SVX_commuter

Thanks for all your opinions The dealer is asking $3500 and I'll have to see how low he will go. I think I'll have it checked out by the local Suby dealer for combustion gas in the radiator and the $100 used car check out before I close the deal. Thanks John

So ah you wouldn't even T H I N K about this from what you know about Foresters or the 2.5L Right?

Hey 75subie The engine block assy is new and the tranny/clutch is new so I don't follow what you say here other than Foresters have have higher repair cost as time goes on. BUT these are the major components and the engine should be good for at least another 60K and the tranny for another 150k or so. I nevr know about the gas milaeage though.......until I drive it. that could be a problem too. Are you saying that most people would stay away from this Forester?

Thanks for the quick replies !! I want to hold off on what the lot wants until I get a few more replies. The Forester has not been hit the best I can tell. I am still trying to get someone to check on carfax just to confirm. It is being sold because the people that owned it got new jobs across the country and left the area after selling the car to this dealer. Any thoughts on the heads/cams with 195K miles ? Not much experience in this area and maybe this is leading the pack in 2.5L mileage.

Hi I need some help if possible. I am looking at used 5spd 1998 Forester L with the 2.5L engine. It has 195,000 miles on it. Roughly about 21,667 /year and 60miles per day I just don’t know that much about the 2.5L engines. Does this have roller rockers on the cam shafts? The vehicle has had extensive work done it. The head gaskets and heads were redone in June 03 Then again with a new engine block assembly in Aug 03 A new trans and clutch was done about 10k miles ago A new CAT at some point New rear struts Good tires but not for snow I need new ones for the winter There has been lots of work done but I don’t have the details. I can't see any bad rust on it top or bottom even though it's in a salted road area. So I want an opinion on the heads that have 195,000 miles on them. Do the cams hold up on these engines? I also can’t tell if the water pump, oil pump and T-belt have been replaced recently. Does the t-belt have to be changed at 60K or can let it go for awhile? Anything else that would fall apart with this high mileage? I am tryingto come with reasons for the dealer to drop the price more. Radiator ? Wheel bearings ? Since 2003 it has had over $8500 dollars done in work.......... How much would you pay for this? It's RED the color is red. Drives quiet and has that computer weather center in it. Was that standard for this year and model. I am in trouble because I would buy just for that !!!!! It drives good and looks good. Thanks for your input !!! Life is good, John

Oh we got this 94 1.8L Impreza LS. My wife loves the car causes it got a tan interior. Not like all those gray interiors Subaru loves to use. Well anyway, sometimes it will not start in Park. If it is put into neutral it will start most of the time. Well except today that trick did not work. Sometimes it will start in Park if it is just left to sit a little while. Is this the neutral switch? Where is this thing? Is it cleanable or adjustable? I have a similar problem with my 92 SVX and the last few times it would not start in neutral unless I turned off the headlights. Gets me thinking it is not the neutral switch unless it is shorting out......... Take care, John

I am looking at 1994 LS Legacy wagon. It looks really good, low mileage 81k But it does have the air shocks....... Anybody know how much it will cost to replace them with springs? Is the air suspension reliable? Any air suspension lovers out there?

