LegacyFuture Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 Hello guys, I was wondering. What are the biggest causes of loss of power as the car gets older and more miles? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ppettit2005 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 namely the engine no longer holding compression as well as it used to. this occurs due to wear and tear on the piston rings as they move up and down in their piston sleeves. eventually they just don't seal as well, and if they get bad enough, then the engine won't start or won't run right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ppettit2005 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 heat will also get to an engine, especially aluminum parts... a lot of them cool down and warm up unevenly depending on where the hottest spots in your engine bay are. I've seen a lot of cracked aluminum intake manifolds on a lot of cars. And never drive an all aluminum engined vehicle through high water... the block will rapidly cool and a lot of the time will crack or warp... and from then on you basically need a new engine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmh4097 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 The catalytic converter also puts a damper on your engine power and also cuts your fuel mileage. I'm not sure about emission laws in your area, but around here, for emissions inspection, all they do is check your gas cap to make sure it vents properly. I'm going to be replacing my intermediate pipe and muffles pretty soon, and when I do, I'm gonna pull of my cat, smash out out the pieces inside, put it back on so that it looks like I have a cat, but in reality I'll just have it be free flowing. Better MPG, more power, and less ice for the polar bears, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegacyFuture Posted September 14, 2009 Author Share Posted September 14, 2009 what about a car that has 20K miles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnstein69 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 AC and power steering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmh4097 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 what about a car that has 20K miles? Oh, I didn't look at what year your car is. My bad. Just forget all that then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iyalla Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Anything that would cause severe power loss would trip the CEL light, wouldn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum_Racing Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 From my understanding of the OP's post, I get that he's looking at preventative maintenance as opposed to diagnosing an engine problem. At 20K if you experience any loss in performance whatsoever take it back to Subaru. There's really nothing that should be causing performance loss in a car that new. If anything spark plugs and an air filter, but that's even a big stretch for such low mileage, although air filters are a dime a dozen. Changing the tranny fluid is never a bad idea, but again, a stretch in a car with 20K miles. It all depends on how much money you want to spend on a car that should be running good in the first place. If anything wears out that isn't considered basic maintenance in the Owners Manual, take it back and have it fixed under warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwolson2 Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I would argue that regular changing of fluids will prevent "MOST" power loss, I say take care of your car, and it will take care of you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum_Racing Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 +1 Very well said. I'll go one step beyond this statement and say that if you follow all regular maintenance intervals in the Owners Manual your overall repair costs will be significantly reduced in the long run. Assuming the vehicle is kept stock. If not your maintenance will need to be more involved (Assuming you're running more than a single bolt on or two). Just remember to replace oil seals, tensioners, and the waterpump when you change the timing .More than likely you can go a couple timing belts without replacing the oil seals to save a few bucks. A thermostat couldn't hurt either. Also, don't forget to keep an eye out for Os sensors and catalytic converters when the car starts to rack up the miles. Probably the most important thing that affects a cars longevity is the fluids. Never neglect to check fluid levels, or to replace fluid at regular intervals. This includes differential fluid when the car starts to rack up miles. Even though diff fluid is hard to wear out, it's cheaper than replacing a diff if the gasket leaks and you go a thousand mile with a dry diff because you neglected to maintain things properly (Although gaskets can be unpredictable). Not saying you neglect your car, I'm just trying to get the point across that preventative maintenance is the key to hassle-free longevity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quicklook2 Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 teen age drivers age a vehicle very quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwolson2 Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 teen age drivers age a vehicle very quickly. cause they don't know when to replace parts that are worn out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmh4097 Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 cause they don't know when to replace parts that are worn out I must be the exception to that rule... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05pearl Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 Mobile 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmh4097 Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 ^ , here we go again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05pearl Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 , here we go again... I couldn't resist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Platinum_Racing Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 teen age drivers age a vehicle very quickly. cause they don't know when to replace parts that are worn out When I read this post I thought it was because they drive the piss out of cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthewagon Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 When I read this post I thought it was because they drive the piss out of cars. That was my assumption. My dad's car went through a few sets of tires pretty quickly when I got my license. Then a few years later, I got my own car and had to start buying my own tires . I grew out of that phase after going through...I couldn't even say how many sets of tires. But -- if I started driving all wild like that again now, I would wear out the tires on my Legacy. Then I could tell my wife that the tires wear out quickly because of a design flaw which can only be fixed by the installation of a JDM rear sway bar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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