Subaru Legacy/Outback

fibber2

Wes,

Growing trend towards putting the filter in the tank. My '02 Odyssey has it there. I agree, that it seems like potential trouble, but one person mentioned that the in-tank unit is considerably larger (higher capacity) than the one formerly found under the hood.

Steve

xwesx

Well, that could be an advantage, but the fuel tank just does not seem like a place I would (as a manufacturer) want to have accessed for a normal maintenance item. But, with all the extra gadgetry that is stuffed under the hood these days.... they have to make room somehow!

-Wes-

acs1

Hi everyone,

I have a '95 Legacy wagon and lately I've had trouble with the car hesitation as I accelerate, usually in first or second gear. Once I'm at crusing speed, there's no problem, but pulling out of a red light is getting scarey. I was told that it's an air flow sensor problem, does that sound right? The air filter was just replaced in August.

fibber2

Quite possibly so, although it is certainly not the only thing that can go wrong. I would guess that your vintage Subi uses a MAF (mass airflow) sensor (?) that uses the cooling effect of the airflow over a heated wire or grid to measure the amount of air, and thus how much fuel to deliver. The other key area to look is the throttle position sensor, which also plays a role in providing an extra measure of fuel when you suddenly open the throttle. Kind of akin to the accelerator pump on a carb.

Steve

acs1

Hi Steve,

Things went from bad to worse yesterday. I phoned a local rebuilt parts company yesterday and they had an air flow sensor for $50 and would let me return it if it wasn't what I needed, so I went to go get it and broke down on the way (two small girls in the car with me!) My AAA tow guy got there and turned the engine over and said,"Oh, fuel pump for sure." I'm seeing big dollar signs as well and a very bleak Christmas ahead. But then I called the garage and spoke to the mechanic who said in all of his years as a mechanic, he had never had to replace a fuel pump on a Subaru and it most likely wasn't the problem. He hadn't had a chance to look at it yet, but will call me today with the verdict. It was like running out of gas. The engine turns right over, and it idles well at about 1 rpm for about 30 seconds and then begins to idle rough and slowly stalls out & if you try to give it any gas, it just dies out. Any guesses? ps...there's gas in it.

Ally

fibber2

Ally, I wish I could... There are days when I long for a return to the simple carb and points ignition! Still have that tach/dwell meter on a shelf in the garage, but I don't think that will help much.

The fuel pump should be easy enough to eliminate as an issue. Put a pressure gauge on the line and verify a steady output (something like 35 psi). But from there, there are too many possibilities to guess at.

Steve

gcl1964

I am considering my purchase options in an outback wagon. I am trying to decide between the 2003 outback wagon limited, the 2004 OBW limited or the 2005. I want an AWD model that is large enough to use as a camping car. I need to be able to fit a twin mattress in the back for camping. Do any of you ever sleep in the back of your car when on camping trips? Is there enough room?

I know that the 05 model is new. Can you give me some advice as to the best model to purchase? I really only want to spend no more than 20K. Thanks for the advice.

kens

If the measurements are correct on http://www.cars101.com/outback.html, then the 05 model has a few more inches in the rear cargo area with the rear seats folded down (73" vs. 68" in the previous model).

The 2005 model greatly improved the interior fit and finish over the previous model. You should take a look at them to see if the difference is worth it to you. I'm not sure if you can find one used for <20K. Otherwise, the 2003 and 2004 models shold be relatively similar to each other.

Ken

jeffmc

I own a wonderful '04 Outback, which I love, but the '05 is really a big jump up in terms of quality and refinement, so that's what I'd go with if you can swing it.

The '05s should be getting harder to find, as the '06s are being sold now, and there's no way you'll get a new '05 for under $20k, since invoice is $24k and the rebate is $1500, leaving a cost of $22.5k. Check with a Subaru dealership that offers loaner cars to find a used '05 from their fleet. You may need to specifically ask for one as these would probably be in use rather than sitting in their used car inventory.

An '04 Limited would've been nearly $26k at invoice only 1-2 years ago, so I think you'd have a hard time finding one for $20k, though maybe not impossible.

So that narrows it down to a used '03 Limited or a used '05 "base" model, probably within $1000 bucks of each other. Unless you absolutely have to have leather and a moonroof, I'd go for that '05, since even the basic model comes pretty loaded, has better build quality and design, has many improvements over the previous model (including more ground clearance), and would have two years more remaining warranty coverage. Head to a dealer and check them out first-hand to see which you prefer.

