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I just bought an Outback Wilderness. Feels good to be back in a Subaru. Not sure if I want to get mudflaps. I've had Rally Armor before and they were too floppy. I've had Rokblokz before and they were too stiff. I'm wondering how much of a benefit either made. Subaru is no longer making/selling the factory skid plates that the Wilderness launched with. I feel like the oil pan and transmission pan should probably be covered. Is a rear differential skid worth it? Are there good alternatives to Primitive Racing?
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May 29, 2023 06:33
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Death knell for manual Subarus. https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/31/23743854/usdot-automatic-emergency-braking-aeb-rule-pedestrian
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May 31, 2023 19:20
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Why can't they put this in with the 6 speed? Volvo has had this kind of stuff in their manuals for over 10 years
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May 31, 2023 19:32
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luminalflux posted:Why can't they put this in with the 6 speed? Volvo has had this kind of stuff in their manuals for over 10 years https://www.drive.com.au/news/aeb-coming-to-manual-subaru-brz-wrx/ Subaru told the aussies it’s coming. We’ll see.
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May 31, 2023 19:41
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I have a P0420 code on an 09 Forester that I assume means the front converter is toast (it has seen head gaskets done twice, once all wrong under warranty and recently properly done). Is there an aftermarket front converter/pipe that is well-regarded? I'm looking at Eastern CARB-compliant and Walker 46-state options for about 1/4 the price of Subaru parts now, mostly good reviews but am I overlooking any other cheaper- than-OEM option? I'm in a state with no emissions checks.
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Jun 15, 2023 05:33
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Myron Baloney posted:I have a P0420 code on an 09 Forester that I assume means the front converter is toast (it has seen head gaskets done twice, once all wrong under warranty and recently properly done). Is there an aftermarket front converter/pipe that is well-regarded? I'm looking at Eastern CARB-compliant and Walker 46-state options for about 1/4 the price of Subaru parts now, mostly good reviews but am I overlooking any other cheaper- than-OEM option? I'm in a state with no emissions checks. Dumb question, has the O2 sensor been changed? I’ve had three high mileage NA Subarus and never had a cat go bad, but never had a head gasket go either, so maybe that takes them out.
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Jun 25, 2023 20:14
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Just replaced the turbo on my forester in an effort to try to stop it smoking and I think it worked. What was weird was the old one made boost fine and had no more shaft play than the new one. Every guide I found said that shaft movement is what takes out the seals and makes them smoke. Hopefully it continues to not smoke.
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Jun 25, 2023 20:18
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i own every Bionicle posted:Dumb question, has the O2 sensor been changed? I’ve had three high mileage NA Subarus and never had a cat go bad, but never had a head gasket go either, so maybe that takes them out. Yes, I've replaced the post-cat sensor and the air/fuel sensor (back when I was chasing another code which turned out to be caused by a bad coil) with no effect. I should have just had it properly diagnosed but once a parts-thrower always a parts-thrower. I went ahead and bought an Eastern 49-state front to go with my Walker rear cat. I'm doing the install today, it should have been easy but the dealer that did my first head gasket rebuild bent and dinged the threads on the engine studs (of course) so I've replaced a few of those. They also put epoxy and muffler bandage in the donut gasket joint (WTF?) when they sold us a muffler around 5 years ago and now I just found it lmao. I got that all shaved off but turns out I bought the wrong donut so I'm calling it quits until tomorrow. The front cat looks like poo poo on the engine-facing side, the rear looks normal (I guess?) but the pipe was rotten so good riddance.
