jp98

While checking out my check engine light today I noticed that the inner CV boot is tore in half on one frount axle. I checked a couple of other threads on this and was wondering if new axles and boots are the way to go? My Outback has 150,000 miles on it and I am pretty sure that they have never been replaced and I hate doing anything twice when you can do it once and be done with it, and since CCR is just over the hill from me I think that I would go with their axles. Any suggestions. Jim

Check your tail lights also, a lot of vehicles fused the instrument panel with them so that you would know if they were not working. If they are not you possibly have a bare wire hanging under the car somewhere that is grounding out every now and then. Jim

I had the same thing happen on my Outback. I looked all over the place and finaly found one on Ebay for $30.00. I think that the dealer wants over $200.00 for one. You could always try a junk yard and get the whole assembly. It only took about a half hour to tear out the old one and put in the new one. Jim

One thing on the locking caps is that I haven't seen one that will stop a large screwdriver or a pair of channel lock pliers if they want in. Also as one poster said the new thing is to just punch the bottom of the tank and drain it into a pan. So if they really want it they are going to get it, it just depends on how much damage they are going to do the the car in the process. Jim

If you are replacing it why not just use a picklefork? It is a little hard on the boot but if you are replacing the ball joint it doesn't matter. Jim

One more thing is that if you need to replace one tire you need to replace all 4 because of the AWD system. That is unless the other 3 tires are like new. I don't remember but all the tires should be within a certain diamater or else you will cause yourself more grief when the drive train starts to fail. Jim

I know that with quite a lot of the newer bulbs that if you handle them and get any and I mean any grease on them even from your fingers they will burn out quite quick. Another problem is bad grounds going to the lights. Jim

It is a wind deflector and is suppose to keep the rear window clearer by forcing the air across it while you are driveing, and they are factory and won't be found on Ebay or aftermarket. Jim

We looked at it a little bit more this morning after the sun came up and came up with the idea that he is going to donate it to charity. We did however check the coolant witch is now full along with no blockage in the radiator, along with the fans working ok. While the car is idleing everything is ok it is just when you go for a ride and then slow down. I know that I said that it was on a uphill drive but that is what happens when you are getting second hand information. The car was bought with 95,000 miles on it and now has around 245,000 without any maintence except for oil changes. I wondered how it made it this far, and as I said it runs fine except for the overheating. There just might be something in the idea of Volvo with a sealed engine compartment and having to take it to them for anything under the hood. Some people just shouldn't have a car. Thanks for the help Jim

After checking out everything that has been done to this car we have pretty much decided that the problem just may be the timing belt and water pump. Now all my buddy needs to do if figure out if it is worth replacing or donating the car for the tax write off. Thanks for the help Jim

I think that you have come up with what is happening with the belt slipping. I'll ask him how it runs otherwise, he hasn't said anything about it running bad. I stoped by where he has it parked and checked the oil. Everything looks ok there so I don't think that the coolant is running into the oil. Looking at the car itself it doesn't look too bad appearance wise but who knows what else might need to be replaced. I did tell him that it might make a good beater driving back and forth to work everyday if it can be repaired fairly cheep. How do you say. CCR here we come. Jim

Engine has 245,000 on it and it was a Carquest thermostat. Closest Subaru dealer is 70 miles away. I'll have him check the radiator hose tonight. As far as timing belt and water pump there is no telling. His wife bought the car used and hasn't done much maintence in at least 100,000 miles. He is just hoping to get it running so he can sell it and get something else. On the water pump, do they make any noises when it goes bad? Thanks Jim

I have a friend that has a 96 Outback with the 2.2 in it that is overheating going up hills. He has replace the thermostat and it sitll does it. There are no strange noises coming from the engine or whine from the water pump. I'm going to see if I can help this evening after work so any ideas will be appreaciated. Thanks Jim

You also have to figure that the 1850 pounds that the trailer weighs is proably the dry weight with no gear stored in it. By the time you put in your water, propane, camping gear, food, and cooler it wil weigh a lot more. As was said it will need some brakes and you might look into a equalizer hitch to go on the car. I hate to admit it but there are some vehicles that really are not ment to haul a trailer but I see it all the time here on I-70 and some of them are a accident waiting to happen. Jim

