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splicesite

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Posts posted by splicesite

  1. im a total amateur and performed this repair easily on my 95 subaru. the problem was that leaves and dirt had collected in the plastic guard at the outside bottom of the tube so it remained wet always and rusted through. i would leave this guard off when replacing the tube.

     

    the OEM fill pipe is $114.26 at subaruparts.com

     

    i remember it was hard to get the old hose off, if I remember correctly i ended up just getting a new length of rubber fuel hose from the auto shop of the approximate same shape and diameter and attached it to the gas tank with hose clamps, cost just a few bucks. Using a new custom-cut hose also gives you a bit more "wiggle room" when installing. I didnt have to drop the gas tank. If you can get the hose clamp around the gas tank end of the hose, and point the screw on the clamp straight down, you should have enough room to get a socket around the screw on the clamp to get it tightened up. It is a bit cramped in there i agree.

  2. Hi all,

    My wife's 95 Legacy sedan developed a 'crunching' sound coming from the left rear strut over the winter when going over tiny bumps or even just pushing down on that corner of the car. I thought maybe the strut was bad, but it seems to be absorbing bounces just fine still.

     

    I inspected the strut and there was no oil leaking, however there was a bunch of crud built up on the bottom part of the strut piston. I cleaned it off and the chrome of the shaft is all rough and pitted. I imagine this is from road salt over the winters. I sanded down the rough stuff lightly and lubricated the piston.

     

    The crunching noise stopped and the ride seems ok, as far as I can tell the strut is still good even though the shaft is severely pitted.

     

    My question is should I replace the rear struts or just wait for one to fail? With moderate to severe pitting, how long can the seal on the strut possibly last? I'd rather not have to change them out, especially since the strut mounts look like they're not in great shape either and it would be a bit pricey for all new rear suspension + alignment (for that matter, is alignment necessary if just replacing the rears?).

     

    What would you do.

  3. Well, im going to check out ebay and look for a pair of speakers, but u guys think these look decent?

    http://cgi.ebay.ca/ALPINE-SPS-170A-6-1-2-200w-CAR-AUDIO-STEREO-SPEAKERS-5_W0QQitemZ5876248025QQcategoryZ18799QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

    And thanks for the replies!

     

     

    I HIGHLY recommend you buy from crutchfield because they include a car model-specific install kit for FREE with any order. It is very helpful as it tells you exactly how to install the specific speakers in your specific cars and often includes trim pieces or risers or special screws that are specific for your car model. Every car is a bit different and even though the speakers are the correct size it doesnt mean they will just fit right in. Crutchfield has competitive prices and if its a little more pricey than some guy on ebay, its worth it for their custom install kit and awesome support. If you have any problem with installation, you just call them up and they will help you out on the phone. No, I dont work for crutchfield either!!

  4. rms is the wattage rating for the component when it is at its optimal clarity/performance. If your changing your speakers only then dont go very high in wattage. Your factory deck is only kicking out like 10watts at most so you will be severly under powering your new speakers, which means they will crackle and barely even work. I highly suggest you get a new head unit first.

     

    I actually think my 95 factory stereo sounds great for a stock stereo. And its not true that new speakers will crackle and barely work as posted above. If you still have the original factory speakers you will notice a great improvement in sound just by replacing the speakers and the sound will be fine - most lower-end consumer speakers are rated under 35-40W RMS MAX and will perform just fine at 5-10W which is fine for the factory stereo. There are many cheap, decent speakers available like alpine, sony, polk, blah blah....

     

    Obviously if one wants awesome sound they should buy a new stereo, amps, high-end speakers, subwoofers, etc.... but that is not what you are looking for. You can get a pair of decent speakers for the front for between $50-$100. Personally I would recommend replacing the speakers first, not the deck. Stock speakers are made of paper and have surely degraded substantially over the past 13 years while sitting in the summer heat, getting wet in the winter, etc...

     

    Go to www.crutchfield.com , they have everything you need and are super helpful for new do-it-yourselfers with custom kits. Give them a call and they will tell you exactly what fits in your car or you can put your year/model in their website and it will show you what fits and stuff.

