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The cure is cheap: about $3 for a spray can of chain motorcycle lube, the kind that claims to cling and resist throwoff. Skootch (precise anatomical term) under the dash on your back with a small light and squirt every moving part of the linkage you can get to. Then step on the pedal several times to work the lube into tight places.
Be sure to put an old rag or towel on the under-pedal carpet to catch any drips during application; but once the lube starts to dry, it becomes very viscous and drip-free.
Stanton
In the Legacy, you nudge the throttle, and you get immediate response, and the response feels proportional to your push: the more you push, the faster it accelerates. So the 165 hp Legacy "feels" much more responsive and more powerful than the 200hp Honda. Beyond that, in order to get the very tall 4th gear in the Accord, Honda had to use very widely-spaced gearing for first through third, so the 4-speed auto is REALLY a 3-speed auto when it comes to acceleration. For passing on a 2-lane road, if the car ahead of you is doing 50-55 mph, when you stomp the throttle to pass, the Accord goes to second gear, and Zoom! you get by in a rush. But if the car ahead is doing 62 or 63 mph, the Accord won't go to second, and instead hits third, and there is very little acceleration until you reach 75 mph - by then it is too late to matter.
In the Legacy 5-speed, I have the choice of 3rd or 4th gear (or even 5th) for passing, and there is no "dead spot" at 60-70 mph as there is in the Accord. It actually passes faster than the 200hp Honda. The penalty is a bit more rpm at steady cruise.
With the very short stroke in the Subie, the extra rpm doesn't seem to have any effect on engine longevity - witness the number of Subies out there with 250,000 miles on them. I met a guy at a family reunion last night who just gave his '86 Subie to his son at 260,000 miles because the son needed an inexpensive car to drive 60 miles one way to work every day(!)
Stanton
The RPMs you mention sound about right. My 98 Forester 5MT was at around 3250RPM @ 70MPH. The only variable that I can think of that would influence your RPMs at a given speed are the tires. Did you go to a lower diameter tire than the OE model?
Ken
-Jim
My '97 has about the same miles, and I've had the chirp for some time - intermittently - exactly as you describe. It has not affected the function whatsoever. If your clutch is displaying other symptoms of wear, perhaps it's time to have it addressed. Mine's still fine (knock on wood).
Your RPMs sound about right - I run about 3500rpm @75mph. It is high compared to other manual tranny cars, but it does make for good throttle response at speed.
HTH.
Cheers!
Paul
It would probably be impractical to swap to an auto tranny. You'd be better off investing the money in another car if you really need auto.
Craig
I really should teach my kids how to drive a manual, so at lesst they can move the car in the driveway. Depending on the season I generally get 23-26 mpg, which is probably a bit better than the automatic - but maybe not on the highway.
I've had bunches of MT cars, and the only clutch I ever replaced was the one in the 99 Prizm at 135k... and I saw the previous owner slip the clutch on a routine basis.... good golly Miss Molly, I'm surprised it lasted that long.
Other cars with first clutches include such fine automobiles as an '80 Chevy van and an '89 LeMans, both with 155k.
Anyone out there who's had the same clutch for 150k or so?
-Mathias
I have had to replace clutches in two cars in the past 25 years. The first was in my Mitsubishi Colt after about 75,000 miles and he second in my 99 Outback at 85,000 miles.
In all other vehicles the clutch has outlived my ownership.
I don't think clutch life is a strong point for Subarus but do gather from talking to service managers that a life of about 75,000 miles is considered normal.
Cheers
Graham
My Chevy Sprint had to have the clutch replaced, I think it was 70-80k miles or so.
My Escort was totalled but the clutch was slipping badly at 107k miles.
So all 3 manual tranny cars I've owned had clutches that wore out. My Forester is not slipping, 71k miles currently.
-juice
So you finally figured out how to drive a manual tranny.
DaveM <ducks and runs>
We replaced the clutch on my father's '79 Ford 1/2 ton at about 160,000. It definitely needed it but got us by until then. I still have the original clutch in my '69 Chevy, but at less than 70K original miles, I guess that isn't saying much.
