200k mile '05 OBXT 5MT build

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Photos from the event:

[Max Capacity]

Glad to see the Outback is running well.

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I put the wrx wheels back on the car, went with Firestone firehawk Indy 500 tires for this set. These are stock 225/55/r17 size.

 

 

After a dirt road run

 

I've still been driving the car to work everyday, and doing 3 hour weekend trips often. I started getting an intermittent exhaust leak 3 weeks ago. It would go between normal sounding, and open header sounding randomly. Pulled the downpipe off because I started getting a CEL (lean) and it came off in two pieces. So I ordered a cobb catted downpipe and hopefully it'll be back on the road this weekend

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Also ran a Carfax today and found out I'm actually the 6th owner. It was sold new in Fort Pierce Florida, then went to Montana, and in 09 came to Michigan.

[ViscousSquirrel]

Just wanted to pop in and compliment your car

[outbacksoutback]

Just wanted to pop in and compliment your car

 

Thank you it's very much appreciated

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Put the down pipe in, was easy enough. I did notice a fuel leak from the rear passenger side of the car while doing so. Have not investigated further yet but it's on the list. I have a double din dash kit and head unit waiting to go in, but I am having trouble sourcing the I88 adapter. I emailed ae64 but have not received a response yet...

 

Here is the pipe

 

Jump-starting the lawnmower

 

After a wash and wax

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Also the car has 245k miles at this time

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Got my JDM dash kit in over the weekend. Notice the hazard switch lights up now. Radio is a Jensen I picked up at the junkyard for $20. I'm going to run it until I save enough to replace it with the same Kenwood unit I have in the forester (and add a subwoofer). Also replaced the fuel pump assembly/cap which fixed my fuel leak. looked like the metal cap that holds the pump down had rusted and that was causing my leak. I pulled the assembly from a 2012 forester xt. It was plug and play.

[NoOne1223]

Build looks awesome! Keep it up!

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Not much new to update on. MY AC wasn't working, added some refrigerant and it is now (belt squeals sometimes). The car has been running decent with a DAM of 1.0, every once in a while I get a big drop then it eventually goes back up. Here are a few data logs, if anyone has input it would be very appreciated. Not sure if the AC is killing the dam, or if I have someting else going on. I'm still on the cobb ots stage 2 91 hwg tune with 93 fuel. might try flashing the normal wastegate tune. I want to put off a protune until I can go flex fuel...

 

Here is a pic of the car

 

Logs with the DAM at 1.0 after work trying to keep up with a bmw (no AC)

 

Log with the dam at .12 after work on the highway with AC on

 

These were taken about two days apart.

[dgoodhue]

I wonder if your AC compressor or clutch is going and making noise that the knock sensor is pickup.

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Small update.

 

Passed 250k miles on the car a few weeks ago, at 252k now. Today I went to the last test and tune of the season at a local drag strip, the timing system at the track broke as I was on my way there though so I did not make a pass . Still dailying the car, looks like I will be driving it in the snow this year though. I now have some used snow tires on the stock wheels, did not raise the suspension any for now. The only other thing it needs before winter is a skid plate because I don't even have the stock plastic down there anymore. Also picked up some black leather heated seats and center console from a lgt at the junkyard, and black carpet from a different legacy. I already swapped the rear cargo floor to black so now I just need black leather wagon rear seats.

[outbacksoutback]

I wonder if your AC compressor or clutch is going and making noise that the knock sensor is pickup.

 

Yeah I think eventually I am just going to throw a AC compressor at it and see if it works lol. Makes sense. I do have the lightweight crank pulley still too so it could be more sensitive?

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I did try flashing the other tune and it was definitely worse, the car is very happy on this map (using it over a year) besides when the ac is on.

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Nothing major to update over the winter. Really enjoyed driving the car in the snow this year. It can be scary fun, the old outback was just regular fun. Anyways, I wound up putting a few bends in a road sign and used that for a plate.

 

 

I did have a bad cyl 3 misfire that threw a CEL, turned out just to be the plug on the coil pack falling apart. I drove it to work on 3 cylinders, zip tied the plug on before I came home and haven't had trouble since.

 

Pics from in the snow and some spring cleaning.

[blackobxt]

This makes me want to switch from lgt struts to coil overs on my obxt

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This makes me want to switch from lgt struts to coil overs on my obxt

 

Sometimes I want to switch to struts and king spings lol.

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Hello again my old friends... well 3 years after I had the car running it is finally time for round two. My head gasket was starting to leak externally, and I was preparing to pull the engine again. 3 weeks ago on Saturday I hopped on the highway, went through the gears, staring cruising in 5th gear at 70mph then 5th just disappeared! I kept driving but the transmission was obviously hurt. 5th acts as a neutral, and I was having trouble getting into the other gears randomly. Two weeks ago today I drove it to work unable to go above 2nd gear. When I made it there, then 3rd and 4th started working. Anyways, my dad again made the drive down to come trailer the car back. I have another engine and transmission I am preparing to swap into the car so hopefully I can get it sorted in a week or two this time. 

