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Good god. I have never worked on a Subaru before. I may never again. My neighbor’s daughter has an ‘09 Forester I helped her buy about six months ago. It’s a 1-owner car but came with a lot of maintenance debt, which I knew that I would be helping her with since she’s a poor college student working lovely retail to pay for school & help support her mom. One of those things turned out to be valve-cover/plug galley gaskets. The plug boots would pop off after a period of highway driving, triggering P30* codes & blinking furiously. I did a ton of prep on this job, as I knew that it would be gnarly. The boxer engine is tight between the frame rails; the easiest way after clearing the battery, air pickup assemblies, various hoses & wires etc. is to jack the engine up for sufficient clearance, not only to get at the bolts, but to actually get the covers free. Absolutely none of my research mentioned that the valve-cover bolts love to rust and bond themselves to the aluminum bore they pass through; the crowns are thin 10mm, you don’t get a lot of purchase on them as it is. Of course, in a normal situation, they’re only torqued to about 15-20 ft-lbs, so nbd! It became quickly apparent that this 160,000-mile car was wearing the factory gaskets. I got five free on the driver’s side, but after a 6-pt socket, then a 10mm bitched-head extractor socket, and then vise-grips,  I wound up grinding the head completely off. Because it was the only one, PB Blaster and a bit of back & forth got it loose. The threads were fine, no problem spinning it out. After buttoning up the driver’s side (as everything went swimmingly otherwise) I hit two frozen on the right side. Well, no rotating this one.  After everything else failed, the two heads were ground off. Then we had to pry.  Wound up breaking the valve cover. And, after prying, cutting, grinding, drowning in PB Blaster, turning the air over my garage blue, it came loose. There really was no other way. So now I’m shopping for a valve cover. At least, the worst of this nightmare is over. e: Added images. Sorry it took so long, I caught a good-sized fire claim yesterday. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 02:59 on Aug 30, 2023 |
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Aug 28, 2023 01:39
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PainterofCrap posted:Good god. If you drill and gouge the crack, you can fix it with JB weld. I super over torqued my valve cover and that fix held for 3 years, maybe more
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Aug 28, 2023 01:53
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That Works posted:Terrible car related question. I don't know if this is a "thing" or not but recently have noticed that some of the most chuddy neighbors around me (who all also drive massive pristine F350s that have never used the bed or towed anything) also tend to have some type or other of a Mini, Mini Cooper etc. I think this comes down to most people, especially that sort of upper middle class set, putting minimal thought into purchases like that. It's called a mini, so it's obviously small and a unique "gas saver" even though it's basically identical in function to a Honda Fit or whatever. Same as the people who live in areas that are all exurbs/four to eight lane roads to strip malls but own Smart Fortwos and use them as their actual car and not just an rv dinghy.
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Aug 28, 2023 05:29
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The Door Frame posted:If you drill and gouge the crack, you can fix it with JB weld. I super over torqued my valve cover and that fix held for 3 years, maybe more There's actually a chunk torn out of it. It's a loving miracle I didn't pork the head in some way. I'll update my post with photos soon.
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Aug 28, 2023 05:39
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razorscooter posted:I think this comes down to most people, especially that sort of upper middle class set, putting minimal thought into purchases like that. It's called a mini, so it's obviously small and a unique "gas saver" even though it's basically identical in function to a Honda Fit or whatever. Same as the people who live in areas that are all exurbs/four to eight lane roads to strip malls but own Smart Fortwos and use them as their actual car and not just an rv dinghy. Yeah that tracks. I think its just coincidence/ confirmation bias
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Aug 28, 2023 11:46
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PainterofCrap posted:Good god. A 160,000 boxer? I will be amazed if the head gasket lasts much longer
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Aug 28, 2023 12:48
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My 09 Forester became a nightmare to own when it hit around like 130k miles or so. Just constant expensive issues. Praying for you OP. Side note: Sold it to Carvana in the early pandemic car boom and they took it and handed me a check and asked zero questions whatsoever lmao. Would never in a million years buy something from them given how stupid easy it was to get off my hands.
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Aug 28, 2023 16:49
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I bought my Legacy at around 125k miles, and around 145k I was rebuilding one head. At 220k or so it had a pretty catastrophic head gasket failure and earned a new short block, rebuilt both heads again, new turbo cartridge, and new shocks/struts, steering rack, and radiator. As long as I can contain the rust in the rear quarters and bottom of the doors, it'll last me until I decide whether I'm willing to go electric, or if my wife gets the next new car and I get her Crosstrek.
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Aug 28, 2023 18:00
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Goth Odell Beckham posted:My 09 Forester became a nightmare to own when it hit around like 130k miles or so. Just constant expensive issues. Praying for you OP. My dad had a '16 BMW M235i that he dumped at CarMax during the same period. He picked it up used for 30k and dumped it 5 years later for 25k after looking down the barrel of a potential 10k repair bill. He told the sales agent that the check engine light was on and they said "not a problem, bring it on in!" I was eating dinner with my folks when he asked my mom and I if he should sell it to them and we both said, "YES!" in unison lmao.
