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  1. Already have one Subie in the yard: an 08 Impreza hatch. 5 spd manual, have had great luck with it. Looking to replace my overpowered and poor handling Maxima with a Legacy. Currently have my eyes on an 09 2.5 I w manual tranny. Approx 65,000 miles on the odometer. Trunk, engine bay, door sills all really clean. Anybody have experience w the '09? Car seems really solid, have test driven it once. Other years that may offer a better value?
  2. Hey all, I have my 1995 legacy L sedan that I lifted using a set of 1" Subtle Solution spacers on top of a set of 1997 outback struts. After putting my new tires and wheels on, it has a nice aggressive look. However, besides my 20yr old CVs finally giving out after the added stress, my main issue is with ride stiffness. I've assumed that's because the a-arms and trailing arms now sit at a more dramatic angle while at resting height. Besides lowering those mounts, I need some advice on if I should do. Any comments or ideas would be hugely helpful. Thanks
  3. Vehicle is a 2002 Subaru Legacy Wagon 2.5 SOHC 5 speed. 220,000 miles. Problem would only occur after 30+ minutes of driving on a hot day, as of last week. Now it occurs as soon as engine is warmed up. Plugs, wires, fuel filter, and a million other things have all been replaced in the past couple thousand miles. Once the car warms up, I'm getting a terribly low idle and hesitation/jolting so bad it isn't even road worthy. It's so bad that I can barely get it into 1st gear sometimes. The car won't cut out, but seems pretty close to it most of the time. At idle, it revs up just fine. Could this be a TPS issue? Injectors? Fuel pressure? I don't see why it would only do this once fully warmed, it runs fine (seems a little slower than usual) until it warms up. There is no check engine light. In the past, it threw a code for IAC valve, but it went away once I cleaned it. Thanks guys.
  4. Hi! I'm new to the forum, registering after having lurked a fair bit. I have done a bunch of searching but decided to create a new thread because I didn't want to revive an old one and didn't see anything quite like what I'm encountering. My car is a 1997 Legacy with 170,000 mile or so. I've had this P0440 code for a year or so and at one point had a shop do a smoke test and they verified there were no leaks. They said the vent solenoid was functioning intermittently and that they could replace it, but for the moment it was working. I didn't have them replace it, passed inspection then promptly got the CEL again and the same code. I read that the code could mean the system is unable to achieve a vacuum, so I pulled the charcoal canister to weigh it. I heard on a youtube video anything over 2.5lbs means that the tank was likely overfilled and gasoline leaked into the canister, which could throw the code. The thing weighs 3.5 lbs. and is currently sitting in the sun to evaporate. I also notice the activated carbon is leaking freely from the purge hole on the canister. Is this normal? AND, when I pointed the dangling purge hose toward the ground, a bunch of activated carbon fell out! I then connected the green diagnostic cables below the dash and checked out the solenoids. The vent valve by the canister appears to be fine (it clicks, although I didn't pull it off to check if I can blow through it), but the purge valve (behind the intake manifold) wasn't clicking, so I pulled it off and applied a charge and verified that it doesn't close at all. It reads around 25 ohms, but if it doesn't close, that doesn't matter, right? When I blow through the vent hose that was connected to the purge solenoid (that I think connects to the canister), it is totally blocked-- no airflow. Should I be able to blow through the hose to where the canister was? I don't have a compressor so I was just blowing with my lungs. Excuse my ignorance, I'm new to cars (mostly worked on bicycles) and I'm trying to understand how this all works. It seems to me the carbon should stay in the canister, so if its leaking maybe the canister's broken? Can it be rebuilt or cleaned? And if the purge valve doesn't close, that needs replacing too, right? What about the hose? Should it even be open with the purge valve and canister removed, or is there anything that would block it in between? Let me know if I can provide more info / clarification. Thanks for your help!
