DooMeSuuby

Hi Friends! Just found a 2008 Impreza on a lot. Priced at $21,650. I talked them down to $16,500 + tax and License = $18,000 out the door. (Manual transmission) SHOULD WE BUY THIS CAR? Any known issues? Is this a good long-term purchase? I'm concerned by the 20 / 27 mpg rating.. 20 mpg!! What else should we consider? The Impreza is definitely above our means, and will be be a huge investment for us. We own a 2001 Forrester, and a 1997 Legacy GT. The Forrester was totaled in a rear-end accident. I trust the good people here on this board.. THANK YOU SO MUCH! David please feel free to answer here and at: dasani25@hotmail.com

Hi, Anyone have an estimate for total time needed to replace the timing belt on this engine? I replaced the TB already once.. now have 184,500 and going strong.. but am taking the advice offered by this Forum! Thanks so much, David

Hi Rude, and Alias20035, Report from shudder-ville: (Or... '97 Legacy Torque Bind issue) As first reported, my Torque Bind problem was very noticeable and scary. I followed the directions from our good community here at USMB. Installed 4 identical tires (Manufacturer, size) ($70.00 total, used) Inflated all tires to 35 psi. Complete flush/fill of ATF ($135.00) I put her back in AWD. I a 5-minute set of 8's in reverse. I've been driving in AWD ever since. Allis well. EXCEPT.... sometimes, she f e e l s weak in the low-speed turns... like a barely detectable shudder occurs... and I have to wonder if its road surface. IF the clutch packs were slightly damaged, I will be the real-time experiment to see what happens next. IF the problem worsens, I will follow Alias20035's direction to change out the housing and install the steel plate. Thanks for everything, and I hope my post today is helpful. David

Thanks Dude. Well... the mechanic started spouting "This is at least 10-15 hours, I have to take apart the whole AT, the clutch pack, I call it a "viscous coupler" it sits in the back of the transmission.... have to take the whole thing apart... I'm guessing this is around $2,500" So, I wonder if I should post a new thread and ask if anyone has the scoop on replacing the clutch pack? I am very thankful for your input. David

OK.... here are results, and an IMPORTANT question. To deal with Torque Bind symptoms, I did the following: 1) All four tires same make/model 2) Tires at 35 psi 3) Complete ATF flush/fill. ($145.00) Torque Bind is reduced by 90%. Great news. QUESTION: The mechanic who did the ATF flush/fill says: 'Yes, the Torque Bind is still there... DRIVE IT for 1,000 miles - 2,000 miles in AWD.. you CAN'T HURT anything, and you may just loosen up that clutch pack." Can someone corraborate, please? Does he mean i can't hurt anything because the tires are now all the same? Thanks PEOPLE I'm almost out of the woods! david

Hi everyone. The mechanic who looked at my fluids said they appeared to be clean and in good shape. Given that the Torque Bind condition occurred immediately (within a day) after I put on the mis-matched tires in the rear, and given that I drove the car like that for two days, some freeway, I'm reluctantly assuming that the clutch pack has been damaged. I'm going to go for a full AT flush at a shop (rather than do it myself, as per Al's great directions... thank you again!) in the hope that perhaps there is some particulate matter in the AT fluid. Also, given the fact that I'm now running all 4 identical tires and that _reduced_ the Torque Bind syptom to occur during TURNS ONLY, what do you think my chances are, of the AT Fluid power flush correcting the condition? Thanks everyone! David

Thanks, the SOA citation now seems critical. I've been operating the vehicle at high speeds for 7-8 days now. Last week, I went into the Marin, CA dealership and (in between caviar niblets)one mechanic managed to say there is no problem running in FWD. However, I am not confident in their level of expertise at that dealership. Also, any pointers to where I can find clear directions on how to change the AT fluid, front diff. and read diff. fluids, I will be very grateful. Thanks again, David

Thanks folks. To: "The Dude" - I have seen several of your posts and you are always so articulate... thanks for sharing your expertise. I'm sure you've helped tons of people. To: "kevinsUBARU" - Yes, I would love a clear description of how to change the Tranny fluid and also the differential fluids.... thank you for offering. I'm looking forward to this problem disapppearing, and reporting the results to the community! David

Hello, Due to torque bind ('97 Legacy GT) I have inserted the 20 amp fuse and am now driving in FWD only. Is there any risk associated with leaving the car in FWD? I've followed the great suggestions from many people about how to deal with torque bind. Here are my findings: 1) Identical tires, pressure at 35 psi, have reduced the "shudder" by 50%. 2) When I take out the fuse and drive in AWD, the shudder appears during turns at slow speeds, especially left turns. My next step is to refill the front and rear Differential Fluids - but I don't know how to do it and there is no article in the "Repair Manual" section of our website. Any comments, feedback will be much appreciated. Thank you! David

