What did you do to your Outback today? V3

[Febreze Mee]

Just ordered all four air control motors. Not looking forward to this install at all!

 

I will be performing this job at the same time that I replace my dash.

 

What does drilling the rivets out do exactly? I don't understand.

[xt2005bonbon]

Yeah, about the rivets, I still don't understand what is going on here

[kzr750r1]

Not drilling rivets, drilling out the spot weld locations that the lower window frame is mounted to the door. Placing rivets there instead of the spot welds. I'll take some pictures of the location where they pull out to hopefully make it clear. Passenger side needs to be done as well as I can see they are flexing the paint. Otherwise it's pretty much invisible due to sealer and paint covering these locations.

You can see the paint has started to crack due to the extended flex on the lower hole not drilled out yet on this picture.

[kzr750r1]

Well I got distracted yesterday morning and jumped a short median island turning left off the freeway. Major pucker moment seems to have just cocked the steering wheel off a couple degrees to the left and bent the lip of two rear wheels.

 

Rotation and balance done and alignment scheduled for the morning.

 

Bummer is I was just thinking how nice it is after all the suspension and driveline work done over the last couple seasons.

 

Good excuse to find some new rims.

 

EDIT:

Also have received notice from Heuberger Subaru all four HVAC actuator motors are available again. He said it's very rare that an discontinued part is back available.

Have a spare HVAC center section here now as well from a 07 part out. So were ready for the fun to begin again in the summer.

Edited February 23, 2022 by kzr750r1

[xt2005bonbon]

Sorry to hear about the mishap.

 

 

So they are already putting these HVAC motors as discontinued items?? What the heck?

[kzr750r1]

Yes one was full on discontinued and another was by dealership request.

 

So I sad ok request it and let me know when you can ship three.

Then called back and said he's never seen a discontinued part become available again.

 

Possibly I can push them for some dash bits to get ready.

My defrost bezel is cracked in the middle.

[kzr750r1]

Flogged her to and from Idaho this weekend.

Friday drive up.

Saturday fart around.

Sunday drive back.

 

8.5 hours up and 8 hours back packed.

The unplanned score.

[xt2005bonbon]

See? It went just fine.

[kzr750r1]

Since jumping the median had the wheels aligned and rotated.

Bent the lip of both rears. Now on the front.

 

Firestone lifetime alignment deal will be fully exploited.

Need to get the new bushings in the original lower front control arms. I don't like how the aluminum replacements are degrading.

 

Firestone made me laugh at them.

Suggested sparkplugs based on mileage.

Quote is around $450. $300 of that labor... Yeah... NO!

Your monkey's will not be touching my plugs.

 

Yes the drive up and back was a kick. No issues other than forgetting I put bug juice formula in the windshield fluid container. Went over to wallymart and picked up some 91% isopropyl and added it. That cleared up the ice block in the tank.

11 degrees evening temps is no joke.

 

I will not move to Idaho on purpose.

[xt2005bonbon]

 

 

I just spent $$$ for two front cv axles from raxles.com. I hope these ones will finally last a long time. Getting some funky wobbling on hard acceleration after turning right. Plus, these axles have been exhibiting vibrations around 25 mph on acceleration, to the point the whole trans shakes including the shifter. Annoying.

[Febreze Mee]

I will not move to Idaho on purpose.

 

I laughed way harder than I should've at this!

[kzr750r1]

 

 

I just spent $$$ for two front cv axles from raxles.com. I hope these ones will finally last a long time. Getting some funky wobbling on hard acceleration after turning right. Plus, these axles have been exhibiting vibrations around 25 mph on acceleration, to the point the whole trans shakes including the shifter. Annoying.

 

I laughed way harder than I should've at this!

 

You will not be disappointed with Raxles... Great guy. Good products.

 

As for moving... Spent most of my teens in northern Indiana and Chicago suburbs. The winters are just not my idea of a good time.

Burrrr... Will explore more up there when it's thawed.

[kzr750r1]

Car went into limp mode and I knew why immediately.

 

Was on a tear over to a friends house at 4:30am to go to LA for the day.

 

I had a smog the day before and placed my EGT pig tail back in the pipe. EGT is neutered in the Up.

 

Even though there is a EGT delete on the tune I can get limp mode on a hard pull... Like on the freeway.

 

So after I tipped my 30oz coffee cup vertical again was able to pull over on the freeway. Pull the pig tail. Put the access port back in to reset the ECU... Then I was able to go with confidence.

