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Subaru Forester (up to 2005)

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    c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    The Subaru touchup paint is color matched and formulated to not need clearcoat (unlike the real paint which is just a dull color layer under clear).

    But, Langka will also work on clear touchup if you happen to use it for some other reason.

    Craig
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    from_awayfrom_away Member Posts: 12
    Had this problem on my 02 Forester. I referred it when talking to the dealer as "RPM surge". If watching the tach. it would surge between 700 and 1500 rpm, but never settle down into a normal idle speed. It was serious enough on one occasion that I couldn't keep it running. They had to haul the car 180 miles to the dealer where they installed a rear oxygen sensor and I believe reprogrammed the computer. Service mgr said problem was that the car was "searching" for the proper idle speed. On second occasion I was able to drive it to the shop where they installed front oxygen sensor.

    I've had the problem on several other occasions,(once when forgetting to put the gas cap back on until the day after I gassed up), but it has "settled down" after letting it run for a while.

    The problem has happened enough that I do not believe that it is simply a matter of water in the gas line. I've always used a drygas product during our cold winters, and it doesn't seem to have made any difference with this particular problem.
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    akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    got the kit on the way - along with my XT door ding - I'll fix a gouge I put on my Camry with my 'deadly' mtn. bike metal pedals.

    all goes well, may end up settin' up shop!

    srp
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    c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Cool, glad you got the kit. They send a card that you can use to buff out the glob, the idea being that you stretch/wrap a cloth around the card to make a flat buffing surface. This allows you to "plane" off the glob outside the chip without affecting paint inside the chip. I found it works best if you cut a small square off the card (say 1/2" square) and round the edges. Then stretch/wrap your cloth around that small piece, gathering the edges up into a bunch (which you can pinch in between your thumb and fingers).

    Put a small dab of Langka on the cloth and buff away. Old bedsheet cloth works best, or anything with a really tight weave.

    Craig
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    kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Craig, Ed:

    How does the Langka stuff work? The website doesn't give much info. Is it some kind of abrasive?

    Ken
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    once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    ordering some parts from Liberty Subaru. I can only find the "oil filter" on their on-line catalog, what do you do for crush washers, air filter, and cabin air filter? Does anyone recommend another Subaru parts source? Thanks

    John
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    akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    got my splash guards and bug deflector from them.
    great service.

    srp
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    crashton6crashton6 Member Posts: 245
    John I haven't had much luck with their web site either. I just call them & get what I need. They have given me good service & I recommend them. 888-suby-4wd

    Chuck
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    c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Yeah, call or e-mail them for orders and quotes. They have given me great service and prices.

    Craig
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    c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Langka is like a buffing cream, which rubs off touchup paint but leaves the factory paint/clear untouched. It smells like mothballs, which makes me think it contains napthalene. Anyway, strategic application and rubbing allows you to get all the excess touchup paint off from around the chip while leaving the inside of the chip filled.

    Craig
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    samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    Looks like my little fan fix for the climate control is working great. Temp in the cabin now stays at the same level, no fluctuating, no overheating, no overcooling. And, the dash vents blow cooler air than floor vents, thus having a real bi-level effect. Not bad for $5 worth of parts :-)
    Now, if I could only figure out a way to do something about the seatbelts.... :-(
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    mtc5 "Toyota 4Runner Accessories" Jul 11, 2003 3:23pm

    fyi; never tried it myself.

    Steve, Host
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    allhorizonallhorizon Member Posts: 483
    mntgal,

    Sorry if I wasn’t clear - I am still driving the Grapevine in my Passat 4Motion. See, I am just hoping the XT allows at least similar effortless driving. I have postponed my XT purchase until after I have relocated to the Bay Area (probably, much after, given the home prices there!).
     
    Half-loaded and at 77mph, I get about 23-24mpg for the portion of the Bay Area <--> San Diego County trip that uses Valley gas, and 25-26mpg for the portion using non-Valley gas. On the grapevine itself, it can be as little as 10mpg going uphill, and then in the high 30s or more, going down.