  5. To start off, I don't expect you guys to automatically know whats wrong with my car. I'm partially looking for advice with this thread, but also using it as a journal of sorts to keep track of what I go through with this problem. Anyway, the problem: I bought this car about four months ago for less than two-thousand USD. It's my first car, and I always wanted a wagon, so this was perfect. For about the first month, everything ran smooth. Then, the spark plugs started acting up. Replaced those, and everything was peachy again. Now, about a month after changing the spark plugs, I'm having a problem that's hard to describe. The car will be fine and the transmission will shift as intended, and then all of the sudden, a check engine light comes on and the transmission (I assume) starts to get clunky in a way. It's happened four times now. The first time, I was in a drive through, and the CEL came on. I pulled into the parking lot to inspect things, and could find nothing immediately obvious wrong with the car. It drove as intended for about two miles, and then as I rounded a corner from a stop light, second gear started doing the clunky thing, and wouldn't accelerate past 20 mph. I pulled over, contemplated what I should do, but knew I could do nothing sitting on the side of the road, so I pulled off and headed home as I was only 5 minutes away. It didn't happen again the rest of the way. I drove the car again that night for about ten miles and nothing went wrong, no CEL. A couple days later, I was coming back home from a relatives house, about a 30 minute trip, very heavy traffic, and as I got close to my house, the car didn't want to accelerate again, and was "clunky". Thats the only way I can describe it. This time, it felt like it was every gear doing it. I parked it, shut it off and then turned it back on, and it kept doing it. I got home, and then shut it off and let it sit for about two hours and decided to test it again. It operated as intended. Yesterday, I made the same trip, but went out of my way to avoid traffic. As I neared my house, the CEL popped on, but nothing notable with the transmission happened. As of this post, I just ran the car from a cold start to operating temperature to check the transmission fluid, and to me, it seemed low. I filled it to approximately the full mark for a hot temperatures and ran it again to double check the level. I scoured the internet since the first hiccup, and came across a thread that pointed to possibly a grounding issue with the transmission. It half-way described my problem, but my grounds seem okay, even after unbolting and rebolting them, but I won't rule it out, For now, I'm going to assume (and pray) that the low dexon level was my problem. I'll post again if I have more issues. Feel free to reply with advice, it's all appreciated
  6. Greetings all, 2003 Subaru Legacy (non-wagon). Initially had intermittent starting issues. If left to sit or most times a jump-start would fix it. New battery, same issue. New starter, would not start at all. Battery terminals and fuses all appear good. Ignition switch lights all indicators. In key starting position, does not give a loud solenoid click like I would expect. Voltmeter on ignition lead to starter gives me about 2v with key in the starting position. Key in start position does not dim or otherwise affect other indicators. If key is in run position, I can start car with a jumper between the battery and the ignition spade on the starter solenoid. Have pulled the steering column lower shroud and have 12v on the of the 4 terminals on the ignition switch when in the run position. In start position, the 4th position gets 12v and one of the existing positions that had 12 in run drops to about 2v. Bridging between contacts on the back of the start switch does not roll the starter. Reading codes did show a P1518 (ignition start low) which has not come back since cleared. Picking up a manual later today, but looking for ideas on where to look. A lot of suggestions pointing to a starter relay, which I'm yet to be able to find. Other suggestions point to the park/neutral switch - some say is accessed by moving the shroud by the shifter, others from below on the side of the tranny - not sure where to look for either one. Running the gear-shift through the gears with the key in start position has no effect, other than you can hear a relay "clunk" whenever you go to pull it out of park. Any ideas on how to narrow this down further guys? Thanks, Rob
  7. So the other day I was installing a new car stereo in the car as I wanted to change all the stock speakers as well as add some bluetooth functionality to the car. After installing all of the door speakers, I installed some tweeters into the stock location (in the dash). I had to shove them up into the location as did not want to remove the whole dash. Now heres the issue... After installing everything correctly, my climate control will not work at all! The only thing that works is adjusting the blower! I cant turn on the A/C,change where it comes out, or turn on the defrost! When I Push the button none of the lights come on only the illumination lights come on at night! this all started happening after I installed the tweeters as I had the stereo in for awhile before this happened. So I'm wondering if I bumped/broke a cable or something. I also should mention that my tire pressure light is on even though all my tires are filled correctly and my cruise control turns on but I am unable to set it! Any help would be nice!