 

Now to clip the male connectors on this pig tail and let it be.

 

I was only 13 min late to the destination.

[xt2005bonbon]

Installed two brand new front cv axles from Raxles. Went for a test drive and now have ZERO vibration while accelerating at any speed. Feels so good! Man I missed a car without vibration when you hit the boost. It's really nice. Now, I just hope these will really last a long time.

[xt2005bonbon]

Interesting situation last night. Went to the gym driving my 06. Then went to the grocery store to buy a couple of things. Once back to the car, she did not want to start. No cranking nothing! Gauge cluster, everything turned on just fine, just zero cranking, not even a 'click' from the starter. The battery is new and strong. So that's not it. I don't think it is the starter either since I took it apart, albeit a few years back, and re-greased it.

Luckily, a couple of guys helped me push the car while in the parking lot, and I got it started. Died a few minutes later at a traffic light (cause I unplugged the battery 5 minutes before that, so idle had to relearn ). Again, a good Samaritan helped push the car and I got it started again. Finally got home safely.

Will inspect the clutch safety switch. I have a feeling that is it.

[rebourne]

Interesting situation last night. Went to the gym driving my 06. Then went to the grocery store to buy a couple of things. Once back to the car, she did not want to start. No cranking nothing! Gauge cluster, everything turned on just fine, just zero cranking, not even a 'click' from the starter. The battery is new and strong. So that's not it. I don't think it is the starter either since I took it apart, albeit a few years back, and re-greased it.

Luckily, a couple of guys helped me push the car while in the parking lot, and I got it started. Died a few minutes later at a traffic light (cause I unplugged the battery 5 minutes before that, so idle had to relearn ). Again, a good Samaritan helped push the car and I got it started again. Finally got home safely.

Will inspect the clutch safety switch. I have a feeling that is it.

 

This was happening to me randomly. Eventually it started happening when the car was hot. The car would start at home, then leave me stuck at the store, or trying to drive home with everyone's fresh hot dinner.

 

It was the starter, and I kept a long pry bar and hammer in the car. A good thwak on the starter with the pry bar / hammer combo and she'd be fixed for a few starts. Just long enough for me to get myself in another situation where not starting was a PITA.

 

When it started doing it every time I replaced the starter. Problem solved.

 

edit: Oh I forgot to mention the absolutely maddening period where I thought it was something wrong with the battery and charging system. I would put my small battery jumper on it, and nothing would happen. I'd fiddle with it, re-read the instructions, let it sit on the battery for longer and finally the gods would smile at me and it would start. Drove me crazy wondering why the jumper didn't work right away. Well, nothing wrong with jumper or electrical... the starter needed to cool off. I guess it was seizing somewhere in there.

Edited March 11, 2022 by rebourne

[rebourne]

Here's a California story:

 

Last March I paid registration on the OB for 2021, but never did the smog test. I still had some shady cables under hood and coming out of the dash for the wideband and AP. I didn't want to fail visual inspection for something dumb like that.

 

I still drove it about once a week to pick up the kids, or maybe to home depot. Fast forward to this month and it dawns on me I haven't gotten a registration renewal reminder. Turns out they won't send me one for 2022 until I complete the smog test and process for 2021. Really? What if it's broke and that's why I never smogged it and I'd like to non op it? Anyways, seems that's how it works now. Can't pay it online for 2022 either, the system spits out an error that the VIN is invalid.

 

I yanked off the shady parts (only cut myself 3x), smogged that shizzle, pdf copied the passed test to the online DMV, and next day they sent me request for the payment for 2022 registration. It was more than last year I think because it was over due already.

 

Moral of the story? Move to Texas?

 

Bonus!

Our Integra is in same boat. Paid in 2021, didn't do the smog. The steering rack is blown out (dumps the entire contents of the power steering fluid reservoir on my driveway in 5 seconds flat), and I have been beyond lazy to deal with it. It's due in April for 2022 and the renewal paper work should have shown up by now. Same invalid VIN error online when trying to pay rego for 2022 to avoid late fees. :-D

[Febreze Mee]

Yes, move to Texas! It's crazy to me how ppl stay in California as long as they do. Your story highlights one of many reasons why I could never live their. That is beyond retarded, and is extremely frustrating. Seems like everyone is packing up and moving to Texas or the mid west. Whatever you do, please vote in your local elections and look to California as an example of what not to do when voting - please.

[kzr750r1]

Humidity sucks.

Cash grab smog sucks.

