nipper

Well it depends. Is this the seal that runs the rear driveshaft, or the seal for the axle shafts, or all three seals.

The other problem...it is an automatic transmission. 2 weeks ago my girlfriend was driving it and was leaving her parents house. She backed out of the driveway in reverse and it would not shift out of reverse. Her dad works with cars and he had it for a week and it would not shift. He determined it was the sensor saying the brake was not depressed even though it was and found that if you open the small spot next the shifter and jam a pen or screwdriver down there you can then shift as normal. He did that for a couple days and was then showing my GF how to do it when it started shifting ok agian without the pen. It was on the ride home from her parents house that she noticed the brake problem. Her dad says he didn't go near the brakes and should not have caused any problems. Anyone have any info? The Interlock only effects taking the car out of park, not ************ing in any of the other gears. It sounds like a linkage issue.There was a recall on shift linkage, i dont know what years it was offhand. Look on the NTSA web site and see if this car was covered by it. Shifint prblems can be broken or worn linkage, or a bad motormount or transmission mount. Joe

http://www.cars101.com/subaru_legacy_archive95_99.html Looks like they were available as an option on the L in 95 then about 98-99 they becams STD equipment.

There also is rolling friction, There is friction between the road and the tires, big friction at the brakes, the wheel bearings etc etc etc.. My 98 legacy with the 2.2 and auto got 25 at over 90 and at 55 would get 32. The car did see 38, but that was when my freind who is an amputee drove the car (right leg). He got 38mpg twice. Found out it was how he accelerated to get on the highway, and he religously held the speed limit. He also let the cruise control act like a hand throttle. There are mnany things that figure into the mialage, hence the warning "mileage may vary". I do agree too that its too much fun to be over the speedlimit at times. Joe

I think the Baja is too short for the tailgate to have a real efffect on it. Joe

There used to be a time when you sat there and asked yourself if it was time for a new car. Now with a new car running on avg 22,000 dollars, plus insurance, as long as the body is fine on the car, and the car is liked, it pays to stick with the older one. Il'd rather put a new drivetrain in the car and be done with it then buy a new on, unless there is some new huge design feature I have to have. My point of getting a new car is if the interior is shot to hell, and its rusted out. I have a 97 OBW with 180K on it, and im leaning towards a new drivetrain (when that time comes)instead of the expense of a new car.

Rear rotors can cause front sterring vibration. Cars now have diagnal brake systems where left rear/right front and right rear/left front are connected. The pulsing from the rear rotors will be transmitted via the brake lines to the front brakes. Since the front brakes are connected to the sterring wheel, you get a pulsation. It should also possible to tell which one is warped (i said should, not can) . If the left rear is warped the car may want to pull to the right in pulses, and visaversa. In anycase check both rear rotors. Also its not uneard of for rotors to warp quickly if there is a frozen caliper etc. Check all 4 rotors for runout. Joe

Ok this sounds like a harmonics issue. Did firestone put the car on the lift and put it in gear up to 30mph (due to differntial desighn when in the air 30mph at the dash is 60mph at the wheels). The only thing i can think of there to cause that kind of harmonic is the backing plate for the disc brake or some sort of heat sheild or rock sheild. SInce you said the wheel was slightly out of round, it makes sense. When all the planets are aligned right, you get that ringing. The harmonics of the wheel, which you cant feel, but a peice of metal can, is probably causing the ringing. WHne they rebuilt your parking brake on that side, they upset something. Thast my best guess. What did they do specifically to that brake? Joe

Yes i meant the diode tiro, which is no longer a trio. Ive seen as many as 12 diodes on that bridge now, in order to smooth out the electrical peaks for the puters... Joe

OO yes I forgot about that. It was one of those things I never understood, why the failure of a diode would cause that to happen. In fact a failing altenator can cause all sorts of weirdness with the idiot lights. Odd now that I think about it, every time I had an Alt go bad the Alt light never came on.:-\ Joe

I thought that was the built in audible speed indicator that told you you were taking a corner at the proper speed

You forgot Buna-N teflon is good too, but not really flexable http://www.sterlitech.com/products/bench/cells/oRing.htm Joe

Actually the process on the endwrench is a great way to test it. Also if it makes you feel better, I break the law all the time in NJ (well when it comes to pumping gas that is.... and maybe the speedlimit). Joe

