Vanguard

It's a 1992 Subaru and now 14 years old.

Actually it was the muffler shop that remarked that they could do the job for $20 cheaper if the inline secondary cat was left out. I'm not doing the work (no hydraulic lift and squeezing under a car with rust falling on me in not worth the trouble). It'd be easier for the muffler shop to bend out the pipe without having to figure in the inline cat and also have to extract it from the old pipes and manage to stick the rusty beast in with the new pipes. There is http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/statutes.asp for checking up on my states laws but it's a pain trying to wade through there. So far, I haven't found the magic search string to use at http://ros.leg.mn/revisor/pages/search_text/doc_search.php?search=stat to find out if my state requires the secondary cat or what they require regarding vehicle emissions. At one time, like maybe 10 years ago, they had an annual emission check, but cars older than maybe 10 years weren't required to be tested. Mine is now 14 years old and my state has not done the emissions tests for a long time. I found http://www.pca.state.mn.us/air/mvetlocation.html which says no more emissions testing in my state. A search there on "catalytic" turned up http://search.pca.state.mn.us/cs.html?url=http%3A//www.pca.state.mn.us/air/pubs/catcv-fs.pdf&qt=catalytic&col=mpca2&n=2. At http://www.epa.gov/oar/caa/caa202.txt, it mentions the requirement of *a* catalytic converter as required by the Federal Clean Air Act but then the other article about why my state no longer requires emissions testing makes it sounds like we aren't under the thumb of this Act regarding emissions for cars in our state.

I'm looking at replacing the exhaust system. The muffler is a must. It rusted out at the support tang on the pipe in front of the muffler (and the muffler and pipe are one piece for the Subarua part). I got a pretty cheap quota (and verified it at the shop where I had them take a look-see at it). They also came up with a good price on replacing the exhaust and muffler up to the front catalytic converter, the primary one where the exhaust headers go into. So there are 2 catalytic converters: the front, or primary, one into which the exhaust pipes go into and where is the O2 sensor, and the inline secondary one in the mid-pipe. Is the secondary really necessary functionally or legally? I'm not in California. The job would be cheaper if they didn't have to put the inline cat back in but I'm wondering if it is required by law to be there. Often cars are built with under the LCD (least common denominator): they are built for the worst or most restrictive sales region. If I don't need the inline secondary catalytic converter for functionality, and if it isn't required by law (and the shop thinks so), then I'd rather not keep this rusty piece in the exhaust system and also save on the cost of having to insert it back in. However, it's there so I figured it was required, like maybe for emissions certification (we don't test in our state). The primary cat will still be there, just maybe not the secondary cat after the exhaust rework. The dealer says it is required but I suspect they do lots of stuff to play it safe. It's not like I'd be permanently using a "test pipe" in place of the [primary] catalytic converter.

Well, I can't stand it anymore. I have to replace the front driver-side fender. It's rusted out. About 6 years ago some kids punched holes in it with an awl and it's been outside the entire time and rusted away there (damned road salt). Now its loose and I need to get a replacement. Doesn't need to be new, just in good condition (no rust or easily treated with just sanding). It probably isn't too tough to replace. Probably just a bunch of bolts (albeit rusty perhaps). I don't want to be hammering out any dents. Basically in good physical shape but paint color and rust that can simply be hand-sanded away are okay. I figure I'll be sanding it down, anyway, prime it and later take it in for painting when I get the rest of the rust taken care of, too. There are some yards around here where I might find the fender. I'm not going to buy a brand new one at high price from the Subaru dealer. Just wondering what you guys think is a fair price for it. UPDATE Found a place that sells the fender (looks new) for only $107 USD (http://snipurl.com/uzwa). Looked good until I checked the shipping cost. YIKES! $80 for truck freight.

Maybe you need a brake inspection to check if a rotor is warped and pounding against the pads. Check the fluid level in the rear diff? I wouldn't think struts, ball joints, or CV joints wouldn't be the problem. If they were loose, you might feel slop on handling, especially over bumps. If the struts were bad, get a free suspension inspect to check for leakage. The bounce test is usually worthless. If they are weak (like I think mine are), the ride gets harder due to less travel distance during compression. Hmm, maybe a wheel bearing is buzzing. When mine when bad, I would hear a swish noise for each wheel rotation that was louder in the winter months until the lube warmed up but it actually would be less noticable at higher speeds (drowned out by road noise and the lube getting warmed up). Maybe what you are describing is a wheel that is out of balance since it would vibrate at higher frequency as you drove faster. Checked for any stones stuck in your tire threads (or worse a bolt)?

