Sonicfrog

I wonder who is still around. I was on the Old Subie forum most of the time. Have to do a little sniffing around.

Hello Everyone! I haven't been here in forever. I was an active member from 2005 to about 2015. Life took me to different things, but funny how the waves of fate have brought me back again. Quick history: I first became a Subaru guy when, in 1992, I bought a 1980 GL wagon for $600. That little wagon got me all over the state of California. In the late 1990's. After that one died, and a 1987 normally aspired GL wagon coming in a out of my life, I got the car that would connect me to the USMB... Murphy, the 1987 $500 GL-10 Turbo Wagon! I was often found in the Old Gen section sharing all the wrenching adventures about Murph. I also had a Frankenstein 1982 BRAT, but Murphy was my love. I ended up parting ways with it in 2015, and forever wished I hadn't. Since then, I've gone through a couple more Subies; a 2009 Forester XT, and a 2003 BAJA. Both were sold last year to finance the restructuring of my business. I hated to part with the two vehicles, and hated to be without a Subaru, but the money from the sales got me through the difficult period. And now, I am in a position to get a new car... And I did! 2010 Outback 3.6R Limited OK. It's not "new", but it's new to me. It's a gem. 117k miles on it. Very clean. Gonna be posting some questions soon.

I think 11.8 is spec for the top banjo.

UPDATE: The XT Limited is back on the road... YAY!!!!!!! I had ordered a CHRA from CARiD but when it arrived it was not the right one. This occurred even though I had called and gave them the VIN number as the pics of the cartridge didn't look quite right (the pics sellers use often don't match the product). So I ended up getting a complete turbo. Car is running great. So now I have a new turbo, new braided oil lines on the turbo side, and the banjo screens are removed. Thanks for all your help GeneralD.

It's either a DL or GL hatch, probably around 1981-ish since it has dual beam square headlights.. I hope it finds a home. They are ridiculously easy to work on. Finding parts for them in areas that doesn't have a history of having a large Subaru population can make things harder to find. But since this is Washington, the new owner shouldn't have a problem there. Subarus are everywhere there.

You have turbo housings you can sell?

Point taken. I'm gonna go the CHRA route I think. Looks like the best solution.

Here's a pic of the turbo line.

I forgot to post pics of the new oil lines. yes I had to dremmel a bit of the front heat shield off to make this work better.

What's a CHRA? Ah... God Bless The Internets!!!!

So I got the car up and running Thursday night.. https://photos.app.goo.gl/WW4bsptFDf8gLt419 Bummer. Turbos are not supposed to sound like this. I so want to drive the car I bought three weeks ago. I have a rebuild kit coming today. Hopefully this will be the last of the wrenching I will need to do for a while.

Will do. Any brand you like? A lot of peeps like Rotella... Which sounds more like a candy than an oil. Note: I'm getting a 4 pack of Subaru oil filters. That should cover my car and the two other Subies at my household.

OK. The oil doesn't look bad at all. But as is the case when I work on my cars, I'm going to change it as soon as I'm done anyway.

PS. The previous owner kept really good records of the maintenance done to the car. I looked it over and found that the oil that was used and the oil filter were not the recommended type. The oil is 5-30, but it's not synth, and the filter is a cheap Penzoil one. Before the codes were triggered, I was pushing the car hard up a mountain pass. given that the screens were not clogged, I now suspect the codes were triggered because it has the wrong oil and filter.

New Update: I ran into yet another problem. My plan was to replace that with a braided oil line. That idea sounded great, but no one seemed to make one that would fit the specific configuration of the 2009 Forester, one that attaches to the top of the head. But I did find there is a work-around. There is a separate oil port on the passenger side head, but on the 09 they have that port plugged. If you move the plug from the side to the top, then the configuration is the same as the WRX... And they make plenty of oil line kits for that. Here's a link that showed me this nice trick. https://www.iagperformance.com/v/vspfiles/downloadables/instructions/IAG/IAG-ENG-2070/IAG AVCS and Turbo Oil Feed Line IAG-ENG-2070 v3.pdf

Mine indeed only had two. Of course, in the process of replacing the banjo screw I broke it. I got stuck in the feed tube which I had to cut off to get out. Time to replace with a braided hose.

Update: I got the second easiest filter out, the one under the turbo air intake. It too had barely anything in it. So I'm putting that back together. Now I have the passenger side to do and I have no idea how I'm gonna get to that one. I can't even see it. Of course, as is the way things have been going on this, I broke a hose barb on the coolant reserve tank. And of course the parts dept is closed until Monday.

GD... I missed you man!!!!!!!!!!! :-) I still miss Murphy, the $500 87 Turbo Wagon. But this Forester is THE BOMB!!!!!!... When it's running. :-) I had been waffling about keeping the screens or taking them out. It seems that leaving them only leads to more trouble, especially the risk of starving the turbo of oil. I decided I'd rather have a bit of debris flow to the turbo rather than starve it of oil. I have removed the drivers side screen, but I'm at a point where i could put a new one in without too much effort. But yeah. Why did they put all of these in spots that are so difficult to get to???? PS. I just changed my timing belt this last weekend. If I was off a tooth on one cam. Could that trigger the codes?

Not at the moment. Maybe in the future.

So I bought my 2009 Fozzy Turbo just over a week ago. I was driving home from the central California coast on Tuesday when I suddenly lost all turbo boost and the warning lights came on. When I got it towed home (AAA is awesome!!!!) I pulled the codes.... P-0011 and P-0021. These are sometimes called "the codes of death" because they indicate oil starvation to the AVCS valve system, and though the turbo is not connected directly to that system, if that gets starved for oil, a lot of times the turbo is starved for oil too. When a turbo doesn't have the proper amount of oil, they will easily die. When I learned of this my heart sank. Did I just blow up a car I bought a week ago???? I pulled the exhaust off the turbo and THANK GOD it's in pretty good shape. The usual culprit that causes the oil starvation are these tiny screens They are embedded in hollow banjo bolts that carry either oil or water through the engine. Note that the most common application of banjo bolts don't have a screen in them. The bad thing is, the three banjo bolts with screens on my Subie are in the worst possible locations. In order to repair this, replace them or take them out (there is debate over what is the proper course) I have to basically take apart the front and top of the engine... Pull the timing belt, the cams, the timing cover front and back, the intake manifold and turbo... Tons of work. But, the good news. I got one of the screens out. It was clogged, but not horribly so. And there was little sign of any metal fragments or shavings. The turbo is still good. So i think the codes saved me a much worse fate that i can't afford... Buying a new engine. PS. I'm choosing to leave the screens out. The newer Subie turbos don't have them. They do recommend maintaining a strict 3000 mile oil change regiment. I'm gonna do that. I'm also gonna have the oil flushed in the next couple of weeks.

I hadn't planned to get a turbo, but this one was in terrific shape for being 10 years old and I couldn't pass it up. I love the color of yours.

Bump

AWESOME!!!! I just picked up an 09 turbo last weekend. Love It!!!! I loved my 2005, but this is such an improved vehicle.

Baby needz a new pair of shoes!!! Size is 225/55/r17. What do you guys like on the turbo Subies??? PS. I left the house in a hurry and forgot to mention my typical driving conditions. I'm in Fresno / Central CA. We have long hot dry summers, then winter is our rainy season. No snow or ice here, but the Sierra Nevada mountains are just outside my window, and i will do some driving in the snow from time to time.