How to make 2005 lgt last longer

So I just bought a 2005 Subaru Legacy GT Wagon (limited) and I did some research AFTER I purchased it and found that they are notorious for the turbo going bad, or the engine blowing up. Can somebody give me some good advice about how good these cars are???? I too paranoid to drive it hard, and so I've been babying it since I bought it. I need this thing to last a long time, so also what can I do to make it last longer??? What kind of upgrades would you guys recommend? What kind of upgrades should I steer clear of? Any advice, or suggestions would be appreciated. ESPECIALLY words of wisdom, that would make me worry less about my engine blowing up. I also smell like burning smoke after I drive it for a long-ish distance and park. It comes through the heater and it worries me. Although my 98 Outback did the same thing, and had issues. Thanks guys!!!!!!!!

Remove the banjo bolt and replace the turbo feed line with the filtered IP&T offering.

 

http://www.infamousperformance.net/servlet/the-995/IP%26T-Filtered-Turbo-Oil/Detail

i dont think the above is really necassary for stock turbo...maybe it is but def. remove the bolt screen or replace with a new bolt every so often.

i dont think the above is really necassary for stock turbo...

 

 

I think every LGT owner who has dealt with a blown turbo due to oil starvation would say otherwise.

 

I was in the middle of BFE, hadn't even put 250mi on the car from the location of purchase before my turbine wheel snapped off.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/eelRc.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/vP1KD.jpg

i agree with that, mine blew within two weeks of owning it, but i went for a 20g so i got the line, i have read that some people dont bother with a 175 $ line for stock turbo, but if OP has the money and wants piece of mind sure i would do it!

The oil smell is probably a small oil leak falling on something exhaust related.

 

I'm at 120k on stock turbo (lasted twice as long as the engine!) ,and it looked solid at 90k mi. ~4000mi OCI with synthetic (this is based on blackstone UOAs). I don't think the type of synthetic matters much (though I use 5w40 because it holds pressure better at track temps than 5w30), but it does seem to handle high heats better than dino juice. The 7500mi dino oil recommendation you see in the manual has been revised by subaru to 3750mi.

 

Oh and banjo bolt removal.

 

The most important is to check your damn oil frequently. These cars can burn oil quickly and irregularly due to blowby. Some oil starvation is due to the banjo bolts, but you'll also seem failures on cars where the banjo bolt was removed but the owner didn't check their oil. I check every fillup. It takes 2 minutes. Cheap insurance.

good oil, regular oil changes, do the required/recommended maintenance. to me a turbo is a wear item, it spins really really fast, its a moving part. moving parts wear. you can remove the dp and check for shaft play

 

apart from that, give the car a good detail. wash clay polish wax and the paint should be good for a while

Good read,

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/reliability-modifications-178342.html

 

Mike

I'm at 77k (original owner) I always smell oil after I park it in the garage. My car has never used any oil between oil changes which are every 3-3.5k w/Rotella T6 5w40.

 

I bought my car with very little research on turbos too! Read some great reviews and bought it. I only found this forum a year ago and have learned a lot about the car. Thank God I've always been service minded.

 

The mods are a tough call for a noob like myself. I'm doing my 1st mod a RSB, endlinks and mounts when the temps go up. I have planned aDP/tune but I'm on the fence now. I wish I was as knowledgeable as most of the guys on here. GL enjoy the car.

215k miles with banjo filter still in. Never had a problem, never got around to taking it out either. first turbo i swapped at 98k and the spool had a little shaft play but otherwise looked good. second turbo I swapped out with just over 111k on it and had more play and wouldn't have lasted another month on my commute.

