brycarp

Here is one like the wrong one I got:

Uploading a small (1.1 meg) photo seems to work, but then it isn't in the post.

Hi All, The wrong panel is at least in a 2001 Forester. But I already did enough research to send the email to the salvage yard. Junkyard sold me this as being for my '96 Impreza Outback (with A/C). Can someone tell me what this panel is really from so I have the info I can tell the salvage yard? Thanks! Bry

Thanks Texan! I appreciate the tip.

Hi All, I'd like to flush the steering fluid in this recently-acquired OBW. The cap says to use Dexron, but the current contents are more on the order of "honey colored" - not the least bit red like ATF. This Idemitsu PSF claims to be good for Asian cars: https://www.amazon.com/Idemitsu-Universal-Power-Steering-Vehicles/dp/B00TO0F6EW I haven't gotten under the car to look for myself, but two different shops have pointed out leakage under the boot(s) on the steering rack. So it would be a bonus if whatever's in there now wasn't so good and led to the leakage, and whatever I replace it with makes the leakage stop. Any thoughts? All the best, Bry

Just to check back in and show what I did. At first I had suspected the illumination control module, but then I got one from a junkyard, swapped it in and no change to the problem. After studying the diagrams in the "Combination Meter" part of the "Wiring System" section of the USDM FSM, I became convinced that the "Dimmer Circuit" shown as driving the backlight bulbs for the odometer and clock LCD displays was part of the circuitry on the main circuit board of the instrument cluster. No power was getting to the "twist in" contacts for those bulbs, so I just decided to bypass what was supposed to drive those lights entirely. Here's my modification of the twist-in collar to remove the incandescent bulb and the metal parts. I then drilled through the back of the collar so the wires driving the white LED could come out the back. The LED pressed into place with a snug fit. https://photos.app.goo.gl/afHo4xauPTr5XX1U9 Because the LED had a distinct projection pattern that I wanted to scatter to spread the light out more, I sanded the front of each LED. The LEDs I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NAHYUBD - used the white ones. Then I tapped into the dimmer-ring-controlled voltage that drives the four main illumination bulbs. The LEDs I used were advertised as 12 volt LEDs, and came with a 1k ohm resistor wired in series with each one. They were too bright for what I wanted, so I put a 2.2k ohm resistor in the wire that drives both LEDs. Effectively, that means that each LED is driven with an overall 5.4k ohm resistor, so the current will be very small. The light is still plenty bright though, and when the dimmer ring on the turn signal lever is adjusted, the brightness of the odo and clock displays matches the other illumination levels pretty well. Here's a picture of my hack wiring on the back of the instrument cluster: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3LgDfKUF3wrx9GU36 The tape I used to hold everything in place: https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Glass-Cloth-Electrical-scotch/dp/B005YSL2SM

Hi All, On a recently-acquired 2001 Outback Wagon, I got into the various buttons, the HVAC control and instrument cluster to replace all of the burned out bulbs. So that's all good now and the illumination brightness ring on the turn signal lever works fine. I have good bulbs behind the LCD odometer and clock readouts. But still those displays don't get lit. If I take the bulbs out and shine light through the hole, that light is able to backlight each display just fine. I already got a junkyard illumination control module (mounts behind the stereo on passenger side, part number 83023AE01A) and swapped it in with no change to the problem. In the Factory Service Manual "Wiring System" section for "Combination Meter", it shows that the odometer and clock backlight bulbs are driven by a block labeled "Dimmer Circuit" that gets fed from the same brightness controlled power circuit that drives the other illumination bulbs. Does anyone know why the odometer and clock backlight bulbs are treated "specially" rather than just being driven from the very same brightness-controlled voltage that comes in from the illum controller? I suppose something is burned out in that "Dimmer Circuit" that lives somewhere in the instrument cluster assembly. I'm posting in case someone else has been through this problem and can give me further info. Thanks! Bry

Thanks for the advice!!

