Bluestone

They're supposed to give better performance, and I did notice my Sube behaving noticeably more sprightly after installing the air filter. Others have reported improved gas mileage but I really didn't notice any improvement there. Since servicing the filter is done at 50,000 mile intervals, that means a bit less maintenance annoyance. Of course, if you usually drive in a particularly dusty environment servicing the filter should be done more often....I think it's at 25,000 miles. Yeah, they are a bit pricey but if you check around you can find them at fairly decent prices. The filter makes more sense, pricewise, if you intend to use it for at least 100,000 miles. I haven't contacted K & N regarding data on dirt passing through the filter, but then I can't say I'm really concerned about that issue. They say that they've sold over 30,000,000 air filters over the past 36 years, so if there were problems resulting from using them there'd have to be reports about them by now, and I sure haven't come across any. Regarding particulates clogging the cat, I somehow don't think that there's that much extra dirt residue passing through it to harm it. What's the MAF sensor? And how many miles does it normally last? I'd sure like any Subie owners on this forum who use K & N air filters to chime in with their experiences. What, if any, problems have you experienced?

Yeah, BITOG says his tests show that the K & N filter lets dirt through. Ok, let's say that it does. If so, then that dirt apparently doesn't cause engine damage, since there are many K & N filter users who have had the filter in their cars for, in many cases, over 200,000 miles with no reported engine problems. Could it be that if dirt does pass through the K & N filter, reduced engine life or any problems resulting from said dirt take it's toll only after hundreds of thousands of miles? Meaning that those dirt particles have a negligible effect on engine life? What I'm looking for are actual reports of problems resulting from extended K & N filter usage, of any actual evidence of engine damage or reduced engine life. And I just can't find any reports of that. The point is, most people who use the filter in their cars for up to and over 200,000 miles don't find any particular engine problems, or problems that can be attributed to K & N filters. Is the percentage of people who may experience engine problems while using K & N air filters any greater than those experiencing engine problems while using conventional air filters?

I've had a K & N air filter in my Sube for the past 36,000 miles, and no problems evident so far. While I've heard folks say that it lets more dirt into the engine and will result in lower engine life, I've also heard folks say that they've used the filter for 150,000-200,000 miles and more, cleaning and reoiling it at 50,000 mile intervals and have had no problems whatsoever, their cars' engines still running smoothly. The bottom line is this: is there any ACTUAL evidence that using this filter DOES cause reduced engine life....or any engine problems at all, for that matter. While I've got only 48,000 miles on my Subie, I did have a smog test done on it about 5000 miles ago and the test readout showed virtually zero hydrocarbons and particulates in the exhaust, and that was with 4000 miles on the engine oil(full synthetic).....I do change the oil every 5000 miles. Been using synthetic only since 3000 miles on the odometer. The K & N company has been selling their air filters for some years now and those filters continue to sell well, and I'm not aware of many(or any) complaints addressed to the company, or irate customers. So, what sayest thou?

Yup, looks like Subaru dropped the Legacy wagons for '08. Only Legacy sedans available now. And Outback sedans, too. Makes no sense to me. Possibly, Legacy wagons just weren't selling well anymore. But I wouldn't think that Legacy sedans were bigger sellers than the wagons. Anyway, it's a crying shame! If ya want a Legacy wagon, you'd have to get an '07.

Jamal, thanks for the additional info. Interesting to learn that Impreza struts would work. Would that apply to rear struts as well, or just front? Would maximum negative camber cause tires to wear faster? By the way, my GT Wagon's original tires were Bridgestone Potenza RE-92s, and did they ever suck! Don't have anything good to say about them, really. At 12000 miles I dumped them for Yokohama Avid V4Ss which I've been very pleased with....it's a really nice tire!

