SubeeTed

Thanks for the sensible explanation! If I had heard (read) this the first time I wouldn't have written this thread! My Blood Pressure is better now also! Now I know what to do! Many,Many thanks, SubeeTed

Hi ALL wise Subee owners! OK! I just bought this 1997 GT Wgn. I've found that it has they typical Sun/Moon roof leak! I've just spent a couple of hours trying to fix leak! I'm CLUELESS! I've look at the "leak" threads. I went to the Legacy BBS! Looked at the "Sunroof" threads! Most say if it leaks into the passengers side, as mine does.....then it's the drains! I can't find these drains! Some say that it isn't the drains, but it's the gasket, it wears out! Were is this gasket? Is it the one the surrounds the glass? Mine seems fine! No cracks! ANYONE one have Pictures? there was a link from the Legacy BBS, now it's DEAD! I HAVE not REMOVED HEADLINER! NOT THAT BRAVE! I'm wet and Steamed! SubeeTed!

Hi ALL! OK.....I guess I'm STUPID! SOooooooooo just how do you close this Moon/Sun Roof on my 1997 Leagcy GT, Wgn? Just what does a "Positive" closing look like from inside? When the back of it is tilted up? Just what does it look like outside? Neatly sitting agaist the gasket in back, how about in front? When I first got the car....I heard any air whistle, so I moved the roof, whistle went away! Today it's really raining, Hurricane remenace. I parked the car tilted forward and to the drivers side,....SOAKED the seat! I looked at the manual, only tells you how to close, NOT what it looks like inside when it's really closed!! HELP! Soaked, Stupid, SubeeTEd!!!!!

Hi ALL! I'm about to order Redline MT 90 for my 1997 2.5 GT Legacy Wgn. Just how much do I need to fill the MT, Diff, Xfer case? THX, Ted

HI ALL! I was going to ask the ubiquitous question about installing a K&N air panel filter in my '97 2.5 GT Legacy. I did some snooping around here first. Then I came across that bobistheoilguy.com site suggestion....so I went there. I read alot of stuff about paper vs. cloth. Then I came across something that bothered my intensely! A refrence about the oil a K&N filter uses, and the chance it getting on the MAF sensor and harming it! I get the feeling that replacing a MAF is expensive! I doubt that ANY oil would come off the OEM K&N filter! BUT the first time I used the cleaning and oiling kit!!!! I was going to simply ask if using a K&N air filter would harm anything! I know someone that was told by a dealers service Tech in Hyannis that using anything other than OEM was bad because other manufacturers using different materails, some of witch harm MAF! I thought this was a joke! Now NOT so much of a joke! I had a K&N filter in my Nissan! I liked it! I could tell it was doing "something" simply because I noticed my foot wasn't into the peddle as much going up the same hills I went up on a daily basis. Anyone else here of this OEM air filter only thing? Many thankjs, Subeeted

Hi all! I'm going to change my Dino Oil in my newly acquired '97 Legacy Gt, with it's 2.5 ltr. This is a dealer maintained car. It has 125K miles on it. I'm looking for better fuel milage. I'm going to change the Manual Fluid, Transfer Case and Rear End. So what have people used out there in real life and had succes with? Red Line Manual Tranny Fluid, Royal Purple? And which ID the correct one for my '97 GT? Many thanks, SubeeTed

Hi all! I'm going to change my Dino Oil in my newly acquired '97 Legacy Gt, with it's 2.5 ltr. This is a dealer maintained car. It's always had Castrol GTX 5W-30. It's had it's lower-end replaced about 40K miles ago, by the last owner, the dealer did this work. I'm looking for better fuel milage. So what have people used out there in real life and had succes with? Castol Synthetic, Mobil 1, or that Amsoil that can stay in forever it seems? I do intend to drop in a K & N air filter as well! Many thanks, SubeeTed

This is a GREAT help!

Hi ALL again! I don't yet have a service manual for my '97 Gt legacy wagon. My back lighting for the heater control doesn't work! I assume that the bulb is dead. I don't want to experiment in the removal of the plastic buttons, face plate, etc. So, just what size bulb is it? What do you have to do to get to it? Many, Many, thanks, SubeeTed

Hi ALL! I've been on the phone with a local Subaru ONLY mechanic asking about my EGR flow problem......he suggested that I replace the Transducer, since it can't be tested. I'm going to! ANYHOW! I had him on the phone..... I asked about the 2.5 Phase I Head Gasket problem, he came up with another idea for why that I have not yet heard of......he's saying that is a block casting problem. Something about the water jaccket being too thin, not strong enough. The original HG hasn't made strong enough to handle this casting problem,.....that's why they blow! New one on me! STed

