unibrook

It can be easy to lose perspective if Subarus are all you ever drive and work on. You can begin to think your Subaru sux because of the rear bearings, the head gasket horrors, the torque bind etc. So, every now and then, I do some research on competing cars to see if they are really any better or worse. I find Truedelta dot com to be a good resource since it relies not on any industry input, but rather on real owners' experiences. Since the Forester is my appliance of choice, my thoughts often drift to alternatives like the Honda CRV or the Toyota Rav. Today I looked up reported repairs on the 2007 Honda CRV. Lo and behold, lots of repairs of rear diff torque bind came pouring in....and at early mileage too. Sometimes less than 20k miles on them. The first fix attempt seems always to be replacing the rear diff fluid, which often works.

You are due for a front 02 sensor if it has not been replaced yet. Does the misfire/hesitation only occur when car is warm? If so, replace that front 02.

Expect to use a breaker bar to loosen the plugs if they haven't ever been changed.

Do the slow, full lock turns in a parking lot. To see if you are getting any torque bind. If not, then you should suspect wheel bearing(s). my .02

Does misfire only happen when car is warm? If so, has the front oxygen sensor ever been replaced? If not, do that next.

Just a data point, I am not making any recommendation, my 2001 Forester 5MT has 112k miles on her. Haven't replaced the original belt etc yet, but I am going to do it within the next year. Fingers crossed.

If you have all documentation and receipts, and any old parts helps, you should use Small Claims Court to recover your $ from the first shop. It is a fairly easy process, and quite satisfying. I got every penny back from a shop that screwed me on my rear wheel bearings. Then I did what I should have done the first time around...I dug into this awesome website's wealth of knowledge, bought a few tools, and fixed the wheel bearing myself in the driveway.

Could be 2 unrelated things happening. In winter, the squeal at startup could be the power steering belt. That is an easy tightening adjustment in your driveway. Are you noticing it harder to steer at all? If your clutch is staying at floor only when the car is warm/hot, but behaving normally when the car is cold, then a seal is getting old in either the master or the slave cylinder of the clutch system. A mechanically savvy friend can work on that for you, if you don't want to replace it yourself. My car is at the stage where the clutch pedal will do that now ONLY if the car is REALLY HOT....like sitting in summer traffic jam. So, I will fix it this spring.

Ok, ignitor not it. Have you replaced your front Oxygen Sensor yet?

If you have not yet replaced your front oxygen sensor, do that next. The fact that it runs fine when cold, but acts badly when warm is your clue. It is not hard, and your symptoms are exactly what mine were. New front 02 sensor fixed it. My experience below: >> I have a 2001 Forester L with 85k miles on it. I have been chasing an intermittent hesitation under load problem for the past year since 80k miles. Only occurred when engine was warm. The front 02 sensor had been replaced once at 40k miles. I suspected it again this time, but since the only codes thrown had been cyl's 2&4 misfire (p0302 & p0304) I assumed it must be ignition related. So I replaced plugs and wires 8 months ago...no effect. Did the dollar bill test over exhaust pipe, it was fine. Misted the coil, no sparks. I mentally ruled out the fuel filter since it only happened when the engine was warm. Finally, a week ago while cruising on hwy at 65 mph, I felt the hesitation again (I wasn't even accelerating this time) and a new code was thrown....p0172 (bank 1 too rich). AutoZone read it for me, I described the symptoms to the guy and asked if he thought it might be the front 02 sensor. He said, "absolutely." So I decided to replace it next. Cost me $100.75 incl tax for the oem part# 22791aa00a from Cityside Subaru. I asked the Parts guy there if his experience was that this model engine needed a new front 02 sensor every 40k miles. He said, "no, these sensors are good for 100k miles." Well, bullsnot on that. I replaced the new front 02 sensor in 1 hour reaching from the top over the passenger side of the engine using an adjustable wrench. Be sure to use the thread lube so you can get it out easily next time.....after another 40k miles. I took out the air channel assembly first for better access. That seems to be the fix. No further hesitation since. Car runs like new. Replaced on 6/2/7 with 84,922 miles. (Perhaps RockAuto parts Bosch replacement sensor works well? It is cheaper) >>

I am very interested in any solution you decide to try. Please do post as you go.

That is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!