  8. Hi Guys, I have a 1990 Liberty that's just started having an odd problem. The high beam light on the dash (that little blue one) has seemingly stopped working. Nothing has recently been installed, or changed. The high beams still work and nothing else dims or stops working. I can't seem to figure out whats happened to it. There also doesn't seem to be a light specifically for it on the back of the cluster? Hopefully somebody will know or have ideas of where to look?? Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
  9. Hello all, I have an '01 Legacy L 5-speed sedan, 93,000 miles, runs like a champ. Started getting bad noises from the front end passenger side every time I touched the brakes. Jacked the car up and took off the wheel: YIKES! The lower a-arm/control arm was completely rusted through right near the rear mounting. So, a few questions: 1) Should I buy a new or used part? 2) What bushings, hardware, etc., do I need to replace when I do the a-arm? 3) Anything else I should check out while I'm messing around down there? BTW, I checked the driver's side and it's quite solid and rust-free, so just bad luck on the passenger side. Thanks in advance for any tips, Jeff in Boston
  10. Hi, I have a 1990 Subaru Legacy L Sedan with the stock engine (2.2L EJ22/E), and occasionally, thin white smoke will seep out of the passenger side of the hood. I'm also leaking oil (but who isn't?), and I think oil is leaking onto the exhaust header and burning off. I don't really have any clue where the leak is actually coming from, though. I've already replaced the valve cover gaskets, and that didn't really do anything. I've kept her filled up with oil, so the engine still runs fine, but I would some day like to actually have it fixed.
  11. Hello all! I'm new to the forum, and hoping to learn a bit about 1st generation Subaru Legacys. I currently own an '01 Outback L.L. Bean, and have begun to look into acquiring a second car. I'm looking for a car I can modify, and have some fun with. The 1st generation turbo Legacy is appealing. My questions are: *What are common problems I should be on the look for when buying? *Does anyone have a suggested price range? *Any maintenance that should be done as soon as I get the car? (Aside from basics - fluids, belts, etc.) *Any fun modifications anyone can recommend? I have some light mechanical experience with my L.L. Bean, and I want to learn more. *Any and all information/links/files are all appreciated. Thank you!
  12. Hey There! My names Happy. I am a suburu lover with little mechanical skill asking some navigating questions. BASIC STORY: My car crashed, 98 Legacy L, 218,000 miles EJ22 Automatic tranny Needed too much maintenance on top of the raidiator and body work (new brakes, axle boot....more), though the engine and core components seemed fine. Sold it, eventually letting it go to good people for $400. Engine and Tranny seem great. My friend has a 98 Outback, 260,000 EJ25 Manual tranny As I read is common to those, he has burnt valves (not sure which). He's selling the car. Pretty good shape, needs a starter soon, clutch soon maybe. Big story summed up in a few words: these cars have history together, I got the one partially because I liked my friend's, they are the same color, there is some special spirituality stories that go with each of them them and make them like soul mates (long trippy story), and even my buyers had a link in the tale. TURNS OUT, the people that bought my car goofed and needed a different engine. They are waiting to sell it or part it. I believe my EJ22 can go in the 98 outback in place of EJ25. My basic navigating questions: Possible? Practical with those mileage levels? Any random things that might discourage me from trying to make that happen? If you could be hired to do that job, what would you estimate the labor charge? Thank you for your time :-)
  13. Hello everybody. I have a 2015 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium with EyeSight. I love the car. However, there are some issues I'm having with the Bluetooth. I've taken it into Subaru and they said that they cannot always replicate the problem, of course. They also hinted to me that they know it is an issue but Subaru does not have a fix for it yet. I have an iPhone 5S on the latest firmware. Whenever I am making a phone call and talking to somebody, they after a few minutes stop me and say I can only hear every other word I am saying. So therefore I have to take it off Bluetooth, put the phone up to my ear, or put on a old ugly headset. It seems that this is only happening above 45 to 50 miles an hour. Below that seems okay. There is no additional road noise. I even turn off the air sometimes just to eliminate any possible issues. I have no issues hearing them, listening to music, or any other Bluetooth function other than not being able to reply to text messages via voice. This is just getting very frustrating and nobody seems to have an answer. Has anyone else had this issue? I have removed the car from iPhone and the phone for my car numerous times in hopes that it helped. Nothing has seem to help so far. Any help or confirmation that I'm not the only one out there would be greatly appreciated. P.S. I travel a lot for work on a weekly basis and rent cars every week. I have zero issues with any of the cars I rent so that help eliminate that it would be a phone issue. Just thought I'd throw that out there as well. Thanks again hope to hear from everyone soon.