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. The KYB GR2s seem to be a favorite, but as Jamal pointed out, the people who say they can notice a big difference are comparing them with shocks that are already past their prime. I'd hate to go for another set of shocks only to be disappointed. My Subie has less than 48,000 miles on it and the shocks are still at or near prime shape. I don't get to drive it nearly as much as I'd like since I spend a good part of my time travelling outside of the States. Adjustable shocks seem to be the way to go....I could tune them to my taste, but the KYB AGXs aren't made for my Sube....I just checked. Tokico D Specs look interesting; I'll have to see if they're available for my Sube. Anyway, I haven't yet committed to making the shock upgrade.

I've always found the ride in my GT Wagon a bit too bouncy for my taste. I'm toying with the idea of putting different shocks in my Subie for a firmer ride and improved control/handling at higher speeds. But which ones to consider? Now, I don't want a kidney-jarring ride, I still want a comfortable ride, but a firmer one. (and I might go for more substantial ant-sway bars, fore and aft, too) Any suggestions?

Hey, it's almost a Subie, isn't it?........ huh? ........ hello?.......hello?.....are you still there? Yeah, 2 cylinder aircooled, but dunno about it being a boxer. I love that little car! My first REAL girlfriend and almost wife had one. That was many years ago......farting along winding country roads in the Pacific Northwest, in surprising comfort.....got laid in it, too, a number of times.....ah, those were the days, sigh.......

Hawk HP Plus pads are VERY expensive; a set of front pads list for around $167!!!!! IRP (Independent Replacement Parts), where I purchased the Axxis Ultimates, sells them for $139, whereas the Axxis Ultimates list for $84 but IRC sells them for $42, an excellent price for a primo pad! The Axxis Ultimates do tend to coat the wheels with black dust but I wash my car and wheels pretty regularly so it's not a big deal. Besides, primo stopping power and excellent fade resistance are FAR more important to me than clean wheels. Regarding Performance Friction's Carbon Metallic pads, I'm not familiar with them, but I don't see why the Axxis Ultimates wouldn't work well when towing a small boat. Axxis also makes a premium semi-metallic pad which IRC sells at very good price. Anyway, Subaru's stock brake pads are(or were in the 2000 model year), imo, crap. When they were removed, they had cracks in them and showed evidence of crumbling. Some of the crumbled pad material had gotten between the pad and the inside right front rotor surface causing a slight groove to be scored into the rotor.

Excellent.....with a firm, authoritative bite, not like metallics which need to get heated up to provide effective braking.

A while back, I decided to upgrade my Subie's brake pads, front and rear. I ordered PBR/Axxis Ultimate pads; they're formulated with a Kevlar/ceramic compound and are manufactured by an Australian company. These pads are just great! I've had them now for about 16,000 miles. They give my Subie noticeably greater stopping power and provide outstanding fade resistance. They've been totally quiet and give smooth, vibration free braking. They're available for Subies from about '96 to current models. While they're designed for high performance driving, you don't have to be a high performance driver to really appreciate them. I highly recommend them! http://www.importrp.com/product.php?productid=55185&cat=37&page=1

My 2000 Legacy GT Wagon hasn't been driven that much; it's got just 47,000 miles on it. I purchased it, new, in August of '01. While the temperature gauge always registers normal operating temp and there's no coolant smell evident, the reservoir's coolant level slowly keeps dropping. I add coolant to a predefined mark, check the level every so often and notice the level slowly but steadily drop below that mark. I always check the level with the engine cold and the car parked on a level surface. I only add coolant when the level drops by about an inch to an inch and a half. I just had the cooling system pressure tested, drained and refilled at the dealer....er, excuse me, stealership....it cost me $166. I had mentioned my concern about the dropping coolant level. I figured that having the cooling system attended to at the dealer would be best since there's still two years left on the extended head gasket warranty and there would be dealer documentation of any cooling system issues, handy if a head gasket problem shows up. The work order states that the cooling system was pressure tested and "no obvious leaks found at this time". If they did , in fact, find leaks and documented it, they would be admitting that there is a problem. And I have no assurance at all that they did not, in fact, find no leaks; they may be just intending to string me along 'till the 8 year/100K mile extended head gasket warranty runs out. I've still got 2 years left on it. If the coolant level keeps dropping, I take my Subie back to the service dept.(God...how expensive that would be!), and they keep saying "no obvious leaks found at this time", what recourse do I have? The thought has occurred to me that even if an obvious cooling system failure does happen, Subaru has any number of ways(rationales, excuses) of getting out of fixing it at their expense. I'd like some of your opinions on this.

