Allpar Mod

Hey Guyc.....I decided to call FedEx to see if there is any way to ship the stuff to Belgium legally. Now, I'm curious if Trans-X can be shipped internationally or not. The international rep I spoke to at FedEx said that I need to know exactly what city or town the delivery is going to. Reason is that some cities prohibit delivery of hazardous substances in your country even if they are declared apparently. If you don't want to post your delivery address publicly, send me it in a PM and I'll call FedEx back later in the week. Tomorrow's a holiday here. I was just busting chops with the

Thanks. I'll wait. Like I said, it is already making a difference. I understand the thinking of replacing the fluid entirely. I decided to take a close look at what was in there before I decided anything. Worse case was I'd have to get into my truck and go get a couple quarts of fluid if it looked questionable and climb underneath the Soob. When I started pulling fluid out and into a cup, I looked at it carefully. It looked and smelled nearly like it came out of the bottle. Only then I decided to leave well enough alone. I did drain 1 1/2 pints out as it was slightly overfilled to begin with (I didn't do it). I topped it off with new fluid after adding the Trans-X. So far...so good.

If it's declared and shipped through UPS or FedEx, it would be ok. However, I have no idea how much it would cost as I'm sure there would be a surcharge. As to finding it at Wally World, By the by, I siphoned out some fluid and put it in yesterday. The fluid looked real good when I pulled some out with my Mityvac so I didn't see a real need to drain out the tranny. I've noticed some reduction in the delay already. I'm wondering if it'll take some time to become more noticeable, or if it'll be what it is now. Would a second can be of benefit especially when it can be gotten for under $6 ? Sorry, I couldn't resist. CRC recommends that for larger capacity trannys, which I know our's doesn't qualify for outright.

I decided to look at the can of Trans-X since I haven't put it in the Outback yet. You will note in the picture the red diamond. This is a hazardous materials label and this one means flammable liquid. It signifies that the product has a relatively low flash point and that there isn't another label like toxic or corrosive means that this is the greatest hazard of the particular product. Therefore, when shipped, the packaging, regardless of quantity, has to be labeled flammable liquid. It means that my earlier comments about ORM-D labeling like on windshield washer fluid is moot. This stuff is considered even more hazardous to ship than that. It would have to be declared accurately to ship or the potential penalties would be pretty stiff.

I'm not familiar with shipping requirements in Europe, but here, alcoholic beverages are shipped pretty commonly and with little restrictions. The question about flammability is a good one. Flammability is determined by something called flash point. This is the temperature that a substance has to get to before it'll ignite. How dangerous any substance is in this regard is determined by it's flash point. Alcohol is held is significant regard by fire fighters. While the flash point of different types of alcohols is relatively low as a hazard class itself, it poses a very special hazard when ignited in that it burns clear, basically invisible. You cannot see the flames. A person can walk inadvertantly into burning alcohol and not realize it until it's too late. Any alcohols that burn blue or yellowish is because of other products in the mix. So, that burning shot you drink at the bar burns blue because of impurities in the drink. The same impurities can raise the flash point where it takes more heat to ignite the product than if it was pure alcohol. Truthfully, if a can or three of Trans-X was packaged right, it likely wouldn't have any problems being shipped anywhere. You'd likely have to lie on the customs declaration, though, so it wouldn't be declared a hazardous substance being shipped. By the by all....I just bought a can at Wal Mart, $5.97.

It is mostly common for OBD II models to have two sensors. They are called "upstream" and "downstream", before and after the CAT. One problem with replacing a defective one when they trip a code is that it's hard to determine which one is the offending sensor unless there's physical damage. Still, it's a good practice to replace both at the same time. When one goes bad, often the other is soon to follow anyway. I know they aren't cheap, but often there's little choice anyway. One thing I'll always be an advocate of is shoping around online if you can get away with waiting a few days for any parts, especially pricey ones like these. The last time I bought them, I was also replacing a CAT. I saved mucho $$ shopping around online for the parts. I saved around $15 per sensor shopping for them. I saved $30 on two sensors and only paid $98 for a Magnaflow CAT. No, it wasn't a Soob, but it still would apply to these.

Hey tech'67....you have me intrigued about the radiator cap issue. Please tell me more. I haven't owned a Soob since my last Loyale so I want to learn as much about this OBW as I can to keep it on the road as long as possible. And mp, nobody's picking a fight. Nobody can blame anyone for wanting a bulletproof car, or at least one major part of one, on the cheap. I guess we just have our opinions on what we'd do in your situation. Do what you gotta do.