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Aug 28, 2023 18:06
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 https://twitter.com/proletarat/status/1695909296549077090?t=h8a4LSzJ-mgfQ_OaR4MlRg&s=19
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Aug 28, 2023 20:14
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Olympic Mathlete posted:
I want to love (bug) you PYT Pretty young thing You need some maintenance TLC Total loss claim
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Aug 28, 2023 20:20
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Olympic Mathlete posted:
If you cross your eyes and stare, all the warning lights spell out “should have bought a Prius”
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Aug 28, 2023 20:30
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Guinness posted:If you cross your eyes and stare, all the warning lights spell out “should have bought a Prius” I don't think I've been a taxi or rideshare Prius that didn't have some sort of Christmas tree of warning lights on as well.
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Aug 28, 2023 20:40
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Sunroofs are fine, other than it usually reduces the headroom that my goony 6' 2" self needs, but the full glass roofs can gently caress off. Of course, our Outback has two glass sunroofs... biosterous posted:can you draw a dragon? You start with consummate "S"-es... edit: y'all are making me side-eye our 211k mile Outback. At least it's the 3.0, with a timing chain that reportedly has side-stepped most of the traditional issues. I've already done the cam cover gaskets, and the spark plugs at the same time. Darchangel fucked around with this message at 21:38 on Aug 28, 2023 |
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Aug 28, 2023 21:36
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Olympic Mathlete posted:
I've driven like this for tens of thousands of miles and been completely fine. It sucks, but at this point I'm just done throwing parts and sensors at it with no change. Drives just fine and it gets me to work, the air conditioning works and the tires aren't flat, gets OK mileage and gets down the road. When it quits for good, it quits. However, driving over the weekend I started hearing some dashboard chimes that made my blood run cold. I scanned the lights on the dash in a panic, while looking left and right for an opening should I need to clutch in and dive to the shoulder while I still had momentum. I shut off the radio and cycled through the MFI checking oil temp and error messages. Is this it? Is this the hour the motor seizes up?! Will I be walking home? No, it's just the seatbelt warning chime; I'd set my backpack in the passenger seat.
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Aug 28, 2023 21:50
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I've got the check engine light on in my Q7 TDI because the DPF delete didn't have spots for the EGT sensors, so it thinks there's something perpetually wrong with the Exhaust Temperature. Also its pisssed about the EGR even though the EGR is deleted.
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Aug 28, 2023 23:55
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Dumb question, but you did tune it for the delete, yeah?
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Aug 29, 2023 01:10
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CommieGIR posted:I've got the check engine light on in my Q7 TDI because the DPF delete didn't have spots for the EGT sensors, so it thinks there's something perpetually wrong with the Exhaust Temperature. My MKV GTI had a warning light flashing every two seconds for years because the sensor in the windshield washer fluid tank was broken. I just assumed nothing more serious was happening! Also, gently caress, I don't not need it to flash a warning every two seconds that the washer fluid is low! Just give me a notification when I start the car and leave me alone. Uthor fucked around with this message at 02:09 on Aug 29, 2023 |
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Aug 29, 2023 01:57
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NoWake posted:I've driven like this for tens of thousands of miles and been completely fine. It sucks, but at this point I'm just done throwing parts and sensors at it with no change. Drives just fine and it gets me to work, the air conditioning works and the tires aren't flat, gets OK mileage and gets down the road. When it quits for good, it quits. Fuckin seatbelt warning chime really needs to gently caress off when I have a 12 pack of beer and my laptop on my passenger seat.
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Aug 29, 2023 03:37
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My favorite German car thing was my niece's SO's Audi TT that had a perennial chime & bulb warning every time he started it & which would go off every once in a while for shits or something because of this awesome electrical design in the taillight lenses: Each taillight assembly had six or eight (incandescent) bulbs wired into it, each fed by a single 20+-gauge wire. Since the lens chassis is plastic, it required a ground/earth wire - just one, which was also only 20+-gauge, on the back side of the Jones plug. Since 3-4 of the bulbs were typically energized at any given time, and occasionally all of them, that l'il ground wire was being asked to do a lot. Eventually it turned into a fusible link which would melt its spot in the Jones plug. Audi offered a repair for $1800. For each side. I fixed it by soldering a piece of 14-GA to the ground pad in the assembly, drilling a hole through the lens chassis for the wire, and fixing it to a nearby body lug. Just bypassed the plug completely. He was ecstatic as held been living with it for 3-years. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 03:57 on Aug 29, 2023 |
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Aug 29, 2023 03:51
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Uthor posted:My MKV GTI had a warning light flashing every two seconds for years because the sensor in the windshield washer fluid tank was broken. I just assumed nothing more serious was happening! I don't think it flashes? It just lights up with a ding when you start it and then stays on. Unless you mean the multi-function display version of the light where it cycles between any warning lights you have and the clock. That was kinda annoying. I still prefer to have a constant reminder if I'm low, my dad's Volvo simply gives a trip computer message that you have to clear anyway since it blocks some other stuff and no indicator light which makes it really easy to completely forget about topping up the washer fluid, especially if it's not yet low enough to affect how much it sprays.
