Setright

DON'T DRILL THEM!! You will weaken the disc considerably. I know Porsche and Mercedes are now producing road cars with drilled discs, but a lot of engineering expertise has gone into determining the placing, diameter, and number of holes. You can drill "blind" holes, ie. not all the way through the disc, if holes are what you want. Slots are a far better option, and you only really need four slots per side - any extras are just for show and eat the pads really fast. Speaking of which, what pads are you using? Many cases of brake judder stem from overheated pads that deposit material randomly on the disc surface, not "warped" discs. I strongly recommend Mintex "Red Box" pads. They aren't the best in terms of ultimate power, but they stand up to considerable torture without breaking down and can be used daily.

The fuel pump would be more likely to make a "whirr" noise. It could be an electrical problem that interferes with the stereo and whines through the speakers. If the alternator diodes have burned out it will produce AC instead of DC and make a whining noise. It will also tend to get abnormally hot.

Well, it does make a difference. No doubt the cars leave the factory with components and chemicals that don't produce problems. However, once the car has been out of warranty for a while, you could run into problems since history gets patchy. Electrolytic corrosion of either the engine or radiator are most likely. Hoses usually just break down due to age. Find out which coolant additive the handbook recommends, and take note of whether the radiator is the original or not. (Cu vs Al)

Valve cover gaskets tend to leak, but usually not at such a low mileage. If there is oil seeping at the very front of the engine it is likely to be the crank and camshaft seals. Easy to replace....once you have removed the timing belt

The original VW Bug/Beetle/Kaffa had closer to 30 hp, and most of the later models made do with around 40-45.

Hear you on the GL4 thing, Sprintman. I checked my car's handbook: GL5. Still, the Cobb page makes no distinction... Reckon I will play it safe and go for NS - I hope it kicks Mobil's rump roast, or it won't have been worth it!

Oh, and all the metal shavings from the main bearing had left surface damage on my first gear cogwheels, so the transmission is still not silent...whirrr...whirrr..whirrr... However, my odo is now closing in on 185k miles and the noise hasn't increased, and the bearings seem to be holding up :-)

Well, not sure I am going for NS in the gearbox. Cobb Tuning recommends MT90 for increasing shift speed, so I if Redline UK has it, I am trying it. Recently, replaced the diff oil, with Mobil synthetic, so that's staying in

Yes, you can replace just the bearings, that's what I did. Well, actually, at 120k miles I paid a small fortune to have an authorised dealer replace them Up to somewhere round the middle of 1990, April I think, the main bearings are crap.

I am in the process of ordering Redline oil for my gearbox, rest assured I will report back in a week or two when I have formed an opinion

Check out http://www.subaruhighmileageclub.com I will be entering the over 200K miles soon, I hope! My EJ22 has done 292,000 kilometers and "only" had the head gaskets replaced at 200,000km. Mobil 1 Oil and filter every 6k miles.

ScoobySchmitty: Hell Yeah!!!

Congratulations on getting it back! Looks like you need to fumigate the poor thing

Lexi (not Lexuses ) are sold in Japan by the name Toyota, which is what they are. eg. Toyota Altezza = Lexus IS Anyway, no newer Audi (since ca. 1993) has been any good to drive. Stuff the fancy interior and trick electrics, I want steering feel, forgiving handling, and the thrum of a boxer engine....

NS thing is understooded, and I have already started the search for a distributor in Denmark. I would also like to know why you discourage "syns" I am already running Mobil's syn in my MT - and have done so for nearly 60k miles

Agreed dscottf, understeer is BORING! However, on public roads I prefer to see the cars following me in the rear view mirror, and occasionally through the side windows... it's when they start appearing in the windscreen that I get nervous My prefered cornering technique involves standing on the brakes late, turn-in while releasing the brakes and then getting on the throttle sharp-ish...when timed right it gives a wonderfully balanced trip round the bend.

What's NS?

Odd. "ER" is that some sort of substitue for ET?? I reckon you will have to try to measure it.

The higher the octane number, the slower the cumbustion.

Hmm, I use Mobil's synthetic in my trans. Saves the pennys at the gas station (European prices!) but shifts need to be deliberate and slow. Wouldn't mind trying Redline, which viscosity and "model" should I go for??

Well, I just had mine changed and only paid for the oil. My local Sube dealer did it, for free, I guess they like me I figure it ain't worth buying the tool since I only change diff oil at the factory 60K miles. Next time is a long time away, and the tool might not fit the next car... Hmm, that doesn't really help, does it? SORRY

Bard: Isn't R behind 5? It should not be possible to pull from 5 back to R, there is a detent that engages when you move the lever right and forward. It doesn't release again until you go past neutral. And for sure, double de-clutch it when you want first while still moving. 90% of my shifts are double de-clutched, once you get into the groove it becomes very satisfying. Left side of my right foot rests on the brake, the right side taps the gas on the way through neutral....ahhhhh! You can also use this to shift upward if you want to skip a gear. If I go from 2 to 4 I will lift the clutch pedal (no throttle) on the way past neutral to slow the gearbox internals for a smooth shift.

Don't you hate regional variations? The M1 I used to use in Singapore and still use in Denmark is 5w-50..... As mentioned, 0w40 in winter - "tri-syn"

Well, the "first batch" of Legacies had below par main bearings delivered from the parts supplier and at around 120K miles would need replacing - started being noisy around 60k. SO, check your source and make sure this is not a traded in 'box with crappy main bearings. Crappy bearings in all 1989 models and up to round about April 1990....but I am not certain.

Sprintman: Why so hard on M1? The "original" from the late eighties kicked some serious behind. I can't believe they would have made an inferior product?? Except maybe if they decided to exploit a reputation and make some extra money for themselves. :madder: I still run M1..