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laegion

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Posts posted by laegion

  1. 7 hours ago, moosens said:

    Well I can appreciate all that but ya know I’m kind of old and been around the block , but thank you. 
     

    I realize I asked a noob question. Please keep in mind I’m not a new guy at all. Just presented with a new issue or what I thought was one. 
     

    For sure I’ll get the best axle , install it myself like I have for decades , and take care of whatever I can. Right now I’m pressed for time and have various health issues , etc etc etc 

    Thanks 

     

    Sorry, I'm not trying to talk down to your anything; just relating my own experience with these kinds of "diagnoses" at tires stores.
    If it's something you already know then feel free to ignore me, I suppose.


    I guess I don't see the point in not just putting on a new boot if you have to take the thing out anyway...an extra 30 min to repack with grease and put on a new boot will save a whole lot of money.

    • Like 1
  2. 13 hours ago, moosens said:

    Holy cow , I’ve got to go back and read some here but to the guy a couple posts up , No they did not diagnose a bad axle from the worn tire. 
     

    Have to check the paperwork but I’m pretty sure it was a worn boot. Will verify. 

    Boots are definitely replaceable without replacing the entire axle. It does require removing and disassembling an axle, and it will need to be repacked with fresh grease as it's probably started leaking out; but if you catch it before serious wear has happened, then it definitely is not necessary to replace the entire axle. It's just a way for a shop to sell you a part you don't need that will keep wearing out over and over so they can keep you coming back; because the aftermarket axle they would likely put in is no where near as durable as the OEM Subaru axle.
    It's like when Les Schwab tried to tell me they had to replace my entire lower control arm just to change a ball-joint, and I told them there was no way they were putting some junk, likely non-boxed control arm on my car, just to put some cheap junk ball-joint in. Then I went and changed my ball joint at home in about an hour. lol

  3. 2 hours ago, moosens said:

    Ahh , but it was just in the air and supposedly being aligned by a professional. So I’d expect a report from that fellow. 

    Yeah that’s why I’m asking what seems like a silly question. Nothing else is reported “out” or worn enough other than that axle. 

    Well, an alignment professional is not necessarily an automotive diagnostic tech...generally they are just trained for what they do. It of course depends on where you're having the alignment done. Here in the PNW we have a "big-box" tire store called Les Schwab Tires...and their alignment techs, and tire people are not certified or trained on really anything other than what they do (and even that is highly questionable in my experience). They've failed to try to even up-sell me on ball joints with obviously ripped boots, and other really obvious issues I would think they would have noticed...so I'd take their advice with a grain of salt.

    What was it specifically that they identified on the axle that made them recommend replacement? Based on the un-even wear on the tire? If that's all they were going on; I'd be extremely skeptical because there are many other things that would cause this such as ball-joint, wheel bearing, bent components from hitting a curb, worn bushings, worn strut, etc.

  4. 9 hours ago, moosens said:

    No it doesn’t have the usual clicking. 
     

    I do my own axles and most repairs. I’ll seek an axle from the dealer , I know all that , thanks very much though. 
     

    Wife’s car , I hardly touch this one except when it needs attention. 
     

    What scares me most is the steering wheel doesn’t also shake left to right a little when braking anything more than soft braking. 

     

     

    The best way to tell is to get it up on a lift or jackstands and see if the wheel feels loose even when the lugnuts are tight. It sounds either like a wheel bearing or a ball-joint, it's possible the axle could cause the shaking; but unlikely especially if you haven't noticed it making any other noise. The axles on these cars last a long time if the boots are promptly replaced when ripped and they are re-packed when they first start making noise.

    I'm sure others with more specific knowledge will also reply with some ideas. I'm certainly not the definitive expert; but the way the axles work on these, there isn't a way for a worn axle to effect camber, that has to be something in the hub or suspension.

    • Like 1
  5. No, but a bad bearing could.
    I don't know that I would change the axle based on those recommendations. Definitely don't let them replace it with an after market part. Only genuine subaru axles. More than likely with new boots and repacked with grease it will be fine. Unless you're experiencing a lot of loud ticking noises from the axle when turning...

  6. 1 hour ago, el_freddo said:

    I don’t see rust causing slip issues, if anything some rust in there (while it lasts) will provide extra friction and extra belt wear. 

    It’s an interesting situation. My sister’s Gen3 RX is apparently doing the same thing, but it doesn’t seem to be as full on as what you’re describing - yet. 

    Cheers 

    Bennie

    Yeah, but roughness and friction aren't the same thing. A surface pock-marked with rust is not the surface the belt was designed to adhere to. Rubber tends to have more friction with smooth metal than a rough grainy surface that crumbles off and contaminates the belt. Of course it depends on the amount of rust...

  7. 6 hours ago, idosubaru said:

    Nice, thanks for posting. Used or an alternate option is the only source I guess. 