I have to agree with md here. You cannot hold the motor accountable for the failure of a gasket due to poor engineering or manufacture. I've seen this with other vehicles other than Subarus before. We own two late '90s Jeeps and they are prone to issues due to weakening valve springs. This is a well known problem with the 4.0 straight 6 engines when they have some mileage on them. This is what prompted me to buy the Outback when the head went bad on my Jeep (I'm putting another motor in it in the spring). I tried to repalce the springs on the affected cylinders but the damage had already been done. Other than this, the engines are practically bullet proof. Unfortunately, they develop head problems due to the valve springs developing failure. Now, if you talk to Jeep affecaniados, they mostly all lament the demise of the 4.0 which is no longer offered in any of the Jeep line and hasn't been for a few years now. The same should be said for the 2.5 here. It's basically a good powerplant with a fatal flaw due to a poorly made gasket. You could make the argument that Subaru should have aggressively addressed the problem and made some consideration for owners of the affected engines, but it's pretty common for the opposite to happen. Jeep never addressed the valve spring issue but it is also a well documented problem no less than the HG problem with the 2.5 is. You cannot say that either engine is junk, though. To trash it completely makes little sense to me either.

Technically, you'd have to use UPS and declare the contents of the shipment. If the fluid isn't either flammable or combustible, it would be classified in shipping as an ORM-D (other regulated materials). The same goes for aerosols like paint. Even the blue common windshield washer solvent is an ORM in shipping because of it's alcohol content. Next time you're at the store, look at a case of washer fluid in the automotive department and you'll see a small box stamped on it with the ORM-D there. It's all part of the hazardous materials in shipping laws enacted some years ago by DOT. I'm a hazardous materials and WMD tech so I know a little about this stuff. I'm quite sure a lot of prohibited items go through the USPS every day and just aren't caught because they're well packaged and nothing happens. Problem is that if something happens, even if nobody gets hurt, the penalties are pretty steep. One other way you'd get caught is if the package goes through one of the general mail facilities that have a "sniffer". This machine is at some of the larger facilities and sniffs each package going through processing to see if it contains anything hazardous, chemical or biological. It's a pretty hi tech device and it really works. It doesn't tell the postal inspectors what the exact product is, just that there is something being shipped that shouldn't be. The package, once identified, is pulled and opened to see what is in it. Then the prosecution begins. Every package goes through a facility of some kind so it may be a crap shoot to if the one that your package goes through has one or not. One question you have to ask yourself is do you really want to take that chance? Back on topic, I have the same issue with the '99 OBW I bought so I'm very interested in this. It just does the delay when I first start out after the car sits overnight and it's just from park to drive or reverse to drive. It goes into reverse right away if I first go into that. On question I have is that will the additive work in the fluid that is already in the tranny if it looks like it is still in good condition and I'm not ready to change it yet?

Truthfully, there are several good products that do the job and the 3M product is one of them. The Flitz is very well suited to jobs that require more severe polishing as well as the run of the mill ones. It also is a multiple surface polish which does plastics and metals equally as well so it can be a money savings instead of buying several different polishes. If you would have seen the domes on the lightbar before and after, you'd see why I'm such a big advocate of this particular product. I should have taken photos. The larger tube averages $12, but goes a long way.