 

Just need to keep up and non op when needed to keep from extra reg. fees.

Been there done that paying extra forgetting to pay on time.

 

OB passing again while having a good conversation with the tech about the high asking price of used trucks these days.

 

Need to get out of this state but still have plenty of family here and this is wat keeps me here... for now.

 

Found out my daughter can get her DL next month with now driving school or permit. She was telling her mom about it as I yelled in the car, NITRO BURNING FUNNY CAR HERE WE COME!

[xt2005bonbon]

This was happening to me randomly. Eventually it started happening when the car was hot. The car would start at home, then leave me stuck at the store, or trying to drive home with everyone's fresh hot dinner.

 

It was the starter, and I kept a long pry bar and hammer in the car. A good thwak on the starter with the pry bar / hammer combo and she'd be fixed for a few starts. Just long enough for me to get myself in another situation where not starting was a PITA.

 

When it started doing it every time I replaced the starter. Problem solved.

 

edit: Oh I forgot to mention the absolutely maddening period where I thought it was something wrong with the battery and charging system. I would put my small battery jumper on it, and nothing would happen. I'd fiddle with it, re-read the instructions, let it sit on the battery for longer and finally the gods would smile at me and it would start. Drove me crazy wondering why the jumper didn't work right away. Well, nothing wrong with jumper or electrical... the starter needed to cool off. I guess it was seizing somewhere in there.

 

 

 

 

Strange, I am not receiving LGT email notifications for new posts...

 

 

K, so back to starter drama : so first I thought it was the safety switch which appeared to work interminttenly btw. So I bypassed it. Still no start. Then went onto the relay. Relay is fine. I swore the starter was fine since I regreased it a couple of years ago. Eeeh no, it was in fact the starter. Exactly same issue as you. I took the whole thing apart, cleaned up the motor, brushes with MAF cleaner. Tested it on the bench and it worked. Felt like a hero. Put it back in the car. Worked for a week. Then BAM, same problem again. But now I knew exactly where to hit the starter. So yeah, a few hits and it worked. I just purchased new brushes hoping that will fix the issue. Will update later once installed..

[rebourne]

The Duralast reman I went with was $139 with the online coupon Autozone had running at the time. Looked a whole lot healthier and cleaner than the one that came out.

 

The brushes are much cheaper for sure, let us know how it goes.

[rebourne]

Ordered a few things to tidy up the OB:

 

Ebay:

oem missing rear headrest (always been missing one, but kids were too short to matter for many years. Now they are not. I ordered a set of all three and will pick the best of the lot.)

oem new power seat switch (passenger side is out, only goes fwd, ebay $78, dealer $116)

 

Amazon:

aftermarket drivers window switches (drivers side window switch is floppy/dead. $115 dealer, $38 after market)

aftermarket rear cup holder (kids used it as a step many years ago: *snap* )

 

Subaru:

turbo heat shield (mine was cut with a death wheel to clear VF52 actuator. Who cares? California. And for that never been modified look.)

rear spring cargo clip (one snapped, cheap from Subaru though! surprisingly only $10)

rear cargo cover handle and hook (stupid plastic hook is $23, but so handy)

 

Also have a 2008 head unit to install. My oem has a short in it or something. It randomly pops at full volume and the whole hvac goes off.

 

Just a bunch of little projects.

 

I also picked up a Thule roof box for the Alltrack, but ain't no reason I can't throw it on the OB should the need arise.

Edited March 23, 2022 by rebourne

[xt2005bonbon]

The Duralast reman I went with was $139 with the online coupon Autozone had running at the time. Looked a whole lot healthier and cleaner than the one that came out.

 

The brushes are much cheaper for sure, let us know how it goes.

 

 

I hope that will fix the problem. We shall see.

 

 

Also bought fuel filters for the 06. I am troubleshooting a weird lean condition. Can't find any vacuum leaks. Now suspecting fuel pump. So starting with changing the filters. We shall see.

 

 

Also purchased axle seals for the 05. Got a leak from the driver side from the recent swap with raxles. Strange cause I am really careful each time I swap axles.

[Infosecdad]

 

Also purchased axle seals for the 05. Got a leak from the driver side from the recent swap with raxles. Strange cause I am really careful each time I swap axles.

 

I ran into the same thing when I swapped my front axles, it took a little bit, but the passenger side started leaking after the swap. I had to go back and replace both seals for good measure.

[xt2005bonbon]

Interesting. Maybe I pushed them too hard when I put them in. Although passenger side is not leaking at this time.