  14. I have a 91 Legacy wagon and I purchased a new battery in March. After purchasing the new battery I drove the car daily for awhile, but about 2 weeks ago I stopped driving it and it was sitting for about 4 or 5 days. After those 4 or 5 days I tried to start it again and it would not start and none of the lights would come on either. I do know that one of the car's back doors will not close properly, and this causes a very small dashboard light to remain lit constantly when the battery is charged. Could it be that this very small light caused the battery to drain over time? I am guessing that doing a jump start will recharge the battery at this point since the battery is brand new. But do you think that small dashboard light is what caused the battery to die in the first place? Do you think it will eventually die again due to this light even if I am able to get it started by jumping it? If so, is there an easy way to disable this dashboard light without having an effect on the vehicle? I had planned to sell the vehicle since I was no longer using it, but this may not be a possibility unless I can get it started by jumping it. Even then, I would hate for the person who purchased it to have the battery die on them for any reason like it did on me.
  15. On idle, engine seams to completely want to stale because of boggs. also while driving down highway it seems like when i need to let go gas to reduce speed , when its time to finally give gas, i get wat i call " gas pedal kicks" seems to be a misfire p301 p302 p303 p304? I get the code p0172 too lean banc 1 (i know its the 02 sensor and have purchased one) after reading some older forums it seems like it wont make a difference? Im just looking for someone who had the same problem in the past to maybe shorten the spending spree i have changes plugs, wires, the coil, fuel filter and air filter no change, i also get po447 evap system valve open Any advice or knowledge????
  16. This is my first Subaru, and I love it. It's a '98 Outback with 5-sp manual, about 165,000 miles. Last night I was up-shifting through a corner, driving normally, and suddenly the car just stopped moving. There was no noise or anything. Now I can shift through all the gears without using the clutch, with the car running, and it just sits there. I'm used to clutch failure modes where the clutch slips, or you can't shift, but I've never seen this one. I don't know whether to think it's the clutch, transmission, transfer case, or what. I haven't dumped the codes yet. Anyone ever experience this? Wayne West Michigan
  17. So in short this is a road trip thread, and a thank you to all the forum members who have helped me keep this car alive, and prepare for this trip. She has gone from Montana to Arkansas to kentucky, To california, then to Washington, and most recently from washington to Alaska! Please note I only got pictures from Cali to Alaska , and neglected to take pictures from Cali to to wash while in my 98, ( this bit to address the trolls and knit pickers) Again. Thanks to all for the help I have been given keeping this car alive,
  18. So as I was shifting into reverse yesterday, my stick just fell off! So there's a little nub left by which I can still shift gears, the end of which is rubber. I can partially put the stick back on it but it is wobbly and I can't get it all the way on. Am I missing a part? I'm thinking trying to force the stick back on with a mallet would be a horrible idea. Car is still running and I can shift gears so it's not the worst thing in the world, but trying to shift the little nub with my fingers is pretty rough and sometimes inaccurate. Anyone had this happen? Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
  19. So, I'm just gonna post what I've got going on and what I've found and hopefully people can chime in who know more about this than me. Even if you don't know about all parts of my question please post what parts you do know. I've read alot of posts on this forum and other Subaru forums but this is by far the most involved repair I have attempted. Short version: Duty C solenoid. Most info posted in this thread should apply to 99-04 models as this repair is similar on those years (99 models with TZ1A2 trans) Last fall my AT Temp light started flashing intermittently, with torque bind when it was flashing. After a couple weeks it pretty much stayed on. I found how to get the TCU codes and got codes 93, 27 and 79. According to this post: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/113278-how-to-read-transmission-codes/?do=findComment&comment=1103000 27 ATF temperature sensor. Detects open or shorted input signal circuit. 79 Transfer duty solenoid. Detects open or shorted output signal circuit. 