 

head over here: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/has-most-miles-their-lgt-and-they-holding-up-over-27680.html?t=27680&highlight=long+haul

This thread has all the information you need to increase the longevity of your vehicle.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/am-thinking-driving-my-car-good-ideai-108079.html

so what does DP mean? My car has 124k miles on it and just had a brand new turbo installed on it. The car is funny, because sometimes it seems like the turbo wants to just GO (most after it's been running for a while) and then sometimes it doesn't seem like it wants to. I drove a WRX before I bought this, and it seemed like it had way more boost than my car. Is there a break in period for a new turbo?? Am I going to notice a difference as it gets broken in? I don't think I smell oil anymore, it might have been burn off from the new turbo installation. So take out the banjo bolt huh? Wouldn't that allow dirty particles into the turbo? And is baby-ing a car like this a bad idea? Should I run this thing hard every once in a while? I wish I knew what to look for when it comes to engine noise. At about 2k RPM, the engine almost sounds like it's knocking, but I can't tell if it's just normal Subaru engine noise. I'm super paranoid about this car now because of the turbo, and the bad reviews I read online about these cars being problematic. I worry about getting on the gas a little too much and breaking it Somebody gives me some words of comfort!! LoL.....

Topic #6

Acronyms and Slang:

 

Often times while searching you find that members will use slang and acronyms. Here is a list of acronyms that you may find on the forum and their meanings:

Basic Terminology & Acronyms

4EAT – Four Speed Electronic Automatic Transmission

5MT – Five Speed Manual Transmission

5EAT – Five Speed Electronic Automatic Transmission (includes Sportshift)

6MT – Six Speed Manual Transmission

ABS – Anti-lock Braking System

AT – Automatic Transmission

ATF – Automatic Transmission Fluid

AutoX – Autocross

AVCS – Active Valve Control Sysem

AVLS – Active Valve Lift System

AWD – All Wheel Drive

BHP – Brake HorsePower (measured BEFORE transmission)

BOV – Blow Off Valve

CAI – Cold Air Intake

Cat – Catalytic Convertor

CEL – Check Engine Light

CF – Carbon Fiber

CO2 – Carbon Dioxide

Diff – Differential

DOHC – Dual Overhead Camshaft

EBC – Electonic Boost Controller

ECT - Electronically Controlled Transmission

ECU – Electronic Control Unit (engine control unit)

EFI – Electronic Fuel Injection

EG – Subaru 6-cylinder engines (up through mid to late 90’s)

EGT - Exhaust Gas Temp

EG33 – Subaru 3.3 litre 6-cylinder engine code (SVX)

EJ – Subaru 4-cylinder engines (early 90’s and newer)

EJ20 – Subaru 2.0 litre 4-cylinder engine code

EJ205 – Subaru 2.0 litre turbo engine (US WRX)

EJ22 – Subaru 2.2 litre 4-cylinder engine code

EJ25 – Subaru 2.5 litre 4-cylinder engine code

EJ255 – Subaru 2.5 litre turbo engine (US Forester XT, Baja Turbo)

EJ257 – Subaru 2.5 litre turbo engine (US WRX STi)

EZ – Subaru 6-cylinder engines (post EG series H6 engines)

EZ30R – Subaru 3.0 litre 6-cylinder engine code (BL/BP Legacy and new Outback)

FDR - Final Drive Ratio

FMIC – Front Mount Intercooler

FWD – Front Wheel Drive

H4 – Horizontally Opposed 4 cylinder (boxer)

H6 – Horizontally Opposed 6 cylinder

HID – High Intensity Discharge (headlights)

JDM – Japanese Domestic Market

LSD – Limited Slip Differential

MAF – Mass Air-Flow Sensor

MAP – Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor

MBC – Manual Boost Controller

MIL – Malfunction Indicator Lamp (CEL)

MT – Manual Transmission

MY – Model Year

OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer

RallyX – Rallycross

RWD – Rear Wheel Drive

SOA – Subaru Of America

SOHC – Single Overhead Camshaft

TMIC – Top Mount Intercooler

TT – Twin Turbo

UDP – Under Drive Pulley

VDC – Vehicle Dynamic Control

VIN – Vehicle Identification Number

VTD – Variable Torque Distibution

WHP – Wheel HorsePower

WOT – Wide Open Throttle

Thanks to Uncle Meat of the Cobb Tuning WRXForum.com

 