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Jun 26, 2023 23:05
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Dumb low effort question follows, but is there any red flag type deals to look for on a 2017 STI? 64k miles or so on the odometer. I can't dig anything up in long-term reviews, etc but as always I'll listen to experience.
mischief fucked around with this message at 17:07 on Jul 3, 2023 |
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Jul 3, 2023 17:02
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mischief posted:Dumb low effort question follows, but is there any red flag type deals to look for on a 2017 STI? 64k miles or so on the odometer. I can't dig anything up in long-term reviews, etc but as always I'll listen to experience. That’s one of the last cars to use the EJ257, and it’s before they went to the newer piston design that is stronger. That age and mileage for an STI is probably one of the most likely Subarus to have been beaten on. A good PPI with leakdown and compression is a must.
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Jul 3, 2023 20:30
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Thank you.
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Jul 3, 2023 23:21
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Time to replace the stock tires on my ‘17 Forester. A little overwhelmed with options. Lots of folks like the Falken Wildpeaks and they look badass. Just worried they are a little overkill and maybe not the best option for what is essentially is a commuter car. I take my Forester on the beach about half a dozen times a year and live in the North East but for the most part I’ll be driving on pavement. Any thoughts?
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Jul 8, 2023 16:23
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Yokohama Geolandars, my dude. Look and feel great in the desert at least lol They have handled some mountain snow and rain though like champs.
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Jul 8, 2023 18:37
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dew worm posted:Time to replace the stock tires on my ‘17 Forester. A little overwhelmed with options. Michelin Cross climate 2.
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Jul 8, 2023 19:15
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Wrar posted:Michelin Cross climate 2. I’ve been thinking of pulling the trigger on these for a while now but a tire+wheel package on Tire Rack ain’t cheap. Are these a good year-round tire or should they be winter-only? If they can totally replace the stock tires on my 2018 Impreza I may just do that.
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Jul 8, 2023 19:31
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Wasabi the J posted:Yokohama Geolandars, my dude. Honestly…I have Geolandars now and they have been fine. Cross Climates are too expensive for me and also probably overkill dew worm fucked around with this message at 20:56 on Jul 8, 2023 |
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Jul 8, 2023 20:53
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2000 Subaru Impreza RS I'm trying to wire in some driving lights that turn on with the high beams. They came with a wiring harness which has a relay. The Relay needs 12 volts to energize the lights which would normally be connected to the High beams. The problem I'm having is that I don't see to have one of those on my 2000 RS. Instead, the wiring seems to turn off one of the 12 volt leads to turn on the high beams. Any ideas? Low beams:  High beams 
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Jul 9, 2023 00:17
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Rhesus Pieces posted:I’ve been thinking of pulling the trigger on these for a while now but a tire+wheel package on Tire Rack ain’t cheap. Are these a good year-round tire or should they be winter-only? If they can totally replace the stock tires on my 2018 Impreza I may just do that. I live in northern Michigan (not UP but close) and several people in the area run them year round and don't get stuck. They're a wet/winter favoring all season. If your climate is similar they're a good choice.
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Jul 9, 2023 13:23
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daslog posted:2000 Subaru Impreza RS I figured this out. Thank you ChrisGT 
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Jul 9, 2023 16:14
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Over a month ago, my Forester XT threw, I think, a P0457 code which my Cobb unit said to check the fuel cap. Checked the cap which seemed fine, made sure the cap was securely tightened, cleared the code, and went on my way. Then a couple weeks ago, I got a P0171 code while driving to work. This was after pulling onto the highway and going into boost getting on. It wasn't especially hot that day (high 80s probably) but it was really high humidity, probably almost 100%. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary (no knocking or abnormal temperatures as far as I could tell) and seemed to drive normally so I cleared the code and took it easy the rest of the way and on the way home. The check engine light hasn't come back since but after researching what the code meant I haven't driven it since. Given the multitudes of ways the engine could run lean to throw the P0171, from a bad MAF sensor, bad oxygen sensor, air intake leaks, PCV issues, or potentially fuel pump issues, plus my relative inexperience with wrenching and diagnosing problems like this, is it prudent to have a shop look at it? The other possibility is that I've been getting false alarms as a result of my alternator's voltage regulator failing last year and sending peaks of 18V through the electrical system and wreaking havoc. It really doesn't help that I don't know what are necessarily bad sounds. I've been trying to pay more attention since last summer when the oil pressure switch blew and my untrained and inexperienced ears haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary. That said, it's a really loud, noisy, and smelly car to begin with so anything subtle would get drowned out. At least taking it to a shop will get me around to figuring out my mysterious oil loss (3/4 qt every 250 miles) after I replaced the oil pressure switch.