Don't know the particulars for the mechanicals, but I'd look at the end of the stick (attached to the knob since you said both knob and stick come out [together]). Does the end of the stick have threads, like it is supposed to screw into something or have a nut attached? Does it have a hole through which a [cotter] pin retains it within a harness or shoe of the next part? Does it have a plastic insert with a groove in it for a snap-in retainer clip ring? Or is the stick damaged so the end of it is broken off? Don't know your model but I would think you would get under the carpet backside to find screws to remove a panel to get underneath to replace/repair the mehanism. I'm not at home right now to check the trim instructions for my old Subie.

Thanks for the info, especially about the spark plugs which I'll be replacing next weekend so I'll see if they are angled or not.

'92 Subaru Legacy L AWD wagon non-turbo I think it's a 2.2L engine I had this info a few years ago but those brain cells have died since then. Which type of engine do I have? And for when I forget again, is there someplace for lookup online where I can check again? I can add it to my Favorites so it won't matter if I forget where is the site. Is it true the interference engines for Subaru starting showing up in '95 or '97 models (so mine would be exempt and be non-interference)?

I'm somewhat loathe to the idea, but I recall those inserts that users could shove into their springs. They're a warped block with grooves that you insert between two adjacent coils, twist, and they either elevate those two coils or simply prevent them from coming any closer together. I forget what they are actually called. It seems a cheap way to fix weak springs but would only cover up the behavior exhibited due to them sagging and not letting the car sit at the correct ride height. They wouldn't help to provide the correct travel when the car was bouncing up and the coils extended. Still, maybe those things actually work. I haven't a clue if they exist for coils on MacPherson struts, if there is enough room to even use them. I only remember seeing them many years back for regular coil springs (i.e., not with a strut running up inside of them). I guess if they exist and they work that I could solve the problem until the struts go bad again and then I'd replace both the struts and springs (the labor outstripped the parts cost by quite a ways).

I have the 300-page Chilton book for the car but didn't see any height specifications. Guess I'll stop by the body shop or car the dealer to see if they will give me that info. Hmm, I wonder if the dealer would give me a free inspection. At the car shops, a suspension check is free (it draws in business). Maybe I could get a free suspension check from the dealer and ask them to include checking the height since they should have those specs. The bounce test was good on all four corners and why I suspected something like a worn ball joint, wheel bearing, or something in the suspension that would account for looseness that would result in too much freeplay and cause shaking or a harder ride. Since the struts immediately dampen the bounce, there would be no way to see from the bounce if the springs were weak or not.

92 Subaru Legacy L wagon 4WD I had all 4 struts replaced about 5 years. Yeah, sounds like awhile ago but the car has had all of 15,000 miles put on it in that time. In the last few months, I noticed the ride is more harsh (i.e., harder on the rump). The best way to describe the effect is "wheel slap" where the tires feel like they are taking too much of a hit over the bumps or transmitting too much of it to the car (and hence through the body, into the seat, and into my butt). There is no shaking when driving, no pull, no wobbling, or other looseness. I've had 3 different car shops inspect the suspension looking for loose ball joints, wheel bearings, or leaking struts. The only suggestion that might apply is that the springs are sagging. The place that made the suggestion of sagging springs was also the place that replaced the struts. I retorted that they were the ones that replaced all the struts and that even they thought 15K miles was far too short for the struts to be bad. They said that they replaced the struts but not the springs. I didn't realize that the springs were considered a separate part from the struts. So is there some way that I can measure the height of the car to determine if it is sitting too low because the springs are weak? Jacking it up would simply extend the struts to the stops so that wouldn't tell me if they were weak. I figure the springs under load would lift the car less if they were weak. But then maybe the height doesn't change and they simply won't let the car bounce as much to soften the bumps transmitted to the body (the car's and mine). Would the only way to know be to remove the struts, remove the springs, and test them with a compressor with a guage to determine how much resilience they have at different compression lengths? If so, I wouldn't have any of that to know the springs are good or not. So what would a set of 4 springs cost for the MacPherson struts, front and back? What might a shop charge to test the springs?

