Setright

Nixon...any connection to Richard No, I stole Leonard John K. Setright's surname almost ten years ago when I needed a unique "alias" on the internet. I've been reading CAR Magazine for 17 years, so LJKS has had a big influence on me and I chose his name because I have enormous respect for all his work. What a shame he has left this world behind.

Three bolts either side on the bottom of the frame to undo the bumper. The hitch attaches with those three plus one more either side close to the middle of the car.

So, when are you selling??? I'm desparate for a 2.5 liter n/a engine over here We only get n/a in 2.0 liter guise here in Europe. That means I would have to overstretch my budget and get a turbo if I want something quick.

Sounds right. Overtorquing those bolts is all too easy, use a good torque wrench on the new gaskets.

I ran Shell Ultra 5W-40 as part of long serious of experiments. It's rather thin for a xW-40 oil. Both cold and warm. I'm not running Mobil Delvac 1 5W-40 which keeps my engine very happy - by the sounds of it. I haven't been really scientific with used oil analyses and such. I've gone by mileage and sound. Delvac 1 is the only oil I have found that really dampens piston slap.

The only thing to "worry" about is engine cooling. Keep a watchful eye on the temp gauge. How old is the coolant? I suggest removing and cleaning the overflow tank and replacing the radiator cap - with a genuine Subaru part please. The overflow tank collects a lot of "snot" and it's a good idea to clean it out before it gets sucked back in. In any case, bring some engine coolant concentrate and some water. Just in case your engine gets a little hot and spills some of it. A pain to get stranded. If the rad hoses are looking tired, you could at least bring some new ones along. IF one of them bursts you'll be okay. This will save you doing the work now.

Eh? It should be possible to remove the radio without dismantling the dashboard....usually the radio is "locked" with a small spring action clip down either side. Slide a small screwdriver in there and see if you can edge the radio out.

When the alternator on my EJ22 Legacy went south it produced a smell like what you are describing. Hot, rubbery, slightly "oily". Try turning the radio on, if the alt diode brigde/rectifier is busted there will be a whine type of sound going into the speakers that follows engine rpm.

I'd go for the Outback. Far superior handling due to it being lower and having a longer wheelbase. Do take note that the 06 Forester has vastly improved suspension, and doesn't roll or pitch as much earlier models. Well, the 2.5XT anyway. On muddy roads, the small difference in ground clearance isn't gonna sway it either way.

Nice one, sounds like a good service. If you only overheated for a short while, hopefully your HG's will be okay

It most certainly is worth a try before tearing down the gearbox

HG failure, is pretty likely. Especially since it's overheated a few times now. Make sure you get the latest version from a Subaru dealer. They are silver, not black. (At least in Europe) When time comes to fill the cooling system, fill as much as you can directly into the block through the upper rad hose and then re-attach it to the rad. Fill as far as possible through the rad cap hole, then run the engine without the rad cap on and wait until the fan starts running. At this point you know for certain that the thermostat is open and allow air bubbles to circulate up and out of the rad filler neck. Top off the level in the rad, and mount the rad cap. It'll burp along the way as it heats up so have a cloth wrapped around the rad hole to catch the spillage. A new rad cap would also be a good idea.

There is definitely a better cooling effect at speed, as opposed to standing still at traffic lights. The fans can only move so much air... Under full throttle acceleration, the compressor is switched off automatically so all the available engine power is used to increase the vehicle speed. As soon as you left off the throttle, the compressor will swing into action again. So, I reckon you're experiencing perfectly normal AC operation. (Switching to recirc will help cool the interior, since you don't keep drawing in hot outside air.)