    I know about the trucks, I would never go 80mph there in full traffic. I have been mostly driving in rather light traffic. In addition to being steep and full with slow trucks, the switchbacks are pretty tight in some places; you need a good suspension and good tires to make it through with the wide margin of safety that I prefer.

    If you are bothered by the fuel costs of the XT, I think the X(S) should be just fine for you. Especially the MT (forgot your preference). If you were living in Colorado or some other places, I would clearly recommend the XT (given to the altitude).

    Just to make your decision more complicated, though, I would like to see a mileage report for the same hills in these two cars. A number of small-engine cars use quite a lot of gas when pressed. I have rented Suzukis and Dodges in NM and CO, and neither one of them made it into the 20s on average in the mountains.

    Grapevine at 90 plus on Friday nights &#150; yeah, I have seen that. People showing off their SLKs and Porsches and BMWs, and kids in their Civics following (on the downhill parts, that is).

    - D.
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    lfdallfdal Member Posts: 679
    samiam68 - How exactly did you incorporate your fix. I'd love to try it myself.

    Thanks

    Larry
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    samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    I velcroed a tiny 12 V CPU fan (30mm sq by 8 mm high - from an old 486 CPU cooler) over the temperature sensor opening on the dash to the right of the steering wheel. Wired it to an available blade connector under the dash (+12V, live when ignition is in RUN) and grounded to a screw on the dash brace. No wires were cut or spliced, no plastic needed to be cut anywhere, the whole thing can be just unplugged. I did have to remove the lower dash panel to get to the wiring.

    Now, I set the temp at 72 in AUTO mode (A/C off) - the cabin warms up quickly, does not noticeably overshoot the desired temp, and stays at a level temp throughout my commute. It's a night and day difference from before.

    Why couldn't Subaru do this in the first place? Almost every other car make with climate control has this setup built in.
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    akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    Does the Subaru Commuter Mug fit snugly in the 03-04 front cupholders? Don&#146;t want something that can rattle around or tip...
    Anyone using one?

    srp
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    p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Sam- Well done grasshopper, you make us all proud! :-)

    -Frank P.
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    lfdallfdal Member Posts: 679
    samiam_68 - sounds like a, pardon the pun, cool fix. One last question - do you have it forcing air into the sensor, or pulling it out from the sensor? I'll assume its blowing in.

    What makes this interesting is something I read in the auto-climate control diagnostic section a while ago. Basically, if you were to hold something small and really lightweight in front of that opening, you should see it move in one direction or another. Can't remember if its in or out, but the implication is that there should be something down there moving air already.

    It would seem whatever it is, especially if its supposed to pull in the air, is not strong enough to get by without a powered assist.

    Just for the yucks I'll look at the 04 climate control diagnostics I downloaded from the Subaru site over the holidays and post what the manual says its supposed to do.

    Thanks for this info, as soon as the weather warms up, I'll be looking at making a minor mod to that area of the dash.

    Larry
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    p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Hey Sam, if you have the capability, pictures of your mod would be nice :-)

    -Frank P.
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    samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    Larry,

    The fan I installed blows the air into the sensor. I don't think there is anything in there now that pulls air in, Just a sensor sitting in a hollow plastic tube - I couldn't find a factory fan in there. Let me know what the diagnostics manual says - I'm very curious.

    Sam
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    samiam_68samiam_68 Member Posts: 775
    How do I post pics in this forum?
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    ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    If you e-mail them to Juice, he can host them.
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    tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Click on the Town Hall Help in the top left panel of this page to learn about posting pictures. Ballistic already pointed out that you'll need to find a website to "host" your pics - often your own ISP provides space to store them.

    tidester, host
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    dodgenut1dodgenut1 Member Posts: 7
    Need to get in contact with Ken Suzuki. thanks, Dodgenut1@aol.com
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    tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    You might try asking in the Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagons - Problems & Solutions discussion. The topic here is the Forester - you did say you have an Outback on another board.

    tidester, host
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    kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Did someone call?

