MoleMan

On 9/27/2023 at 7:56 PM, blusubado said:

so I just got done talking to whiteline for a rear sway bar and they don't have anything yet. there isn't enough demand they said. so we need everyone in the forum to blow up there email with request. they did it in the outback forum and succeeded. 

And they will never have one for the 7th gen Leggy.  Whiteline has gone the way of Cobb and Perrin. Really only interested in Turbo Hot Hatches.  You could call Yoshi at Cusco and see what they have. I doubt Cusco will have much besides a possible strut tower brace. You could call Hotchkis and see as well but that's a longshot.  

If Whiteline makes a rear bar for the 7th gen Outback I can almost bet money that it will fit on the Leggy.  It's the same platform.  I had doubts with that theory until I bought my G37 and found out most parts and aftermarket parts from the 370Z will fit without issues.

Just keep it!

I have several vehicles including three Legacy's.  One of the other vehicles is a 2015 Model S P85.  Got it cheap off a friend.  Honestly rarely drive it.  Fast as hell.  I just prefer some sort of road feel and feedback.  That is something an EV does not give.

But you gotta make the decision.  For me keep the car all the way.

On 9/3/2023 at 7:30 PM, 0SuperDuper0 said:

Anyone done the Perrin charge pipe install to their xt and any difference?

Just keep the car stock.  Really no point.  Once it comes off warranty then do as you please.  This is a sub 300 HP family sedan.  Not to be an asshat or anything.  If you want to do mods stick to wheels and maybe some suspension bits etc..  the charge pipe is better for certain cars due to the OEM ones cracking.  We have not seen this in the 7th gen Leggy yet.  This is a big time and common mod on the Bmw 2, 3, and 4 series cars with the 3 liter twin turbo.  In fact when I had my N55 335 this is the first thing I changed out.  Needless to say I have moved on to cars with a lot more power for fun.

But once again not being an asshat just the mod is not right for this car. But to each their own.

If you do do the install provide pics of you would.

10 hours ago, kattz said:

TLDR: Anyone else change their cluster and have a problem finding one?

I want to change my instrument cluster to Imperial from Metric.  The main reason is that on 5 different occasions people at the BMV, title office, US Customs, and the tire shop have all recorded the km on the odometer as miles.  I've had to have them go back and change it at every turn.  Eventually the vehicle will get flagged by both CARFAX and Ohio as having a tampered odometer if I miss catching one little slipup.

I received a p/n for a new cluster for my 4/2012 GT VIN of 85021AJ37A. It shows as discontinued, and was only in use from 2010/02 to 2011/06.  It's also non-existent.  Not even in the auto recylcler's database or on eBay.  There is a second number usable, 85021AJ29A, and it is also vaporware.

I finally found ONE in the entire nation from a 2012 built in 11/2011 with a p/n of 85003AJ63A out of VIN 4S3BMFL62C1018629, which I confirmed is a 2012 LGT 6MT. However, that p/n is also vaporware.  Can't find it anywhere.

I removed the metric cluster today and it has a p/n of 85003AJ71A.  It's a non-indexable part number as well.  Doesn't exist.

I'm stumped.

Anyone else have any issues like this that they can share? Does any 2012 Legacy cluster fit? This has gotten to the point of driving me slightly insane.

 

 

Op,

I get the issue. But why so worried about what Carfax says?  I have seen clean title cars on that site show up as totaled a few months later yet no accidents.  I do not put much faith in Carfax.  As far as Ohio flagging the car they will not.  If someone messes up just have the DMV change the paperwork. I am guessing the car was imported legally from Canada.

It's not your fault people are recording in Miles when your displays says KMs.  

It's not like you are hiding anything.

For me to many Red flags with the site.

As far as the Carbon wheel on a 6th gen personally for  me it does not go with the car. It would go great with my 8th gen Civic however

7 hours ago, Andy Bromfield said:

I have owned 4 fifth gens from 2010 to present (all JDM models) They include two Legacy DIT wagons, One GT Sedan, and Presently a 2013 2.5i eyesight tS. Most have been modified in some way. I also build engines as a hobby.  So fairly experienced  overall.

I have run the stock  NGK Laser Iridium plugs, Denso Iridium TT, NGK Ruthenium plugs, etc.  As long as the heat range is appropriate for the particular level of modifications done (if any) and the plug meets the physical requirements for fitment,  then it's really not a big deal. They all work pretty much the same way. The use of exotic metals is done mainly for longevity.  Ruthenium actually is more conductive than Iridium, and is an improvement on an iridium plug for most applications.  There is no single "right" plug for an engine once the required  specifications are met or exceeded. 