Hi All, When we did the timing belt on my son's 2002 EJ25 Legacy GT, I believe the oil pump that came out had a cast-in "7" and we put in a new Subaru one that had a cast-in "10". This EJ18 I'm working on (1995 Impreza L) has enough of a main seal leak that I'd be pulling the oil pump off anyway to replace the seal. The oil pump I took out of that has no number cast in. Is it probably a 7mm? I think the 10 mm oil pump 15010AA300 will fit the EJ18, and as I understand it, it's a good idea on a higher-mileage engine (190k in this case) to have better oil pressure as the bearings have worn over that mileage. I'm not aware of any oil pressure issues with the car, just an "upgrade" to make it healthier going forward. Thanks for any advice! Bry

Following the community wisdom here, I bought a 15010AA300 10mm oil pump to put on. Thanks! Bry

Hi All, I'm getting into my son's 2002 Legacy GT with ordinary SOHC EJ25. It's been going through oil too quickly and the bottom of the oil pump is always wet so I'm in there to make sure the oil pump is sealed to the block properly, replace the pressure o-ring, and replace the front main seal to be sure. But there's a lot of oil around this plug in the picture, and I'm not sure what that is. I think the further-out plugs are for wrist pin access, but does this plug have oil pressure behind it? Any tips on what to do about oil seepage as seen here? Thanks! Bry

Hi All, I ended up having the back off the '96 4EAT longer than I had planned where I am replacing the transfer clutch and Duty C solenoid. Now it's time to get it put back together, but there are a couple of holes, one threaded on the back face of the main part of the transmission case and I want to make sure I didn't forget something that was attached there. The two holes I mean are highlighted in green on the attached photo. I'm 98% sure there wasn't anything there, but I'd hate to have to pull the back off again if I'm wrong. As always, I VERY much appreciate the people here who are willing to share their expertise with those of us who are "expanding our boundaries" on Subie maintenance. -Bry

Hi All, This '96 Impreza OB had had some binding in the AWD for a while. I got around to investigating and got the back of the tranny off to replace the Duty C and the clutch plates, but as feared the damage had already been done to the toothed hub: http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae13/brycarp/Car%20Stuff/29ba1cf9-462c-4751-84e9-c8606ccc5c0c_zpsay4byumj.jpg This car has 222k miles and I do have a complete 4EAT from a junkyard '97 OBS with 164k on the odometer. (The block and heads from that car are now running great in this car!) But I was hoping to keep that tranny complete as a spare. Any ideas how to acquire a good hub? a used one would be fine. I tried to look up the part number online for that hub with the teeth that engages the inner teeth of the xfer clutch plates, but couldn't find it in the diagrams. On another topic, there are good pictorials online for replacing the clutch plates, but I don't know about yanking on that hub and the substantial gear that it seems to be attached to. Can that just be pulled out without leading to my being unable to push back into place later? (e.g. if I were able to get a new toothed hub and had a trans shop press it onto the gear, or whatever needs to happen.) Thanks! Bry

Hi All, I'm getting torque bind on 222k mile 96 Impreza Outback, and figure I need to do the Duty C and I'll do clutch pack while I'm in there. I just want to get opinions about the best place these days to ask "Here's the VIN - please help me order the parts I should have for this job.". I see a nasioc thread that says he went with subarupartsforyou.com, so maybe that's fine. Of course I'd like to go with a place that has reasonable pricing. Thoughts? Thanks!! Bry

Hi All, My junkyard engine I'm fixing up for my daughter's car (from 97 OBS) had exposure to weather, and got water into one upper head bolt chamber on each head. The alignment sleeves rusted into oblivion and the aluminum of both the head and block got eroded some at that one location on each side too. Therefore one of the the head<->block alignment sleeves that can be seen in this image on the two upper outboard head bolt holes: https://res.cloudinary.com/rallysport/image/private/s--hvDrFMTx--/f_auto,t_auto_rsd_product/v1436916942/product_images/sub_10103ac050_1 has a degraded area surrounding it in the aluminum of both the head and block. At least on my heads and block, all four of the outboard head bolt holes have identical machining to accept the alignment sleeve. Any reason not to switch to using the lower bolt hole for that sleeve on each side of the engine to take advantage of the uncompromised aluminum? The sleeves would then be at diagonal corners rather than both on the upper outboard bolts. Thanks! Bry