H6 any good?

[Gnuman]

the 3.0 H6 is only available in the L.L. Bean Outback and the B9 Tribeca at this time. Unless, that is, you want to do your own swap. . .

[cookie]

fuel prices in places like New Zealand are also high due to transportation of the fuel.

I agree we have done a poor job of public transportation in this country due to geograpic problems and the development of the Model T Ford.

In your area I am sure the car is your only option.

But if I recall the subject was are H6s any good and just to keep a bit on topic I think they are. Personally I like timing chains better than belts and I think the H6 goes back to a bore spacing that makes sealing the head s less of a challenge. I just wish they would lower the compression a bit and then the dang thing would probably be bullet proof and take regular gas. The folks who want more power would probably not be happy though.

[Smpol19]

I belive the H6 is only availble with an auto trany also

[Gnuman]

I belive the H6 is only availble with an auto trany also

True. Subaru has yet to offer a 6 with a manual tranny.

[mikem]

3.0h6 is also available in a 06 outback wagon 3.0R version. Got one last week.

[Milz]

I purchased a 2002 Outback LLBean H6 with 59,000 miles on it.

I Love this car. I have owned many 6 cyl engined cars and this one is very strong (even though it is only 212 HP) and up there with the best.

 

I have nad no problems (knock on wood) and would definately keep buying Subaru.

 

Just one wierd thing to mention: when I floor the gas, there is a slight lag before the engine responds. Once it does it becomes very fast very quickly. Is this just my car or is the computer trying to figure out which wheels have the best traction? Also, if I am driving easy and the car shifts into second but then I want to pass, I will floor the pedal but the engine will not downshift back into first even if the Revs are still relatively low. This is very annoying because I have to wait for the R's to spin before getting the pick-up I'm looking for.

 

Anyone else notice this. Is it just my car. Is there a fix?

 

Later guys,

Milz

[blitz]

Anyone else notice this. Is it just my car. Is there a fix?

From what I've been able to observe, Subaru seems to always have problems getting their ECU & TCU software correct.

 

There's always something buggy about the auto-trans or the ignition advance, etc. - something that affects driveability.

 

Sometimes the dealer will perform a re-flash as part of a "hidden TSB", but you need to research your specific case in order to find whether or not the TSB exists.

[rocksnap]

I have on 01' LL Bean with the 3.0 H-6, 81,000 miles on it. This is my first Subi. I bought it from a dealer 2 hours away with a 30 day/1000 mile "Lemon Law" warrantee. Well, I only drove it a couple days when it started to develop some engine noise at 2100 +- 200 RPM. Initial diagnosis from an independant 16 year Subaru mechanic is one of the two cam chain tensioners (one for each side/cylinder bank). I have it at a local Subaru dealer for additional diagnosis. If this is correct I hope the selling dealer will let the local dealer do the work. I am told it is no small job. Much of the front of the engine has to be disassembled to reach the chain tensioner. I am hoping this is an isolated problem. The H-6 hasn't been around long enough to have a track record/history. Wish me luck.

[cookie]

tensioners seem to be the main problem on OHC engines. At around 150,000 miles some BMWs start to develop noise and the cure is usually a new tensioner. On some engines they are easy, mine has two, one easy, one hard.

I had three cams in my last Mercedes and two tensioners in about 300,000 miles. One thing that seems to kill hydraulic tensioners early like hydraulic lifters, is not keeping the oil changed. They sure don't like little bits of sludge.

[nipper]

I had a nissan with a timing chain that had the same issue. It is theirr weak link. They are trying to make an automatic adjustment on the chain.

For what it is worth, when i did some research on this engine, it had good reviews. They did warn that to change the timing chain, that 86 bolts had to be removed to do it.

 

nipper

[cookie]

good lord. I thought Mercedes was bolt happy but I don't think even German engineers could have used that many.

[rocksnap]

Follow up to my cam chain tensioner noise a few posts back. I have a 2001 Outback LL Bean H-6 which I just bought used at 81,000 miles. A few days after purchase the tensioner WAS making the noise. Thankfully, the dealer did repair it under my 1 month, 1 thousand mile warrantee all at no charge! There was a long parts list involved though I don't know what it would cost. I told them to replace the water pump as preventive maintenance since I figured it would be small potato's labor wise to do so. Well, they didn't replace it. I was told there was much more involved for the water pump. Much more engine disasembly involved if not engine removial! Tell me it isn't so. I pray I don't EVER have to replace the water pump.

[bugite]

I've had my 03 beanmobile4 months pulled a light trailer w/a harley on and got 26mpg doing 75-80 using premium gas only once.most of the time I use reg. I don't notice any diff. I think it gets better milage than my 99 impreza 5 speed stick..??

I drive an '03 Outback VDC. I average about 25mpg driving highway and city about 50/50. Like Cookie said, the downside is the cost of premium gas. I can only get 91 in Colorado Springs. Don't know if 93 would make a difference!