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Comments
Steve
-juice
arlo47
Montclair, NJ
If you install the valve cover with incorrect torque, especially uneven torque on the valve cover bolts, it will leak at some point. Been there myself in fact! ;-) The valve covers do not take much torque at all.
If the leak started there, it's easy to imagine it running forward and soaking the timing cover gasket, which would have to be replaced. Still don't know about that "well over $1,000"... seems like a very high quote, although I do a large percentage of work myself.
I'd get a second opinion, preferably from another Subaru dealer since they will have a factory service manual with the proper torque values and an independent probably will not.
-Colin
In other words, they don't just bolt the sucker on.
-juice
-Colin
"Check the gas and add oil, please" or
"I don't change the oil, I just keep adding it"
-mike
If I were in your shoes, I would tell the dealer that you would like to meet with the District Service Manager. I've met the north Jersey manager and he's a great guy. If your dealers tries to give you any hassle (my former one did), call SoA and ask them to set up the appointment for you. Also get a case number. Hope you're not going to Lynnes because I've heard "less than good" things about them.
Dennis
-mike
Craig
I've always loosened them a bit and then tightened/torqued, only one at a time. Is it better to loosen the lug fully?
-Brian
Loved your reference, but it didn't originate with old Subarus. I've used it for many years when talking about my Corvair!
steve
My uncle has 2 corvairs.
-mike
I think re-torqueing would only be a problem if the initial turn (where the sticking-friction is high) exceeded the desired torque setting. If the wrench can get past this point and then creep up to the desired torque, I think you're OK.
By the way, I'm basing this info on the safety procedures we have at work for torqueing nuts and bolts. I think it's correct in general, but it may be that there are different rules for lugs.
Craig
If they give you a hard time trying to set up a meeting, just call SoA and tell them. They'll set it up as a last resort.
I had always heard good things about Liberty Subaru in Oradell. Someone recently posted on this board that they were having problems there. I still think they have about the best reputation in that area though.
You could also try i-club.com. There's a Dealer Forum and also a Tri-State Area Forum. You could search and/or post in those forums for N. Jersey dealer info.
Dennis
My question is whether this can be done on an OB (non VDC) without damaging the center diff? This would force a substantial rotational speed difference between front and rear for a short duration. Any thoughts from the mechanically inclined?
Steve
if you have a manual tranny the handbrake slide also works better if you depress the clutch.
-Colin
Steve
Ross
I measured the diameters of my spare and regular tires and it looks like a 1/2" difference in diameter between the two. Does that mean using the spare damages the car????
Is there a solid technical explanation for the 1/4" comments?
Thanks
However in the long term, by having a different diameter tire, you are constantly sending a signal to the AWD syatem (either AT or MT) that that particular tire is slipping because that 1/2 shaft or that ABS sensor will be spinning at a faster rate than the other 1/2 shafts. Long term effects of this can be devistating on the AWD system and lead to a diminished life.
On my Trooper I have an actual torque split guage on my dash, and when I had put on a tire that was 1/2" smaller than the other 3 (due to wear on it) I immediately noticed that the AWD system's torque was constantly going whacky, I also had problems shifting it from 4wd Lo to AWD as well. I thought that it was a problem with my AWD system and brought it to the dealer. After much research they measured the tires and found one to be different than the others. I hadn't told them I put on a tire that was "odd" but as soon as the put my spare on which had similar wear as the tires on there, probelm solved. The Trooper AWD system is similar to the AT version of the subie one, except that it puts 85% power to the rear and 15% as a std split with up to a 50/50 split overall.
I used to be of the camp of "how could such a small difference in tire sizes have that much effect?" But after that situation I've learned how technical new cars and the AWD systems are in particular.
-mike
http://www.subaru.com/home/faqs/faq_tech.html#cookies
The new tire I put on my Outback (5-spd) is 1/8" greater in diameter, based on measuring the tread depth (assumes all else is equal among tires). This works out to pi/8 ~ 3/8" greater circumference, which is outside the 1/4" spec. The car runs fine, but I am thinking I should go and get three more new tires now . . . . .
Craig
-mike
Thanks for the reply and especially the link. I'm surprised that this isn't in the owner's manual.
Jim
Thanks for the reply. The last thing I want to do is rip the center diff apart on my nice new car! After giving it some thought, I think keeping my foot off the gas would be better for the car (less applied torque to the mechanicals) until the brake is released.
Steve
I'm set for now until it's time to change tires!
-Colin
I rotated the tires this weekend, but found an oil leak on the 626. :-( Haven't traced it yet.
-juice
Colin -- do you run dedicated winter tires?
Ken
I clean foam air fitlers for lawn mowers and stuff like that with a solvent, but it's messy and you need time for it to dry.
