JazzBass Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Hello there! I just signed up as my wife and i think our next car may be Subaru. We were looking at one that is a '96 with 171k miles on it and it drove great. Only nagging issues was that the serp belt was squealing when it was first started (may have been my fault as I accidentally had my foot on the accelerator rather than the brake ) and right after that, there was a burning smell coming in from the vents. Not sure if it was an oil or rubber smell. We couldn't smell anything on our drive. What can I look for if I go back and checkout the car again? Could it be a serp belt going out (or bearing on a pulley?). Any other words of help would greatly appreciate it! Thanks, JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 If it's a 2.5 in an Outback, make sure the Head Gaskets have been taken care of. If it's the standard 2.2 Legacy it's a solid motor. If it's a 5sp, that's the best. If it's an auto, drive in tight turns and check for torque bind. Also watch to see if the AT Temp Light flashes 16 times after it's started. If it does, the transmission has problems. Clicking in tight turns, CV joints. Check the inner and outer boots of eht CV joints for tears. Temp gauge should be right at the 1/2 way mark. When was the timing belt done last? Great Cars, those Subarus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzpile Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Twas a cold and rainy day when I bought my '97. I did the usual things. Made sure all the tires were same tize and wear. Pressed my foot against the top of tire to check some some noise or looseness while pressing it. (Only did this after the normal introduction etc.) Smelt the fluids of the various level sticks and inpected their levels and cleanity. Inspected the idle etc and found the coolant level was low(before it warmed up). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzpile Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 I was working my way twds likeing or dismissing this car before I had ever even driven a Subaru or a Legacy. The car aready had a Carfax which was good then the owner went to lenghs to refill with lukewarm water before we set out on test drive. The drive was very impressive. Lasted about 40 min. The machine responded and worked so well I did buy it. Turns out it DID have a continuous coolant leak which I fixed. The dual fans apparently serve for each other as one wasn't even working yet the engine didn't go over 1/2 on the gage. Turns out a very nice machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 squealing belts usually means belt slippage.. I had when people drive around like this.. they do make a spray for this but it's better to make sure the belts have the correct amount of tension on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 there was a burning smell coming in from the vents. Not sure if it was an oil or rubber smell.it's either oil dripping on the exhaust and burning off or axle grease splattering out of a cracked CV boot onto the exhaust. CV axles are no big deal. if it's an oil leak i'd consider it no big deal as long as it's not the rear main seal (highly unlikely), pan gasket, or headgasket. problem is all oil leaks typically coagulate in similar ares so an unfamiliar inspection might not help. generally the furthest forward and outward you find the oil is probably it's origin - start looking at the front of the valve covers and work your way inwards and back - as soon as you see oil that's a likely leakage point. you could post a picture of the underneath of the engine here as well to see if we can tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzpile Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 -the reason for the intermittant posts is I always get cut off- These are somewhat a puzzle at this age. Things had been done to it the previous owner had no knowledge of. The waterpump had been leaking and no doubt it hadn't helped this engine yet it still had good compression. It's almost like unraveling an onion to the layer which is still good. With new wp, timing belt (old one was still good) main idler etc this engine will go a very long time. There are things which U can't know like the level of the rear diff, until you own it and correct it. The weird thing is I didn't replace the serpentine belt and now it's showing age. So if something happens to me before replacement, it's the same situation.:-\ U get a good one or a bad one for there are so many parts to it. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JazzBass Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Everyone, Thanks so very much for the good words and advice! I forgot to mention that the smell was pretty much only evident when the car was warming up/idling and not when we were driving it. I hope it's just some oil that got on the exhaust at some point. I didn't hear any clicking on turns, but at the same time, I didn't make any tight ones, so I'll make sure to listen to that in the future. I figured the squealing could be the belt(s) are old and need to be replaced or the tensioner is a little warn. But I was just wondering if that could be related to the smell. It seems maybe not. The car is a '96 legacy (non-Outback) so it may be ok with the head gaskets. It is also a 5sp, so I'm covered there. I guess if it's still there next week, I'll go back and check out it again more thoroughly and make an offer. If anyone wants to add anything, please do! I'm totally in the dark when it comes to these cars, but I want to learn. Thanks again all! JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike104 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 (edited) 2.2L not usually prone to