The transmission I picked up from a wrecker I found through car-part.com. It is a split case cable shift 6 speed from a 2016 Forester with about 150k on it. I am using this transmission because I had been curious about using one of these for years and saw a thread recently where someone had swapped one in.  (https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/6spd-swap-from-2018-crosstrek.546642/) Also, it was the cheapest unit I could find on a "last chance sale" for $340. From my research, this should have a 4.44 final drive, which if I am correct matches my trans and dif that are currently in the car. I had to order the shifter assembly with cables on ebay, which was another $200. 

The engine I have is out of a 2006 obxt manual transmission that had 190k miles on it. I acquired this engine in a deal I made back in February with a guy named Chad in a Facebook group. He might be on the forums too but I'm not sure. This engine came from his car he had owned 9 years, pulled when he replaced the transmission, and decided to go with a fresher engine he had acquired. Chad said he pretty much considered it a core and there was low compression on one cylinder but I was interested considering the miles on mine.   

 

I also acquired (most of) this 2008 obxt limited with a 5eat and will be starting a thread for that car as well. Chad took the engine and some other fresh parts from the 08 and used them on his 06. He saved most of the old parts off the 06 and the donor 08, sold them to me and I'm going to try and build the 08 back up. 

Used the wheels and tires as my summers because the firestones made my steering whine. 

These pictures are from when I tore down the long block about a month ago. This is the 06 engine, I have not started taking my 05 apart yet. 

The first thing I did was pop the oil pan off, and I was pretty happy with how it looked. 

inspecting the oil pickup I noticed a crack. 

So obviously that's not ideal. I am probably just going to replace it and pretend I didn't see anything 

Used vice grips, a shoc timing belt, breaker bar and the jack handle to crack the cam bolts loose... Milwaukee m18 fuel was striping them. also, this engine did not come with front timing covers or spark plugs. 

Very clean-looking engine inside for 190k, I can tell it was cared for. 

Headgasket is what appears to be a blown subaru mls gasket, chad did not mention ever having it done so I'm assuming it's probably only been done once from factory shortly before he got the car. 

Valves all looked similar, not an expert but they don't look broken to me. 

Everything from the head removal laid out. You can see a few of the head bolts were rusted nicely. 

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The car had 270k miles when the transmission went out. The engine I am planning to gasket with mahle components this time. I am considering cleaning the head up myself and changing the valve seals too. I am considering using head studs too hoping they can help me improve my results on the gasket job. Here are some parts I ordered. Going to try these new ngk ruthenium plugs out

Here is a shot of one of the cylinders 

[Febreze Mee]

Welcome back! Exciting times for your two Outbacks, and many others this time of the year as we put our engines in. 

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8 hours ago, Febreze Mee said:

Welcome back! Exciting times for your two Outbacks, and many others this time of the year as we put our engines in. 

Am I on the same schedule as you guys now? We all synched up and can do it again in two years? Or every spring from now on?  It feels good to be wrenching again for sure. 

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Pulled the 5 speed and tried to install the 6 speed. I decided to try just fixing the transmission to make sure the swap works... 

6 speed and the wrx shifter. 

Had to pull on the transmission and pry on the turbo to slip it out. I wound up doing this again because I left a dowel pin in the 6 speed. The second time I put the strap on the hitch because I thought it was safer haha. 

group N 5mt mount on the 6 speed

Mocked up the shifter. I wound up ordering a Boomba short throw shift lever and a short shift plate for the transmission, I am off work for the week of the 4th so I will be trying to put everything together soon. I left the transmission out of the car the past few weeks. When I do the short throw I will get some better pictures of how I modified the shifter. Unlike the guide that I posted I was able to mock the shifter up using existing holes in the chassis. Here is how it sits stock wrx 6 speed shifter.

 

Under the car 

 

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I have had some success. 2.0 was back on the road last week Sunday. The computer said 24.6mpg on my trip to grand rapids which seems improved. The transmission feels like a slightly shorter 5 speed, 6th seems a little taller than the old 5th. Seems like 6th will be a long trip only gear, I have not been using it on the highway for short trips... I did have the shifter cable come loose from the housing after 4 days, leaving me stuck in 3rd. I was missing the metal clip that holds the cable to the lower housing. I went to the junkyard and pulled a whole lower assembly and both cables for some spare parts and was able to get it functional again. 

 

I also broke a wheel speed sensor messing with the axles. So the car was in limp mode after the install. I pulled one off my 08 and installed it but then both the plugs were female (old sensor had a male plug). I shaved down cotter pins and shoved them in, worked fine haha. 

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I manged to put my 5 speed knob on. had it working with the reverse lockout but then I broke the reverse lockout. Goes into reverse easy now at least. mpgs seem up about 2 overall.