 

JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) Info:

Twin-Turbo: This is one of the most loosely used term. Everyone wants a twin-turbo because Japan has had it. It was a sequential setup with one turbo used for the low end, while a larger turbo was used for the high end. However, it wasn’t the most optimal solution being its cost, complexity, and between the 1st to 2nd turbo transition, there was a decent dip in power. It has been proven that other solutions are more cost-effective and produce better results in general.

 

More on turbo tech below.

 

B4: The term used for sedan since the 1998 model year.

 

B4 RSK: The name given to the turbocharged sport Legacy Sedan in the 1998 to 2002 model years. Remember, Japan has been even further ahead in model changes. They receive their models 2 model years (or MY) ahead of the U.S.

 

Note: Previous to the BE-generation B4 RSK, the sedan turbo models were called ‘RS’.

 

GTB: The name given to the turbocharged sport Legacy Wagon in the 1993 to 2002 model years that used the sportier Bilstein suspension.

 

S401: The ONLY STi production Legacy to date. This 2003 BE sedan model was produced in a short-run and were rather expensive. It contained much gear from the current year Impreza STi though mostly in drivetrain and brakes. It still retained a sequential twin-turbo setup though with a few more ponies. It also received some suspension modifications including Bilstein struts along with BBS 18x7” wheels.

 

 

Body Styles (by USDM MY):

Sedans

BC (1990-1994)

BD (1995-1999)

BE (2000-2004)

BL (2005-2009)

 

Wagons

BF (1990-1994)

BG (1995-1999)

BH (2000-2004)

BP (2005-2009)

 

Turbochargers for USDM models:

Mitsubishi TD04 - USDM Impreza 2.0L WRX, 2.5L WRX, Forester XT, Baja Turbo

IHI VF39 - USDM Impreza WRX STI

IHI VF40 - USDM BL/BP Legacy 2.5GT, Outback XT

(All are water cooled and use a thrust bearing design, not ball-bearing.)

Color-----------------------LGT.com ------- SOA abbrev.------Numeric Code

Obsidian Black Pearl ---- OBP ------------- BLK -------------- 2J

Satin White Pearl --------- SWP ----------- WHI ------------- 7J

Brilliant Silver Metallic -- BSM ------------ SIL -------------- 9D

Titanium Silver Metallic - TSM ------------ SXV -------------- 8E

Garnet Red Pearl --------- GRP ------------ RED ------------- 3J

Regal Blue Pearl --------- RBP ------------- BDR ------------- 5J

Atlantic Blue Pearl ------- ABP ------------- BLU ------------- 3A

 

--Additional Outback-specific Colors and Combinations

Champagne Gold Opal --- CGO ------------ GLD ------------ 9J

Willow Green Opal/

Moss Green Metallic ----- WGO? ----------- GRM ----------- U5

Brilliant Silver Metallic/

Granite Gray Opal -------- GGO? ---------- SLV ------------- K3

 

--Other Subie Colors (not on Leg/OB matrix)

World Rally Blue ----------- WRB ------------ ??? ------------ ??

San Remo Red ------------- SRR

Sedona Red Pearl (old) ---- SRP

Java Black Metallic -------- JBM

Solid Red ------------------- SR

 

