I'm new! 95 Outback, first time owner!

I'm new to the forum and to subarus in general! I just picked up a 1995 Legacy Outback (2.2/5spd/awd) with 213K on it. It is beat to death but it's a fun little car, and surprisingly complete. i have a few things i'm going to address so it'll pass inspection, but i have some questions about some general things that i'd like to address/upgrade as it comes along.

 

-the shifter is sloppy...really sloppy. i've read it could be the shifter knuckle or bushings. where do i acquire new ones?

 

-is there a ready built bolt on catback exhaust for this car? i saw the Speedy Racer header and am interested in trying to pick one up, but it looks like the outlet is not in the stock location. what is everyone doing about cats and general exhaust hook up to this? what size intermediate pipe should i be looking for?

 

-what options do i have for innexpensive lowering springs?

-what options do i have for innexpensive larger sway bars?

 

I will be sure to update this thread as i go along. I'm headed to pick up some 05 WRX wheels/tires this evening for it. The idea is to put together a fun daily driver/commuter that i can put a crap ton of miles on. Does anyone have any additional suggestions?

 

here is the car as it sits:

whew, nothing? lol. i know it's a raggedy piece of crap right now, and everything i plan to do will be shoestring budget...after all this is a DD that will see 110+ miles daily.

 

anyway, picked these up tonight

 

 

does anyone know how finicky the tunes are on these cars? if i opt to put a header and higher flow cat on it, will the computer be able to compensate? i'm looking for more MPG, not HP...but freeing up HP is often a great way to gain MPG, so long as your not into the loud pedal too far, lol. but if it throws the computer off and it begins to dump a bunch of fuel, i'm not really going to worry about the header, and will likely just build a catback exhaust. with a 2.25" single be enough? should i go to 2.5 or 3?

Go with the MSD coil modification (higher voltage than stock coil for better combustion). Order the # 8239 coil (fits Dodge Neon) and get a Neon wiring plug, splice it into your Subaru's wiring and you're in business. You can search for many threads on this topic in this forum.

 

I did this on my '98 and saw a 1- 2 MPG gain. Some people see smoother idle also (I didn't)

Interesting. I am really active in the LSx engine world and have them in my camaro, chevelle, and pickup truck. the coils are SO good on those engines factory that i didn't really consider a coil as a "mod". I'll look into this. 1-2 MPG is a decent return on investment, though i may way to do it till mine needs replacing, unless it's just way way cheap.

 

have i read right, that the 95 2.2 is exempt from the headgasket failure issues known to these cars? I haven't noticed any milky oil or misty exhaust so i believe the fluids are staying where they should, other than the valve covers leak (simply external oil leaks that i can see so far.)

nice wagon! i have a 95 also, but FWD, 4EAT and darker green.

 

i didnt even know there was a real outback option in 95, i thought that started in 96.

 

as for the questions you have, most will be answered by reading the stickies at the top of the forum. there is threads for everything, with links (usually working) and all that. search helps a ton as well, theres a pretty good chance any questions you come up with have been asked and answered a few times over.

i didnt even know there was a real outback option in 95, i thought that started in 96.

That was my understanding too. I knew there was a 95 offering but it was different than the 96 offering which is what most of us equate to being the second generation Outback. Perhaps the OP can verify the year as it looks like the 96 and on second generation.

car was built 06/95 and is titled as a 1995. there are many 1996 items though that makes me wonder if this was a very very late 95 or some sort of pre delivery 96 model. it has an OBDII connection, though i haven't hooked up a scanner to it yet. It also has the 96 15" wheels.

 

twisty, i appreciate that. probably the nicest way i've ever heard anyone say "do a search moron", lol. time is hard to come by, and the information is vast and convoluted in the stickies. having little/no knowledge of these cars, it's tough to wade through what is applicable. i also have a tendancy to come up with "hard" or "specific case" type questions, thus a blanket "sticky" thread doesn't always get me going fully. hope that makes sense. (that's really a long way to say "i'm lazy, hand me information", lol!)

actually, there is multiple stickies, separated by criteria. suspension, engine, stuff like that. i rarely have time to sit and read also, but when i do i still re-read stuff in those for future upgrades im tossing around. some are confusing for sure, so i will ask specific questions when i get to that point.

 

im surprised a 6/95 would beincluded in 95 year tho, kind of cool you got a 96 outback registered as a 95 tho. my 95 also has the OBD2 connector, and truly is OBD2 even tho AZ wont test it as an OBD2 vehicle due to being pre-1996. kind of sucks.

 

asfar as your questions, im pretty sure the ECU will not choke with a new exhaust and intake, from what ive read you can put a turbo and boost to like 6 psi with the stock ECU and no piggy back controls. i havent looked for a direct bolt on exhaust tho, so i cant help you there. i have also done the MSD add on, and it is nice. i also did the "big 3" and grounding mods, and even at top volume with about 1500 watts running my stereo the lights dont dim at all, with stock alternator. i wasnt expecting that at all

yeah, i've been wading through the stickies

 

my main concern about the header and cold air intake is that the additional airflow may cause the o2 to think there is a lean condition and add fuel, which we want to a point, but i don't want to go in reverse by adding fuel to the point my mileage begins to drop. it shouldn't need additional fueling in part throttle/light load conditions. but i don't know anything about the engine management systems on these and not sure what could be upset by beginning to mod things outside of the normal parameters.