Well, I think the Subaru gives the better driving experience. To me, that's the bottom line. That it manages to be very reliable and rugged at the same time is a BIG bonus. Alfa Romeos are also good for driving experience, but tend to be rather fragile... Toyota's latest recall in Europe is on the "Avensis" model. Apparently spirited driving can lead to the steering gear BREAKING and the driver losing control of the front wheels! Give me the weak rear wheel bearings of a Subaru any day over that

I love this kind of story! Subaru's AWD just works so well. All the imitators from VW, Audi, Volvo and so on are useless in the loose stuff. I would have loved being there to witness the faces on the owners of all those "off road vehicles" as a compact family sedan whizzed past

This is funny, in the peculiar sense, since there has been no question or confirmation of the type of driveline. My manual tranny ain't got no solenoides

Eh? Most EJ blocks have a blocked out - hex head bolt - in the top of the block as you say. Standing in front of the car, just below and left of the intake plenum. I'd use that, it gives you an accurate reading for the oil temp inside the engine. The oil in the sump could read cooler since it's in the airstream.

I have very positive results running Mobil Delvac 1 5W-40 in my engine. I can't work out the exact circumstances, but half the mornings the is no audible piston slap. Other mornings, it's very dulled and goes away fast.

Brake light and battery light on? Diode bridge/ rectifier in the alternator is bad. Not your car's fault.

Don't overtighten the plugs! Do the work on a cold engine, apply a small amount of anti-seize, and tighten until the plugs resists turning, you only need the strenght in a wrist, not a whole arm. You should be able to sense it as the new pulg gasket is pressed flat. Stop right after that.

Ermm, the "backwards" system used on Subarus is MUCH better than what other brands use. Where does the blowby get blown by to ?? The crankcase. Where does the Subaru system draw these potenially harmful vapours from? Straight from the crankcase. What does it replace the vapours with? Fresh, filtered air. FANTASTIC The system you seem to prefer pulls the blowby up threw the cylinder heads, introducing harmful vapours to the valvetrain. Why do that? The PCV valve shuts at high vaccum, and it only opens wide at full throttle. If it doesn't shut at idle the engine will choke. I suggest replacing your PCV valve, it's probably got some gunk stuck in it, that means it doesn't seal properly.

Having replaced coolant on my boxers many times, I have been searching for the right way to get all the old fluid out and getting as much new fluid in, without having to burp the system for a week after I'm done. I think I have finally cracked it! Draining Drain the radiator as far as possible with the little "faucett", and then detach the lower hose from the radiator. (If you are like me, replace any coolant hoses that you remove, and use stainless steel clamps on the new ones) Even more fluid will drain from the radiator, and some will drain from the engine block. Detach the upper hose from the radiator, and run clean water through the rad until it comes out of the bottom clear in color. Now, I do not contest that the best way to flush the engine block is by unscrewing the two drain plugs, but these are often seized and could turn into a source of trouble if you strip the threads or if they won't seal tight when you screw them back in. SO, I jack up the rear of the car until the engine block is tilting slight forward, ie. wheels about 6 inches off the ground, unscrew the thermostat housing, and let the old fluid run out through the thermostat opening. (Needless to say, I replace the thermostat gasket) Run clean water in through the upper hose until clear water comes out of the thermostat opening. Leave the car in this position until it stops dripping water. Remove the expansion tank and flush it, there will be plenty of "snot" in the bottom of it! Rinse the hose too. Install the tank again and fill to the FULL mark. Filling Close up the bottom end of the cooling system, ie. thermostat and lower hose. If possible, perform the next phase on a slight incline, car pointing upward. Get a funnel with about 10 inches of half-inch diameter hose on the end of it and slide this down the upper hose in toward the engine block. I do this because bending the upper rad hose causes it to collapse and that makes pouring coolant into it impossible. Pour your preferred coolant directly into the engine block. Pouring slowly, and pausing along the way will help keep air from being trapped inside the block. It should swallow at about two litres before it starts to rise and threaten to come out of the hose. At that point, attach the upper hose to the rad and continue to fill slowly through the rad cap hole. Once it seems full, start the engine, let it run for twenty seconds and shut it off again. This will dislodge the few air pockets that are unavoidable and the fluid level in the radiator should drop a little after the burp, top it off. Start the engine again, and let it run until the radiator fan starts running, be patient! When then fan starts running, top off the level in the rad and install the radiator cap - and bleed screw if there is one. During the warm up, a small amount of coolant will spill over the rad filler neck, have a cloth to absorb it. Take the car for a shortish run, just a few miles to get it fully warmed up, and park it on level ground. Check hoses for leaks of course, and let it cool. This will take a number of hours, overnight is good. In the morning, note the level in the expansion tank, it will probably be a little lower than FULL. Fill to the FULL mark, and you're all set. Obviously, you should check the level in the expansion tank for a few days afterward, but there shouldn't be any problems. Resist the temptation to open the rad cap, this will only interfere

