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unibrook

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Posts posted by unibrook

  1. If you have all documentation and receipts, and any old parts helps, you should use Small Claims Court to recover your $ from the first shop. It is a fairly easy process, and quite satisfying. I got every penny back from a shop that screwed me on my rear wheel bearings. Then I did what I should have done the first time around...I dug into this awesome website's wealth of knowledge, bought a few tools, and fixed the wheel bearing myself in the driveway.

     

    :banana:

  2. Could be 2 unrelated things happening.

    In winter, the squeal at startup could be the power steering belt. That is an easy tightening adjustment in your driveway. Are you noticing it harder to steer at all?

     

    If your clutch is staying at floor only when the car is warm/hot, but behaving normally when the car is cold, then a seal is getting old in either the master or the slave cylinder of the clutch system. A mechanically savvy friend can work on that for you, if you don't want to replace it yourself. My car is at the stage where the clutch pedal will do that now ONLY if the car is REALLY HOT....like sitting in summer traffic jam. So, I will fix it this spring.

  3. If you have not yet replaced your front oxygen sensor, do that next.

    The fact that it runs fine when cold, but acts badly when warm is your clue.

     

    It is not hard, and your symptoms are exactly what mine were. New front 02 sensor fixed it. My experience below:

     

    >> I have a 2001 Forester L with 85k miles on it. I have been chasing an intermittent hesitation under load problem for the past year since 80k miles. Only occurred when engine was warm. The front 02 sensor had been replaced once at 40k miles. I suspected it again this time, but since the only codes thrown had been cyl's 2&4 misfire (p0302 & p0304) I assumed it must be ignition related. So I replaced plugs and wires 8 months ago...no effect. Did the dollar bill test over exhaust pipe, it was fine. Misted the coil, no sparks. I mentally ruled out the fuel filter since it only happened when the engine was warm. Finally, a week ago while cruising on hwy at 65 mph, I felt the hesitation again (I wasn't even accelerating this time) and a new code was thrown....p0172 (bank 1 too rich). AutoZone read it for me, I described the symptoms to the guy and asked if he thought it might be the front 02 sensor. He said, "absolutely." So I decided to replace it next. Cost me $100.75 incl tax for the oem part# 22791aa00a from Cityside Subaru. I asked the Parts guy there if his experience was that this model engine needed a new front 02 sensor every 40k miles. He said, "no, these sensors are good for 100k miles." Well, bullsnot on that. I replaced the new front 02 sensor in 1 hour reaching from the top over the passenger side of the engine using an adjustable wrench. Be sure to use the thread lube so you can get it out easily next time.....after another 40k miles. I took out the air channel assembly first for better access. That seems to be the fix. No further hesitation since. Car runs like new. Replaced on 6/2/7 with 84,922 miles. (Perhaps RockAuto parts Bosch replacement sensor works well? It is cheaper) >>

  4. If your original front 02 sensor lasted 135k miles, you did well. Here are my notes for front 02 event:

    >> My fix turned out to be the front 02 sensor. I have a 2001 Forester L with 85k miles on it. I have been chasing an intermittent hesitation under load problem for the past year since 80k miles. Only occurred when engine was warm. The front 02 sensor had been replaced once at 40k miles. I suspected it again this time, but since the only codes thrown had been cyl's 2&4 misfire (p0302 & p0304) I assumed it must be ignition related. So I replaced plugs and wires 8 months ago...no effect. Did the dollar bill test over exhaust pipe, it was fine. Misted the coil, no sparks. I mentally sort of ruled out the fuel filter since it only happened when the engine was warm. Finally, a week ago while cruising on hwy at 65 mph, I felt the hesitation again (I wasn't even accelerating this time) and a new code was thrown....p0172 (bank 1 too rich). AutoZone read it for me, I described the symptoms to the guy and asked if he thought it might be the front 02 sensor. He said, "absolutely." So I decided to replace it next. Cost me $100.75 incl tax for the oem part# 22791aa00a from Cityside Subaru. I asked the Parts guy there if his experience was that this model engine needed a new front 02 sensor every 40k miles. He said, "no, these sensors are good for 100k miles." Well, bullsnot on that. I replaced the new front 02 sensor in 1 hour reaching from the top over the passenger side of the engine using an adjustable wrench. Be sure to use the thread lube so you can get it out easily next time.....after another 40k miles. I took out the air channel assembly first for better access. That seems to be the fix. No further hesitation since. Car runs like new. Replaced on 6/2/7 with 84,922 miles. >>

