bulwnkl

Well, I _think_ I found the parts they're referencing in the diagram, on the right-hand side strut tower as 1 Lucky Texan said. There's no way that's an EGR system, though, as the lines don't go to the right places. There are a pair heading backwards through the firewall, though, so evap purge solenoid would make sense. I guess I'm back to 'my Baja does not have EGR.' ?

Thanks for the location info, 1 Lucky Texan. Johnceggleston, I'm not sure I'm quite up to speed with you. The diagram is (according to Opposed Forces) the parts for the EGR system on the turbo A/T Baja (which they refer to as the Legacy pickup), and item/part #2 is called the "Valve assembly duty solenoid." I do not have any idea whether I have an EGR system on this engine or not. At one point, I felt certain I did not. However, something recently caused me to go searching again for info, and it was actually one of your posts which got me to digging around more on the Opposed Forces site. The linked diagram made me think perhaps there _is_ such a system on my trucklet, but I do not know. If that diagram doesn't show an EGR valve, what do you think it's showing? Again, I have no idea, so am seeking information.

So, it would appear that my turbo Baja ('05) indeed has an EGR system. Here's the Opposed Forces page that makes me think so: http://opposedforces.com/parts/legacy/us_b12/type_39/carter_ventilation_recirculation/emission_control_egr/ So where, exactly, are the diagrammed parts located? Right side (American passenger)? Left side? Front? Back? Top? Bottom? I'll search separately, but all please feel free to comment on what happens when the EGR system on this engine 'malfunctions.' Thanks!

I don't remember our BRAT sounding like this, either, but then again that was quite a long time ago now. CNY_Dave, that's funny!

I have a Honda; a CBR600. It's a great bike! The Baja is as close to perfect as it gets for me for a general-purpose vehicle. I really, really like it and have no plans to get rid of it. I didn't buy it for an exhaust sound.

No, no. It's not a hole causing the sound. That's how 4-cylinder Subies sound because of the unequal-length exhaust lead pipes (and siamesed exhaust ports on some heads) (yes, I have lots of experience with holed exhaust manifolds). I was just thinking of eliminating the misfire sound I dislike anyway, whilst I fix another issue.

Wow! I've never seen a Subie header shaped like that! All the equal-length ones I've seen before just kinda wrap the right-side pipes around themselves for a while to achieve equal length. Thanks!

Call me a heretic if you wish, but I've never cared for what many describe as the Subaru 'rumble' engine sound. It just sounds like a fairly serious misfire to me. My turbo Baja (EJ-255) has a crack in the exhaust anyway, and I know that an equal-length header system (truly equal-length, not the nearly-equal-length that many sell to retain the boxer misfire sound) will eliminate the misfire sound. I'm looking for your experience with the most cost-effective (call it cheap if you prefer; I often do ) equal-length header system for the turbo EJ-255. Thanks for any/all help!

Platinum firing tips are primarily about extending service life (i.e. 50,000 mile plug change intervals rather than 15 or 30k). Strictly speaking, the much smaller firing tip of a platinum or an iridium plug reduces the amount of energy expended firing the plug, leaving more to be contained within the actual spark itself. This, theoretically, leads to fewer misfires (as caused by marginal spark for the cylinder conditions) and thus higher mpg. In reality, it is extraordinarily rare to be able to observe a mpg change in the field that is due purely to copper vs. platinum vs. iridium vs. whatever. Such a mpg increase, if observed, is almost always the result of new plugs, not plug firing tip type.

Burying one's head in the sand has been demonstrated many, many times to be the absolute worst defense against everything.

I get a pretty consistent 23mpg in mine on my commute (mostly freeway @ 60 - 75), running QT fuel. In city traffic, it's more like 20, though I avoid the heaviest traffic because of my slightly offset schedule. I know not everyone gets as good with turbo Bajas. When I lived northwards (COLD), it'd go down to 18 in the winter, especially with short trips. I've put thousands of commuting miles on mine on 88 octane fuel with no ill effects whatsoever. It'll pull timing like crazy if you try to make it work hard with that octane, though. Now that I live where it's super-hot, and no longer high elevation, I put only 91 in it. For commuting, I'm quite certain it'd still run fine on 88, but traffic sometimes dictates that I put my foot in it. As was said, you won't be able to see inside the engine through the filler. I'm not sure there's a good (quick & convenient) way to see inside, actually. <shrug> I don't know about the right-side valve cover gasket getting cooked, either, as I don't have that issue. Lest anyone should think I've never worked my trucklet, I have. I used to tow an over-max-rated trailer up into and over the mountains for hours at high boost. The stock cooling system isn't actually up to the task of pulling even max-rated weight, even at ~80 degrees. I had to go to 90% water for summertime towing, and even then I sometimes had to back off. I tried 'alternate' ECU programming to try to combat that issue, too, and while that worked, it had some drivability side effects I didn't like, so I went back to stock.

What really needs to be stressed here is to look at the TSB. Not all '05 Bajas are covered by the banjo bolt/screen TSB(s). Mine is not, for example. My Baja ('05 turbo A/T) has ~123k on it, and runs beautifully. I take great care of it, but have no clue how the original owner, who put the first ~75k on it, took care of it. I have a suspicion it got book maintenance at best (NOT 3k mile oil changes), but stacked on LOTS of miles VERY quickly (lady was in sales). No issues, no troubles, no worries. Depending upon how I'm driving it, and particularly the oil I use, the truck will use a little oil, and I do believe that's coming through the turbo (I've had the I/C off for maintenance before). If I use one specific oil and grade, it doesn't use measurable amounts of oil between 5k-mile changes. I run oil analysis on this truck, and use the best oil and filters for it, based on those analyses. 3k changes are not required in any respect whatever, so long as one tests and uses quality fluids. Renewable Lube is your friend.

