Commuter

True to a point. The 180 degree "V" (flat, horizontal) does provide a cancellation of certain vibrations, since they oppose each other. (I couldn't tell you which mode or harmonic, since I'm not that up on it.) But, the 2 banks of cylinders are offset. The pistons are not directly across from each other. So there is still a vibration mode. (I believe it would be one that would want to 'twist' the engine about a vertical axis, as oppose to 'rocking' it.) My guess would be engine mounts as well. They are probably worn / hardened / aged. When I had the engine work done on my 97 OB over 2 years ago, I had them put in the newer liquid filled mounts. It helped to dampen a slight vibration that I got after putting a lightweight crank pulley on. There's another thought for you. Crank pulley. But I can't say I've ever heard of one going bad (in this sense). Commuter

The wiring harness might have the wire and connector for heated seats, but I would be very surprised if the seat element existed. If it did, then the feature would exist, right? (Ok, might need the switches too.) As was said, getting the entire seat might be the easiest solution. Commuter

That's an oddball Forester if it has a DOHC engine in it. But it could be. The Impreza platform, which includes the Forester, got the Phase II SOHC engine in 1999. The Legacy platform, which includes the Outbacks, got the updated engine in 2000. The front diff dipstick is hard to see. It is right in line with the firewall, and hidden from view by a bunch of thick wire harnesses. You really have to cock your head the right way to see it. At least, that's how it is on my 97 OB. Commuter

When my head gaskets went on my 97 OB, I had an oily sludge / residue in the coolant expansion tank. I assumed it was engine oil, but in hindsight, I think it was merely a byproduct of exhaust gases pushing thru the coolant. I never saw any overheating on the gauge. The oil tested fine. The anti-freeze was not contaminated (except for the sludge). As best as I know, my leak was from combustion chamber into the coolant passages. I caught it early. As I said, no overheating. The expansion tank never overflowed, but it did fill up. And I had the telltale bubbles. Commuter

Sometimes a consumption like this can mean that a valve seal or guide is shot. Oil is getting drawn in thru the valve stem area. It will get burned, and you won't really notice it. The consumption is excessive, but if you consider how many revolutions your engine goes thru in a 1000 miles, this is a mircroscopic drop per rev. (I once read that if you consumed one drop per piston stroke, you'd burn up a quart in about 2 miles!) And... you should not let your oil level drop by 3 quarts before adding! Commuter

There are enough "magnetic metalic" surfaces that wear to matter. Rings, cylinder sleeve, camshaft, crankshaft, tappets, wrist pin, etc. The bearing itself might be non-magnetic, but the part turning against them usually isn't. Trust me, I've cut open enough filters over the past few years now to see what the magnets collect. Commuter

I feel your pain. I have 97 OB. I changed the headgaskets only to find out that a conrod bearing was failing. Then I had to change the block. Other than that, it's been a pretty good car. I now have 410,000 km on it. I just had to do the center diff clutch plates. I believe that Subaru dealt with some weakness in this area in the 98/99 models from what I've heard. But... that could be the next big thing to expect with your car and milage. Otherwise, I've had a couple of wheel bearings go. One tiny, but expensive sensor, and I've changed the O2 sensor. I just recently changed the rear struts; the fronts are still going (surprisingly to me). Other than that, it's been pretty much routine maintenance. I have 150,000 km now on the new block and new head gaskets (2.5 years). Commuter