If your original front 02 sensor lasted 135k miles, you did well. Here are my notes for front 02 event: >> My fix turned out to be the front 02 sensor. I have a 2001 Forester L with 85k miles on it. I have been chasing an intermittent hesitation under load problem for the past year since 80k miles. Only occurred when engine was warm. The front 02 sensor had been replaced once at 40k miles. I suspected it again this time, but since the only codes thrown had been cyl's 2&4 misfire (p0302 & p0304) I assumed it must be ignition related. So I replaced plugs and wires 8 months ago...no effect. Did the dollar bill test over exhaust pipe, it was fine. Misted the coil, no sparks. I mentally sort of ruled out the fuel filter since it only happened when the engine was warm. Finally, a week ago while cruising on hwy at 65 mph, I felt the hesitation again (I wasn't even accelerating this time) and a new code was thrown....p0172 (bank 1 too rich). AutoZone read it for me, I described the symptoms to the guy and asked if he thought it might be the front 02 sensor. He said, "absolutely." So I decided to replace it next. Cost me $100.75 incl tax for the oem part# 22791aa00a from Cityside Subaru. I asked the Parts guy there if his experience was that this model engine needed a new front 02 sensor every 40k miles. He said, "no, these sensors are good for 100k miles." Well, bullsnot on that. I replaced the new front 02 sensor in 1 hour reaching from the top over the passenger side of the engine using an adjustable wrench. Be sure to use the thread lube so you can get it out easily next time.....after another 40k miles. I took out the air channel assembly first for better access. That seems to be the fix. No further hesitation since. Car runs like new. Replaced on 6/2/7 with 84,922 miles. >>

I would get the car warm enough to exhibit the symptoms, go to a parking lot, let gf drive slowly in tight circles to exhibit the bind, you stand outside the car to observe VERY closely to see if it is ONLY the front wheels that are binding, or ONLY the rear wheels, or BOTH. If only the front: your front diff is the problem. If only the rear: your center diff is probably the problem (since the rear diff hardly ever fails. But you might want to go ahead and change the rear diff fluid anyway, since the mileage is so high....can't hurt) If both: then I would guess it is your center diff going bad.

It fixed mine. Luckily, before my axles/CV joints got wrecked. The old fluid loses its viscosity as it ages, so when it heats up it goes into locked mode...which in turn gives you that diff bind wheel grabbing pavement effect. New fluid stays viscous when warm, so the differential can do its job. The fact that the OP said this only happens when the car is warm, not cold, implies it is a diff problem....not an axle problem. Now the question is, which differential? To the OP, when did you change out your front diff fluid? Was it before putting in a new set of axles....or only since the last set? Is the binding ONLY happening to the front wheels....or also possibly to the rear wheels? (if also, or only to the rear wheels, and you have already changed your front diff fluid, then I am getting the nasty feeling that it might be your center diff that has gone bad. That is a more expensive fix. That is why it is always good to start with the cheap easy fix attempts first...eg, front diff fluid change)

LISTEN UP amigo. I have already told you what the fix is. I am going to repeat it: CHANGE YOUR FRONT DIFF OIL. DO IT. YOU ARE EXPERIENCING FRONT DIFF BIND......and this in turn is ruining all of those replacement axles you are putting in your car. This binding only happens after your car is warm and has been driven for 15 minutes or more, right????

If your diffs' fluids have never been changed before, expect to have to get on the drain/fill plugs with a 2' breaker bar to get em loose.

Curious to hear more about your lat link bolt. You pulled it out....but did you have to melt the lip of your bushing to get it to budge? I sure did. I replaced bolt and both bushings. Are you going to reuse your bolt and bushings? Are the bushings still frozen to the bolt? Or did you get the bolt to separate from the bushings?

Just to add some info on this topic. 2001 Forester 111,800 miles on her. No symptoms, but decided to change the rear diff gear oil, since I doubt previous owner ever did. Drove car to get it warm. Put rear wheels up on ramps to get swing room to apply about 50 ft-lbs on the .25" breaker bar to loosen the fill and drain plugs...in that order. The old oil came out looking like a caramel milk shake. Lots of fine black metal powder shavings around drain plug magnet. Refilled with .80 qt of Lucas Synthetic 75-90 Gear Oil. $13.80 per quart. You pretty much can't overfill it, since oil will start dribbling out of the fill plug hole when it is full.

Try Cityside Subaru in Belmont, MA. At least ask them for a second opinion.

If your 2-track roads mean you sometimes drag your spashguard in the dirt,mud,gravel etc.....then I would not employ the Fumoto. I have a 2001 Forester with 111,000 miles on her. I have been using the Fumoto for the last 4 yrs and I love it. But the worst she sees is deep snow and ice chunx in the city.

That sort of slide hammer setup is also what I used to pound the outer race of the old bearing out of the knuckle. That was a beeeeeeyatch of a job. The rest went fairly smoothly. You can PM me for my writeup and step by step guide if you want it.

I had my wife drive around while I climbed in the far back area of the car and put my ear near each wheel well. If your bearing is loud enough, you will know which one it is by this method. Since you are in rust belt, the lateral link bolt will likely be frozen to its bushings....replacing this bolt and bushings will be your first order of bidness.

If your front 02 sensor has not been replaced in the last 40k miles, replace that also. Was that your original timing belt?

PM me if you want me to email you complete step by step guide to RnR rear wheel bearing in 2001 Forester. This method is for HF or similar HubTamer tool.