Lucenut Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Hi all. I have a 98 Legacy L with ~150K miles. I was having torque bind issues, and then put in the FWD fuse and that seems to have cleared up. I'm still thinking of replacing the clutch pack and C solenoid, but in Florida I can live with FWD only. My question is about mileage. I don't keep great track of it, but I don't think I've ever seen better than 23 mpg. Cars.com says: EPA Fuel Economy: City: 0 – 23 Highway: 0 – 30. I suppose with gas being what it is I should try bringing my highway speeds down to 60 rather than 75. At 55-60 mph do you think I could see anywhere near 30 mpg? Any other ideas for mileage? Spark plugs, chips, synthetic oil? Thanks, Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostinthe202 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 The popular responses for bad mpg is to replace your front 02 sensor with one from a dealer. Also, all the usual stuff like being anal about tire pressure and how you drive. Also, clean out your car, if you're carrying around a bunch of crap in the trunk all the time that can affect mileage too. As for your torque bind, using the FWD fuse is a stop-gap measure. I believe it activates a solenoid in the transmission which will eventually wear out if you keep using it then it will need replacing as well as the stuff that already needs replacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucenut Posted May 22, 2008 Author Share Posted May 22, 2008 Great, thanks for the reply. I guess I don't always need golf clubs, a cooler full of beer, and a toolbox with me. I'll look into the O2 sensor. Any ideas where to order the clutch pack and solenoid parts online? Greg The popular responses for bad mpg is to replace your front 02 sensor with one from a dealer. Also, all the usual stuff like being anal about tire pressure and how you drive. Also, clean out your car, if you're carrying around a bunch of crap in the trunk all the time that can affect mileage too. As for your torque bind, using the FWD fuse is a stop-gap measure. I believe it activates a solenoid in the transmission which will eventually wear out if you keep using it then it will need replacing as well as the stuff that already needs replacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostinthe202 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Try using the search to look for online parts. There are a few places recommended, but I don't know the URL's off hand. But you should be able to find them pretty easily. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1997reduxe Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 http://stores.ebay.com/FLATIRONS-ACURA-AND-SUBARU or http://www.1stsubaruparts.com/ (if you want oem) otherwise, search ebay for aftermarket stuff. sometimes they sell stuff there that's (supposedly) made by the company that manufactures suby parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOthis Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 if you havent had a tune up in a while that couldnt hurt..... fuel filter air filter oil change PCV valve maybe plugs and wires.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucenut Posted May 23, 2008 Author Share Posted May 23, 2008 So should I expect to get 28 mpg if it's tuned up and I keep it under 60 mph? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 So should I expect to get 28 mpg if it's tuned up and I keep it under 60 mph? it's capable of that, depends what kind of driving you do. down there i imagine you need to run the a/c all the time, that won't help. but it's flat too so that's good. on all highway miles at 60 mph you should have no problem getting 28 mpg. read up on all the gas mileage tips. "weight" isn't really that big of a deal, keep your golf clubs in there. for highway mileage i've noticed literally no difference at all between riding solo and having my car packed with 500 pounds more of people or stuff. it'll make a difference for stop and go city driving, the accelerating of all that extra weight uses gas. but maintaining highway speed makes an unnoticeable difference in all of the subaru's i've owned so don't sweat it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaru360 Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 On the highway with it running well, you can get around 30 maybe a little better I can get low 30's highway in the wrx. Subies tend to have crappy around town mileage, at least mine does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsince77 Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 One thing that I have noticed over the years, but can't explain, is that my 97 OBW seems to get as good, and sometimes better, milage with the A/C running. On numerous summer highway trips, I will get a little better milage in the middle of the day when the A/C is on. I don't think it holds true for in town though. I wondered if it would carry over to this new engine. This last week my wife and I traveled about 200 miles one way and back. We had camping gear, two mountain bikes, on a hitch rack behind the car not on top, and the rocket box stuffed with gear. We went over three serious passes, Red Mountain, Coalbank, and Molas - lots of climbing and descending - and got 31.4 mpg each way. Actually 31.6 one way (with A/C), and 31.4 the other (no A/C, it was snowing hard). On those roads we are never going much over 65, and nowhere near that on the passes themselves. I now have about 5500 miles on this engine, and it has stopped using any oil, and