That being said, I do believe in the improvements in efficiency brought on by unshrouding the spark kernel. This is generally well known,  and is measurable. 

I do agree with you 100% in that the reliability and longevity of the Nitrode plugs are an unknown quantity,  and the use of them entails risk.

Hence my approach is one of experimentation,  not adoption. I suspected that there would  be a noticeable difference based on my experience with various plug designs.  I also do not expect them to be right for all applications, or to have the material quality or longevity of an OE spark plug .

This is why I am not advocating their general use.

 

Agreed on the no single plug is perfect statement. In the Civic forums the Ruthenium plugs are big with the Si drivers due to most of them operate in the VTEC range 5500 rpm and higher.  In the non Si cars such as my daily R18 the Ruthenium plugs are not recommended but do work without an issue.  That plug seems more geared toward high reving machines.  That being said I would still stick with Iridium's in my VQ37 VHR which is pretty much one of the best NA V6s ever made(that car does have a Stillen kit on it so it is modded)

I have run crap Autolite Copper plugs on old beater cars that have just run just fine for tens of thousands of miles.

Me personally tend to stick with the laser Iridium NGKs on all the cars I own with the exception of the S4 and 3/4 ton diesel.  

Now you have me curious about putting a set in my R18 as it would take me 15 mins to change them out lol...

I don't remember a recall ever being issued.  Subaru did put so e sort of wax and covered the area with some sealant from what I remember.  Honestly I can't remember if it was a recall or TSB.  That being said maybe the Three Liter cars were different but I never had this done on my 2006 SE at all and no mention of it at anytime.

If Subaru says it's only a TSB then you are SOL as far as them paying. If it's a recall they will pay without hesitation.  If one dealer gives you crap go to another one.  My dealer never gives any pushback in general even with modded cars on warranty issues.

Keep us informed of the outcome and good luck!

On 7/7/2023 at 12:37 PM, silverton said:

Odd mod for a non-turbo car.  really digging the variety of clamps.

Agreed.  Unless he has a lot of blow by due to bad rings.  That would be the only reason for me besides being a DI not port injected motor.

3 hours ago, Andy Bromfield said:

It is a hybrid side gapped plug. The intermediate electrode is there to aid in flashover, so that the arc may be more easily established. So you get the benefits of an unshrouded spark (a la side gapping) along with improved ignitability and less voltage demand.  The gap should be measured from the intermediate to the side electrode. That is my analysis of the design.

I presently have them installed. Initial impressions are a smoother idle. (compared to  8 month old NGK Ruthenium's on a stock gap) The throttle response is definitely sharper, and I am getting decent acceleration with less throttle position on the roads that I usually travel. In a word, she feels more "nippy". 

Lets see how long they hold up. I will run them for 1 year or 5000 miles, whichever comes first.

Glad to hear.  Just keep in mind the NGK Ruthenium is not the proper spec plug for out cars.  Not saying it's not a good plug at all just not the right one.  I get the point of them. But not being made by a major manufacturer is the big issue for me. Slap a Bosch, Denso, or NGK name on that and I am a player.

Weather conditions for me always make the car feel different.  But the "butt" dyno can be a beautiful thing!

19 minutes ago, DrD123 said:

I've always gone with NGK (laser iridium) - I've never seen the nitrode plugs before (don't see them on rockauto) - are they more/less than the iridium ones?  ($12.07/ea for the SILFR6B8 plugs)

No.

Not at all. Something looks really off with the plug on the OPs picture.  Seems the plug is not gapped at all.  It just sounds like a hard pass red flags on all levels.  I always stick with the NGK Laser Iridium plugs. Most cars Subaru/Toyota/Honda seem to use the laser Iridium plugs. Even when Denso is spec in the manual NGKs are installed from the factory.

I put this one in the same category as the "Thornton Tuning Chip" scam.  

On 8/3/2023 at 10:21 PM, silverton said:

Another thing turning me off from them is that Nitrode does not have a web presence except for Amazon and other online retailers.

This guy didn't like them:

https://www.binderplanet.com/forums/index.php?threads/warning-pilot-automotive-nitrode-spark-plugs-sp-np28.142906/

Silverton,

To your point. Anyone who is changing plugs please buy from a local reputable source and not Amazon or eBay. Chances are your Denso,NGK, or even OEM(Denso or NGK with factory branding) are fakes.

