Questions from a new 2003 Legacy Wagon L owner

[speedy301]

Hello! I'm glad to join the 3rd gen Legacy club.picked up my manual 140k mile Wagon for $3k today. I think I got a pretty good deal. Some
issues: Needs brakes, probably needs shocks/struts, idle is unsteady (goes down to like 700rpm), and muffler will need to be replaced at some point. Any recommendations for parts
would be greatly appreciated. 

I was also wondering if I could swap the legacy sedan struts/shocks onto it easily to lower it
slightly (if anyone knows how much that drops it)

I don't believe this car has had its timing belt replaced yet so I think should probably do that soon. I don't know if I can do that myself or
need a shop to.

My main concern is the idle. It runs great but the idle goes from 1000-700 rpm's. I was wondering if anyone had ideas on what is causing this/how to fix it?

If there are any other things I should look for or maintenance to be done asap please let me
know. Thanks!

[doublechaz]

I believe the correct idle for the MT version is 700, so we want to know why it is going up to 1000.

I assume you don't mean that a cold start begins at about 1400 and drops down to 1000 within a couple seconds, and then a couple minutes later it is 700.  That is normal.  It is doing the job of the old choke system to enrich and fast idle when first started because engines hate to run cold and don't behave right until they get some heat in them.

If, after it is warmed up, the idle hunts back and forth from 700 to 1000 I would suspect a gummed up idle air control valve.

If it sometimes idles steady at 700 and other times steady at 1000 I would say there is a small vacuum leak letting extra air into the system.  These leaks can sometimes come and go a bit depending on outside temp, humidity, hills, other settings in the car.  The computer has to add a little extra fuel to balance the little extra air, so the engine speed goes up.

I would definitely find out about that timing belt.  Is it SOHC or DOHC?  With a little help from a service book and from here you can do a SOHC your self.  The DOHC needs a special tool to hold things in place while you work, or you can hurt the engine.

 

[speedy301]

3 hours ago, doublechaz said:

I believe the correct idle for the MT version is 700, so we want to know why it is going up to 1000.

I assume you don't mean that a cold start begins at about 1400 and drops down to 1000 within a couple seconds, and then a couple minutes later it is 700.  That is normal.  It is doing the job of the old choke system to enrich and fast idle when first started because engines hate to run cold and don't behave right until they get some heat in them.

If, after it is warmed up, the idle hunts back and forth from 700 to 1000 I would suspect a gummed up idle air control valve.

If it sometimes idles steady at 700 and other times steady at 1000 I would say there is a small vacuum leak letting extra air into the system.  These leaks can sometimes come and go a bit depending on outside temp, humidity, hills, other settings in the car.  The computer has to add a little extra fuel to balance the little extra air, so the engine speed goes up.

I would definitely find out about that timing belt.  Is it SOHC or DOHC?  With a little help from a service book and from here you can do a SOHC your self.  The DOHC needs a special tool to hold things in place while you work, or you can hurt the engine.

 

I actually cleaned the IACV yesterday and now it’s idling steady at 700! It is a sohc and I’m pretty sure it’s never been done unless one of the owners did it because the carfax never mentions it

[doublechaz]

Good deal.  I would at least pull off the outer timing cover right away and check out what that belt looks like.  If you loose the belt, you lose the engine in your year.  When you put the cover back remember you are bolting plastic, not building a bridge.  It is super easy to break those plastic covers.

[speedy301]

3 hours ago, doublechaz said:

Good deal.  I would at least pull off the outer timing cover right away and check out what that belt looks like.  If you loose the belt, you lose the engine in your year.  When you put the cover back remember you are bolting plastic, not building a bridge.  It is super easy to break those plastic covers.

Thanks! What should I look for on the belt?

[silverton]

any thing that looks like deterioration. shredded, cracking, things like that. and yeah, i second being careful with those three 10mm bolts.  the plastic can break easily and barely needs more than a hand tighten.

[wtdash]

And you've looked under the hood itself (as in UP) and around the engine bay for Tbelt sticker? Ensure you do a FULL Tbelt service, not just the belt.  The belt breaks, yes, but the pulleys  and idlers fail just as often, the Water Pump less so. If you get motivated to replace the WP,  might want to replace the Tstat as well - Subaru OEM only on that. 

