MR_Loyale

Does that axle look familiar to anyone? Maybe an Outback cv they put in or perhaps a rear axle. I had to keep on telling them this was a front wheel drive vehicle.

I think they put in the wrong axle. Here is the passenger side, the one they did not touch: Here is the one they put in. Notice the difference folds in the boot:

1993 Loyale Sedan, FWD pulls to the right on acceleration. Here are the clues: Took the car to Les Schwab to get the driver side axle replaced due to blown outer boot. Got the car back and it pulled to the right upon acceleration. Took it back in and they tried to claim that I had a bad motor mount or my rear brakes could be causing the problem saying they were sticking. I think this is bull crap. So they replaced the LEFT AXLE and it now does a hard right upon acceleration. Let off gas and it goes straight. Hit brakes and it goes straight. I know someone here knows exactly what they screwed up. I am clueless when it comes to front end suspension stuff, but I got a haynes book and can look for things if someone can direct me. Second clue: The tech tried to tell me my camber was out to tolerance as if my frame was bent according to his machine. He claimed it cambers outward when he tried to do the "alignment". He said to take it to a body shop to get the frame straightness checked. My car has never been in an accident. I know the frame is not bent uless they did something to crash it into the lift or something. What parts can I check to see what they missed/screwed up? The car did not do this prior to their repair. Steered straight as an arrow on acceleration.

Really? Reman axles blow in a year? I guess I cannot complain. I had a chance to get a new Subie oem axle but at over twice the cost. The other side has reman that is also at 46k but looks good. If I went new oem, I would want both done and that would be over $1200.

Check the set screw on the rotor. If it threw it off, get a new one or this will happen over and over at the worst times. Ask me how I know.

I wanted to ask everyone what sort of lifespan they get or expect to get out of cv axles. Just put my Loyale in for replacement of driver axle due to blown outer boot. This is the second replacement of this one which makes it number three. The initial factory axle lasted 101,000 miles. The second one is at 46,000 miles and 7 years of use. Is this normal lifespan for an aftermarket axle?

I had a similar situation with my Loyale. Fill the system with coolant(overflow tank to spec), start the engine, open the hood and manually rev the engine by pulling the throttle. Watch for any leaks when revving the engine. I had a leaking turbo bypass hose (for engines without turbos, this goes from the thermostat housing into the block, it is about 5 inches long 1/4" tubing or so. ) it would only leak under engine load when the pressure increased. The coolant would pool on the block and then when I come to a stop it is dripping down the engine seemingly from nowhere. Under engine rev, it pissed out coolant like a three yr old wetting his britches. Here is the pic: Hope this helps.

Seems like everyone has put in their two cents so I hope folks don't mind me joining in. I have owned the same number of automatics as I have manual vehicles. I prefer a manual for smaller cars and automatics for big things. Shifting a big old truck is not quite a joy as it is in my little Loyale. I live on two long hills I drive up and down every day. I use the compression braking to slow myself down on one long hill that is a mile long. I also use it part way on a steeper hill that is about 1/4 mile long. I tried my brakes alone on this hill (which ends nears the water where you will plunge to if you don't stop) and at the bottom I could almost not stop the car. Also, if anyone has ever been on Mt Walker in Kitap County, then you know the drive down that mountain you will definitely be compression braking as your brakes will be toast. They get real hot real fast- ask me how I know As for the clutch, if you don't do burnouts, then you should be OK with judicious compression braking - at least in my experience. I believe that the standard clutch is rated at about 100K miles or so. Mine made it to 117K and I replaced it on a timing belt/reseal cycle. It was slipping on rapid acceleration(no, I couldn't adjust it), could have still driven it by less aggresive acceleration, but it coincided with a timing belt replacement so I went for it. I expect every other timing belt will be a clutch too and I will pull the engine. When talking about repair costs etc, most of us here do the repairs ourselves, so shop rate isn't really an issue. I don't enjoy replacing clutches but I feel if a part has a stated life expectency, if you get the stated use out of it, you got your value.

Similar happened to me several times except the set screw came all the way off the shaft and the rotor wouldn't spin. Finally had to get a new set screw. Why the shaft isn't keyed I will never know. I am used to old school rotors with a notched shaft so the rotor doesn't need a set screw.

There must be something in the Subaru dealer manual that tells them to do this. They tried the same scam six months after I purchased my new Loyale in 1994. Like another poster said, if it carbons up at 15K miles, the warranty should cover it. Is it throwing a code? Did they take the injector out to inspect it? I suspect it is just upsell. My Loyale is 20 years old and I have not had a single injector problem. I used good gas like Chevron with Techron in it. Don't buy the cheap ARCO gas, it is crap and will lead to things like injector cleanings and such. Unless it is having driveability issues, just get a can of Lucas or Techron and put it in at your next fill up.

