forester01

This thing use dot 3 or 4? may as well do the whole flush deal. Thaks for the reply.

With Drum Brakes rear. I replaced the drums but not the shoes. The shoes looked OK the drums weren't bad either just a lot of external corrosion. Had a helper gently press the brakes and the shoes move OK. Replaced the front pads. The calipers seem fine and I was able to press the two pistons back using just my thumbs. The sliders slide fine. I still have a low brake pedal. Although the brakes work fine, the pedal goes down about half way before getting a bite. I backed the car up and pressed the brakes to activate the self-adjusters, didn't help. Is there a rod on the brake pedal leading to the master cylinder? Should this need adjustment? I didn't bleed the brakes but it is probably due for a flush. The power unit seems to be working fine. What else should I be checking for this? Thanks Much.

So did I. Pretty damn pissed at myself for not realizing this when I bought the beast. A rotten job, drums, haven't done them since my 52 Pontiac.

I'm more inclined to think the rear shoes might be stuck. Yes, I did say it's been a while since a flush, but I actually do care pretty well for the car. The fluid level is fine and the fluid in the reservoir looks pretty clean. I have a pressure bleeder so I'll take care of this. Does the car originally come with DOT-3? I'll stick to that if so. The drims are very grungy on the outside edges. The also came off with no resistance or drag. I'll swap out the drums and shoes for new and super clean the adjuster. This is most likely my issue. I removed the calipers, well moved them, so I could pop out the pads. They have many miles left to go. I was abl;e to move the pistons by hand so they aren't frozen. When I bought the car for my wife I didn't even realize they had back drums. Haven't done drums except on my 58 Mercedes in many many years. Thanks All.

I've searched through the posts and now believe my low brake pedal may well be caused by my neglecting to flush the brakes oftern enough. The car is a 2001 Forester with drum rears, 85000 on the clock, second set of front pads. the first brake work was done by the dealer at the 30K service I think, nothing since. The brake pedal is very low. Front pads have life left, rear shoes are just about ready to be replaced along with the drums. My main question, are there rebuild kits for the calipers and the rear slave cylinders? I have the double piston calipers but they look easy to rebuild. I'd like to be able to buy the rubber parts and maybe new pistons if the original can't be cleaned up. Should I just go with rebuilt calipers and new slave cylinders. Can I use DOT 4 in this system. I do not want to go synthetic do to water pooling problems. Thanks for any advice.

Hi subiegal, Email is housechepachet@cox.net. I checked the front pads and they were OK. The rear drums and shoes are pretty beat. Why would my pedal be so low? Fluid level is OK, pads seem to be worm pretty evenly. Can really wornout rears make the pedal go nearly to the floor? The brakes were done at the dealer about 3 yrs ago and the pedal then was high and pretty firm. I'm trying to get it back to feel like that. Thanks very much.

Hi, All figured out. PB Blaster and a littlt knocking around and it fell off. Thanks.

HELP - How are the drums removed? Are they just held on by the wheels? I see two very small screw holes near the center, is there something there that need to come out? Don't want to bang away with my little sledge if they need something removed. THANKS!!

My 2001 Forester's automatic shift is very very stiff. Tranny is fine. Where is the most likely problem? Under the car at the linkage or up top? Is there some kind of bushing kit for the shifter? Can I get at everything from under the car? Thanks all.

Hi All, I have a VERY limited time frame to replace the front pads in my wife's 2001 Forester L, the one with drum brakes in the back. I've never even had a wheel off it so I don't know squat. Besides pads, what should I get for parts? Does the whole caliper have to come off to do the pads or is it the type where the caliper frame stays attached and all you do is remove the old pads, press the piston back in place and close everything up? How much of a PITA is this job? The pads and rotors were allegedly replaced at about 40K buy the dealer (for more than US700.00!!), I want to do it a little cheaper. Pads only this time around. Car has 83K and the pedal is getting low. Yes, I'll be checking the rears too while I'm at it. I have 3 hours to do the job. I can't find a shop manual for this beast. What model is it closet to, Legacy, Imprezza? Any pad brand recommendations? I like a softer pad to preserve the rotors but whatever is best is OK too. Advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks All. Will do some extensive poking around today. No more dealership service. They charged me near 700.00 for the 30~40K checkup (included Rotors and pads up front --- at 40K !!!). Anyway, coming up on 85K now so I'll do this crap myself. I just finished a full rotor/caliper job on my old Mazda, same on an old Mercedes diesel and the bill for both was under 300.00. The Suby timing belt will be next summer at about 100K. I didn't like the car much when we first got it, but after virtually no problems for 60K miles it's starting to grow on me. Thanks for the advice.

