"New" 2004 Subaru Outback 4cyl?

[Concours14]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: Concours14
Sub frame? No thanks. A car is pretty far down the road if it needs all that. I see them talking about an AWD Fuse. Does that (or lack of it) turn the car into a two wheel drive?

Thanks for the replies, all. I'm taking notes!


Its not the actual sub frame which would need to be cut out but a bolt on rear cradle. If the car has been dealer maintained like he says then it should be okay (one would hope they would see that).
If its okay just wire brush it and use a good rustproofing on it if it doesn't have any.


No kidding! I have a pal with a lift, I might consider that. I don't get to see the car until I get it, this is a unique acquisition. Long story, doesn't matter. I'm getting this car. I thought about getting a car fax, but who knows if every transaction gets recorded? I tend to believe the dealer, he has no reason to lie to me on this.

Also wondering about headlights, the lenses, I hate them when they yellow. Also wonder if the OBD is 1 or 2. I have a scanner. In any case, you folks definitely jacked up my comfort factor on all this. I can tell yall a LOT about Hyundai but little about Subarus. There seems to be quite an enthusiast population out there, but for nuts and bolts, y'alls the balls. Thanks for the answers..

 

[Hollow]

I have your basic vehicle, a year older and the the 4EAT transmission.

Quirky, but easy to wrench on. PCV is easy. Plugs are easy once the battery is outta the way and part of the intake (a few 10mm bolts). Filters are a snap, both oil and air. Fuel filter is most likely under the hood, but 2004 was a transition for that. Basic tune up is straightforward and you can take half the car apart with a few sockets and some extensions.

Keep the tires inflated to the door placard or higher (I have mine at +5PSI personally which is 35F/34F), take off the cross bars if equipped when not using them, and keep it about 65MPH and I'll get 30MPG from IL to TN every time.

THINGS YOUR SUBARU WILL PREFER:
-NGK plugs.
-NGK, Denso, or Subaru plug wires.
-OEM only for radiator caps and thermostats, the cooling system is picky.
-Any decent oil in a 0/5W30 weight.
-Wix makes a very good filter.
-Having all 4 tires match in wear and diameter (welcome to all-time AWD).
-A GL-5 rated 75W90 for the MT/front diff combo and the rear diff. Avoid Mobil1 for the MT, there have been plenty of syncro issues. It's fine for the rear diff however.
-Coolant service with the Subaru additive (rebranded Holt's RadWeld. It's cheap, Subaru recommended, and seems to do a pretty good job.)

Lens polish up. Lows take an H1 bulb. Highs take a 9005, and upgrading them to a 9011 style improves your high beams a good bit. Little cramped if you have big hands but not too bad.

If you see oil on your plugs, the valve cover gaskets are going. Not a bad repair. I had mine done when I got the timing belt service done, as it was not much added to that price.

 

[Concours14]

Dang, Hollow, thanks! I'm copying the gems of this thread to Word so I can go over the stuff when I get the car. I have to figure it's got OBD II now that I think of it. I have a Nuvi with the OBD reader and it can give me my codes and even clear check engine lights and whatnot. It works for OBD 1,2 and I believe three. I'll find out when I plug it in I guess.

What kind of tires have you been putting on it? I'm in Haverhill, Ma., north of Boston, very close to New Hampshire so the weather can be severe, but I have no life/death responsibilities so if it falls, I won't be out in the worst of it. I see Michelin is a sponsor of sorts, if I have it long enough to need tires, Costco is right down the road. They'll rotate them for life, for free, every 3 or 4K, maybe 5K. Sensible interval to keep the circumference correct as they wear?

Also, you mentioned for me to take the crossbar out when I'm not using it. Where/what is that? Thanks for letting me pick your nits on this stuff. I'm really not being critical of the car, but I do understand Hyundai and Subaru are different planets, and with no experience with the brand information is money saved, a critical issue for me for the moment. I really appreciate the thoughtful and informative replies.

 

[Hollow]

Yes it is OBDII. Plug is about where your left knee would be.

I currently have Michelin Primacy MXV4 on the Outback. Have 54K on them and about 7/32 remaining. They're great dry, very good wet, and decent in winter. Slush and ice are their worst areas. Will probably replace with General Altimax RT43 when the time comes.

By crossbar, I mean the roof rack cross bars, if they are still there. Reducing aero drag, can help MPG some.

See generic stock photo pic like this:

The two bars that are attached horizontally to the roof rails can be removed when not in use.
Also, this site will be your friend: http://www.cars101.com/outback.html along with http://www.subaruoutback.org

 

[Thermo1223]

ON the AWD front a manual transmission model is FAR more forgiving on tire size then the electronic Automatic models.

It uses a viscous coupling in the center diff so it isn't as picky.

Otherwise what was said above is pretty much to the point. I'd hope they used MLS headgaskets as it is supposed to be a once & done job.

 

[needsducktape]

A big reason why the head gaskets fail is because people don't use the Subaru radiator additive- Its only 9.99 on amazon/ebay

My 2001 Forrester 5 speed manual returned about 29 MPG and frankly I like the AWD better than Audi's quattro -Ive owned both

 

[Concours14]

Originally Posted By: Hollow


By crossbar, I mean the roof rack cross bars, if they are still there. Reducing aero drag, can help MPG some.