"Been Rooed" Toyota

I know where Otis Orchards is. I grew up in spokane. Welcome.

The poor little subie corpse recovered: Video: http://landing.newsinc.com/kirotv/video.html?freewheel=91304&sitesection=&VID=24845687 The pic and pull will have a new parts donor if anyone needs parts.

Do you mind me asking if you paid MSRP above or below? I have heard some stealerships are adding as much as $5000 on top of MSRP. I know this is true because Peninsula Subaru near Bremerton even shows this on their internet pricing. Needless to say, they are crossed off my list.

A good story on these: http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/11/curbside-classic-ultra-van-cross-an-airplane-with-a-corvair-for-the-most-radical-rv-ever/#more-374511

Though my dash is in good shape, I would like to ensure it is in good shape in the future as well. Of course I have eaten greasy McDonald's fries and Albertson's "cheep chicken" in it. And I am a bit of a slob, probably got it all over the dash.

Adam - I am looking at a BRZ. I am concerned about bottoming out though on some of the crappy roads we have in Washington. Have you had any isues in this regard?

I think he means interstate 5, you know the major interstate where the bridge collapsed in Washington.

Yesterday a bridge on Washington State I-5 collapsed into the Skagit river after a semi truck collided with a support. Thankfully no one was killed in the collapse. However in the photos I can see that one of the vehicles that ended up in the water was an orange Subaru Xv. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2330069/BREAKING-NEWS-Bridge-collapses-Washington-state-leaving-cars-filled-passengers-river.html

They are already burning out clutches?

You put armor-all on switches? How does that strengthen the screw mounts behind the switches ?

You make a valid point. That is why I let it go after a day.

Just stating the facts ma'am. I think you are implying more into what I wrote. Did I not state that the truck has less than 36K miles? This was in response to the theory that not using a vehicle will result in faded cracked plastic. The Dodge was offered as a counterexample, not to incite a religious war of the who's plastic is better or worse. In fact the Dodge doesn't get driven much (it is a toy and trash hauler) but is not a garage queen as it sits outside unsheltered enduring the slings and arrows of Wet-stern Washington weather. If we accept your premise that Dodge plastic is junk compared to Subaru plastic, then the fact that the Dodge has not crumbled buttresses my argument that inactivity should not have caused the superior plastic of the Subaru switch to crumble. Thanks for helping. Furthermore, I am not saying all Subaru plastic is junk. And in regards to the switch, I am not even sure I can say that particular plastic is junk. I can say the design of the switch is junk, the way it was assembled was junk. Had it just been my switch, well that is one thing. But there is a reason all the specimens at the junk yard are stripped of their window switches don't you think? It probably isn't because they are just so darned reliable right? That they looked kind of like they were from Radio Shack, from the factory, well I can live with that. Like I said, I am not cool or hip so no problem there. I bought the car for reliability, not style or coolness. Though the automatic seat belt are still very very cool to me even after 20 years. So if that means a fatwa will be issued for my destruction, then so be it. Subaru Akhbar!

Great topic GM. I have holes in my carpet of my loyal where the drive rests his feet (that would be me). I foolishly thought that molded in rubber thingy would work for a floor mat. Now i have holes that go to the metal. I know I could just slap a new floor mat over it, but has anyone cut out a section of carpet and replace it? It looks like there is an underpad beneath the carpeting. I have bed liner in my Dodge RAM and don't regret it for a second. This coating helps keep out rust too.

The car has almost 147K on it, so to me that isn't low miles. Now to others here that may be low miles. However if you saw my driver seat, you would not have any confusion as to whether or not this car was a garage queen. The only time it sat unused was in 2002 when I got a brand new Dodge Ram 1500 to pull my speedboat. Just sitting, the tires became out of round and when I drove it again I got terrible vibrations at higway speeds as if the front end was shaking apart. My Dodge has less than 36K on it. Nothing faded, cracked or warped on it and it doesn't get half the care (washing, waxing etc) as the Loyale. It is a more luxurious ride than the Loyale, though it is more fuel hungry and less nimble. I do think there is something to Gary's theory though especially when it comes to the engine. I make sure to drive my Ram Truck periodically on long highway runs to keep the moisture out of the fluids. But for the switch, just looking at the pieces and where it crumbled, I lean to a poorly made switch. Or maybe just a "budget plastic" switch as others have suggested. I noticed the manufacture name on the switch was Koite. I wonder if Subaru still uses them as a subcontractor. At any rate, I filled the voids surrounding the extrusions where the screws attach with some epoxy and this switch will probably outlast the rest of the car.