KZJonny

Yeah, that sounds pretty normal to me for extreme snow days and driving through them. (Originally from snowy Sudbury, in Central Ontario.) Pressure washing (if it is a rare warm winter day), or scraping out your wheel wells is a pretty normal winter event, and if you don’t get all the snow and ice out, if feels like a very badly balanced wheel, as you discovered. Most people with sports cars, or whatever you classify our modified and often lowered cars as, have a beater for that reason. I’d say it’s more common to just go around kicking the snow off than finding a car wash usually. You don’t end up with ice on your wheels that way. Hopefully there isn’t any long term damage to the power steering, but I sort of doubt it? The last car I had up North during a full winter didn’t have power steering so at least that wasn’t an issue!

1/2 of a roof, and another wall clad. Moving along alright. Thankfully we haven’t had a lot of snow this December yet. Christmas will but a pause in the work, but hopefully not too much.

Started getting the trusses up a little while ago with a couple of friends and some borrowed scaffolding. Probably took almost 2 hours to get 3 in place. Next free day, we got the rest up (11 more) in maybe an hour and change. Amazing how much faster everything goes when you get a system in place that works. Hah. Now I’m slowly squaring and securing the trusses as well as squaring the walls a little. Getting done between days when it’s pouring rain or snowing or all this gear is covered in ice… So as bad as it is building in these conditions, it’s exactly why I need a garage!

Not spending your dollars for you, but I'd trust the Exedy kit wherever you choose to get it. I would have immediate reservations about any product that is critical to your car's function that forces people to write a review about it to "validate the warranty". For what it will cost in labor to do the clutch/flywheel job, I'd probably feel a whole lot better knowing I wouldn't have to pay twice. (This is assuming you're paying a shop to do the work.)

Another vote for sell as is, and hang on for a while. This is also with some hindsight colouring the equation. I picked up my GT for $2500 CAD in around 2016, thinking it would just need some new rubber, a touch of bodywork and an overall service to iron out the wrinkles. I do not want to tally the invoices I have, but I am guessing I'm close to $10K into the car now, and that is paying myself $0/hr to do all the work. Thinking back on the cars that were selling for $6-8K at the time, I wonder how big of a hole I dug for myself, that I could have avoided. (That said, I learned a tonne, and there is something to be said for doing the work yourself....) Someone that knows even half of what I know now and really wants one of these things will know enough to pay a fair price for a well built and clearly carefully maintained specimen. I would if I weren't already starting the parts hoard for the next project car....

If your flywheel is burned or damaged, you'd probably be better off swapping to a single mass flywheel. (SMFW) Our cars came with a Dual Mass Flywheel (DMFW). It's either tricky or impossible to machine a DMFW, depending on the equipment the shop has and the level of expertise. And you can probably get a single for not a whole lot more than the price of machining your stock one. The Spec clutched discussed will require a SMFW. (08+-? WRX will fit.) There will a slightly difference in how they drive, but most people seems to prefer the SM anyway. It can eliminate some of the "juddering" you get while engaging the clutch, particularly at low speeds. In contrast, it may may shift more sharp, since there isn't a layer of softer material sandwiched between the two main plates, like in a DMFW. This is all subjective, and a matter of personal taste. You'll find out what's going on inside when they open it, but be prepared for it to be the clutch fork, or pivot, which are known to fail in our cars. Hopefully it is not the throwout bearing failing, which can cause damage to the transmission snout. (This is fixable with a specific kit, research as needed if it comes to that....) If you're all stock, then an Exedy OE style clutch (OE clutch is made by Exedy, so I am told, and buying from aftermarket will likely be cheaper that from the Subaru dealer.) will be fine, or the equivalent WRX type if you choose to go to the SMFW. Spec Stage 1 would be a tasty upgrade, but more money than an OE type part.

To give the guys at Spec even more credit, the fellow I talked to specifically told me not to get a Stage 2. Something about the friction material not lasting long in a daily driver, since it is better suited to track use? I honestly forget the coversation details, but it had to do with the material specfically. He recommended the Stage 1 or Stage 2+. (So this agress with you Max). Just saying for stock hp/torque, or even a fair little bit more, either will do the job well, according to Spec. I went with Stage 1 mainly because I'd like as light a pedal feel as possible, (I know the clutch isn't the ONLY factor there...) and I were to do something stupid at some point, I prefer the idea of a fairly inexpensive, easily replaceble part being the weak link in my drivetrain. Since everything else is stock right now, I'd rather toast my clutch than say.... the trans.