I posted this almost exactly 2 years ago when a similar question was asked. (A search didn't turn it up. Probably dropped off ezboard back when.) ---------------- I'm surprised that this topic didn't garner more comments. On some boards, this would have ignited a lot of discussion! It's virtually impossible to define a "best" lubricant since the real world throws so many variables at us. Hence, this topic usually ends up as a bunch of people's opinions, experiences, hear say, a bit of (usually suspect) test data thrown in, etc. I've been delving into engine oils to some extent over the past couple of years, ever since I decided to try one of those oils with "special additives". Let's see if I can summarize my findings. In other words, here is my opinion. The quality of the lubricant it important, but probably the more important thing is to "change" the lubricant periodically. If one wants to just stick with low cost dino oil, that's fine. Personally, I'd avoid the "no-name" brands, but other than that, you are probably fine to choose whatever you like. For the engine, change the oil and filter according to the manual and you should be good to go. Make sure you keep within the manufacturer's recommendations for grade and weight as indicated above. People are aware that their engine oil needs regular changing, but many tend to forget about all the other fluids in their car. Many of these "other" fluids only need to be changed every couple of years. It's easy to forget or lose track (unless one is relying on the dealer and their servicing schedule.) Other fluids include transmissions, differentials, brake system, power steering, radiator, perhaps hydraulic clutch, etc. I shake my head when I hear of automatic transmission problems on (say) 8 yo cars. The ATF probably got changed once around the 2 or 3 year mark while still under warranty, then got forgotten about. Owners don't have a clue when the last fluid change was done and blame their car for being a piece of junk because they now have a $1000+ bill for transmission work. (Note - there could be many reasons for transmission problems. I'm just making a point.) If you want to consider synthetic fluids, you are now into another realm. There is much debate regarding synthetics. I'm not going to get into it (much) here except to say that one is probably best to do a little studying, if so inclined. In general, I'd say that they are superior. Can you extend change intervals? Lots of debate here. I'm going to stay out of it for the moment. What brand to chose? I'll leave that up to you. One of the more commonly selected brands is Mobil 1. It is generally regarded as a quality product AND it is readily available. You can find it a Walmart. The ONE place to be wary about the use of synthetic oil is in a manual transmission. A manual transmission has two conflicting needs from the oil. First, it requires lubrication for the bearings and gears (which synthetic provides very well). Second, it needs SOME friction for proper synchromesh unit operation. Synthetic oils can be "too good" and not provide sufficient friction, thus the synchos take longer to do their thing and grinding can result. One oil that supposedly addresses this is the "NS" products from Redline. I consider the oils like Redline, Amsoil and Royal Purple to be in a different class from the "big boys" synthetics. These are smaller companies usually concocting special blends for higher performance. Just keep in mind that "higher performance" may or may not be what you need or want for your daily driver. Some of these oils don't even have the usual industry certifications. (I've seen a lot of discussion about this regarding Amsoil.) Availability is another issue. If you are going to go this route, you have a choice. Become familiar with the products and make an educated decision, or alternately, place your trust in "someone" and accept the outcome. There can be many valid reasons for considering an upgrade of your car’s fluids. Climate, towing, offroading, auto-cross, etc. Each person will have to decide for themselves the “value” that comes with the associated cost. One point I would like to make concerns the engine oil filter. A quality filter can go a long way towards reducing wear on an engine. All indications are that the Subaru Purolator filter is actually a darn good filter. If you want to move a step up, I'd suggest the Purolator PureONE filter. (If you buy a case of 12, you should be able to negotiate anywhere from 25% to 50% off list.) I'm also a fan of the use of oil filter magnets. A one time purchase item. The magnet will capture "any" size of magnetic particle, even those that would flow right through the filter. You can get even more esoteric with lubricants if you want. I've come come across a few people using Motul products. Personally, I'm using SynLube. (Talk about a product that is "out there"! ) The prior point about longevity of the drivetrain vs the rest of the car is a good one. One can go nuts making their drivetrain last virtually forever if they want to, however, the springs will probably be poking out of the seat and the seat will be probably be sinking through the floorboards. A certain "balance" needs to be struck. So chose your lubricants and fluids wisely. Right now, after typing all this, I think my "fluid" of choice is a beer! Commtuer

Service the oil pump. (O-ring and back plate screws.) There are articles on this. You are also getting to an age where the O2 sensor is probably getting weak. You can just let it go if you want. Commuter

Yeah, they are fussy to read. I prefer to read mine after it has sat overnight. My theory - the twists and turns in the tube and the dipstick itself pulls oil up onto the inside of the tube. You pull the dipstick, wipe it off, then reinsert it. As you do, you are smearing oil back on it. More smear as you pull it out to view the level. My ex's 99 Honda Odyssey... If it has sat at all, you can just pull the dipstick, read it a clear as can be, reinsert and done. Wiping not even necessary. Commuter

Perhaps I'm wrong, but I really thought that this was one of those mid model changes that happened. I have to get my car at the dealer tomorrow. I'll try to remember to ask, just to be doubly sure. Heck... just pull one of the bulbs and look at it. You'll get the number that way and be 100% sure. Also, your manual should tell you what the bulb number is. H4 (or 9007, etc) is just a design of bulb. You can't change the design that your car is equipped for (without major alteration). But, many manufacturers make the same design of bulb in different 'flavors'. Regular, high output, HID look, etc etc. Companies such as GE, Osram, Sylvania, a slew of Asian brands, etc. You just need to find one that suits what you are after. Commuter