You can find measurements for the Outback, including the space between wheel wells, here: http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2005.html#dimensions The link goes directly to the '05s, but all the other years are on that site as well.

Hopefully some other folks here can offer their first-hand camping experiences. I can only say my '04 is very comfortable and rides like a dream on rough, graveled Forest Service roads. The rear seatbacks don't fold down quite flat unless you flip the seat cushion forward, which reduces the length of the cargo area a little. A salesperson can demonstrate - the release pull for the seat cushion is located down between the cushions and can be hard to find 'til you've seen it done. The '05 seatbacks fold flat without having to do this.

Happy car hunting!

jeffmc

Sorry for repeating any info from Ken... he posted quicker than I did.

easles

Hello -

Wondering what the little plastic "wind deflector" flaps were for under my 2003 Legacy SE wagon. One was ripped away by a close encounter with a curb, so I removed the other. Do they deflect or direct air from the brakes? These are not to be confused with the behind-the-wheels "mudflaps" on the outside of the car.

Thanks

hox

I need your input. Trying to decide whether to breakdown and purchase a Subaru XT OUtback with sub, autodimming, short throw, armrest extension, trailer hitch etc. Price $27K (without taxes and fees), list is over 32k.

Are you pleased with your XT's? Do you like the short throw? HOw's the pricing? What's your mileage like. :shades:

Thanks,

bat1161

I was just looking at a 05 XT 5spd 2 weeks ago. Is this the base XT or the LTD? If the LTD, that is a good price (it includes the $2K rebate good till 10/31), not sure about pricing for the base XT. For price comparison, check fitzmall dot com and carsdirect, as well as here on Edmunds. I wound up going for an 06 LL Bean instead - first auto in 17+years.

Mark

hox

IT's an XT Limited 5 speed! Any one have a magic ball about the rebates in November???

Hox

jdc2

whats up every body? i work on domestic cars at a shop but my friend has no $ and drivers a subaru, so she needs a timing belt and an oil lek fixed and sins im in there the water pump to, what the he... water pump check, oil lek check, timing belt........

were to start,
befor i take the belt off i line up the cam sprocks marks with the marks in the belt cover, i take off the crank pully bolt, breaker bar levreged on the fender bump over the motor, no problem, off comes the pully and the center cover, check the cam sproks, need to be moved, turn crank srock line up cam sprocks, notics that arrow in crank sprocks is not in line with mark on oil pump, take off belt, marks on new belt are a half of a tooth different than old belt, call napa..thats the right belt.. turn crank sprocks back 4 teeth to line up arrow with mark, put belt on, left side mark on belt wont line up with with cam sprocket mark, half tooth off, call napa..thats the right belt, guy at napa says that the picture he has shows that the right side cam sprocket belt mark is a little to the right of the mark on the cam sprocket, put the belt on like that, put car together, does not start, check spark # 1 plug, spark ok any help.....thanx

kat95

I've never put snow tires on my subaru and have a set of brand new all seasons now. I live in an area where we receive a good amount of snow. I do all city driving.
It's hard to justify the cost right now. In the past, I've had no trouble with all seasons in snow storms. Will the snows make a huge difference?

Thank you

cptplt

a huge difference maybe not, but a noticeable one, absolutely. not only will you have better traction, you have shorter braking distances with snowtires than all seasons in snow/ice.
If you have lots of tread on your new all seasons, they probably won't be too bad, when they start to wear it will be very noticeable compared to true winter tires.
you may want to consider using Nokian WRs which have the snow traction rating like true winter tires and can be run in the summer without losing all your tread like most snow tires. they are quite good in the dry also, in fact , I would say better than the stock Bridgestones which come with most subarus. If you drive aggressively in summer though, they won't be good enough.
I have WRs on a Tribeca and I hvae had them for 3 years on a Windstar all year round and I use the NRW, its predecessor, on my Legacy as a winter tire. Its not quite as good as a real "ice" tire like a Blizzak but is much better on dry roads than those types of winter tires yet still has far better snow traction than all seasons.

fibber2

Seconding Dennis's comments, the Dunlop Wintersport M2 topped the Consumer Reports recommendation list because it is also very well rounded. Equal to or better on dry roads to the Bridgestone Potenza RE92 that came on the car. But I only run them Dec thru April to preserve the best for the bad weather.