Can anyone provide any tips and hints regarding changing the plugs in the car? Auto trans. I bought plugs and plug seals. I have no manuals for the car whatsoever. Any tricks of the trade for this job? removing wheel wells or anything like that? How difficult is the job for a semi experienced mechanically inclined person? I've worked on many cars but never on the Suby. It has 83K and the plugs were changed once by the dealer during the 30K or so super-expensive checkup. Should I also be changing tranny fluid or leave that to the dealer? I'll be changing air and fuel filters too, but they look easy. Time to get dirty on the wife's pride and joy. Advice greatly appreciated.

A car I am looking at is a 2000 outback with about 121000 on it and an automatic trans. The owner says he hears a whine at about 30 MPH and thinks it might be coming from the transmission. What do you all think about this? Is it likely the transmission is making noise or could it just need a fluid change? Are the tranny's known to be a problem with any of these cars? I've got a 2001 Forester with the 2.5 motor and it never given me any kind of problems. The proce on the car is pretty good and I'd have it fluid serviced and change the timing belt just to be safe. Appreciate any advise or methods to verify the noise. Thanks.

2001 Forester purchased new. Blown headgasket at 15K, ruined sensors and cat converters, 30K broken knock sensor. All work done under warranty so no bucks just a hassle. Currently have 75K and no trouble since the sensor. Spent 200 to get a code scanner for the obdII so I can at least trouble-shoot a little. I still drive an 89 Mazda 929 with 210K. Bought it with 30K and it has never been in the shop. Oil changes, brakes, this and that is about all. Yes, it now needs about 1500 to bring it to full glory, new struts, some front-end bushings and a set of tires but it has been one trouble free car for the past many years. The Subaru is beginning to look like it will last but it was an unhappy time there in the beginning.

Ok, I do realize this has been hashed out a lot here. I don't even know for sure what I have for a motor in my 2001 Suby Forester (sohc or dohc?) although I do know 2.5 L USMB site-wise what might be a good thread discussing the changing of the timing belt for this engine. I'm mechanical, just not too Subbyed yet. Do I need to do all the seals I see talked about?, crank, cam etc etc? I do plan to pull the radiator to give myself some room. Where do I buy all the parts? If from Subaru only I'll probably let them do the job since the parts appear pretty expensive from what I've been able to find so far. Advice highly appreciated.

2.5L 2001 Forester. Planning to change the belt myself at about 100K. Should I replace the toothed roller, smooth tensioner roller and the tensioner it self too? My old Mazda has that same kind of odd-ball tensioner and didn't seem to like to be reused. Any reasonable parts sources for these things. I priced out the above mentioned parts and it was $3~400. Thanks for any advice.

NOT PC. If you smoke, cracking the window open on one of these in the rain will have it peeing right on your leg. My wife's Forester also seems to have a very very high vibration that causes a pins-n-needles feel in my hands while driving the thing. I like the AWD in winter but gas mileage is bad considering the size of the car. Although I'm buying one for this winter's snow driving, it will be unused in the nicer weather when i use my MB diesel (30+ mpg).

go to the dealer, buy about 10 of them and throw them in the glove compartment. I do this with all my cars because I used to buy the things put them in the garage and never could find them when needed.

First post and advice sought. I am a Subaru owner already, a 2001 Forester that is mainly my wife's car. Bought new, now has 74000. Had some initial problems with blown head gaskets and failed sensors but has since been very reliable. So much so that I am looking to get a Subaru for my upcoming winter drive. I like the Outback wagons and will be looking at 96 and above. The Legacy model may be at the top of my list but the smaller one isn't bad either. I am an experienced amateur wrench owning 6 cars with 5 of them more than 16 years old and all running and in use. The reason I want to go 96 and above is the OBDII business as I have the equipment to diagnose these connections. About the Subaru, what do I have to be careful about? Any really bad years/models to avoid? I expect to be buying a car at 110 to 140 K miles and will probaly change the timing belt as soon as I get it home. I owned a GL10 many years ago and did a LOT of work on it. My first 4WD vehicle and the only car I ever rolled over. Any advice appreciated. I'll be a valued contributor here too as I like working on cars and keeping them running well beyond their expected lifetimes.