If I'm not mistaken, you have 9007 bulbs. My 97 OB had the H4 (9003), but Subaru switched in 1998. The H4 bulb will not fit your socket. I'm running Eaglite high output bulbs. The lighting is much improved. Check the midnightmoose website to see if they have a 9007 version. Very good pricing and long life. So far, no trouble with my wiring harness, but after about 3 or 4 years, my connector has started to crumble due to heat. You could put in a wiring harness if you want. I tried to go that route, but the daytime running light system for the Canadian cars messed things up. Some people love the Sylvania Silverstar bulbs. They are the same wattage, but more light output (supposedly). I personally haven't found them to be that much better than a regular H4 bulb. It depends on how much improvement you are looking for. Commuter

This is one thing that I'm not crazy about either. I will be due for a third set of tires soon on my 97 OB and I'm not sure which way I'm going to go. One thought I've had about unidirectional tires is "flipping" them half way through their life. This is an extra cost, but it would get them over to the other side of the car. I don't know if it would be worth doing or not. I guess it would depend on what the wear is looking like after 30 or 40k miles. I've had Michelin X-Ones which I was quite happy with. Not the greatest in snow, but very good otherwise. I got 100,000 miles out mine and there was still tread left. The HydroEdge is the replacement tire. The reports all seem to be very good. The past 3 years, I've run Toyo 800 Ultra. Very similar to the X-Ones in performance. Equal in dry and wet grip, very good in rain, better in slush and snow, bit of road noise at highway speeds. I now have 110k miles on them and still tread left. I haven't been totally happy with them. I've had to fight a slight vibration at highway speeds. They are sensitive to balance, or not quite as 'round' as they should be. Whatever. This tire has been around for a while and I suspect it is due for an update soon. Toyo has excellent warranties. I have no experience to speak of with Bridgestone, except for some very crappy OEM tires on a Civic nearly 20 years ago. I've had some excellent Yokohoma all season tires in the past. I'm not up on their current offerings. But... I've also had a couple of defective tires of theirs as well. One thing you might look for is a tire shop that will allow you to run the tires for 15 or 30 days and 1000 miles (sort of thing) with the option for full return. Personally, I'd feel funny going to return brand new tires, but, there really is no way to "test drive" different tires on your car. Commuter

Do a search. Many of the mid-90's cars have had the starter contacts go over the past few years. Fairly inexpensive part, and not too hard to change out if you are bit mechanically inclined. Common occurance. Commuter

If it only happens at low rpm (600 to 1000) and when you lightly feed it gas, I'd be suspicious of carbon build up. One gets a hesitation, or stumbling, a drop in rpms sometimes. These engines are noted for running rich. A MotorVac fixed mine up. Also, a weak O2 sensor will aggrevate the problem. Things also improved for me when I changed the O2 sensor. Over the counter 'cleaners' will not be strong enough if this is the real problem. With my 97 OB, this came on gradually and slowly got worse. I never actually stalled, but it came close a couple of times. If you have 'not' had any of these symptoms and it just started all of a sudden, then there might be some other issue. Vacuum line leak, failed sensor, something like that. Commuter

I have not used winter tires on my 97 OB, but I have used them on prior cars (Honda Civics) and on my wife's 99 Honda Odyssey. The size on the Odyssey is 225/60/16. I'd be very surprised if going up one notch on the width would give you a problem, but I can't say for certain. You might also find 215/65/16 tires as another alternative. To me, the tread of the Alpine is more wet and ice biased. There is just not that much void area, and that is what is needed for cutting thru slush and snow. I have used Yokohama winter tires in the past and have been very pleased with them. I have a set of 4 Guardex 720's for my wife's vehicle. I think that there is new tire that has replaced this one, but not sure what it is called. The 'microspheres' that they use do keep the tread from being squirmy. (Again, assuming my info is not out of date.) Just one thought for you. Commuter