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Jul 11, 2023 21:45
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Seems like probably a vacuum leak? Go over all the little hoses from the intake to the manifold to the turbo boost lines and such. Maybe there's something obvious like a really loose or disconnected or cracked hose.
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Jul 11, 2023 23:02
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I know I'm going to sound like a big wuss but it's been too hot, muggy, and wet for me get around to looking around in the engine bay. One of the downsides of not having a garage. Also, a low priority since I have the ID.4 as my daily driver. Of course, that ended up being a double-edged sword but I think having a dependable DD outweighs neglecting and procrastinating with the Forester. I'm also half convinced that it simply doesn't like running in the summer. Would the car running lean make any obviously out of the ordinary sounds or noises of distress? I only ask because I've never knowingly experienced it first hand.
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Jul 17, 2023 16:32
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Hey fellow flannel enthusiasts, I have regrettably not been the best car owner and I have a 2013 Impreza 2.0 CVT automatic hatchback that is in need of a lot of service all at once. Other than regular oil changes and tire rotations and a few recall items it hasn't had any major services done on it since ~20k miles and is coming up on 90k now. It doesn't get thrashed but has been used as a daily driver with occasional long trips including one cross country. Best I can figure here is the list of work I need to do to catch up on maintenance debt according to the schedule I found online. Fluid changes: Oil, Brake, Front/Rear Diff oil, CVT Trans Filters: Fuel, Air, Cabin Air Misc: Tire rotation, Spark plugs First question, am I missing anything or is any of that wrong/overkill? 2nd question, I'm a fairly handy dude with a small set of tools and have done easy/intermediate level car work before, with that being the case should I have many issues trying to do any of this on my own? Thanks for any advice. AK-47 fucked around with this message at 01:45 on Jul 29, 2023 |
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Jul 29, 2023 01:34
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Whelp, I always thought CVTs were a really clever transmission idea and always thought the hate was overblown. Guess I was wrong about yet another thing. Last year I bought a pretty nice 2013 outback with a hair under 100,000 miles on it, figuring everything looked clean, idled and and drove fine, and would be a nice vehicle for a good few years. Since then I put some good tires on it, swapped out the strut assemblies, installed nice carbon fiber brake pads and drilled/slotted rotors, new battery, put in a new alternator and belt, new oem spark plugs, etc. And then I started hearing a slight whirring noise loosely coupled with RPMs. I couldn't figure it out so I took it into a local shop and they charged me a thousand bucks to swap out all the fluids, and said there weren't any issues. I thought hey, maybe transmission fluid change might help and it would go away, but it didn't, and I had a cross country trip planned coming up. So, I rolled the dice, and tl;dr, the transmission finally transmitted its last while driving back home through Peoria. So I tried towing it to a local transmission shop first thing the next morning, but they uh apparently don't work on Subarus because the diagnostics software is too expensive. And the Subaru dealer there basically told me sucks the suck, they're booked solid for the next month. So I arranged a long haul tow home, rented another car, and drove back. I thought hey, there's a transmission shop literally right down my street, but nope, they don't service CVTs. So, I booked an appointment at the local Subaru dealer and had the car towed there. Whelp, I got a call back from them today, and the guy told me I need a new transmission, altogether 8900$, which, holy gently caress is a lot to spend on a ten year old car, especially when that's basically a third of a new one. But I just put a ton of money, parts, and work into it, and I just bought the thing not that long ago. I don't know if I want to try and tackle installing a used ebay transmission myself... I've done a lot of miscellaneous stuff on cars, but I just don't have the appetite or the workspace anymore, and I'd rather let someone who knows what they're doing not gently caress up the install like I'm afraid I might. I didn't think it would be so impossible to find someone to service this thing, I literally have the OBD2 code (P0795), and the symptoms seem to match the pressure control solenoid failure. I honestly thought 4-6k would be worst case scenario, not double that, and I just really don't know what to do. If I had a truck and an auto dolly I'd pick it up, but I'm tired of trying to arrange tows from one place to the next... Should I just bend over and get a new cvt installed? Or should I just keep calling other shops? I'm just at my wits end 
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Aug 2, 2023 04:00
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fwiw the dealer is always going to offer you a new transmission at a high price. they tried to get me for $3500 for a new transmission in a ford focus i didnt even pay that much for. went to a cool guy locally and he rebuilt it for 1700. could be a nice middle ground between brand new from dealer and installed yourself used from ebay.