Actually the theory is you still have three switches that set off the dash light. First one is parking brake. Second is in the resevoir, which is used to tell you ist time for new brake pads (assuming no one has toped it off), and the third one is the brake pressure switch, which comes on when you press the pedal and something is blown (caliper wheel cylinder etc). iIdont think they use it as a lamp function test. Unfortunitly some mfgs have droped the brake pressure switch and just use the level switch, i dont know what sooby has done off hand. This is not a light to ignore. To rule out the level switch, just unplug it from the harness and it should go out. Next check the hand brake switch. If that doesnt work, inspect the brake system. This light is too important to ignore. Joe

I think he means a speed limiter. At a predetermined speed it cuts out the ignition or fuel injection or both (or something inbetween) to keep you from going to fast. Unfortunitly this is in the ECU. Joe

The subaru tank is split in 2 halves. The fuel fill side fills first, then it overflows via a pipe to the other side. The My first question is are you going by what the pump says or the fuel gauge. The car then drains the none fuel fill side first (from what ive seen trying to fix my fuel senders). Assuming you are coming to this conclusion via the fuel pump reading, it sounds like you have a pinched vent line, or a collapsed hose. There used to be (dont know if it is still there) a vent line that ran from the tank to the filler neck to vent air. Another possability is a dented tank. Another place to look is the EVAP system, as the problem may lie in there. The tank should just fill up except for the last 1/4 to 1/2 gallon (at most a gallon). Look for the obvious first before you have to take the tank out. A solvent wont work, as the falve only lets fumes pass through, and shuts off when liquid is present. With your present problem, a solvent would never get to the valve. Joe

Home depot has rubber O rings, so does most hardware stores. If you go to a really good autoparts store (read mom and pop) they may have it. You need one that can live in the harsh enviorment under the hood. Joe

Smelling gas at start is usually a sympton of the charcoal canister system (EVAP) needing servicing. Could be the Purge valve is stuck open. I forget how the system works exaclty, but I know on some cars the canister is purged upon starting. Could also be something as simple as a cracked hose. First thing i would do is inspect all the hoses going into and coming out od the charcoal canister (black round can under the hood). Also if possible, Have somone else turn the car on (dont start it) and see if you can find the source under the hood (checking for any liquid leaks). Nect start the car and try to use your nose to see ewhere it is strongest. Joe

SHort of a set of Riccaro bucket seats I cant think of any. If the car wasnt new and under warrentee i could possibly suggestmaking some brackets made to raise the seat back higher, but I am not sure how that would effect crash worthyness and the reclining function. Joe

Forgot about those 4 legged trees.... Joe

hehe its ok, we dont bite, and everyone has to start someplace Joe

I dont think you want to "upgrade" to the air struts. Most people usually replace them with non air struts as the car ages, due to the great expense of the parts. I dont even know if they are even available for some years anymore on the part shelf. There are lift kits around, but I dont know if its available for your car or not, others would know. And welcome Joe

Sounds like they took your money and never did a thing to the car. Very odd. Joe

heheeh trees and running into other non-moveable objects do tend to dramatically reduce the cars overall life Joe

I worked for a fuel cell mfg (H-Power Corp ..now owned by Plug Power). I will say I learned alot and it was great fun (I even have a couple of patents from it). Unfortunitly Fuel cells in car are not going to happen for some time yet until cost comes down, and the range can be increased. Simple truth is that the system for a car would run about 80K, and thats with mass production. Right now they run about 300-400K. Liquid fuels and the ICE (internal combustion engine) does what it does very well, and still has alot of life left in it. We figured out that H2 equal to a gallon of liquid fuel (deisel gasoline kerosine) was about 6.00 a gallon (thats was three years ago). Fuel cell membranes have a very short life, but that will improve with time, maybe. Its much cheaper and more efficient to run H2 in an ICE. The most plentyful and easiest source for H2 is ...... get ready for it .... oil. H2 is a waste product of the refining process. After that H2 xan be pulle dout of ammonia, fertilizer, natural gas, methane, sea water, anything with a H molecule. The problme is is that it takes alot of energy, or alot of chemistry, to get that bugger loose. We used two three fuels, H2 (the easiest to work with and cheapest), Methanol, and Natural gas. Fuel cells will not free us from fossil fuel, it will just shift what we use. The best way to save fuel and cut back really is convservation, be it passive (buying more efficient cars, aplliances etc), or more active like driving less. I'ld love to see deisels make a comeback, but growing it will not help. We are too thirsty a country, and there isnt enough farmland to meet the demand. Bur anything that we do to try to cut back consumption