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Comments
However I've seen comments recently on the iclub complaining about slow service and order fulfillment (without updates about order status). Both of my orders were 9-12 months ago, so I haven't experienced anything recently -- assuming that their problem is due to volume, which I bet it is.
-Colin
subaruparts.com never repied to my repeated e-mails/web inquaries about parts for my XT6. Didn't like that at all.
The other XT6 I'm thinking of getting just had the air-suspension re-done, but even if I have to convert it, I know how to in about 3-4hrs
-mike
-Colin
Patti
-mike
You can actually find out, though. Put the car up on jack stands, with all four wheels in the air, free wheeling. Put it in neutral and release the parking brake (make sure the jack stands are secure first).
Then just turn one rear wheel slowly and watch what the other does. If it has an LSD, the other wheels will turn in the same direction.
Though now that I think about it, that may not work if it's a torsen. Should work for a VC, though.
I'm not sure how AWD will affect this, but it works in my Miata.
-juice
-mike
With the AWD, don't try my suggestion unless you can get all 4 wheels off the ground.
You really need at least 3 points to lift and keep it up. You could use two scissors jacks behind the front wheels and one hydraulic jack under the rear diffy itself.
Just don't get under the car - that setup is not secure enough for that. Also make sure the ground is completely level.
Heck, I'm sure you and a couple of buddies could lift the front end for a few seconds!
-juice
ps It worked!
As Colin mentioned in the previous discussion, don't believe everything you read.
The editorial says PAO's are more stable, flow better at low temps and more resistant to boil- off. Comparing Mobil1 and Castrol's data sheet, the two are similar with Castrol exceeding M1 in some areas (viscosity at high temps is an example). He also said Syntec is made from a petroleum basestock. It's not. Hydroisomerized doesn't mean petroleum basestock (the NAD agreed on that one).
If anyone wants Castrol's response, send an email to them via their web site. I would post one here, but it's very lengthy.
And if anyone has data showing that Syntec an inferior product, I'd like to see that as well. It even rated close to Amsoil Series 2000 in their ball bearing wear test. Not that I'm going to use oil in a ball bearing test. :-)
Dennis
Ask around - what dies first? Almost never the engine. It's the accessories - water pumps, A/C, steering, etc. that tend to break. Brake discs warp, wheel bearings go, but how often do engines sieze?
Engines are engineered to last forever, even with everything around it falling to pieces.
-juice
Could the air filter be wet?
I agree that the conditions make the problem a bit more puzzling.
-juice
My dad tows and uses Castrol dino. He has 160,000 miles and changes it every 3,000 miles.
Try starting a car with dino and another with synthetic when it's about 10-15 deg. F. IMO, it's not overkill for better cold weather starting. Dennis
If synthetic is thinner, it's easier for the oil pump to get it running. But doesn't that also mean that at startup more of it has drained into the oil pan, instead of keeping a coat of oil on the internal parts?
If it flows better, it drains more completely too.
(just playing devil's advocate here, I'm not hardly an engineer)
-juice
Techies??
Dennis
-juice
I believe it has something to do with the molecular structure of synthetics. Also, when it gets too cold a dino oil will thicken because it's waxed based.
-Colin
Going down sounds fine, but not a peep (no motor sound, nada) trying to close it. Short in the switch?
(And yes, I have my duct tape ready :-)
-Dan
That is what was wrong with the Consumer Reports article a few years back. They never shut off the taxis so never restarted them. Under these conditions any quality oil will do ok.
I have used Mobil 1 for 10+ years in a variety of vehicles and can tell you that it definitly makes a difference. There is no wax in Mobil 1 so it flows much better when cold. Starting my vehicles in winter (Massachusetts) is like starting them in summer, and I get a bit better gas mileage to boot.
I had occasion for the dealer to pull the intake on my Dodge truck (V8) at ~45K and I told them I wanted to see it when apart. They called me over and I started looking around at the lifter valley area and around the valve/rocker arm area. The engine was extremely clean and there was no sign of wear, especially on the rocker arms/valve stems which is a high stress area.
I asked the Mechanic what he thought. He looked around and asked how many miles and what year? He said that everything looked brand new inside, which was also my opinion. He asked what I used for oil. When I told him Mobil 1 he said, "That explains it!".
I am a firm believer and will be putting Mobil 1 in my Forester at the next oil change, ~6500 miles, and my wife's when it is ready.
Regards,
Frank
The holes are there for the front license plate. However the screws for the front are much bigger than the ones in the back. The screws you use in the back will not fit the front. I have a new OB and just installed the plates. The screws in the front barely get through the hole in the plate itself. They have a very course thread. You don't need a bracket. Just two screws. Now, don't go screwing around popping holes in your bumper. Ha ha ha. Hope this helps.
Dan: sorry, no idea. I've never been in the doors. The speakers are easy to remove if you want to try and have a peek.
Frank: 6500 miles? Isn't that too soon for synthetic?
-juice
Maybe this wasn't smart, but I just drilled 2 new holes in the front bumper. My plate is holding just fine.
Cin
-juice
Do you guys change the oil every three thousand miles or do you follow the Subaru manual?
Sounds long, but you can't argue with my fuel efficiency - still above 25mpg for a full year now, and I commute to DC every day!
Changing more often can't hurt, as long as they don't drain the trains fluid by accident! DOH! That plug is a little further back, but only a little.
-juice
-mike
-Colin
Also, what filters do you guys use? My local PepBoys only carries Purolator Premium Plus(L14460). Is there a Mobil 1 or PureOne fitment available for the 2.5L?
Thanks,
-TonyL
The reason the we are slow on this? We've found some synthetics to cause faster deterioration of seals and gaskets. Until FHI test them out long term, they won't make recommendations. As I've said before, SOA is a conservative company and they will not deviate from recommendations unless they are sure there will be no long term effects. I know it can be frustrating, but I've gotten used to the concept of being sure before you recommend.