93 Rear vehicle speed sensor. Detects open or shorted input signal circuit. I thought that it had to be a loose TCU cable or something because how could all 3 go bad? I checked the codes a few times over a month or so and got the same codes, clearing them in between at least a couple of those. A while later I was able to try unplugging and reconnecting the main cable at the TCU, Transmission, and the weird little extension above the transmission. Light still on, still torque bind. I was originally writing this post to ask for help verifying the Duty C solenoid, but just last week as I was finally going into detail researching the problem and the repair I decided to check the codes again, and with a few checks over the past week or so it's showing only code 79 which seems to verify that as the specific problem. Now that you've spent a couple minutes reading my description of the problem, here are my actual questions: 1. I have a vibration sometimes, starting at about 60 MPH. Sometimes it is in the steering wheel, sometimes more the whole car, and it varies greatly in strength on different days at the same speed. Sometimes pressing on the brakes hard will make the vibration stop for a while, sometimes not. Does this make any sense to perhaps be caused by the transfer solenoid? 2. Until I have time and money to actually replace the transfer solenoid, can I safely disconnect the front differential solenoid and will that reduce the torque bind when parking? 3. Has anyone else done this on a 99 phase 2 transmission, TZ1A2 who can verify the part numbers I found? 31942AA103 - transfer solenoid 31337AA191 - case gasket 31952AA060 - Transfer valve gasket plate 31523AA410 - transfer clutch pack 31954AA071 - transfer valve gasket gasket 4. I swear I had some other question which I will probably remember on the way to work tomorrow lol Thanks for taking the time to read my long post. I attached the Vin Plate or whatever it's called as well
  20. Hi all, Re-entering the Subaru world after a long break (previously owned an '85 DL Wagon, '87 GL10 Wagon). I just bought a 1990 Legacy L Wagon for my son today and I need some advice. General Advice - best online parts market place? Specific to this car - The key won't unlock (or lock) the drivers side door. Works on passenger side. Is this about the cylinder or the key? The original key is broken but I still have the "stub" and I'm currently using a key that was copied from original some time ago. Is it worth it to bring "stub" with code to dealership to get new key cut? Thanks in advance for the help! - Drew
  21. Got a good deal on this 99 legacy, has a 2.2 (hole in the block) and a 4eat. want to go lower (on the cheap), but first i need to find a 2.2 or 2.5 short block for a reasonable price. Not much to see here yet, but it will hopefully have either an n/a frankenmotor or a turbo 2.2 here soon, as well as an option for full manual mode on the 4eat.
  22. Hey everyone. Ok, so I get off work one day, and figured I should stop and get engine oil and filter before I head home to do my standard maintinence on my 1995 legacy L. While I'm stopped in the parking lot, I'm noticing a large amount of smoke coming out of my engine bay. I turn off the vehicle and get out to look underneath. I find a very large amount of ATF leaking onto my cat. I immediately call for a tow truck so I can diagnose the issue at home. I've searched a huge amount of forums regarding the 4eat, leaks, problems, and so forth. I can't find much. Other than, by where the fluid is draining out, it's most likely my rear driveshaft seal. I was just wondering if anyone else has had this type of experience, or knows if it's even worth fixing. Thank you!
  23. Hello all, My 2001 Legacy L AWD sedan 5 speed is throwing the following engine code: P1101 mop$E1 Can anyone help me identify this? Thanks in advance, Jeff in Boston
  24. Hi everyone, I'm sure there are plenty of threads out there discussing suspension lifts on the BG body Legacies. I don't want to add to a stale, broad topic, but simply to document my process in the hopes of helping anyone in the future do what I did and help anyone that has questions. Feel free to ask. I just finished this project tonight, 3/4/2016 at roughly 243,7xx miles. With the spacers and struts, it resulted in roughly a 2" additional ride height over the saggy stockers. Will update with any finds or problems. -I lifted my 1998 Legacy Outback Wagon with 2003 Forester struts and 1" spacers. Here is my story.- BEFORE YOU BEGIN- Make sure you know what you have. This may seem arbitrary, but these instructions only apply to the Outback model Legacy wagon. I cannot guarantee the same process or any advice for the SUS. IMPORTANT: again, Outback only. The Outback comes from the factory with a inch/inch and a half lift over the standard Legacy. Thus, it has spacers between the front and rear subframes, trans mount, and differential mount. These are important and change suspension geometry, most importantly the angle at which the lower control arms will flex and stress the ball joints. The more angle, the more stress. IMPORTANT: know your rig. Lifts will stress ball joints, bushings, and axle shafts more than they were designed to accommodate. Mod away, but mod at your own risk. IMPORTANT: This applies to vehicles keeping the stock tire size. This will work