Gnuman Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 I'm truely loving my Subaru, and want it to last as long as it possably can. I got it with a bad clutch (that was why I got it, and a bent rear hatch, along with bad ball joints (can you say derilect?)) This car was built in 01/92, and has an EJ22 engine (non-turbo) it is an AWD Legacy L Wagon with a 5 spd. and I have several questions: I have heard of several EJ22 series engines, and I was wondering which one I have (says Multi Port Injection on it), for future reference in this forum. Subaru says that the tranny needs 70W gear oil, but the haynes manual says 85W which one does the tranny like better? I have heard here that Subarus like thin oil, is there a problem with running 20W50 oil in this car, as it is what I need for everything else I drive? The cruise seems slow to accel, but real quick to decel. Could this be a vacume problem? The car is hard to shift into first and second when the engine is cold, could this be from the afore mentioned gear oil weight (and is it worth changing it to the thinner oil)? The A/C sometimes looses coldness for a bit then comes back after a bit, I suspect it needs to be charged? the glove box is hard to close (like the rear hatch used to be), and I suspect that the latch/hook is not reaching properly. Is this easily adjusted? or do I have to resort to "ingenuity" What other tidbits of info/lore can I get about this wonderful car? (are there any problems that I need to know about)? I got the car with a disclaimer that I was getting it because it was too expensive for the previous owner to fix. I took one look under the hood and fell in love with it. I looked underneath, and fell in love all over again. to say that the major components as well as those most likely to need to be services were in easy reach would be an understatement. Then I drove it, and it was all over for me and any other car on the market. . . I got it with 130K on the clock, and put 10K on myself. I have not been particularly gentle with this car (130 horses under the hood, and try as I might I cannot get it to break traction on pavement. It simply goes like a cat with his tail on fire) I have gotten the new clutch to slip (engine putting out lots of power, tach goes up, spedo does not catch up, clutch is all the way out, smell of burning clutch after. . .) but I was pretty pissed at the time, and it only happened that once (this after I replaced the clutch), so I was wondering if the clutch I got was simply really cheap, and can be expected to go out quicker than a good one (and which is the best one), or was that a fluke? This car still does not use one drop of oil, so I'm happy, but this has caused a problem underneath, as all te rubber under the car has dried out (all 8 CV boots and both on the steering rack). Is there a good place to get replacements for these (other than the dealer)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajavwnsoobnut Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 well for the last one I can tell you get them from the dealer cause they are reasonably cheap and made of better rubber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AussieIan Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 Subes like thin oil and they like clean oil. If not changed regularly you end up with very noisy tappets. I followed the Haynes manual lub recommendations on tranny oil and have had no problems. Josh did have a complete owners handbook for a Legacy on his website http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru if you have not got a handbook. You can't go wrong by following that. Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rweddy Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 I have heard of several EJ22 series engines, and I was wondering which one I have (says Multi Port Injection on it), for future reference in this forum. There are double port 90-96 and single port 97+. Great motors both. Subaru says that the tranny needs 70W gear oil, but the haynes manual says 85W which one does the tranny like better? The car is hard to shift into first and second when the engine is cold, could this be from the afore mentioned gear oil weight (and is it worth changing it to the thinner oil)? I would put in 75W90 in the tranny. I run Redline 75W90NS, it is a special synthetic for manual gear boxes. Do not run conventional synthetic in the tranny. Run either normal gear lube or synthetic made for trannys not axles. The Redline would also cure you cold shifting issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted October 31, 2004 Author Share Posted October 31, 2004 Thanks for that. OK, In that Subes like thin oil, will het still be happy with the 20W50, or should I get special oil for this car seperate from the rest of the "fleet"? I have also been hearing that the 2.5 engines are having trouble. . . by this do you mean that the new Subes have engine problems (having a 2.5 engine) compared to my 92? This car has been so great that I would not hesitate to buy annother (newer) one, unless the engine has gone downhill significantly with the upping of the displacement. . . Also, other than sporty looks, what advantages does the Outback have over the same model year Legacy Wagon? When driving this car, I keep asking myself "why would anyone have any need for a turbo in this car" then the answer comes: "it is the difference between insanely fast and stupid fast" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 I would reckon that 20W-50 is bit too thick at start-up, even in California. Try some 10W-40 or 10W-50 if you can find it. Air-con compressor cycles on and off, which means the temp is not constantly cool. So off-hand yours sounds normal. Redline NS is fine. Castrol Syntorq is even better! 