XCR583

We bought a new 09 Outback this summer. Got rid of my trusty 98 Outback. Anyhow, the wife drives this one mainly. I changed the oil Sunday. It cooled off quite a bit for late August and was down near 40 first couple days this week. She tells me Wednsday that the car in the morning starts up loud and shakes. Ive heard with the emissions it can be loud but she said it was louder than has been and says its not healthy. I checked the oil level and its good. I used a Subaru filter. Is this just the emissions stuff because it was colder out? Any insight into this?

Just did this about 2 months ago on my Outback. Like Shawn said, pull right rear wheel. There is a plastic guard there, undo a couple bolts/screws and take guard off. Some of these maybe pretty rusty, I broke a couple off doing mine. Open up fuel door, there are 3 screws here to undo. I got 2 out, had to drill 1 out. Undo the connection to the rubber hose under the car and then pry the metal filler neck out. Will also have to undo rubber hose under plastic guard for the evap system. I did the cheap way of fixing the filler neck. Sanded it down really good and found several pin holes mainly where the plastic guard is, it collects dirt/water. Anyhow, sanded it down, covered holes with Quick Steel, its a puddy that you mix together, said it could be used for gas tank repairs, figured it would work for this. Was also told to use JB Weld. Covered all the holes with the Quick Steel really good. No gas leaks now. Sprayed filler neck with rubber under coating. Called Subaru and was told ~$130 for filler neck. Hope this helps!!

Well long storey short, got it fixed. Like you said, davebugs, pretty sure it was the alarm system. Didnt hit the reset button. Put cable back on loosely to get car out and get motorcycle to go get battery for remote. Must not have had strong enough connection with putting cable on and not tightening, car wouldnt start, went out moved wire to get better connection and still nothing, did this 2 more times, finally tightened cable and car started and no lights on and off. Could cycling key off and on reset it somehow?? Pulled car out and off to side case I have to drive the truck in the morning. Thanks for help!!

I pulled off the positive battery cable and cleaned the post and the clamp on my 98 Legacy Outback 2.5. Hooked the cable back up and noticed that my front turn signals were going on and off, got in car and dash is doing same thing in time with the front and rear turn signals. What did I do???

Sorry guys!! Ya, guess it would help to know what car. Its a 98 Legacy Outback wagon. Davebugs, ya I'm in PA. I have a call in to a junkyard to see what they have and how much. How much would you want for it? Does your radio light up the area where the clock is? If so, what would you want for it also? Maybe interested depending on price. Where you at around the Burgh? What suburb?

Dog chewed the seat belt and its now stuck. I havent seen how bad its chewed, but probably need to put in a new one. Anyone done this? Is this something that I can do? Any special tools needed?

Friend of mine has an 03 Forester. The 2 lights that light up the climate control have burnt out. Subaru wants $78 a piece for these little tiny bulbs. Has anyone found something else to work or made something else work?

I just replaced the sensor on my 98 OBW with 2.5 and didnt know anything about the wiring issue. I did for the most part reattach it how it originally was. Seems to be working. Check engine light is gone and has power again.

Well got the cable changed this past weekend. Was a lot of fun. Hardest part was getting the top bolt out and back in for the bracket that holds the cable up against the tranny. The manual did say to take the exhaust off, but its so rusty, I didnt want to do it unless I absolutely had to. Had I taken the exhaust off up front, this probably would have been a lot easier. Anyways, its all back together and I changed the knock sensor, and she is running very good again. Next thing will be the valve cover gaskets.

Well guys thanks for the info. Got it replaced over the weekend. Still waiting on the cable to come in to replace.

I am going to replace the knock sensor on my 98 Legacy Outback w/ 2.5. I got a manual for the car tonight. Its a Haynes manual. The manual says that I need to pull the entire intake manifold to do this. Is this really the case? Also says that I will need to drain the coolant out of the motor. Is this true?

Thanks for the tips. Ordered today. $73 US. Said maybe be here by Saturday. Good thing I got the truck to drive!

My cable between the shifter and the tranny on my 98 Legacy Outback broke. Not sure how it comes apart at the shifter. Looked like there was some plastic thing there. Anyone installed a new one? Any tricks to this? Thanks!!

I will post later today what they have to say. There is really only the one big hill that I have to climb on the way to work. Will get the fluid changed. Will also start pulling it into the lower gear when I do go up this hill. Thanks again!

The fluid had been changed some time before I had got it. Not sure when though. The fluid is pretty much at the proper level, maybe a LITTLE and I do mean a LITTLE over full. Maybe that has something to do with it. When I have pulled it into 3rd, I have not come to a complete stop both times. I guess I said it wrong. Both times I have pulled off onto the burm and then shifted it into 3. The first time I was almost stopped, because I didnt know what had happened for sure. I was more figureing that the tranny had completely gone. I took it to a tranny shop last night, they are supposed to check it out today. As far as the knock sensor, I didnt have it replaced yet. The garage that I took it too, said to just drive it because they were hearing a noise in the motor and didnt think it was worth it to replace the knock sensor. I am not sure if they just didnt want to mess with it or what bucause I am not hearing no new noise since When I get it back from the tranny shop, I will take it to someone else who is more experienced with Subarus. I have found out there is a guy around here that worked for the Subaru dealer for years that has now gone on his own. Thanks for the replies.

Have had the car year and a half. Has 136,500 miles on it. 2.5 motor Normal cold piston slap at start up. Check engine light came on about 2 months ago. Took to local back yard mechanic. Scanned it and said it was knock sensor. Said he heard noise in engine. Wasnt there, dont know if here heard the piston slap or what he heard. Any thoughts on this? Tranny has come out of gear so to speak climbing the same hill twice now. Once about a month ago and then again today. Have gone up this hill couple of times in between with out any issues. Both times, pull of to side of road, and drop it into 3. Auto tranny. After dropping it into 3, car goes again and once up the hill, shift back into D. Was going up the hill pretty good today. 75-80 mph. Car pool people were late again. Hill is pretty long. Car will shift several times up and down going up the hill. Also at times, feels like the car surges slightly. Also when slowing down to say 5 mph or so then getting back on the gas, car is slugish like it needs to shift down another gear but it wont unless I put it to the floor, then it will but it down shifts hard. Fluid is clean, at normal leave, no burnt smell or anything like that. May take to tranny shop tomorrow. Just wondering if you great minds had any ideas.

Peter thanks for the help!! Exactly what I was looking for!

Hi All, I am knew to this site. You probably get sick of people asking about purchasing certain vehicles, but Ive never owned a Subaru and am considering getting one for the wife. 98 Outback w/ 2.5L motor. Has about 112,000 miles salesman told me. He did tell me up front that the motor is a little noisy at start up. Said something about the stroke being longer for that year engine. Said thats what causes the motor to be a little loud at start up. Really liked the salesman. Wasnt real pushy. His wife is driving the car now. I havent even seen the car. Is he feeding me a line about the reason for the motor. Told me to go to the Subaru dealer and ask him and that they would confirm what he is saying. Anything that I should look at in particular when I look at the vehicle or ask? Thanks for all the help and sorry for the long post!! PS..He's asking $5000