yarikoptic

Heh heh... the phone # I found among the papers is "no longer in service", intellius says that he is of 86 years old, so I am afraid I simply can be too late. There is also a 2nd person listed on the insurance - probably wife... Now I am wondering either I should simply send a mail or pay 20$ to intellius to provide details it has - it might have newer phone #, or might not. In the light of http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67869 I am not sure what I should do... heh heh... There is also a phone # of their insurance agent but I doubt he would do anything for me -- like calling the guys and asking them to call me back...

Dear All, As I reported before http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?p=543414 I've got a new car for myself - LL bean 2001 (Automatic, H6) with 90k miles. During original inspection I've mentioned that coolant is a bit darkish but it seemed that there no oil signs. I didn't open radiator cap since engine was hot and I was too eager to get it (read "I was stupid") to wait for it to cool down to check it out. On the way back home on a new car temperature gauge stayed in the middle (horizontal) -- I thought that it was a bit high (the weather is cold, I was on highway, no A/C) and started to worry. Now I've opened radiator cap and saw yellowish residue on the sides and a bit inside the radiator cap Here is a crapy picture (sorry - took it my cell phone) Am I 100% experiencing head crack or HG issue? Friend of mine is a bit more optimistic saying that may be it is just way too old coolant and who knows what kind of residue is that? What would be your opinion? I am going to check compression (though couldn't locate spark plugs underneath all the gadgets on top... on legacy 1995 they are much easier to locate -- am I blind or there is a trick?). As I understand it might reveal the possible location of the leak... Would it make sense to have radiator flushed/recharged and see if I see similar residue after a while... Also I am about to try to reach previous owner (bought it from a tiny dealer through ebay) and ask if they experienced any issues. I am looking for your opinion guys. Thank you very much in advance

Who sells it? I couldn't locate any retailer online just information page from valvoline, so I guess I should look for the ones who carry valvoline ;-) Also what would be my total volume... doh - I don't have exactl H6 numbers. Service manual for 2001 Legacy says: But I guess that is just from dumping coolant from the radiator without disconnecting any hoses and trying to get more liquid out of the engine... Or may be I shouldn't even do that? Should I just let all coolant from the radiator drain refill it with watter start the engine and add more as necessary (bubbles come out - more watter comes in ;-)) run it around for 10-20 mins come back and repeat 1-4 home how many times? after the last 1, refill radiator with coolant mix, but then what proportion would I need if the rest of the system will be with also some low level mix due to multiple circulations of pure water? What would be the total volume of cooling system in my beastie? where could I find those specs? (need to get chilton probably... there is no haynes yet for those models... what a shame) Taking into account that I have to do it on the street and radiator contains 6.7q, I guess some 3-5 gallons draining volume would allow me to do it only 2-3 times...

Pictures would be lovely and may be a good addendum to the manual of this forum? Would it be a clean system? :-) ie would I need to dump rinsing water right on the ground or it would get in some reservour? I am starting to worry about darkish color of my coolant... heh heh - I will have a look at the car tomorrow - what temperatures it runs coolant at, and presence of oil in the coolant, etc... hopefully it is nothing serious (like a cracked head or HG)

Any recommendation on really really sticky adhesive pads? I am in the same situation now - it is like a knife in my chest to drill the holes in a nice shiny bamper. The only pros of it - it would protect that part of the bamper from parking cars upfront in parallel parking (which I have to do :-/)

Thanks everyone! Indeed, cristmas card would be a nice appendum if I didn't find their phone #. I will let you guys know how it went! Thanks once again

H6, AWD, automatic... I don't know any other llbean ;-) Thank you for you input. I will keep an eye on it. I did check on my old one (1995, AT, AWD, 2.2) and indeed, differential level stays intact although CV i wet. so on that one it is of no concern. I still have to check on the new one (llbean) Friend of mine also suggested to check through OBD-II which might have exact temperature reading in F, so I will do it tomorrow after having it warmed up ;-) what would be ok range? specs say that thermostat opens fully at 196F, and temperature at water pump 185F, no range specified. So I think this is the number (185) I would aim for and would worry if it is higher than 196. it might signal that thermostat doesn't open well, right?

Doh... sure... thanks ... mostly I was looking into Limiteds and my brain got tuned ;-)

Hi Guys, I got a new subi from a tiny dealer who got her from an auction. Previous owner though left quite a few notes about themselves -- insurance cards, credit application to home depot, etc, so I have their address. I am thinking dropping him a snale mail asking if they had any issues with the car -- it better to know than to wait for a surprise. Did anyone do something like that or may be it is a slipper road in some aspect of the law?

And should I better flush it at the dealer since probably this one had conditioner to prevent head gasket leaking issue... or it wasn't? ;-) bloody subi website verifies me to be the owner (I doubt that they would succeed since it is not yet registered on me- temp registration) What coolant would be ok to use?

I am sorry for a silly question... I don't see any gasket on illustration from thermostat from 1stsubaru but I see it in the Service Manual. Ok - probably I should look somewhere else... is there a way to get parts list? that might make it easy to locate parts in the dealership ;-) does any one know how much they charge for coolant flush?