75W90 API GL5 is the correct type. As for wheelspin on dry roads, forget it! Dealer CV boots are the best bet. You've got a few hours of fun ahead of you changing all of them...and probably a grazed knuckle or two :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rweddy Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 Redline NS is fine. Castrol Syntorq is even better! 75W90 API GL5 is the correct type. They are basically the same but in the states redline 7.99 qt Castrol 29.99 qt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rweddy Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 I have also been hearing that the 2.5 engines are having trouble. . . by this do you mean that the new Subes have engine problems (having a 2.5 engine) compared to my 92? This car has been so great that I would not hesitate to buy annother (newer) one, unless the engine has gone downhill significantly with the upping of the displacement. . . 96-99 2.5 have some HG issues, but still great cars and have lot of power. 2.2 is a more reliable motor HG wise. Also, other than sporty looks, what advantages does the Outback have over the same model year Legacy Wagon?I own both. Outback sits higher, great for getting to biking hiking trails, etc. Lower greared, heated seats, etc but basically the same otherwise When driving this car, I keep asking myself "why would anyone have any need for a turbo in this car" then the answer comes: "it is the difference between insanely fast and stupid fast" Move to Colorado. 7000 feet a 2.2 is not fast or stupid fast. 2.2 turbo is fast and best motor subaru has ever made! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted October 31, 2004 Author Share Posted October 31, 2004 As long as I'm replacing the boots, does anyone know if it is OK to replace the drift pins that hold the shafts in place bt the tranny with bolts and anti vibration nuts? I would get them to just fit, and in Grade 8, but still do any of you think that there would be any interferance with the surrounding components? Also, is there a puller that fits over the control arm so I can press out the new ball joints, instead of ripping up the boots with a pickle fork, or should I just disconnect them from the top pinch bolt instead? The A/C does not seem to be the normal "the compressor runs until tha car is cool, then cuts out for a bit then returns" type of operation. The car gets very warm inside before I feel any cool air from the vents when it stops. Also, what is the feasability of converting this system over to R 134A, instead of the R12 that is in it now? How much would need to be changed in that case, and has anyone else done it? So far on this car, I have changed the clutch, changed the plugs (Bosch Platinum +2) replaced the ball joints, and changed the oil and filter as well as the tranny oil. Oh, and I took a bar and pulled the hook from the rear hatch back to where it would engage the latch properly again. The hardest part by far was the clutch, as the only workplace I had was on a slight hill, and I had no one to help me with shoving the tranny about to line it up with the engine. . . Everything else on the car was bone simple to do. I suspect that is why these cars last so long, and perform so well. . . not a lot to go wrong with them, and the maint is really easy, so people will actually do it. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajavwnsoobnut Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 I wouldn't recommend replacing those rollpins with bolts and nuts cause of it adds more rotational mass and also vibration due to imbalance but for the balljoint part just unbolt that bolt on the knuckle that holds the joint in place and seperate it from there cause you don't need a press or anything for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted November 1, 2004 Author Share Posted November 1, 2004 OK, so a no-go on the bolt. I had not tested the car at any kind of altitude, so I was unaware of altitude related problems. Wouldn't there be a jetting fix or a computer programming fix for that to allow more O2 into the mix? I know that is what they did for carburated cars way back when. . . Seems like a waste not to have that available for FI cars. . . For me a turbo would just be asking for trouble, though, as the normally aspirated engine is a whole lot of fun (as is watching Hondas shrinking in the rear view mirror. . . ) OK, boots from the dealer it will have to be. . . that will make it take a bit longer as they want 2x as much for them as aftermarket. I had planned on this for the steering rack anyway however, as the one aftermarket one I saw looked like a bit of junk. . . Oh, the struts seem to "bounce" a lot (the car seems a bit like a boat going down the freeway (it tips in cornering, but the handling still seems sure)). with 140K on the odo, is it reasonable to suspect that they are worn out? If so, what would you recomend as replacement struts, seeing that I am not always on paved roads (hardpack, some mud, the car hasn't seen much worse than that)? I want to retain the ground clearance if I can (these are not the adjustable shocks, but standard ones), but I'd like a bit more "sure footednes" if I can get it. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 OK, so a no-go on the bolt. I had not tested the car at any kind of altitude, so I was unaware of altitude related problems. Wouldn't there be a jetting fix or a computer programming fix for that to allow more O2 into the mix? I know that is what they did for carburated cars way back when. . . Seems like a waste not to have that available for FI cars. . . For me a turbo would just be asking for trouble, though, as the normally aspirated engine is a whole lot of fun (as is watching Hondas shrinking in the rear view mirror. . . ) ... Altitude compensation of the mixture is not the problem... the problem at 7000 ft is lack of air. (This lack of oxygen might explain some of the behavior of some people. ) The turbo does a fine job of compensating for the thinner air. Plus is darn fun when the boost comes in at sea-level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rweddy Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 The A/C does not seem to be the normal "the compressor runs until tha car is cool, then cuts out for a bit then returns" type of operation. The car gets very warm inside before I feel any cool air from the vents when it stops. Also, what is the feasability of converting this system over to R 134A, instead of the R12 that is in it now? How much would need to be changed in that case, and has anyone else done it?I would not rec. converting to 134, it will not work as well as r12. Side by side a r12 system works better than a r134 esp. when it was made to run on r12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Yeah, stick with the old refrigerant, but fill it up. Don't replace the CV pins, undo the lower knuckle bolt to remove the axle. Both mentioned, but I am just adding my vote. Suspension: Dampers/shocks are probably worn. Springs should be fine, they are quite strong. New dampers will NOT affect ride height. Stock dampers will improve the handling quite a bit - I know, I have tried. However, a set of slightly stiffer KYB dampers will make the handling more neutral, by lessening tiresome understeer. "Float" over shallow bumps at high speed will also diminish. If you can get KYB, do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthWet Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 I would not rec. converting to 134, it will not work as well as r12. Side by side a r12 system works better than a r134 esp. when it was made to run on r12. I haven't looked into this recently, but R12-to-R134a conversions have issues. The old lines do not hold R134a well, so constant leakage through the rubber should be expected. Have to flush out oil and use new oil, really should change receiver/dryer. R134a is not as "efficient" a refrigerant as R12, so older R12 components are too small to work well with R134a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted November 2, 2004 Author Share Posted November 2, 2004 I checked on the prices of both ( my R12 is "a bit low") and the cost to recharge the R12 is 100, while the changeover is more likely to go into the 300 to 400 range. . . I'll have to look into the cost of the struts (my wallet is mighty thin at this point) because I need other things first. Thanks again for all the info! It looks like I can expect this car triple her current odo reading. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted November 6, 2004 Author Share Posted November 6, 2004 OK, finally took a road trip to the mountains yesterday, and can up with a cule of questions: I can tell the cruise is working, but is is supposed to hold the speed setting when you have to downshift? or am I supposed to have to reset the speed every time I shift? What about just hitting the clutch? I sometimes do that to disengage the cruise without shifting, or hitting the brakes. . . What I'm asking (as I do not have the owner's manual) is what is the proper way for the cruise to act in this regard? Secondly, One of the two previous owners has pulled out the ashtray, and discarded it. I find this to be of no inconvienience to me as I do not smpke in the first place, but I do notice that this leaves an all but perfect place to put a set of three mini-guages. There is a lamp that used to light up the ashtray, that I can use to illuminate the guages, so that is taken care of, and mounting shpould be all but bone simple. My question is other than oil pressure, what are the best guages to have in the other two places? I was thinking of ammeter or voltage (which is more useful) and a vaccume guage. What would any of you put there? Is there a setup that is more effective than those three? I hate having to rely on idiot lights, as they only come on after something breaks, to tell you what happened. Gusages can tell you of impending problems in time to fix them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted November 6, 2004 Author Share Posted November 6, 2004 Oh, and I broke 7000ft and the car had no problems up there with lack of air. Still had plenty of power. . . Oh, I did have to up the minimum engine pulling RPM from 1500 to 2000 (If the engine went below 2K, I downshifted) but that had more to do with being on steep roads than lack of air, I think. with the way this car handled mountain roads, and the comfort it gave me driving it, I fell even more in love with this car than I was before. I had not thought that possable While I was up there, I had to find a patch of snow to drive through. I have all season tires on the car, and ti does the tires good to have snow touch them once and a while, just so that they feel right about being all weather. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rweddy Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 I can tell the cruise is working, but is is supposed to hold the speed setting when you have to downshift? or am I supposed to have to reset the speed every time I shift? What about just hitting the clutch? I sometimes do that to disengage the cruise without shifting, or hitting the brakes. . . The cruise will cancel when you hit the brakes or clutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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