the mpg has increased to where my old one was. It has always seemed that this car gets good milage on the highway under 70 mph, and poor milage in town and over 70. So, they will do it under the right circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 If your torque bind went away when you put the FWD fuse in, then everything in the transmission is working properly. What it needs is a few fluid changes, which on the subaru automatic are no more complicated than an engine oil change. IE something you can do in your driveway cheap and easy. Having the FWD fuse in will not increase gas milage. All the same drag causing driveline parts are rotating whether they are being powered by the transmission or not. With our 98 outback, I'm not sure where the tipping point is on speed vs gas milage. What I mean by that is there is a speed at which the aerodynamic resistance, and the torque curve of the motor with the gearing have a point where gas milage will begin to decrease after a certain speed. We found that the car got it's best milage fully loaded with gear doing 85mph for hours on end. Like 29.5mpg. Same car, same load, but doing 60mph got 24mpg. We also found the old adage of running the a/c with the windows closed is better on the highway than A/C off with windows open. Testing across Nebraska, (what can I say it's pretty boring driving there) I could watch the injector duration lengthen with my scantool with windows up and AC, compared to windows down and A/C off. Lowest duration was with A/C off and windows up, but then we would have baked. If you have a roof rack and don't use it, remove the crossbars. That's extra air drag you don't need. Biggest effect is your right foot. Being smooth with acceleration rather than punching it and then letting off when you get to speed will net big gains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsince77 Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 With our 98 outback, We found that the car got it's best milage fully loaded with gear doing 85mph for hours on end. Like 29.5mpg. Same car, same load, but doing 60mph got 24mpg. That's interesting. Ours drops dramatically over 75 no matter what. Doing 80+ I'll only get 24 or 25 at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Auto or manual? The gear ratios might be different. We run 89 in the car too, so the ECU may compensate and advance the timing a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsince77 Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Auto or manual? The gear ratios might be different. We run 89 in the car too, so the ECU may compensate and advance the timing a bit. 5 speed. I run regular, but our base altitude is just under 8000', so it doesn't need higher octane. I've tried running premium for many tanks, but it never made any difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Hi all. I have a 98 Legacy L with ~150K miles. I was having torque bind issues, and then put in the FWD fuse and that seems to have cleared up. I'm still thinking of replacing the clutch pack and C solenoid, but in Florida I can live with FWD only. My question is about mileage. I don't keep great track of it, but I don't think I've ever seen better than 23 mpg. Cars.com says: EPA Fuel Economy: City: 0 – 23 Highway: 0 – 30. I suppose with gas being what it is I should try bringing my highway speeds down to 60 rather than 75. At 55-60 mph do you think I could see anywhere near 30 mpg? Any other ideas for mileage? Spark plugs, chips, synthetic oil? Thanks, Greg Old post but I have to reply because I am in exactly the same situation: 1998 Legacy L 2.2L auto with 150K miles. I am experiencing torque bind and 23MPG on highway only. I will replace the O2 sensor. For now I am looking to change the tranny fluid with Redline 75W-90NS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Hi all. I have a 98 Legacy L with ~150K miles. I was having torque bind issues, and then put in the FWD fuse and that seems to have cleared up. I'm still thinking of replacing the clutch pack and C solenoid, but in Florida I can live with FWD only. My question is about mileage. I don't keep great track of it, but I don't think I've ever seen better than 23 mpg. Cars.com says: EPA Fuel Economy: City: 0 – 23 Highway: 0 – 30. I suppose with gas being what it is I should try bringing my highway speeds down to 60 rather than 75. At 55-60 mph do you think I could see anywhere near 30 mpg? Any other ideas for mileage? Spark plugs, chips, synthetic oil? Thanks, Greg I got 19-31 in my 98 legacy with an auto, 19 in winter or heavy ac use in traffic, 32 when everything was right in the world. TB can take away mpg. Last tuneup and timing belt was wheen? nipper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 I needed plugs and wires and that went some hesitation go away. At 150K miles, the 02 sensor is probably "lazy". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 For now I am looking to change the tranny fluid with Redline 75W-90NS. DO NOT DO THAT! 75w-90ns is gear oil--it's for manual trannys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Got it, thanks!! Which ATF should I use? I want to flush 4 times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Which ATF should I use? Just go to Walmart and get gallon containers of their supertech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etc Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Thanks for the tip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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