My friend who drives a 2000 Forester is still on his original clutch at close to 140K miles! He is planning to take it in, however as it is starting to chatter and cause some problems.
Ken
I abused my Escort, but that's about it. That car required wheelspin for a quick launch.
-juice
-Brian
The '91 Escort GT may have, though. It was a Mazda powertrain, the 1.8l now serving in the Miata.
-juice
My 04 legacy 5 speed also runs at high rpm's on the freeways... about 3000 at 65mph would be my guess without checking. Tha good part is that that is spot on the engines power band so you are ready to go when need arises. The engine never sounds stressed, just purrs along.....
The 5-speed gearing is indeed designed to keep the engine right at the start of the torque band at highway speeds. With my Forester, I found I only needed to downshift to 4th when I really needed to get moving. Otherwise, most highway passing was fine in 5th.
Ken
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#1 of 3 Subaru Outback heated seats by treimers Jan 23, 2005 (6:55 pm)
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Hi everyone- hope this is a simple question..
I have an 97 Outback with factory heated seats (at least, the switches are nicely built in, so I'm assuming it's factory)
They recently quit working, and I cannot find the fuse in question- The owners manual is too generic to list that, since it's an option for the car, the local dealership's mechanics just said 'the fuse box is under dash' (useful response- I KNEW that :-(
Where IS the fuse for the heated seats?
I can't find a blown fuse anywhere in the fuses under the hood, or in the fusebox - all are good,- I have determined with a meter.
None refer to the heated seats anyhow, so I'm pretty sure I haven't found the fuse yet..
thanks, Tim
I have actually never changed a clutch in 28 years of driving manuals. But I have to say I never took a car beyond 80,000 miles, other then the Volvo.
Sly
Sly
I had a small stone chip since early December but kept forgetting to get it fixed (filled in); shame on me. This morning while driving to work, I see that there's a vertical crack from the base of the windshield, about 6 inches up and through the crack, then another 6 inches horizontal.
I've been using my wiper de-icer the past several days. I'm sure that didn't help the situation.
DaveM ('03 OBW w/ cracked windshield)
Is windshield quality something that would be covered by warranty or would it be an insurance claim?
My 99 GT Sedan has the original windshield at 118k. I got sprayed with rocks by a flatbed trailer when the car was 2 months old. 3 good sized stars dead center. It is so sandblasted it feels like sandpaper.
Rob M.
It is really an insurance issue. However, since mine broke so early, and the point of origin of the crack was so small (I couldn't possibly have seen it), the dealer graciously agreed to change it for free.
Sly
In 1996, the last time I drove my '69 Ford van to Alaska, I was headed through a construction zone driving at about 25 mph. In the opposite direction, a small S10 pickup was driving at about the same speed when a small boulder (hehe... no, about 2-3" rock) popped up off its rear tire and lobbed toward me. It cracked against the windshield right in front of my passenger and sounded like a shotgun blast. It left a pock about the size of a half-dollar on the windshield. It killed me to see my previously perfect, original windshield damaged, but I was thankful that the windshield did not (and still has not) spider web and that the speeds were low enough that the rock did not come right on through.
I have another story about a pheasant, but I'll save it for another time. :-D Anyhow, I just hope that manufacturers are not sacrificing safety to save a few pounds.
One of them was one of those fools driving the other way on the Parkway with a van and wedding cake size chunks of packed snow flying off the roof at me.
Craig
Yes, tell us about the pheasant!
Steve
After we bought the truck, we had the original windshield in it for another 5 years, but 1990 was not a good year for it. In May, my dad was driving to work and caught a small rock on the far side (right side) of the windshield. Within a few days, it had vertically cracked from top to bottom, but still did not inhibit the driver's view at all. He did not like the appearance of it, so he replaced the windshield. Two days later, he let my aunt borrow the truck. While she was using it, a big ol' rock popped up and smacked right in front of her face. This was one of those cracks that you HAVE to fix. Despite my dad's annoyance at the irony of it, he again replaced it. Second windshield in one week!
