JT20's Subaru

[JT20]

This is a thread about the Subaru in my signature. On this cold-ish morning (people that live in ACTUALLY cold places, like Minnesota, Canada, Alaska, anywhere Massachusetts and up, really, laugh at what we call "cold." It's 29 out, up from 20.. ok) and I thought I would update everyone, as their seems to be some sort of confusion or questions.

No point in mucking up the Magnatec thread, so, let's give a little update and overview on the Subie.

Basically, short version: Everything is fine with it, it is turning out to not be the bomb I thought it was going to be, and, honestly, it is getting the Full WatchJRGo treatment that he is doing with his 2003 BMW X5 with the 3.0L I6 - and he is ultimately selling that car for $1. Now, I am full up on cars, and would LOVE to be that winner, but. Anyways.... Yeah, basically everything on the car is getting fixed, has been fixed, will be fixed.

Presently: Everything on it works, the only thing I can think of that doesn't is the green word CRUISE does not light on the dash, when you use the cruise control. Though, the cruise control works. I think this is something about how Subaru wires the ECU and the dash, but, really, that's like a non-thing.

I purchased the Subaru because it looked decent, has and still does have awesome tires, and was inexpensive.

Well, we are past that now. And we actually have a good car here. Controversial choice of engine transplant; seems to be FAR more workable than I thought. I thought it would be a horrible, stalling, smoking, car that just wasn't good and not liked. The ONLY complaint I have about it is that it is slow, and can be sluggish when being tailgated by those pesky Camrys and Teslas I see so often etc etc, any modern car is fast and usually faster than a Ferrari 308, which everyone says is actually a slow car, so. I've never driven a Yugo so I don't know how slow the Subaru is, but it sure does want to work and it's doing great.

If things stay on the trajectory they are on now, it should have everything on it either mint or looked at in short order.

.... did I mention I am starting to like the car?

Oh and let's see.. Previous NY trip, well. Aside from SUPREME frustration in reading the dipstick, ... Hard throttle, cruise at 75MPH, some blasts of higher speed, extensive idling due to staying warm, basically "hard use," I saw 22MPGs. Not great, but, I'm seeing if I can replicate the results, also feeling the car out. From what I hear, Subaru never was the mileage champ.

 

[eljefino]

So if you didn't change the ECU to match the new motor, how do you think there's a disconnect between it and your cruise light?

Could there just be a dim bulb somewhere behind the firewall?

 

[JT20]

So if you didn't change the ECU to match the new motor, how do you think there's a disconnect between it and your cruise light?

Could there just be a dim bulb somewhere behind the firewall?

That, honestly I have no idea and do not know. CRUISE

I DO have to run the idea of trying the other ECU past the guy, it has been expressed to me "It may not work at all," it was also said on here "For $60 try and see."

 

[JT20]

 

[PimTac]

Could there just be a dim bulb somewhere behind the firewall?

This could be it right here. Something simple usually escapes the mind.

I guess all the financial worries are over too? Are you selling the Infiniti?

 

[JHZR2]

It’s good that the car is now working well. Frustration aside, have you gotten to a point of being able to read the dipstick, at least cold? How many miles on the oil at this point given your trips? How dark or light does it appear to be?

If there’s an issue, there’s an issue. Even if you don’t keep this long term, $60 on an ecu might be a good trial, especially if you can maybe get the seller to take it on return. I’d do some more research on coding to the engine and VIN.

I think many of us are still on the point that you should only keep one vehicle. Right now you can feel kind of free and confident because you have a working car to run, so you can take your time feeling out the Infiniti. How much stuff you should throw at this car, or the Infiniti, to make it “mint”, if in reality the right end state is to sell one, is another story. I wouldn’t be dumping thousands of dollars (or even many hundreds) into either one at this point.

 

[JT20]

This could be it right here. Something simple usually escapes the mind.

I guess all the financial worries are over too? Are you selling the Infiniti?

