bkvail

Anybody change the back light on the heater controls on their OBW before? Mine are out on my '97 and I'm dreading the thought of replacing the light! I hope it's easier than other cars I've tried, but after replacing one of the headlights tonight, I'm doubting Subaru made it EASY, GRRRRR.

well, I had my brother drive the car (he is a Nissan master mechanic) and he suggested plugs and wires first, then coil if that didn't work. The plugs were a PIA!!!! I never want to do those again! The shop that did them last, well, they were ''supposedly'' done about 8K miles ago - but they sure didn't look like they were! They were BOSCH too So, we installed NGK premiums and new wires (the other wires were awesome wires, but they were TOO hard to take off the plugs and 2 were destroyed taking them off). So, I think it's fixed now, did a short test drive and didn't seem to do any surging!

It just snaps into place, no bolts or screws. If you have an ash tray right now, then you would need to take out the 'sliders' for the ash tray (will need a angled phillips screw driver for two short screws in front/top, and a long phillips screwdriver for a screw all the way in the back/middle)

well, I went to the local pull-a-part and they had a legacy with the same color interior and a never-used ash tray in it! I was able to get the tray and the sliders for $1.50 plus tax (plus the $1 for the 'entry fee'). So, a grand total of $2.63 Anybody want the little pocket cubby that came out of that spot? It's dark gray

OK, after driving it for a while more, I am thinking maybe it is clutch chatter afterall. I just don't know! It does it on deceleration too though? Will clutch chatter happen when you decelerate? If it's clutch chatter, what all will need replaced? Clutch is probably original with 130K miles. I just remembered that it's idling a bit high when warmed up too - around 1200 RPMs

Thanks! I'll check it out sometime this week.....

definitely odd! I even highlighted the whole post and I can't even see where a pic was supposed to be (sometimes they show a 'ghost' box, but this one doesn't) I wonder if it has to do with my PC K-9 watchdog program I added to keep the computer from going to unappropriate sites) - maybe it's a pic site that is on a site that has not been ''approved'', LOL.

I don't have any ''tracks'' in my spot where the ash tray should be - just a smooth cubby. And the ''lighter'' spot says not to use a lighter in it, LOL. not that I would though, LOL

yes, the water pump and idlers were done at same time. It is a 5-speed. Relief!

I thought Subaru engines were non-interferance engines and that would not happen? I have a '96 outback now that the timing belt was for sure done at 90K (have receipt), and the couple we bought it from SAID it was done at 112K also when they had an oil leak fixed (no receipt for that though). It has 130K now, and I surely don't want the belt to break and should think about replacing it if it really didn't get replaced at 112K (since I don't have proof it did, but do have the proof it got done 40K miles ago). I had two Subaru's that had timing belts break before (one '85 turbo sedan, one a '87 wagon - both broke the driver's side belt) and neither of them had engine damage from it. I replaced the one's on the '87 wagon myself while hubby and his friend drank beer and watched, LOL. Karin

hmm - I can't seem to see the pic in original post, but can see the pics other people posted in response?

OK, I have never had a car before that didn't come stock with an ash tray. I do NOT smoke, but I've always used the ash trays in cars for a change holder! If I find an ash tray in a junk yard from a same age outback/legacy, will it be a drop-in fit? I don't want to use the little cubby in front of the arm rest for change, too hard to sort through it to get the quarters out, hehe.

yes, like when you first learn to drive a clutch, LOL. It doesn't do it when it's warmed up though nearly as much - mostly when it's cold. I hate to rev a car when it's cold though, I like to drive real easy on them until they are fully warmed up..........

no, it's not the clutch - and after thinking about it, I used the wrong wording. It's not really a shudder, but a lurching/surging. It's much less pronounced after it warms up, but you still have to shift above 3500 if you want to completely eliminate it.

thanks! I actually bought some of that a while ago, and hubby looked at me like I was silly for buying it! I didn't get around to lubing/greasing the latch yesterday (worked on cleaning up my old car the Soob is replacing so I can sell it), but hopefully will get to it today.

OK, I will check that, thanks!

well, sounds like maybe it's just the nature of the beast liking the higher revs

thanks guys! I"ll do that today!

OK, this is another strange thing that is happening to my newly acquired 97 OUtback. The hood unlatches itself when driving down the road. It only opens to the safety latch, but still it's un-nerving! It happened taking my son to school this morning, had him close the hood, then it was ajar again just a couple miles down the road! Is this a 'normal' issue? Do I need to replace the latch? Karin

OK, I have always had Soob's for many years (since I bought an '87 turbo sedan back in '90, then had several other carbed sedans and wagons that were all 4 or 5 speeds) - but they were alway's 80's Soobs. Now I have a 97 Outback - and this is a whole different beast - the clutch is SO different and it's so different to drive. When I am accelerating, if I shift before 3000 RPM, it will shudder as I accelerate after the shift until it gets above 2000 RPM. Now it doesn't feel like a lugging feeling like I have felt in the 80's Soob's, but maybe it is? Because it smooths out with higher RPM. And, if I shift at around 3500-4000 RPM, it doesn't do it in the next gear as I'm accelerating. So, is this a NORMAL occurance - that they LIKE to be rev'd higher? Sometimes I"m in traffic and it's just better to shift at a lower RPM, but it just doesn't like it when I do that! No CEL on, so I am assuming at this point it's normal and I'll just have to get used to it? It doesn't feel like the clutch is slipping either, but I suppose it could be the clutch.... it has 129K miles on it and I 'stole' it for $3K Karin

any progress on this?

I am in Hamilton too - we don't have a Subaru yet, but we've had them for years before. I used to be pretty active on this board when I was redoing a Subaru I got for $300 that we had to swap the motor out from a cracked block - and then I did a timing belt change on it myself while my hubby and his friend watched and drank beer, LOL. I've always had a Subaru for nearly 20 years though - my last one was totalled when I got rear-ended though. I got an ugly Merc wagon instead and I hate it. I stil drive it because it's reliable and fuel injected and hauls a lotta stuff - but I hate the looks of it with a passion! I want a soobie again! Karin

I never see Brat's for sale in this area! I'm east of SedroWoolley - and looking for something myself. A Brat would be sweet......Hoping to find something to trade our 88 Suburban. We got a 98 Suburban for the family trip rig now, so the 88 is for sale/trade.

I'm a little late to this show, bringing more popcorn :popcorn:

does Rhinobuggy still sell the plans for the Humbug and Bandit? I went to their site, and all I saw were ''kits'' for Hummers made from Nissan's.....