KZJonny

You are very welcome. The MCM boys are a riot. I lived in Aus very briefly, and have a few friends down there, one of whom had a very quick 2001 Liberty. I had the very good fortune to live in New Zealand for a while and got turned on to the MCM thing there. If you have the time to watch a longer series look up their Supergramps series. Way back in the day, they put a 3.6L from a Tribeca into a 4th gen Liberty/Legacy and turbocharged it. If you’re still looking for a very small lift idea, then google ‘saggy butt spacers’. They’re commercially available, but something you could make up on your own easily enough, to whatever height you wanted. (Within reason for CV angles…) Just a matter of finding studs long enough to press into your struts to match the lift adjustment. You could probably do an inch or so easily enough?? I was going to make some from an old HDPE cutting board, then found some used ones for cheap, so didn’t bother. Much less work to do in your garage, only need to pull the struts and make a pattern to fit between the strut and body, rather than drop the subframes….

Ah snap!! NOW you send a link to that. After I did rusty ball joints on both my wagons, and they’re bathed in so much anti-seize they’ll come out just fine. When I was looking there was the Company 23 tool, and the ‘weld up your own’ version. So, I opted for neither and used the impact sockets…. Which are still good for getting the ball joint bolt out of the knuckle if it is seized, so you can use that tool to pull the joint out of the control are btw….

I can’t find the thread at the moment, but if the ball joint bolt through the knuckle gives you a hard time, there is a DIY method somewhere on LGT.com (or maybe Outback.org??) that involves jacking up the assembly enough to get an impact grade socket in the space between the knuckle and control arm. You then let the arm drop and the socket acts as a fulcrum to drive the two assemblies apart. Basically lets the strut spring do all the work for you…. As the gap opens, you repeat using increasingly larger sockets, until it breaks free…. That is only a basic description, but I’ve used the method a couple times, and it works really well. Of course, heat and penetrant help, but if you don’t remove the CV, the boot is right there, and a torch is dicey. Even an inductive heater can get the area uncomfortably hot… I forget who posted it, but it was pretty ingenious, or so I thought, and it works without having to beat the living daylights out of the knuckle…

Disclaimer: I do not make any money from promoting them. Ha! But I'll always put in a good word for a product that is well made, and does what it claims to do. I'm very happy with the how much smoother my engine is after the install, and since I really only finished my power and driveline related work a few weeks ago, it's really sinking in in how big of a difference it is. I don't imagine you'll regret it. I would be very interesting to hear your commentary if it is possible to do a drive before install and immediately after, without changing all sorts of other parts. (I replaced mine when I did my timing belt, so even that would've helped smooth out idle in theory, as the belt was real old, and had probably stretched a bit.) I've spent money in a couple other places that it may not have been *entirely* necessary, but don't regret that either. I wanted to do a header as part of my turbo/exhaust upgrade and decided to spend the extra money on the Holy Header. Needed? Nah, not really, but I did want an EL header, and it seemed to be regarded as the best available. When I got to hold it in my hands, and I saw the absolute work of art the casting and welding was (not to mention the sweet sound of non-rumbly efficiency...) I would tell anyone with money burning a hole in their pocket to get one. Fitment was perfect, install took minutes. My car needs paint, will always be on stock rims, and doesn't have silicon rad hoses, or any engine dress up (as examples). But it does have a lot of money put into reliability enhancement and "safe" power. You get to spend your money where you like!

I did a little of that when I pulled my tank for R&R. Worked a treat. Just used carb line since it's far cheaper and more than enough to handle the EVAP system pressures.