What is the best way to get the sleeve removed from the hole. Even when tapping with a hammer, it moved only enough to let me slide the caliper back down so the lock pin bolt would slide through. I'm concerned about hitting it anymore with a hammer simply because it seems soft enough to be malleable and the end would squash so it could distort and make its diameter smaller or warped so the bolt won't slide through well or the sleeve slide through the hole. I'm not sure if a C-clamp would work since one end would have to be off the sleeve and the squeezing would be at an angle. Is there a C-clamp with a hole at one end through which the sleeve would pass? UPDATE: Well, to get the sleeve pushed out of the caliper assembly (so I can clean and lube it), I figure to use a piece of wood, drill out a hole a bit bigger than the sleeve, place it over the sleeve, and use a C-clamp. That would let me align the C-clamp along the sleeve to push it out rather than having to resort to banging (and distorting) the end of the sleeve with a hammer or mar it up on the outside surface (that slides through the hole in the caliper) by using lockjaw pliers. I'm taking the car into the shop on Saturday for an all-fluid flush job and to look at the struts (since I suspect some are bad due to wheel slap and an overly hard ride than from before). I'll ask them about the sleeve. Or maybe I'll just have them do it since it will be up on the hoist, anyway, if they don't charge too much.

So when the caliper slides, does the bottom lock pin slide inside a fixed sleeve or does the sleeve also move? If just the lock pin (bolt) slides around then the sleeve is merely to provide a polished surface through which the lubricated bolt slides, and the rubber boots would be to keep the bolt clean rather than keep the ends of the sleeve clean since it doesn't slide in the hole in the caliper assembly. Alternatively, maybe the sleeve is supposed to slide in the hole in the caliper to provide some give. It was my friend who said that the sleeve on the passenger side slid a bit but then he wasn't sure on recollection if he was just happening to flexing the rubber boots on each end or if the sleeve actually moved in and out. It seems the lubricated lock pin bolt is supposed to do all the moving, just like the pin at the top does all the sliding. Thanks for the tip, though, about putting the bolt back in without the pads to make sure the caliper assembly slides freely. I'll remember to do that next time. The brakes are together now and I really don't want to disassemble them unless the sleeve really is supposed to move inside the hole in the caliper. I was surprised that the pads did not include a packet of brake grease. When I was at the store picking up the pads, I just happened to pickup a grease packet at the counter (because they were next to the dielectric grease and anti-sieze compound that I need for doing the spark plugs).

92 Subaru Legacy L non-turbo AWD 4-wheel disc station wagon I replaced the front disc pads last weekend. The lower bolt gets removed so the assy will pivot up on the upper bolt. When putting it back together, I noticed that the lower bolt sleeve didn't move. This is the brass-like sleeve or tube through which the bolt slides. You lower the assy to line up the sleeve with the bracket so you can insert the bolt and tighten it down. There are rubber boots on each side of the sleeve. I thought the sleeve would move a bit to account for flex in usage. I can see how the upper pivot slides side to side on that bolt. In fact, when I had the assembly raised up, I could slide it side to side by quite a ways. What I am wondering about is the lower bolt. Does the sleeve stay in place in the assembly and it slides side to side on the bolt? Or is the sleeve supposed to move a bit, too? My recollection on the passenger side was that the lower bolt sleeve moved a bit by about as much as I could flex the rubber boots on each side. However, the sleeve on the driver side did not move at all. Maybe they aren't supposed to move. Maybe it doesn't matter if the sleeve moves because the greased bolt is supposed to slide inside of it (so the assy moves in when the piston on the other side pushes against its adjacent pad). I have driven the car since then and have noticed no misbehavior in braking. I let the car roll to a slow stop while in neutral and never felt any jerk at the final stop (i.e., there was no drag by the pads on the rotors). I don't hear any noise of a dragging pad, and it is on the same side as me driving the car to check it out. So it could be the lower bolt is simply supposed to slide sideways inside the sleeve and the sleeve really doesn't need to move itself. However, maybe the sleeve is supposed to move and the driver side is frozen and somehow that might cause uneven wear on the pads, like the top end of the pad doing all the gripping. For reference, see the parts diagram at https://home.comcast.net/~vanguard.stealth/subaru/frontdiscdiagram.pdf. The part that I am talking about is item #8, the lock pin sleeve. I think it moved a bit on one side but was unmovable on the other side other than moving a wee bit by tapping with a hammer to move it out a tad in order to get the parts to slide back together. So it can move if whacked with a hammer to get the parts to fit. I just don't know if the sleeve is meant to actually move when inside the hole in the assy or if it is supposed to be a snug fit and the rubber boots are merely to protect the lubricated bolt (the #4 lock pin) that goes through the sleeve.

It wasn't the page that I found before but thanks for finding one that shows the deposits and what causes them. Mine had a white coating on it and, according to that web page, it is either additives or burning oil. I don't see any blue flumes coming out the tailpipe, and since the O2 sensor has 130K on it then it is probably additives. It had some very high mileage on that sensor so I'll inspect it next time when I replace it sooner (like around 40-60K miles).