HG failure. Main issue to be concerned about is when was the last timing belt done. Squealing could be accessory belts or pulley bearings or related to timing belt tensioner or idler pulleys. Don't know where you are located so I can't suggest who to have a look at the car before you buy. Sometimes a good idea to have a well trusted/knowledgeable mechanic check the car out first. Other possible issues are oil leaks (valve cover gaskets, cam/crankshaft seals, rear oil separator plate). Edited February 11, 2011 by Mike104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JazzBass Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 Thanks Mike! Good info given. I've found a few other ones I want to look at so I think it's only a matter of time before we'll get one. Thanks again Mike and to all! JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JazzBass Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 (edited) Hi all, Well, I found another one ('95 Legacy Wagon w/ 165k) and it drove nice and sounded nice. The fluids looked fine as well. It's the price I can pay for and looks good. I will ask for a carfax tomorrow as I spaced to do it today. The shifter was really wobbly. Basically it was limp. It shifted fine, but had a hard time finding 3rd. Is that something that is easily fixed (maybe a few bolts or screws that need to be tightened? Actually, after doing some reading, it sounds like it could be a broken return spring. Can I get this part at local auto parts place? Thanks! JB Edited February 16, 2011 by JazzBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 I can assure you it's the worn bushing in the shifting knuckle that connect to the shift rod. My 95 is the same way and it's in a tight spot.. the part it's self is like $25 but not in a easy to each spot.. while I've got used to it I just deal wit it for the time being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Congrats, JB--there's nothing better than a good '95 Legacy (Okay, so I'm prejudiced!) Hopefully your shifter problem is just a broken or missing spring. No big thing to replace. Not sure if parts stores carry it or not--OEM shouldn't be wildly expensive. But it could be worn shifter bushings. They're do-able but it's a PITA job. Try a search on here for "shifter bushings," there were several writeups a while back. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ionlyhave3suubs Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 With regard to the 96 with possible belt slippage, these engines do not have spring loaded tensioners like a lot of other modern cars do. You have to manually adjust them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JazzBass Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 (edited) Thanks guys for the info! Good deal. Well, it looks like it may be a done deal. I do have a question for you guys. The dealer I'm getting it from is a small mom/pop place and he disclosed to me that he does not have the title as he just bought the car a few days ago. He said he would get all the paperwork to me and when the title became available, I would get it. Is this common or should I look elsewhere? Will contact my DMV and ask them as well. Went to my DMV and said there are situations where that will happen. I don't feel so bad anymore. I hope this all works out. Thanks! JB Edited February 16, 2011 by JazzBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 I had a friend buy a used BMW and it took him like 2 months for the guy to hand over the title.. just be on the lookout.. It was a long drawn out hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 If the water pup is leaking, replace it right away. When it gets bad enough, it will start to seize and drag on the timing belt. perhaps this is your burning rubber smell. Replace the water pump and timing belt for good measure. IF the WP takes out hte timing belt, no big deal, a new belt and WP will fix that. But if you get an overheat due to the bad WP, then you risk HG failure. At 175,000 mi, i bet you this is the original WP and timing belt from the factory. Do the work now and forget about it till 300,000 mi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 when i got my car 2 years ago my waterpump was shot.. it was so bad it would not hold any antifreeze lol.. easy to replace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JazzBass Posted February 17, 2011 Author Share Posted February 17, 2011 Thanks everyone for the advice and help! Well, it's official. My wife and I are happy new owners of a '95 Subaru L Wagon. Still getting used to driving a manual transmission, but I like it. Got a nice deal on it and other than the loose shifter, it seems to be in pretty good shape. I'll do some reading about doing the water pump and timing belt as I think that's a great idea at this point. I think it'll need a clutch as well sooner rather than later so I'll read about that too. Bought a Haynes manual at the local Advance Auto so I'll read up on the car that way as well. Had a really hard time getting the key out of the ignition. The key would not turn out of the ACC position and get it to Lock to remove. Looks like it could the ignition switch or something up with the key. I'm quite happy with the car, considering the age and the cost. I hope to have this for another lifetime of the car. Thanks ever so much for the help and welcome guys! JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 The dealer I'm getting it from is a small mom/pop place and he disclosed to me that he does not have the title as he just bought the car a few days ago. He said he would get all the paperwork to me and when the title became available, I would get it. Quite often with trade-in vehicles the dealer will not receive a title from