Wonder why Subaru doesn't just use crush washers on the diff's plugs? Anyway, I got a tube of "Ace" brand Pipe Thread Compound TFE Paste for a couple of bucks at a local Ace Hardware; it's non-hardening, compatible with oils, lubricates as it seals, and withstands temps of up to 500˚F. That should do the trick.

Well, I got a short piece of hose from a neighbor and cut it to the appropriate length. Hooked it up but still no spray. Since, I thought, the problem's likely a bad nozzle or check valve, I ordered the assembly(ha! It's just the nozzle, elbow, check valve, and hose, for $25 at the dealer....nothing more than about a dollar's worth of pieces really,.....God, what a ripoff!) Anyway, I got it today, hooked it up, and voila!....the left side now spurts like I did when I was 13 and a voracious wanker So, the problem was either a bad nozzle or bad check valve. Problem solved!

I was just looking through a Subaru factory service manual and in the entry regarding filling the rear diff, it says when reinstalling the filler plug, "CAUTION: Apply fluid packing to filler plug before installation. Fluid packing: Three Bond 1105 or equivalent." I'm assuming that it's saying to lubricate the threads on the filler plug, but why specifically "Three Bond 1105(whatever that is???) or equivalent"? Why not just some of the gear oil or any other oil? And why does it caution to apply lubricant to the diff's filler plug, but no mention of doing the same to any of the other filler plugs? Might there be a particular issue with the diff's filler plug only? Puzzling.

Ok then....it'll be Redline 75/90NS in both the gearbox and the diff. (Strange, but there are only two vendors that I could find around here that carry Redline gear oil and both only stock the NS version). I'd go for Redline motor oil too, but at $9-$10 a quart, it's just too expensive for 5000 mile oil change intervals. I couldn't find Mobil 1 gear oil(for the diff) anywhere around here, so it'll be Redline. Thanks, everyone, for your helpful replies.

Mobil 1 in the gearbox, too, ya think? It's an LS rating but there's no non-LS Mobil 1 gear oil available, as far as I can tell. And the specs say it's for applications where a GL-5 rated gear oil is called for, as well as non limited slip use. What sayest thou?

Gonna change my 2000 Legacy GT wagon's gear box(manual tranny) and differential oil. If I use Red Line oil, is it 75/90 gear oil in the gear box, and 75/90 NS gear oil in the differential? If I just use regular 75/90 GL-5 rated oil, do I need to put a limited slip additive in the differential? What size sockets do I use for the drain plugs?

Dunno if it's been posted before, but if you Google "Subaru head gasket problem", you'll find a wealth of info from many sources on the chronic head gasket issue. Just thought ya'd like ta know.

Some interesting ideas/suggestions; haven't had the time to try any of them yet. Some thoughts, though; if the pump is losing output, I'd expect that the spray from the driver's side nozzle would be a bit weaker than it was, but it's not; the spray is just as forceful as always. A booger in the check valve is a thought. If so, I would have to buy a new nozzle, elbow, hose assembly. Incidentally, the nozzles aren't interchangeable; each one differs slightly....the passenger side nozzle has a slightly wider opening, and each nozzle has sort of an arrow embossed next to the opening; the driver's side nozzle has it to the right of the opening, and the passenger's side nozzle has it to the left. Also, there's an indentation in each of holes in the hood, into which one of each nozzle's clip, I think, fits, assuring that each nozzle is pointed in exactly the right direction. The nozzles aren't adjustable, the spray's direction is fixed. But earlier Subies had adjustable nozzle's, I think.

