Setright

To be honest, Silverstars can be a bit harsh to drive behind. Here in Denmark our roadsigns have a very effective reflective coating, and meeting a "group" of signs on full beam can be almost blinding! That same coating means that I can easily see motorway signs nearly a mile away! I am considering switching back to "Gold" bulbs, which I think have changed name to "All Weather". They have a slight yellow tinge, and actually catch the signs even better, but don't over expose your retinas! Of course, animals and people without reflective clothes are harder to see. That is really where the Silverstart excels: Unlit back roads, where animals like to wander on the asphalt. They really do offer sharp contrast.

Nope, Silverstar's colour is best described as white. Philips BlueVision has a slight blue tinge, if that sort of thing appeals...

Of course Tiny Clark! Goes without saying Actually. I do leave the left passenger window un-Rain-Xed. It's not really a window you look through, and it helps display the Rain-X difference to sceptical passengers!! For the INSIDE of the glass, AutoGlym "Car Glass Polish" is the business. Clean windows don't fog up. We were five people in the car the other night, in the rain, no need for wipers and no foggin windows!

My "mentor" Leonard Setright, long time journalist in CAR Magazine, once stated that aquaplaning was a function of the tyre pressure, so there is certainly some truth to that formula. He might have been talking about viscoplaning - which is what we actually experience most of the time. Sliding on an ultra thin film of water. I shall dig up the article from my extensive collection, and report back!

I use Bosch and Rain-X. Wipers don't see much service on highways Bosch aren't the best, but they are the most durable/lasting/consistent. P.S. They should be at the price!!

No doubt about, right now Silverstars are the absolute top dog bulbs - if we stay legal! Philips "BlueVision" aren't bad either, but the price difference is tiny, so if you can get 'em, Silverstars are the business. I have added a couple of Hella FF75's to my Legacy, and I must admit that 4 times 60W Silverstar really does cook animals in your path

Woohoooo! I thought I was the only one who swore by Rain-X

Start with balance the wheels. Things will improve for sure, and if there is still a vibe, you can diagnose it better. 100Nm on the lug nuts!

Thanks Texan! And right back at ya'! It's a na EJ20, so at 125hp it can hardly be stressed, and proper maintencance should see it lasting a long time. I'll keep my eye on the tensioner and listen for slap on the cold start up of the test drive.

Wagon rear springs will alter the handling balance, making oversteer more sudden and more pronounced - but not deadly. Yes, the springs alone are responsible for ride height.

Hello All! I am seriously considering getting a loan out so that I can buy a nearly three year old EJ20 5MT Legacy, 30k miles on the odo. What I want to know is, what should I look for while the car is still under factory warranty? My old Legacy is nearing 200k miles and it keeps costing me...alternator...wheel bearings...CV joints.. you know the drill. I use the car for work and I rack up between 25 and 30k miles a year. Once the "new" car is out of warranty I will perform all the maintencance myself, at reduced intervals, so the future should be stable, but is there something I need to be extra cautious about? Like the EJ25 Head gaskets :cornfuzz:

How exactly does the "Suck-Cut" work??

Start with new OE springs - struts too, if you can afford it. Stiffer springs tend to lower the car " for a sporty look" and would probably not help.

"Syn vs. Dino" the bringer of many a heated debate I like to run my EJ22 up to the redline, regularly. At the same time I like to leave oil changes til I pass 6k miles. Although I do perform all the proper maintenance at reduced intervals, I would like for my oil to be able to withstand an engine overheat situation without cooking and seizing my pistons. Danish winter mornings offer temperatures of about -15 degrees Centigrade. Mobil 1 0w-40 does the business. (5W-50 in summer)

My Legacy has been cruised at 95mph for eight hours - nearly on end, but she gets thirsty...so I stopped for fuel once. And back again. Perfectly legal too, seeing as it was in Germany on derestricted Autobahn. Okay, most of the time that's the the speed I cruise at here in Denmark too...quiet, 10.2 kilomteres per litre of RON95, and zero oil consumption @ 4500rpm. (Above there I find that combustion chamber temperature gets hot enough to evaporate Mobil 1 - even 5W-50!!) ANYWAY! EJ22 Legacy sounds like the business. Avoid 1989 and '90 manual trans models, the main bearings are weak and last "only" 120k miles.

"Just" drop the trans? If it's 4WD it may well be easier to pull the engine. Exhaust has to come off no matter what, and from there it just depends on whether you prefer to dismount the axles and propshaft or the fuel pipes and wiring for the engine.

Agreed, don't listen to all the horror stories that people come up with! Synthetic IS better. More expensive, yes, but far better. Just don't replace it more often than 6k miles, or you will be pouring good oil away.

Sverige, it sounds like air in the coolant system. Not reaching operating temp will certainly affect mileage - the lamda sond won't start until the engine is heated up. That way, you are likely running a rich mixture all the time... Or the dash board meter is bad and the engine really is running the right temp. I HAVE AN IDEA!!! Cold engine, disconnect the cable that attaches to the lamdba sond. Drive the car....as soon as the engine reaches the correct temperature the Check Engine light will come on. If it doesn't come on, you are not reaching op temp. Suddenly, I love myself for that idea

Make sure you clean it with something that won't leave anything behind. I think someone recommended brake cleaner recently. Maybe a search will yield more info?

Could be due to plugging in the cooling channels. Removing the thermostat removes some flow restriction and might be enough to get a good circulation.

came up with the rather smart allen-bolted axle. I am helping a friend restore a 1972 Brabham Formula 3 car, and it has this type of axle. Seriously considering if I could install them on my Sube

Must be a PCV problem. Replace the valve and check all the hoses for plugs or leaks.

Hey apple, we agree on something!! Changing oil more often than 6k miles is a waste of money. I would strongly recommend a fully synthetic oil. Don't forget the filter! And keep the tyres within size of eachother to protect you 4wd system.

Erm, that's why I mentioned Mobil ATF 220, it's a Dexron II and still available over here - in redesigned bottles, so it ain't a dead product yet. DOT3 and DOT4 fluids are not to be mixed. There is a "higher" DOT rating for silicone hydraulic fluids, but it would be lethal to use it for normal road applications because it won't mix with water has a lower density. That means that any water in the brake pipes will work it's way into the lowest part of the system, ie. the calipers! But hey, it's called DOT5.1, so it must be better than DOT4 Almost ALL fluids have written on them that they are compatible with anything else. Balony, says I! I stick to one brand and type at time.

My sunroof leaked! The rails that allow the roof to slide are packed with a liquid gasket before they are screwed down. You need to replace this stuff. Open the roof all the way and the nuts that hold the rails down should be visible. Even if all the drains are clear some water will run under the rails and into the cabin - took me ages to work out what was happening, so I hope this saves you some time!!