Any Subaru owners?

[RoyJackson]

Thanks,

For someone who has driven standards all their lives from trucks, tractors, cars and motorcycles. I'm having a little trouble with this little 5 speed, starting in first gear I'm either slipping the clutch to much or bucking like a bronco. Stalled it a couple of times in busy traffic :ashamed:

May have something to do it being AWD ? Can't seem to find the sweet spot.

Been driving the car and I like it, I swear the gas gauge doesn't move. At first I thought it was going up, but the way the gauge is, empty is to the right instead of left.

Even driving the car hard I have not noticed the temp gauge rise from it's mid point, only heard the fans come on a couple times. and just for a brief moment.

Oh yeah, anyone have a recommendation on fuel octane? all it says in the book is 87 or above. I have no problem putting 91-93 octane in it if it will benefit the engine in anyway, since it is such a fuel miser.

JB.

You'll find that sweet spot with a little practice.
As far as octane, the 2.5L flat 4 works quite well with regular (87 Octane) fuel.

Even with all the naysayers on this thread, I think you'll find that Suby to be a great little car for kicking around. The Forester is a bit choppy for extended driving (which is why I went with the longer wheelbase Outlook wagon), but for around town up to a few hundred miles...it'll be a great car!

 

[Dmace]

Oh yeah, anyone have a recommendation on fuel octane? all it says in the book is 87 or above. I have no problem putting 91-93 octane in it if it will benefit the engine in anyway, since it is such a fuel miser.

Running a higher octane fuel in a vehicle not designed for it will NEVER give any gains in performance or longevity. It can actually HURT an engine by causing more carbon build-up on the pistons from the slower burn rate of higher octane and can hurt the rest of the system from exhaust to O2 sensors.

 

[JB4310]

Running a higher octane fuel in a vehicle not designed for it will NEVER give any gains in performance or longevity. It can actually HURT an engine by causing more carbon build-up on the pistons from the slower burn rate of higher octane and can hurt the rest of the system from exhaust to O2 sensors.

I know on my 04 grand cherokee it says not to exceed 89 octane, so I put in 89. In the Subaru book it only says not to go below 87, which I don't believe there is a lower octane anyway, but says nothing about going over any octane rating. I would put higher grade in it if there was even the slightest benefit.

JB.

 

[Fireman550]

I have a 2001 Outback with 240,000 and still going strong. We don't get a lot of ice and snow here in Georgia but it took be to work 60 miles one way during this years snow storm. They are GREAT cars! Good Luck!

 

[EE_Bota]

the Auto has no viscous coupling, the slip needed is all handled with the clutch packs. the manual, being directly linked from the engine to the driveshafts needs a "give point" between the front and rear wheels, and that's what a viscous coupling does. I disassembled a broke one last week, it is a series of thin clutches in a special oil.

You know, that makes perfect sense to me now. I have held the viscous coupling in my hand, and there is no way to act on it with a duty solenoid. But the clutch pack, that can be acted on. Thanks for clearing that up.

As for what is inside, I have never seen inside one, but I have read that they have everything you mention and some gas. The gas, upon getting hot, will give a solid lockup...and after it cools, the clutch returns to its normal viscous function. I think I witnessed the lockup once..I was stuck in my own front yard in a heavy snow. I tried the normally accepted driving technique of trying not to spin the wheels too badly. I could not get out. Then I remembered about the gas inside the clutch, and I went crazy on it, spinning right much. The cars behavior changed after a bit of that, and came right out.

 

[JB4310]

I have another question, need an opinion.

So I learned these 2.5 liter Subaru engines are "interference" Type.

Which means when the timing belt breaks the valves can come in violent contact with the pistons.

Internet, it's a great pool of knowledge but can feed the fears of the paranoid :laughing:

Anyway Subaru recommends changing timing belt at 105K, or 7 years. This car only has 76 K but is 10 years old. How worried should I be about timing belt?

Can it be easily inspected? How big a job is doing the timing belt?

I want to take care of this car, I already changed muffler, battery and put on new tires. but that stuff is easy. I'd feel pretty stupid if I destroy the engine for a 50 dollar cam belt.


JB.

 

[Redneck in training]

I have another question, need an opinion.

So I learned these 2.5 liter Subaru engines are "interference" Type.

Which means when the timing belt breaks the valves can come in violent contact with the pistons.

Internet, it's a great pool of knowledge but can feed the fears of the paranoid :laughing:

Anyway Subaru recommends changing timing belt at 105K, or 7 years. This car only has 76 K but is 10 years old. How worried should I be about timing belt?

Can it be easily inspected? How big a job is doing the timing belt?

I want to take care of this car, I already changed muffler, battery and put on new tires. but that stuff is easy. I'd feel pretty stupid if I destroy the engine for a 50 dollar cam belt.


JB.

I think there are two version of the 2.5 liter.

Timing Belt Replacement and Technical Info - Replacement Intervals - Timing Belt Maintenance for Subaru

If I remember it right we changed the belt about two times before we got rid of the car and it was quite expensive. You should probably also change water pump, tensioner and and idler pulleys while you (they) are there. Parts are about $300.

 

[RoyJackson]

I have another question, need an opinion.

So I learned these 2.5 liter Subaru engines are "interference" Type.

Which means when the timing belt breaks the valves can come in violent contact with the pistons.

Internet, it's a great pool of knowledge but can feed the fears of the paranoid :laughing:

Anyway Subaru recommends changing timing belt at 105K, or 7 years. This car only has 76 K but is 10 years old. How worried should I be about timing belt?

Can it be easily inspected? How big a job is doing the timing belt?

I want to take care of this car, I already changed muffler, battery and put on new tires. but that stuff is easy. I'd feel pretty stupid if I destroy the engine for a 50 dollar cam belt.


JB.

Cost us less then $900 for the belt and waterpump replacement...might have even been less then $800. It's been a while, but that was the neighborhood.
I think you'd be safe waiting until 105K miles, but if you're concerned...then do it within the next few thousand miles.
We did our Outback at about 107K. It's a 2004 model.

 

[JB4310]

I think there are two version of the 2.5 liter.

Timing Belt Replacement and Technical Info - Replacement Intervals - Timing Belt Maintenance for Subaru

If I remember it right we changed the belt about two times before we got rid of the car and it was quite expensive. You should probably also change water pump, tensioner and and idler pulleys while you (they) are there. Parts are about $300.

I have to look now which one, I have, reading info on the net, there seems to be different opinions on whether it's SOHC or DOHC. The single cam is not interference?? less prone to some other problems.

Cost us less then $900 for the belt and waterpump replacement...might have even been less then $800. It's been a while, but that was the neighborhood.
I think you'd be safe waiting until 105K miles, but if you're concerned...then do it within the next few thousand miles.
We did our Outback at about 107K. It's a 2004 model.

There's all kinds of tutorial videos on DIY timing belt replacement for Subarus, they make it look easy of course. I have done a timing belt on my wife's old Volvo, it was stupidly easy.
My brother who is much more mechanical than I am said he had the shop do his timing belt on his 01 Outback, so if he didn't want to do it makes me wonder...

JB.

 

[RoyJackson]

There's all kinds of tutorial videos on DIY timing belt replacement for Subarus, they make it look easy of course. I have done a timing belt on my wife's old Volvo, it was stupidly easy.
My brother who is much more mechanical than I am said he had the shop do his timing belt on his 01 Outback, so if he didn't want to do it makes me wonder...

JB.

Why not ask him why he didn't do it?

IIRC, some (if not most) shops drop the engine out to do the job. I'm pretty sure (but not positive) the shop that did mine pulled the radiator.