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Comments
I bought the car new, and they told me that the transmission would get smoother once the 1,000 mile running in period had been completed, and the computer had learned my driving patterns.
I've asked if re-setting the computer and running it in again would help, but the dealer said it wouldn't.
I'll do as you suggest and contact Subaru direct.
Thanks again,
John
If you can't get satisfaction from the dealer then contact Subaru directly.
Cheers Pat.
RFG is at least a 2 MPG penalty for vehicles getting over 20 MPG normally. it typically is a 5-10% hit on economy.
but what do I know, we just make it.
~Colin
Much of the fuel in Minneapolis area has 10% ethanol year round. Does that type of fuel get reformulated for winter use too?
--jay
-juice
But...ethanol has less energy content, so mileage and range were very poor, about 40% less than with gasoline.
That and cold starting problems meant ethanol eventually dropped in popularity and now gas it once again dominant in Brazil.
So if they add 10% (really? that's a lot!) ethanol you can be sure your mileage will drop.
-juice
Once in a while I fill up in Wisconsin and might get .5 to 1mpg better but the 10 to 20 cent higher price per gallon hurts the wallet more.
-jay
not very many places are RFG year-round besides California and really dense urban areas.
~Colin
"Minnesota statute 239.791 went into effect in October 1997, requiring that fuel sold in the state contain 2.7 percent oxygen by weight. Exempt from the oxygen requirement is fuel for marinas, resorts, airports, racetracks, non-automotive engines and collector cars. While the statute does not specify that ethanol be used, gasoline makers have chosen ethanol to fulfill the requirement. To meet the oxygen standard, fuel must be 7.8 percent ethanol by volume, but most gasoline sold in Minnesota 10 percent ethanol."
So even with year round ethanol, my mpg still drops from 27ish summer to 24ish in the winter. I've gotten 22mpg when we get a week of below zero temps for highs. So cold weather seems to be the biggest hit for me. (90% of my driving is highway.)
--jay
-juice
The recommendation up here is to plug it in at +20 F or colder - mostly to reduce emissions. Once the temps dip below 0, it is pretty hard on the car to cold start it.
I have a block heater, oil pan heater, tranny heater, and battery pad. It works well enough to get the car going even when the temperature dips to -50 or more, but then you're still dealing with all the other moving parts and lube that are cold, not to mention the tires..... there is just more resistance. And, I have to admit, I usually let the car 'warm up' for about 10 minutes or so before taking off. Not only is it more comfortable to drive, but my breath doesn't freeze on the inside of the windshield as much and the A/T shifting is much more responsive.
When they dropped MTBE a year or so ago, most of NY went to 10% ethanol year-round (Calif emissions).
Steve
However, I'm still not happy with the lack of smooth gear shifts, and I'm pursuing that with Subaru - although I doubt that I'll get anywhere.
Cheers,
John
I know my 02 LL Bean would shift lazily and abruptly if you were light on the throttle, but it shifted fine under normal to heavy acceleration.
Craig
Jim
Sorry, I couldn't resist. 8~o
Idling in the winter up here is ridiculous. People (and a good # of them, too) will leave their vehicles idling all the time when they're out on errands. I often stop at the store for groceries and the vehicles next to me are idling, then when I come back 45 minutes later on my way home the same vehicles are still sitting there idling. 45 minutes!
Auto-starts don't help either. Folks will crank up their rigs at 4:30 in the afternoon for a 5pm departure, then end up running late and by the time they get outside the car has shut itself off again. Or, they get these super-fancy auto starts that tell them when the rig is running and emit a beep if it is going to shut itself off. The operator then has the option of overriding the auto-shutoff feature.
It is said we have an emissions problem in Fairbanks in the winter.... any wonder why?!
People don't seem to realize (or care) that idling actually consumes a LOT more gas then you'd think because the mixture has to run very rich. For the same reason, idling also generates MORE emissions than a modern car does at speed.
A lot of people think it is actually better for their car to do this, when in fact it is the other way around! Idling for extended periods of time is actually bad for you car mainly because corrosive gases accumulate in the oil.
Sly
So how extended an idle is too much? Here in PA, I'll idle for five minutes in the dead of winter both first thing in the morning and after sitting in the lot at work all day. Assuming the temps are cold, or we've had a bit of snow. Never while shopping, as that's just asking for theft. Just long enough for ice to defrost off the windshield, along with condensation on the windows. I've never had a problem with that yet. Any thoughts?
-Dan-
5 minutes is fine, 20 minutes definitely not.
Sly
Sly
any subaru idled a long time will smoke. idling for a long time is definitely not good anyway, but subarus have special concerns.
~c
Thanks,
Ray
According to Blackstone and an independent analysis I had done that's slightly higher than they'd like to see but more or less explained by warming the car up in the morning. My wife usually warms the OBW for about 10 minutes and I warm the XT for about 5 minutes. Interestingly, my dilution is higher than hers.