Be careful with the scraper, too. Mar the pan sealing surface, and you're asking for more leaks (ask me how I know).

Since the thread title asks about ATF... In my '05 Baja turbo, I've had factory-fill Dex III, Schaeffer's 204SAT, the Bio-Synthetic ATF from Renewable Lube, and now the new Subaru HP-ATF from the local Subaru dealer. Personally, I had the best shift feel/performance with the Schaeffer 204SAT. YMMV. Oh, and... I used the cooler line home 'flush' method, but 3 changes in a row is a lot less messy.

I had a random guy tell me his teenager(s) would die for my Baja just a couple days ago. I almost offered to sell it to him, but then came to my senses again.

You might want to contact SWRI (SouthWest Research Institute). They do _tons_ of independent bench/lab testing on just this kind of topic. I don't have the direct-to-paper links here, so I'll just point you to a couple digests: http://lubecontrol.com/tests_swri.php http://www.fpc1.com/sci_swri.php http://www.fpc1.com/test_reports.php?&a=1 That last is just a flat list of all their tests, testimonials, and so forth. They now make you email SWRI for copies of that testing.

I've used fuel additives for some years. I use a proprietary blend of things recommended to me by Dyson Analysis. I think adding a good cleaner to the fuel can (help) keep injectors and even piston crowns and combustion chambers clean. Having said that, my experience is that if you get hard/difficult deposits started, no additive will clean them up all the way. My 118k mile Baja turbo recently benefited from having the injectors ultrasonically cleaned (and rebuilt), which cleaned up the pattern some on 2 of them.

Follow the oil supply line backwards from the turbo housing... I'm wondering whether someone might be thinking of the TSB re: screens in oil supply lines for the AVCS and/or turbo? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, the issue is that turbo Subies need their oil changed rather frequently, _regardless what oil you use_, for maximum durability.

I regularly run 88-octane fuel in my Baja turbo when I'm just commuting, but I live at ~4,800 feet. Altitude makes a big difference to what octane rating an engine requires. Even up here, I can see it pulling timing and boost if I attempt to tow or climb steep hills on 88-octane. I have ~118,000 miles on mine. I bought it kinda abused/ignored at a bit under 80k. I've not had any troubles with mine that have anything to do with it being a turbo. I did have a fuel line start leaking the last time it was -20F. Mine also uses some oil, but it's not terrible so long as I don't try to extend drain intervals. I expect to get at least another 100,000 miles (maybe 200,000 more, I just don't know) out of this truck w/o any major repairs needed.

I'll chip in my agreement with GD and GG. I do like a manual transmission for various tasks, but for a general getting-around personal transportation device (and in Subarus in particular) I think the 4EAT is the better choice from all points of view mentioned. The point about potentially sketchy maintenance is well-taken, though I'd still recommend the A/T as a more durable transmission overall.

I, too, love this site. Even though I haven't very much need to be here at this point (fairly late model trucklet, and the group has most of what I could contribute covered already), the general wonderfulness of the USMB is why I am now a donor. I agree with Gary about the group having vastly more & better expertise than any individual, and with how great it is that so many will donate their time, which are particular reasons I think the site is so great.

Thanks, SA, I think that tells me what I was wondering about the flex agent. Congratulations on the new paint!

117k+ on the truck. MPG may be related to injectors. I'm sending them to Mr. Injector here in a few days. It's also been below zero the last week, although I have a garage that I park in, so it's only mid-20s in there. The cold combined with Rotella 5W40 can't be helping mpg, and the oil's coming out as soon as the injectors come out. Most recent tank calculated to well <19 mpg. I haven't had mpg that low in this truck since the first winter I had it, when I picked it up sorta neglected with ~78k on it. ALL of the maintenance is up to date or better since I've owned it. I hadn't considered an O2 sensor. If injector clean/rebuild + the oil change doesn't help, I thought my next move would be plugs (shouldn't need them for a very long time, but...) or this coil pack, but perhaps I should look to the O2 sensor as well?

Tried searching, but I don't think I'm very good at that. Last time I changed spark plugs (several thousand miles ago, but no more) I noticed some corrosion on/around the #2 coil pack mount bolt (this is the coil-on-plug engine on my Baja). I cleaned it up by brushing it some and put it back together. The other day, I had a blinking CEL in the dash for a short ways during cold-start acceleration. I backed off, coasted for ~1/4 mile, and the light stopped flashing and went out. Put our code-reader on it a while later, and there was a pending P0302 (misfire cylinder #2). It was a pending code only, and the CEL has not come on nor blinked since. Any chance the corrosion is related to this CEL? I haven't looked at the coil pack since replacing the spark plugs, as plugs are a bit of a pain on this engine. What is the cause of the coil pack mount bolt corrosion? Is this a symptom in any way of a failing coil pack? MPG is trending down recently, but that could be from any of a few factors that I'm looking at. Thanks for all help.

You CANNOT run different diff ratios front and rear, at all, no matter what. You'll toast the center diff (the limited slip section, at least) very shortly if you try. So, if for some reason you chose to change trannies/diffs such that you had a different final drive ratio, you'd want to buy the rear diff out of the same donor car and replace it, too. Gotta keep the ratios the same front and rear.