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Skip wrote Easy way to check that. Put your multimeter to «Volt AC», connect the positive side to the alt ouput connector and the negative one to ground. If your meter register more than .5 volt AC, your diodes have gone. Nice setup Skip. Happy new year!

I have a reman alt from 1stSubaruParts waiting to be installed. The one you get from them is a Subaru approved reman alt (Subaru written on the box). No experience with them but I presume they are better than ordinary after market reman alternators. Since my alt has not failed yet (but should in the not so distant future - 200,000 kilometers) I've not decided yet if I will return the core or take the time to rebuild it myself and keep in case of need in the future.

Thanks. Noting urgent but I'll be waiting for news from you. Gilles

Qman, since the only real problems I've ever encountered as a shade tree mechanic have almost always been rust related, I would very much like to have one of your cans. If it's alright with you, e-mail me and we'll work out a way of paiement.

The other problem with torque stiks is I think you have to stop the moment the stick starts to vibrate. The last guy who installed my winter tires kept at it at least a couple of seconds after that moment. Maybe someone more knowledgeable could straighten things out on this, but I think this negate the whole idea of the torque stick. The vibration does'nt stop the torquing action (maybe it slows it down a little), it's just a sign to tell the operator that proper torque has been reached. Am I wrong on this?

Yea I know. I used four of them in my engine last year. Did'nt need a single once of fuel for the whole 52 weeks of the experiment. Now, if only my wife would stop glowing in the dark. It keeps me awake for C_ _ _ _ _ sake!

Commuter wrote: Commuter, by what means do you evaluate the carbon condition of your engine? Merry Chritmas!

Meep, very interesting study with very surprising results. I'm mostly tinking of their finding that most metal wear occurs during the first 3,000 miles and that it gets lots lower after that. Conclusion: relatively old oil protects your engine more than fresh oil!!! And they see a change interval of 8,000 miles with Mobil 1. That's almost 13,000 kilometers! Like learning that cigarette smoke is good for your lungs! I hope someone will some day test oil in an environnement like the one I drive in for most of the year: cold weather, short distances, stop and go, etc. I actually change my oil every 3,000 miles or every three months whichever comes first (Mobil 1). But I might go a little longer than that after reading the results of their tests.

I think the front one should oscillate between 0.2 and 1 volt. The rear one should roughly stay put at the middle of the range.

One, two, threeeeek! My gaskets have sprung a leek. Four, five, six I guess l'll have a fix. Merry Christmas! And please pardon me...

Thanks for your replies. 1) The green coating is paint. It's the same stuff and same color as is applied to both cv joints housings at each end of the axle. It chips rather easily and as far as I can see, there's a very smooth melal finish underneath the paint where the axle meets the seals. Probably just to prevent the part from rusting on the shelf. On one axle this paint is mirror smooth. I think I'll leave it be ahd let the seal lip slowly make it's way to the smooth metal underneath. On the other, the finish is a little rougher and I think I will give it a light once over with ultra fine emery paper. 2) Since I'm not removing the bearing I will not be able to use the bearing race to insert the seal. I think I will use a wood block like Seven Sisters suggests. 3) Anybody has an opinion on what I should do to keep the seal/axle joint lubricated? If none I will try to pack synthetic grease (more water repellent than standard) BEHIND the seal and hope for the best. Thanks again for your inputs.

I'll be doing my front axles in a day or two. I already have all parts needed and hopefuly all tools. Only one thing is still bugging me. I decided to replace the wheel bearing inner seals since it's the one that's most often responsible for bearing failure. I'm not touching the hub nor the bearing though. I have this seal in front of me. It's LARGE, approx. 2 1!2 inches across with a very narrow crown. First question. Aside from the hub tamer, what kind of tool should I use to install it without damaging it? Second question: I have Subaru ramaned axles and the part of them that will be turning inside the seal's lip is painted green!!! I was expecting this part ot the axle to be of a mirror like metal finish. Is it standard for Legacy's remaned axles to be prepared that way? The guy where I bought them told me to sand this part lightly with ultra fine emeri paper but not to the bare metal. Last question: is it necessary to pack some grease in there (remember I'm not removing the hub nor the bearing) to insure a constant supply of lubricant to the seal's lip? Thanks in advance for all inputs.