  5. The 2.2 can handle the RPM's - it's redline is 6500, and should have no difficulty at all doing 8000+ all day long. The 2.2 has 5 mains, and short, stubby rods that aren't even drilled for oil passages. The aircraft guys run the EA81 at 7000 with a prop drive for hours and hours. That engine is not as rugged, and only has 3 mains. Let your cruise do it's job - it's going to 4k because the engine is more effiecient if kept within it's power band.

     

    GD

     

    Really? It just feels so harsh when the engine keeps slamming into 4400RPM down the highway, above 5k it feels like its going to blow up or something. Maybe I am just too sensitive.

  6. I got stopped for speeding and the officer told me to use this > pointing to my cruise control. I told him it scared me... like HAL from 2001 was controlling my car. He said, "Yours is factory it's fine. If it were aftermarket or installed later, then I would tell you to worry." Quoted by a NYS police officer. I have no idea... I have it and never use it... still scares me. Buyer beware.

     

     

     

    I wish I could use my cruise control on my '95 Legacy 2.2, but at highway speeds it upshifts to 4000RPM+ at the slightest little incline to stay at speed, more than my poor little 2.2 likes to handle. I wish it didnt have to be like that. Using my foot on the pedal I have no trouble staying at speed without breaking 3300RPM.

     

    Any suggestions other than to drive slower? Highway cruising speed around here is 75-80mph. (NYS highway patrol doesnt cite below 81mph from what I have seen, and this seems to hold true nationally for 65mph zones)

  7. OK I'm in the middle of this - my Haynes mentions "shims", but it does not appear to have any shims on these pads - ??:confused: Anyone? THX

     

    Yeah the cheap aftermarket pads dont come with shims. If your old shims fit and are useable still you can try them, but they probably are pretty worn out. You dont really need shims with the aftermarket pads. Their only purpose is to reduce noise. I dont use shims and have had no problem with rattle or other noise.

  8. Ok, my wife's 1993 Legacy L non-turbo had some really loud turbo muffler installed by the previous owner. It wakes our neighbors and scares our cat. Looking through the threads, there are a zillion recommendations for these loud aftermarket mufflers. All the mufflers at the local auto store look like loud turbo mufflers as well. But can anyone recommend a QUIET and cheap aftermarket (non-performance) muffler? Like, stock-quiet. Or, have one to sell?

     

    thanks

  9. yeah disc brake work is super simple on this car, even if you are a stranger to auto repair its still a piece of cake and saves big $$$$$. in a nutshell- the Haynes manual pretty much says it all. remove the lower pin all the way and the caliper should just swing up, it does take a little force sometimes to get it unstuck. dont be afraid to bang on it a bit. if your rotors are really really worn down there may be a lip at the edge of the rotor that the pads are getting stuck on when trying to swing the caliper up. take out the old pads (may need to smack them with a hammer to break them free if they are really rusted down), replace the rotor if needed, when putting the new pads in sometimes its a pain to get the aftermarket pads in the caliper clips but just takes a bit of wiggling. dont forget you will need a c-clamp to push the caliper slider into the caliper to make room for the new pads. you can actually use a pair of large channel-locks to accomplish this as well if you dont have a c-clamp. also a good idea to remove a bit of fluid from the master cylinder before you push the slider in and top it off after the new pads are installed. presto.

  10. This is good advice regardless, but it seems to me that the problem still exists - the difference in circumference is still an issue, and therefore should still cause binding.

     

     

    Agreed. In my limited experience, having tires of ever-so-slightly different circumference on the front and rear (same size, different brand) did not cause binding immediately but rather gradually perhaps due to increasing wear in the differential. Binding was as classically described by everyone. Rotating the tires from from to back effectively reversed the way the imbalanced torque was distributed and provided short-term relief of the problem. I dont profess to understand the mechanism involved with the way the plates in the differential interact to cause this problem, but I imagined that by rotating the tires back-to-front the process of wear would begin again but in the opposite direction, if you understand my meaning. I dont know if this reasoning is valid. All I can say is that rotating the tires immediately resolved the problem until I was able to purchase 4 new identical tires (this was after I had already wasted $$$ on tranny work!!).