Makes sense then. I've got plenty more to do on my car, but do at least have new tires on Spec B Bilsteins and Springs. The pinks were too low for the roads in my area, but I may try them again, we'll see. I'll stop the mini-threadjack now tho!! On with Bessie getting a rebuild!!

So….. is that the ‘Custom’ VF52? I can say from experience that the VF40 and the JMP ‘Custom’ VF40 are not the same. Sure, the little turbo doesn’t make your face scrunch at high at higher rpm, but it does keep pulling all the way… And it spools, like, fast. All that on OTS Stage 2 and 91 Octane. I suspect a little more pucker factor with a proper pro tune when I have time to get that done. All that to say that comparing a VF52 and a ‘custom’ JMP VF52 is probably a meaningfully different driving experience.

That's my kind of driving as well, look at those windy bits!! Also my reason for sticking with a 'small' turbo, in the Custom JMP VF40 with improved internals. Add that to the vigilant, thorough law enforcement w/strict penalties in my neck of the woods and all of a sudden doing 50-80 km/h on super windy roads that hardly see a cruiser sounds like a better idea all the time. Plenty of cops on the highways happy to slap you with a big ticket for going at speeds that a 20G will get you to in a hurry. VF52 is about as big as I would ever go, I think, if I *really* need more. That said I'd love to take a ride with anyone who did a 380XT or Custom VF52 for example, and see what I am missing out on.

Well, my '05 went in for airbag recall last year.... but that was for the passenger side dash airbag. I'd assumed the drivers side has already been done, but I could certainly be wrong about that.... might not have ever been recalled. I'll have a quick look, but I am pretty sure that the only difference between the Momo airbag and the base level one is that the GT/Momo (maybe some other high trim level cars?) has the hard plastic Subaru logo, while the base model has an all black plastic coverplate. I suppose it depends on how badly you want the badging, coz there are certainly plenty of base level wheel airbags in scrap yards. I'll do a quick double check when I have a minute, but I am nearly certain that my 2.5i wheel is essentially the same as the one in my GT except for the skin....

Huh. Definitely strange. Hopefully it becomes obvious when you take a look around where that body work was done? I wondered if something grounding out on the other side could be creating interference, but clearly not if that harness is still good…

Any chance you may have missed a bad wire in the hatch pass through? I had a problem with my rear wiper intermittently where it wouldn't park in the right spot. This was after I had spliced in a bunch of replacement wires in the hatch passthrough to correct the brake lights shorting out, and taking out their fuse, which prevented the car from starting. It wasn't until I took the area apart a second time and ripped all the plastic trim in the area off as well that I found more breaking/broken wires... Replacement of wires x 2 did the trick. All good now, tho the reception in the trunk antenna is a mediocre as it has been as long as I owned the thing... (This is the Outback, somehow the GT still has all function OKAY in the hatch, even tho I have looked at the passthrough bundle, and can see cracks all over the insulation.... I'm not touching that until it causes a problem....)

Crap. Mine is getting a little gooey as well.... I've got a spare one out of a parts car, but the condition of the airbag or whether or not it was fixed under warranty is unknown. I'd debated trying to clean then plastic paint my current one, but wonder if whatever adhesive is oozeing out from the plastic would just destroy that. Took a look at this the other day for a buddy who is currently going to be stuck with a tan airbag in a black wheel, and the skin is held on with 4 x rivets. I would think it might be a little tricky to drill them out and put new ones in if you find a plastic in better shape, but it should certainly be do-able..... Perhaps not the worlds best idea, but the inflator shouldn't go off if it is not connected to a voltage source, and your not ridiculously rough with it.

Better late than never. You probably already dealt with this? Unfortunately, $1500 does sound about right for a factory cat. I just sold my old one from the GT (2 cats in the downpipe) for $700..... Might do better going to a 'custom' exhaust shop and have them either cut away the rotten stuff off the cat you have and try harder to put a new flange on it, or weld in a high-flow performance cat. They still do a good job of cleaning up NOx, but they're smaller and usually meanigfully less expensive than OE replacement cats. Your neighbourhood exhaust shop probably doesn't want to do anything more involved than replacing factory pipes with pre-bent replacments or basic cut and weld type work.

Oh man. I didn't know I needed a Euro spec wagon rear bumper until now....

