SchwarzeEwigkt

I had that on mine. Sometimes is was pretty gnarly, like I ran something over. I changed my fluid a couple times and it’s mostly gone away. I can still feel when it downshifts into first as you come to a stop, but it’s not at all violent anymore. I’d characterize it as “normal” or “typical” for a car with a well worn in automatic transmission. I do have a bit more than 100k*mi, though. I changed it at 90k and it hasn’t ever been done as far as I know. You probably should do it anyway. I can’t imagine the correct ATF is so expensive where you are that it’s not worth trying a change or two before you tear into the transmission itself. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It screws into the driver-side valve cover on the EZ36. It’s this “THREE BOND 1324” business I’m wondering about. I did some digging around a while ago and more or less discovered that it’s not really available to good average goof turning bolts in their garage. Looking again, I’m finding that LOCTITE 542 is supposed to be an equivalent. Taking a look at the TDS’s for 542 and the more pedestrian 243 (blue thread locker), the main difference seems to be the color and viscosity — 542 is brown and thinner — and that 542 is resistant to oil. 243 will only tolerate “minor contamination by industrial oils, e.g. motor oil.” The TDS for 542 mentions testing for breakdown in contact with several solvents like oil. 242 doesn’t mention any testing for oil at all. Breakaway torque is almost the same. 542 seems to be specifically marketed for pneumatic gas and hydraulic fittings, which I’d definitely classify a fitting screwed into a valve cover as… Amazon seems to carry it, oddly even a little cheaper than the 242 for the same size bottle, though a pretty big one for a garage jockey (50mL). I’ll probably just start using it in place of my blue stuff when it runs out, since it looks like just a more robust version. I guess I’ll let you guys know how it goes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What did you use to seal the threads? I recall that Subaru calls for some brown stuff that’s more or less unobtanium. I’ve got a PCV in a box on a shelf I ought to put in. I had figured on using Teflon tape or maybe green Loctite if I can scare some up. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

While I’m glad it’s back to where it was, those numbers still sound pretty low. You’re getting the kind of mileage I get on my 3.6R in the winter. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Huh. Would ya look at that. I’ve never even heard about that before. Hell, if I stuck the negative battery cable through that, wrapped it all in that weatherproof electrical tape, then routed the sensing wires into the dash, I could mount that thing someplace and have a nice without having to screw around! It wouldn’t be able to drive a needle gauge like I was hoping for, but I can’t really complain for $40... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Current clamp meters generally only work on AC circuits. That was why I wanted to use a current shunt, which is basically a low resistance, but precision resistor between the load and the ground that has enough current carrying capacity to suffer the maximum amount the load will ever draw. Knowing the resistance of the shunt, you can measure the voltage drop across the shunt and calculate the current flowing through it based on that via Ohm’s Law, which you might remember from Physics in high school. You can get (or design with something like an Arduino) a meter that does the math for you and drives a display or a needle or something. I recently saw a friend of mine with one installed on the ground for the heavily modified Power Wheels truck he built for his kid. Texas Instruments does sell a shunt rated to 1500A, but that seems like it’s massive overkill. Though, given that it’s basically just a large conductor, it might not even be very expensive. As such, overkill isn’t a big deal. I don’t know if this is something I’ll ever actually do; it’s more something I’ve been kicking around in my head in the shower for the last few days. I *really* dig instrumentation in my cars. Like, maybe a little too much. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey! Have any of you folks ever installed a current shunt between your negative battery cable and the battery so you could infer the amount of current being used by the car’s electrical system? I think I’d like to have an ammeter in the car, but I don’t know what kind of current the system uses on a regular basis, so I don’t know how big a shunt to use. I’m pretty sure 100A ones I keep finding places won’t be enough given that the battery is designed to provide upwards of 350A for starting. I did run across a 1500A shunt, but that seems massive overkill. Really, I think it’d be cool if I could find a metering system actually designed for automotive applications rather than having to roll something myself. It’s been a long time since my electrical engineering courses in college and my spark-fu is no longer that strong. I just haven’t run across anything yet. Thought it was kind of weird that nobody seems to care to install an ammeter. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So, last night I went to go someplace and my car wouldn’t start. Cranks, but won’t fire. Ran fine until I parked it. Pulled codes and have one for the crank position sensor and for one of the knock sensors. Took a peek under the intake manifold and noticed the wire loom was chewed open, the knock sensor wires are gone, and it looks like the CPS wire is partly chewed through. Seems I get to spend the next few days pulling my manifold and doing wiring. Delightful. I’ve never had this happen before, so I’m not sure what you do to avoid this in the future. What have you folks done to keep critters out? This is a monumental pain in my ass that I have no interest in repeating. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was thinking bad ground myself. Admittedly, I haven’t had to take the door cards off in a modern Subaru yet, but it’s typically not the hardest thing to do. Why not pull the cards off and disconnect the door lock actuators on each door in turn and see if a particular one being out of the system stops the sound. You can inspect the wiring while you’re in there, too. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve got an unopened bottle of CHF-202 in my garage left over from when I did the steering rack on my now dearly departed Audi. I think it’s a liter. It’s dark green and smells really weird! It’s just taking up space on my shelf. You can have it if we can figure out how to get it to you. That said, as I’ve brought up in the past, Pentosin says the CHF stuff is not compatible with regular stuff. I’d worry what the combination of the old stuff and this new stuff might do. Further, I’d have real questions about the seals in the pump and the rack being incompatible with this stuff. I think they’re either nitrile or Viton, which is probably fine, but I don’t know for sure. Blowing a seal would be a ton of work for you. There even may be the possibility of degrading a hose and causing it to throw a bunch of trash into the pump and the rack you’d somehow have to clear out. Or, worse, you blow up the high pressure hose and shoot hydraulic fluid all over the place and ruin your pump completely. I might be preaching to the choir, though. You seem pretty adventurous... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You know, I never noticed that there before. [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bad alternators kill batteries for sure. You should plan on getting a new one, especially with winter coming. Further, bad batteries put an unnecessary strain on alternators. It’s lose-lose if you ignore one or the other. Unless you enjoy sitting in the cold waiting for a jump or a tow, but whatever makes you happy! [emoji2369] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting you would bring this up. I bought a Gates belt for my 3.6R to go with the new idler and tensioner pulley bearings I bought about a year ago and discovered it was too short. I didn’t really *need* a belt at that point, so I just put the old one back on. The box says it’s 64-5/8” long, which is actually on the longer side of the belts RockAuto lists. Kind of sounds like I should just order an OEM one. I wonder if this is a case of somebody writing the specifications down wrong and then everybody just running with it. Something like that seems to have happened in the past; I bought like four different wheel bearing seals for my ‘97 Outback and all the aftermarket ones were the same size and too small. The OEM ones I finally bought were correct. EDIT: In fact, looking at subarupartsforyou, they sell two belts for my car. One is shorter than my Gates belt by 14mm, and another that’s longer by 12mm. Oh, who the heck knows? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I put Akebono pads on my car last time. I seem to recall that there was a squealer-clip only on one pad rear pad. Not sure about the fronts. The Wagner OEX pads I put on my wife’s Forester last weekend had them on both sides of the front and back pads. On all my other cars - Subarus and otherwise - those clips are hit or miss. Only my old BMW and Audi consistently didn’t have them, though I suspect it’s because those have electronic wear sensors instead. This would seem to support your notion that each manufacturer does what they want. [emoji2369] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have somebody interested in the struts. They haven’t been clear that they’re actually what they want yet, though, so I’m not sure. If that falls through, they’re yours. As long as what you want is Outback struts, anyway. They’re different. Definitely longer than other Legacy struts, probably different settings too. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you’re just looking for a replacement headlight, I’ve got one for a ‘97 Outback that was sitting on my shelf for years. Just the one, looks like a driver. It’s yours if you pay shipping. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve been talking about putting it up for sale without actually doing it for so long that I’ve proven I can’t be arsed. Free as in beer is less effort and will probably make it gone faster! Thanks for looking out for me, though. :-p Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi! I’m cleaning out my garage and have set eyes (again...) on some parts I have for a ‘97 Legacy Outback Wagon. I haven’t had that car for a decade. Don’t know why I kept the parts. They’re taking up space and they’re annoying my wife. So! If you find yourself with a need for any of these parts, let me know. They’re yours for the cost of shipping. I’ve got: An aftermarket front right left headlight (new, lens wrapped in plastic, otherwise quite dusty). Says "01773954" on it. Even has bulbs in it! An A1 Cardone front axle (new in box), PN: 66-7055. Summit seems to indicate it fits all sorts of stuff, Two KYB GR2 rear struts, (new in box) PN: 335020 and 335021. Summit indicates these are for 96-99 Legacy Outbacks only, and for some reason lists the Limited separately. A gray wagon retractable cargo cover (used, dusty from being in the garage for a decade, otherwise fine). Let me know what you all want to know and if you want them. If you don’t, they’re getting chucked. Here’s some pictures. Sorry about my messy workbench:

