Setright

"Problem" ? This is standard on all my Subarus. One is brand new.... Of course a leaf or similar makes it much worse. You can remove the cylindrical fan quite easily. Get under the dashboard on the pass side and undo three screws and one hose. Or try this: Full speed on the fan, rotate the vent direction knob around a bit, sometimes this will blow the bits out.

So, let me get this straight...these people aren't driving air-cooled Porsche 911's ? No need to take them seriously then Snowman has already done a good job answering, but my nerdy side wants to add: Water has three times the heat capacity of anti-freeze making it more temperature stable, and giving you more time to react to an overheating engine. It is also able to transfer heat at twice the rate of antifreeze. So, yes. 99% pure water and 1% detergent to break the surface tension is the ideal in terms of heat control alone. Living in a hot area, I would probably run 60% water. Enough to make me feel smug about optimising the cooling system, but at the same time not so weak that my engine would corrode internally.

I've done 12k miles in a brand new Forester 2.5 XT. At 31 tender years, I still enjoy using the power available. Even so, I don't let the clutch slip and get hot. Just give it 3500rpm and step off the clutch smartly...screech! But seriously folks, a 14k clutch failure does sounds suspicious, but if the driver has a tendency to use the clutch pedal as a foot rest, then it is possible to kill a clutch in such a short distance. (My 2.0 Impreza has lived with me since 40k miles and now has over 100k miles. Original clutch.)

Passive Safety! The door is less likely to get jammed shut in a collision.

It doesn't even have frameless windows. It's a shared platform product and it shows. Also proves that Subaru does it best alone

Try this: Go back to the dealer, tell them to connect the Select Monitor and erase the Throttle control fault. My same-engine Forester did this after I washed it in a machine that also rinses the underside of the car. I suppose a lot of water got in the engine bay and my tendency to mash the throttle into the carpet shifted the water around enough to cause a throttle servo short or something. Dealer did as above, and now I drive less violently after car washes

Anyway peeps, keep in mind that Audi offers the A4 with a 100hp 1.6 engine here in Europe. A6's can be had with a 1.8. Both are painfully slow.

Sounds like a myth ?

Does the 1.5 have the new variable cam system? That would explain the difference over the old 1.6. The only trouble is that to feel quick, the 1.5R would need to way around 1000kg. So how overweight is it? 2-300kg ?

Yep, Brembo rotors are good. I prefer Mintex brake pads.

Rally Keith, maybe we're just divided by different markets? Brembo equipped STI's have 5x114. At least on this side of the pond. Didn't know that SVX had that size too. Now committed to memory - soon to be dispensed on Subaru boards across the world My 2006 Forester 2.5XT has 230hp. Do you guys make do with 180hp ?? (05 had 210hp, but that was without variable cams)

Bolt pattern is still 5x100, however Forester rims have 48mm offset. But that's not really a big difference. (Only 04 and on STI's have 5x114 bolt pattern, something about fitting Brembo brakes) Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS! OB XT, does that mean 230hp?

Ranger, the center og gravity might move with a lighter hood/bonnet, but the roll center is calculated from the suspension angles

well, brus, it's time to change up to a 2007 model - MP3 compatible stereo which swallows six CDs

Yep, classic knock sensor failure. The original one on my old EJ22 cracked in the same pattern. New ones have been revised and they don't crack. These have a white connector on the wire, instead of grey. SO, if you fitted an old style one, it may crack again..

Replacing my gearbox oil with Valvoline Synpower has worked wonders. Used to crunch on the shift from 2nd to 3rd, and just pouring in the right oil cured that. Castrol "Syntorq" isn't bad either, and Motul "Motylgear" will also do the job. But I prefer Valvoline. Depends on price and availability locally I guess.

Under the handbrake handle in my Impreza, 1999MY. Hidden under the console, of course....

Fuel problem_ I find my car runs best on the RON95 that it is rated for. Upping to 98 has given me hesitation problems at full throttle. It\s as if the ECU gets too busy on the timing and cannot think fast enough and then retards timing just to be safe. Those are EURO octane ratings....

Ditto!

Clean, dry conical surfaces. Anti-seize on the threads. Torque, drive around 200 miles, re-torque, sorted. I set my wrench a little lower like, 94Nm instead of 95Nm when I re-torque as this avoids over tightening.

I go for 95 Newton Meters. What's that in your money? 73ft/lbs ?

Be it piston gudgeon pin bearing, big end rod bearing, or even crankshaft main bearing noises, the following will apply: It will be muted at cold starts, and progressively get louder as the engine warms up and the oil thins out. It will not come and go. A busted bearing will not fix itself randomly. The noise is a low frequency, "dull" thud kind of sound. Not clicking. I think the most likely is a stuck valve lifter. The timing belt tensioner can also make this sort of noise if the oil seal is leaking. I would expect it to fluctuate and not follow engine rpm directly. You might also want to check the gaskets on the exhaust manifolds. Especially at the cylinder head end. Also makes a ticking noise.

LOL

Loving your car And I'm glad your new tyres don't screech - it's so anti-social.

Ask for the same filter as used in the Forester 2.5XT Og Legacy GT. Subaru only has two sizes. The long and thin one, and the more square one.