myles

Does it downshift to third?

What heads does one typically mate to these blocks? How strong are the internals? If memory serves, the EJ22T-equipped North American market Legacys made about 165HP, so the boost must have been pretty mild. Was this done for reasons of engine longevity, fuel economy, or what?

In the case of the external leak (water jacket to outside), the "goo" has to stand up against the pressure differential between the cooling system and the atmosphere. For an internal leak (cylinder to water jacket and vice versa), the "goo" has to withstand the pressure differential between the cylinder and the cooling system.

If this is the result of a "normal" process, why aren't the other engines affected ?

Why not download the FSM's from http://techinfo.subaru.com/ for US$20? It's a bit tedious, but they're (obviously) far more accurate than the aftermarket books. Also, tighten to the specified torque (as specified by Subaru, not Haynes ).

They're 205mm wide and the sidewall is 0.60 x 205mm tall.

What engine's in this beast? In my car, a 2002 Legacy GT with the single-cam 2.5l, it would be easy to do with the engine in the car. Removing the battery, washer bottle, and intake duct work makes for plenty of room to get at the valve covers. I think cars with the twin-cam engines (be they 2, 2.2, or 2.5 litre) have less room between the valve covers and frame rails.

The fact that the viscous unit is _not_ serviceable is spelled out in the factory service manuals :-)

In the North American market, _all_ Subarus with manual transmissions, except the WRX STI, have a center differential with a viscous limited-slip unit. Some also have LSD's on the rear axle. Think of it this way: your center differential is built like a normal, open differential, but the shafts that transmit torque to the front and rear axles are joined together by the viscous coupling. When one shaft is turning considerably faster than the other, the silicone fluid (that's sealed inside) will begin to shear and heat up. The properties of this fluid are such that it becomes more viscous with increasing temperature. This "locks" the two shafts together (for suitably generous definitions of "lock").

I think this stuff is a fix for _external_ leaks. Sounds like you've an internal leak.

Do the viscous limited slips typically fail "locked", or "open"? I wonder how many of us are driving around with "open" diffs w/out realizing it.

The viscous limited slip unit is _sealed_, repeat, _sealed_. If/when it breaks, you replace it. There's no way to add anything to the silcone fluid inside.

Let's see. My MY2002 Legacy GT (manual transmission) weighs in at about 3345lb and has an engine that develops 165hp. It gets 21 mi/US gal around town and 27 on the highway. How do these fuel economy figures stack up against other vehicles of similar mass, with engines of similar output? In other words, I don't think the AWD drivetrain hurts you all that much (and as another poster mentioned, your auto. trans. sents most of the torque to the front most of the time, anyway).

Why not fill the filter with oil before installing it?

Is this a DOHC 2.5? If so, I've read that it might be easier working from underneath.

It's easily accessed from the engine compartment. To drain, remove the dipstick and drain plug. To fill, use a long, slender funnel that'll fit in the dip stick tube. As far as lubricants go, you'll be safe with the OEM stuff. Perhaps others will comment on their experiences with other brands. I'm considering Mobil1 75W90, but I worry that it might lubricate _too_ well for proper syncro. operation.

The Subaru stuff is 50/50 mix as sold. What do the dealers charge for it typically?

...not to mention that pets will drink coolant, and the ethylene glycol can kill them.

Some race fuels contain lead. They'll ruin his cat in a hurry!

I'll second that. I've had the ContiExtremeContact for about 2000 mi. They're great in all the conditions I've encountered thus far (dry, snow, wet).

How fast is the engine turning (typically) when you set the speed control?

'round here (capital region of NY, USA), Advance Auto carries NGK plugs. BTW, stick with the OEM air filter. It's actually oiled paper (or some other kind of non-woven textile).

I think these beasts (Phase-II 2.5's) run best with the NGK V-Power plugs (and that's what the owner's manual calls for, as well as Champion). The good news is they're cheap, that bad news is they last ~30k mi. Avoid the Champion plugs.

There's only one plug (the drain plug). You fill 'er up through the dipstick tube.

Not necessarily. My '02 Legacy (purchased new) had yellow paint marks on the dipstick handle, power steering reservoir lid, coolant expansion tank lid, etc. I suppose this indicated that that item was checked (either at the factory, or during the dealer prep.).