Just to muddy the water, I had a chat with the guys at Spec as well, and they suggested the Stage 1 for me. I've got a JMP VF40 Custom turbo and full exhaust. So, no dyno numbers, but probably at least 260-270 whp. Haven't installed it yet, since the OE clutch is still holding on just fine after a summer of spirited driving, which surprised me. GIve them a ring if you decide to go this route. Their customer service was great, so I'm really just giving them a +1. Which clutch you replace with is a personal choice. If you're not doing power mods, then OEM is probably juuuust fine. That said, going to a single mass flywheel is kinda nice as well, and now would be the time to do so, if you're thinking about it.

Glad you figured it out. Was is the carrier bearing or a u-joint? Doesn’t matter much at this point, but they’re all exposed to the elements, and the driveshaft Itself is considered a replacement part wear item, as the u-joints are hard to replace with new units, and the carrier bearing is not replaceable at all that I know of. When I replaced mine with an aftermarket part, it lasted like 2 weeks and blew up on the highway. Thankfully I was able to pull it out and get off the road… oe junkyard propshaft is 2 years and still going strong.

Pop out the wheel speed sensor and have a look. They get damaged when the tone ring gets bent and cuts a notch out of them. Commonly anyway, I’ve replaced at least 2 of mine and had to slightly bend back the tone ring on the axle so it wouldn’t contact. If the sensor looks fine, you might have a wiring problem further up the system. The connection where the sensor meets the body is kind of exposed to the elements, so maybe take that apart and hit it with some connection cleaner/de-oxit and try again? fwiw, the sensors and their retaining bolt can be pretty rusted in, I’d definitely consider soaking it in your best penetrating agent for a day or two before trying to take it out…. Heat is likely to melt the sensor.

For whatever reason this thread popped back into my head. I think the answer would also be "yes" becuause of the Subaru global platform, but does anyone suppose this swap would also work about the same for a USDM Impreza wagon as the shell for the same kind of STi swap? (Or any other EJ-T you could find from a wrecked car....) I would really like to have a modern WRX hatch, but of course, they're NLA, and I know I'll never be able to drive a sedan. However, finding a blown engine or damaged Impreza hatch and a twisted WRX or STi would make it possible. Probably well outside my budget, and money better spent throwing a bigger turbo and fuel system in the GT, but still.... It would make for a nice daily winter beater. Shells would be plentiful and fairly cheap for a lot more years than 4th gen stuff. Or... If anyone on here has a bugeye Rex that isn't a pile of rust, let me know.

Parts-com seems to be pretty spendy in your area for well used engines. Seems like a new short block is the best choice. But that’s a bit of work to do the swap. Depends on how much work you are willing to take on? Not a terrible swap, but would require a fair few tools to do it properly…

Yeah, that was really early in the morning, and I hadn't had a coffee yet. I don't imagine diff gears would be terribly happy just being lubricated by ATF....

Don't know how far you are from it, or how much you feel like pulling your own stuff. Trans is a bit of a job, but there could be one in Charlotte? https://www.lkqpickyourpart.com/parts/charlotte-1228/?year=2005&make=SUBARU&model=OUTBACK Phase 1 4EAT. Looks like they come in around $400 with a 60 day warranty? Just a thought. Don't know if they're willing to take a look in the yard for you and talk about mileage and what is still in the car, but some places will.

I've said it a few other places now, but JMP was awesome to deal with. So very glad I decided to get my 'Custom' VF40 from him. The turbo looked amazing, performs even better than I expected, and the customer service was over and above. If I had the guts/money and didn't want my engine to last to 3-400k kms, I would do a fuel system and strap on one those 20Gs in a minute. I do appreciate the 'slap you back in your chair' feeling of an engine coming on boost hard, or 'getting on the cams' in NA applications, but don't need it in a daily driver..... uh.. threadjack over. Buy stuff from JMP!

I took out the OE rubber o-ring that acts as the gasket there. I found the Mr. Gasket silicon lined up right at the mating surface, and didn't want the two infering with each other and causing sealing problems. The whole thing passed a smoke test before I ever dared turn the key, granted, that's only a couple psi, but I've also got a few thousand kms on it now, and no signs of poor idle, or of boost leaks. Ymmv, but I think that gasket it as good choice either way. I can't imagine the P-0500 would have any relation to idling problems... This might help?: https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/diagnosing-a-p0500-dash-err-ss-rare-problem-failed-abs-module.447257/ Maybe double check that you didn't nudge any vacuum related hoses (the infamous blue Tee is infamous for a reason....) while you were messing with the Intercooler etc... I'd think it's likely the wheel speed code and the bad idle aren't related, but I imagine there is some way under the sun that it's possible.