I still have reports left since I bought my Outback a few weeks ago. Enjoy with my compliments. Run More Reports Review Existing VIN: VIN History jf1gf48591h802964 OR Enter New VIN: Print Options Show Section Details Hide Section Details Selecting "Hide" will make the report considerably smaller. NADAguides Vehicle History Report 2001 Subaru Impreza OutbackReport Run Date: 2009-11-17 07:27:08.411 EST This AutoCheck Score The AutoCheck Score is a summary of your vehicle's history, letting you compare vehicles with ease. About this vehicle's AutoCheck Score This vehicle qualifies for Buyback Protection Safeguard your investment with AutoCheck Buyback Protection, which reduces the risk in buying a used vehicle. About Buyback Protection VIN: JF1GF48591H802964 Year : 2001 Make : Subaru Model: Impreza Outback Style/Body: Wagon 4D Class: Mid Range Car - Lower Engine: 2.2L H4 MPI Country of Assembly: Japan Vehicle Age: 8 year(s) Calculated Owners: 1 Last Reported Odometer Reading: 93,593 Section summaries The vehicle identification number you submitted has been analyzed and summary information on your car is shown below. Title and ProblemCheck: Your vehicle checks out! OdometerCheck: Your vehicle checks out! Vehicle Use and EventCheck: Specific vehicle use(s) or events reported Full History: Detailed information available Title and ProblemCheck Your vehicle checks out! AutoCheck's database for this 2001 Subaru Impreza Outback (JF1GF48591H802964) shows no negative titles or other problems. When reported to AutoCheck, these events can indicate serious past damage or other significant problems. 0 Problem(s) Reported: 15 Title/Problem areas checked: No abandoned title record No damaged title or major damage incident record No fire damaged title record No grey market title record No hail damage title record No insurance loss title or probable total loss record No junk or scrapped title record No manufacturer buyback/lemon title record No odometer problem title record No rebuilt/rebuildable title record No salvage title or salvage auction record No water damaged title record No NHTSA crash test record No frame damage record No recycling facility record OdometerCheck Your vehicle checks out! AutoCheck examined the reported odometer readings reported to AutoCheck for this 2001 Subaru Impreza Outback (JF1GF48591H802964) and no indication of an odometer rollback or tampering was found. AutoCheck uses business rules to determine if reported odometer readings are significantly less than previously reported values. Not all reported odometer readings are used. Title and auction events also report odometer tampering or breakage. 0 Problem(s) Reported: Mileage Date Reported 11 02/09/2001 93,593 12/28/2005 Vehicle Use and EventCheck Information Reported! AutoCheck shows additional information reported to AutoCheck about how this 2001 Subaru Impreza Outback (JF1GF48591H802964)has been used and other events. This includes reported accidents and corrected or duplicate titles and storm area registrations. 1 Event(s) Reported: 6 Vehicle uses checked: Fleet, rental and/or lease use record(s) No taxi use record No police use record No government use record No livery use record No driver education record 1 Event(s) Reported: 9 Vehicle events checked: No accident record reported through accident data sources No corrected title record No duplicate title record Emission/safety inspection record(s) No loan/lien record No fire damage incident record No repossessed record No theft record No storm area registration/title record Full History Below are the historical events for this vehicle listed in chronological order. Any discrepancies will be in bold text. Report Run Date: 2009-11-17 07:27:08.411 EST Vehicle: 2001 Subaru Impreza Outback (JF1GF48591H802964) Event Date Event Location Odometer Reading Data Source Event Detail 02/09/2001 SEATTLE, WA 11 Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle) (Lien Reported) 01/07/2002 KIRKLAND, WA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle) 12/31/2002 KIRKLAND, WA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle) 01/12/2004 KIRKLAND, WA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle) 12/21/2004 KIRKLAND, WA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle) 12/28/2005 KIRKLAND, WA 93,593 State Agency PASSED EMISSION INSPECTION 12/29/2005 KIRKLAND, WA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL 12/28/2006 KIRKLAND, WA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle) 12/14/2007 KIRKLAND, WA State Agency PASSED EMISSION INSPECTION 12/17/2007 KIRKLAND, WA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle) 06/27/2008 SEATTLE, WA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL 12/04/2008 SEATTLE, WA Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL This Vehicle's Glossary Below are the specific definitions for events that appear in this vehicle's report. More information is available in the full AutoCheck glossary. Term Section Location Definition Emission/Safety Inspection Vehicle Use and EventCheck An approved emission testing station has inspected the vehicle to measure the amount of pollutants the vehicle emits into the environment. Fleet, Rental and/or Lease Use Vehicle Use and EventCheck The vehicle has been reported as used as a fleet, rental

The conbo of the polishing agent and the friction of the ball is the trick in how this stuff works. One good thing is that you cannot use too much of it so don't worry about being liberal with the Flitz or not. The very fine emery cloth polishing route does work, but you have to be very careful as you are removing the actual plastic. Some are very skittish about doing this procedure and this polish is an excellent alternative.

Being someone that has restored three cars, not daily driver's however if that matters, and someone that likes to make broke things work again, you're looking at the whole thing in the right way. I also did something similar to what you want to do a while back with an '89 Loyale that belonged to one of my brothers in law. He wrecked it and I got it for free and put it back on the road for $350. I got rid of it several years later still running, but the body was falling off of it ( also a Pa car). At worst case, you'll have to throw a few bucks into the Forester. Now, you'll have a driveable vehicle for next to nothing. If it only lasts a year, you're way ahead of the game. If it lasts longer, big bonus. You can look at it as you basically have a disposable car for nothing. Every month without a car payment is gravy. Every month that you drive it wothout putting any money into it is more gravy.