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Aug 2, 2023 04:38
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The problem with CVT's is that it's not really rebuildable by the average garage and if they can do it, it wont be cheap either esp if you have replace pumps and pulleys / belts - MRT used to have a video about a CVT teardown for a WRX and it's not a job for the amateur. If you blow up a CVT it's a world of pain If you can find a low milage replacement, that would be worth a shot and cheaper but I have no idea how you can guarantee if it's good. FWIW, 8900 sounds about right for the full replacement new from Subaru + labor + fluids. However I think in the USA, didnt Subaru extend the hell out of CVT warranty?
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Aug 2, 2023 05:36
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CAT INTERCEPTOR posted:The problem with CVT's is that it's not really rebuildable by the average garage and if they can do it, it wont be cheap either esp if you have replace pumps and pulleys / belts - MRT used to have a video about a CVT teardown for a WRX and it's not a job for the amateur. If you blow up a CVT it's a world of pain looks like they did 10 years/100k instead of 5/60k. heres some more info on that, maybe you can take advantage of it. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2017/MC-10125885-9999.pdf dunno if it applies if the car is sold but seems worth a try.
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Aug 2, 2023 06:33
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MY INEVITABLE DEBT posted:looks like they did 10 years/100k instead of 5/60k. heres some more info on that, maybe you can take advantage of it. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2017/MC-10125885-9999.pdf Yup, unfortunately I just rolled over 106,000 miles, so the transmission lasted just long enough to limp out of the additional extended warranty period. I think I'll still try to follow up with Subaru USA and at least see if I can find someone to litigate my woes with. If I had a better workspace and a garage, I'd give an ebay cvt a shot, but my driveway is pretty marginal and I'd really be up poo poo creek if I hosed something up along the way or got something jammed. So I told the dealer to go ahead and put in the new(ish) reman transmission. Which hopefully might be better from what I understand what with the additional testing... But man, the warranty on this replacement is only one year, and they won't even sell me an extended warranty. That's gotta be a first, and I can't say it inspires a whole lotta confidence for the longevity of this car. Anyways, appreciate the feedback here! I guess I'm just so surprised by how marginal the support for CVTs are, that nobody will touch this thing
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Aug 3, 2023 18:17
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So as an owner of a new subie CVT (forester wilderness) is there anything to watch out for? I know you need to change the fluid pretty religiously but anything else? I'd like to tow my motorcycle for track days, is that a bad idea?
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Aug 8, 2023 00:29
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Replaced the struts on my '93 Legacy wagon and lemme tell ya, I'm mad at myself for not doing it sooner. It's almost (but not quite) like driving a new fuckin' car. Just plain-rear end OEM-style replacements. Next major project is front CVs at some point. Aside from the roll pin on the transaxle end, it looks like it should be about the same amount of work. If I were smart I'd do the front struts at the same time, but... I'm still driving a 1993 Legacy wagon. Smart is not what I am.