If you have a "Limited", I highly doubt it. The VDC was only on the top of the line H6 Outback. Do you have the H6 or H4. Also, I thought the that H6 was only introduced in 2001 (but I could be wrong). See www.cars101.com. It can tell you when the models were released. Commuter

I have a connection "challenge" with mine on my 97 OB, but, I'm running higher wattage bulbs. The additional heat causes the collection to loosen. But the plug does not physically work off of the prongs. I have the H4 bulbs. I think you have the 9007s? I've poked a small screwdriver (or file handle tip) into the connector to squeeze the metal connector together. It helps for a while. (Note - I'm not inserting where the male blade connector goes, but outside of the female connector part.) Recently, I've just simply bent the prongs of the bulb a bit. It seems to work. I've considered actually twisting them a little to get even better grip, but I just haven't gotten around to it. I never had any issue when I was running regular wattage bulbs. Commuter

I own a 97 Outback. I bought it at 2 yrs old with 65k km on it. I now have 406k km. It's my first experience with a Subaru. So far, most issues have been relatively minor except for one. I had the head gaskets fail, and then the bottom end failed (conrod bearing, crank end). Head gaskets are common. Bottom end failure is not. As time is bearing out, the 2.5L DOHC Phase I engine is proving to be the weakest engine Subaru has made in many a year. Unfortunately. I haven't heard of too many transmission issues. Some of the late 90's have clutch pack failures in the automatics. Mine is due for replacing. This was mostly 96 and 97 models though I thought. "Chrome" in the oil does not sound good. It suggests that a bearing (surface) is failing somewhere. While tappet noise is a common complaint, I haven't heard of many camshaft related failures in these engines. If you are willing to put a rebuilt engine in the car, I'd suggest dealing with CCR Inc. You get a 3 yr warranty from them. Sorry to hear of so much trouble. It doesn't matter which brand, there will be some lemons. Personally, I will definitely consider Subaru again, but I don't know that I can say that they are at the top of my list. Commuter

I'm not sure what engine you have. There is a great series of articles on www.motor.com (for the 2.2L). Go to the site. Click on Motor Magazine. Click on Articles and Features. Click on Back Issues. Select July 2001 from the list. Click View Articles button. It is under the heading of Foreign service. It goes on thru to Nov 2001. Perhaps this will help you. Commuter PS - I just read the opening couple of paragraphs. The torque on the crank pulley fastener is wrong. It is not 79 ft-lbs. I forget the exact value, but I think it is around 110. There have been prior posts about this.

97 OB. Head gaskets went at 160k miles. I've heard some higher. 180 or 190 I think. Still... there are those that haven't gone out yet, and probably never will. In my case, it never overheated either. I discovered the sludge and bubbles in the coolant expansion bottle. Commuter

Do more checking / investigating as required, but sorry to say, this is all classic Phase I head gasket failure. I first noticed bubbles coming up in my coolant expansion tank. Along with a sludge build up in there. (97 OB) Are you 'pushing' the engine when it happens? Eg - highway driving, hill, towing? Commuter

I've had a K&N panel filter in my 97 OB (same engine) for a few years now. I think I'm coming up on my 4th cleaning, so that would be 4 years. I drive about 60k km a year. No problems to date. And I'm sure I over oiled it the first year. Probably the second year too. When you oil it, spray it lightly, then "wait". If there are white or light pink spots after the oil has absorbed, then spray again. Keep doing this until you have a uniform 'red' color. I then also lightly blot the screen to pick up any droplets that are stuck to the screen, especially on the downstream side of the filter. It only takes about 1/4 or 1/3 of the can of oil. (I think I used half a can the first year!) I hear of reports of increased silica content in the oil for those that use K&N filters via that "bob" site. I have no idea what that means (where it is coming from, what the correlation is, etc.). Most air borne particles that get past the air filter would not survive the combustion chamber. If they do, that particle is not likely to get past the rings. It's mostly a myth that oil gets dirty from air borne "dirt". Keep the paper filter so that you can stick it in for a day if need be while you let the K&N thoroughly dry (after cleaning). I noticed just a tiny bit of extra "zip" from it. I doubt that I'd be able to tell in a blind test though. Commuter

This applies to the Phase II engine only. It won't do much of anything for the internal leaks that develop on the Phase I. Commuter

Another "vote" for whatever / wherever the "Park" sensor is... it is failing to do it's job properly. Sorry, I don't know more than that. Commuter