Bargain or Nail: Hello

[TonyD90]

Hello Scooby People, 

I have recently dived into the world of Subaru ownership. After overcoming the temptation to buy one of the abundant dirt cheap saab aero estates, I have purchased a Subaru Legacy R Spec.B (UKDM) for a very "reasonable" price. "Why have you put reasonable in quotation marks?" I hear you ask. Well, there are some issues I knew about when I bought the car and there are some that I have found in the last few days of ownership, so it may end up being a money pit

Issues I know about:

• Front O/S inner CV boot in two pieces, CV grease everywhere!
• Rear N/S wheel bearing play/noise
• Gear shifter is a wobbly mess 
• Slight pull to the N/S under initial braking (suspect bushes)
• Cruise control didn't work (already fixed see; issues i didn't know about)
• The handle that lifts up the boot floor is broken
• The rear wiper doesn't return to a position, when you switch it off it just stops where it is
• Whine from auxiliaries 
• Exhaust has a rattle (might be something else, comes from middle under the car at about 3krpm)

Issues I didn't know about:

• The CEL was on, the cluster had been taken apart and had black elecy tape put over it so it didn't light up
• The CRUISE light had had the same treatment as above.
• Big ol' rust hole

Now, I know you are thinking what an idiot for buying a car without checking the CEL, but let me prepare you for me being even more of an idiot: I noticed the CEL didn't light up on ignition but i liked the car so much that i told myself that "maybe these cars don't have it come on when you turn the ignition on", which is stupid. Don't do what i did kids, check the CEL. I've taken apart the dash and pulled off all the tape and reset the CEL and so far no codes, this also made the cruise control work again so fingers crossed. The code it had stored was P0056, so potential for the O2 sensor to need replacement but I was happy that was the only one when it could have been far worse. Hopefully the bodgey scam artist who added the tape (might not of been the previous owner as it came from auction) hasnt bodged anything else. 

So plans are (in no order):

• Repair the rust hole
• Replace CV Boot (ordered)
• Change suspension bushes, full poly-bush kit (ordered)
• Change gear linkage bushes <- anyone know of any good 6 speed kits???
• Give it a service; Oil, Filters, Aux belt/tensioners etc
• Check timing chain tension (if i can work out how?)
• Work out how wipers set their park position?
• Tint the rear windows (nothing drastic, 40%?)
• referb the curbed wheels 

I'm going to be searching around for solutions to the problems I have listed above, if anyone wants to save me some button clicks and tell me where I can find anything relevant that would be excellent!

Anyone who read all that, well done. 

Cheers, 

Tony

 

Edited October 25, 2018 by TonyD90

[t5nyw]

 

welcome 

opps, but most fixable.

i think long timing toothed belt always do tensioner.

Don will be best for all things technical n info etc.

Tony

[ccrien]

Import car parts for timing belt kits, aux belts etc.  You might find the bearing in the alt. belt tensioner is the noisy one, and can be replaced. Take the belts off and see what's noisy when you spin them. Try spark plugs.co.uk for O2 sensors if you end up needing one but make sure you get the correct OE plug. ( but try Decent petrol like V power for a couple of tanks to see if it cleans things out first?) 

boot floor handle must be easily fixable with a bit of rope or a cable tie as substitute, lol

perseverance will get you sorted.

oh, welcome and best wishes.

P.S. Haynes USA do a forester/ legacy manual that may be useful, check Amazon uk for availability

p.S.2,.  Check the slider pins on the front brake  calipers, may be sticking on one side?  Or sticking Pistons ( slider pins available off e bay or elsewhere, use decent brake pin grease to avoid the rubbers swelling up and letting in water) and stainless caliper pistons form scooby worx or standard rebuilt caliper various sources.   Look at those before bushes. 

Edited October 25, 2018 by ccrien
P.s. And ps 2 Added

[TonyD90]

Thank you for the welcome guys!

I have taken off the plastic side skirts today and begun cutting out the rust, the rest of the body work seems pretty rust free so that's good. Going to waxoyl inside the chassis and then underseal the outside, hopefully keep it going rust free for a few more years. 

One thing i am really struggling to find is a bush kit for the gear linkage, any ideas?

The full polybush kit is on order, the bushes need doing even if they arn't the cause of the pulling to one side under braking. I will check those caliper pins though, i used to own Honda's and every one of them needed the calipers refurbishing, is this a Japanese thing?

[scoobyjoff]

Hya bud welcome to the fold i had to replace all the caliper slider pins on the rear and both front calipers  my 2008 wrx hatch i guess its like most things on cars they just wear out i think my was lack of use as i go to work on a sunday and stands all week till friday so i guess that dosent help thr situation but reolacing the slider pins is a easy DIY job just go steady tring to undo the bolts as they are prone to shearing off i found a good soaking for a few hours eith good old WD40 helped and when i fit the new ones a dab of copper grease on the threads just in case i need to remove the pins again stops them seizing up hope this helps