the owner right away, if at all. Dealers also generally don't keep titles to every vehicle on hand. They just file an electronic Title with DMV. When the car is purchased they will have you sign a title reassignment form, which authorizes release of the title to you. This is usually done electronically, and takes a few weeks for the title to be mailed from DMV to you or to the dealer depending on how the paperwork is filed. Once the dealer receives the title they will forward it to you. If you have a buyers order with the VIN of the vehicle, and a title reassignment form, you can apply for a title yourself, but it's easier to just wait for it. You don't need a paper title in hand to apply for registration as long as the title has been filed electronically in your name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axgutt Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Congrats. I bought my 95 Legacy L 5-speed back in 2003. It had 174,000 miles on it. Today I hit 347,000. I had to do a clutch around 270,000, and a couple of axles and wheel bearings along the way. That's pretty much it except for scheduled maintenance and wear items - timing belts, fluid changes, plugs/wires, brakes, etc. I like to joke with my 5 year old that one day it will be hers. She wants a shiny gold convertible though. I prefer the faded green wagons. I wouldn't sweat the loose shifter. I had the bushing or spring done soon after I got it, and that only lasted a year or so. Now I almost don't even notice it. Thanks everyone for the advice and help! Well, it's official. My wife and I are happy new owners of a '95 Subaru L Wagon. Still getting used to driving a manual transmission, but I like it. Got a nice deal on it and other than the loose shifter, it seems to be in pretty good shape. I'll do some reading about doing the water pump and timing belt as I think that's a great idea at this point. I think it'll need a clutch as well sooner rather than later so I'll read about that too. Bought a Haynes manual at the local Advance Auto so I'll read up on the car that way as well. Had a really hard time getting the key out of the ignition. The key would not turn out of the ACC position and get it to Lock to remove. Looks like it could the ignition switch or something up with the key. I'm quite happy with the car, considering the age and the cost. I hope to have this for another lifetime of the car. Thanks ever so much for the help and welcome guys! JB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Congratulations JB . . . and Mrs. JB. The '95 Legacy is a wonderful car--"bulletproof" non-interference 2.2 engine with OBD-2, relatively easy to work on. The key to longevity is preventative maintenance. Catch things before they go bad, or at least before they go too far bad! Haynes manual is good to have, it'll point you in the right direction and help you find things. But there are places where it is weak and even a few where it's wrong. Best resource of all is the "search" function here on USMB. Learn to use the "advanced search" to narrow things down. Just about every question you're going to have in the next year has already been answered in the past--with great guidance and helpful tips. That's not to say you shouldn't ask questions--ask away! Great bunch of folks here who'll bend over backward to help with a problem. By all means keep us up on your progress, maybe show us pic of your ride! Good luck . . . and enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 Had a really hard time getting the key out of the ignition. The key would not turn out of the ACC position and get it to Lock to remove. Looks like it could the ignition switch or something up with the key. JB It's probably your ignition cylinder going. When turning it off lift up, or push down on the key a bit. Might help. But it's just going to get worse. Eventually one morning you're going to have a very hard time turning it on, then, it'll get stuck in run and won't turn off. After that when you finally replace the ignition cylinder you'll have to take a hacksaw to the old one to get the key out of it so you can still open your doors. Wonder how I know about that one ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JazzBass Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) Hey gang! First of all, sorry for not responding back soon. Been a crazy week or so & just getting back in the swing of things! Thanks for the congrats and great stories shared! I really think I did good and got a nice car. I had the timing belt/one idler done (water pump looked like it was new - according to my mechanic and said it didn't need to be replaced) and got a new clutch put in. Whoa, momma! Did that clutch make a difference! The car just wants to drive it self on the highway. It's crazy the difference! It's fantastic! Now, I'm having to teach myself to drive the car all over again and it's getting a little frustrating. It's either stall or take off like a crazy person with bucking thrown in. I may start another thread where appropriate to ask for some pointers. I know enough about manual transmission cars to be dangerous and I want to learn more and how to drive it correctly so I can prolong the life of the clutch. If anyone wants to post here, please do. I need the help. Update: I did start a new thread, so if you have any suggestions, please post there. Thanks! New Thread Another thing that was fixed. The ignition. It was the key, thankfully that was really worn. We needed another one so we went to the local dealer and had a new one made and it works just fine! Thanks again all and I'm here permanently! JB Edited March 1, 2011 by JazzBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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