Thank you for the reminder btw. Gotta change my daily Civics plugs as it's been 50k since last changeover. Great thing on the R18 is it takes 15 mins to do all four going slow!  Bad part is 140 HP econobox for 100 mile one way commutes

On 8/4/2023 at 10:38 AM, blusubado said:

I finally got my set of Volk Racing CE28SL 18x9.5 5x114.3 +45mm Pressed Graphite! it only took more than a year. they're wrap in 245/45/18 Bridgstone Potenza RE-71R. 

I like the wheels. However personally I would have gone with 19s or even 20s to fill the gap to the wheel well.  Most likely 19s just so the ride quality was not diminished.  

21 hours ago, blusubado said:

I'm might be exaggerating a bit on the stock 22 legacy battery weight but it definitely weighed a crap load. I'll be keeping the car in a heated garage during the winter so I'm not too worried about that. I prefer a little more oversteer which is why I was more focused on the rear sway bar. I like to rotate the car a little to make it aim where I want to go. 

The huge issue is the CVT trans.  That is the problem with the 7th Gen.  For me and no offense on this. People who just replace the rear sway and leave the stock front sway are missing out and doing it cheap.  Have you tried to see what the handling would be like with a matched set?  Generally speaking you can't get a matched set as the R and the F are off by 1MM or so +- each.  On my G37 I have a set of Hotchkis F and R Sways.  The car literally has no body roll coming out of a tight S-Curve at 65 where the speed limit is 45.  Do I think my Cusco front brace helps?  A little.  Do I think Summer tires would make things more grippy? Sure.  As far as you wanting Oversteer.  Heres my main issue and that goes for any car with electric steering.  You will never get the same feel as you would from a normal steering box.  me personally I like heavy steering with understeer.  The Subarus after the 4th gen really did not have the same feel.

As for the stock battery I think its maybe 40 LBS or something like that.  my Odessey is 51 LBS and when looking it seemed like one of the heaviest battery's available.  

Just saying to me I would not start modding a Gen 7 with a CVT very heavy.  Just like my 6th Gen 3.6.  Really no point to modding as that CVT will kill any fun you try to have with the car.  Thats just my opinion.  Now if Suabru decided to put a manual Trans in the 7th Gen XT's well thats another story.

22 hours ago, BoozeRS05 said:

Yes! I’m not even mad, this is gold

I might add this to my signature and of course I’ll quote you.

C'Mon Booze,

You know what I mean by that statement 

Nobody is going to take an unmodded car to a track with just tires and run laps.  in in this case to add insult a CVT Trans vehicle. 

Tires can only do so much before the limits of the car are reached especially on a track.  That is where suspension mods come in.  

6 hours ago, m sprank said:

My wife drives a 2020 MDX SH AWD (tech package).  No A-Spec as she hated the color.  Hers has about 15k on the odo now.  Acura constantly calls asking to buy the car back, lol.  I have two vehicles with loans and I have "equity"' in both at todays market prices.  First time that has happened.  Cars are worth more than I owe. 

Every car I have is paid except for this new Acura.  I get letters from the local Honda dealers trying to get me to sell them my Accord and Civic. Not gonna happen.

This Acura I got for under asking at 29.5k out the door.  Payments are $350 a month and change.  Will have it paid off by the end of the year.

As far as the regular SH AWD and the A-Spec it's just a body package with different seats.  It's nice.  I wish it had the Red Leather like I had on my TL SH before I sold it(I am an idiot for selling that car). As far as the color it figures it's Taffeta White which I actually prefer on the Acura/Hondas.  The Black which I have on my Accord and had on my Accord and TL were not my favorite.  

The dealership kept trying to get me to trade in my 3.6 and it was getting annoying so we drove in my daily beater Civic so no temptation could be made to sell.  One thing I love about Acuras and Hondas is so easy to maintain.  

Now I get to go to my in laws and get to drive a 65 Chevy 1/2 ton with a fully built 502 under the hood.  That should make me want to go out and buy another Z06

41 minutes ago, blusubado said:

ya these potenza's make a world of difference on the road. theres even less roll since the side walls have less squish. I will say that swapping the 60lb battery for a 16lb gravity battery made a noticeable difference on the front end. and swapping out the rims for a set of Volk CE28SL that only weight about 16lbs each made a huge difference as well. next will be the rear sway bar

60 LB Battery?  I have a Odessey 24 in my 6th gen and it is 51 Lbs.  That is one of the heaviest batteries that I have seen that will fit a 6th or 7th Gen.  If you are using a 16 LB battery I would be looking at how it can hold up to -10 and for how long.  But once again Weight honestly is the King MOD as weight is not your friend.