    Ken
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    tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Aha! :-)

    tidester, host
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    He wanted to know about your piston slap issue, and what was done to address it. I sent him over here to ask you about your experience with that.

    -juice
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    tazerelitazereli Member Posts: 241
    Is anyone here going to the philly car show on saturday? I was wondering if subaru was going to have the new legacy there.

    thanks,

    Kyle
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    bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Last Saturday the new Legacy GT and an NA 2.5 was there. The GT was roped off though.

    Not sure if they'll be able to swing getting the new Outback since it just debuted in Chicago.

    -Dennis
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    ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    Must-have:

    http://www.oldforester.com/accolades2004/default.asp
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    akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    the cupholders?

    ;-) <burp>

    -srp
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    ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    I don't even know if it fits your lifestyle!
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Hilarious. Just don't mix the two!

    -juice
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    akasrpakasrp Member Posts: 170
    the intoxicating new car smell - just took on new meaning!

    Wake Up and Drive!

    -s(hnokkered)rp
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    ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    ...because it would be wasted on the young.
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    joseph50joseph50 Member Posts: 235
    My mechanic, stubborn in some things, says that the brake fluid that came with the car, as long as it looks OK, can last the life of the car. Thus he is not inclined to change at 30,000 miles just for the sake of changing.
    Is anyone here of like mind, has heard the same, or know otherwise?
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I bled the brake fluid from the hydraulic clutch on my Miata. It was 10 years old but only had about 45k miles.

    Still, the stuff was NASTY, it looked like clowdy chocolate. New brake fluid is a clear yellow.

    Brake fluid is hygroscopic, i.e. it absorbs moisture. Plus any oxydation within the system will discolor it, as with my Miata.

    I'll be bleeding my brakes soon as it's warm. ;-)

    -juice

    Note: edited for spelling
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    c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    BTW, it *should* be hydro, for water. LOL

    -juice
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    tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    BTW - hygroscopic IS correct! :-)

    tidester, host
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    ozman62ozman62 Member Posts: 229
    .. Yeah, but clowdy??
     Owen
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    FWIW, I did mean clowdy, as in not transparent, plus inconsistent texture.

    -juice
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    tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    CLOUDY? Unless it's a contraction for clam chowder! ;-)

    But we know what you mean!

    tidester, host
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    once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    experience using synthetic brake fluid in Subies? Apparently it does not hygroscope (verb tense?) like dino fluid. If true, does it need to ever be bled?

    John
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    mckeownmckeown Member Posts: 165
    Used it in my 82 GL and 85 GL. At the time it was the only brake fluid the US Postal Service allowed in their little 'Jeeps'.
    The Biggest drawback is what you would think was it's biggest asset! Sure it has a MUCH higher boiling temp, but it does NOT absorb water!
    Water, or moisture will usually find it's way into the 'sealed' braking system either thru damaged seals or just osmosis.
    Standard brake fluid will disperse this thruout and with regular replacement cause no further damage.
    Synthetic or silicone can not absorb it and where ever it accumulates, it causes unequal pressure (spongy pedal) or rust / corrosion damage.
    Since the late 80's, I have replaced my fluid every 60K and have yet to have a spongy pedal or frozen caliper.
    My $.02 and experiences.
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I actually found the word in the Urban Dictionary, so I guess I can save a little face. :o)

    -juice
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    p0926p0926 Member Posts: 4,423
    Just tell&#146;em that&#146;s the Portuguese spelling :-)

    -Frank P.
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    ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I would but we don't normally use the letter "W" in our language.

    Did you know that "William" becomes "Guilherme"? How whacked is that? :o)

    -juice
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    dnestrdnestr Member Posts: 188
    May I shove through your linguistic discussion if you don't mind?
    So it slightly jerks only that once when I'm shifting into R. Jerking is always the same, no matter, what a way it passes - P>R or D>N>R. No jerking in D at all. Is it normal for the tranny? Could be a reason of jerking the fluid pressure, which appears when the fluid is getting into the reverse canal, as my dealer says? Thanks in advance,

    kind regards.
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