mtsmiths

So, show up at the dealer BEFORE they open. Then INSIST that they take you out and start every brand new Subaru on the lot, and time each one, writing down the vehicle and time-to-start. If they all crank eight to ten seconds, say "I'm sorry, you seem to be correct", if they all start 'instantly' (as I suspect they will), ask them to please repeat the 'normal' statement in light of the just demonstrated ad hoc data ... I've never had a Subaru that was running any where like normal crank for more than a second or three, and that includes models (five cars) from 1978 to 2000, and temperatures from 110F to minus 27F. Normal me arse.

... and staythehell outta fast wrench joints! What WERE you thinking?

There's a wrecking yard on Nimitz Highway in Honolulu that has had a '360 on a pole' as a sign for as long as I can remember. Musta been put up there practically brand new.

Your reflexes?

Be sure to get back to us with the response. If nothing else it should be interesting to compare the dealers in 'Jolly Old' with our colonial representatives.

And YOU are stressing about this why? Take the car back to the dealer and raise bloody hell. This is a BRAND NEW car! Demand that they give you a loaner and keep the Forester until they either fix it or give up, give you a new replacement and pawn this one off on someone else. No more mister niceguy Andy, don't take intimidation (or idiocy) from a dealer, give'em hell, ... you have nothing to fear but fear itself!

Auto tranny and oil changes are the things I allow the dealership to do. I NEVER trust quik-lube joints ... just TOO many horror stories! 'Sides, the dealer washes the car when they service. Get that AT flushed and fluids changed, it's the car's weak link. That said, both our '95 (135K), and '00 (165K) are autos, and they drive fine. I like them even better in the snow than I did our three different M/T Subarus. [brace for flames].

WATCHIT! This is a *family* BB.

Plus, when you park in fresh snow, you get this great schematic of your exhaust system on the ground when you pull away again.

Do a search, this has been covered many times ... in depth. I would, and link, but our firewall kills the search function.

OK, all I can do this afternoon is check condition and connections. The O2 sensor I know the location, where's the MAP and what am I looking at/for?

Easy starkiller, saw 'em off with dental floss. Then clean off the adhesive residue with your favorite cleaner, Goofoff, WD-40, whatever.

Tex, I haven't done any work on this car, the last bogus CEL was read and cleared, and I did a battery dance anyhow after. The O2 sensor (second warranty replacement by SOA) has about 20,000 on it. Subieman, A/C on or off makes NO change in the behaviour (I did try it to check).

OK, I traded cars with The Pretty One so I could see for myself what hers was doing since I replaced the fuel filter (it was perfect when I test drove it, and yesterday). Today after driving into work she said she thought she wasn't going to make it. It ran like cr@p from start-up through town traffic for the first ten minutes or so. As I got through the last of town, several light changes, it was fine in traffic, then all the way up the grade fron Kalispell to Whitefish (12 miles) it ran fine, both on throttle and cruise - 70+ and all speeds up to. In town again in Whitefish it was fine in stop and go. SO! It seems to be running badly when cold, and fine when warmed up. Still no CEL.

Hmmm, altho' it sometimes does it after less than a minute of driving. It DID all start a couple of weeks after my wife and I were under there fixing the cat shield rattle. I was careful and pretty sure I didn't hit the O2 sensor or wires, but maybe? That would be typical, three years of off & on bogus O2 codes, the real thing would happen with NO code, and after three months (the longest ever) without a false CEL?

Road surface is a non-issue, smooth or potholes. Cables (and primary ground) are clean, that was the 1st thing I did. Cutting out, basically perfect smooth running, stumble, maybe quit, perfectly sommoth running again. Might be seconds or days apart.

Well, coming from a member who has a demonstrated track record. sounds plausable. Please elucidate. And correct, no CEL.

Guess it wasn't fuel filter after all. Oh well, that was due for a change anyhow. Ran fine for two days ... then. No engine or outside air temp/humidity, driving time, rpm, grade, or any other parameters seem to control the cutting out. When it occurs it acts like fuel shut-off, hard acceleration usually clears it, usually idles fine, occassionally cuts out completely from a dead stop. When it isn't acting up it runs perfectly. I dunno, fuel pump, coil, (plugs and wires are 'bout 20,000 miles old). Any notions?

I'm not questioning the value of CHANGING the filter, I'm questioning the apparant claim of superiority of an OEM fuel filter when looking at a service life of 30 to 50K miles. Some parts (i.e. oil filter, T-belts ... no question, but a gas strainer?)

I go Hawaii-ne from da BEEG Islan' (California) 1977, live Kailua-Kona for mebbe twenny year, sometime mainlan', sometime Oahu. Wen marry one kamaaina haole girl (Punahou brat). Numbah One Son stay Kapolei, we go Montana. I get tir' of dat Trask wahine shotting off da mout! Auwe, no mo' okolehau in Montana and fo' shure no mo' da kine ... rump roast why hahd, get da "Purple Jesu'" (white lightning with Huckleberry juice inside, a friend up in Whitefish brews it). Shifting to English: I had a custom carved sign company on the Big Island, and did work all over the state. Later (after four years in Tucson while my wahine got her masters) went to work for Media Five (which was a BIG architectural firm in the '80's). After, I started working for HI DOT-Air, doing all the sign design for Hawaii state airports terminals. After kids got through with college we moved to Montana for 'a change'. We intended to stay three years and go home ... that was in '96, and now Whitefish IS home, and we may never go back to Hawaii ... or we might? Still got a house in Kapolei, but would NEVER live there. Would like to find a place out by Dillingham, so I could hang out and surf and fly sailplanes all day.

Witnesses report that the on-going I-90 fires were apparently caused by a white male in his 30's accompianed by a large dog, possibly a Lab, driving a Subaru Outback with Washington plates. At this point investigators are assuming a mechanical malfunction for causing fires along four miles of the interstate, although arson has not been ruled out. The Tarkio & West Mountain fires are the worst in our state so far this year, and are deadly serious. They have burned between 6,000 & 8,000 acres, three firefighters have been forced into emergency shelters, and the NW corridor electrical transmission lines have shut down (can you feel it Seattle?). If anyone as any information, or can direct officials to this individual (note: at this time, no criminal intent has been confirmed) pleae contact your local Forest Service, or the Montana State Patrol. Thanks Folks, Smitty

Witnesses report that the on-going I-90 fires were apparently caused by a white male in his 30's accompianed by a large dog, possibly a Lab, driving a Subaru Outback with Washington plates. At this point investigators are assuming a mechanical malfunction for causing fires along four miles of the interstate, although arson has not been ruled out. The Tarkio & West Mountain fires are the worst in our state so far this year, and are deadly serious. They have burned between 6,000 & 8,000 acres, three firefighters have been forced into emergency shelters, and the NW corridor electrical transmission lines have shut down (can you feel it Seattle?). If anyone as any information, or can direct officials to this individual (note: at this time, no criminal intent has been confirmed) pleae contact your local Forest Service, or the Montana State Patrol. Thanks Folks, Smitty

Brakes are ALWAYS cheaper than transmissions (or clutches, if you're talking M/T).

The general consensus (and my practice) seems to be: put it in 3 for city driving and leave it there. That will keep it from hunting and up/down shifting in traffic. Use D on the open highway to reduce rpms and save wear & tear and gas.

EH Frag, iss no da Purple Jesu' make talk pidgen li'dat, iss da okolehau*! * okolehau - Hawaiian Whiskey like rum, only stronger, literally 'iron bottom', so named after the big iron pots the cane mash was cooked down in.