revox

I finally got around to buying a new stereo for my 98 OB today. I bought the harness to make things super-easy. Took apart the necessary pieces to remove the bezel and discovered that one of the four screws that holds the out stereo bracket in place was missing. That wasn't a good sign because that means someone has had the radio out before this. I pulled out the old radio to find that all the wires were crimped together with connectors instead of just using a harness. And since the stereo is a factory stereo, why is the harness missing at all?? I have a feeling they put in some nice stereo then had the original put back in just before they sold the car. Anyway, now I'm screwed. I have no idea what's what. I can handle a simple install, but this has just become a nightmare for me.

I asked two different Crutchfield reps why double din stereos were listed as "does not fit" for my 98 OBW and they told me Subaru isn't actually double din and I "had to" use single din with a pocket kit. Come to find out that any double din will fit if you use the stock brackets.

Mine is the one that comes straight out and to the right. The holes are tiny, and it's the only thing on my car that doesn't work well. Maybe the previous owner gummed it up with 7-Up. So I can put the other one right in there? I'm going to track one down. thanks!

you actually use the cupholder? It fits only the smallest of fountain drink cups and no bottles. It fits cans, I suppose, but I haven't drank from a can in the car, well, ever.

well I work for Best Buy Co, so I get a very good discount. Otherwise, I'd definitely buy from Crutchfield. I think the CD player in my car was an option, so maybe Best Buy's computer doesn't take that into consideration and only knows about the single din opening.

yeah, I'm using a cassette adapter right now and that's what I'm trying to get away from. I miss having USB/Bluetooth/iPod controls so I'm just going to swap it out. I'm planning on buying the harness too so it will be a very easy installation now that I know it's a standard double-din. thanks!

I'm looking to replace my stock stereo (cassette with CD player below it) but Best Buy's website says it does NOT fit my vehicle. Is the stock stereo + CD player an odd size? this is what I'm looking at: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/JVC+-+50W+x+4+MOSFET+Apple%26%23174%3B+iPod%26%23174%3B-/Satellite+Radio-/HD+Radio-Ready+CD+Deck/9784001.p?id=1218172863008&skuId=9784001 I've owned many brands of car stereos and JVC has been the most reliable and best value that I've found.

You didn't include a link, but after searching Google, I think you found the same article that I did. 2002! Do they make one for a 98?

check out this OBW. I don't necessarily like the lights, but will this bar fit a 1998? It's listed for a 2000, and I think it adds a bit of aggressivity (I made up that word) to the stock wagon. Anybody?

So it turns out my relay is bad. I just bought the exact same relay (as part of my head gasket/water pump/timing belt extravaganza) two weeks ago for $70 from the dealer. I find out my AC compressor's relay (which is identical) is bad so I come home and check eBay. $6 + $1.50 for two-day shipping. As much as I hate eBay, sometimes I love it just a little bit Even though it's been in the mid-80s here in SoCal lately, I can wait two days for my AC.

All done, and the sound is great. The last two alarms I've had were those multi-sound, super-annoying alarms. This one is definitely going to wake my neighbors if someone tries anything shifty

found it! The siren is on the strut tower, pointed exactly straight down. Looks nothing like a siren, so I probably stared right at it a dozen times. The red wire is cut. I'm gonna patch that up tomorrow thanks Subarubies.

thanks. I'll do a third check in the am.

Just where under the hood is the alarm siren located? Is it hidden? I'm not seeing it. I do see two horns -- one on each side of the engine bay.

I decided to take apart my remotes in hopes of getting my keyless entry to work. ..and I did! It works great, but I'm left wondering if it's supposed to chirp/beep/honk when I lock/unlock the car. I thought it might be in valet mode, so I read up and found that the red button on the dash toggles this. No beep either way. I didn't see any siren under the hood, so I figured it must use the car's horn (if it's supposed to be audible). Any words of wisdom about this?