Here are the tire rotation photos I promised. OCD Club Members will get a kick out of the waxed wheels. You gotta admit they look good for 14k miles, though.
-juice
____
I drained the radiator on level ground and jacked up the rear-end to allow coolant to pour from the engine block.
Next I flushed the radiator thoroughly with the garden hose.
Then I closed everything up and raised the front of the car 6" with the rear on the ground and began adding coolant... when the radiator was full I'd put in only 3-3.5 quarts of dexcool and no distilled water, so I started thinking that I'd failed to purge all the old stuff from the block. (as some of you know, dexcool is not compatible with standard antifreeze.)
...but then it began burping and chugging and after about 10 minutes, I was able to add a total of 4 quarts of dexcool and 2 quarts of distilled water, versus a quoted coolant capacity of 6.2 quarts so I'm pretty comfortable with that. I cleaned and filled the overflow tank and called it a day.
Expected question: why elevate the front while refilling coolant? Answer: the EJ series is fairly prone to air bubbles in the coolant due to its design and horizontal layout. If you've got the front of the car elevated, bubbles should rise to the radiator cap more easily. Left untended, large bubbles in the coolant system can provoke bouts of overheating, especially during hard use.
-Colin
btw Juice, I need to rotate my tires and adjust my camberplates (never bothered to after autocrossing!). I'll post pics of the insides of the fronts, not pretty. oh well, wanted to replace those tires this Spring anyway, now I've got justification hehe.
In my case (simple drain and refill), the only chugging and burping was done by me, after a few cold ones!
I do check the coolant level after the next few drives, though.
-juice
Ken, yep I've got dedicated winter tires on 15" steelies. Ugly as sin even with 'decent' wheel covers, and the snows are nowhere near fun on dry tarmac... but they're brutally effective when there is snow & ice on the ground.
-Colin
You mentioned you use Z-cables on the front tires.
(You are correct, the Forester manual says only on the front, though SCC who makes the cables recommends all around.) Question for you and Subaru: Does not putting them only on the front tires transgress the "quarter-inch circumference rule"?
-mike
-mike
Recycle that coolant if you can, guys. That stuff is deadly to dogs and cats attracted by the sweet smell.
-juice
Also, is it worth waxing the stock wheels that came with my '01 OB, or does it have to be painted wheels?
Thanks, all.
Joseph -- SCC probably recommends getting cables for all 4 tires since it would double sales! Mike already answered your question -- you should only have cables on when there is snow in the ground. The 1/4" rule doesn't really come in to play since the cables dig into the snow. Also, you're not supposed to drive over 30mph with them on anyway...
Pete -- I can't think of any reason why you can't use directional tires on a Subaru. The only limitation you have with directional tires is the rotation pattern. But, Subaru recommends a front-to-back pattern anyway for all tires.
Ken
Foam filters wash up just fine with detergent & warm water in the laundry sink... just make sure to get all the mess cleaned up out of the sink before your wife discovers it! If filter-brand-specific oil isn't used, will regular ol' Castrol work?
Cheers!
Paul
(and how 'bout them Diamondbacks! woohoo!)
mike k
-mike
-Pete
mike k, it sounds as if you have heard of problems like this:
click me
Couldn't quickly find better articles, but basically this is saying what is in fact printed on every single container of dexcool antifreeze I've ever seen, and warned against in the owner's manual of every car that's ever come with dexcool standard. And that is-- NEVER mix dexcool (nitrited organic acid- orange) coolant with standard ethylene glycol coolant (green). They form a solid.
Thus the reason I undertook a conversion to dexcool and thoroughly purged my cooling system of the old stuff. If anything, I have some tap water instead of a straight 75% dexcool 25% distilled mix, due to purging with my garden hose.
Dexcool in fact is NOT bad and GM, Ford, DCX (and others) are NOT pulling it, in fact they are using it in more and more cars. A 75% dexcool 25% distilled water mix gives a freeze rating of -86F and boiling of 276F which is well beyond what an ethylene glycol coolant could offer.
-Colin
Thoughts?
Ed
Here's a recent thread about it from the iClub, should be educational:
click me
If you search more on the iClub you can find more posts about how to prevent and remove air from the cooling system. See, the iClub isn't complete crap. ;-) You do have to sift quite a lot to find things of use though.
-Colin
Thanks, Colin, I appreciate the link. Weeeeeeeeeeee! (i-club humor)
Ed
edit: D****t, that's not cool. A blown head gasket on a < 2 year old car with 31K miles? I want to have SoA investigate this. This could put a real sour taste in my mouth - more sour than the bad rear wheel bearings. ):-(
Patti