blitz

I clean the brake dust by holding my breath while I brush the dust off. I'm fairly certain that brakes don't contain any asbestos anymore, but whatever it DOES contain can't be good to breath in. Another (and better) way to clean the brake hardware is to use brake cleaner spray. I wont be able to help you any on the noise problem. Do the fronts first, then put all back together the same way it came apart and take it for a test drive on a sidestreet to verify that you did the job correctly. Then move on to the rears.

If a top-fueler gets to 100mph in .9 sec using big ol' squishy sidewall slicks ...well right there, that's gotta tell you just a little something about the requirements for an optimal acceleration tire.

I've always wondered why one of the major oil companies has never managed to modify that gear oil stink into something slightly less offensive. ...like bananas or something.

In all fairness, moving the timing in either direction (+/-) of the optimal setting would result in reduced power. The specific setting that achieves the highest mean combustion pressure will produce the greatest power. My point being that if some abnormal iginition event were causing early combustion light-off (pre-ignition), you'd see a sudden drop in power. This COULD be occurring without hearing any classic detonation noises on account of the abundant octane of the fuel you're running during the test. Pre-ignition can cause bent rods and smashed big-end bearings similar to nitrous. I'm really curious as to how all this pans-out. Those dyno charts are really great. Thanks for sharing this.

Since the problem DOES seem to be ignition-related, having that stuff new eliminates a lot of possibilities right there. That's exactly what I was gonna suggest. What is C16? Unleaded race gas? What exactly were you hearing at the point where the power drops off? What sort of change in the exhaust note? It's possible that you've got pre-ignition as opposed to detonation. The timing is modulated by throttle angle as well as it is mapped by RPM. Finally, the bulk timing map is trimmed a little by signal from the atmospheric pressure sensor and the intake air temperature sensor.

WJM, those are fantastic dyno charts. The engine's detonating heavily as it climbs right into the range of greastest volumetric efficiency (torque peak). For whatever reason, your knock sensor circuit ain't doing squat. It's interesting that the first run is clean then the subsequent runs go to hell. The normal run looks really good, with the two peaks and everything. Question: What plug type & number are you running? I don't know why, but the plugs as being antagonistic are raising a red flag in my feeble brain. I know the knock correction isn't working, but still ... that looks like way too much abnormal combustion going on.

You braggin' or complainin'? Damn, I was having a difficult time finding the actual question in your post. Every car I've ever owned (normally aspirated) has ALWAYS been happy operating at the theshold of knock (trace amounts at part throttle). Prolonged, heavy knocking at WOT is a recipe for disaster. Encountering det under forced-induction conditions is a more a serious problem. Piston contruction and alloy plays a large role in how well a given motor can tolerate det. The high ring-pack position which is popular, makes for a fragile top land. A forged racing piston designed for abuse will be more tolerant, but not indestructable. Det as a result of spark-lead can bring slightly different results than det as a result of lean fuel. In short, there is no simple answer. It's a matter of understanding and minimizing your risk.

Your biggest problem is that an exhaust leak before the O2 sensor will make the fuel mix go rich. Your second biggest problem is that your car's gonna sound like schize.

It's located on top of the crankcase just to the right of the throttle-body (looking into the engine compartment). It's cylindrical in shape, about an inch in diameter, with a single mounting-bolt running down through it's center.

+1 According to C.R., Subaru in general has tended to suffer from fit/finish/rattle problem in the first year of ownership, but "smooth-out" by years 3-5 in contrast to most vehicles having good off-the-line quality, but developing a greater number of mechanical problems shortly thereafter.

I guess I'll ask the obvious question; have you visually inspected the entire linkage to make sure that something isn't causing an obstruction (like a dead rodent, or rodent's nest, etc.)?

Mmm... Soma.

It shouldn't be too difficult to locate a specialty spring distributor and match-up a spring with 50% increase in tension, then swap the spring. Not if it's been disabled. I'm beginning to think it depends on whether or not a persons mind is free of Ritalin & SSRI type DRUGS. In fact, wasn't that the suggestion of an earlier poster? (i.e. since I was able to visualize this new paradigm in advance with such sterling clarity, I needed to "get on the drugs", presumably to cloud my thought process.) It's interesting that these "trials" are taking place in the UK where LAW-ABIDING citizens have been disarmed. It's gonna be easy pickins for the OUTLAW tweekers with laptops to throttle-down a mark's car, blow the drivers brains out with an OUTLAW sidearm, then jack their car. The cops will show up just in time to mop up the blood and make out a report.