As well I believe that synthetic offers superior protection at low temperatures and this is what my cars experience for about 5 months of every year, so after a suitable break in period I will be running my new GT on synthetic.
Cheers Pat.
For anyone interested the part numbers are:
Filters 15208 AA060
Washers 11126 AA000
bit
It's interesting how the car changes during break-in. When I had both the 00 and 01 to drive I could notice a definite smoothness to the 00 with 12k miles that the new 01 didn't have. But as the miles added up the 01 smoothed out to that nice creamy growl that I like about the H4. The tranny on the 01 shifts a little easier than the 00 ever did... especiall 3 -4 and into reverse.
BTW - no OCD sqeaks or groans and this one sits pretty darn near flat.
Love this car.
bit
I really appreciate the intricate workings of a fine mechanical device. I would rather listen to my boxer purr than listen to the radio. I spend more on the care of my vehicles than I need to, but I am paid back because the people at work know me and actually put in orders for my vehicles before I am ready to sell them. I get good prices, so it works for me. I never judge, except for out and out neglect, how others care for their vehicles. After all it IS their vehicle. I just don't buy used cars, and I don't buy cheap gas either.
That said, here is what I do. I have mentioned part of this before so if I am boring anyone please skip ahead.
The first 1000 miles are the most critical. I baby the vehicle for the first 200 to 300 miles, just to make sure nothing is loose or falling apart, and all the parts are there. I then change the oil and filter, not so much for the oil but for the filter. I want all the grit and core sand out of MY engine, so I spend the money, using dino oil and always good quality filters.
For the next 1000 miles (1300 total) I flex the engine, expanding the RPM range greatly but gradually. I do a lot of downshifting to get compression braking, seating the rings. I never hold a constant speed in this period. I then change the oil and filter, again dino.
I then go into 3000 mile oil and filter changes (usually only 2) until I am into the 6500 to 7500 mileage range, when I switch to Mobil 1, and extend intervals to 4500 to 5500. As Colin said, I also do it by convenience, so the actual numbers vary a bit. If I drove 25K or more per year as I used too I would probably extend to 7000 or so. I know the oil is good for more than that but I am conservative and don't trust the filters for more than that, even the best ones. They are just too small, and if I am going to change the filter I am going to change the oil.
Synthetic oil definitly makes the engine "silky smooth", and quieter. They would have to take my Mobil 1 away with a gun.
Juice - With today's tolerances and materials engines shouldn't take long to "break in", at least from an oil and compression ring standpoint. Engines continue to "loosen up", especially over the first 10K, but if it isn't using oil I consider it ready for synthetic. In the very old days even today's "Energy Conserving II" dino oils would have been too slippery for proper break-in, but not today.
The engine could actually be broken in with synthetic, some cars come that way. Viper, Corvette, several others. Even back in '89 or '90 the Shelbyized Dodge Shadow Turbo came with Mobil 1. I personally believe that some friction is necessary and desireable for quick seating, so I start with dino (I like Penzoil and Castrol).
TonyL - I have been using AC Delco PF1127 for our Foresters, but I also have some Subaru (Purolator) filters I got from Darlene... we will surely miss her.
Regards to all,
Frank
Someone who bought one of my vehicles changed back to dino and never had any problem with leaks, or anything else for that matter.
Regards,
Frank
I recently spoke with the Subaru tech at my dealership about synthetics. He said several customers bring in their own oil for the techs to use. He said that boxers don't develop "that bad" of a problem with sludge anyway. He has seen an engine taken apart that used Mobil 1 and it was "spotless". Also, he agreed that the higher cost is slightly off-set by the extended drain intervals. By extended I would guess the 7,500 max instead of 3,750.
So as long as one sticks to at least 7,500 intervals, is that considered "by the book"? I would probably go to a max of 6,000 even on synthetic. Is driving 5 miles a short trip or 10 miles? I drive about 6 miles to the bus stop.
Dennis
I agree with just about everything that Frank said, and I commented on synthetic break-in in one of my earlier posts as well. Like I said, I suspect some engines are run-in with mineral oil and then switched to synthetic when the engine is placed between the fenders.
-Colin
The catch is we have 3 cars and I like to do them all at the same time. So the interval is basically whichever reaches the 7.5k first, which has always been the Soob.
Frank: remember, the "cheap gas" you refer to only costs about 3 pennies less per gallon at wholesale. The rest is pure profit ($)!
Tony: Purolater makes the OE filter for Subaru, so you can't go wrong with that one. Don't forget the crush washer.
-juice
That may have changed, I'm not sure. Anyone know?
-juice
-Colin
(who bought a new '99 Impreza RS in 4/99 instead of a used ZR1 because he was *terrified* at the though of repairing / replacing an LT5.)
-juice
I think it is more important to find a reputable place with good tanks so you can have high confidence that you are getting what you are paying for. My overall goal is not to get by as cheaply as I can, but to have the best running vehicle that I can by treating it well, and hope it treats me well.
colin - I can only speak to what I have heard how Dodge does it... I have always been a MOPAR guy. I have heard that any hand assembled engine gets run-in with mineral oil, but all production line vehicles, that come with Mobil 1, get it from the get-go.
I think the feeling is that with the current manufacturing techniques and the ability to get tighter tolerances, not to mention more-round cylinders, that the cylinder wash that is created from the suddenly rich mixture under de-cel is enough to create enough friction for seating, even with Mobil 1.
If you think of it, even if they do break them in with mineral oil, that speaks to how fast things seat because you know they don't run them the equivalant of hundreds or thousands of miles, not even hours.
Regards,
Frank
-mike