    I found a few sources that say they have them in stock but they are not in the U.S....


    https://www.amayama.com/en/part/subaru/13256aa030

    https://partsouq.com/en/search/all?q=13256AA030

    The shipping isn't great but they "appear" available. This seems like it was actually a common part used in all the earlier EJ engines.

    • Like 1
  8. 2 hours ago, idosubaru said:

    Do some have a policy that they warranty DIY installs? I’ve never seen a JDM engine supplier that, as an official policy, will warranty a DIY install.  If an employee says it via email or phone that they will, that adhoc comment for expediency to make the sale may not stand in the event a warranty claim if it’s counter to policy.  And if you have a some kind of repoire with them, you may get warranty replacement without proof of their requirements. But usually their *official policy* (though it’s not always followed) is no warranty for DIY install.

    Ive seen various damaged connectors due to their exposure during shipping. Newer engines are worse with all their oil solenoids, vacuum pumps, etc. I just splice in from engine being replaced. Easy. 

    I’d look for it like you said but I wouldnt rule every engine out without a compression test. Def worth doing but statistically it’s a low enough chance I would still buy it if there’s other compelling reasons to do so. 

     

    I don't believe I have seen any that specifically mention DIY installs but I have seen where they didn't specify that it had to be an A.S.E. certified mechanic who installed the engine to get a warranty. They just stated the warranty policy and didn't mention it. I went with one of the former because the engine was a few hundred cheaper...and I regret it.
    However it's possible I just missed the fine print somewhere. I also wish I had purchased through ebay as they give an additional layer of protection and then even another through paypal...

    I'm just a bit sour on my own JDM swap...

  9. On 5/19/2022 at 4:08 AM, heartless said:

    not necessarily.  that would kind of depend on just how sloppy the joints are and where....
    an inner joint is not going to make any noises when turning, but can cause vibrations. in fact, vibrations are typically caused by the inner joints, not the outer

    so yeah, axles are very much suspect here.

    While that would cause vibration, I don't think it would cause the wheel to shake since it isn't a vibration at the wheel hub. I can't imagine that the inside cups would be that worn without the outers being so sloppy that they made noise even when not turning corners; but I suppose someone could have re-packed the outer cups without re-packing the inner cups...but like I said earlier there would have been ample warning and other noises and vibrations well before the wear on the inner cups got that bad...I would think
    Wheel "shaking" as the OP says it is usually something in the steering or tires, at least in my experience; but I'm just an amateur mechanic; so there is plenty of stuff outside of my experience.

  10. 21 hours ago, Skizix67 said:

    Need a new engine "09 OB w 2.5L SOHC.  Hard to find & High$.  Looking @ JDM engines from Japan.  Anyone used them?

    I have...and I definitely have some advice.
    Make sure you buy from an importer who doesn't require the engine to be put in by a mechanic to have a valid warranty. #1 most important. Make sure they do compression tests and ask for the results.
    If you go that route plan to swap your intake over to the new motor. I wouldn't worry about wiring necessarily unless they cut wires on the engine side as with the lower mileage they are likely in better condition than original. However many will go with the intake anyway.
    If you are not sure what kind of issue your engine is having and it is possible it's a fuel delivery issue. Then buy some remanufactured/cleaned and flowmatched injectors and install them. The JDM ones are likely clogged from drying fuel.
    Change the valve cover gaskets and sparkplugs before install.
    Check that the flywheel or flexplate bolts are torqued to spec.
    Plan on doing a full timing belt and water pump.
    Probably not a bad idea to pull the oil pan, inspect for dents, make sure the oil pickup tube seal is good. They are often left sitting on the oil pan for long periods of time and it can be damaged.

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
  11. 1 hour ago, Btcox said:

    Ordered a used throttle body assembly from the UK with TPS and IACV attached so I will try to use those when they get here but I tested both the TPS and IACV yesterday and both test good.

    Removed the IACV and put 12 volts to it. It operates as it should with no binding that I can tell. Might be different under extreme heat but that would be harder to test.

    TPS resistance moves smooth with no jumping. Again could be different under heat but hard to test.

    Cleaned all the grounds under the hood. Car ran good in 70 degree weather for one day, then the following day ran awful at noon when sun was out and temp was in the 80's

    Since I reset the ECU, I have not been able to get another code. I plugged the 2 black wires together, I think those are used for view stored codes and have not been cleared.

    Is there anything else I should replace or anything else I can test/check for to find the issue? Someone at her work mentioned it could be the ECU overheating but I think those are located inside the car under the glovebox which should stay cool being inside the car, so I kinda doubt that but I could be wrong

     

    Have you replaced your PCV valve recently? Does your motor have EGR?

  12. 4 hours ago, Btcox said:

    I think your thinking of the device called a FICD or fast idle control device. That one adjusts the idle up when you turn the AC on

    In the FSM they call it an "Idle Air Control Valve", on parts.subaru.com they call it a "fuel injection idle air control valve". It looks like your engine is from the same generation as mine. but I see on parts.subaru.com that on the 1.8 that year it might be bolted into the throttle body on the drivers side.