Hi Mr. C, I can't do a "EGR" search! It comes back with "too many replies"! I tried the word "emissions" I don;t get enough specific info! I still need help in this area! Many thanks, STed

Hi ALL again! I did by that 2.5 GT Leagcy Wgn. It's got 123K miles on it. I just came back from MAss inspection. It FAILS the EGR test. Earlier that day I brought it to my mechanic, he reset the OBDII. It said it had an EGR problem. This car has sat around ALOT for 2 months before I bought it! Pine pitch and all! Anyhow, cleared the code, I drove around to do registration stuff, light came back on after about 25 miles or so!!! What to do????? MANY thanks, Ted

Hi! I don't know if you've ever listened to "Click and Clack" the Car Talk Brothers on NPR. They have a website, and a area that recomends local mechanics. Just click below! SubeeTed http://www.cartalk.com/content/mechx/

Hi!THX for the info.....just what is the ICV valve, and how do you clean it? THX, SubeeTEd

Hi ALL again! WELL.......I'm buying that '97 Legacy GT, 5 spd. This vehicle has been dealer maintained thru both owners,I saw the receipts. It has 123K miles on it, 38K on a rebuilt lower end, on Sept '02. With this rebuild....I'm hoping that it received the new 4 layer Head Gaskets, I.E., I HOPE that it's sort of already had it's HG problem taken car of by this lower end rebuild? I have taken it for a hard drive and it seems fine, no hestitations. BUT the check engine light IS on! I was told by owner that it's the front OX sensor. Just what does this one do? Will it SCREW UP the emmisssions test when I go get it done? If so, what part of it? Many. Many thanks. SubeeTEd

Hi ALL! My search for the ever elusive Legacy GT Wgn W/5sp continues. I have sort of found one, it's Black (79K Miles)! This particular dealer is offering an Extended Warranty by GE Capitol. I guess this is one of the few reputable ones! I'm think this might be a way around the inevitable HG explosion! Anyone have any real experience with this program? As of now I don't know what the cost, or the deductibles. Their website is geared towards the sellers of these programs, not the consumer. Many thanks, Ted

Hi ALL! My '92 Loyale is now dead! I'm really searching now for a Gt Wgn! I HATE this 2.5 HG problem! In my search for more info....I stumpled upon the Center For Auto Safety. You lodge a real complaint here, or take the link to NHTSA and lodge a complaint there! In order to make this 2.5 Head Gasket complaint real, in order to get a recall, we have to complain to more of an officail place! This Board IS Great as we all know! But not official enough for SoA to do anything for us! SubeeTed http://www.autosafety.org/autodefects.html http://www.autosafety.org/article.php?did=554&scid=98

Hi ALL! The battle of keeping, not keeping my '92 Loyale, 5 spd wgn goes on. It has 209K miles on it now! It's been using green stuff latetly, running warm on long hills. I replaced the Thermostat, that really didn't do anything. While I was in there I did notice that the Anti was clean. I have NO bubbling in my overflow tank. Just as I pulled in my driveway I get a Green stream, it's leaking (as your standing in front of the car) kinda of in the middle, right of the engine. Were the pump lives I guess. SOooooo what is the going price? Or maybe just the hours it would take for a real mechanic to do? Many thanks again, SuneeTEd

OK! Thank you all for the mother lode of information to be had at this website! This IS the best type of information....Real Life, First Hand! I am in pursuit of replacing my '92 Loyale Wgn with 209K miles on it. It will not pass Mass inspection in Oct. Body gone. I do carpenter stuff, I don't want a truck, trucks usually drive around with a full load of AIR in the bed. Not to mention the lack of gas milage. I like the idea of a GT Wagon. It's sporty enough to make me happy, it still carts my stuff around, I can toss the occasional 2X4 at 8 foot long into it AND be AWD. BUT! I'm finding that these Twin Cam Phase I engines NEED Premium grade fuel. And they don't regulary get 30 MPG. Now the Head Gasket dilemma, or is it debacle! This particular one (GT) I still haven't seen because it's an hour and a half away....and it's white. It's a 1997 GT 2.5 Phase I. It hsa 123K miles on it. Back in Sept of 2002, 38K miles ago. It craked the 4th cylinder. The dealer replaced lower end, short block. SofA covered the parts, owner paid labor. Now the question is....by doing this......I assume it has had new HEAD GASKETS, does this take care of the head gasket problem? Has the 2002 head gasket set improved and done away with the problem? Many thanks again, SubeeTed