7AA Legacy Sedan i MT5 2.5

7AB Legacy Sedan i 4EAT 2.5 -S

7AC Legacy Sedan i SE MT5 2.5

7AD Legacy Sedan i SE 4EAT 2.5 -S

7AE Legacy Sedan i LTD 4EAT 2.5-S

7AH Legacy Sedan 2.5GT LTD MT5

7AI Legacy Sedan 2.5GT LTD 5EAT-S

7AJ Legacy Sedan 2.5GT LTD NAVI

7AS Legacy Sedan 2.5GT Spec. B 6M

7BA Legacy Wagon i MT5 2.5

7BB Legacy Wagon i SE 4EAT 2.5 -S

7BC Legacy Wagon i LTD 4EAT 2.5-S

7BH Legacy Wagon 2.5 GT LTD 5EAT-S

7CA Outback Sedan 2.5i Limited 4EA

7CB Outback Sedan LLBean 3.0R 5EAT

7CC Outback Sedan LLBean NAVI 3.0R

7DA Outback Wagon 2.5 i Basic 5MT

7DB Outback Wagon 2.5 i Basic 4EAT

7DC Outback Wagon 2.5i 5MT

7DD Outback Wagon 2.5 i 4EAT-S

7DE Outback Wagon 2.5 i Ltd 4EAT-S

7DH Outback Wagon 2.5XT Ltd 5MT

7DI Outback Wagon 2.5XT Ltd 5EAT-

7DJ Outback Wagon 2.5XT Ltd NAVI

7DK Outback Wagon 2.5i LLBean NAVI

7DL Outback Wagon 2.5i Ltd LLBean

7DM Outback Wagon H6-3.0 R LLB 5EA

7DN Outback Wagon H6-3.0 R LLB NAV

7FA Forester X FAWD MT5 2.5

7FB Forester X FAWD 4EAT 2.5

7FC Forester X MT5 2.5 Premium Pack

7FD Forester X 4EAT 2.5 Premium Pack

7FE Forester X Cross Sports MT5

7FF Forester X Cross Sports 4EAT

7FG Forester X LL Bean 4EAT

7FH Forester Cross Sports MT5 2.5

7FI Forester Cross Sports 4EAT 2.5

7FJ Forester XT MT5 2.5 Turbo LTD

7FK Forester XT 4EAT 2.5 Turbo LTD

7JA Impreza Sedan 2.5i 5MT

7JB Impreza Sedan 2.5i 4EAT

7JC Impreza Sedan WRX TR 5MT

7JD Impreza Sedan WRX 5MT

7JE Impreza Sedan WRX Limited

7JF Impreza Sedan WRX Limited I 5M

7JG Impreza Sedan WRX Limited 4EAT

7JH Impreza Sedan WRX Limited I 4EAT

7JI STI 6MT - Alloy Wheel Gold

7JJ STI 6MT - Alloy Wheel Silver

7JK STI 6MT - Limited

7JN Impreza Sedan 2.5i SE

7JO Impreza Sedan 2.5i SE 4EAT

7LA Impreza Wagon 2.5i 5MT

7LB Impreza Wagon 2.5i 4EAT

7LC Impreza Wagon WRX 5MT

7LE Impreza Wagon WRX Limited 5MT

7LF Impreza Wagon WRX Limited I 5M

7LG Impreza Wagon WRX Limited 4EAT

7LH Impreza Wagon WRX Limited I 4EAT

7LK Impreza Outback Sport MT5 2.5

7LL Impreza Outback Sport 4EAT 2.5

7LM Impreza Outback Sport SE MT5

7LN Impreza Outback Sport SE 4EAT

7TA B9 Tribeca - 5SEAT Fabric

7TB B9 Tribeca - 5SEAT Limited- G

7TC B9 Tribeca - 5SEAT Limited - B

7TD B9 Tribeca - 5SEAT Limited/NAV- G

7TE B9 Tribeca - 5SEAT Limited/NAV- B

7TH B9 Tribeca - 7SEAT Fabric

7TI B9 Tribeca - 7SEAT Limited - G

7TJ B9 Tribeca - 7SEAT Limited - B

7TK B9 Tribeca - 7SEAT Limited/NAV- G

7TL B9 Tribeca - 7SEAT Limited/NAV- B

7TM B9 Tribeca - 7S-LTRAUD/DVD/NAV- G

7TN B9 Tribeca - 7S-LTRAUD/DVD/NAV- B

 