1997 Legacy GT 2.5 - 150,000 miles. Just had the HEAD GASKET replaced (Rrraaarrr!) and I am out of money.... Several days ago, I replaced the two rear tires with two tires from a different manufacturer. Soon, the car exhibited Torque Bind. (shuddering, feels like the axel will drop) I drove on freeways for approx. 150 miles like that. Problem got worse and worse. Today, I replaced the two tires, so now have ALL 4 identical manufacturer/size/pressure (35 psi) The TB symptom has quieted down when starting from stop and going in a straight line. HOWEVER, if I slowly TURN left or right, the symptom is still there, strongly. Thank YOU for the time and solutions! ~~ ~~ PLEASE HELP because my back is against a wall here... QUESTIONS: 1) Have I ruined my clutch packs? - How can I tell? 2) Given that there is still SHUDDERING at slow speeds in turns after making the tires identical, can I reasonbly expect that I will find a solution to this issue, outside of opening up the transmission, replacing the housing liner, or something worse? 3) Are there any LIMITS to driving the car with the FWD fuse inserted for FWD only driving? 4) The mechanic says the tran.fluid is fine.. but others on this list have posted that changing the ATF can be part of the solution. 5) Any other potential solutions? THANK YOU SO MUCH ! Subby's rock! (until they don't..) David dasani25@hotmail.com

1997 Legacy GT 2.5 - 150,000 miles. Just had the HEAD GASKET replaced (Rrraaarrr!) and I am out of money.... Three days ago, I replaced the two rear tires with two tires from a different manufacturer. Soon, the car exhibited the Satanic Torque Bind. (shuddering, feels like the axel will drop) I drove on freeways for approx. 150 miles like that. Problem got worse and worse. Today, I replaced the two tires, so now have ALL 4 identical manufacturer/size/pressure (35 psi) The TB symptom has quieted down when starting from stop and going in a straight line. HOWEVER, if I slowly TURN left or right, the symptom is still there, strongly. Thank YOU for the time and solutions! ~~ ~~ PLEASE HELP because my back is against a wall here... QUESTIONS: 1) Have I ruined my clutch packs? - How can I tell? 2) Given that there is still SHUDDERING at slow speeds in turns after making the tires identical, can I reasonbly expect that I will find a solution to this issue, outside of opening up the transmission, replacing the housing liner, or something worse? 3) Are there any LIMITS to driving the car with the FWD fuse inserted for FWD only driving? 4) The mechanic says the tran.fluid is fine.. but others on this list have posted that changing the ATF can be part of the solution. 5) Any other potential solutions? THANK YOU SO MUCH ! Subby's rock! (until they don't..) David dasani25@hotmail.com

1997 Legacy GT 2.5 - 150,000 miles. Just had the HEAD GASKET replaced (Rrraaarrr!) and I am out of money.... Three days ago, I replaced the two rear tires with two tires from a different manufacturer. Soon, the car exhibited the Satanic Torque Bind. (shuddering, feels like the axel will drop) I drove on freeways for approx. 150 miles like that. Problem got worse and worse. Today, I replaced the two tires, so now have ALL 4 identical manufacturer/size/pressure (35 psi) The TB symptom has quieted down when starting from stop and going in a straight line. HOWEVER, if I slowly TURN left or right, the symptom is still there, strongly. Thank YOU for the time and solutions! ~~ ~~ PLEASE HELP because my back is against a wall here... QUESTIONS: 1) Have I ruined my clutch packs? - How can I tell? 2) Given that there is still SHUDDERING after making the tires identical, can I reasonbly expect that I will find a solution to this issue, outside of opening up the transmission, replacing the housing liner, or something worse? 3) Are there any LIMITS to driving the car with the FWD fuse inserted for FWD only driving? 4) The mechanic says the tran.fluid is fine.. but others on this list have posted that changing the ATF can be part of the solution. 5) Any other potential solutions? THANK YOU SO MUCH ! Subby's rock! (until they don't..) David dasani25@hotmail.com

Anyone from the San Francisco Bay Area - Marin County who can recommend an honest Subaru mechanic to do this HG job? One mechanic says he has done 50 of them... wants to charge me $2000 - $3000! One guy who says he has done 3 of them wants to charge me $1200, he says: "that's just taking it down, milling it, replacing the gaskets" Thanks, df

Subie Gal, and everyone, Final analysis today from a radiator shop: guy said it's a "big hold" - over 200 HC's on a sniff test, and on the fluid test the color "shot to yellow right away" How long did you drive your car....? i.e. this problem first surfaced 3 months ago... took out the thermo at that time... it drove fine for many weeks, then came back... each replaced w/ factory thermostat... drove for a few weeks, then it came back... I have no idea how long I drove it that first time with the needle sticking to High H... the next times, I've only driven it 5-10 minutes max when it gets hot like that... then I pull over, let it cool down, add fluid and keep going... Also, each morning when it's cold, it takes 15-20 minutes for the Tempature guage to begin acting up.... I'm just wondering if I should even begin this process, if y'all think that my block may be cracked already. thanks, sadly, thanks David