Fluidampr is silicon filled, so it is using a variably viscous fluid damper as the name implies. It's a little like the VLSD in your rear differential, the harder you push on it, the thicker the silicon gets as it resists shear. It's much closer to the idea of the "added weight" flywheels like GADT offers: https://shop.getadomtune.com/light-enough-crank-pulley/ This could be a very long and technical answer, but I suppose it can be summarized like this: -light cranks can help a little with hitting target RPMs faster because you are accelerating less rotational mass. So, quicker into boost, etc... They are typically incompatible with a lightened flywheel if you are going that route... So, one or the other. Too little rotational mass causes problems, balance and vibrations issues. -because they are typically just a hunk of aluminium with no type of dampener in them, they can be quite cheap -they have disadvantage as well, like RPM drops off more rapidly between shifts, again, because you have less momentum keep the engine spinning when you disengage the clutch, and many report chattery clutch engagement and "juddering/jumping" getting going from a stop....ymmv Heavier crank pulleys do kind of the opposite. -slightly slow down RPM rise, and hold RPM a little better between shifts -compatible, or perhaps even complimentary to a lighter flywheel, if playing with those variables is a thing you want to do. -in the case of the Fluidampr, cost is a factor, since it a multi part design, etc... however, the fluid dampening is (in my experience so far) actually noticeable, and I find idle a little smoother, and I can definitely take my time a little more between shifts, which I like. Hard for me to pin down how much the thing did just on it's own, since I made quite a few changes at the same time (shifter bushings, Group N trans mount, etc...) But I do kinda have to say it is at least doing some of what is claims to. I use my car more as a Grand Tourer, with some hard pulls down highway on ramps and jaunts down twisty roads at mid-speeds, so the setup suits me well. I suppose if I was looking for all out fast shifting and getting into boost as fast as possible, then a lightweight system would be better? Dunno. The JMP Custom VF40 I've got installed spools plenty fast enough that I have no problem getting into the meat of my peak torque range in a hurry. Maybe that helps? It is some words anyway.

Obviously they do a much bigger lift on this thing than you are talking about, but in the first couple minutes of the video, you see the little spacers they steal from an Outback chassis to put into a Legacy. My OB has them, the GT does not. Only mention it since 3rd gen outbacks are a dime a dozen at u-pull yards. I don’t imagine it would upset your driveline angles too much…. Just thinking out loud. I also raised my car a bit from how it was when I got it. Changed from Sti pinks to Spec B stock springs. Not real loss of handling with a more aggressive alignment, but a much more sensible ride height.

Thanks. My first reaction to it breaking off had been to replicate the original mounting point out of SS sheet metal and tig the the whole thing, the mount it via nutserts..... But, I really wanted to go for a drive. So I opened a beer, stared at the problem for a little bit, and saw that this might work. Little bit of bar steel and a flap wheel did the trick. So, I'm becoming more of a redneck I suppose? Dunno. The beer was good, the fix worked, and I go to go for a nice evening cruise. I guess I am.

Totally an out of left field idea, but I am reasonably sure that Outbacks from the same generation have frame spacers as part of their taller ride height. I should know better, but my GT is slightly lower than stock, and I’ve never pulled a subframe out of my OB. The guys on Might Car Mods did something like this at one point. (OB subframe spacers into a (H6?) Legacy/Liberty. Don’t think USDM cars. Are significantly different than AUDM…. Might be worth the quick google? Not sure at all if it changes ground clearance or just ride height, but that would depend on what you’re looking for.

Just because you’ve already opened your wallet…. I’ll mention it’s worth looking at fuel tank seams as well. I’ve seen quite a few 05-06 vintage cars now, and most seem to have had the tank replaced, or are rusty to the point of near failure. (This is the time to replace all evap hoses while you’re in there….) maybe you are lucky and it’s all good. Most of the rest seems to have been covered… I’ll note that I took someones advice and replaced the crank pulley with a Fluidampr unit. Spendy yes, but it does seem to tamp down vibration and add a some extra smoothness to deacelleration in particular and low RPM shifting.

I imagine OP will chime in before too long, but it didn’t go well. Rod knock. I spent some time on the net trying to help him source a shortblock/longblock, whatever is around. He’s in the same city as me. Not much in our area, unfortunately.