Ok, "theflystyle" was right about the clips. I removed the problem nozzle by depressing the clips with a longnose pliers and pushing up. I put the other end of the nozzle against my lips and blew hard; no obstruction apparent. Put the nozzle back, reconnected the hose....nozzle still has weak output. Tried switching the nozzles (I discovered that each nozzle is configured to put out a different spray pattern, specific to each side of the windshield; left nozzle's and right nozzle's spray openings are different, so they're not interchangeable), but the driver's side nozzle, now on the passenger's side, put out a weak spray JUST as the other one did. The passenger's side nozzle, now on the driver's side put out a strong spray, although the spray was skewed toward the outside of the windshield. So, the problem is NOT with the nozzle; something else is causing the weak spray on the passenger side. I had already checked the elbow and hoses from the drivers side to passenger side nozzle, it's all clear....blew air through them, no obstructions. There doesn't seem to be any point in buying a new passenger side nozzle/hose assembly. At this point, I don't have a clue what's wrong. Further ideas/suggestions are welcome.

Nice idea; I don't have access to an acetylene torch, but I did get a hold of some strands of piano wire. However, I used the wire to poke and twist in the nozzle's opening, but still no improvement....sigh.... If could get the nozzle off the hood, I might be able to try poking the wire into the nozzle's bottom end. Then, of course, the problem could be with the plastic insert between the 90˚ angled elbow that connects the hoses to the nozzle's nipple....there's a tiny ball bearing inside the insert that might not be functioning properly. Anyway, if all else fails, I'll buy a new nozzle and hose assembly at the Subaru parts dept. They sell only the assembly, and not the individual components(nozzle, nipple, insert, elbow, hose) for about $25. I'd still need to get the feckin' nozzle off the hood, though! Hmmm.....do you mean on the underside of the hood, on either side of the nipple to which the hose attaches (about flush with the hood's underside surface, I think)?

I removed the hose connecting the nozzle to the other one, and disconnected the elbow connecting the hose to the sickly nozzle, as well as the plastic insert(which has a tiny ball bearing inside it)....and checked them out; all seem ok, there. What I STILL need to know is how to remove the nozzle from the hood. The piece under the hood which is connected to the nozzle itself on the hood needs to come apart, but it doesn't seem to turn, nor pull/push off. Since I can't determine how they're fastened to each other, I don't want to force it otherwise I'll break it. Anybody?

The passenger side windshield washer nozzle on my 2000 Legacy GT wagon doesn't spray, only weakly spurts. I guess it's either an obstructed nozzle opening or a problem in the pressure to that nozzle. The other nozzle sprays just fine. What's the correct technique for removing the nozzle from the hood (don't wanna break it, that's why I'm asking) so that I can clean out the opening(s). And, if the problem's not a plugged nozzle, what else can I do?

Ok, let me more specific; I haven't seen Valvoline 5/40, lately, in some of the stores that I frequent, for some reason. They're now carrying Valvoline's 5/20, and their 5/30 and 5/50 but no 5/40.(I'm talking about full synthetic, of course) But Mobil 1's 0/40 is on the shelves( yet summer's coming up, with hot weather driving), so I'm just just thinking...."hmmm, I wonder if I could try some of that? People have said Mobil 1 synthetic is pretty good." At any rate, I'm open to suggestions; in synthetics, 5/30?, 5/50?....keeping in mind hot weather before long. I'm not wedded to any one particular brand, just want a good, well- protecting oil. I want something that's easily available, don't want to go on any hunting expeditions. Red Line's primo, I know, but it's just too expensive. So I'm choosing from the brands that are readily at hand: Valvoline, Mobil 1, Castrol(????). These synthetics are going for around $6.19 and higher around here. And is there any problem with synthetic 5/50 all year 'round, from freezing weather( doesn't get that cold in the Bay Area but it does up in the mountains, in winter) to 100+ F?