Thanks, everybody. I am going crazy here. So many conflicting reports. I took it to the Subaru Dealer in Marin. Verbal description. The mechanic said: "This is a common issue on the '97. It's an external leak. Subaru has a recall on this; go buy a $3.00 bottle of Subaru Fluid conditioner. Problem solved" So, I'm walking on air... I added the conditioner, and took off, smiling like a lark. ~ Then, 30 minutes later, the same symptoms appear: Temp. guage fluctuating, in long slow movements; heater blowing hot, then cool. I stopped and checked the hoses: Top radiator hose was HOT and the lower hose was COOL. So, bingo! It's a water flow issue! Right? I call my mechanic; he says: "Yep, it's your radiator; or the water pump impeller. Take it to Jim, he's been doing Subaru's for 25 years; he's the best." I call Jim and describe everything. He says: "This is absolutely a blown Head Gasket. I seen this 100 times. This is first stage. Its' a little tear; produces air bubbles in the radiator. Does the overflow level climb? (Yes, apparently it does) This means the water is being pushed up out of the radiator. This is a $3,000 job." So, I FREAK OUT and start wringing my hands. Then the phone rings: It's my mechanic: He says: "Danny from the other shop just came over and asked me: Hey, where is that Subaru you had? I just gotta tell you, we had a '98 in here with the same conditions: the lower 1/3 of the radiator was bad. WE replaced the radiator and its perfect. Just thought I'd tell you..." ****! I feel like i'm going bananas... I'm taking it in tomorrow to have a full radiator flush. If it's not a radiator, I guess it's going in for a head job. Oh did I tell you on my flight home last night my boss told me I was fired? Phew... Any further insights are great. I appreciate this community, thank you. David

Thank you Subaru Super Sleuths for any help on this! Here are the conditions: '97 Legacy GT 2.5 - 135,000 miles Tempature needle - pointing straight through the "H". Removed theromstat. Drove fine for a month. Then... I had the radiator "sniffed" for hydrocarbons; A mechanic said: "Your hc's are through the roof; this is a blown head gasket." - Took it to another mechanic for 2nd opinion. He used a blue fluid to test radiator... he said: "No problem; no blown head gasket." So... Replaced thermostat (factory) - Drove fine for over a month, then... Tempature needle - pointing straight through the "H". No white smoke from tail pipe. No unusual effluent from tail pipe. No "mayonaise"-like substance on oil cap, or radiator cap. When cold (overnight) takes 5-10 mintues of running car, then symptom *sometimes* appears. When it happens, I run the Heater... the heater blows very hot air... except *sometimes*, when the heater is variable, the output cools dramatically, and the tempature needle moves up and down, or stays up. I don't know what other questions to ask. I don't know what other signs to look for. I am unable to find any Known issues with 1997 Legacy heads. I don't want to do a head job when it doesn't have to be done. All help appreciated, Thanks! David dasani25@hotmail.com

Thank you very much, kind Hohieu! Am I correct in my assumption that prior to undoing the two hoses and removing the bolts, I have to DRAIN the radiator? Won't the radiator fluid come pouring out if I undo the hoses? (Sorry to be so ignorant here...) David >>The thermostat housing is mounted to the water pump. Follow your lower raditator hose toward the bottom of the left (driver's) side of the engine, and it will lead you to the thermostat housing. Undo the two hoses and remove the two bolts, and voila, the thermostat will pop right out. If you haven't already done so, this would be a good time to flush and refill the cooling system, w/o the thermostat. <<

Hi, this is a wonderful group of Suuby owners! My 1997 Legacy 2.5 (sweet ride) has a few problems. Questions: 1) What potential damange do I risk by running her w/o the thermostat? The thermostat was removed 1 week ago. I live in temperate climate near San Francisco. 2) Can someone please offer up a specific URL that will lead me to a repair manual or diagram with easy to follow steps to install a new thermostat? 3) The car is sputtering when I accelerate.. feels like the fuel filter needs to be replaced. Can someone please offer up a specific URL that will lead me to a repair manual or diagram with easy to follow steps to install a new fuel filter? Thank you so much! David dasani25@hotmail.com

HI ! I have a 1997 Legacy sedan, 2.5 litre There is a "strip" of molding running along both sides, it goes along all four doors, and there is a little 3 inch piece that ends in a point in front of the two front doors.. one of those little pieces has disappeared. I am trying to part this out, but I dont' know what it is called! The Subaru dealer didnt know either... do you know what that strip is called, especially the little piece in front, and how I can find one? THANK YOU very much! David dasani25@hotmail.com