     

    A couple years later I hit a curb and blew out one tire (right rear). I tried replacing just one axle of tires with an identical (but brand new and thus of slightly larger diameter) pair and the binding problem started immediately. I again rotated the new tires up to the front and put the old pair from the front on the back axle and the problem immediately ceased. Concerned that I would be causing another problem in the long term, I ended up just buying two more tires so all four are identical. My conclusion from all this is that the Subaru AWD system (at least on my 95 Legacy) necessitates always changing all 4 tires together to avoid torque bind problems.

     

    Many Subaru mechanics will tell you this is plain fact, however I would guess that upwards of 90% of tire shops will replace one axle only with tires of a completely different brand without even a clue that this is potentially a huge problem. If you try to explain to them that even slight variances in circumference such as between different brands of the same size tire (or heaven forbid- differing wear on tires of the same make and model), they will look at you like you are crazy. Of course they wont try to stop you from buying a complete set of four though!

  11. Hello all,

    My wife has a '97 Outback with 100,000 miles on it.

    It had the common "binding in tight turns" problem a few months ago. I put the FWD fuse in, and the problem disappeared, so I had the transmission fluid and filter changed at the dealership. No more problem- for a while. Now, after driving for 10 - 15 minutes, there's a gradually increasing shudder coming from (I think) the transmission. That makes me suspect the clutch pack in the rear of the tranny, maybe brought on as it heats up. Am I on the right track?

    I understand that the fuse activates the Duty C solenoid, so it doesn't seem to be the problem (I'd get a trouble code for that ). My concern is that the clutch pack was damaged during the torque binding. Any ideas?

    Thanks, Ron

     

     

    My personal (and costly) experience with the whole "torque binding" issue is that in many cases people spend hundreds or thousands on new differentials and solenoids and tranny work when the problem can actually be resolved by making sure all 4 tires are the EXACT same diameter. Even if the tires are all the same brand and same model, uneven wear between the tires on the front and rear axles (caused by replacing one axle of tires at a time) makes the subaru differentials crazy. I would like to suggest to anyone having this type of problem as a first step- simply rotate the rear tires to the front and the fronts to the rear and see if helps the problem (by reversing the difference in tire sizes between front and rear somehow it seems to make a difference). Of course, it may be a more severe problem, but this simple (and free) test warrants a try.

     

    This actually solved my torque binding problem (which hadnt gone completely away even after replacing the center differential!!), only after talking to several different techs one finally said, "yeah its obviously your tires"....

     

    It also seems that rotating your tires from front to rear can cause a partially damaged clutch pack to more-or-less function somewhat normally again, as the strain of the unevenly distributed torque is relieved (or reversed) from doing this.

  12. I have seen this discussed previously and it seem that no aftermarket company makes the interior pre-moulded carpet piece for pretty much any subaru, though I am looking specifically for my 95 legacy wagon. I posted a WTB ad in the proper forum but was wondering if anyone knows if this is a part that is available from Subaru? I havent been able to find a part number for it from any online resource. Or is it simply not an available part?

  13. This is why I personally prefer Subaru Fast software.

    splicesite just for fun can you try entering your vin on http://www.subaru-sale.ru/vin/

    It's in russian but should be pretty intuitive. I wonder if it will screw up or not. You can translate output page later if anything is not clear.

     

    Whoa crazy. Its actually an LSi though. Is reddish gray supposed to be the carpet color?

     

    suby.jpg

  14. I have a 2000 forester and walk out to it one day get inside and there is a ticking noise around the steering column and it is continuous. After i found that my lights were flashing at a very weird rate. they would go for about 10-30 seconds at about 1 per 2 seconds and then stop for a while. then it would go back at it again. so basically my battery is dead and its just cuz i cant get this clicking/ flashing thing to stop. none of my lights are on, the emergency flashers arent on, and no other buttons are on.. that i know of....the car will start with the sound and everything but it doesnt stop.. anybody know what the problem is.. ?

     

    could it be the factory alarm freaking out on you?

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