I did a thing. Adressing the broken off exhaust hanger and the drooping muffler. Cleaned up and ground down the original stub of the hanger post and made up a bracket that bolts into the rearmost hitch bolt location. If any if you are pro welders. I’m sorry. I was in a hurry and didn’t feel like loading in the correct wire. It’ll hold, For a while. The geometry is a wrong, and I suspect things might rub a little, but I can adjust that stuff later. Muffler tip is damn near the exact right place tho. Didn’t get a rear end photo before it got too dark. Had to go for a test drive before that. Edit: Looking at the photos again now. (After a lovely evening cruise…) my first thought was I need to cut off the stub and weld it in the opposite direction, to make the rubber hanger a more logical fit… Then I realized I can probably just turn the assembled bracket 180* and bend it a little, to make everything line up a little better. (Facepalm…)

I live in Niagara now, but I’m from Sudbury.

Love to hear a clip of that. I forgot about this thread and should have at least chirped in a while ago. I did of course install the Borla cat-back, a Grimmspeed DP the JMP VF40, and changed plans from the used Invidia UP I had found to the V-band Holy Header. No longer part of the rumble crowd, but I can't say that I care a whole lot. EL Headers sounds awesome, and since my whole plan for the car was not about mad power, rather quick spool and response, they fit the bill. Of course it is louder than stock now, but aside from the goofy y-pipe that as advertised takes up some space where it could have been tucked away, the whole setup isn't too bad. I installed a hitch as well, so it's debatable which will hit the ground first. I also installed Spec B (B6?) struts on what I think are Rev. B springs, so ride height isn't an issue. The pinks the car came with were too low for the roads I drive. I need to give it more time, but overall impressions are that it is pretty tame overall. If you are standing right at the exhausts at idle, it is quite loud, but the pitch is so low that if you walk even a few feet away it tapers off right away. My next door neighbours, whose exterior wall is like 2 feet from where I park and start the car up haven't so much as mentioned the noise. (And this is a guy who sits on his porch yelling at cars to slow down....) General driving around town, is pretty good as long as you don't see every stop sign as an opportunity to launch the thing. It turns a few heads, but I think perhaps that it's mainly car people having a look around, not Joe public. I doubt I would attract much attention from the law unless I was really digging it, at which point it is a little snarly, but in a good way. Drone is not so bad for me, but I'm also not over the "new car" thing of having rebuilt half the freaking car, so I've been doing a lot of radio off, listen to the engine/spooly noises driving. My first road trip home to visit family will be a good test 500+km, much of which is fairly empty highway in central Ontario...

Not a great answer, I know, (as in it doesn't really answer your questions.....) but I used one of these for the "blue tee" job, and am going to pick up another for the FPR source swap: https://www.company23.com/VacuumT Originally sourced by a member here, Turkeylord. Now available through your local speed parts people. I suppose you can get some brass fitting to do the job as well, but I priced these out against McMasterCarr, and it wasn't worth the difference, so I grabbed them from my local Subaru Speed shop. More expensive than auto store plastic fittings, but worth it in my books....

Good on ya! More info for the rest of us. I wish I'd though of that when I parted out a hopeless LGT a couple years back. Those indicators would have looked nice on the plain old N/A OB, just for fun. It never occured to me they'd be able to be swapped over.

Been there with both my wagons…. I was lucky, the metal bits were being held from contacting each other by a good sized layer of rust tho…

So… I stole this from Max Capacity in another thread: This is what the GS gaskets looked like on the heads…. Correct size, fire rings slightly larger than the exhaust ports. I suspect that unless you are gasket matching the ports, they’ll alL be similar to that. The header tube size us more a function of total and laminar flow, as well as matching it to the output of the engine. Hence not need ‘big tube’ headers in all but the most extreme cases. There is probably nothing to be gained but additional cost from necking down the headers to match the ports. This has been my experience in other engine applications anyway. Exhaust gasses should be expanding so rapidly as they leave the chamber anyway small (not smoothed) increase in diameter, or gaskets that aren’t perfectly matches won’t cause you any measurable power loss. In a high performance N/A application there may be a bigger difference, but even there…. You’ve got to be running a lot of power for gasket matching the ports to make much of a difference. IMHO….