My general recommendation to friends that ask this question is if the existing tires are new (first winter), they will probably do reasonably well. First year you have full tread, and the rubber compound is still soft. By year two, everything changes, and a good set of snows will be a serious improvement.

Where are you located?

Steve

xwesx

The more we bat this topic around, the more I have decided that the best way to justify the cost of dedicated snow/ice tires on a machine that performs admirably (or acceptably) without them is the length of time one plans to keep the car.

Just for the record, I have 76K on my all-seasons right now and while they do not perform as well as they did last year (I did not notice any significant difference between winter #1 and winter #2), I have had no problems on the black ice, glazed roads, and whatnot that Fairbanks has experienced so far. Then again, I really like driving on hazardous roads, so my tolerance level may be higher than many drivers'. I only plan to have the car as a primary driver for another 2 winters, so I am not going to buy dedicated winters for it (since I need to purchase new summer/all-seasons anyway).

When we purchase a new car, I will get a set of rims and winter tires for it because they DO perform so much better and I will get full use out of both tires and rims since I keep vehicles for ~8-10 yrs as primary drivers. They make the difference between 100% precision driving required to get you there safely and tolerating the occasional "oops!" That, in my mind, is important especially if you do all city driving. Mistake tolerance is much lower when you're sharing the road in tight quarters. None of us are as good as we can be all of the time.

ebony5

Just for curiosity xwesx. Which all season tires are you considering buying?

xwesx

I have not really considered it too seriously yet. Early on, I had considered the TripleTred tires based mostly on their claimed ice traction and their good treadwear rating, but more recently I have been leaning toward the same tires I currently have, Goodyear Allegras, because they are only about $60 each and have served me well for the past 3+ years. There are other good tires around, but many of them are more $ for less life and buying from places like Tire Rack end up costing more than buying locally here because not only must I buy the tire and pay freight, but then I have to pay a local company to mount them. I'd only consider buying dedicated winters WITH rims online (if the same tire was not available locally), because then I'd pretty much break even and the selection is more diverse.

Keep in mind, though, that I am not overly technical about my tires. If I have a tire that gives me good traction in a variety of conditions, is quiet, and lasts for 60+K miles, then I'm happy with it.

wmquan

Finally, a follow-up.

Subaru did address the "marginal" IIHS side-impact score. This is the most severe side-impact test, and it finds issues that the ANCAP/EuroNCAP/NHTSA tests did not. Just because the Legacy does great in ANCAP and NHTSA's side-impact test doesn't mean it automatically stands up to the IIHS test.

The 2005 scored only "marginal" in the test, with a "Poor" score for Torso protection of the driver:

Measures taken from the dummy indicate that rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries would be likely in a crash of this severity. Loading to the shoulder was excessive. A fracture of the pelvis would also be possible.

But Subaru has apparently made significant design changes:

Beginning with 2006 models, changes were made to the side structure, front seats, and front seat-mounted torso airbags to improve occupant protection in side impact crashes.

And the 2006 Legacy now gets a "Good" and "Best Pick" score in the test!

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=602

And, to make it better, the 2006 got a better score in the IIHS rear collision test (head restraint testing); it went from "Acceptable" to "Good"!

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_subaru.html

Thus, the Legacy is one of very few vehicles that are double Good+Best Pick in the front and side impact tests, plus "Good" in the rear collision test.

Kudos to Subaru.

Unfortunately, it would have been better had they gotten it right the first time (or the second time; last year's 2005 bad score was after a change had been made). And given that the changes are in part structural, it means that 2005 owners can't upgrade to a higher level of protection for this type of crash. That's too bad.

Well, I'll add the Legacy back into my list of vehicles I'm considering again. That bad test turned me off, and I figured they'd eventually address it. I didn't want to get stuck with the first year with a weak crash test result. I'm glad that Subaru did.fix the problem with the 2006's.

PF_Flyer

Time for the return of the son of the Subaru Crew!! :P

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njswamplands

thanks for the rear collision links as i did not know that the iihs did them. great find. thanks.

wmquan

IIHS used to do pretty lame assessments of front head restraints. They used to only measure the headrest and applied a formula for the ideal headrest geometry. With the advent of "active" head restraints that reposition during a rear collision, the old method wasn't enough. So IIHS came up with a "dynamic" test that actually tests the headrest "in motion." The result is that a lot of headrests previously ranked highly under the geometry test got "Poor" scores.