Try this: Having replaced coolant on my boxers many times, I have been searching for the right way to get all the old fluid out and getting as much new fluid in, without having to burp the system for a week after I'm done. I think I have finally cracked it! Draining Drain the radiator as far as possible with the little "faucett", and then detach the lower hose from the radiator. (If you are like me, replace any coolant hoses that you remove, and use stainless steel clamps on the new ones) Even more fluid will drain from the radiator, and some will drain from the engine block. Detach the upper hose from the radiator, and run clean water through the rad until it comes out of the bottom clear in color. Now, I do not contest that the best way to flush the engine block is by unscrewing the two drain plugs, but these are often seized and could turn into a source of trouble if you strip the threads or if they won't seal tight when you screw them back in. SO, I jack up the rear of the car until the engine block is tilting slight forward, ie. wheels about 6 inches off the ground, unscrew the thermostat housing, and let the old fluid run out through the thermostat opening. (Needless to say, I replace the thermostat gasket) Run clean water in through the upper hose until clear water comes out of the thermostat opening. Leave the car in this position until it stops dripping water. Remove the expansion tank and flush it, there will be plenty of "snot" in the bottom of it! Rinse the hose too. Install the tank again and fill to the FULL mark. Filling Close up the bottom end of the cooling system, ie. thermostat and lower hose. If possible, perform the next phase on a slight incline, car pointing upward. Get a funnel with about 10 inches of half-inch diameter hose on the end of it and slide this down the upper hose in toward the engine block. I do this because bending the upper rad hose causes it to collapse and that makes pouring coolant into it impossible. Pour your preferred coolant directly into the engine block. Pouring slowly, and pausing along the way will help keep air from being trapped inside the block. It should swallow at about two litres before it starts to rise and threaten to come out of the hose. At that point, attach the upper hose to the rad and continue to fill slowly through the rad cap hole. Once it seems full, start the engine, let it run for twenty seconds and shut it off again. This will dislodge the few air pockets that are unavoidable and the fluid level in the radiator should drop a little after the burp, top it off. Start the engine again, and let it run until the radiator fan starts running, be patient! When then fan starts running, top off the level in the rad and install the radiator cap - and bleed screw if there is one. During the warm up, a small amount of coolant will spill over the rad filler neck, have a cloth to absorb it. Take the car for a shortish run, just a few miles to get it fully warmed up, and park it on level ground. Check hoses for leaks of course, and let it cool. This will take a number of hours, overnight is good. In the morning, note the level in the expansion tank, it will probably be a little lower than FULL. Fill to the FULL mark, and you're all set. Obviously, you should check the level in the expansion tank for a few days afterward, but there shouldn't be any problems. Resist the temptation to open the rad cap, this will only interfere

The reasoning might be wonky, but I would agree that the likely killer is the presence of air in the cooling system. And the flat engine will have a tendecy to trap air. Proper purging is all that's required. I wonder, has any EJ25 HG failed on the factory filled cooling system? Or does it happen after a service where a careless mechanic has allowed air to remain in the cooling system??

ECU won't know. The sender is only connnected to the dashboard "dummy" light. It should light up if disconnected :-\