RallyKeith

Does anybody know if they ever had an upgraded speaker setup for the 2nd gen Legacy that had tweeters that mounted on the door? I know the later years they had something that went in place of the little black cap on the other side of the mirror. Thanks, Keith

Well see, I've never heard of this Power Control Module and that's why I've yet to offer any advice. As far as I know all of the engine's functions are controlled by the ECU. The only other control modules in the car would be one for the Transmission and one for the airbags. So my first suggestion is to talk to the dealership and find out just what they are really talking about, but from the sounds of it they mean the ECU. Now, as far as the ECU goes, I would highly doubt that it would be a problem unless there are wires shorting out somewhere. As far as replacing, they are pretty easy to replace, and can be had used for around $200. http://www.car-parts.com is a good place to locate used parts all across the country. Also, do you kow what code it showed the times you had the Mass air flow sensor(MAF) replaced? As far as I know there is no code that means the sensor is bad. It will either say the signal from it is too low or too high. This can be caused by many things. If the code it gave was for a low signal that means it is not sensing as much air flow as it thinks it should be seeing for the RPM the engine is spinning. If that is the case you could have a hose somewhere after the MAF that is letting in air. That's the kind of thing that while sitting still in a garage might not act up, but on the road going over bumps and flexing with the load of the engine would act up. I hope this helps somewhat. Keith

With all the rain they think we'll get it almost isn't worth it, but I just spend the last hour doing that.

Sorry about that. Ever since they "limited" internet at work I don't get on nearly as much. Anyhow, it was only this week that I was able to confirm that I'd be able to take some time off at work, and I only get to take a half day. So I'm leaving work in Allentown at noon and heading over. Keith

Ok, here are some updates from me... Like you really care I'm Arriving: Friday around 2pm. I live about 1:20 away, so I don't plan on spending the night. I'll be Driving: 2004 STi World Rally Blue with Bronze wheels I'll be bringing: 24 bottles of Yuengling Lager 12 bottles of Yuengling Black and Tan 12 bottles of Yuengling's Lord Chesterfeild Ale Portable DVD Player... But No Subaru or Rally DVDs. I don actually own any and I could find anything that would be shipped to me in time. Inverter, I believe 300Watt Weather (From Accuweather): Friday - Couple of T-storms, High 83 Friday Night - chance of showers, low 66 Saturday - Chance of t-storm, high 87 Saturday night - Mostly Cloudy, low 66 Sunday - T-storm possible, high 86 Look forward to seeing you all there, Keith

The STi's center diff is actually an open diff with an electronic clutch pack that locks it up to varying degrees. Also, the diff is geared to a 35/65 power split. What that means to you is that the car is not like any AWD Manual Subaru ever offered in the states. In Auto Mode the diff is open and as it senses wheel slip it begins to lock up the diff via the electronic clutch pak. When it locks it up it does just that, lock it up. It DOES NOT transfer all the power "to the wheels that grip." The Driver control just allows you to controll the amount of lock up, basically from 0% (diff free) to 100% (Locked.) In theory with the car in Free mode it will act as close to a RWD car as you can get. My advice on how to use it is not to worry about it, and don't bother with it in daily driving. I've been autocrossing mine since shortly after I got it and it is by far best to leave it in Auto mode. If you are playing around, like pulling out from a stop sign in the rain with no one around, then play around. Locking the diff will make the car GO, while putting it in free mode will create lots of rear wheel spin. It's a cool feature, but in reality letting the computer do it's thing is fine. Keith

I've got a portable DVD Player, with built in 7" screen, that runs off a cig. lighter, and a small power inverter that will run a VCR. I can always bring the little SUBARU generator if someone has a larger TV they can bring. Keith

Son of a gun. They cut off my internet access at work and I don't get time to get on at home and look what happens. Well, I guess I'm now #26. Anyhow, I can surely bring some beer, and I'll start thinking about something else to bring. I think I'll bring a case or two of our fine Yuengling beers. I'll even start working on diging up some good subaru type rally videos to show. Keith

Are you running higher boost pressure than stock? You might be running into an overboost fuel cut. I know the older turbo subarus do that if you go above a certain pressure for a certain time. Keith

First thing is a good Turbo back exhaust. Then some king of engine management/ programable ECU. I believe Vishnu had 300hp to the wheels with that alone. I would advise is going to http://www.nasioc.com There really aren't that many people here who have STi's, let alone have modded them. There are tons over a NASIOC, especially Shiv from Vishnu. I myself have left mine stock out side of some different wheels and tires. I have to work with a dealership that can be a pain about thing, and that's even with them sponsoring out rally car, and me having bought the first STi that hit their showroom, for full price. Good, luck and enjoy. Oh, and start searching for a region of the SCCA or NASA near you and go to some autocrosses. The car has serious potential, but if you don't learn what it does on the ragged edge it can be deadly. I've taken friends for rides at autocrosses and everyone has gotten out of the car and said, "I almost crapped my pants!" Well worth every penny. Keith

I never saw a black RX so I guess that means it was crushed.