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Aug 8, 2023 04:26
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Sadi posted:Not a ton to share at the moment. Getting there slowly but surely. The shop that did the work didn’t think they did anything wrong, and at the end of the day I didn’t feel like spending 4 hours in the car to get them to re grind a lovely crank. Ordered a nitrided STi crank and as expected it’s beautiful.  Measurements seem good to me. Crank to con rod oil clearance: 1. 0.0016” 2. 0.0015” 3. 0.0017” 4. 0.0013” Con rod to wrist pin*: 1. 0.0008” 2. 0.0007” 3. 0.001” 4. 0.0011” * Take these with a grain of salt. Measurements were done with snap gauges and I’m not a machinist. Piston to wall: 1. 0.0033” 2. 0.0032” 3. 0.0036” 4. 0.0032” I’m not crazy about the piston to wall numbers but they’re close enough to mahle’s max of 0.003” but not far enough out to give me heart burn. I have not measured mains with the new bearings yet, but that’s on the list for this week. I expect them to be good because the block measured really well after the line hone.  (Pictured factory rod while I was making the fixtures) Rings are gapped per mahle’s recommendations. Rotating assemble balanced by measurement of small and large ends of the rods, and then pistons plus all small parts. Some mass was removed from the pistons such that everything is within a half gram. Next steps are short block assembly. From there I need to do some more inspection and cleaning of the heads, select an oil pan, decide if I’m doing a cylinder 4 cooling mod and start long block assembly. I’m really excited about the JDM bumper and need to get some fogs for it. Additionally I need some sedan rear doors, a sedan gas cap, and got get off my wallet and get the body painted.  
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Aug 8, 2023 15:20
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I'm new to Subaru and also to contemporary cars in general (previous cars were either featureless or 2000s-era, no smart or autonomous anything AFAIK); I took my new 2019 Outback up to CO this past weekend, first time driving the car in an unfamiliar place, and was going through an in-city construction zone with lanes curving away from a bank of orange safety cones at about 30-40 mph. Lane detection was functioning but lane assist, cruise control, etc. were off. Car thought I was going to run straight forward into the cones rather than follow the curving lane lines on the road and hard braked me (not to a standstill but just a drastic deceleration) in the middle of bumper-to-bumper traffic. It was very scary and I'm wondering how to handle a scenario like that. Do I just drive much, much slower in any potential scenarios that might be "confusing" for the EyeSight/internal systems? (Also, unrelated anecdote about lane assist also feeling a bit scary at first on the interstate. It was my first long drive in years and I'm very ADHD so I wanted all the help I could get in staying safe and alert, but it definitely feels like it overcorrects sometimes--or maybe just my driving skills are choppier than I think. Overall very nifty tech but it took a lot for me to not reflexively overcorrect the overcorrections and start trusting the car. The little nudge the wheel gives you makes my reptile brain think I'm about to spin out of control.)
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Aug 8, 2023 16:07
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Arson Daily posted:So as an owner of a new subie CVT (forester wilderness) is there anything to watch out for? I know you need to change the fluid pretty religiously but anything else? I'd like to tow my motorcycle for track days, is that a bad idea?  Depends on how heavy your trailer and bike are, and how far/hilly the road to the track is. I assume around 900lbs? This is my struggle as well. I have an Impreza which is officially Not Rated for towing, while the Crosstrek is rated for 1,500lbs. Maybe there is some different springs at the rear but I assume this is just life style market segmentation? Still I don't want to risk blowing up my CVT so I just rent a truck or van. I'd have to rent a trailer anyway so whatever. I know a guy who towed an R6 and CBR600R on a Kendon standup trailer with his Crosstrek (~1300lbs total), and then immediately bought an old F150.
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Aug 8, 2023 19:02
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The uhaul motorcycle trailers are pretty loving heavy, I would not do that on a normal car with a CVT personally. I did an R6 and a Tuono on a HF trailer a bunch with a manual GTI and it was more than fine, I'm sure a Kendon would have been worlds better. CVT towing sounds sketch though.
