timintc

Upon further research I found out that this is a common occurance and can be washed off by any experienced detailer. My question is should i replace the brake pads and what type should i go with

Now that this ridiculously long winter is winding down i have been washing my pearl white 2006 Legacy Ltd sedan at the local car washes. I purchased this car last Fall after spending 10 years in a 2000 Legacy wagon that was slowly rusting out before my eyes over the years. Imagine my shock when after recent car wash i noticed many tiny rust spots around my fenders and side panels. When i pointed them out to my 19yr old son he informed that they were caused by particles coming off of my metalic brakes. Id never heard of such a thing before and thought he was crazy but inside id hope that is was true, at least that could be remedied, a rusting Subie once it starts rusting could not.

check your overflow if theres bubbles you still have HG issues. The 303 and 304 could possibly coolant leaking into your cumbustion chamber from failed HG's. But once started the car will run but will run rough at idle at a stop light for example. IF the heads were not properly machined or the heads not torqued properly you may have HG issues.

refill your cooling system making sure you have all the air bubbles out then start it back up and check your coolant overflow, if you have bubbles its your HG. Hate to say it but have been thru 4 of them so far so no matter how much you hope its an easy solution its most probably your HG.

ITS YOUR HEADGASKETS!!!!! Do them before you have an overheating issue and get stranded somewhere. Check for bubbles in your overflow or remove your radiator cap and start the car cold if you have a head gasket leak you will get a small geyser from your radiator.

I had a 304 code this past summer on my 2000 legacy. On start up it idled rough but smoothed out once it got going. Long story short the 304 was just a precursor to a blown head gasket. Anti freeze was leaking into the cylinder causing a misfire until it blew completely. Worth looking into

After 10 years 234k miles 3 head gasket jobs, a 420 cel light on since 2007 and slowly watching my beloved 2000 legacy wagon slowly rust away ive finally upgraded to this 06 beauty with 127k. I took it to my trusted mechanic yesterday and he showed me where the headgaskets are beginning to go. Its a small oil leak on the passenger side not bad enough to coat the crossmember but nevertheless something I will have to watch, dang it all. I was wondering how many of you out there have had HG issues on their 06 models,

check your overflow tank with the engine idling if there are bubbles its likely a head gasket leak. Subaru thermostats like subie starters, water pumps, alternators etc etc are usually pretty reliable and long lasting. The fact that you already experienced an overheating episode makes me lean towards head gaskets since we see so many of them up here in Northern Michigan. My theory is that you may have coolant leaking into your cylinders as you drive causing your performance issues. but then again it could be any of the other possibilities offered here, but check your overflow first and eliminate the dreaded HG issue.

um can we all get past English 101 and get back to helping Judy in Tampa? Sounds like a lot going on here spark fuel compression any issue or which would be the cause for your non-start. I have seen so many head gasket failures up here in N Michigan that I would lean toward that assumption. I recently had a 304 code, misfire in the # 4 cylinder, be a lead in to a head gasket failure. Coolant was leaking into the combustion chamber causing the misfire but the car was still running well for a few days until it eventually overheated. Now if you had a catastrophic failure and you had coolant leaking into all the cylinders you would get no spark and no combustion. Just my 2 cents hope my grammer diction and punctuation were sufficient to pass.

You've done everything but the most obvious thing that goes wrong with these cars. YOU NEED NEW HEAD GASKETS! You may be lucky and you just have bubbles in your cooling system and these will cause blockages. I have had three go rounds with headgaskets on my 2000 Legacy in 230,000 miles of driving. If you continue to drive and overheat your engine you will warp the heads at minimum. My first HG leak was internal the 2nd started as a 304 code, misfire in the # 4 cylinder, the result of coolant leaking into the combustion chamber then after a few days i was dead on the side of the road. My advice have your cooling system pressure tested at least this will eliminate the HG issue. Good luck

My 2000 legacy has been running fine since 2007 with the p420 code on. Had headgaskets done at 135K and now just last week at 230k. Was hoping that the latest fix would make the 420 go away. It didn't so I will live with the little yellow light on and just check periodically to see that nothing new has popped up.

I watched a mechanic once take out old difficult plugs on a v8. I was a rather slow process where he alternately turned the plug out slowly a turn or so they sprayed lubricant into the plug hole. Then hed tighten the plug back into the hole a little, repeating this process until the old spark plug came out with the threads undamaged. The lubricant that you choose will not damage anything and will be beneficial for installing the new plugs. Torque them to approx. 15lbs. This is one reason I am not a fan of 100k plugs. They can seize in there and ive had several spark plug grommets dry out and leak and if you wait the interval it takes to drive 100k vs 30k you will be checking this part of your engine more often.

My son recently did a shadow assignment for his career tech center with a local shop here in Northern Michigan where it seems every other car is a subaru, ( i own three myself). Luckily he was assigned to work with the resident subaru guru and while doing a brake job the mechanic told my son that he removes the rubber grommet that is on the lower pin as it tends to swell and makes it difficult to remove. This morning while doing my annual spring checkup on my brakes lo and behold it was the lower pins that were both stuck so im going to try it and see what it looks like next year.

