sprintman

Using Nitrogen in your tires is a no-brainer. Cooler running therefore last longer etc but the main reason you just don't have go to the damn servo every week or so to pump the tires up. That alone makes it worthwhile.

Give your engine an Auto-Rx clean www.auto-rx.com and a good injector clean, Techron or Redline SI-1 are good. NGK Iridium plugs are excellent as well in my Outback. Good luck...s

I have Nitrogen in our Outback tires and my Mazda turbo. Most I work with have now done the same. Awesome not having to get tthe tires pumped up every few weeks. Any top ups are free for life of the tire. Less wear and more consistent pressure is a bonus. I'll never again have air in tires on any vehicle I own.

If you remove the flywheel to get it machined and that is std procedure it's mandatory to use new Grade #8 bolts. Do not reuse the old ones.

Grab a bottle or two of Auto-Rx. Follow the directions and use dino oil and you can't go wrong. Cleaning the ring-pack and revitalising seals is agood step in reducing consumption. A thicker oil can help too. Good luck..s

Stick with a 'real syn' 75W90

Did you use SI-1 or SI-2?

I agree. Leave o'night on dead level surface and read the backside of dipstick. Owners manual covers this from memory.

My OB is 100% Redlined! 75W90NS in trans (man), D4 ATF in p/s, 75W90 in rear diff. No cold weather problems any when hot just so smooth.

You can do better than Valvoline for your Sube. Do a bit of research on BITOG under Sube and you should get good advice.

2000 Outback, 38psi Nitrogen all round. Specialist tyre mechanic who looks after my vehicles says "perfect" 40/38 Nitrogen front/rear in my Mazda turbo from same guy. As he told me and motoring mags doing tyre tests say "let the tyre manufacturer pick the pressure as the vehicle vendor is purely intereested in ride comfort".

The TSB applied to slave cylinder and hose etc. Not sure if that covers 97 model though.

I had same problem. Free slave cylinder etc under the TSB. They gave me a new clutch free earlier as well. Good luck!

You dd clutch changing down to speed up the internals and then the syncro's have less to do. It's simply laziness not to do it. BUT it does take considerable practice to do it correctly and I know a few will never get it. My wife has been driving for over 20 yrs but gave up in disgust and just in time too as our relationship became 'strained'. Talk to any transmission shop worth their salt and they will be able to explain the benefits, but it will take possibly business away from them so not all will provide honest answers. Using a good gear oil helps too (and I'm not talking about the Sube OEM dino).

Good drivers always dd clutch changing down, poor drivers don't. It is a learned skill and requires practice, but after a while 2nd nature.