I installed my Holy header maybe a month or so ago, using GS gaskets. Maybe I should have, but I didn't hold them up to the headers before doing so. However, I did hold them up to the exhaust outlets on the heads, and they were certainly bigger than that... So, maybe the headers are sized to be big enough in the event you have your head ported, or at least not to create any spots for reversion right at the head. I also hit them with a couple coats of Copper Spray a Gasket and let that dry up as much as it does before installing, on advice from JMP. Makes it all easier to take apart in futures, should you need to... I personally really dig the sound of the ELH, hopefully it works for you. I still kind of appreciate the Subaru Rumble, but now when I pass by another UEL Subaru it just kinda sounds, I dunno... lumpy?

Southern Ontario, Canada. NVAuto 3840 Hwy 6, Hamilton, ON L0R 1W0 https://www.nvauto.ca/ 289-759-8828 I do pretty much all my own work except for engine bottom ends, so I haven't been to them for service, but they're good for sourcing parts, and work on a *lot* of Subarus. Other Subaru owners in the area go them. ~1 hour drive from my area gets you to a specialist instead of someone with generic knowledge. Probably more important for performance oriented work, or diagnosis, but I'd go here for anything I needed done.

Yeah, a little. It was the best I could do to straighten it with a big prybar and a 3lb hammer. It's dented up a bit, but damned close to being "right". That subframe came out of a donor car, so I could prep and paint at my leisure, then do all the work (tank, filler neck, evap lines, Spec B trailing arms, etc.....) at the same time, rather than having to spend several weekends piecing it all back together. Donor car was in a minorish rear end collision, and the one bracket was bent, but that was the sum of the damage. I've got a set of Cusco RSB braces which I think will pull it a touch straighter when installed, but in either case, for a non-track car, I think the braces being out by 1/2" from each other won't effect much. Tell me if I am wrong, and I can probably get them close, but for the moment, I've got bigger problems, hah!

You're not wrong, and given the age of the car, I would normally agree. (Parts of my OB exhaust are hanging from steel zip ties... In this case tho, I *really* like this car, and am in the process of ah.... "derusting" as much of it as I can, like pulling parts to sandblast and re-paint with POR, so I want to do better than some All-Round and tech screws. When I do manage to make up something that works well and can be fitted up, I'll send you some photos, if you're interested. Hell, it might be easy enough to make a second while I am at it, if you might need one soon. (Mine sags so badly because of how the Borla exhaust is built, the muffler pipes are clamped, not flanged, so it rotates pretty freely without that hanger there....) This actually got me thinking that maybe the rusted out rad supports in the front that I am going to replace before next season could also be re-installed without welding. I don't think they are a significant structural part of the front end, and 3-4 nutserts on either side should be just as strong as the same number of spot welds currently holding it in. If all done with SS parts, it would then be removeable if needed, and no worry about rusting fasteners in future....hmmm.

Ugh. Less that I did a thing, and more that a thing happened… The rearmost exhaust hangers are both pretty rusty, and the passenger side (clearly) was pretty rough. I could see this when doing the exhaust install, but kept my fingers crossed it would be fine until the Fall when I take the GT off the road. Nope. So now I need to find time to fabricate a new one and (weld?) it in. Which actually got me thinking that probably some SS nutserts and stainless hex cap screws would be sufficient and probably easier than taking a shower in sparks underneath the car. I can fab up a new hanger bracket from SS plate and rod…. Anyone else been down this road before?

Hmmm... For $375 USD, I don't think I would buy the COBB kit... I ordered up an Sti FPR ($98 USD) and a couple of Turkeylord barbed tees. ($10 CAD each?). Involves cutting and splicing fuel lines, which the kit does not.... But for ~$250 less? I think you should at least consider doing it yourself.

If it evaporated quickly, then it's not brake or clutch fluid. That would've hung around forever. No fuel smells rules out gasoline presumably... Can you follow the hose back to it's source? Wrong side of the car from what I can see, but maybe it was the condensate drain from the HVAC system? In which case, it would just be water draining away, so no big deal... I might've guessed fuel pressure regulator boost reference hose, but it looks like that's all non-stock from the photo?