Silveroutback Posted September 17 Share Posted September 17 This actually may end up being a 2 for 1 deal. I've had my silver 3.0 wagon for a couple years and now have a 2.5XT. Both are 05 and both have about 230k. 3.0 needs tires mainly, so it's going to wait until I get the XT ready to daily. My plan here is document the maintenance and upgrades I do over time and hope maybe it helps users in the future. A few pics of where we started 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 18 Author Share Posted September 18 The XT isn't in bad shape but I made a deal without seeing it and was more or less told there is nothing wrong with it. The kid said it was his daily driver and he did drive it 45 minutes to meet me in the middle so I took his word for it. I knew from his ad that the rear panel was busted but they seem to be about $100 new and I know a paint guy so no big deal. He somehow "forgot" about some issues and texted me them on his way to meet me. Check engine light, PO took off the exhaust and welded a cherry bomb to the downpipe. Not only that but it smacks the floor when you shift. Driver door latch doesn't work from the outside. When I actually sat in the car I felt the shifter bushing were basically non-existant. Every gear wobbled like neutral. The brakes were down to metal. I found the LCA bushing bad and one wasn't even there. The struts are blown and most of the mounts are bad. Time to order parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 18 Author Share Posted September 18 First thing I did was take off those roof racks. They did not look good and whistled like crazy. I ordered the Mevotech aluminum control arms and got everything to do the LGT brake swap. I didn't take many pictures because I wasn't planning to start a thread but got the car safe to drive now at least. Next I ordered a solid Shifter U-joint, solid shift bushings and the rear shifter bushing all from torque solution. This made a big difference, but I found the majority of play was actually coming from the knuckle part of the U-joint where the roll pin goes. I ordered that and a new roll pin from subaru. So far I've been able to remove the inner roll pin but haven't been able to budge the outer pin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 18 Author Share Posted September 18 The car has a little bit of a misfire, and it shows every bit of its 230k miles. I'm pretty convinced the PO did no maintenance of any kind. I found vacuum lines disconnected, I'm almost certain the intercooler probably leaks and the knock sensor is actually loose. So currently pulling the intake to get all of these things taken car of and check on that banjo filter by the turbo. From this point forward I will take more pictures and try to do a better job documenting progress and part numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzr750r1 Posted September 18 Share Posted September 18 Nice start. Welcome. Similar boat but with dualling 06 OB. If you haven't started already get a sway bar kit for bofe. Edn links Moog is fine for a daily. I had the whiteline kit in hand before even picking up the 3.0. Loved the results after using it on the XT, should have been the first mod. Make sure to get ht AVO rear mount brace as well when you do. Both cars will perform soooo much better after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 18 Author Share Posted September 18 That was my plan, go crazy on suspension first. Good tires, whiteline parts, coilovers. I don't plan on making high power until something pops. For now it's just get it running good, minor power and reliability upgrades and go all out on handling. I'm keeping my eyes open for brembos for the xt and I'll throw the lgt brakes on the 3.0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzr750r1 Posted September 19 Share Posted September 19 You have more enthusiasm than I. At this stage I'm just trying to keep them running clean and safe. LGT brake kit will go on the 3.0 eventually, current set is in pretty good shape. All the parts for that conversion for the XT came from Rock Auto. Luckily the 3.0 is 98K. Should have the parts on hand today to schedule a head gasket leak. Aslo parts for when i decide to dive into the front cover and replace all of the rear cover seals. Motor is just weeping a little oil in a couple spots.. XT is at 275K these days after the second motor rebuild, transmission rebuild, new turbo bla bla bla. Soon will order a new steering rack. Just had WRX control arm bushings placed and removed the movetec. Unfortunately the shop that peressed them in for me have the orientation wrong. Will bring it up to him when I take the 3.0 over to them to replace with the units I'm picking up today. I have been using 20204AG011 - Suspension Control Arm Bushing. Rubber Bushing Arm R. Transverse Link (Front, Rear) for the control arms and they last quite a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 19 Author Share Posted September 19 Same problem I have with my 3.0. I resealed the outer cover twice before realizing it was the inner cover on the driver side. So far everything I've done on the XT has been easy going. The 3.0 spent just enough time in NY make working on