alex0856

Today I ordered some misc vacuum system parts and extra gaskets since I blew through my stash last month. I really need to build a parts shelf in my garage. I have no clue if I'll see any benefits from replacing my EVAP purge valve but I figure it's a 20 year old plastic moving part that lives on top of an engine block, so you'd think it wouldn't be performing like it used to. I also bit the bullet on a new OE o2 sensor since I'm sure mine is fried. Has anyone used the Torque Solutions boost leak tester? I'll be purchasing a boost leak tester and possibly a smoke tester soon just to rule out the easy stuff before I start throwing parts at it. I haven't ordered it yet though because I keep forgetting to send a whiny email to RSD to complain about my crappy throttle body hose that I gave up on trying to fit. My mishimoto doesn't appear to have holes in it but the outside layer is flaking off and I can see the webbing under the silicon. The next thing will probably be a BPV because again, 20 year old plastic moving part. Tomorrow I'll hit the private race track that I definitely have for some data logging and make a post. I'd like to get other's opinions on if this is a fuel issue or an air issue. I'm highly confused by the beautiful LV but random huge fuel and timing corrections. And the psst noise.

Oops, I posted that when I was falling asleep. I added a screenshot I took after doing some runs on my private race track. There were a few fuel correction and knock events but surprisingly nothing hit the LV. I saw that FKC gauge max out just by tapping the accelerator at 70mph in 5th. But at WOT it would be at 0.

My car is finished! Sort of. I actually started it on Sunday, and was greeted by a rough idle. Found some connections that I forgot to tighten or didn't tighten enough and it improved. Since I'm on a 12 day work streak I didn't have a chance to touch the car again until tonight. Giving the plastic drain on the AOS another spin and tightening up the rocker cover breather hoses seems to have eliminated the rough idle. However it's not perfect. I'm just glad to be rid of the garbage PCV. What I am finding is that a problem that existed when I first got the car running again is still present, but improved. I think I have a vacuum leak, or something mechanically is wrong with the vacuum system. If you just tap the throttle from idle, you'll feel a shudder between 800-1100 rpm. Same goes for holding it in those ranges. Then it clears right up. If you rail on the car, it actually performs better. BUT, you can hear a high pitched sputtering sound under heavy boost. According to btssm I'm hitting 18.4psi, but I'm fairly confident we only ever tuned for 17. Or maybe it was 19? Who knows. All I know is that something is off. In this process I've removed the PCV valve system, replaced most of the vacuum lines, turbo inlet, intercooler to TB hose, BPV and intercooler gaskets. I found one hell of a clog inside the OEM crossover pipe that connects the rocker cover breathers. I chopped it up so I could still use it to secure the main wiring harness. My LV is an improvement but we're maxing out fuel correction on hard pulls and getting highly inconsistent knock correction. I even managed to generate a misfire on a WOT pull. I've attached screenshots I took while running tests on my private track in my backyard. My mechanical brain is telling me that the issue is with a moving part. A leaking BPV makes sense but I can't confirm. In the mean time I will be getting it home and driving easy. I'm likely going to purchase tools to check for vacuum and boost leaks. If that checks out then I'll start throwing parts at it. On a positive note, the clutch and trans are like butter. I can't believe how much of a difference replacing my shifter components made. That combined with rack bushings means it handles like a new car now.

Getting very very close. And feeling grateful for kind and patient friends. I had been hoping to be able to drive the car to my grandfather's interment yesterday but it just wasn't in the cards. He always liked my car and always had fast and impractical cars himself. I wish I would have had the chance to take him for a ride in it, but that's okay. A word of advice to all - call your grandparents/parents/elderly friends and relatives today. They've simultaneously got lots of time and limited time, and they'd love to hear from you. Back to business - The trans and driveshaft are in, with new bushings to boot. My subframe was like a wet noodle before (I pulled it off the trans in one piece) but now it's much firmer. I'm expecting a solid improvement in handling. Tonight I blew 3 hours trying to replace a CV axle boot that I accidentally tore. Unfortunately an OE boot would not fit my aftermarket axle so I decided to fill the small tear with gray gasket maker for now. Since I've got two new boots I'll probably hit pick N pull for an axle and rebuild it. The inlet and AOS are all set, just need to make connections and decide on how I'm going to reroute the wiring harness. Question for all - does your shift linkage have this much play between the washer and trans bracket? I had lightly sanded mine before reinstalling to remove some built up surface rust. My bushings fit snugly in to the linkage itself but I've got this gap and can't say if it was there before. The linkage has about 2mm of lateral play. The bushings are almost new. If that's supposed to be solid then I suppose I'll buy a new one.

