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Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagons Maintenance & Repair

8641 messages,  Last post on May 03, 2013 at 9:35 AM

You are in the Subaru Legacy & Outback Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Wagon

Messages Page 354 of 865

#3523 of 8641 by ateixeira

Aug 30, 2004 (11:00 am)

Wild, Sam, but yours is the first and second case of rear diffy failure that I've seen. I think oldjayhawk had some noise, but not an outright failure like yours.
 
If it's a limited-slip, I'd be inspecting the tires closely. They allow for a little tolerance (1/4" in circumference of the tire) but beyond that you might have binding of the kind that would cause drivetrain issues.
 
If you hit something, well, Subaru does sell a diffy protector.
 
You can get part-time 4WD, that would lock the axles together, but when engaged that actually leaves even less tolerance for rotational differences front to rear.
 
Even then, your issue was not the center diff, it was the rear diff. So you might prefer a 4WD truck with two open differentials, vs. a locking differential. But you'll sacrifice some amount of grip no matter what you buy.
 
So, 20 stars from NHTSA. Or we should say quarduple 5 stars.
 
Bob - the Marginal result was from IIHS, not NHTSA. And that was on a Legacy sedan.
 
nic519: '97 was the year they bumped HP up to 165 and it runs on regular fuel vs. premium for the '96. So 1997 is a sweet spot.
 
Any car with that kind of mileage will depend on luck and the previous care it was given.
 
Brake pads are cheap, but ask for a service history. I haven't seen many alternator issues. Gaskets were a common problem but by 150k miles they either would have failed already or have been replaced.
 
-juice

#3524 of 8641 Re: Engine Cover [benasaki] by keith53

Aug 30, 2004 (12:11 pm)

Replying to: benasaki (Aug 30, 2004 10:54 am)
On my '01, there is a black plastic cover that spans under the entire engine compartment. Within that is a smaller 'door' or 'flap' that hides the filter.
 
Keith

#3525 of 8641 Re: 2004 Outback drifts to the right [c_hunter] by papag

Aug 30, 2004 (2:58 pm)

Replying to: c_hunter (Aug 29, 2004 9:50 pm)
Thanks for the line on Firestone. I had wanted to stay away from one of the "chains," but they may have a better handle on alignments and such than the dealers do.
 
While I hate the thought of spending $80-90 for alignment and balancing, I'd rather be safe than sorry.

#3526 of 8641 Re: Nic519 [steve_] by ladywclass

Aug 30, 2004 (6:51 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Aug 30, 2004 8:32 am)
yeah .. sort of the way we got the good deal on the b/f's new 'used' car ... (and I'm sure he'll buy a Subaru NEXT time!)

#3527 of 8641 Re: Engine Cover [benasaki] by friendly_jacek

Aug 31, 2004 (6:40 am)

Replying to: benasaki (Aug 30, 2004 10:54 am)
Outbacks have that engine cover but Legacies do not.
Don't ask me why.

#3528 of 8641 Re: [ateixeira] by friendly_jacek

Aug 31, 2004 (6:47 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Aug 30, 2004 11:00 am)
RE:
"yours is the first and second case of rear diffy failure that I've seen. I think oldjayhawk had some noise, but not an outright failure like yours.
If it's a limited-slip, I'd be inspecting the tires closely. They allow for a little tolerance (1/4" in circumference of the tire) but beyond that you might have binding of the kind that would cause drivetrain issues.[...]
Even then, your issue was not the center diff, it was the rear diff. So you might prefer a 4WD truck with two open differentials, vs. a locking differential. But you'll sacrifice some amount of grip no matter what you buy."
 
On various forum I have heard of people blowing rear diff from time to time.
I one case, the diff overheated and cought on fire on hwy driving. In that case, the owner used uneven tires which blew and locked the center diff and then put extra stress on rear diff.

#3529 of 8641 by ateixeira

Aug 31, 2004 (7:58 am)

Because Outbacks have to look clean after those commercials where Crod Dundee splashes through the mud puddles.
 
Of course it's Lance now.
 
owner used uneven tires
 
That's user error, as we say in the IT industry.
 
-juice

#3530 of 8641 Wounded Outback by mrk610

Aug 31, 2004 (6:07 pm)

Got hit by something on the road to day from work . I now have 3 marks on my front bumber. I 'm going to get some touchup paint and see what i can do. I guess not to bad for a 3 year old outback with 46k miles on it . I have been to FLA twice and the mountains sking 3 times .
I'll try to take pics just got a dig camera.I guess I'll go to the photos forum and see how to post them . Wish me luck
 
Mike in South jerey.

#3531 of 8641 by ateixeira

Sep 01, 2004 (6:46 am)

Did it strip the paint, or add to it?
 
You might want to try some bug/tar remover to get the surface completely free of debris.
 
-juice

#3532 of 8641 Oil filter cover on Legacy by dop50

Sep 01, 2004 (2:15 pm)

My '02 Legacy GT wagon 2.5 H6 had an insulated plastic cover that you had to take out 4 plastic screws and plugs, then slide out the cover (approx. 12" square) to the front. To get to the oil filter. It was a real pain in the A. I would imagine if you took it to a quick oil change shop, it would soon disappear.
 
Ken

Messages Page 354 of 865

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