Yes.  The wheel weight makes a huge difference as well.  For me I generally will add the upgrades after the tires and last is the wheels.  As far as the sways always do those in pairs.  Car will drive alot better then just doing the rear.  I would also recommend  new Whiteline etc endlinks.  Sometimes the new sways are to much for stock endlinks.

12 hours ago, BoozeRS05 said:

You sound lost buddy. Tires are 1a mod anyone should consider when wanting to improve vehicle performance. They’re right beside seat time at the track. They come before sway bars and springs, before steering and braking. This is 101 stuff.

Tires don't mean jack when you are running with the big boys at a track. At hat point its who has the best and fastest car. This discussion was not about a track car.  This is about a stock Gen 7.  Most of the time people that are track racing have mods.  In fact most tracks will require you to have some safety mods.  However to your point step one would be getting new tires.  Yes W or Z rated tires will be a bit stiffer in the corners.  But the limitations of the car also come into play.  

If you get into a corner with your unmodded car with "summers" only yeah you may be able to take it at a certain speed.  Put bigger sways, better endlinks, a strut tower brace, and more bracing on the car you can take that same corner at least 10 MPH faster.  I am living proof of that statement.  My 4th Gen 3.0R was bone stock when I got it.  Added all those upgrades and car can go through S-Turns at 10-15 MPH better then stock.  However that being said 4th Gens are a bit stiffer then the 6th or 7th Gens stock.

2 hours ago, m sprank said:

Scrap the boat anchor for the STi. 

We thought about it overnight and decided to just that.  Same dealership(A Subaru dealer)has a 2021 MDX A-Spec SH AWD with 20K on it. Clean and no accidents. Off lease and just turned in for an Ascent.  Same price as the STI was.  All while I have watched two 18-21 year olds test drive that STI(One stalled it twice).  

I told the wife if I get you the MDX the S4 is mine now.  Lol she gave me a FU look and walked away smiling.

9 hours ago, blusubado said:

you guys are funny. a car doesn't need to be modded to throw it around a corner. especially with the 7th gen being so stiff already. and a pure summer tire like the bridgestone potenza definitely make a world of difference...if you're like me and don't wanna slow down for any corners. and then once October hits they get swapped for a set of blizzaks since I live in maine. and since they're only used for 5 months, they'll last a good 3+ years. 

Thats funny.

However no point to wasting money on summer tires for a mid-size car with under 300 HP and tons of body roll.  The 7th gen is not stiff at all.  Its like saying my 6th Gen 3.6 corners like my 4th Gen 3.0 with a Cusco Brace and a mix of larger sways by Cusco/Whiteline.

The 7th Gen was made to be midsize family hauler/Commuter not a canyon carver.  You can't just put the 7th gen into a corner at 70 even with Summers and expect it will not lose traction.  I see this every winter time where I live.  Every Audi and Subaru Driver thinks they can do 80 after 4 inches of snow has fallen.  What they do not get is that thin layer of ice underneath won't stop them any quicker.  

On a side note swapping to Snows in October is a bit early.  I generally do mine after Thankgiving.  everytime I have swapped out early I have been driving the WS90's in 60 degree temps and wearing them down.  Not to mention the soft handling always gets me.  I love the WS90 Blizzack's.  However this year I need to opt for studded Snows.  Probably will just throw the cheap GT radial ones on.  Just saying unless you like near the Canadian border I may opt to wait until Thanksgiving to swap.  On a side note we had one of the worst winters on record here.  900 inches was recorded.  Still have Snow in the higher elevations.  Just a tip however.  A good set of Winter tires maybe lasts two years.  Anytime a tire gets to 4/32 I generally get my proration and get a new set.  However with Winters only company will give you a warranty and its Michelin for 40K.

All,

Thinking about trading in the 2018 3.6.  Only has 57,000 on it.  A 2016 STI in Hypur Blue has come up for sale in my area with 25K on it.  STI is unmodded and clean history it is a local car bought and registered in the state.  Only thing I may do if I purchase if add an Accessport.  I have other vehicles so this will probably not even see 1,000 miles a year. One thing I do not want is for every 18 year old with a WRX or Focus RS racing me so that is why I keep saying anyone want to steer me away?