Oh, I'm very mechanically inclined, just not when it comes to engines. I stopped working on cars many years ago. I do have a good friend who is a Chevy master mechanic. I could probably talk him into doing the work, even though he usually steers clear of imports.

hah! no, I don't do any auto repairs. I just research so I can (sorta) sound like I know what I'm talking about. I learn quite a bit just by reading forums. I just don't have the tools or the space to work on a car. thanks much for your answers!

please tell me this isn't a massive repair. If the engine has to be removed again I'm going to sell this money pit. I love the car, but after spending $1000 more than I should've, then spending $2300+ a month later for repairs, I can't take much more.

I just spent a bundle having my 98 Legacy OB's head gasket, timing belt, water pump, etc..etc..etc.. changed/repaired. Now my AC doesn't blow cold. It wasn't very cold to begin with, but now there's no change when I push the AC button. I'm wondering if I just need a recharge (I plan to have it recharged tomorrow), or if there could be something else that might not have been re-attached when the engine was put back into the car. I have to go back in 400 miles for the follow-up visit, but I'm hoping to find the solution (or at least have a good understanding of the problem) before then. the compressor is turning on because I feel the strain on the engine. That's all I know so far. Any similar experiences? thanks for reading.

Just had my 98 OB in the shop for a blown head gasket. I had the gasket, water pump, timing belt, idler gear, tons of seals, bushings, o-rings, etc.. replaced. They also found that one of my fans wasn't working so they had to order a relay for it. Total cost = $2400 This is 2 weeks after I bought the car for $4500 (it actually looks and drives like a new car). The seller put some kind of "fix it" into the radiator to seal up the head gasket. That lasted about a week and then the overheating started. Yup, I got screwed, but I'm hoping that, after all this work, my car will be a dependable vehicle.

I sure hope you're right! Gonna take it to another mechanic tomorrow.

How can I tell for sure if I need an engine or just a head gasket? Pressure test? Compression test? My funds are limited, so I need to go about this the most cost-effective way.

Apparently, I don't have PM privileges, so I'll post here instead. a bit of background info. I bought my 98 Legacy Outback from a car lot in Buena Park, CA (right down the street from Knott's Berry Farm) from an old woman with a Poodle. I was in desperate need of a car, and she had what I wanted. I stupidly believed what she told me because SHE WAS AN OLD WOMAN WITH A POODLE. Anyway, it turns out my engine has a cracked block. Instead of trying to push this car onto some other unsuspecting buyer, I've decided to just fix it and be happy with it. I LOVE the body style, and it's such a comfortable car that I really am happy with it, despite not being able to drive it at the moment. The current motor had 136k, which seemed low since every other car I could find had 200-350k. The car is like brand new otherwise. I'm completely new to Subaru so I'm totally lost in this adventure. I need to find a (good) engine and a mechanic to do the swap. I've talked to a few mechanics and the prices range from $500 to $1500 to do the actual labor. The high-end price seems to include a lot of extras. He said he'd drill the EGR hole, he'd replace some plastic plate on the engine with metal, and he guarantees his work. The problem is that I can't afford $1500 labor if I'm paying $1200 for an engine, but I'll make it due if I have to. so grossgary, please let me know more about your offer. My email is skyway@gmail.com. I'm in Riverside, CA (about 45 min from Los Angeles). much appreciated! (also, I apologize about my terrible message structure. I just got home from a party so I might be a tiny bit inebriated)

Hello. I'm in desperate need of an engine for my 98 Legacy Outback. I've found one at a local junkyard for $1200 (seems high) but they don't know how many miles are on it. Could be 300k for all I know, so I'm hesitant. I've found many engines online at these JDM sites or eBay that claim 30-50k miles, but I have hard time believing a 12-year-old engine has such low miles. Am I missing something here? Anybody had any luck with sellers such as http://www.bestofjdm.com or http://www.enginesus.com? or am I better off buying the local mystery engine? thanks for any advice. I usually try to familiarize myself with a forum before I start asking questions but not this time :-\