Bill90Loyale

Thank you WJM. This problem has been discussed before and the poster can search "odd white smoke" or "hard right smoke" etc to find more info. For the Loyale fix, See edit in my post above.

Check out this thread. It's all there. I haven't bothered to do the PCV mod (yet), and don't know if I'll ever bother. It only effects me on hard uphill freeway merging situations, and I just take it slow and stay in the breakdown lane with my hazard flasher on. I think most motorists take one look at my old jalopy and assume that it's on its last legs. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum...ead.php?t=16162 Edit: If link above doesn't work (or even if it does), check this: http://home.comcast.net/~c.moe/pvc_mod.pdf

Diodes in the rectifier (inside the alternator) are probably toast. You can have your alternator rebuilt by an alternator shop for about the cost of a rebuilt alternator. If you do this, make sure they check and replace the diodes if fried.

No.

I've always wondered the same thing. Lots of posts in the past have recommended "replacing all hoses" but I'd appreciate having some more details before I take this step. So far, I've had no luck finding these specifics in the FSM or Haynes.

As long as they're plastic. You don't want to put anything metal in your mouth at -50F. I left half my tongue on a metal railing as a young paperboy in Minnesota. That crystal clear ice sure looked good.

You're welcome, and welcome to the Board. They don't call this the "Older Generation" for nothing (although there are a number of 18 year olds who have caught on quick). I remember being a newly minted Ensign in the Coast Guard-assigned as Deck Watch Officer and Gunnery Officer on the ship. I'll never forget how slowly those guys worked on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor loading those 5 inch high explosive shells. You'll learn to feel very comfortable with the Subie. It all makes pretty good sense.

That's what I've been telling my wife for years.

I removed the trim panel under the glove box (three plastic trim screws), then removed the three shiny bolt screws holding the fan blower inside the housing. This allows you to remove the fan. This was fun. The fan was entirely filled with leaves and paper from whatever animal had built a nest in my ventilation system. I clean it all out, put the fan back in, hit the on switch, and it started snowing leaves and paper in my car. I pulled the fan again, cleaned it again, installed it, and the blower now sounds and performs like a small jet engine. Superb. This whole operation can be performed with a Phillips head screwdriver. I highly recommend it to others.

Larry- For me it's a 15 minute job. Loosen the two bolts securing the alternator, which will drop down to the right, releasing the belts. Remove the remaining good belt. Check pulleys as described above. Bring good belt to Napa with you to confirm they're giving you right length. Buy two belts (don't leave the old one on), but save the old good one and place it on your full time spare tire in the engine compartment as a spare in a later emergency. Install new belts around the pulleys. Use a short pry bar to jack up the alternator to tension the belts (tight but not gorilla/ about a quarter inch deflection). Tighten the two bolts. Run it for a few minutes to warm the belts up. Retighten. Done.

I'd check out the nearest large junkyard. If they happen to have the right color and close to the model year, ask em what they'd charge per panel. If it's reasonable, and worth it to you, then go check it out at the j/y for condition. If still interested, go to autoparts store. Purchase a (cheap) "trim removal tool" and go home and practice with it by removing one of the door panels from your car. Do your son a favor and buy him a Haynes manual ($15) if you can't figure it out. Once you see how the knobs and armrests come off, the panel itself is quick. A little cleanup and that baby'll look like it's straight off the showroom floor.

On my wagon, I just had my old hitch removed by my exhaust guys - using their impact wrench. On mine, the bolts on the bumper snapped off (sealing the holes), then the remaining four bolt heads were accessible underneath the little rug thing lining the bottom of the hidden storage compartment in the rear of the main floor of the wagon. I held a wrench on each of those bolts while the impact wrench man spun off each nut underneath. A couple wacks with a big hammer, and the hitch dropped to the floor. Then I remounted the bolts and nuts to seal the holes in that little storage compartment. Keep at it. You'll be glad you're not carrying that extra weight around. These cars aren't really built for towing anyway.

My vote goes to NGK's.

I'm going for a moonshot too. About 238,000 at its nearest apogee. At about 183,000 now, and feeling about as good as an Apollo 13 astronaut.

My bushings are cracked and crunchy too. I'd appreciate it if you could report the results if you do replace them.

In my case, make that five hours. On dash removal tasks, I spend the first hour getting confused in the book, and the next four getting confused in the car.

The diodes in the rectifier in the alternator might be fried. Did the alternator-rebuilder check the diodes?

Chris- You can do it. If I remember right, there are four bolts on the left hand cover (as you look at the engine from the front of the car), and FIVE on the right hand cover. I put my car on jackstands to do this job. The fifth bolt on the right side is tucked way down and in back, and I could access it only from underneath. A crossmember is pretty much in your way, so you have to work slowly to remove and to torque down that bolt. Take your time cleaning all gasket surfaces. I used no RTV, just the new rubber gaskets. No leaks. As mentioned above, the bolts are torqued down until they stop, then snug 'em up a little more. It's a good feeling to have 'em done. Good luck.

So the oil pump failed? Massive and sudden oil leak somewhere?

OK someone help me out. What caused this horror to occur?

Try this approach. Find your EGR valve. The metal EGR valve body will have a small black rubber hose connected to it. Follow that hose to where it connects with something. That something is your EGR solenoid. See the boxy little EGR solenoid with the weird little plastic plunger thing sticking out one side? Your Purge Control Solenoid looks like this, and is set up like this. Trace your little black canister hoses toward the engine until you find one that plugs into a thing that looks like your EGR solenoid. That's your PCS!

Rick- What's your theory on shifting so high? Does it result in less or more wear and tear on clutch/drivetrain, or is it just for speed/torque? I usually shift at around 3500, but I'll jack it up if it is better for the car.

I'm going for 238,000. A moonshot.

Congratulations on your acquisition of the finest Subaru ever made. Start with tires. Get a whole new set. Tiresdirect.com has some good prices (can often beat local prices, even with additional charge for local mounting). Be there when the tire people mount and balance your new tires. When the Loyale is on the lift, spin all four tires (make sure its in neutral and p-brake off when they lift it). See if you hear "moaning" or crunching sounds. If you hear any scraping or crunch sounds, make sure that the tinny splash guard on the inboard side of the rotors and drums is not making contact. These can be bent back (or torn off) if necessary to eliminate grating sounds in turns. If you hear crunching/scraping sounds and no splash guard problem, wheel bearings might be shot. Front bearings on this car are actually more difficult than rears for reasons I won't go into now. Old worn out rotors in the front will also cause shimmy. I replaced mine recently, and the shimmy at highway speeds largely disappeared. My guess is tires first, then rotors.

Morgan- The FSM describes the fuel pump discharge pressure as 38-50 psi and the discharge flow as 21 psi. These figures are for SPFI. For MPFI, the numbers are 61-71 psi and 43.4 psi respectively.