it fun sometimes. That and the fact that nearly every bolt under the timing cover is stripped make me want to pull the engine and do the reseal on a stand. I figured from my research the mevotech bushings might last 30k and by that time I'll have whiteline or superpro bushings to replace them. Otherwise the 3.0 is a great car, the XT I believe will run pretty good once I do plugs and get the manifold off for vacuum leaks. At least I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 19 Author Share Posted September 19 What a massive PITA. I have lots of parts to order. Anybody done anything to clean up this rat nest and make this process easier in the future? Planning on replacing all vacuum and fuel lines while I'm in here and the tubing, either grimmspeed or perrin unless anyone says otherwise. Haven't figured out how to remove the one connector from the turbo inlet yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysparks81 Posted September 20 Share Posted September 20 Good job so far, these cars will be in better condition then any of the previous owners by the time you are done. #LGTSTi is still cheaper and nicer then an equal year wrxsti Follow my 2007 Spec B. Build here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzr750r1 Posted September 20 Share Posted September 20 Was talking to a friend about the complexity of the block construction on the 3.0. He replied I bet you wish it was a turbo model... LOL... Not really. Yeah I was blaming the Movetech for a bunch of groaning that ended up being the front swaybar bushings. New from whiteline fixed it. It's good you're planning to replace the vac hoses on the XT. Also plan on getting new gaskets for the intake and throttle body. There was an update to the original design. Aside from a few other items just picked up a $900 order of parts mainly for the 3.0. Orings, Water pump, valve cover gaskets, seals yada yada. Keep up the good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 20 Author Share Posted September 20 8 hours ago, tysparks81 said: Good job so far, these cars will be in better condition then any of the previous owners by the time you are done. Thank you and that is the plan. For whatever reason I really love these cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 21 Author Share Posted September 21 8 hours ago, kzr750r1 said: Was talking to a friend about the complexity of the block construction on the 3.0. He replied I bet you wish it was a turbo model... LOL... Not really. Yeah I was blaming the Movetech for a bunch of groaning that ended up being the front swaybar bushings. New from whiteline fixed it. It's good you're planning to replace the vac hoses on the XT. Also plan on getting new gaskets for the intake and throttle body. There was an update to the original design. Aside from a few other items just picked up a $900 order of parts mainly for the 3.0. Orings, Water pump, valve cover gaskets, seals yada yada. Keep up the good work. The 3.0 seems so simple in comparison to the XT lol. My first experience with a boxer engine was my FRS that I bought new. Had a blast with that car but kids don't fit very well in the back. Went looking actually for a magnum R/T but they were either ragged or way to much. When I saw that silver and grey wagon I fell in love with it. Im a really big fan of the H6 and if I could get it with a stick I wouldn't care to have an XT. As soon as I get the XT running well I'm tearing the 3.0 down and actually going to reseal that inner cover and everything that goes with it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 21 Author Share Posted September 21 One thing I dislike about both cars. Being a diesel Mechanic these tan interiors never stay tan. This isn't TOO bad but I haven't had a chance to ruin it yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzr750r1 Posted September 21 Share Posted September 21 Rubber mats stat! I hear you. We tried to avoid tan. Didn't happen. Figured since it's the girls car she will keep it up. Until 90K ish on the XT I didn't do much but oil and filter changes. After getting fleeced by the stealership (first belt swap) and learning more took on cheif wrench for the most part. I told them going in there were other issues, kept getting a boost pressure cel. Never even found the seized wastegate. People give me crap about how much maintenance these cars entail. As in everything you get out what you put in. Always learning. Leave no brain cell behind! Looking forward to your reseal saga. I'm right behind you... Also GHAAAA kid didn't put the WRX bushing in my order for the F/R control arm location... He got the front! Next number on the list man... Dont care if it's not aligned to the VIN. THe struggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silveroutback Posted September 25 Author Share Posted September 25 On 9/21/2024 at 5:37 PM, kzr750r1 said: Rubber mats stat! I hear you. Definitely going to order some weathertechs ASAP. Might be a little while before I get to the 3.0. Hopefully not, but I'm finding the EJ255 to be a deep hole with lots of shiny parts available. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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