Thanks a lot Avk. I'm preparing to do both front axles in less than ideal conditions and I want to put all chances on my side. Since i had problems removing the pinch bolt on the right side when replacing the ball joint (broke the bolt and had to drill it through...) I reasonnably can exclude going the «pop the ball joint» road when I'll do the left side.

My dealer installs Draw-tite models. Very satisfied up to now. Bolted to the frame and to the tow hooks. It really seems bullet proof. I can remove the ball and ball support by removing a big pin and sliding it out.

Avk wrote: The caveats are that re-tightening must be performed with wheels on the ground Avk, could you explain in more details why one has to retighten that way?

I've read 264 lbs dry for the EJ22.

Yes it's under the right side (passenger) intake manifold and a little hard to get at. Some people here might know this more exactly (777 or Alias) but it seems possible that on the EJ22 engine at least, the passage from two sensors to one was made in 1995.

On my 96 Brighton, there is only one coolant temp sensor relaying info to the ECU wich in turn activates the temp gauge. I am absolutely certain of the first part (only one sensor) but I'm only speculating as to how the gauge is activated.

why did'nt you get a wife recommended by SOA in the first place?

Layman's comment. I find crimping more difficult than soldering. I have difficulty matching the wire gauge to the crimp to the crimp pliers. I feel most of the time that the connection is over or under crimped. i Feel that soldering requires less skill and knowledge to do a good job. My contribution to ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS FOR DUMMIES.

No loss of any fulid and the engine bay produces steam after a night of steady rain. This might be too obvious but a non specialist would think maybe you have a hood leak somewhere and water is pooling on top of the engine. Nice recesses there around the intake manifold able to hold water. Did you check for water on the engine before starting in the morning?

1) I bought the timer relay at Canadian Tire in Montreal. Around 20 some bucks canadian if I remember well. It's a small rectangular box with a control button (to set the interval) that I installed inside the hatch door with tie wraps. It's supposed to be installed on the dash somewhere (it then gives you a variable delay) and even comes with a winshield washer fluid level sensor that lights a small red lamp on the box when the liquid gets low. It comes with an explicit wiring diagram. The fact that I'm no electrician and that I succeeded in installing it speaks for itself. Forr simplicity, I installed it in the rear hatch with a permanent (I could reset it by opening the hatch inside cover if necessary) setting of 7 seconds and did'nt install the low level sensor. 2) Alias, no the movement still is intermittent when I put the squirter on. That's the only draw back of my permanent install. No real problem with my kind of driving though. A dash install, though more difficult, would permit to retrurn to constant action at will. 3) You're right, Tiny Clark. Except in slow city driving (like this morning) when there's not enough air speed to make the deflector efficient.

The one on my Legacy does the same. I've been living with it for three years and no problem. I think it's only the sound of the blade on the dry window reverberated by the hollow hatch door. I've installed a delayed action relay inside the hatch door and on a permanent setting to make it more simple. When I put the wiper to on it gives a swipe every 7 seconds. Seems to be the proper intervall most of the time. Gives the window a chance to get wet before the nest swipe.

alias, you must be doing mainly highway driving or city driving with long uninterrupted stretches OR you have a secret I would dearly like to know. For summer highway driving I get around 8 liters per 100 kilometers and for winter city driving, around 15 liters per 100 kilometers (like I said short distances, at least two very cold starts each day, many stop signs and waiting at red lights, etc.) That's what I'm getting right now and the big colds are not even here yet. Further more i've just got a bottle of carbon cleaner through the gas tank. That's why I'm thinking 02 sensor.

I have no pratical knowledge of eclectrical welding (only have an oxy-acet system.) and volonteer this only because you seem to be out of fresh ideas. Is it possible that using an electrical soldering system (if it's what you used) on the car without grounding it could play havoc on the lectronics of the car? Just a wild idea... :-\