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Aug 8, 2023 19:16
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Dang. Well I'd need to get over the Sierra's from northern Nevada to California so maybe that isn't a great idea. Probably no more than 1200 pounds bike+trailer but there'd be a bunch of gear in the back too. Might just go for the uhaul transit instead.
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Aug 8, 2023 19:30
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dildoughy posted:I'm new to Subaru and also to contemporary cars in general (previous cars were either featureless or 2000s-era, no smart or autonomous anything AFAIK); I took my new 2019 Outback up to CO this past weekend, first time driving the car in an unfamiliar place, and was going through an in-city construction zone with lanes curving away from a bank of orange safety cones at about 30-40 mph. Lane detection was functioning but lane assist, cruise control, etc. were off. Car thought I was going to run straight forward into the cones rather than follow the curving lane lines on the road and hard braked me (not to a standstill but just a drastic deceleration) in the middle of bumper-to-bumper traffic. It was very scary and I'm wondering how to handle a scenario like that. Do I just drive much, much slower in any potential scenarios that might be "confusing" for the EyeSight/internal systems? Buried somewhere (I have a 22 so it’ll be different) in the car options are a bunch of settings for how aggressive all the various eyesight stuff is. You basically have to turn them all down a bit. For lane keep there should be a button somewhere to just turn it off? You need to do that if there’s construction. Eyesight is more or less unchanged in the 2020+ but where the buttons are is probably different.
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Aug 9, 2023 02:44
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Light towing shouldnt be too much of an issue but anything beyond 500kgs I'd be highly dubious. I've towed up to the full tow capacity of 1400kgs and the CVT wasnt having fun. I know of other owners that melted down their CVT towing similar in hilly conditions. It does my brain in Subaru says the Ascent can do 2300kgs on a transmission that is already drat near on it's hard torque limit already unladen.
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Aug 9, 2023 04:08
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Sadi posted:Build progress Keep posting these! I looked briefly at Mahle’s recommended PTW clearances and it looks like your numbers are right in the middle for 2618 pistons. So I wonder if your machine shop assumed you were running those? They say .0021-.0029 for 4032 and .0031-.0039 for 2618. It seems like 4032 pistons are a mystery to most people. They either stick with stock or go right to 2618. I don’t think people think of the life of the engine and just figure stronger = better. I’m in the middle of rebuilding the motor in my legacy which sees some track days and should be about 350 wheel (running Dom 1.5XTR on 93). I waffled back and forth for a while on an RA block or forged, the RA block would be fine for street use but with track days forged is probably the right move, but nobody ever recommended 4032 pistons. Do you know how long they usually last? I got 75k out of the 2618 shortblock I’m rebuilding with a bunch of track days, which I’m told is pretty good.
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Aug 9, 2023 11:27
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So I chatted with a friend who races Subarus and runs a tuning shop, and he didn’t really have a strong opinion between the two other than saying cold start piston slap is way worse on 2000 series pistons. I work with aluminums a little in the auto industry for rotating parts and the more I read the more 4000 series seemed right for my goals of a tolerable street car that could track rather than track day only. My friend who runs the shop did comment on reliability. Mostly that with a home built motor there are so many variables that it’s hard to make a good judgement on life. He seemed to feel the largest variables were tunes and owners. However he does builds and tunes for Subarus and you know what the average customer he’s going to get is like. Sadi fucked around with this message at 13:36 on Aug 9, 2023 |
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Aug 9, 2023 13:19
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I just moved to New England, so I am looking to acquire my standard issue Subaru Outback. I'm looking at how practical buying new might be, but I've never bought a new car, so I'm also looking for recent model year used cars (2020 or newer, or thereabouts). Any specific issues I should look out for or model years/trim packages I should avoid?
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Aug 9, 2023 18:14
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