Thanks for the info. Well, at least, I have the O-ring to compare agaist in the hardware store to see what size is needed. Hopefully a new one seals more tightly.

Thanks, nipper, but it didn't list the color code for the wires for the O2 sensor. Although not the same place as before (which were a copy of install instructions that shows the shape and wire colors for LOTS of car brands rather than Bosch's very incomplete table), I did find a color code at: http://www.sparkplugs.com/sparkplug411.asp?kw=NTK+Universal+Oxygen+Sensor+Installation+Instructions&mfid=0 So it looks like I guessed correctly. I connected the red and white wires from the old connector to the white wires on the new universal O2 sensor (for the heater) and the black wires together (sensor). However, and although the computer was reset (by disconnecting the battery for half an hour), the CEL (check engine light) is still on. Oh, well, onto trying the next part. When I read the error codes using the flashing CEL method, the O2 sensor, knock sensor, and purge valve (which I assume means the canister purge valve) were all listed when using the black test connector. So either the wiring job wasn't satisfactory (Bosch gave me "posi-lok" connections that rely on a friction fit to jam the wire against a metal stud in the ferrule), or the O2 sensor wasn't the problem, or I actually do have more than one cause as shown by the error codes. I figured the O2 sensor was the most likely candidate. The old one was coated white on the tip (a bit of carbon black at the base). The only image that I've found (from Bosch) is that a white coating means fuel contamination but that's not very specific, like too much alcohol (here in Minnesota it is mandated that ethanol be mixed with gasoline), coolant, additives, or whatever. So I'll have to read the codes again and hopefully the O2 sensor won't be listed anymore. Now, of the remaining error codes that were read before, I get to guess as to which is most likely candidate to replace first: knock sensor ($66) or purge valve ($85). I just got nailed for $600 to replace the calipers, pads, and rotors on both sides on the rear axle. Ouch. Guess there's no getting ahead of the curve.

I got a Bosch universal. Their installation instructions at http://www.boschusa.com/images/OxygenSensorInstall.pdf has a table showing color codes so you can supposedly match up the colors for the connector (the old one you reuse) and their wires on the replacement O2 sensor. The Bosch had 2 white wires (for heater) and 1 black wire (for sensor). My old connector (for my Subaru '92 Legacy L AWD non-turbo) had 1 white, 1 red, and 1 black. Well, there really is no match in their table other than noticing that the only red wire listed in in the heater column. My old Subaru 3-pin connector had the following wire colors: white red black The Bosch had: white (2) black So I hooked them up as follows: Subaru white -> Bosch white Subaru red -> Bosch other white Subaru black -> Bosch black Does that sound like the correct hookup? I ask because after replacing the oxygen sensor, the CEL (check engine light) is still on. I disconnected the positive cable from the batter for over half an hour which, as I read, should've reset the computer. But when I started the car, and after driving it awhile, the CEL still comes on. So either I didn't connect the O2 wires correctly, or it is one of the other possible components that are bad (purge valve or knock sensor). The error codes showed 3 codes (O2, knock, and purge valve) so I figured the O2 might've been most likely the culprit. Maybe not, or maybe I didn't wire it correctly. Before installing the O2 sensor, I did check resistances but only remember one of them right now. Between the red and white wires, the digital ohmmeter showed a resistance of 1500 ohms. Presumably the heater is a wire coil with resistance that heats up when current goes through it. However, I do recall the continuity test showing the black and one of the other wires were connected. Should the black (sensor) wire show connectivity at any ohms to the other leads?

I was working on the car last night (before the tornadoes hit our area) and saw that the O-ring was actually still on the dipstick. So I didn't lose the O-ring but the dipstick feels loose in the tube. It takes very little force to pull the dipstick up and out of the tube, and when putting it back it the feel is very minimal that it is pressing against anything to provide a seal. There are no lube stains around the tube to show that any fluid has been splashing or leaking past the dipstick, but it just feels so weak for providing a seal. The O-ring doesn't protrude much from the dipstick body. Do these things shrink over time?

But that's why I was asking, to see if anyone knew if neoprene (which is used for the "rubber" o-rings), silicon (which often is rated for high temperatures in some compounds), or teflon (which is even used in frying pans) would be best for both temperature and the particular application (which has the o-ring seal against oil leakage). I don't know what happened to the old O-ring so hopefully it fell off when some mechanic had it out and it didn't come of inside to possible get into the works. I'll be getting a complete fluid flush later and am working on other repairs for now. I figure the most common O-ring material would be neoprene and that is what the hardware store would have. Just wondering if that's okay.