E.g. get a load of these terrible Honda scores:

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_honda.html

Toyota didn't do much better!

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_toyota.html

By comparison, Subaru is doing much better:

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/head_restraints/head_subaru.html

The restraint tests aren't as critical as the front and side impact tests, as those focus more on life-threatening injuries. But with automakers making their vehicles better and better at such tests, there's more focus on injuries that, while not usually life-threatening, require significant recovery time and cause a lot of pain.

For each seat/head restraint, rear-end crash protection is an assessment of occupant protection against neck injury in rear impacts at low to moderate speeds. Although such injuries usually aren't serious, they occur frequently.

Overall, Subaru can be very proud of the modified 2006 design. Look how it's at the TOP of this list:

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/summary.aspx?class=30

Even when you factor in more expensive vehicles, the Subaru belongs in the top class:

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/summary.aspx?class=15

njswamplands

i always worry about how fuel cells / system will do in a collision. nothing like surviving the collision only to become a ball park frank.

wmquan

On the XT with the automatic transmission, Subaru's site says it has VTD to manage the torque split front/rear, along with some proactive modes for acceleration/deceleration. Very nice, and better than systems where 100% of the power is normally on the front axle.

My question is how is traction managed between left/rear wheels on each axle, and specifically the front axle. I understand the XT is VTD+LSD, with a "viscous-type limited-slip rear differential." So it sounds like if one rear wheel is spinning, some power will still get to the other rear wheel.

What happens if only one wheel has traction, and that one is one in the front? (I know this is infrequent, but am curious, as there doesn't seem to be any traction management on the front axle. I know that with VTD+VDC, traction control is employed, but that's not available on the XT.) Does the vehicle get stuck?

Thanks in advance.

kens

The short answer is yes. Since there is no front LSD, if you had both rear wheels on ice including one front wheel, the only front wheel with traction would theoretically not receive any torque.

One technique that I've read about, but not personally tried, is using ABS to get out of situations such as the above. Since ABS works in almost an opposite manner to AWD by clamping down on the wheels that are spinning, I believe the thought process is that you simulataneously apply your brakes and throttle. ABS would clamp down on the three wheels on ice and allow torque to get to that one wheel with traction.

Ken

garandman

What happens if only one wheel has traction, and that one is one in the front? (I know this is infrequent, but am curious, as there doesn't seem to be any traction management on the front axle.

The same thing that happens when you pick one up one front off the ground: nothing.

There's no LSD on the front axle because it makes the vehicle difficult to steer. Real off-road vehicles get around this by locking the differentials. You can get Subarus stuck. These scenarios haven't happened to me in 249,000 miles of Subaru driving, but more impetuous folks have done it.

wmquan

There's no LSD on the front axle because it makes the vehicle difficult to steer.

I certainly wouldn't want to have an LSD in the front.

Subaru does have a solution, and that's the VDC system (which of course is on a VTD vehicle). Using four-wheel traction control seems to be how most newer AWD vehicles are dealing with this. A VTD+VDC vehicle can move when any one wheel has traction.

xwesx

more impetuous folks have done it.

Hahahah. I am definitely one of those. But, I have never stuck it somewhere that I was unable to unstick it on my own. If you have fear of that happening more frequently than you find tolerable, chains, a recovery strap, a small shovel, cat litter (or relative equivalent), and even winches are all good equipment to consider.... though I'd personally pass on the winch unless I really had a knack for being where I should not!

Braking while applying throttle does tend to help in those "sorta stuck" situations, but ABS does not engage on my car when it is <15 mph or so and you'd have to have the brakes clenched down pretty tight to even test that notion. I would not want to subject my old torque converter to that much slippage force to overcome solidly applied brakes... I'd suggest lightly applying the brakes just to help reduce the amount of torque between tire and surface if you are stuck on ice, but I cannot imagine that happening!

A typical "I'm stuck" situation for a Subaru is high-centering / packing too much snow under it. In that case, get out, shovel away enough snow from under there to reduce the friction, and move out. Once moving, you can probably make it back out.

