fluid level in the front diff and tranny (both have a dipstick so it's simple). If you're real ambitious, drain a couple teaspoons of each fluid into a clean glass and head to your nearest Caterpillar dealer. They will have a way of sending these samples off to an analysis place to check for the presence of metal and bearing particles so you'll know if something's failed. This will also provide documentation for you. It will cost you $30 or so, but it's money well spent and these big rigs are routinely tested so the data's very, very reliable. Expect an incredibly tight front diff drain and wipe all contaminants away from the drain plug so they don't end up in the glass container. Just pull the plug out partway until it runs in a bit and push it right back in to get your sample.
For my money, the problem's in either the front diff or the tranny. More specifically, it sounds like incorrect pinion gear lash setup (the adjustment for how the gears mesh). Let us know what happens.
IdahoDoug
I am looking for a good all weather tire, that will have excellent wet weather traction. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Ralph
Mega- As we've been discussing, the Dunlop SP5000 is a nice choice for performance all season. I put a set on our '99 Outback last month, and just put a Z-rated set on my GT this week.
Jim
I put the Sport A2s on my wife's Jetta. I think they're great tires for the price. They get very high ratings on Tire Rack.
Ken
Greg
At least CR uses a uniform standard. Opinions on Tire Rack are often someone comparing their newly purchased tire to how they thought the old tire handled when it was new and usually only the tire they chose. They rarely get a chance to compare several different tires.
Jim
The WRX had been sitting for a couple of days (actually I just moved it Saturday morning before we left) and was covered in two inches of snow.
I cleaned off the snow and went to start it. It did my usual routine (wait a few secs for the fuel pump, no accessories on) and it would turn over, but not start. I tried a few more times and the same thing happened.
I was able to jump start it using my wife's car. No interior lights appeared to be left on and everything appeared normal.
I noticed the exhaust smelled a little odd. Almost acetone-like.
The car started fine this morning.
Is this just one of those fluke things, or should I take it to the dealer? Under 6,000 miles on the car. Always use Sunoco 93. Thought it was an electrical problem since I needed a jump start, but the funny smelling fuel puzzled me. Temps right around freezing for the weekend.
Sorry for the length, just trying to be descriptive. :-)
-Dennis
Just an FYI
The funny smell might be due to oxygenates in the gas. In the winter, I sometimes get a rotten egg smell depending on the brand. Try a different brand and see if it goes away.
Ken
Would you recommend purchasing a Subaru? What is your opinion of reliability/problems?
thanks
Consumer Reports gives Goodrich Control T/A65 pretty good scores - especially for snow, which is very important for me. However, they don't come in 225/60R16.
The Control T/A 80 do come in that size, but they are T speed rated not H as the original Firestone Wilderness. I've read that one should replace OM tires with at the same or higher speed rating. True of false? Of course no one runs at H max speeds (130 mph).
Most 2000 OB owners should be in tire replacement mode by now. What do you think & what tire selections have you made?
Thanks.
Nokian does make one all-season tire that is supposed to have features from their winter tires. I believe the tire model is the HRW, but it is quite pricey and hard to find.
As for the speed rating, choose the rating based on the sidewall stiffness you require, not the maximum speed you intend to drive. The higher the speed rating, the stiffer the sidewall of the tire and the better cornering performace it will provide. Also, higher rated tires tend to have higher maximum load ratings as well. A T-rated tire will have greater body roll on turns compared to an H-rated tire.
Ken
Subaru felt compelled to equip the OBW with H rated tires, even though it cost them more than a comparible T or Q, for a reason. The H tire sharpens the handling, provides more margin in the event of underinflation, etc. The downside is a slightly harsher ride. I would hesitate going with anything less. In fact, I recently upped from the stock Q to H on our Honda Odyssey. And while I am not a fan of liability lawyers, they would probably eat you for lunch if you ever got into a bad situation with underspec sneakers.
Steve
IdahoDoug
There's currently half a tank of gas in there.
-Dennis
Good reason to keep the tank topped off if it's going to sit a few days. The HEET is a good tool as well.
Cheers!
Paul
The condensation happens over time and accumulates in the bottom of the tank or fuel line low spot when the vehicle sits overnight or longer. If overnight temps are freezing, it will form a small ice plug or a partial blockage that will register on your engine's CPU as a problem that will create a no-start. Eventually, with enough starting attempts it may clear enough to get the car going, then subsequent driving warms the ice to water again. Try the HEET as this is a classic symptom. Keeping your tank full is also a wise preventative action if it sits. Most vehicles have a bit of water in their tanks at all times - the HEET every Spring and Fall is a great idea.
IdahoDoug
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Chuck
bit
-mike
Steve
-Dennis