Sorry to hear about your troubles. Unfortunately, this is a sign of the times. It's not just the issues with addicts, but the rampant unemployment picture is fueling the crime stats also. Being in public safety for 33 years, here's some unsolicited advice. 1) Booby traps are illegal however tempting. The 5 minutes of satisfaction aren't worth it. Can't say I blame anyone, though. 2) Keeping strangers out of your garage won't necessarily help. Many burglaries are just crimes of opportunity, not specificly picked residences or businesses. 3) Good locks are always worth the investment. You get what you pay for here. 4) Considering an alarm system? They actually are a reasonable deterrent. You don't need the most expensive or hi-tech. Just one that works. Don't put a sign out in the yard that you have one if you don't. 5) Don't leave stuff laying around that advertises what you posess, like valuable tools, etc. Keep the stuff inside and out of sight when not in use. 6) The "Shoot thy neighbor" laws have mostly the same language everywhere, with only minor variances. Basically, the perp has to be inside your dwelling to be eligible to be shot by the homeowner. ALSO, AND VERY IMPORTANT.... if you confront a burglar and he flees, LET HIM GO!! You are NOT allowed to shoot a fleeing burglar. Burglary is not a capitol felony and if the perp flees, the danger has passed and the deadly force laws do not apply any longer. I hope these help a bit at least. I know it's not any consolation if the loss has already happened.

Hazed plastic euro headlights are a pretty common issue. Age, road scratches, UV on older plastics all will dull or fog these expensive fixtures. Most often, they can be fixed, but in rare occassions, they get too far gone. This happened on a work acquaintence's '99 Grand Prix. The clear plastic actually had small bubbles develop in the outer part and couldn't be polished out. If you fall into the repairable category which most do, one excellent product is Flitz. This is an all purpose polish made in Germany and well known to auto restorers all over (I have restored three classics myself). It excells as a metal polish but works equally well on clear plastics. They also make an attachment for your drill which has been advertised on Spike TV called the Flitz Ball.This reusable cloth ball takes the work out of polishing plastics and metals that will require a lot of elbow grease. I first used this product restoring a badly abused old police car lightbar. The colored clear domes were terrible but looked nearly new after I used the Flitz Ball and Flitz. My lights on the '99 Outback I recently bought were dulled and look new now using this same product. Both are available through http://www.flitz.com. Not too many retailers carry the polish and fewer carry the Ball. I guarantee you'll not be sorry you bought this product.

I can relate to the woman comment. My wife would fall into that category. When we first hooked up, all she did was to put gas into her Loyale and drive it. It got cleaned twice a year whether it needed it or not. PM was a foreign concept around her house as her folks behaved this way also. It's amazing that her Loyale lasted nearly 200,000 miles before we sold it at auction still running and inspected. Obviously, marrying a gearhead, things are different now.

Thanks, guys. I am from Pittsburgh itself, though we also have a place to the north in the Moraine area and spend a lot of time there. Hey,Scooby...I was just in your neck of the woods a couple weeks ago over Halloween. Our best friends live in Wayland. Nice area. It's a shame Michigan has the problems it has. Definately Go Steelers!!!!! :banana:

It's a shame that these series of engines were plagued with this problem when the cars are so good overall. I do appreciate the insight so I can be better armed to do what I can to try make this last as long as possible. Right now, that's the main thing as the wife's transportation is scheduled to be replaced in the spring. She needs it badly. To answer nipper's query about the low mileage, I ran a profile on the car before I agreed to buy it through NADA's version of Carfax. I'm the third owner. First was a lease for one year and the first 20,000 miles were put on it in a relatively short time, then a local couple owned it until now. I do believe they were older, thus the minimal mileage. The numbers all jived so it's for real. The car sat for months before my friend purchased it from them. One passed I believe so the car wasn't needed any longer. It would be obvious to anyone without automotive knowledge that this car was taken very good care of. It may have been garaged considering the body condition and living in the "rust belt". The paint is quite good with just some clearcoat peel on the hood scoop (weird, nothing on the hood or elsewhere). Just a few parking lot scratches and one ding. The interior looks like new right down to the carpet. Everything works including the heated seats, mirrors, and wipers. That surprised me the most. The Limited interiors are quite nice. I actually had the choice between this and a '00 Jeep Cherokee for the same money (the car I just parked with 235,000 is a '97 Cherokee which served me very well so it was a difficult choice). I opted for getting back into a Subaru (my last was a '90 Loyale). I just have concerns now with finding out about this head problem that some of the cars had. In fairness, I found out the '00 Jeep 4.0 had valve issues after high mileage so it may be tit for tat with the two vehicles I had a choice of. Though, when I drive it, my concerns get a bit smaller. I do like this car. The better gas mileage that it gets over the Jeeps helps, also.