I believe the wagon and sedan suspension is the same height - only difference may be stiffer rear springs. But I'm sure someone out there has lowered one or the other, so google.

Tune up time? NGK plugs and wires (only). Pretty easy on the SOHC. 

ATF - Do the drain, fill, drive repeat 3 times. That'll replace 95% of the old ATF. Also, the trans' external spin-on filter. It's meant for the 'life of the trans', but I'd replace it.  Also, the front and rear diffs gear oil.

Coolant check? Going into the winter don't want that to be an issue. But if you're doing the WP above you can do it then. Remember to 'burp' the system. 

Note that the front diff, oil, and transmission drain plugs and filler holes/tubes can get confused...they're not that close, but just a 'heads up'. 

 

Upull It yards, CL and FB for part-outs for the other stuff.  

Edited September 20, 2022 by wtdash

[doublechaz]

WT nailed it.  I forgot to mention about not just the belt, should have know better.  

Only thing I could add would be look real close at the inner and outer rubber surfaces for tiny tiny cracks and fluid contamination as well.  The rubber should not be hard or shiny but sort of dull and supple.  It's hard to describe the correct almost shiny of brand new vs the aged not supple shiny of no good.  If you know rubber car belts of any kind you get it, but I don't know how to put it in words.  Anything other than newish looking is a fail, it just depends on if it is a "fail, don't drive" or a "fail do this as soon as you can".

Don't cheap out on this kit as a failure sends you to the crusher.  No ebay or amazon parts for this, too many Chinese counterfeit parts.  Go to Subaru, a Napa or other serious parts store and order it in.  If they have twp kits from different makers at different prices get the good one.

For the thermostat if you do that, only a genuine Subaru.  Even a top notch serious parts store unit will underperform.  Been there, done it, limped a whole road trip with unhappy temps because of it.  No damage, but I'm talking 215 on the highway where genuine Subaru is between 185 and 195 in the same conditions.  As Paul Harrel would say, "Is that enough difference to MAKE a difference?  In this case, YES."

Edited September 21, 2022 by doublechaz

[speedy301]

So I took the timing belt cover off and I think it looks like it’s been replaced. I don’t see any cracks or signs of wear. I’ll attach a picture of two different positions of the belt to get your opinions. 

[doublechaz]

Looks like it is soft rubber.  Looks like the edges are smooth and sharp, not worn.  Looks perfectly dry of any oil.  Looks like not much friction based wear on the teeth, almost new.  The cam sprocket does not look new at all, meaning that an original belt would show some age to match that sprocket.

 

I would run that belt.  I would look at it again in about 20,000 miles and expect to see the same.  I would look at it after another 20,000 and expect it to not look quite as fresh and consider replacing it then since there is no way to know if we are 500 miles, or 20,000 miles into this belt.  If it still looked great at 40,000 from now, would I continue to run it?  I can't say for sure.  Maybe, but probably not.  YMMV, but it seems like this belt was done recently by a shop that doesn't bother to report to Carfux.

Not like that would be a surprise.  My Legacy is a ghost in their system.  Nothing for the last 20 years.  It is in better condition than my sisters 2018 Forester.

P.S.  Another thing I do regularly is stand there with the hood up listening to the engine.  In this case there would be special attention to listen to the water pump and timing belt idlers and tensioner for any sign of noise.  Just because the belt looks good, doesn't mean they did the full job.  I have done just a belt a couple times.  One of those times was because front main seal went on a newish timing job, so belt, but not idlers again after about 25,000.  The other time was because I was new to this and didn't know as much about "while you are in there".

Edited September 24, 2022 by doublechaz

[silverton]

checking belt condition can be hit or miss, they have a 105k interval, they're good for 120-150, but it's not worth the risk.  I've removed timing belts that are showing cracks everywhere, but the writing is still on them.  I took my belt off after 10k to replace a cam seal and the writing was gone. I'm with doublechaz here, I'd say in 40-50k replace the timing belt and related components.  It's actually a fairly easy job on these cars, crank bolt is the hardest thing, but a 3 foot breaker bar and the engine starter can take care of that real quick.