The "financial worries" situation has vastly improved, I didn't win the lottery and I refuse to waste $10 on a ticket but. Possible thread about all that coming. Possible.

The Infiniti.. I don't yet know, but what I can tell you is.. I was more expecting the Subaru to be a and it is presently showing itself to be darned reliable. If it keeps acting like it is it *could be* a workhorse car and again I am starting to like it. I say all that to say this: The Infiniti was at least partly purchased to be a car where if we gave the Subaru the old "College Try" and it didn't work, it would be dispersed, and the Infiniti used.

Now it's looking like it could go either way.

The worst case scenario is the Infiniti just stays in the garage......

 

[JT20]

It’s good that the car is now working well. Frustration aside, have you gotten to a point of being able to read the dipstick, at least cold? How many miles on the oil at this point given your trips? How dark or light does it appear to be?

If there’s an issue, there’s an issue. Even if you don’t keep this long term, $60 on an ecu might be a good trial, especially if you can maybe get the seller to take it on return. I’d do some more research on coding to the engine and VIN.

I think many of us are still on the point that you should only keep one vehicle. Right now you can feel kind of free and confident because you have a working car to run, so you can take your time feeling out the Infiniti. How much stuff you should throw at this car, or the Infiniti, to make it “mint”, if in reality the right end state is to sell one, is another story. I wouldn’t be dumping thousands of dollars (or even many hundreds) into either one at this point.

Hold on one moment, I need to refuel on some food and come back as a Round 2 because I'm right there with you, I just need to propose something about that lol.

My fingers havn't stopped moving in the last 10 minutes LOL

 

[JT20]

It’s good that the car is now working well. Frustration aside, have you gotten to a point of being able to read the dipstick, at least cold? How many miles on the oil at this point given your trips? How dark or light does it appear to be?

If there’s an issue, there’s an issue. Even if you don’t keep this long term, $60 on an ecu might be a good trial, especially if you can maybe get the seller to take it on return. I’d do some more research on coding to the engine and VIN.

I think many of us are still on the point that you should only keep one vehicle. Right now you can feel kind of free and confident because you have a working car to run, so you can take your time feeling out the Infiniti. How much stuff you should throw at this car, or the Infiniti, to make it “mint”, if in reality the right end state is to sell one, is another story. I wouldn’t be dumping thousands of dollars (or even many hundreds) into either one at this point.

Okay I think I'm back to where I can respond lol.

Okay. As to the ECU. I may make an account on NASIOC. I almost even wonder if "just putting it in" MAY work (the EJ20 ECU I found.) https://www.ebay.com/itm/99-04-SUBA...-UNIT-ECU-22644-AA853-JDM-EJ201-/254123204751

 

[JT20]

It’s good that the car is now working well. Frustration aside, have you gotten to a point of being able to read the dipstick, at least cold? How many miles on the oil at this point given your trips? How dark or light does it appear to be?

If there’s an issue, there’s an issue. Even if you don’t keep this long term, $60 on an ecu might be a good trial, especially if you can maybe get the seller to take it on return. I’d do some more research on coding to the engine and VIN.

I think many of us are still on the point that you should only keep one vehicle. Right now you can feel kind of free and confident because you have a working car to run, so you can take your time feeling out the Infiniti. How much stuff you should throw at this car, or the Infiniti, to make it “mint”, if in reality the right end state is to sell one, is another story. I wouldn’t be dumping thousands of dollars (or even many hundreds) into either one at this point.

Okay I think I'm back to where I can respond lol.

Okay. As to the ECU. I may make an account on NASIOC. I almost even wonder if "just putting it in" MAY work (the EJ20 ECU I found.)

I almost wonder if I should just go ahead and get that one, before someone else does. Maybe.