OOPSIE: 12.5 months

As promised, here it is (and it didn't take ten years since I made my post, it took 13.5 months): http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1678707,00.html "The Sunday Times - Britain July 03, 2005 Forget cameras - spy device will cut drivers’ speed by satellite Dipesh Gadher, Transport Correspondent IT IS the ultimate back seat driver. Motorists face having their cars fitted with a “spy” device that stops speeding. The satellite-based system will monitor the speed limit and apply the brakes or cut out the accelerator if the driver tries to exceed it. A government-funded trial has concluded that the scheme promotes safer driving. Drivers in London could be among the first to have the “speed spy” devices fitted. They would be offered a discount on the congestion charge if they use the system. The move follows a six-month trial in Leeds using 20 modified Skoda Fabias, which found that volunteer drivers paid more attention as well keeping to the speed limit. More than 1,000 lives a year could be saved if the system was fitted to all Britain’s cars, say academics at Leeds University, who ran the trial on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT). It is part of a two-year research project into “intelligent speed adaptation” (ISA), which the department is funding at a cost of £2m. Results of the initial trial will be presented to ministers this week. A study commissioned by London’s transport planners has recommended that motorists who install it should be rewarded with a discount on the congestion charge, which tomorrow rises to £8 a day. The trial Skodas were fitted with a black box containing a digital map identifying the speed limits of every stretch of road in Leeds. A satellite positioning system tracked the cars’ locations. The device compared the car’s speed with the local limit — displayed on the dashboard — and sent a signal to the accelerator or brake pedal to slow if it was too fast. The system can be overridden to avoid a hazard. “The trials have been incredibly successful,” said Oliver Carsten, project leader and professor of transport safety at Leeds University. The DfT says it has no plans to make speed limiters mandatory but admits that it is considering creating a digital map of all Britain’s roads which would pave the way for a national ISA system. Edmund King, of the RAC Foundation, said limiters might make motorists less alert: “If you take too much control away the driver could switch on to autopilot.”

Here's some things to check: Measure the output of the throttle position sensor. With the ignition on, but engine not running, it should provide a smooth analog output voltage that swings from .5V - 4.5V as the throttle is moved from idle to wide open. Check for vaccum leak(s) anywhere. Make sure the PCV valve, throttle body, and IAC valve are clean and free of gunk.

In a nutshell, it's a tall-sided funnel that attaches securely to the filler neck of your radiator via it's own "radiator cap" at it's bottom. It allows you to have extra coolant in the funnel while you heat the motor, blip the throttle and burp the top hose. When you've had enough, you close off the bottom of the funnel by inserting the long plug (from the top), remove the funnel from the filler opening and dump the remaining coolant back into the jug. It's almost a work of art.

I use the same funnel-tool that 99obw uses. GET ONE - they're great. I've tried the ramp bleeding thing several times, but I'm concerned is that if the engine is inclined too far backwards, some air pockets may tend to get trapped in the front cylinder cooling jackets rather than exiting out into the X-over pipe. I dunno.

I'd think that the only consequence would be an abnormally high rate oil consumption which can damage the engine if you don't keep the level up. Also it'll take your cats down quicker.

Sometimes, but not necessarily. Some noises have a specific RPM range that they'll occur at, other noises have a specific load condition that they'll occur at. e.g. Main bearings will tend to make noise at low RPM under load, whereas rod bearings will tend to make noise at elevated RPM with no load. Then sometimes temperature is a factor. Most folks would tend to attribute a tapping noise to something in the valvetrain, like a stuck lifter.

Cookie, this is interesting, any chance you could post a link, or cut & paste the text of the TSB? Just curious of the specifics for possible future reference.

The bottom line is there isn't anywhere near the real-world data on the EZ-30 as there is on the 4-bangers. Essentially less numbers of that engine having been around for less total time. I haven't heard any horror stories about it, so I'd venture that it's probably about as good as any other current Sube motor. It DOES appear to fill out the underhood area in a way that will make it more difficult to service.

There's a movement afoot to use the wonderful Constar technology as a means to impose another tax on the peasants: a driving tax ...as in pay by the mile. Also I'd be willing to wager a sporting (small) amount of money that folks who are currently driving around with Constar, are having the data shared with their dealer, their insurance provider, and various LE agencies without their knowledge. Ahh... but that's a good thing right?

If you spend a lot of time with your foot deep into the throttle, you'll get more oil mist backing-up out of the PCV lines. When you're just cruising, manifold vaccum applied to the crankcase will keep the mist moving in the correct direction. Also like Setright says, as the blowby increases with mileage, the problem gets worse. Some folks take care of the problem by splicing a large, clear plastic, inline fuel-filter in the offending PCV line (s). It works as a catch-can and only cost a couple bucks.

That's interesting. It would almost seem as though the stretch (twist) of the extension would consume some of the applied torque, leaving LESS at the fastener. No?