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The coolant temps sensor can practically be considered a «wear» intem. It broke down both on my Loyale and Legacy at almost the same mileage, 180,000 kilometers. Condidering the price i would advise replacing it shortly after 100 k miles as preventive maintenance.

Just had a look at mine and the doughnut rim looks much skinnier than the standard rims.

Thanks. I did exactly that and it was easy. Did'nt seem to disturb the headlights alignment. Found out that in front, contrary to the rear, the flasher light and position light are in one and the same bulb (two filaments). To those who might do the same, go easy specialy with the third bolt (the one behind the grill). The right one was very much rusted and I broke it without even putting that much torque on it. Good thing was the stub that was left + a nylon tie were enough to secure it back without me having to get the bolt extractor. Thanks again 97 Subaru GT.

I'm in the process of replacing all outside lights (good preventive maintenance after 9 years) as they have begun to fail one after another. Just one problem: how to replace front flashers and position lights. Haynes is wrong cause it shows the front headlight housing in two parts, the side part (which contains the flasher and position lights) being removable independently. On my 96 Brighton the head lights housing is in one part. Do I have to remove this entire housing to get at the flashers? And if so, will I have to realign the headlights afterwards? Any help will be welcomed. P.-S,: I've not checked the heater blower motor yet but will soon. To those you helped me on that one and offered a replacement motor, thanks again.

The ECU spots a cylinder misfire by registering a slight engine deceleration just after sending the spark to that cylinder. This means that ANYTHING that will cause the cylinder to produce less energy can trip a «cylinder misfire» CEL. The cause can thus be almost anything: ignition (plug, wire, coil, ignitor), fuel (mainly fuel injector cause a low fuel pressure would have the same effect on all cylinders), mechanical (valves). I'm afraid you just have to continue testing till you've made a round of all those components. My two cents. P.-S.: the fact that the misfire is related to two opposing cylinders points to a coil problem, but you have replaced that. Maybe the ingnitor. But I'm not familiar with the way the ignitor operates and if it's likely that it could go bad on twoopposing cylinders at the same time. Good luck!

On my former Loyale the flashing light was not the CEL but was on the ECU box. Is this different with the first gen Legacy?

I would get a Haynes manual and check all sensors, doing first the coolant temp sensor and the crank and cam sensors. I would follow with the knock sensor. A malfunction of these sensors could produce the symptoms you have. If nothing shows up why not do a fuel pressure check. Just a tought.

Sell it to me for 100$. Honnest!

They also protect the underside of your car from excessive heat. If you lean towards keeping them like I did, here's what I did a couple of months ago. I bought two small batches of rustproof metal screws 3/4 and 1 inch long (YMMV) size 12 and 10 with corresponding drill bits (this info is usually printed on the box of screws). I went under the car and drilled everywhere the shields were rattling (mostly at junction points) and screwed in the metal screws until they exerted pressure on the inside pipe. I used a standard metal screw to start the threads and then backed it off and replaced it each time with screws the point of which I had previously dulled with my bench grinder. I dont think using pointed screws would matter that much but I feel easier that way. The only other thing I did was this: I found out that a good part of the noise was coming from a wide semi circular shied that's OVER the pipe just behing the cat If I remember well. The metal surrounding one of the front holding bolts had rusted away and the shield, when vibrating, was hitting the underside of the car. I removed the bolt, inserted a big washer and put the bolt back. All of this worked perfectly and I can now enjoy the true sound of my boxer engine when I rev it pas 4000 in low gears. Hope this helps.

My guess would be the coolant temp sensor sending the wrong messages to the ECU. Should cause a CEL though. Test it if no other solution presents itself. If the no start situations happen mostly when the engine is already hot, then the likelyhood of the coolant sensor being the culprit goes near 100%.

Go to http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=20441&highlight=struts Go to the last post to have my report on the replacement I made recently of my four struts includind the two front springs. You can also make a search here with «struts» and find more info.

I did, but my setup is far from being factory. I just installed a small timer with a control button i bought at Canadian Tire here in Montreal and installed it not on the dash like you're supposed to, but inside the rear hatch where i set it semi permanently to a 7 secs interval. It suits my needs for most situations but is evidently not the perfect setup. If someone cared to make a complete install (on the dash where you can vary the interval or shut it off ) it also comes with a windshield washer reservoir sensor that lights a red bulb when the liquid goes under a preset level. If someone is interested but not a canadian resident i could buy one here and send it to you through the postal service. At the time I think it was selling for around 25$ CND. But you could probably find something similar in the US.