Also the donut spare goes on the back axle and not the frount. If you have a flat on the frount you are suppose to remove one of the rears place it on the frount and then the spare on the rear. Then place the fuse. Or do as my better half does and carry a couple of cans of "fix a flat" to get home on. It doesn't work on a blowout but a nail or screw it is just the ticket for her. But then you get to explane to the tire dealer why you have all this gunk inside the tire that they need to clean out to fix the tire tire the right way. Jim

One more +++ rating for CCR. I bought my car after they had done head gaskets on the 2.5 engine and due to a stupid mistake by me I thought that they needed to warentee what I thought was their problem. After letting them take care of the engine I went to pick it up and they said "No Charge" and the problem was my fault. I would not hesatate to either let them work on my car or buy anyting from them, they are top notch. Jim

Take it to a tire shop and be done with it. 10 bucks is well worth it unless you do not have anything else to do for the next 4 hours and then take them down to the tire shop. I had a friend that tried to unmount a ATV tire. After a couple of days he took it to the tire shop and 15 minutes later he had the old tire off the new tire on and was drinking his second beer at the bar. Jim

When I changed the struts out on my 98 Outback last summer I broke the nut loose with a box end wrench and then used a impact wrench on the bolt head. Yours look to be even worse than mine were and I thought that mine were bad. Use a lot of liquid wrench and good luck. Jim

Give Colorado Component Rebuilders a call at 303-293-9231 http://www.ccrengines.com/ they are a great shop and know Subaru's they are located Marion St. I'm not sure what their price would be but you can be sure that it will be fair. Jim

Is there a way to reset the factory alarm or totaly disable it? I am asking this because for some reason whenever a couple of coworkers lock their vehicles (not Subarus) it will set off my panic alarm and lock my doors. The first time that it happened the lady that did it just about had a heart attack as she walked by my car and locked hers. About all that I use the key fob for is to lock and unlock the doors so an alarm really isn't necessary, I just like the convience of the door locks. Thanks, Jim

I guess that this is a case of never trusting the previous owner. I can't believe that they didn't take the car into the dealer to get the recalls done. The service manager just shook his head and wondered out loud what else they didn't do. You would think that they were going to charge you a arm and a leg. I just wished that I had the time to get my new struts in before they replace the master cylinder. Then I wouldn't have to rebleed the brakes if I decide to route the brake lines through the struts like the factory ones are.

Well, I just got through talking to the dealer. For some reason the previous 2 owners never had any of the recalls done to the car. It looks like there are around 7 or 8 that need to be done and the master cylinder is one of them. I guess that I'll get to drive my truck around for a while now. Thanks for the help. Jim

I believe that I need to replace my brake vacuum booster. I have had some intermittent problems with the brakes during below freezing weather. The brakes will have a real hard pedal for a second and then everything will work ok. It could get a little interesting if you don’t expect it. Checking the part houses they tell me that there are two kinds of boosters for a 98 Legacy Outback, a single or a dual diaphragm model. How do I tell witch one that I have? I really haven’t looked at it to see if I could tell the difference but I thought that I would ask the experts here first. Thanks, Jim

I checked but didn't see any recalls on the brakes for my year. I guess that today I'll change out the fulid and see what happens. Then on Monday I'll call the dealer and see what they show as far as recalls. I checked the past post on this problem and they sound just like what I have== a solid pedal that after holding pressure on it will go down and then the brakes are fine. It isn't bad if you expect it but if anybody else drove the car it could get real interesting. Thanks Jim

I have a problem on my 98 Outback with my brakes. When the tempatures drop to the minus side of the scale my brake pedal is very hard. If I leave pressure on it it will go back to working normaly. It is defentily tempature related since when it is warm the brakes work great. I was thinking possibly that the fulid is contaminated with a little water and needs to be replaced, or could it be with the master cylinder or a combination of both? TIA Jim