A better link is here: http://www.pureoil.com/smartlink/?partnum=PL14612 Says: Purolator PureONE - TOP RANKED in SAE Tests PureONE is the cheapest insurance available for your car today. Does it make sense to spend hundreds, or thousands, of dollars on automobile insurance each year, and then turn around and save a buck or two by purchasing an oil filter with less quality? PureONE offers several advantages over leading filter brands: Filtration Efficiency: PureONE is clearly superior to all other leading brands. With its exclusive MICRONIC® filtration system, PureONE captures 98% of all contaminants as measured by the Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) #J806 Multiple Pass Test. More pleats: Provide more filter surface area to prevent oil restriction and allow an added measure of engine protection. Silicone anti-drainback valve: Retains oil in the filter providing quick lubrication to vital engine parts at start-up. (On models as required by the manufacturer.) PTFE coated sealing gasket: Reduces friction to assist in removal of the filter. Then there is this from: http://home.comcast.net/~robertivy/oilfilterstudy.htm All of this information can be a bit overwhelming. When it comes down to it, all of the lower-priced filters ($5 or below) have their ups and downs. In reality, there are only four different manufacturers available. Here are the low-cost filters that I feel safe using, based on all this information (in alphabetical order): AC Delco, Purolator, and Wix. Here are my reasons for each: I like the deep pleats of the AC Delco's filter element and the fact that it is not weak like the Champion. I also like the way that the anti-drainback valve diaphragm makes a positive seal to the filter cartridge and to the bypass valve, which sort of "snaps" into the diaphragm. The fact that the bypass valve seats against the backplate metal-to-metal is not a big deal. It probably doesn't leak anyway, but if it does, only clean oil can get back into the pan. In case you haven't noticed, I like this filter. :-) It is the best filter that you can buy for $3. The Purolator is a very solid design. It seems to have the toughest paper filter element of them all and the bypass valve is built right into the cartridge. There are no internal sealing problems with this filter at all. I wish the inner diameter of the cartridge was smaller so that the pleats could be fewer and deeper. The Premium Plus version looks like it flows fine, but the Pure One or Motorcraft versions seem to be packed a bit too tightly. That assembly string still bothers me somewhat, but not enough to avoid these well-made filters completely. My '88 Shadow ES (as of 2/24/99) has a Purolator Premium Plus in it right now. I plan to cut it open and see how it holds up at the next oil change. I don't care for the Champion filters. The filter elements are way too fragile to give me much confidence in them. That, along with the rusty backplates, makes me shy away from them. Some decent filter material and a little oil used during assembly would make this into a fine filter. Like the Purolator, I like how the bypass valve is built right into the filter cartridge. This filter has no internal sealing problems, either. Even so, I won't be using them. The Wix filter is a very well made filter. My praise goes to Dana for putting some effort into it. Aside from being a stronger case, it also uses a much better filter element (about the same as the AC Delco). Like the AC Delco, it also has a minor internal sealing problem. In this case, the bypass valve has a metal-to-metal seal to the filter cartridge. It probably doesn't really leak either, but if it did, dirty oil could get to the clean side of the filter. Otherwise it is a good filter. Given the choice between the Wix and the AC Delco, I'd take the AC Delco. The Wix is also about twice the price. If money is no object, I would go with the Mobil 1. Although it has Champion internals, it has a really tough synthetic fiber filter element, which is the Champion's only major downfall. The element is stronger and thicker than the Purolator, but they claim that it flows just as good as paper. As with the other Champion filters, it has no internal sealing problems. The $10 price tag is a bit steep, but it is the best filter you can buy retail. Watch for "Mobil 1 Oil Change" sales, which includes 5 quarts of Mobil 1 synthetic oil and a Mobil 1 filter. Granted, there are probably better filters available through mail order, but I haven't tested those yet... I reserve the right to change my opinion at any time. It could easily change if another filter (or one of the filters I am waiting on) comes around and is better. It should be clear that Mopar filters are really nothing special. Unless you are trying to have a perfect restoration and need that Mopar logo, there is no reason why you should be buying Mopar oil filters. Most of them seem to currently be Purolators or Champions, but that could change at any time. See the AC Delco, Champion, Fram, Purolator, and Wix sections for information on how to identify these manufacturers by looking at the backplate. The tell-tale signs are always there.

The throttle body often collects a lot of carbon right after the throttle plates. All of this carbon build up is from the EGR system. It dumps it right in there. Stalling and low end rpm surging is common. Cleaning out the throttle body will often solve many problems at low rpm's when the throttle plates are almost closed. Take care, John

Driving style is a big factor. I found the temp sensor on my 93 Impreza was a factor even though the sensor didn't throw a code. What about carbon build up on the intake valves? Maybe a throttle stomp with every tank full will blow some carbon out. Isn't this carbon build up a common problem? I also recommend Lubrilon engine treatment. http://www.xcelplus.com/products.htm I think it is good for older high mileage engines. I have used it in 2 cars now with good improvement in mpg. Take care, John

I bought some new oil filters the other day from the dealer. I was told that Subaru was making the filters in Japan now, no more Puro. He said they had some kind of the problem with Puro. The new one does look smaller and comes with that plastic bug cover over the bottom. Is there any tech info on this? Media type, Beta factor, pressure drop I tried to search and came up empty. Endwrench has no tech info Maybe ants were crawling into the filter from Puro:grin:

I did change the split seals the transfer shaft. As I remember i just knocked the whole assembly out of the housing. I have never taken any clutch pack apart BUT I have been told that when the non-metallic layer is GONE the plate will not work. The non-metallic layer on the plate allows for the transfer of energy WITHOUT metal to metal sliding of the rings. That non-metallic layer is pretty thin to start with. I think that Subaru went to great lengths to make the 4EAT engage clutches with a minimal amount of wear. The other problem/indicator i was told about that is common on transmissions that have been overhauled after a complete failure is grooves in the splines. The metal part of the clutch plate will sometimes cut grooves in the splines. This happens when the clutch plate does not spin and the spline does. The grooves can sort of interfer with the axial sliding of the clutch pack. All the clutch packs have axial clearance when not engaged. Without this clearance the packs would be locked all the time. The splines I could see on my SVX had some shallow grooves that took place after the teeth on the plates had worn. Picture of the transfer valve is in the link below. http://www.subaru-svx.net/photos/files/svx_commuter/10783.jpg Take care, John

I did this a few years ago on my SVX. Dropped the back of the trans off and replaced the Duty C. My car had no rear wheel drive. I worked under the car and everything went well. It took some time to get the clutch plates lined up so that the back end would go back on. I had to hold up the drive propeller shaft on the tran spline and rock back and forth while pushing the housing on. I was tired when I got done with THAT! I think it took about 1/2 hour. Everything was okay. I did that when it had about 130k on it. Now it has about 306k on it.