I'm no starter expert, but if same was happening to me, I would investigate three possibilities: 1) The battery is too weak (or the battery's contacts are loose or corroded or...) to make the bendix engage the flywheel (do you get the same wirrr that you get when the starter is unbolted or does it sound like the bendix is contacting the flywheel but not engaging it?) 2) The starter's main contact is not hooked up properly (dirty or corroded or...) A LOT of amperage is going thru there. Would not take too much to lower the voltage... 3) The starter is misaligned. That seems farfetched cause you only have two bolts to fasten, but you never know. My 2 cents...

Contacts (L shaped) are cheap and very easy to replace. You can get them at a starter/aternator rebuilding shop or even elswhere. According to some people here, you can just clean the plunger disc (bridging the two contacs when the solenoid is activated). In my case I got contacs and plunger for aroud 15$ USD (20$ Can).

Thanks a million for the offer rweddy. I'll try to find a cheaper after market one here first and if no go, maybe we will be able to make a deal. From where would the part be shipped and do you know how old it is? Thanks again for the offer. Djmark7, thanks for the link. I'll try Napa here first to avoid shipping costs if possible. Will keep you posted.

I expect to reach at least 300,000 kilometers with it and at 20,000 kilos a year that's another four years. Not rust showing yet and the engine feels and sounds as new. Turning the radio up is not an option cause these sounds mean the motor will soon seize. With winter coming... I prefer an ounce of prevention...

Since last week my heater blower has begun to make intermittent screaching noises, mostly at the faster speeds. I think the motor bearings are beginning to dry up. Car has close 220,000 kilometers. Anybody has experience with this? Is it possible to lubricate the motor's bearings or do I have to buy a replacement motor? 170$ USD at 1stSubaruparts. A little expensive...

Good call in my opinion. I don't know about the 1990 MY but in my 96 the voltage regulator is an integral part of the alternator.

Thanks SS. I'll look into it.

Thanks for your reply Seven Sisters but could you give me some more explanations? «I used a combination wrench to turn out my bearings using the spiral incline priciple» What do you mean? I could use some explanation for the last part also. Thanks in advance.

I have more and more to do night time driving on country roads paved and unpaved and feel my headlights do not give me enough lighting. Is a driving light what I need? As low as they are mounted, can they really provide superior lighting farther away than the regular headlights? If so, what kind would you advise I buy? Thanks in advance.

Interesting experience Cookie. Are there parts of an automobile alternator that can be reused confidently beside the casing, the rotor and the stator? It seems evident that you have to replace the brushes, the bearings, and the diodes. I also intend to replace the voltage regulator but it looks like a bullet proof part looking from the outside. Is it as long lasting as it looks?

Pardon my intruding on this thread but would a 12 ton shop press be enough to press out and press in wheel bearings. I recently got one at a big discount and wonder if it's enough for a wheel bearing job. It would be useful for me to know in advance. thanks!

Hi Ed, I'm not doing this to save money but for fun and to undersand a little more how things work and are made. I already have the alt apart and will replace everything but the casing, the stator and the rotor. To be totally frank, I recently bought a 12 tons shop press at a discount sale and the alt rebuild project (waiting for wheel bearings to go bad...or suspension arms bushings to wear) is the only one that will allow me to play with the press in the near future. I've already had to use it to get the alt shaft out of the front bearing and the bearing out of the front cover. I will also use it to put the new bearing back into the front cover. The rear bearing is a finger push fit. I know a good alt and starter rebuilder from wich I already got starter's solenoid contacts and plunger for almost nothing. They will probably accept to sell me the parts at a decent cost. Take care.

Knowing alts can go without warning, knowing that if it happened at night it would not take long before the battery was dead, knowing that discharging a good battery harms it to the point that you have to buy a new one, and finally knowing that my car was 9years and more than 200,000 kilometers old, I carried a rebuilt alt (by Subaru) for at least 8 months. I replaced it lately even if the old one is still workind and started on rebuilding the old one myself to keep as a spare. I also carry spare crank and cam sensors (cheap for my model year) and a variety of bulbs (and of cours an almost complete set of tools in a cloth bag). A lot of other components give advance warning or the engine can still function on limp mode. The alternator and cam and crank sensors can leave you stranded.