If worse comes to worse, never forget that there are recovery loops on all four corners of the vehicle!

healyk

I have the opportunity to buy a 97' outback (fairly standard options with a CD player and sunroof) from a family friend, the car is in great shape and they have had no problems with it yet. The car has only 60,000 miles on it as it hasn't been driven regularily over the past three or four years. The car will be used primarily for driving in the city, running errands and carting the dog to the lake. I have read that the 97' Outback is not as reliable as some other Subarus. The price we have kicked around is $7000. Does anyone have any ideas of what types of mechanicals problems I could expect from this car? Whether or not you all would purchase this car at that price?

I would appreciate any and all feedback you could provide. Thanks in advance

xwesx

The primary concern would be head gaskets. 60K is very low mileage for a car of this age and I have found mine to be highly reliable in most aspects even with being used in extreme weather (cold to -50F). Head gaskets, if replaced professionally, will run you ~2K and you should probably replace the water pump and timing belt at some point. The belt is recommended, what, every 90/100K?, but that car is likely 9 years old now and time does affect belts as well as use. In general, I'd say it is a good find. 7K is a bit high in my opinion, but if it is in the shape it's mileage suggests, I would offer around 6K for it. If you want to keep it for a while, you will put money into it though; estimate 1K/year if you do none of the maintenance yourself.

hox

Looking at purchasing a 2005 Subaru Outback XT Wagon with short throw shifter, subwoofer, autodimming mirror, armrest extension, air filter, trailer hitch, MSRP is $32+. Sales price is $27K.

Is this good? It's over 5k off. Are you seeing anything better out there? The rebates only $1,500 off.

Thanks for the feedback!

Hox :shades:

ebony5

I don't know about the '97 but the 60k scheduled maintenance for my '96 OBW was quite costly the aforementioned timing belt, water pump etc. I would research the cost of the 60K maintenance and either calculate it into the price or ask the seller to have it done. I would also have the brakes looked at; the rotors.

jeffmc

Seems like a very fair price, but you could probably do better.

For that car with those options I calculated an MSRP of $30,492 and an invoice of $27,756, both including $575 destination (your region may vary) and a $275 advertising surcharge passed along from Subaru to its dealers. If they're giving you an MSRP of $32k, perhaps there's additional options or additional markup. I based my calculations off of the invoice and MSRP listings at http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2005.html#prices

So I'd work from the $27,756 invoice number, subtract the $1500 rebate to get $26,256 and go from there. Even at invoice, they'll still be making good profit from their factory-to-dealer incentives, particularly closing out the '05 models.

So I think $27k is very fair, and anything below $26k I'd consider pretty good. Maybe offer $26k and ask them to throw in a cargo net and hood deflector or something. The remaining '05 XTs are starting to become hard to come by, so act quickly if you're sure this is the car for you or be prepared to buy an '06.

Good luck - sounds like a sweet package!

bobny11580

As a resident of Alaska I defer to your experience on the topic of snow tires. I think your point about city driving is well taken. Tight quarters reduces the margin for error. I'm from Long Island, NY and the winters are not way harsh but there are perhaps 10-20 days a year when the dedicated snow tires would earn there keep. I wrestle with justifying the expense for those few days. My solution was to replace the OEM Bridgestones with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S (all seasons which I think are a better choice. However I am still on the fence and could be persuaded to go to Tire Rack and blow a $1,000 on a set of Blizzaks with alloy rims. So if anyone cares to share their views I'm listening...

krzyss

There's no LSD on the front axle because it makes the vehicle difficult to steer.

I guess it means that WRX STI and Evolution are more difficult to steer than XT.

Krzys

leo2633

I have a set of dedicated winter tires on their own rims for each of our vehicles, including 2 Subarus (a 2001 Forester and 2003 Outback). I put them on each year around mid-late December, and take them off mid-late March. I use the Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 tires (on steel Subaru rims), which I have found work incredibly well in snow, especially when coupled with Subaru's AWD. They leave a bit to be desired on dry roads, but that isn't what they are designed for.

I have justified it to myself (and my better half) as costing about the same as our insurance deductible if we get into a collision. She agrees that the peace of mind she gets from the winter tires makes the cost worth it. I couldn't agree more. By the way, you could also consider getting a set of steel wheels from the Tire Rack and save a few bucks over the cost of alloys.