Key

MT5: 5 speed manual

5EAT-S: 5 speed automatic with sport shift

4EAT-S: 4 speed automatic with sport shift

5EAT: 5 speed automatic

4EAT: 4 speed automatic

SE: Special Edition (base model+power driver seat+moonroof)

NAVI: Navigation System

LTD: Limited (base model+leather+power seats+moonroof+dual zone climate+upgraded stero)

 

Model Code Key

The codes change every model year

First Spot: The "7" USUALLY means the model year (ex; 7 = 2007).

Second Spot: The letter after the 7 denotes the body style by car (ex LEGACY Wagon is a "B" while OUTBACK wagon is a "D").

Third Spot: The last letter is actually alphanumeric. It starts with the least expensive model/trim/engine level in each different body style and goes up. It starts over at "A" with every body style.

 

 

 

ok... occasionally you are gonna come across acronyms/slang that you have no idea what it means...

 

OMG, WTF, TTIWWOP, STFU, IBTL ect ect ect ect....

 

Use this www.urbandictionary.com

 

Just be aware that some acronyms may not be work safe...

DP = DownPipe

UP = UpPipe

TMIC = Top Mount Intercooler

FMIC = Front Mount Intercooler

Sorry, there is a post/question requirement which you have exceeded. you only have 4 posts and therefore you have used up the number of questions you can ask.

 

Until then http://www.legacygt.com/forums/search.php? this funtion works wonders!

 

 

what do you mean by it doesn't want to "go"

OP if you don't know what DP means, step away from your car. Do some research on the site and then go back and try to work on it. Better yet, take it to a trusted Subby Shop near you.

youll be fine with your new car, typically dont run the turbo too hard for appx 1000 miles is what i was told

 

Dp= down pipe, part of the cars exhast system, it comes off of your turbo exhaust housing to meet your midpipe on your catback.

 

wrx uses a little bit stronger turbo a VF52 the legacy uses a vf40, and vf46

 

our engines are a little noisey, usually a slight ticking noise you'll hear.

 

As for the banjo, yes removing the filter will allow particles into the system, two solutions to that is dish out 175 for a great inline filter kit http://www.infamousperformance.net/servlet/the-995/IP%26T-Filtered-Turbo-Oil/Detail or you can replace or clean the filter every so often usually every other if not every oil change

youll be fine with your new car, typically dont run the turbo too hard for appx 1000 miles is what i was told

 

Dp= down pipe, part of the cars exhast system, it comes off of your turbo exhaust housing to meet your midpipe on your catback.

 

wrx uses a little bit stronger turbo a VF52 the legacy uses a vf40, and vf46

 

our engines are a little noisey, usually a slight ticking noise you'll hear.

 

As for the banjo, yes removing the filter will allow particles into the system, two solutions to that is dish out 175 for a great inline filter kit http://www.infamousperformance.net/servlet/the-995/IP%26T-Filtered-Turbo-Oil/Detail or you can replace or clean the filter every so often usually every other if not every oil change

 

Ok, where is the banjo bolt located?

OP if you don't know what DP means, step away from your car. Do some research on the site and then go back and try to work on it. Better yet, take it to a trusted Subby Shop near you.

 

I think I'll be fine doing this stuff myself....thank you. Just because I don't know what the abbreviations on this site of what DP meant, doesn't mean I can't get bloody knuckles, turnin wrenches. I've been thinkin about painting it myself, but I don't know what colors I would paint it with.

Look I was just trying to help you out. But hey w/e. don't come crying to the forum when something breaks.

Look I was just trying to help you out. But hey w/e. don't come crying to the forum when something breaks.

 

Did I sound rude?

This isn't my first rodeo....and thanks for the help. If I can't do it, I won't try it and I'll pay somebody to do it, trust me.

Did I sound rude?

 

A little