I am well aware of the problems EJ's can have as I have a 2006 4th gen 2.5 SE in my collection I bought new.  So I do not need a focus on issues that it could have.  If it makes a difference no emissions are required in the state where it will be registered. 

Thank you.

On 7/7/2023 at 3:14 PM, m sprank said:

It is not necessary to perform a “cool down/idling” procedure on Subaru WRX/STi/LGT turbo models, as was recommended with past turbo models. The current 2.0/2.5 liter turbo engine has a far greater cooling capacity and, coupled with technology advances, makes this practice no longer necessary. This explains why information about a cool down is not included in the Owner’s Manuals. The heat contained in the turbocharger begins to vaporize the coolant at the turbocharger after the engine is stopped. This hot vapor then enters the coolant reservoir tank, which is the highest point of the coolant system. At the same time the vapor exits the turbocharger, coolant supplied from the right bank cylinder head flows into the turbo. This action reduces the turbocharger temperature. This process will continue until the vaporizing action in the turbocharger has stopped or cooled down.

Maybe.  However when I drive my 1998 3/4 Dodge with the Cummins I always cool off the turbo after driving.  I just let the engine idle for about 3-5 mins.  I would prob use the same method with a car that was driven hard.  That truck always surprises me.  Manual shift and a Banks controller and exhaust.  1400 LBS of Torque at 2k.  Problem is I hate parking it but I live in wide open country land so I can take 8 spots at the Wally World like everyone else lol.

On 7/8/2023 at 9:35 PM, BoozeRS05 said:

I wouldn’t get all-seasons, they suck at everything in my opinion. Highly recommend a good summer tire paired with a dedicated winter setup. 

The question is why do that unless the car has heavy mods to the suspension?  Honestly stock Gen 7, Gen 6, Gen 5, or even a Gen 4 is not going to handle any better with summer tires.  

If the car is modded then you would feel the handling difference.  

Since the OP is from the great North I believe it's mandated you use winter tires unlike here.  Still winter tires are one thing.  But to me once again as soon as the temps get below 50 degrees those summer tires are not fun to drive on.

However as I have stated to each His/Her own.  I just think summer tires are a complete waste on a car that is not modded and raced on a track.

37 minutes ago, Fred H said:

Other tire review sites: https://www.tyrereviews.com/ and https://www.thetirelab.com/245-45-R18/summer/

My approach was to choose the summer tire that was best in the wet — a Conti, as it turned out this time. 

Absolutely no point to buying a summer tire for wet weather driving.  A summer tire is just that. Once you start to drive those tires in wet or temps below about 50 degrees they are not sticky at all.

A generally normal car like a gen 7 or even gen 6 Legacy honestly is a waste to put summer tires on.  Maybe a modded WRX or LGT for track driving yes.  However really no point with a CVT trans on a car with under 300 HP.

Most are Michelin Pilots when I do see the summers. Generally on Porsche 911s.

I am a Continental DWS mega fan and have been running them on all my cars for yeats except for the 1994 500 SL that seems to love Michelins.

But then again to each their own

On 7/5/2023 at 10:50 AM, creep_nu said:

as much as i love my 5th gen, those 4th gens will forever and always be the most handsome leggys ever made, just absolute classic...that and the volvo s60 from that time frame just knocked it out of the park.

I agree.  The front end of a 4th looks really good compared to my 6th gen.  Only gripe about my 4th gen is the color.  Harvest Wheat is not my first or fifth choice. But got the 3.0R dirt cheat with 60k on it so cannot complain that much. 

As far as the S60. I had a S60 R. Great car and did turn a few heads.  Traded that in on an S4 and actually made money.

Only 4th gen on my list now is an unmolested Spec B and that is a unicorn in itself these days.  However we have a little old lady that drives a VW R32 in my town.  Tempting....

On this. If it's the HG then the OPs car would be blowing white smoke out of the tailpipe.  It's it's mild then the coolant would start to get milky.  OP are you losing any oil at all?

As M. sprank has pointed out one thing.  I always when changing thermostats will put a new Upper/Lower Rad hoses on as well as flush and fill the system. As well as new clamps all around.  I have never had any issues doing it this way.  Sometimes the old coolant and the new T-Stat don't mix.  Generally have to watch the car coolant level for a week or so when the system is "Burping"