Two weeks later, my mom drove to Prineville, OR from Pendleton with her little toy poodle, Spook. On her way home, about two miles out of Prineville, a pheasant flushed up in front of her and hit the truck square in the middle of the windshield - she was driving @ about 55 mph. I'm sure you can imagine the noise, but it shattered the windshield so badly that the bird's death excretions oozed through the glass and dripped onto the dash. The funniest part was that the dog, Spook, who had been sleeping on the bench seat next to my mom at the time of impact, leapt into the air at the sound and landed in her lap; all the while urinating out of fear. As you can see, there was a reason why his name was "Spook."
Well, I think you can imagine that her return trip was not beginning so well. She stopped for a few minutes to gain her composure and to toss the dead bird out of the truck's bed, but then decided to head on home. For the rest of the trip, the dog wouldn't leave her lap, she and the truck were sprayed with urine, and the windshield continually spit glass at her with each gust of the wind (it's always windy in eastern Oregon).
So, when she came home and recounted the story, my dad laughed so hard I don't think she ever did forgive him. For some reason, she didn't find the story nearly as funny as the rest of us. The windshield was replaced yet again, and within the next month it was again cracked. This time, we didn't replace it and it has yet to receive any more damage!
Maybe I'll hold off replacing my windshield. ;-)
DaveM
I think that sometimes we humans look for correlations and connections when it may just be coincidence. I am sure if we plotted a graph of "windshield replacements, we would see a huge spike in Dec.-Feb.! However, that is not to rule out a potential manufacturing defect that may be afflicting certain model years. That is why this forum is so great, we can confirm (or disprove) our hypotheses by a post that asks "Has anyone else had this problem...?"
Cheers,
Matt
Original windshield, here. But my wife broke two on her 626.
-juice
I initally noticed hesitation/slipping after a stop. I checked the fluid and it was low. Had a mechanic flush and top of the fluid. Now it's gone down again and slipping has returned..
Have not noticed any puddles, but it's usually parked on gravel, so I may have not seen it. Additionally, if windsheild defrosters are run, I get a strong gas-like smell in the car. No other vents have this problem.
Since this is the first cold season I have had the car, I don't know if they are long-standing problems or new problems. Obviously, with spinning tires and using low gears for traction,
the transmission is seeing different use than it did in the summer. My inital suspicion it that I am burning transmission fluid somewhere.
Any suggestions as to where to begin troubleshooting?
Loved the story. I read it out to my daughter who was in floods of tears having just impaled herself on a needle she had foolishly left on her own bed (someone else must have put it there, she howls unconvincingly!). The tears turned to gales of laughter.
Cheers
Graham
I changed the oil in the wife's 2003 OBW w/27000 mi on it this weekend. After I started it the valve clatter died down, as usual, and sounds a little bit like sewing machine. Its sounded like that since day one and since they use solid lifters, I believe, that doesn't bother me.
What is bothering me, on the other hand, is a lower frequency noise I am hearing from the vicinity of the number one piston (driver's side, closest to front) It's a much lower frequency than the valve noise I'm used to @ about 650 rpm or so, and a lot deeper.
If I put my foot long screwdriver on the block (I really have to buy a stethoscope one of these days) and listen I can hear the noise emanating from there. If I rev the engine the noise gets a lot louder. I was trying to think of some number of rotations that would divide down and come out about right. It seems to occur 3 or 4 times per second at approx 650 rpm.
From what I've heard (no pun intended) on the forums its not loud enough for piston slap - it also doesn't get louder if I rev the engine a bit and then let off quickly.
Any ideas from the mechanically inclined? I need to schedule the dealer to do some of the 30k maintenance in March and will bring it to their attention then.
TIA
Larry
Jun
Anyway, you can then crank the engine independently from any interlock switches. It's not nice, and you may have to crawl around a little to hook it up, but it beats not being able to drive. It also lets you isolate the problem if it is a starter interlock.
From your description, it's an electrical bad contact, and when the car gets bumped around, it "fixes" itself. Seriously, what's your dealer SUPPOSED to do? Nobody can diagnose intermittent problems when they're gone.
Yeah, you *shouldn't* have to do this on a new car, but I *should* be pretty, and look at me.
I'd feel rather silly having to flatbed my car for a minor electrical cause like this. Esp. when there is a simple technical solution that'll at least get you going.
Good luck,
-Mathias