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Aug 29, 2023 14:43
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Ruflux posted:I don't think it flashes? It just lights up with a ding when you start it and then stays on. Unless you mean the multi-function display version of the light where it cycles between any warning lights you have and the clock. That was kinda annoying. Yes, the second thing. It was annoying because it was the exact same warning if I was having a horrible engine issue (just yellow with an exclamation point, if I remember correctly). I never fixed it because it required taking off like the entire front end to get to the sensor and I heard people saying a new sensor didn't work, either. I have a broken DRL on my BMW and it beeps, says "check your headlights, rear end in a top hat", then just shows a yellow warning sign in the corner, not covering anything else I would want to see, like an actual check engine alert.
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Aug 29, 2023 14:54
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Oh god, you're reminding me of my 99 Jetta, where "you're low on windshield washer fluid" was the same chime as "your car is about to explode." Took a couple years to not momentarily panic every time it went off.
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Aug 29, 2023 15:22
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The Missus freaks out when the Maintenance light starts flashing on startup, which is the car's heads up that the Maintenance light will soon stay lit and you need an oil change once it's solid. At least she keeps me maintaining the cars on schedule I don't mind a hosed up car of twinkling lights as long as I know why it's hosed up and that it won't kill me. Even running without a cylinder or two is fine for a little while, as long as I know why
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Aug 29, 2023 16:16
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The Door Frame posted:The Missus freaks out when the Maintenance light starts flashing on startup, which is the car's heads up that the Maintenance light will soon stay lit and you need an oil change once it's solid. At least she keeps me maintaining the cars on schedule It's how they get my mom to get oil changes with like 20% life left!
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Aug 29, 2023 16:35
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stealie72 posted:Oh god, you're reminding me of my 99 Jetta, where "you're low on windshield washer fluid" was the same chime as "your car is about to explode." In BMW land the car beeps when it’s below 37 degrees, as a warning for freezing temps. With the same beep as it would for a CEL or other actual warning. Took a long time to tune that one out.
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Aug 29, 2023 16:49
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My mental list of "do not buy" cars is growing steadily.
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Aug 29, 2023 17:18
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CommieGIR posted:I've got the check engine light on in my Q7 TDI because the DPF delete didn't have spots for the EGT sensors, so it thinks there's something perpetually wrong with the Exhaust Temperature. The terrible car poo poo here is bypassing emissions controls to pollute more.
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Aug 29, 2023 17:22
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Annoying non-beeping on my BMW: leaving it running. I can get out of the car, press the lock button on the door, and it just sits there idling no problem. Luckily, I've only done it a handful of times when running to a store for a few minutes. I was able to hack it so at least it beeps at me if I press the lock button while the car is on.
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Aug 29, 2023 17:43
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Uthor posted:Annoying non-beeping on my BMW: leaving it running. I can get out of the car, press the lock button on the door, and it just sits there idling no problem. Luckily, I've only done it a handful of times when running to a store for a few minutes. I did this with an ex's car once on a road trip but with the contactless key. We stopped at a rest area, got out of the car, I locked it with the fob and when we came back like 10 minutes later, it's there still running.
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Aug 29, 2023 18:06
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Incredibly cursed car show note. https://twitter.com/deerfella/status/1696576989199528441?t=yM3MHEGRkcF63rTlbZ9vOQ&s=19
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Aug 29, 2023 19:03
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Nitrox posted:My mental list of "do not buy" cars is growing steadily. Yeah, and my mental list of "cars worth owning" keeps getting smaller and smaller 
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Aug 29, 2023 19:09
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Olympic Mathlete posted:Incredibly cursed car show note. I really want to see what "custom graphics" means on this car. It better be three wolf moon.
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Aug 29, 2023 19:10
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Olympic Mathlete posted:Incredibly cursed car show note. Haha the car has a fursona. I had to find this thing online and it's exactly like you'd imagine it. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/charles-green-391388233_car-show-season-is-here-and-the-midnight-activity-7054657744691204096-E4Rz   
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Aug 29, 2023 19:15
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All that and no custom plate.
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Aug 29, 2023 19:30
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weg posted:Haha the car has a fursona. I had to find this thing online and it's exactly like you'd imagine it. Washington plate. Nonzero chance I encounter THE MIDNIGHT WOLF in person. He's really got to let everyone know his heart lives in AZ. I mean, it's obvious, but just driving the point home with the decal.
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Aug 29, 2023 21:31
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Of all the places to post that cursed thing, they chose LinkedIn.
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Aug 29, 2023 21:51
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Imagine a car being your entire life, your reason for living
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Aug 29, 2023 22:13
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Applebees Appetizer posted:Imagine a car being your entire life, your reason for living but I don't own a tesla
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Aug 29, 2023 22:34
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cursedshitbox posted:but I don't own a tesla 
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Aug 29, 2023 22:34
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