Just went to EZ-Pull in Newringgold PA yesterday. There was one car all the way at the bottom of their lot with a full set (4) of decent looking 14" aluminum Pugs. In the far corner was a car with I believe 3 of the 390mm aluminum Pugs. And somewhere in the middle was a car with two (2) 15" aluminum Pugs. Oh, they are all on Puegots. They probably won't be there long. The car with the full set looked like it might have been fresh to the yard. Keith

That's what I think, but I didn't want to say it and be wrong

http://www.frozenrotors.com They were an SCCA Pro Rally Season sponsor the other year. Sad part is I didn't see anything for Subarus when I did my quick search. Anyhow, Slotted and cross Drilled rotors are only needed for true race applications like track racing. The slots and holes are really for outgassing of the pads that you will never see unless you are REALLY racing. Noit just driving hard on the street. Anyhow, the slotted and drilled rotors actually wear the pads much quicker which makes them less desirable for street applications. I would go with a good name brand like Brembo if you can find them, or Bendix. Other than that I'd go OEM. Keith

The engine stumble/ problem off idle wouldn't be caused by the Cat. The stumble off idle and the limit revving are probably being causeed by the same thing. Important question. Does it stop revving at 5000RPM as if it is bouncing off a rev limiter, or does is slowly make it's way up to 5000 and just not want to go any higher? Either way, the first thing is to get the CEL codes out and take a look. The computer obvoisly thinks there is a problem, and only OBDII cars car give you a CEL if it thinks something is wrong with the cat. My father is driving a 91 Legacy with about 250,000 miles on the original cat, my brother has a 91 legacy with over 200,000 miles on the original cat.... I could list a lot more, but my point is that I highly doubt the cat. They are too expensive to replace for no reason, or just on a hunch. Keith

If you have a large enough jack, just jacking at the front factory location is enough to lift the entire side of the car. A jack like this: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=91039 does the job nicely. As for jacking the entire front or rear... Jack on the rear diff for the rear, and jack on the plate across the subframe piece that sits BEHIND the oil pan for the front.

I believe every car that is OBD-II and on has two oxygen sensors. One is in front of the Catalytic convertor and the second is behind it. They actually use the difference in readings between the two to determine if the Catalytic convertor is working or not. Keith

Good Point. I read something about that at some point. If the sensor isn't detecting it than it will never retard the timing. Keith

It sounds like there is something wrong somewhere that just isn't obvious. Something important to know is that Subaru ECUs are learning. When you reset the ECU you are actually going to make the knock worse. The ECU is supposed to sense knock and retard the timing, and also adjust a Timing advance setting in the ECU. This was a big problem when the STi came out. It had too much timing advance at one spot in the curve and it seemed that the ECU was learning too slow. The subaru dealership should have the ability to "globally" retard your ignition by a few degrees, but as soon as you reset the ECU it is lost. By Globally I mean that it steps the entire timing curve, and not just timing at a given engine RPM. ECU Tech makes a $400 software package called Delta Dash that allows you to look at all the parameters in the ECU and Globally adjust timing and idle speed, but the same still goes, it forgets as soon as you reset the ECU. I would say keep on the dealership until they can resolve it, and try to find some other 2002s on car lots to drive and compare. No matter what a car should not ping unless something is wrong, or it's an extremely high performance car like the STi. Keith

My brother has a 96 Impreza wagon with 2.2 and an Automatic 4WD transmission that needs to be replaced. What other years are interchangable with this? Thanks, Keith

http://www.stoptech.com/whitepapers/warped_rotors_myth.htm Well, unfortunately that was the first article I ever read on brakes. In his article it talks about breaking in the pads, and only in referenece to RACE pads does he talk about slowing from 80, and he specifially says, " The procedures are very similar between manufacturers. With respect to the pads, the bonding resins must be burned off relatively slowly to avoid both fade and uneven deposits." Keith

By the way you say it goes away I feel conifedent that it isn't a safety concern. The anti sqeual compound should solve it for you. Your squeak sounds like it is from the pad gentle vibrating against or bouncing off the break rotor. This is because there tends to be just the slightest amount of space between the pad and the rotor when you aren't on the brakes. Depending on how tolerances are in the system the pad can flop that slightest bit and "bounce" off the rotor causing a squeal. The anit squeal compound actually acts like an adhesive and keeps the pad tight against the caliper piston so it can't "bounce" off the rotor. Keith

I'd LOVE to see the aticle you read. Only with certian types of material is that the correct way to bed them. Certian types require a transfer of material onto the rotor, but not standard carbon pads. If you take a standard carbon/organic pad and do as you say, you actually glaze the pad, and just like pottery, you put a hard layer on the surface of the pad that until warn away makes your brakes perform worse. I'd never do that first unless instructed by the pad manufacturer. Keith

Also check out http://www.car-parts.com for used parts and http://www.autobodypartsonline.com for new stuff. Depending on where you live you might want to try finding a garage that specializes in subarus. They are likely to know where you can find the things you'll need, like a totalled car that wasn't hit on that corner. Good luck fixing it up! Keith

Is this a squeal while braking or a squeak while driving that goes away once you put your foot on the brake? These are two different things and two differnt problems. If it's the squeak while driving then the above compound should do the trick. If its a squeal under braking then you may want to try re-bedding the pads. Typical bedding process for new pads is as follows. 1. Accelerate car to 45-55mph, and gently slow to 20. 2. Repeat step one two or three more times, each time slowing harder. (This gets the pads and rotor evenly hot.) 3. Then drive at a steady speed for at least a mile before braking normally, This is to allow the brakes to cool back down. This usually allows all the surfaces to match up smoothly and gets all the excess stresses from manufacturing out. Most people don't realize that it needs to be done, and even taking a car to Midas they won't tell you, and won't claim to know how to fix your squealing brakes. Good luck Keith