Subaru Legacy/Outback

owens2 · September 2005

are outback projector headlights HID?

ateixeira · September 2005

No, they are regular halogens, but the projector beam does allow for a more focused light.

Only the STI has HIDs.

-juice

xwesx · September 2005

No...... actually the weather has stayed relatively warm for this time of year - especially at night as it hasn't dipped below 40F for at least a couple of weeks. It sure has been raining though! I'd rather have snow than rain at this point. Ugh.

The car is still running.... that's good news. I also tore into the dash today to figure out what is wrong with my heating system / fan, and isolated the problem with no heat: the temperature selector slide is cable-connected.... with the heat side of the slide pushing the cable and the cold side pulling it. Instead of the cable pushing the flap that controls air access to the heater core, it was just flexing. I gave the flap a good push and it opened right up with a grateful gush of hot air! Thankfully, that's a spot that I can access once the glove box is back in place, so it should be a non-issue from now on. I think I have also isolated the intermittent fan operation to the motor itself. When the motor is not working, if I give the motor housing a thump, it will start up. I'm going to tear it apart and see if I can clean it up / re-lube it, but it might require replacement (gar!).

Still working on the photos..... I'm having an issue accessing the site from a browser, though I can upload files to it just fine!

-Wes-

xwesx · September 2005

Okay, as promised.... here is the site. Rudimentary at best, but the photos are there and there's annotation along the way. I will probably fiddle more with the site as time goes on; maybe put up some photos from my first foray back in 2003 for comparison or something. I also have full-size photos of the ones posted, just do not have them linked yet!

Enjoy, juice!

subearu · September 2005

wow, great job and thanks for the photo and story behind each.

-Brian

jfl · September 2005

Wes,

Great job. Thanks for the photos...like I wrote previously, pretty soon you're so busy working you forget to take pix.

A real accomplishment! Way to go.

Jim

bat1161 · September 2005

Wes,

Nice pics, and an awesome job! Thanks for the blow-by-blow.

Enjoy!

Mark

fibber2 · September 2005

Slacker! Had to rest on only the second day? Man, the good lord waited to the seventh, and he did a heck of a lot more work than you did!!! :P

Nice job - great documentation!

Steve

rob_m · September 2005

Pretty cool, Wes. I had the same Outback - a 96 2.5 in Spruce Pearl Green. I would never be brave enough to do what you did! Rob M.

lfdal · September 2005

Just adding my congrats, Wes. A really good job.

Larry

ateixeira · September 2005

Bravo! What more could I add?

Bookmarked that, by the way.

-juice

xwesx · September 2005

Hahaha... I didn't have to rest, but I had one evening and two days to get to the point I was at on Sunday night, so why get all dirty and (more importantly) use up the extra fuel to head over there on Friday night? Instead, we went to bed early and were up by 0700 on Saturday! Am I forgiven?

jay_24 · September 2005

Wes,

great photos. I saw your comment of the block heater and oil pan heater. Should my cousin get them added to her Subie? She just moved to Alaska about a month ago. She is North of Anchorage a bit but south of Denali...

She got a 2005 Forester just before moving up there. I doubt it has either on it.

--Jay

xwesx · September 2005

For that area, a definite "yes" on the block heater. If she puts 5W-30 oil in it or better, she probably would not need the oil pan heater. If it is an auto, I would recommend a transmission heater (similar in appearance/operation to the oil pan heater) just in case she has to deal with any cold snaps.

Where exactly is she? Cantwell? Anything north of Trapper Creek and she probably ought to just get the whole gammet: block, oil pan, transmission, and battery pad heaters. Any extended weather colder than about -30F and she'll be glad she has them. And, if she has not put them on yet this year, get it done right away! Winter is upon us!!!!!!!!!!!! :sick:

Oh, and I did a tire rotation last night..... my rear brake pads need to be replaced ASAP!!!! Will it ever end?! I guess I should not complain, I have put 110K on the car since I bought it and I've never replaced them.... is that about average? When it rains, it pours.... I think I am going to come in a *bit* over my $1500 annual maintenance estimate for this year!

reblack_jr · September 2005

Has anyone had to replace one of these on an 01' Outback LTD. The dreaded check engine light came on the other night on way home from work. Took it to dealer code indicates that is it. Dealer had to order part will be in on a a week or so. They said no problem running with that problem.
What should it cost?
What is the risk in running around with that problem?
Could it be a DIY job?

rr6 · September 2005

HI! the check engine light will come on if your gas tank cap ws loosely screwed omn and you did not realise it... goes away after a week or so...

204meca · September 2005

I am helping a friend with a limited budget who is looking for a used Legacy. What if any are the significant advantages (especially thinking in terms of reliability) of the 2000-2004 over the 1995-1999 models. Thanks

reblack_jr · September 2005

Is it possible that it will "repair" itself? Would the code still show as a Solenoid problem?
Thanks!

fibber2 · September 2005

As per my '02 OBW shop manual, there is a "pressure control solenoid valve" located between the gas tank and the canister. It is hard to tell from the drawing, but looks like it may be tucked up out of the way, making it hard to reach.... or maybe not! I just cannot get a good perspective. Crawl on your back and drip fuel into your eyes, or leave it to a guy with a lift..... It depends on your skill level.