We tried the simple fix first which was to reset the CEL but it came back again within a few miles so rather then pay 2 to 300 dollars to have a shop do it we tried it ourselves. Being in Indianapolis you probably dont have the snow and salt we encounter up here, hopefully it will be a breeze for you. Weve driven it on a few errands and so far no CEL. Just for the record ive driven my 2000 Legacy for 4 yrs now with the CEL on for a 420 code and my wifes 97 Impreza has a light on for a MAF sensor code even after it was replaced.

After having the head gaskets done a couple of weeks ago on my sons just purchased 99 legacy SUS Limited the inevitable happened, the CEL came on and sure enough it was an O2 sensor code. Well just having been tapped out on the HG job we decided to tackle the job ourselves with the help provided here on the USMB. After several failed attempts with an adjustable wrench, an o2 socket, which broke btw, we decided to drop the front exhaust system. Since the head gaskets had just been done and flange replaced between the cats every bolt came out easily. Still with the exhaust out and the 02 sensor out and accessable it still proved to be a *%$#@. Finally after heat, penetrating oil, sweat and finally vise grips it loosened up and came out. I was surprised to see that it was a Bosch indicating to me that it may have been changed before. Ive got my fingers crossed that the CEL will stay off now and we can move onto the next project, the rear wheel bearings. Michigan Subies are so much FUN!!

Does anybody out there know what model years trunk lids would match with the 99 legacy sus? Just recently bought the car and as with most Michigan Subies it has some rust but the most and worst is the hole in the trunk. I love the look and style of the car but would love to replace the trunk if the price were right.

I had the same problem recently after a cold snap passed thru, took my 2000 legacy to the subi guys who said it was a common thing for them to see. Turned out it was a hose clamp that had loosened a bit on a short bit of hose between two steel lines leading to the fuel injectors. It was on the passenger side just above the alternator, had to loosen some nuts to remove a bracket that allowed access to the clamps a quick tighten with a screwdriver and i was good to go. hope this helps

my recommondation is to just live with it. Ive had a 420 code and cel light on for the better part of two years now, tried O2 sensors had a used cat put on and still have the code. Car runs just fine, light is a little annoying but then again so would the grand id have to fork out for a new cat. Unless you have to pass an emissions inspection just live with it, this has been my experience and also the advice of some pretty knowledgeable mechanics. BTW mine is a 2000 legacy wagon with 180k. Tim

Ive been driving my 2000 legacy wagon for over two years now with the CEL light on and a 420 code and with 170K on the odometer and the car running just fine ive decided to not fight it any longer. The Subie Guys here in my town have tried every fix we could think of, cats o2 sensors exhaust leaks and nothing has worked and since the car runs just fine ive decided to live with it. My only issue would be in selling the car and convincing the next guy to just live with it.

sorry for the lack of pertinant details, but yes it idles just like a 2.2 should, plugs wires filters all recently changed when we purchased it at 117K. I did take it to a parking lot this morning, a wet cool rainy morning to boot. and did circles both left and right, forward and back without noticing anything amiss. Of course when i drive it i cannot replicate the wifes problems so i guess i will take it in this week and see what the dealer or the Subie Guys say. One other detail tho upon starting it up this morning the check engine light was on and id hoped it would shed some new light but alas it was only the 102 code maf sensor code again so i had them clear it and we will move forward to the next solution. and oh by the way Nipper it stalls both when she comes to a stop and when she is driving down the road.

My wifes 97 Impreza stalls going down the road when its not warmed up yet. We just changed the MAF sensor and it seemed to solve the problem for a couple weeks but has since started up again. No CEL but i had her observe the AT light and she said it blinks 16 times after it stalls. She has about 140K on it, any ideas would be appreciated.

Had my drivers side HG replaced under the warranty in late 2003 at which time i was a very pleased customer. Fast fwd to 2008 and 65k miles later both head gaskets are leaking. The dealer wants no part of extending his previous work so i take it to an independant Subaru mechanic who replaces both HG charges me 1500 bucks and shows me the gasket the dealer had installed and its clearly the first generation of faulty gaskets. Sheesh am not too happy with the dealer here in Traverse City MI any longer

I agree with gloyale, just remove air intake from passenger side of engine and the resovoir and you should be done in about an hour. I also have a 2000 Legacy and have done the plugs several times now. The first time will be the most difficult and afterwards it becomes as easy as changing your oil. I have lost the socket down in the spark plug hole several times but now i just use electrical tape and tape the socket to the extension, and i also use an anti-sieze lube before installing the new NGK Copper plugs.

In a similar vein and coincidentily also a 97 Impreza, we cant remove the key from the ignition. Could that also be a worn ignition? or does it have something to do with something in the tranny and park mechanism?

Ive got a 2000 legacy that had the same symptoms, before sinking any cash into a new motor i would disassemble the old unit, taking off the windshield wiper arm, and lubing the shaft that runs from the motor to the wiper arm, that should solve your problem and at virtually no cost and an hour or two of labor. Any good parts store will have a special tool that removes the arm from its mounting shaft. After seizing up a couple times now ive become a pro at taking everything apart and putting it all back together again, now if I can just keep water from getting in there and rusting the shaft ill be in business.