with the original 205/70R15 tires, or 215/65/16 (such as Forester steelies.) Increasing tire size is possible, but more on that later. [here is the "I am not responsible for any issues caused by what you did to your vehicle or their side-effects, improperly aligned headlights, injuries, failed inspections, missing sway bars, unrelated concerns, oil leaks, or other 'ever since...' concerns. This is a modification, not a repair. Nothing is guaranteed. Things may not go as planned and I am in no way responsible for that" disclaimer thing. Happy modding!] WAHT 'SPECIAL EQUIPMENT' YOU WILL NEED ACCESS TO -Spring compressor (rear strut dissassembly) -Alignment equipment -Air tools or high powered battery/electric tools (such as Milwaukee M18 tools) recommended TOOLS -1/2" ratchet or impact -3/8" ratchet or impact -19mm or 3/4" Socket -19mm or 3/4" wrench -12mm socket -14mm socket -14mm wrench -multiple prybars -hammer -flat-head screwdriver and/or punch and/or chisel -cut-off wheel -tricking someone to help you before they realize what you're doing is recommended WHAT I USED: Forester struts -Forester struts from 1999 to 2008 will bolt up no problem. However, 99-02 struts are actually shorter than Outback struts, so using them to gain ride height would be counter-intuitive. I know for a fact 03-04 struts will work, that's what I used. 1" strut spacers -available from many distributors online, such as Gorilla Offroad Company, Subtle Solutions, or nameless eBay sellers. I got mine from Gorilla Offroad. They sent me the wrong rear spacers which I noticed well before installation, but they were very good about correcting my order. No matter who you order from, make sure they fit before you get your rig all apart. Another bonus of getting Forester struts, you can test fit them out of the vehicle. BEFORE INSTALLATION You will need to replace the mounting studs on the struts. You should have gotten hardware with your spacers, which include 12 (at least 2" long) bolts and lock nuts, or longer studs. If you are using the struts currently in your car instead of forester struts, you can skip ahead and come back to this once dissassembly is complete. The front struts are easy, since the mounts spin. You can simply pound these studs out with a hammer, or use a press. The mount can spin to allow you to remove the old stud and install the new stud or bolt. My spacers from Gorilla Offroad came with hardware, as in 12 bolts and lock nuts. The spacers had provisions in them for the nuts to sit in once the spacers were in place. I re-used the top mount nuts. The rear struts are where it gets tricky, since the top mount doesn't spin conveniently out of the way. Therefor, you need to separate the strut mount from the strut assembly, and the rubber insulator from the metal mount. Use a spring compressor for dissassembly. Spring compressors are very dangerous, as they use thousands of pounds to compress the spring. If the spring is not secured properly, it could come loose and cause serious/fatal injury, not to mention property damage. If you do not feel comfortable using a spring compressor, it's better to find a friend who is or bring it to a shop for disassembly/reassembly. If you are comfortable using a spring compressor, compress the spring until you can grab the bottom of the shock absorber and shake it gently so it moves free of the spring. Remove the 17mm nut at the top of the strut, in the middle. If the nut does not break free of the shock absorber, use a pass through socket and a hex socket in the provision in the middle of the stud, or gently grip the shock absorber shaft with pliers to prevent it from spinning (NOT recommended, as it could damage the shock. Only for desperate or brave individuals.) The shock will fall out, so remove the top mount from the spring, pull back on the rubber insulator (it grips around the center, spray with silicone lubricant to break free) and replace the studs. Re-assemble strut. Repeat for other side. THE DIRTY WORK -hoist vehicle off wheels -remove front wheels -remove the 12mm bolt holding on the ABS wheel speed sensor wire. Be careful not to let the mount twist and break the wire. (ask me how I know) -use a flat head screwdriver and a hammer to remove clip holding on the break hose to the bracket. -you may find that the brake hose passes through the bracket, which cannot be removed, and must be opened to be removed. I recommend against this as it could lead to more problems, such as bleeding the brakes, bleeder screws breaking hose fittings being too damaged/corroded to reuse, etc. In that case, I used a cutoff wheel to notch the bracket, being careful not to damage the brake hose, until I could use a screwdriver/chisel/punch to break the mount and bend it out of the way. -Remove the 19mm (3/4") nuts and bolts holding the strut to the knuckle. The top bolt is the camber adjustment bolt, so it is cammed. Be careful not to spin it with an impact to avoid damaging it. -remove the three 12mm nuts holding the top of the strut to the vehicle. The strut