I had gauge overlays on my other car when I first got it. They had to be lined up *perfectly* to work and that was damned near impossible. They sucked very much and made the cluster very hard to read at night. And, since they were *reflective silver,* impossible to use during the day. I took those out very quickly. And fixed the misaligned gauge needles while I was at it. The PO was a bit of a bozo when it came to modifications... Either way, I wouldn’t recommend putting overlays on your gauges. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just looked into it. It turns out that wire you’re talking about is the field or exciter coil. It works exactly like I thought it did. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Does it really? Neat! How does it interrupt the alternator charging? There’s no clutch on the alternator pulley besides the overrun clutch that I’m aware of. Does it collapse the field in the exciter coil or something? My only rough understanding of the physics involved would indicate to me that decoupling the coils like that would reduce the drag the alternator would generate so you’re not wasting horsepower, and as long as your battery was healthy, it would fill in the dip. I think. Either way, it sounds like the electric equivalent of a variable displacement pump. I know how those work, but this is new to me! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don’t think so. Just USB charger in the center console that’s usually not being used and the USB charger/voltmeter in the plug in the dash in front of the shifter. Why? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds like I’m a little high, but not out of the realm of normalcy. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey! Since my battery died last year and I replaced it, I’ve had a little digital voltmeter/USB charger plugged into my cigarette lighter socket. I’ve noticed that my system voltage is like 14.7V when I first start the car up and it’s cold out, usually 14.5V or so when it’s warmer. Once I drive the car for a few miles and everything gets up to temp, it settles at 14.3-14.4V. According to the manual, it’s in spec, though on the higher side. Most cars I’ve measured — with healthy alternators — usually made 13.5-13.8V. I’m curious to see what other folks tend to see. I freely admit that I haven’t measured the output voltage with a multimeter recently, so it might be that my cheap little socket-meter is a little overenthusiastic. I seem to recall doing that when I first got it and the readings jibed, though. I may be making that up. My memory’s like a steel sieve, you see. So, yeah. What kind of voltage are you guys making? Just want to make sure I’m not about to overcook everything. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Fair enough! Just wanted to make sure you were aware of what you might have been wading into. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk