raulcruz01@earthlink.net

thanks for your response! 1996 obw, 2.2 (if that matters)

i recently purchased a 96 obw and this is what the previous owner had done. This is how I carry my bikes and it works just fine

The other day we were low on fuel and about the right time (3 or so gallons left), the low fuel light came on. Then it went out and when I put gas in I had about .9 gallons left in the car! I know, I know: not smart. But since then I let it go with about 1 gallon left and the light never came on. It's rare for us to let the tank get this low, but being my first sub I think I'm not used to the gauge readings. Anyways, I'm wondering why the light is not going on anymore. is this a fuse issue? Thanks for your expertise!

Can someone give me a step-by-step on how to bleed the brakes? BTW, they are disc brakes and I'm sure he didn't forget a pad

rear brakes, that is. He said he bled the brakes, but the brakes feel mushy to me, like there's more play in them, like they reach closer to the floorboard. He's gone for a month and I'm wondering if there's something I need to do to firm them up or if I even need to do it (if they're fine the way they are). I've done brakes before, and though I'm no pro, I think I'm knowledgeable enough to get back in there and tweak something if it's relatively simple. Thanks for your help guys! BTW, it's a 96 outback wagon, 2.2 manual tranny

is the amount of smoke the car produces indicative of how much gunk was in there? I just did seafoam on the intake and though it blew out SOME smoke, it was not the "rock concert show" I was expecting from some of the posts herehttp://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

so... where can I get the best deal on a clutch for 96 outback with a 2.2 if someone could put it in for me? Is this a relatively easy job?

it does not slip, though it seems the lack of power to get out of sticky situations (as I mentioned in my original post) is what has me concerned. AT first, I just thought it was underpowered and was disappointed since I'd heard subes were great in the snow. I'm just trying to find out if the solution is as simple as putting in a new clutch.

is the general consensus that the problem is indeed the clutch?

anybody? WE'll be taking a long drive to Canada this summer and I'd like to fix this before we go if it really is the problem. Thanks for your input!

Thanks for your replies! The clutch is not slipping at all and seems to have plenty left. It has 138k (i bought it with 135k) and, to my knowledge, the clutch hasn't been changed. My experiences with clutches in the past is that you know it's going when it starts slipping and when you can push it all the way to the floor before it engages. It just doesn't seem that bad to me. The smell is definitely clutch. I wasn't spinning my tires, but it sounds like it MUST be the clutch going since it didn't seem to be that deep of snow for me to not be able to pull out. I have been thinking the car just didn't have very much power. Any other input?

I have a 96 outback that TWICE NOW has had a burning clutch smell when trying to get out of snow. The first time I high centered it on some snowmobile trails, which was understandable. The second time was yesterday. I was in about 4 inches of snow and some mud with the nose of the car at a slight decline. I got the car out, but when I engaged the clutch it slowly came out. It's like it just had enough power to get out. I've got the 2.2 engine but it seemed to me it should've gotten out easier than that. Is there something else going on, or is the car that underpowered?

andyjo, Are you saying that using seafoam on the vaccum lines would help gas mileage?? I know enough about cars to do basic - and i mean BASIC - maintenance. I put seafoam in the tank but I've heard about putting it in other places but part of me is freaked out by the prospect, especially when I hear about all the smoke pouring out of the tailpipe! This issue is still going on - went to the mountains and got 25 up, 32 back. In town this week I'm at about 18 or 19. I've NEVER owned a car that yo-yo'd so much on the gas mileage! I used a tank of shell and hasn't seemed to make any difference - only in my wallet. Still open to suggestions.

Jamal, Thanks so much, man! You guys are great!

Maybe this will help my mpg's?? Can someone give me a step-by-step instruction (pictures?) on how to do this on a 1996 obw? Many thanks!

Thanks for the interesting article, nipper. It's good to finally get some usable information re: octane ratings in gas. I'll stick to 85. Now the search for better gas at a reasonable price. One Shell station in town charges up to .14 more for their gas. I've been doing some looking on the internet and I am closer to being convinced that I should start pumping better quality gas in our cars. So, in your opinion, which is better - exxon or shell? (these are the two higher quality gas companies we have in town)

nipper, I agree that Wyoming is an incredible state! i just came back from an hour of cross country skiing in absolutely beautiful country. It took me 15 minutes to drive to the trail, but couldn't go on the one I wanted because someone was sponsoring a x-country ski race. There aren't many places around that will allow the outdoorsman (or just the nature lover) to access nature so easily:) I was talking to the guy I was skiing with about this "gas issue". He heard on NPR recently that pumping premium gas is a waste of money and that it was a "scam". I have heard that, at higher altitudes, 85 octane gas is just fine. Another TV show consumer scam show said that pumping 87 is pointless - that you should go one way or the other, but 2 more points in octane is negligible. Anyways, this is interesting conversation. i will try a better quality gas station and see where that gets me.

I'm not smelling any gas. I did change the fuel filter recently, but lines look good.

By the way, I also put in a whole bottle of Seafoam three tankfulls ago.

So I've been reading some of these threads on gas mileage and haven't found an answer to MY mystery... Erratic, inconsistent gas mileage. 96 obw, 136k, recent tune up with new pcv valve, plugs, wires, fuel filter, oil change with 5w30 valvoline high mileage oil, checked tire pressure, o2 sensor changed about 20k ago or so ago. In town, in the teens (17mpg or so) consistently. On the highway, anywhere from 24-28. This week, I filled up and went all highway miles. My friend drove my car for about 50 or so miles and drove it like Mario Andretti - screaming rpm's on each gear. I was ready to take the wheel and thought for sure he'd kill my mileage. That's when I got 28. Filled it up and did about 100 miles on the highway, winds at about 55 mph on I-80 in wyoming. I could tell I was getting less because the needle was dropping quicker. Drove it conservatively and got 18 or 19. What's the deal??!! I purposely didn't get a full sized SUV because I thought I'd be doing better on mileage. It's even a 5-speed! Am I missing something.

I've got a 96 obw that I just purchased from an individual. I am running 5w-30 high mileage oil (it has 136k). I love the car and would love to keep it running well as long as possible. I'm wondering if I should switch to synthetic. I've heard this could be a bad thing on high mileage cars. This car had all of the front seals (?) changed with the timing belt at 105k. Would switching to synth be a worthwhile investment. Will it cause leaks if the seals are newer? Will it lodge loose any goo that could hurt the engine? If I switch, what is a good lower cost synth oil (valvoline synth is less than mobil 1, and they even have a high mileage synth). Thanks for your input!

our local subaru dealer quoted me this price for oem wires (2.2 obw). This seems very low to me. Is Subaru outsourcing their wire manufacturing, resulting in sub-standard quality? Or is this just a good deal?

2.2. It's a 96 obw. Have I done irrepairable damage by using the purolator pcv? The car is high miles (135k), i just bought it and I'm being hyper-careful as this has been a dream car for many years

I hear ngk plugs here, but I went to the subaru dealer today who told me the oem's work best and to stay away from platinum because of the altitude here (i'm in wyoming). Also, I installed a purolator pcv valve last week and I've read a few horror stories about how this increases oil consumption and that I should use oem for the valve as well. is this enough of a possibility that i should change it out? Your expertise is appreciated