will fall out the bottom, so be ready to catch. -install the new lift strut, reversing the removal procedure. NOTE: resecure the brake hose to the bracket. Zip-ties will most likely fail a safety inspection, just as a side note. -getting the knuckle bolts in is where a helper comes in handy. You will need to pry and push and jiggle the strut and knuckle around until you can line up one of the holes and put the bolt in. One one is in, it goes easier. Remember, the TOP bolt is the cammed, camber adjustment bolt. Since camber goes positive during suspension decompression on a macpherson strut system, install this so the camber is most negative, as in the top of the knuckle moves away from you as much as it can be adjusted. -tighten all of your mounting bolts and double check your work. Move to the rear. -remove rear wheels and repeat removal process. You should not have an ABS speed sensor to worry about in the strut this time, though. -disconnect the rear sway bar by removing the 14mm nut and bolt. Remove the mounts, and the sway bar if you wish. You will not be able to reconnect it after the lift using the original end links. It's not that much more body roll, I promise. -to gain access to the rear mount studs from the interior, fold the backseats forward and locate the access trim panel over the strut tower. Remove the Christmas tree style fastener closer to the seat, on the side, then pull up to remove the trim. Remove the insulation set on top of the mount. -to remove the strut, you will need to wrestle the lower part away from you, down between the trailing arm and front-most control arm, so the strut can be moved down enough to pull the top out first. -once the strut is removed, it is a good idea too inspect your shock towers for rust. Here in the salt belt, every Subaru I see in they junkyard that doesn't have a hole in the block has a rear strut tower blown through from rusting out, unusually the left side. Look carefully both on the inside and outside of the vehicle. Pull back the carpeting and insulation in the cargo area a bit to check for rust. A coating of rustproofing while you're there isn't a terrible idea. -before installing the new strut, clean, buff, and slightly spread the lower mount bracket for ease of installation. Use a cut off wheel or a sawzall to remove the brake hose bracket. If left in place and used, it will pull the hose too far down and stress the upper section of the hose. If left on and not used, it will rub against the hose and cause risk of hose failure. The lift will cause the hose to be pulled down more, so there is less slack and actually ensures the hose won't go anywhere it shouldn't. -reverse removal procedure to install. -there is no easy way to get the rear knuckle into the strut. There just isn't. I used a 54" prybar against the trailing arm and the center of the rear subframe, and jostled the knuckle around until the holes lined up. This is the hardest part. Again, where a helper comes in handy. -complete the reassembly, double check everything, and put the wheels on. -alignment time! ALIGNMENT -I actually found the alignment is not affected as much as I thought it would be for a lift. When I put my car on the machine, the rear camber was out of spec, positive by only one tenth of a degree on the left, and less than a tenth on the right. Rear toe was still in spec. Front camber was also surprisingly in spec for a blind adjustment. -due to differences in setups and vehicle condition, your alignment may be different. If it is out of spec, have it fixed. Camber causes excessive wear on the inner (negative) and outer (positive) shoulders of the tire. Rear toe could cause dog-tracking or diagonal wipe (which destroys tires something fierce). I hope this helps anyone considering the project and wondering how involved it is. Having the studs installed in the struts beforehand, it took me between 3 and 4 hours with shop air and a vehicle lift. Any questions, I will answer to the best of my ability. Happy modding!
  25. So I just sunk $1300 into replacing the head gaskets on my 98 Legacy Outback Limited. Got the car back and everything was fine. Drove it up north over the weekend (~200 miles) and on the way back the engine lost power while cruising at 70MPH. It sort of lurched forward as if I were running out of gas (which I wasn't). I attempted to start the car after this and the AT Oil Temp light came on and flashed 16 times. I drove about another 1/4 mile before it died again. I got the car towed home and figured I'd take it to my mechanic the next day. Well I tried to start it and now I have nothing. No crank, nothing but a faint *click* sound when I turn the key. Anyone have this problem happen before? I can't think of anything that would cause my car to both die on the highway, trigger the AT Oil Temp light, AND no crank no start afterwards. But maybe the problems are unrelated. In either case, I'm kind of at a loss of what to do with it at this point. Any advice is appreciated.
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