 

i can build an exhaust system if it boils down to it. just need to know what size intermediate pipe is a good starting point.

 

anyone know if these are MAF or speed density? i didn't even look, lol.

that will only be an issue if you are going catless or running high flow cats^

 

if you arent bulding internals, 2" is about the largest diameter of exhaust piping you should go with,,

 

these are MAF until '99ish, when the phase 2 EJ22 motors went to MAP

no, purely looking for better MPG and maybe a little sound (but nothing obnoxious!) no head work, no cam profile changes, no compression bump, etc. purely fun commuter status. what size is factory?

 

whew, 2" max....my turd of a camaro needs that for a primary size on the headers....

With regards to your model year -

 

You have a rare, authentic, 1995 introductory year "Outback" Legacy. Some enthusiast might call it the non-Outback Outback, lol:

 

From http://www.cars101.com/subaru/outback/outback1996.html

"The Outback model was introduced in 1995 as a trim level of the 2.2L Legacy with 2-tone paint and special cloth, and the 96 model got the 2.5L engine with the automatic transmission or the 2.2L with the manual. The 1996 was the first year for a fully realized Outback with the 2.2L or 2.5L engine. All [1996-1999] models got the 2 tone paint, raised ground clearance and raised roof that immediately came to identify the Outback."

Also, but not mentioned in the quote above, is the fact that you have the desirable folding-style side mirrors, which were available in North American markets for 1995 Model Year Legacies only. All North American 1996-1999 Legacies and Outbacks changed to the non-folding, one-piece, "Shrek Ears"-style side mirrors, though most other markets around the world kept the folding-style mirrors throughout the run of the second-generation Legacy line.

 

More great info here:

http://www.cars101.com/subaru_legacy_archive95_97.html

 

interesting. anything else i should be on the lookout for in regards to things on the car that are different? anything that would truly piss off the purists if i did or did not do to it? that's extremely good information to have. thank you!

You also have one of the best engines ever built by Subaru which is the EJ22. 1995 and 1996 were the final years that Subaru built this as a non interference engine. Those of us with 1997 and later EJ22's (as well as other motors) also often have piston slap when the engine is cold, because the pistons were redisegned for less friction.

 

EJ22's also seldom had the headgasket found on the 90's vintage EJ25D and 2000 and later EJ25 engines

woot! now that is some good news! man i'm glad i found this forum

 

if anyone cares, this is my other car

oh, something else i noticed: my car has a clutch cable. is that weird? i feel like i read several places that the 5 speed clutch was hydraulic.

Might want to upgrade that camaros traction bars... ur still liftin ur front wheels up. And also I find it funny that my car is a 96 built in 06/95 like yours... I wish it was a 95 on the title so I could run a stand alone and stay easy street legal lol

Might want to upgrade that camaros traction bars... ur still liftin ur front wheels up. And also I find it funny that my car is a 96 built in 06/95 like yours... I wish it was a 95 on the title so I could run a stand alone and stay easy street legal lol

 

lol, i think that first part was sarcasm there? not sure...hard to read it over the interwebz. the car has been 10.48 @ 131.8. it's na N/A lsx stick shift car

is this the speedy racer header that fits this car?

 

http://www.speedyracer.com/exhaust-parts/headers/1999-2005-SUBARU-IMPREZA-25L-RS-SOHC-HEADER-STAINLESS

lol, i think that first part was sarcasm there? not sure...hard to read it over the interwebz. the car has been 10.48 @ 131.8. it's na N/A lsx stick shift car

 

Yes and no on the sarcasm got a nice time for n/a

ah ok. yeah stick shift cars need to do wheelies. mine doesn't do quite big enough ones to "work well" yet. i just ripped the input shaft and cluster gear to bits last week so it's sitting a little bit. needs more gear and taller rear tires and it'll leave with the wheels 2-3' in the air like it should

well this seems to have dramatically improved the appearance of the car

 

 

 

 

needs moar low now!

here are some before pictures of the interior. i tell ya what man, people are DIRTY! i can't believe the filth that some folks ride around in. i spent a better portion of the late afternoon/evening taking the interior apart. i have a totefull of plastics soaking in dish soapy water overnight, and will do another totefull tomorrow night. no "after" shots as i'm not done, but here's what i started with:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i'm headed to the salvage yard in the morning after some things for my truck, camaro, and i figured while i'm at it, i'll look for some stuff for scooby snack here too. need a new space saver spare, as well as a bit of misc interior pieces. anything i should look for?

oh, where can i get new decals? i'd like to replace the Outback sticker on the back.

well, just ordered the new shifter knuckle. hoping this thing is back together real soon....waiting on parts now!