As to the dipstick oil level. I am SUPREMELY frustrated with it, and have even thought of adding a small amount of Royal Purple to the fill to help me out read the level. The car is getting its work checked, smashed fog lights replaced, door trim put back on, things to make it not look like a POS so that I look like every other car on the road, not the one with a dent and smashed fog lights and I don't know the oil level as we speak. But it's been running fine, I did change the oil even though the guy that put put the engine in (and AGAIN gave it back with a loose intake. Not sure what it is with that guy and loose intakes but. Okay) told me not to.. I should know soon. The oil level APPEARED to be okay but again.. I could start at it for a minute, the oil is the same color as the dipstick and I've seriously thought about putting in SOME Royal Purple.

 

[JHZR2]

Please don’t waste money on RP. It’s not going to give you the outcome you expect, and will just lighten your wallet.

Getting a few cosmetic things done if broken is one thing. But I would t spend a ton of money because I doubt it will substantially increase the resale value of the car.

Figure out, without posting a million pictures, how to measure the oil level and photograph the color. QP had given some tips. Let’s see if there is a real concern or not.

Imwouldnt put more than maybe $250 into the cosmetic stuff.

 

[JT20]

Please don’t waste money on RP. It’s not going to give you the outcome you expect, and will just lighten your wallet.

Getting a few cosmetic things done if broken is one thing. But I would t spend a ton of money because I doubt it will substantially increase the resale value of the car.

Figure out, without posting a million pictures, how to measure the oil level and photograph the color. QP had given some tips. Let’s see if there is a real concern or not.

Imwouldnt put more than maybe $250 into the cosmetic stuff.

I'm getting the cosmetic stuff worked out for pretty much an even $100. That's the cost of the fogs and the tow cover. My mechanic is actually very reasonable, I'm beginning to call him Mr. Subaru. Seems like he knows about these. It's just a pet peeve of mine, driving a car with a dent. "It shouldn't matter" but then again, a stain on a shirt shouldn't matter either.

Thinking, thinking... I'm thinking I should jump on this ECU? The one linked? There are many more that seem to cost more and I'm thinking, "It just may work." Should I even ask/post on NASIOC about it? https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2579471&page=6 (the forum not the thread)

 

[mk378]

Wipe the dipstick completely dry, dip it again and if you can't see where there is oil and where there is not, lay the stick against a paper towel. The highest spot were the blot first forms is the level. You have to watch fast because it will spread out.

If no blot starts at all that means you don't have enough oil to reach the dipstick.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I don't know about Subarus or New Jersey, but with other brands, if you swap the ECU it will not report the correct VIN. That means you will not pass state inspection here in NY

 

[JT20]

As far as I know, there is no way to re-program an ECU? It's like a CR-ROM where ROM means Read Only Memory, ?

 

[Trav]

Of course it can be reprogrammed in that car it uses an EEPROM.

 

[JT20]

Of course it can be reprogrammed in that car it uses an EEPROM.

Oh! GREAT...

See, this is why I post these ruminations/questions..

I wonder.. if there is any way to "Program in a leaner fuel map" (I don't exactly know what I'm saying)

 

[Trav]

If someone has the programming tool and files they should be able to tune it for what you want, contact a Subaru specialist.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Please don’t waste money on RP. It’s not going to give you the outcome you expect, and will just lighten your wallet.

I agree. PP or QSUD and be done with it. QSUD imo has always been a sleeper oil. Cheap to buy, excellent add pack, runs smooth as silk, and is a name brand. How much oil does your Subie hold? $17 for a jug of QSUD and $3 for a Fram Orange Can of Deliciousness and you're all set!! That's my prescription for your Subie. It will be ready and waiting for you at your nearest Great Wall.

 

[Wolf359]

I wonder.. if there is any way to "Program in a leaner fuel map" (I don't exactly know what I'm saying)

That's called a tune and it's done all the time to get more performance out of a car. In your case I wouldn't bother though, not worth the cost.

And the manufacturers have already put in the ideal tune. Tunes are basically a compromise between many things, basically performance, economy and longevity. Play with a tune and those compromises shift.