Steve

fibber2 · September 2005

OK, Wes. I will give you a break this time around!

kens · September 2005

Leaving mileage aside,

Advantages: 00-04 models do not have the head gasket failure prone DOHC engine

Disadvantages: 00-04 models gained weight over the 95-99 models while the engine output remained the same.

Ken

ateixeira · September 2005

If they get a model before 2002, I'd look for a 2.2l engine, which was the most reliable engine in the lineup.

After '02, the head gasket issue was resolved, so a high mile 02-03 would be a good choice.

-juice

xwesx · September 2005

Haha.... you're too kind.

That darn winter struck us the gradual way this year.... with spitting rain turning to snow and back to rain that is expected for at least a week before the temperatures start dropping enough to really provide a freeze up! Oy.... this is just miserable weather. It is not fun to drive in it yet, and it has that "wet cold" about it. Bleah.

I purchased a replacement blower fan yesterday for the car. I told the guy at NAPA, "Dave, I hope I do not see you again this year." I really did mean it sincerely!

Well, I should have known that would be a jinx. I made it home and at around 2200 finally went outside to swap them out. ARGH!!! While *almost* identical, the mounting plates on these units were not the same. Ergo, no heating fan. I decided that instead of going through the trouble of reinstalling the old fan and trying to find the correct one on faith, I would just leave it out. This plan worked well last night on my way to my broomball game as there was no traffic. But this morning, oy. I could not keep a good 10-second distance between me and the vehicle in front of me to prevent road spray because someone would always snag my gap. I had no heat, so the spray would hit the windshield and freeze instantly. It was like trying to drive looking through a frosted shower door! During my short 13 mile drive, I had to stop 4 times to scrape the glass.

The good news is that I went back to NAPA today and they did have the correct one. The only problem was that it cost me $81 MORE than the original $62 unit I had purchased the day before..... and they were IDENTICAL other than the mounting plate! :sick: :sick: I could click on that icon all day....... :P

I stuffed the new fan in there and spliced the wiring up. It works GREAT! Whew.... it's been a while since we've had that much airflow in that car! Now I just have to get those rear brake pads installed before my squealer noise turns to grinding.... :surprise:

dged · September 2005

I have a 2004 Outback with a plastic shield that covers part of the front undercarriage and also has a smaller screw-in section with large Phillips-head plastic screws. The whole thing is pretty beat up. Is it worth taking off and trying to epoxy it back into shape? Or, is it okay to just remove the whole thing? I figured that it was there for a purpose, but I can't understand how it got so grungy: I never hit anything that hard.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,

Dave

ateixeira · September 2005

Rocks and stuff get kicked up.

I've removed mine, on my Forester. No problems here.

You could always get a skid plate, where's paisan? He makes some.

-juice

bat1161 · September 2005

Skidplate works well. You'd be surprised what gets kicked up underneath your car. Check out Paisan's place at azpinstalls dot com, and look at Rally armor.

Mark

dged · September 2005

Thanks, Mark,

Apparently, though, the skid plate for the 2004 Outback is still being tested. Has anyone you know tried to repair the plastic one? Any idea how much a new plastic one costs? What is the "official" name for the gizmo, anyway?

Dave

xwesx · September 2005

I'll agree that plenty of junk gets kicked up under the car! Between catching it on rocks/brush/ice when working it (on/off road!) and random stuff being kicked up on the roadways, I usually have to replace my oil pan heater every year because the cord gets severed. Amazingly, the current one on there was installed in July 2003.... it has made it 2 years! :surprise:

I gave up on all the plasic do-dads years ago, but I'm too cheap/lazy to buy a skidplate.

ateixeira · September 2005

Thanks for the link, Mark, I always forget that URL. Some friend of his I am. :P

-juice

bat1161 · October 2005

No prob. I always double check it myself

.

Mark

andrelaplume · October 2005

What is the difference (other than about 1K) between the regular legacy 2.5i automatic and t he Putback 2.5i automatic...is it just the two tone paint?

ateixeira · October 2005

More actually.

The base Outback has the All weather pack, so heated seats, mirrors, wiper de-icer are standard.

It sits a couple of inches higher, and has a long-travel suspension. The seating point is about 5" higher up, I've actually measured.

Some Outbacks are monotone, so that actually does not change. Outbacks have taller profile tires for a little more sidewall, and a softer ride.

There are other details changes, but I think overall the character is different. Outback is a legit alternative to a car-based SUV, while Legacy is just a solid family sedan with AWD.

-juice

andrelaplume · October 2005

for a grand more you sit higher, get a more rugged look and get the heated seats, wipes and mirrors. (and I can drive thru the field on little league nights a bit faster!) Is it true those 17" tires on the cars are $200 each to replace?

ateixeira · October 2005

Maybe at retail.

I bet you can find aftermarket tires a whole lot cheaper from Tire Rack. $120 tops.

-juice

andrelaplume · October 2005

1) The were not VR rated..maybe I missed some.

2) You have to pay to ship them.