John, I read your article and it was well done. It's worthy of a column on a Subaru site. I drive 20,000+ miles/year. My Outback has no signs of a problem. The temp gauge never moves once it's at operating temperature. I am dealing with a evap code and I'm taking the advice in another thread and Sea Foamed the tankful today. I already replaced the gas cap, no go. It does it at less than a full tank only, strange but probably because the fume level in the tank is higher. I have to admit that I'm a bit nervous about buying this car now. He gave me a choice of this or another Jeep for the same money. I opted to get back into a Subaru after several years without one. I'm hoping that with 63,000 on it and no problems (I have the maintenance records of the past owner who gave them to my friend), I might be one of the lucky ones. I do a lot of highway driving and the Outback likes to cruise at 80 fairly effortlessly it seems. It also gets about 24 mpg which makes me very happy. I know what to watch out for with a blown head gasket with the automotive knowledge I already have. I also dealt with a Mazda years ago that blew one, but it came way to close to stranding me. Let's just hope that I have nothing to watch out for at least for a very long time.

$4200 off of a friend's lot (he has a garage also and that's how we became friends). I ran the numbers and retail came in much higher. I know what he obtained it for and he got it for an equally reasonable price. The interior is pristine, no rust or significant body/glass damage, and everything works including the heated seats and mirrors. Tires have over 3/4 tread, state inspection is new.

I have a feeling that this has been addressed before, but I'll have to plead ignorance being a newbie here. So, I am the newest owner of a '99 Outback Limited with a 2.5 and only 63,000 on the clock (verified by the records). I have heard about potential head gasket issues with this particular motor. I assume that this is an issue with a percentage of the produced engines and at some mileage on them. I'd appreciate some insight into what I've heard bits of and want to know if I made a mistake buying this car. We've owned several Subarus in the past and had little reason not to look at this purchase until I heard about the potential issue with the engines. I cannot afford to replace the engine a short time from now. I bought this because of a bad engine (235,000) in a Jeep I drove until now.

I generally put about 90 miles on a day.....give or take a few. I'll take your advice on getting a manual. Thanks.

As a rule, I generally fill up at around 1/2 tank. I hate to get caught short when I need the car immediately. The first few times since I picked up the Outback, when the level drops to between 3/4 and 1/2, the CE light will come on and it's always p1443. I put on the Innova to see what the code is and clear it with a full tank and it doesn't reoccur until the fume level builds up as the tank emptys. I first figured that it was the old cap so I replaced it. It still throws the code. I just filled up yesterday and put a can of Sea Foam in. We'll try that first. Like you said, it cannot hurt. I would like to get a manual for this car. I have ones for my other vehicles. If anyone knows where I can get a good one reasonably priced, let me know. I'd prefer it not be a Haynes. I have one for my Jeeps and I've found errors.

Hi, guys. While I and the wife aren't new to Subarus, we haven't owned any for a while. I just recently bought a '99 Outback Limited. It's a real creampuff and only has 63,000 on the clock. I needed another car and absolutely couldn't pass up the deal, another inducement to get back behind the wheel of a Subaru. I look forward to getting to know a bunch of you over time. In case anyone wonders, my handle here is because I'm a moderator on Allpar.com, an extremely popular Mopar site, along with being a columnist there. I hope I can bring some of my automotive knowledge here when appropriate.

Hi all. New to the forum, but not to Subarus. We've owned three in the past. I just bought a '99 Outback Limited with 63,000 miles, a clean creampuff. It runs just fine, but when the tank is down nearly 1/2, it starts throwing the same code. When it's full, no codes. I replaced the gas cap, but it didn't work, obviously, or I wouldn't be chiming in now. Before I start looking at purge valves, do you guys think the Sea Foam fuel treatment idea will help? Any ideas will be appreciated.