The practical effect on the oil is a lowering of the flashpoint, IIRC, to a few degrees lower than normal, i.e. from the last report desired flashpoint range was > 365. The actual flashpoint was lowered to 350.
Just for the curious.
Larry
Tensioner and pulleys should be good for the life of the car if treated properly. Move the tensioner very very slowly to not blow the oil seal.
Water pump is the big debate. Most here say to replace it. I have skipped it on my previous Toyota's and never had a problem. Being timing belt driven, the tension on the bearings is factory determined, so often they can be good for the life of the engine. It is the accessory belt driven ones that take a beating from overtightening of manual adjusters. But it is very much your call. If the price is reasonable, go ahead and do it.
Steve
~Colin
this is largely irrelevant as oil won't reach those temperatures unless you run a turbocharger hard and then shut it off without idling. a normally aspirated engine would never hit that kind of oil temp, period.
~Colin
Anyone put an oil temp gauge in their XT and ever see how hot it gets when run hard?
Larry
I know Mike recommends against the Fumoto because of bad previous experience, but I am considering it for convenience, easy of use, and reduced clean up. I like the idea of putting a hose directly into an old windshield fluid bottle without having to pour through a funnel etc. I know the filter still requires a pan, which leads me to some questions about setup on my 05 OB XT since I have not yet had an opportunity to get under there:
1. Is the drain plug screw into the pan in an horizontal position (ie. parallel to the ground) or in a 45 degree position towards the ground?
2. How much space between the plastic cover and the drain pan? (I'm trying to figure the clearance for the fumoto valve and whether I should get the value with or without the nipple)
3. Is the oil filter mounted in a vertical position or horizontal position?
Thanks
Jay
I have a '05 GT wagon, but I'm going to assume it's pretty similar:
1. The drain plug is in a horizontal position
2. IIRC, only the oil filter is blocked by the plastic shroud. I would get the nipple since it adds very little and allows for a cleaner drain.
3. Vertical -- watch out for the exahust manifold right next to the filter!
Ken
I have the Fumoto valve on my 98 Outback and it makes an already easy task that much less messy.
The drain plug that it replaces has a rather large diameter and I remember that when I used to remove it during changes, a whoosh/gush of oil would come out. Misaligning the drain pan or not getting my hands out of the way quick enough led to a bit of a mess.
With the valve, the opening is now narrower and the drain flow is much more easily controlled. I didn't opt for the nipple just to keep the protrusion to a minimum.
If you order through fumotovalve use the coupon code SVC6 to get 15% off the order.
Alan
98 OBW Ltd
In general, I wait until the temp gauge begins to rise above the "C" mark but has yet to hit operating temperature. It usually takes less than a minute to reach full temp after it rises above the C and I am not far past my driveway by then. The one time I operated a car in Pennsylvania in the winter, I found that it was important to let the car warm up like this before going because it was so humid that the windows fogged up horribly otherwise. And yes, it took about 5 minutes.
Good, bad, or indifferent, I have 175K and cranking on our Subie thus far and the idle routine is, at minimum, twice daily.
I doubt it. The service desk at my dealer never mentioned it to me and I have brought it to them for some service which did required dropping the oil. I had the oil pump o-ring seal replaced ... twice
Alan
98 OBW Ltd
You are right that many MN, Dakotas, and WI residence don't use block heaters. The few that do tend to not have garages.
Question: Does letting the car idle actually do much to warm the trany fluid?
Also can you send some cold down this way? I want to icefish over the Christmas holidays but we have been unusually warm and have almost zero ice.
--Jay (in balmy Wisconsin)
BTW - there's nothing tricky about either oil or coolant flushes if the people doing them aren't incompetent.
I've also been handed the BS about the coolant loss and I've never had that problem on any car except my FXT and that includes my previous Forester and my wife's OBW.
Larry
Chuck
Chuck
Honda's had alloy head and cast iron block, if they overheat you have a blown gasket at least warped head at worst.As is well known here I had lots of Hondas before going Subaru.
Cheers Pat.
Even garaging a car in an unheated space should help keep the frost from accumulating on it, shouldn't it? Maybe that also helps prevent the windows from fogging up unless you breath heavily on them....
I'd love to send you some cold, but we haven't had much to send this year. This week is the first during which the temperatures dropped below zero all year, and THAT is very unusual. Coldest temp so far is -26F on Sunday (12/5) morning.
Yep, know your situation well. I can add claiming to do major work on an engine, yet not a spec of dust or dirt has been disturbed!! My dealer is Toyota/Subaru, and I have had the honor of getting it up the tush on both sides. Now I drive 40 miles into Conn...
Steve