LegAC

The difference in the head temperatures were maybe 10% of the problem. IMO, it was the fact that the head was hot and there was only a 4 quart sump. Oil sees extreme temperature variations in alot of cars. Especially turbo'd applications. As we all know, turbos get fairly hot, especially the ones that don't have water cooling. You don't see every turbo'd vehicle sludging up. That said, I lean more towards inadequate sump capacity, and Subaru does a good job designing the sumps on just about everything. Heck, our H6's hold like 6 or 7 quarts of oil, do they not?

Waaaay over my head. I can barely change my own oil. I guess it's off to my buddy.

I second this request. :grin:

I had a 2004 Focus ZX4 and a sunroof only cost me $800 through a friend at a dealer. That was the wholesale cost. Retail is like $1,200 or so.

That's the problem with driving older cars. If you get into a wreck, it usually costs more to fix that it does to total it out. Look up the Nada on your car. If your car is worth less than $2,500 or so, consider it totaled from what you have described here. You also have the right to get estimates from different places. Find out what the trigger amount is for keeping your car, and find a shop that will accept that much for repairs. Remember, the shop doesn't get a nickle if the repair bill is too high.

I've almost never owned an automatic. I hate them. Personally, I don't do anything different that I have with FWD or RWD. You just can't drop the clutch like you normally could. You either stall the car, or just burn up the clutch.

Awesome, thanks for the link!

Using my southern techniques, my bumper has been "welded" on for almost 3 months now.

Other than searching ebay everyday, are there any good places to get a nice refurbed tranny? I've tore all through this forum today and didn't find anything recent.

If it is porked as you say and I asume you mean: Then would the VC, be the next thing to replace?

I don't know about you pesky yanks and your JB welding, but this is how we southern subie owners weld things:

I bought the car as is not too long ago. When I say as-is, I mean 1 odd tire and lots of noise. The previous owner wasn't that bright and I doubt the diff's were ever seviced. I just figured the tech could change the fluid while he had the car up. I've also read on here that Severe Gear quiets things down alot if that is indeed where some of the noise is comming from.

Coming from a petroleum engineer. Simply pick any SM certified oil and sleep good at night. If you are still worried, use the severe service schedule in your owners manual. From past experience, you'd be spending better time worrying about the drivetrain instead of the engine. The engines usually outlast the cars.

I have a 1996 Legacy Brighton 5 speed for reference. I've got some major drivetrain issues. First, my steering wheel wobbles left to right at low speeds. I think this is due to the torn CV boot and resulting screwed up CV joint. Next, I think I have torque bind. All the tire are the same size and seem to have the same amount of tread left, but one is a completely different brand. The car make a whirring noise as speed increases and the car kind of pulsates when I make a corner at speed. Nothing noticable at lower speeds and no dificulty turning. I was thinking about replacing the CV Joint/Boot, getting 4 new tires, replacing the diff fluid and tranny fluid with Amsoil Severe Gear. If this doesn't solve things, what else will I need to replace?

Just do like I did. Get a lawyer and sue for the entire amount plus lawyer fees because you wouldn't be in this situation if their client hadn't have struck your vehicle. I ended up with a severely upside down vehicle paid off and a happy lawyer.

A sedan runs 60:40 The wagon runs 58:42 However, don't even think for a second that this translates into better handling. The rear is simply heavier. In addition, there is more body flex.

I wouldn't personally get too caught up in what a compound does or does not contain. Either it is recommended for a specific application or it is not. Molybdenum is a great anti-wear additive, but isn't found in some motor oils. Does that make those oils bad? No, it just means that they've found other additives to substitute for the traditional Moly content. Everything you say is more than likely true. I haven't done too much investigation on axle lubes. I would just call mobil and see if it gets their blessing. I agree that a slight tact may not be the best choice, but sometimes synthetic compounds can get away with certain things that a conventional product couldn't.

I was hoping to get a welcome at some point. Thanks!

I just bought a 96 Legacy Bright Wagon with 89K for $500. The interior is absolutely trashed, but mechanically it is in great shape. After some good reading on here, I realize I did a good thing with the Phase I ej22 and the 5 speed. I bought this as a beater, but I think I actually enjoy it better than my 06 F-150 King Ranch. The Fuel economy is superb. Almost 30 mpg on the first tank. I'm going to school for Petroleum Engineering. I know alot about lube and I hope to share my knowledge with you guys in the near future. AC