Somewhere in searching the Net, I remember seeing a picture (actually several of them together) showing various discolorations of the oxygen sensor and the cause for each one. Anyone know where to find such a graphic illustration of discoloration and cause? I just bought a new one today because of the CEL on almost all the time and one of the ECU's error codes pointing at the O2 sensor. I removed the old one and its tip has carbon black around the base (too rich) but the rest of the tip is coated white. It is pretty well baked on and takes quite a bit of scratching to remove some. Is the white discoloration indicative of a coolant leak? Or is white the normal discoloration?

I noticed the tranny dipstick is loose in the tube. All that holds it in place is gravity. When I remove it, there is no O-ring on it. I am assuming that there is supposed to be an O-ring to secure it into the tube and to seal it. Can I go to the hardware store and get an O-ring to slide onto the dipstick or do I need a special high-temperature O-ring? I've seen Neoprene, silicon, and teflon o-rings and wonder which is appropriate. I suspect if I go to the dealer that they'll want me to buy the whole damn dipstick.

I forgot to look at the wiring for the O2 sensor when I was last under the car (to secure the rattling heat shields). I took a look at the O2 sensor to see where it was, and it looks pretty easy to get at. When I went to online vendors, all of the ones that I checked only had 3-wire units for my year and model. The dealer wants $129 for their Subaru-branded O2 sensor, I can get a Bosch OEM for $89 or universal for $69, and a Walker universal for $46. I'll probably go with the Walker universal unless someone has some real evidence in difference in quality and compatibility. The local NAPA Auto Parts store carries the O2 sensor, universal only, for $69 but I don't know which brand (and I can get the Walker univeral for cheaper from oxygensensors.com even with the shipping). I don't mind using the universal and slicing (and soldering) on the old connector. I'm very handy with a soldering gun/iron. I don't know if the O2 kit comes with a silicon "bandaid" to cover the splices to weatherproof them. If not, I'll have to get some high-temp silicon and heatshrink tubing to seal the splices. I've heard that sometimes the wire coloring doesn't match. In case that happens (and the colors don't match those mentioned in the instructions, if any are included), what resistances should I be measuring across the heater wires and between them or the unit's casing to the sense wire (so to identify which wires are for what based on resistance)? How long are O2 sensors supposed to last? My maintenance schedule says nothing about replacing it. When looking at the specs for the online vendors, I don't see any duration spec. I think it is the original O2 sensor in my car which has 130K on it now (but the Check Engine light has been coming on erratically probably since turning past 100K). I recall one user saying that they last only 30K, but if that were true that they were so short-lived then I would think they would listed for replacement in the maintenance schedule. When I used the black test connector on the ECU to read the error codes, I got 22 (knock sensor), 32 (purge valve), and 35 (oxygen sensor). When I went through the test procedure for the green connectors, I got only 35 (oxygen sensor). So I'm first targeting the O2 sensor for replacement. I hear it comes out easier with a hot exhaust.

When looking at oxygensensors.com and some other online vendors for oxygen sensors (Walker and Bosch, both OEM and universal), all they list for my '92 Subaru Legacy non-turbo is a 3-wire unit. 2 wires would be for the heater element and 1 wire is the sense line. So they must rely on the case screwing into the exhaust and follow the exhaust back for the ground connection. Except the exhaust system is rusty so I'm not sure how good that ground path would be. I think in the 4-wire unit that one of them is the ground wire. What would be a good method to attach a ground wire to the O2 sensor? Could I solder onto its casing, or would the heat needed to perform the soldering result in damaging the part? Or is grounding back through the exhaust system okay?

According to http://www.cobbtuning.com/tech/airflow/ for the MAF sensor, "Subaru uses a cylinder shaped sensor mounted securely to the stock air cleaner box behind the passenger side headlight assembly". I don't remember seeing anything like this. I've replaced the air filter several time but then I wasn't looking for something attached somewhere to the side or underneath of the air cleaner box. Also, a few times the dealer or oil change shop would replace the air filter so I don't know what they put in, but presumably it would match the type that is specified for my car. When I have replaced the air filter, it was just a folded dry paper type, like a Fram brand air filter. Basically I hit the car parts shop, use their lookup list to find which part number for the brand they carry, and use that. I don't remember ever seeing an oil-impregnated air filter in any car that I've had.