3) You have to pay a premium (in my area) to have them installed since I did not buy them from t he local tire guy.

Also, my experience w/H rated tires was that they consistently got max 25K miles. The tire guys said to expect 20K for VRs....this will get expensive...

...anyone with any experience. Why did they make the tires bigger on the 06 anyway!

xwesx · October 2005

They did not really make the tires bigger.... they made the rims bigger! Apparently performance is of greater importance to the "target market" than ride comfort. Was this the Outback we were talking about? I would think that the "rugged" image would be a bit marred from going with lower profile tires..... but that's just my opnion.

jeffmc · October 2005

According to Joe over at cars101, Subaru has reversed its decision and decided to offer the base (cloth seats) Outback XT for 2006 after all. That's great news. Keep givin' us options, Subaru!

andrelaplume - Outback also adds standard foglights, rear window spoiler and roof rack. On the other hand, the 2.5i Special Edition Legacy (essentially the base model) includes the beautiful 2-piece panoramic moonroof. Legacy will probably corner a bit better than the Outback (which is certainly not a slouch) and may be a touch faster because of the extra weight of the Outback's additional features and Outback's presumably worse aerodynamics. Outback will definitely be better on that Little League field or on Forest Service-type roads.
They're both great cars... just depends what flavor you want.

ateixeira · October 2005

You pay shipping but you do not pay sales tax if you are out of state. Often tax is more than shipping costs. For $600 in tires I would pay $30 tax in MD.

Costco mounted my Falkens for $8 per tire ($32 total). The only catch is they do not offer their road hazard warranty unless you buy the tires from them.

The cost to mount is actually the same as if you bought their tire. Exactly.

-juice

krzyss · October 2005

is excellent bargaining reference. Bring print out with you and see the prices drop at your local place.

Krzys

andrelaplume · October 2005

Anyone think the dealer would swap out the 05 16" rims/tires for the 17"..I know its suppose to 'look' better but to me it is downright weird looking.....

ateixeira · October 2005

If they have them in stock, probably to earn a sale, sure.

I don't think the brake rotors got any bigger so it should fit.

-juice

andrelaplume · October 2005

What is this? I saw it as an option as I roamed the lot but could see no difference between cars with and without it...maybe it is installed after you buy it? What is it, what purpose does it serve.

Is it me or does it seem odd the Forester has a rear armrest and the Outback does not?

platypus · October 2005

Is it me or does it seem odd the Forester has a rear armrest and the Outback does not?

Hmmm... last time I checked, there was a rear seat armrest in my 2-day old '05 OXT. :P

jeffmc · October 2005

You can find photos of the optional front armrest in both the up and down positions on this page: http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback2005photos1.html

cruiser6 · October 2005

I'm in the lucky position to have this decision to make, very little difference in price by the time you put auto on the xt so which would you go for and why?? Anyone wanna recommend a dealer in Washington State around Seattle? Thanks from a newbie.

andrelaplume · October 2005

all those extra $$$ you pay for an XT must get you the armrest! I see non in the 2.5i.

andrelaplume · October 2005

Thanks for the pics...I was thinking it extended forwad not up...very stange that it is not higher to begin with.

platypus · October 2005

In trying to compare the pictures of the pop-up armrest to those of the JDM armrest (from AVO Turbo World), it looks like the pop-up version (when in the up position) extends a bit father forward than the JDM version, but that the JDM is higher than the pop-up. Can anyone comment on these differences? I guess I'm looking for something that is both farther forward and higher than the standard armrest. The JDM will run me an additional $33 over the pop-up.

sanderson · October 2005

I posted a message asking for the location of the 2005 Outback fuel filter. Was pretty much blown off by Steve (the host). Talked to the service department today and learned that starting with 2005 the fuel filter is in the fuel tank and is an integral part of the fuel pump. The good news is that it is not a service item. Steve shouldn't feel too bad; the parts guy even sold me a filter (the wrong one of course). There will probably be more questions along this line since the Owners Manual says you should change the filter every 30k miles. Thanks

xwesx · October 2005

Please do not feel any animosity toward Steve. Part of the hosts' job is to keep the forum from being cluttered with thread topics that fall within an active thread already in existence. He did provide you with suggestions as to where you may be able to repost your question.... I know how you feel though. It has happened to me before!

I cannot believe they would place a fuel filter the tank! What could possibly be the advantage to that?! Maybe they felt it was too dangerous for an end user (owner) to replace the fuel filter. After all, like the Haynes manual so aptly states, "DANGER: Gasoline is Flammable." :surprise: An eye-opener, to be sure!

Those Subaru parts guys..... oy. I was trying to get a set of intake manifold and valve cover gaskets from NAPA. They sold me manifold gaskets but did not have valve cover gaskets. I went to the dealership. They sold me the gaskets in a heartbeat, using a diagrammatic parts database (so it should be pretty near impossible to screw that up) using my car's VIN. The guy takes my money, goes in the back, brings out two sets of gaskets, and I'm on my way. The next day I was back to return the darned things because they were the wrong ones! :mad:

Thanks for taking the time to post your results here after your frustrating experience.

Subaru Legacy/Outback

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