See generic stock photo pic like this:

The two bars that are attached horizontally to the roof rails can be removed when not in use.
Also, this site will be your friend: http://www.cars101.com/outback.html along with http://www.subaruoutback.org


Thanks, I'll snoop around that link. I can imagine if the bar is still there and they didn't take care of it, rust could be an issue. Is that rack mounted with hardware from above or from below the roof? It'd be nice to yank it and repaint it if it looks rough. Flat-finishes always are the first to go. Looking over these forums and links it occurs to me that the whole Subaru Outback/Legacy thing inspires people. There isn't 1% of the enthusiasm for the soulless but efficient and dependable Hyundai econoboxes I've been driving all these years (the Sante Fe', a little). Amazing databases for the Outback and all of it generated by owners and everyone helpful. I'm a tinkering fool, this is gonna be fun. Thanks one and all.

 

[Thermo1223]

Originally Posted By: needsducktape
A big reason why the head gaskets fail is because people don't use the Subaru radiator additive- Its only 9.99 on amazon/ebay

My 2001 Forrester 5 speed manual returned about 29 MPG and frankly I like the AWD better than Audi's quattro -Ive owned both


It is nothing more than stop leak...

They will fail just like GM LIM gaskets fail, only a matter of time. The problem is the gasket itself not the omission of a radiator tabs. The first material proved to me incompatible.

 

[SteveSRT8]

We all saw how much the tabs saved the General with the leaking gaskets. Not much.

No tab or powder is going to fix a defective part, not even a Subaru...

 

[Trav]

+2 Its the same stuff as in the GM tabs too only premixed.

 

[Bandito440]

I liked the Yokohama Geolander A/T-S on my Subaru. An all-terrain is going to offer you the best winter traction without a dedicated set of snow tires. I'm on a set of General Grabbers now, which I'm sure will also do well.

What size tires are on this?

Whatever you buy, make sure to get an alignment done.

 

[Concours14]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440


What size tires are on this?

Whatever you buy, make sure to get an alignment done.


I don't know what tires are on this. I won't know until I take delivery on it. I'm insuring it, titling it, tagging it before I ever lay eyes on it. How dopey is THAT? I only know it's had but one owner, a well-to-do family in Vt., the Subaru dealer there serviced it at the request of owners who didn't say no to anything that was suggested for ten years and 120,000 miles and they did plenty of expensive work on it the last twenty thousand miles (HGs, front end rebuild, CV joints, belts, and alternator, AC compressor, timing belt and tensioner and "rollers", yada-yada), tires the last 7000 miles. He said if they had a clutch done on it, it wasn't done there. The clutch is the only sticking point for me, really. *I* have made clutches last 200K, here's hoping the driver of the family that drove this one were as good at it as I.

Even sight unseen, I feel quite good about the deal on this thing given the dealer's report and in no small measure, the information you folks have imparted. I'm a minor-league wrencher and researcher and I'm naturally curious about things that go tinker in the night, so I'll be ok. After 3 years wrenching certain components of my motorcycle after which I'm named here, the OB should be a small increment easier, at least for the things I'd tend to dabble in.
Armed with prints of the remarks here, the links to other forums and clubs and the considerable databases on the web on this car, I should be able to maintain it in a thrifty manner. I'm really not a hard charger on the road anyway and I'll not see heavy snow driving in this thing if I can possibly avoid it. I tend to prefer my thrills on two wheels. Four wheels are for transportation, two wheels and broads for the risque' stuff.
I really can't thank you guys enough. If there's anything else I'm forgetting to ask, I'm sure I'll be reminded!

 

[Bandito440]

Good luck! When you determine the tire size, I'll recommend a few options.

 

[Concours14]

Originally Posted By: Bandito440
Good luck! When you determine the tire size, I'll recommend a few options.


Well, the stock version of tires is 225/60R16. Today I'm told they did nothing outside of stock, the original wheels are on the car and he said paperwork in the car indicates they were replaced with Michelins 7000 miles ago, so I'm not likely to need tires. However, Hyundai used to install a stock tire called khyomo, or some such. Worst tire ever, at least that one. Slippery dry and wet, lousy durability, done in 30K. If it comes with tires like that, I'd put on new ones, especially if I could get decent tires at Costco (free rotation). What are they putting on this thing? I don't do much snow. Conceivable, possible, but not probable. I want a really good interstate tire, a durable roller that observes the niceties of high gas mileage that's good in rain, especially at speed..

 

[meep]

IIRC the stop leak additives were not to offset HG failure, as they started doing it before HG failures began in their models. Many aluminum blocks at that time always had a smell of coolant, and over a year or so the overflow level would be seen to drop. Remember the cars that always faintly smelled of antifreeze when hot, with no leaks or notable consumption? my 2.2 had it (as well as my nissan, my dad's frontier, etc.... Subaru determine it to be porous aluminum metallurgy. They started using the goop at some point after I bought mine. I put half a dose in and it resolved it completely.

 

[Concours14]

The porosity of the metallurgy, eh? I suppose. When you mention the "goop", whatcha mean?