Hi all again! I think I just stumpled upon a fact that'll kill my search for an early 2.5 GT(other than the Head Gasket debacle). Is what I'm hearing true? SoA says you HAVE to run 91 Octang, High Test? Is THIS true?? Many thanks, Ted

Hi all again! I've been looking through the board and finding out that getting 28-30 MPG is a myth. If look at the EPA milage! Has anyone here REALLY try to pull ALL the milage they can? As in: Amsoil in the crank case. Synthetics in the manual transmission, differential, transfer case, rear diff? AND a K&N filter? Also putting a couple of more lbs of air in the tires? SubeeTed

This IS the second quetion I asked him after he didn't answer my first questions about Phase I engines!: The following message was received by SOAMail: Hi John. Thanks for the reply. From what I understand the situation you describe below is only in refrence to Phae II engines. I'm looking into a car the a Phase I engine. What is the difficulty with this head gasket situation? Many thanks, Ted This is his reply!: Hello Ted: I apologize for not responding to your question correctly. As you can imagine, most questions about head gaskets have been in regards to this Service Program. As for Phase I engines, we are not aware of any recurring problem with the head gaskets in these models, which is why we do not have a Service Program for them. Thanks for the opportunity to be of assistance. If you need any future assistance, please feel free to contact us again. Best wishes, John J. Mergen Subaru of America, Inc.

My original Email: "Hi! I hope you can give me a definitive answer about these Phase I engine head gasket problems? I'm looking into buying a used Legacy Gt, they all have these Phase I engines. Just what IS the problem? Is it simple the head gaskets themselves that blow? Are there bad heads, that make the gaskets go? Are the blocks that these heads and gaskets are sitting on are bad? I hope you can give me an experienced answer!" Subaru of America reply: Thank you for visiting the Subaru Web site and for your interest in Subaru products! We appreciate you taking the time to contact us. The WWP-99 Engine Cooling System Conditioner is a service program (not a recall.) In short, Subaru has determined that over time, affected vehicles may develop small external coolant leaks at engine cylinder head gaskets. This is the result of normal expansion and contraction of engine components caused by the heating and cooling of these parts. To prevent cylinder head gasket leaks from developing or to correct existing leaks, a special Subaru Cooling System Conditioner should be added to affected vehicle cooling systems. If you opt to purchase a vehicle affected by this program, you simply need to contact your local Subaru dealership to schedule this service at no cost to you. I hope this information is helpful to you, but should you have further questions, please let me know and I'll do my best to assist you further. Best Wishes, John J. Mergen Subaru of America, Inc.

Well.......my '92 Loyale Wgn (209K miles), MT, front drive only AND running warm/hot. has been getting around 32-33 MPG. This IS scaring me! It must be ready to blow! My A/C doesn't so I don't use it. I don't have the heater motor on. There's more daylight, not running lights. Less load on the motor. As I said in the other old Subee forum, I had a little 50 mile trip to Albany, Ny a few weeks ago, it's hilly, long type of hills. It was running hot, about 3 or 4 needles from the dreaded REd Hot area. I checked my fluids the next day. It consumed alot of oil, about a quart. I really don't know if it did it in this one trip, it had been a while I last checked. It also need a little more fluid in the over flow tank for the anti freeze. I have been running ( about 2 years)Lucas Oil treatment to try and get rid of that knock at about 3,200 to 3.700 rpm (when it's warm outside). I have only used about 10% ratio. Well I didn't add just oil when I topped it off, I added ONLY Lucas! It's about to do this MPG again. This is only local driving, no highway! It must be ready to blow!! I'm said to read about Legacy 2.5's getting these poor MPG's. I've been thinking about getting (finding) a GT Wgn. I don't know if I could liv with 22 Mpg!!! Damn, SubeeTEd

So I'm looking into this 97 Gt with a 2.5 that has had it's "Short Block" replaced by the dealer. One of the cyclinders cracked. It is a dealer maintaned Gt. It has 123K miles on it. The work was done in Sept. 2002, 38K miles ago. Does having the short block replaced remove the head gasket problem from this phase I 2.5? IS this what cause it, simply a bad gasket? Or IS it really the heads that make it blow!? Or does replacing the short block remove the problem?? If the head gasket goes,.... just how much $ are we looking at? Is the whole engine yanked? As in you might as well put a NEW clutch, oil pump, timing belt ETC.?? Any experienced answeres out there??? MANY, Many thanks, SubeeTEd