  5. I would get the car warm enough to exhibit the symptoms, go to a parking lot, let gf drive slowly in tight circles to exhibit the bind, you stand outside the car to observe VERY closely to see if it is ONLY the front wheels that are binding, or ONLY the rear wheels, or BOTH.

     

    If only the front: your front diff is the problem.

    If only the rear: your center diff is probably the problem (since the rear diff hardly ever fails. But you might want to go ahead and change the rear diff fluid anyway, since the mileage is so high....can't hurt)

    If both: then I would guess it is your center diff going bad.

  6. Front differential bind?

     

    I can see a diff binding if it's pretty much wrecked, but don't see what a fluid change will do to fix it.

     

     

    It fixed mine. Luckily, before my axles/CV joints got wrecked. The old fluid loses its viscosity as it ages, so when it heats up it goes into locked mode...which in turn gives you that diff bind wheel grabbing pavement effect. New fluid stays viscous when warm, so the differential can do its job. The fact that the OP said this only happens when the car is warm, not cold, implies it is a diff problem....not an axle problem. Now the question is, which differential?

     

    To the OP, when did you change out your front diff fluid? Was it before putting in a new set of axles....or only since the last set?

    Is the binding ONLY happening to the front wheels....or also possibly to the rear wheels? (if also, or only to the rear wheels, and you have already changed your front diff fluid, then I am getting the nasty feeling that it might be your center diff that has gone bad. That is a more expensive fix. That is why it is always good to start with the cheap easy fix attempts first...eg, front diff fluid change)

  7. LISTEN UP amigo. I have already told you what the fix is. I am going to repeat it: CHANGE YOUR FRONT DIFF OIL. DO IT. YOU ARE EXPERIENCING FRONT DIFF BIND......and this in turn is ruining all of those replacement axles you are putting in your car.

     

    This binding only happens after your car is warm and has been driven for 15 minutes or more, right????

     

     

    :horse:

  8. Just to add some info on this topic. 2001 Forester 111,800 miles on her.

    No symptoms, but decided to change the rear diff gear oil, since I doubt previous owner ever did. Drove car to get it warm. Put rear wheels up on ramps to get swing room to apply about 50 ft-lbs on the .25" breaker bar to loosen the fill and drain plugs...in that order. The old oil came out looking like a caramel milk shake. Lots of fine black metal powder shavings around drain plug magnet. Refilled with .80 qt of Lucas Synthetic 75-90 Gear Oil. $13.80 per quart. You pretty much can't overfill it, since oil will start dribbling out of the fill plug hole when it is full.

  9. I have 2001 Forester 5MT. I thought I had center diff torque bind at 109k miles, but it was really front diff bind. People usually report rear wheel bind, as you are. But my car felt more like it was the front wheels that were binding. So, just for kicks, I replaced my front diff oil....and the bind disappeared completely.

    You might as well try it, but it sounds like your REAR tires are binding, so you might not get off easy like I did.

  10. No fuse for 5MT.

    Just take my advice and change your front diff oil. Not hard or expensive.

    If that doesn't fix it, you can try something else next.

    You might as well try the easy first.

    And it worked for me. 2001 Forester 5MT 109k miles on her.

     

    As you can read in my link above, people will confuse center diff torque bind with front diff bind....since they are at first glance rather similar.

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