Never. After this go round of remodeling there will be very few plastic and rubber pieces left to replace. When I did my suspension and brake overhaul it felt like a brand new car. I'm expecting it to drive like a dream. Also, I'm in way too deep at this point. Sunk cost isn't a fallacy in this context, it's a way of life.

The trans is ready to go in. Replacing the oil seal on the linkage was pretty annoying but I got it without damaging anything. I attempted the screw trick but there's just not enough meat to get a proper bite without risking marring up the linkage or housing. I found that a heat gun, a shaved down pick, and patience was the way to go. Last night I put in new rack bushings, shifter joint, trans mount bushings, and tore down my short shifter. The bushings are pretty new but the metal needed cleaning and the grommet that goes on the tunnel badly needed replacing. I didn't expect to be able to get that part new but it turns out Subaru still uses it in other cars. Go figure. I'm on the road for work today so no shop time tonight. Tomorrow everything should be coming together.

Being a car person is a bummer sometimes. I should sell it and buy an automatic Corolla. My car still isn't done unfortunately. A mixture of the "while we're here" curse and finding more problems has dragged it out quite a bit. The trans is sitting on the jack ready to go with a new fork, spring, and pivot ball, and the clutch is installed. I drained the coolant to pull the turbo because reasons and found the lower oil drain was crushed - probably from 22 year old me using channel locks on it. It wasn't causing a restriction from what I can tell, it was just oval shaped and causing a leak. Fortunately you can buy replacements still. Today I'll finish getting the perrin inlet installed, then the AOS and rack bushings. I might even get the boot swapped on my year old CV that somehow got a hole in it. While swapping my heater hoses and pulling the upper rad hose I found what appeared to be coolant seeps, likely from the car sitting for so long. I think I've got contamination in the system as well. I'll probably do some sort of flush once it's on the ground. Hopefully my shift linkage seal and turbo oil drain will be here by Tuesday. I'm supposed to be driving it to Seattle next weekend. I think the problem all along was misalignment caused by dumb kids replacing a clutch without the proper tools. Here's some pics of the gore. You can see where the clutch disk was only partially grabbing. I wish I had got one of my bell housing before I cleaned it out. The ring on the back of the flywheel was from a nut that fell in to my bell housing and landed perfectly behind the flywheel. I'll have to find it and take a pic. It's got nice char marks on the head. I'm glad I bought a new timing inspection cover.

I have wanted one for a long time but you can't buy them new anymore unfortunately. I'll probably end up going aftermarket at some point.

Oh definitely. He has told me this himself. I find myself feeling self conscious about using his lift every time I ask. So I help him with his projects whenever I can. He's been working on scrapping a WRX for a while now which was tied up on the lift so we spent a Saturday stripping it so it can be hauled off. Although I won't lie, I found dismantling a car that I didn't need to put back together a lot of fun.

I recommend the vacuum pump method. I've also used the cheap one man bleeder kit. I vacuumed the living hell out of my lines when I did my flush and my car brakes like it was new.

I wish. I just have a very cool friend who lets me use his lift. I bring my own tools so packing those up sucks but my motivation to do my own work increases 10 fold when I have a lift to use.

Didn't start until almost 5 because I'm a dysfunctional person. It's a wonder that I can even get myself dressed in the morning. I went until about 9 before calling it a night. Fluids drained, bolts removed, thingies and gizmos disconnected. The subframe bolts are loose. Just gotta remove the driveshaft and I should have the trans out within an hour tomorrow. Feeling very grateful for my desert and west coast car (sorry midwesterners)

Well, as I feared, adding deadening and insulation to my hatch means it no longer opens itself until you get about halfway, even with new struts. If I give it a little momentum when I open it it'll go to the fully open position. I probably added 10lbs at least. It stays open without issue and does not close itself if you push down on the hatch until you get about halfway. This will likely mean that the struts will wear out sooner. Still can't bring myself to shell out for OEM especially because they may have the same issue. I think the next step is to look around for struts on newer Subarus and see if they have the same mounts. If I get lucky, I'll find one that bolts on and was built for a heavier hatch. It's a minor inconvenience for now and definitely a fair trade for cabin noise. Sitting in the cabin you'd never know that my exhaust is as loud as it is, even at freeway speeds. Today I'm starting my clutch replacement so that should be fun. Hoping I can finish by tomorrow night.

Well I'm glad we had this little discussion. Fortunately I have no HVAC issues since replacing my blower motor BUT I do have two new heater hoses to replace in the near future. I think I'll take that opportunity to do some flushing and clean out any build up, if there is any.

What is the HVAC unit?