Unfortunately wasn't a bargain (10k$) but hopefully that will not bitter it ;-) ok - will get them - thanks! doh ... differential... sure... I remember now how one 1992 subi of my friend made a laud BOOM after driven 1000miles in 1 day and nobody ever checked rear differential oil... there were none actually - just enough to heat so much that fumes made that explosion... well - 300 miles on a rope by another subi brought it back home ;-)I will check how mine is doing first thing in the morning ;-) Thanks

Dear All, Well... I got it - LL Bean 2001 with 90k miles. Seems to be in perfect shape but only (which might be nothing) 1. seems to need tire balancing and rotation (29.95 subaru dealers seems to give a coupon). no questions here or may be there is better deal on that anywhere? :-) (I had my tires rotated/balanced by Costco before since they were bought there... now I need to find decent price/place to have it done) 2. after my 95 legacy (which actually performs well after all since friend of mine who drove it back said "why did I decide to change it") I see that engine temperature reported seems to be higher than in my legacy. If in legacy it was well below middle (horizontal position), in LL Bean it is in the horizontal position (I will take a picture tomorrow). Is that normal or a bit too high? Also I found coolant a bit dark green but I don't see real signs of oil I think... does it mean that I missed something and there is indeed some leak? or just that there is air in the coolant system so it doesn't cool properly? Any advice on how to diagnose? anyone could recommend a good place where to have radiator properly flushed around Newark NJ for a reasonable price? (I would do it myself but it would be hard to do on the street...) 3. There is some light loose plastic knocking sound in the rear left. But only at low speeds seems to me. on highway I didn't hear it at all. I though that may be those moldings on the doors outside but they seem to be well attached - unless there is a loosen pin inside them or smth. What else it could be? couldn't localize it properly :-/ tomorrow may be will ask my wife to listen to 4. Actually I was going to ask the same question about my older Subi but now asking about both of them. I see that right CV, at the engine side is a bit "wet". this is from older subi... new one seems to be less wet but still not dry. Is that too bad and I would need to work on transmission and change that seal from transmission? Thanks everyone in advance P.S. I am still carfax capable if anyone needs help

Hm - this is something to worry about since I am closer to that point than to 175 ;-/

Do you know if it is available in any (local to NJ) retailer chain (just eager to add it... though probably I would better first change oil ;-)) Do you think it is worth adding this stuff to any elderly engine?

Is it this one http://speedpartz.com/schaeffer_moly_treatment.htm ? I just don't see any number 132 thus want to confirm ;-) As for marks on timing belt -- dunno actually - it was previous owner who changed it and I never got there but since the other cylinder has higher (almost normal) pressure can't I assume that it should be ok?

First of all, I want to thank everyone who answered my posting And I am sorry that I was too explusive and missed providing proper details My Subi has 161kmiles on it and it is of 1995. I tried to perform the procedure as it was written in Haynes but probably not 100% correctly: Engine was warm but not hot... I could touch it easily and take the spark plugs by hands -- they were warm but not hot removed all spart plugs, opened throttle (not fully though but I think enough for air to suck in freely -- is it really crucial to have it 100% open?... may be that was my mistake...) friend of mine was standing outside with manometer and telling me when to stop cranking (whenever it reached stable max) I have done testing only on dry, ie I didn't add any oil into any cylinder. BTW - Haynes said that if 1 cylinder is approx 20% lower than the others, and I experience rough idling (which I think I do... rpms stay around 600 but fluctuate so you can easily feel that and some times drop 50 or 100 for part of a sec) -- then it is probably worn camshaft ... (crap - forgotten the word) -- the thing on camshaft which pushes the valves to open. Indeed - I should come back to the testing, do wet testing to figure out if that rings or not and if that is rings then add suggested additive, is that the right logic?

While changing plugs decided to do compression testing of my cylinders (on 2.2L 1995 Legacy). 1,3,4 came up to be 900-950kPa, but 2 came out just slightly more than 700kPa :-/ By manual specs it has to be >155psi= 1068kPa. I think that gives a hint to relatively low mpg (getting 18/21). Is that too bad or tollerable. I passed emissions 2 years ago... not sure if it would do it now.. Is there anything I could do non-invasively (ie like swapping engine, rebuilding it) to seal the cylinders a bit...? May be some additives? (sounds like a silly question but what a heck)

Guys, could you recommend any DIY manual for TB change on Outback 2.5? I am about to "upgrade" my legacy wagon 1995 to outback ~2000 and the one I am looking at has 110k miles and no records provided, so I can't safely assume that TB was ever changed -- so I have to take things apart and have a look at it and probably I should better buy a new kit first. The problem is that I don't have a garage and it the weather is not that great these days already but, o well, not for the first time ;-) I would appreciate any directions/hints/links

Dear All, no need any more If noone comes out by tomorrow I would need to become one taking the requests after since I will have to pay for a month myself ;-) Modified: now you can ask for help with your VIN if you want -- PMing with an email probably would be the best way

If you don't mind YV1LZ5643W2436892 though it is not a subi any more... volvo.. thank you very much in advance. drop me a PM

BTW - aren't those "boots" rubber should have better thermal characteristics (withstanding more heat, should not extend much to don't "freeze" the caliper) than a regular vacuum line hose? I am just about to work on my brakes, so I am wondering if I should grab some vacuum hose along (don't know the size though :-/) did you try it on your own? did they last long? sorry for so many questions at once

Thank you once again for pushing into the right direction -- problem is gone after replacement of MAF sensor ;-) Car also drives smoother -- before I kicks if I dropped rapid acceleration... now it is much smoother. Cool -- Thank you once again

Thank you for directions. Actually one US user was already very helpful and generous to have MAF sensor shipped already for 30$ total ;-) But I will keep your BBS in mind for other purchases in future

Yes - I checked those... on one side it was close to be stuck -- the boot had a hole, thus inside it was quite dirty... I cleaned it, greesed up slightly and patched the hole with red silicone.. I will check if it was effective whenever I work on fixing my noise