The insert sounds reasonable to me. You might also try some PB Blaster to loosen up corrosion in the threads.

I bought the ScanGauge2 and have it hooked up in my97 Astro. NOT a Subaru but it is all wheel drive. All my Suby's are OBD1....... ANybody got a way to get OBD1 to read on an OBD2 ScanGauge2????? Thanks

Oh I think you may not have to wait too long for OBD III. I sense that manufactuers will want to make a change soon to force everyone into NEW diagonistic equipment just to make some money for the stock holders. This of course will be a set back for the DIY people as well as the engine tuners. Well then again maybe not. The OEM's arn't going to make that much off this kind of a change for the investers because the OEM's don't sell the scanners!!!!! It would have to be a OBD III with a special lock code that only dealers and inspection stations can read. Then they could sell high priced scanners. Well that may that won't work as well. There are so many scanner companies now that the codes would be cracked. Heck we will most likely run out of gas in the not too distant future or not be able to afford the high priced stuff and so then the age of fun driving may be coming to a close. Drive it like you stole while you CAN ! ! ! !

I like the new filters. I think there is less pressure drop thru the filter. The front seals in my cars have been leaking less since I started to use the new ones. The size really doe not matter. It is what the filter element is made out of and how fine a filtration is done. Also the pressure drop thru the filter. The holes that you see in the bottom of the filter also effect the pressure drop. More hole area is less pressure drop epecialty whne it's cold out. That filter just sits out there in the freezing air.

Thanks for the replies! I will keep this thread active for awhile as I wnat to see if anybody else has an idea. I want to try some modifications to improve fuel ecconomy and I want to use the OBDI cars since they cost less. That way I burn something up it won't be a big loss. They make the Scan Gauge II for OBDII cars...... but that's going to fit my Subaru. Very nice little programable meter, volts, rpm, mpg and more. http://www.scangauge.com/ Maybe I should just get an OBDII Subaru

If you got a weekend to try something consider K&W Block Seal from CRC. I have spoken with a few people that say this works. It would cost you maybe $100 dollars for everything and some time. Now I know that some people would never try this approach but i thought it was worth mentioning. Take care, John

I had a 91 AWD Legacy wagon when it got to 230k miles it stsrted to stall when shifting from P to D. The torque converter was locked up for some reason. I gave the car to a friend and he drove it for another year. Now he's going to run it in a demolishon derby!!!! Well any way I have had good response to AT problem with Lucas AT additive. When I change the ATF I always drop the pan, pull the pipe, remove the filter, clean the filter, clean the magnet. I do this evry 30k miles on my AT cars. Seems to work well:) This way i get to see if there is anything in the filter and how much 'fuzz" is on the magnet. Take care, John

Hello All, Well I have been trying to find something for my Subaru's that I can hook up to the ECU and get mpg's. You know? A little meter that will let me read mpg when I am driving. Does anybody know where to buy one of these?

Yes it is illegal in my state too. I have noticed an effect on coasting when a relatively simple mod is done. This is done by disconnecting the dropping resistor for the transmission line pressure. The tranmission does not allow engine braking to occur when this resistor is disconnected. This will allow the car to "free wheel" down the hills. So the car would not be coasting in nuetral for this "modification". Is there any other problems besides the power light (TCU) blinking all the time at start-up and the line pressure from the ATF pump at maximum all the time?

Yes I have heard that also, less gas with the throttle plates closed. What do you think about the engine braking effect? If this is true then the ECU must somehow figure out the engine is used being used for braking and tries to cut the gas to help it slow down. I wish I had a scan-gauge that measured mpg for car but it won't work on a 92. It would be an easy way to check on this.

Has anybody with 4WD auto ever coasted in neutral with the engine running? What do you think of this? Will it damage the transmission? Take care, John

I had a problem with the steering on my SVX. It would be jerky/hard turning the steering wheel and the steering wheel would not come back to center after the turn. I put in a bottle of Lucas PS additive and it went away in a week. I had about 180k miles on it at the time.