We live in NJ and probably get around the same amount of snow as you get on Long Island. I hope this helps you out up there on the fence!

Len

xwesx

I agree; there's no sense in arguing against peace of mind! It is like those MasterCard commercials.... Set of 4 Blizzak WS50s - $400. Set of 4 steel rims - $150. Peace of mind - priceless.

Even with only 10-20 days of winter, it is more about how much you run the car with winter tires on DRY roads than anything. Blizzaks and their contemporaries are not designed for dry roads. They are designed for snow and ice. If you can limit the amount of time they spend on dry roads, you will extend their life dramatically. Having them mounted on their own rims, you can put them on and take them off whenever it strikes your fancy, so while it would be nice if that 10-20 day winter hit all in a row, you can probably get a good idea of when those days are and plan accordingly. If you guessed well and only had the tires on the car for, say, 30 days a year, those tires would remain effective for at least 5 or 6 years and that (in my opinion) would be a good investment: peace of mind AND longevity!!!

Maybe the best option at this point would be to see how you like the all-seasons you put on the car and go from there. If you have the ability/time to take a trip to nearby countryside that has some of the fluffy white stuff while Long Island is still dry, you could test out your comfort level with the all-seasons.

fibber2

Long Island is certainly a tough call. As a kid growing up on the South Shore, we had years without any real snow, then occasional winters were enough to warrant better tires. My dad had snows for each car, but that was in the days of bias belted (non-radials). I now live near Poughkeepsie (Hudson Valley), and ran snows on my rear drive cars in the '80's, skipped for about 10 years with the purchase of FWD, and have come around again to the piece of mind that snows provide on my FWD & AWD cars.

If you live on the North Shore or out near the points, I would definitely do it. In the milder zones I might simply retire my all seasons when they get down to 5/32 (about half tread), and skip the inconvenience of a second set of tires.

Steve

PF_Flyer

Calling all Crew members! Time for our weekly foray into all things Subaru (and some other stuff) :P

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rob_m

Thanks mod bob

PF_Flyer

You're one of those "other stuff" guys ...LOL

See you tonight! Bring food!

cliffymon

My 99 Outback Wagon has never had a problem of note. Replaced timing belt/water pump at 60k. Now have 111k. Drives like new. No payments is beautiful, would like to keep car for years. Use Mobil 1.
On a recent long summer highway trip, I noticed some smoke and a burning smell coming from top of engine when pulled over at rest area, a bit rear of center part of engine. No longer ever see smoke, but when in garage after a ride, I do smell something a bit like a burning odor.
No noticeable oil loss.
What could this be? Would appreciate any suggestions

ateixeira

My guess is it's the rear main seal, given the location.

-juice

xwesx

It is hard to say from that description, but if you are/did get smoke and a burning smell, whatever the leak is, it is likely minor and dripping onto the exhaust system. The best way to discover the source would be to put the car up on ramps and get under there to look. You'll likely see some staining/gunk around the point of leakage and may be able to locate the point where it is contacting the exhaust system. Some brake cleaner would probably help take off the residue to clean up the area to help you monitor it.

All leaks start slow, but untreated they will get worse. It sounds like your '99 has treated you well (and vice versa!) thus far!

rob_m

My 99 Legacy developed 2 transmission leaks somewhere around the 100k mark. One was the pan gasket, and the second was the external transmission filter. The filter leak dropped fluid on the exhaust, and caused smoke to come out of the hood scoop. Good Luck. Rob M.

njswamplands

that is just this hunk of burning love :P

garandman

On a recent long summer highway trip, I noticed some smoke and a burning smell coming from top of engine when pulled over at rest area, a bit rear of center part of engine. No longer ever see smoke, but when in garage after a ride, I do smell something a bit like a burning odor.
No noticeable oil loss.

Probably the common problem with these engines, pushing oil out the front camshaft seals, where it leaks down and is then blown onto the exhaust. It happens on the highway because oil pressure is high and breeze is strong. Along with the head gasket problems another reason why CR now gives this engine black marks.

Have you changed the cam drive belt yet? Many Subaru owners now change the front seals, oil pump gasket, and a few other items at the 100K+ service. Runs around $600 at a garage.

I replaced my head gaskets preemptively at 140K after noticing bubbling and combustion byproducts in the overflow tank after highway driving. Better to sink $1,200 than lunch the engine.