     

    Looks like Subaru doesn't make them anymore.

     

    https://parts.subaru.com/a/Subaru_1995_Impreza-18L-AT-4WD-LE-Wagon/49232519__6030161/THROTTLE-CHAMBER/G10-063-05.html#22650

    Of course this could be different for yours...but this is the closest to your model that I could get on this site.

  13. 11 hours ago, heartless said:

    actually, crap axles can, will, and have caused symptoms like this... 
    and as for it not happening right away.. i can see that happening with crap axles... chilly at night, grease in the joints gets stiff... initial driving the grease is still stiff so joints are not sloppy, but slowly warms up, allowing any excess movement in the joints to become noticeable. makes perfect sense to someone that has had it happen.

    bad tires (out of round) is possible, but i dont see that not showing right away...

    definitely have bushings, tie rod ends, etc looked at.. and yeah.. have the mechanic show you specifically what the problem is before having things replaced.

    I'm definitely not saying that axles can't be the issue; but you would see other symptoms such as noise when turning with the wheel at either lock. The same with brakes, the vibration would be unlikely to be the only symptom.

  14. 4 hours ago, rockymountainmama said:

    Hi there,

    I have a '99 Forester with 202k miles. The steering wheel shakes when driving at higher speeds, like above 55 mph. Mechanic has already replaced the front axles on both sides and also all 4 brake rotors (although I think this was not a solution for the problem, since the symptom did not occur during braking.) I also had the tires balanced and rotated, then balanced again. Another clue is that it doesn't happen right away; I must be driving for about 20 minutes for this to occur, like perhaps the car or whatever part affected must be warm. Seems to be worse going downhill, and possibly when foot is on neither the brake nor the gas pedal.

    Any ideas of what could be occurring here?

    Car is a gem otherwise.

    Thank you!

    I don't think axles and brakes would cause a problem like this without other noticeable symptoms pointing to one of those. 

    Is there any noticeable shaking at really low speeds like under 10mph? It may not show up as vibration but as a gentle swaying of the steering wheel at very low speeds. I had something similar happen with my '95 Legacy and it ended up being defective tires with steel belts that had snapped. The tire store wanted to try everything else including axles and I told them NO, they just didn't want to replace my tires under warranty. They tried balancing them and rotating them several times and it never helped because with defective belts the tire wasn't even completely round anymore...It's possible this is the issue you have and it doesn't show up until your tires are warmed up? If you drive on a really flat surface in between 5-10mph it will become noticeable if it's a defective tire.

    There are other things like tie-rod ends, steering rack, poor tire alignment, old worn bushings on the steering rack mounts or on the front suspension, etc. that could cause this problem. Make your mechanic prove the part is the issue before charging you for parts that aren't bad...maybe take it to a Subaru or import mechanic, or even a dealer if this mechanic can't figure it out?

  15. I wouldn't recommend spacers, I would go with some different wheels with a different backspacing. Spacers are not the safest thing to have on a car...

    As for lift, the easiest and safest way would be to swap in some 96-99 outback struts as the body of the strut is around 2" taller so you'll get about that much lift from them. However it seems the top strut mounts for the rear are different so you would have to use the original ones from the car mounted on the new struts.

    I did this mod on my '95 Legacy and it's been great.
     

     

  16. 9 hours ago, Btcox said:

    Gotcha, yeah that's a tricky one to find. Might have to just order a throttle body from UK with all the parts on it and see if that works.

    Or see if a US throttle body will fit and install new US parts

    Yours doesn't have the separate iac motor? My '95 Legacy 2.2 has a separate iac unit bolted next to the throttlebody on the passenger side. I'm not familiar with pre obdii ej18 motors though.

  17. 2 hours ago, idosubaru said:

    can you remove another shim?

    Good job checking the clutch. Sounds like the clutch is shot or the AC is fine but you have blend door issues like the controls aren’t fully and nominally moving the blend door mix. I don’t think this is your issue but I don’t want to assume too much via the limitations of online diagnosis!

    Well done removing a shim, slick move.

    I’m not we’ll versed in the AC clutches since they fail so rarely on Subarus and I can usually easily install another compressor with little testing, but I’d assume the improvement means clutch engagement issues that are only partially resolved via the shims. 

    Have you already replaced the compressor?  I’d assume the compressor or clutch needs replaced. 
     

    WAG:  Maybe the compressor or bearings are tight and requires greater than normal exertion to rotate.  This would explain premature clutch wear, why removing shims helped, but didn’t totally solve it, and weak overall compressor performance. 

    No, the clutches just wear, it's normal and removing shims is a common fix. It sounds more like it needs to be completely evacuated and properly charged now that the leaks and compressor clutch issues are fixed. Also, maybe look into the blend door, it seems like, or maybe the flow to the heater core is not being shut off properly when the a/c is turned on...

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