497 replies to this topic

[JDWhiteWRX]

You are right about the overtaking, its one of the main reasons I went for the turbo swap since its much safer to spend less time on the other side of the road. I'm driving mine up to Byron Bay next week for a mates wedding, no camping this time as we have a 7 week old baby but we will be exploring a few back roads.

[duncanm]

You are right about the overtaking, its one of the main reasons I went for the turbo swap since its much safer to spend less time on the other side of the road. I'm driving mine up to Byron Bay next week for a mates wedding, no camping this time as we have a 7 week old baby but we will be exploring a few back roads.

 

Have a good trip!  The inland route (Armidale etc) is my preferred route, even if its slower these days; I always feel the need to avoid that school holiday coast traffic - too many idiots in a hurry mixed with tailgating fools who won't overtake slow cars and bad bits of road.

 

I reckon the combo makes an excellent soft GT.  It soaks up the bumps, handles pretty decent, is roomy (for luggage 'n stuff!) and comfortable, and now has poke when needed.

 

I felt my lack of cruise control -- need to get that sorted, and I could argue for taller gearing - but with our nanny speed limits, its not needed. 

[JDWhiteWRX]

The Oxley highway is amazing! I've done it a couple of times in my wrx.

[Cam.]

You are right about the overtaking, its one of the main reasons I went for the turbo swap since its much safer to spend less time on the other side of the road. I'm driving mine up to Byron Bay next week for a mates wedding, no camping this time as we have a 7 week old baby but we will be exploring a few back roads.

I'll be in Byron next week. I'll keep an eye out

[Joss]

Is that just on stock billies and springs or lowered springs?

Looks like it was a great trip! Car looks nice at that height too

[duncanm]

Standard Outback lift and springs - lowered with a couple of hundred kilos of kids, gear, food, fuel and water !

[duncanm]

Humdrum family stuff.

 

Wagon FTW

 

[Joss]

Holy shit, must have been a lot of weight! 
Was convinced it was lowered haha

[duncanm]

So I inherited some light hesitation (stuttering) at light throttle ~2500 - 3000rpm. after the trip

 

Figured it was probably the fuel system - injector, bad fuel from the trip, etc.

 

Started with the easiest and largest suspect - the in-tank fuel filter I should have replaced when I did the fuel pump.  Its got about 240,000 k on it (I'm a slack bastard and didn't do it at 100,000, either!).

 

Blecchhh

 

 

yeh.. that's aint gonna do much good. This is the junk left in the bowl.

 

 

 

 

New filter (and did the air, too) - hesitation gone.  I'm guessing the low fuel pump settings were struggling to pump fuel through the clogged mesh.

[duncanm]

Big win this morning.

 

I have had this strange whining/chattering sound on deceleration - which has been getting progressively worse over the last week or so. I'd been thinking it was a bearing in the transfer case or something. It had that whiny gear sound, related to road speed not engine, there clutch in or out, gear in or out. It was seriously loud and had visions of stuffed bearings and bits of metal floating about the box.

 

Drove the car last night and it was horrendous. Carefully rolled to a stop at home and noticed that at very low speeds it sounded like a brake shroud scraping.. but then mulling over it last night figured it probably wasn't as the frequency was too high (ie: not one chirp per wheel rotation, but many).That'd be driveshaft speed - which still pointed to transfer case.

 

So this morning, pulled out the jack and quickly checked the front wheels were ok (I've had hub nuts loosen in the past - and the wobbly brake disc sometimes makes scrapy sounds) - both good.

 

Carefully inspect the driveshaft and notice some minor scratches around it towards the rear of the long exhaust shroud. Bingo! the exhaust shroud had been rubbing on the driveshaft and I guess since its such a large piece of sheet metal, amplifying the noise. Some quick bending with the fingers and its all fixed! No noise!

 

 

Now - the question is why would the driveshaft moved down, or the shroud moved up recently?  The exhaust (resonator) does have a scrape on it down there - so maybe I gave it a belt recently on a speed hump.

 

I'll check out the rear suspension on the weekend to see if anything obvious has shifted.

[Morgan]

Nice one!

[Matt]

Hi mate....you still after a gd wrx cruise control box?

I have one off my half cut you can have if so? Pulled all my cruise control outta the car so I wont need it

Send me a pm if youre interested

[duncanm]

new shoes this morning.

 

KU31 (on recommendations around here)  in 225/60R16 from Tempe for $115/corner.

[aekOne]

good price! might need to get myself over there as i need a couple of sets

[Liberty]

Oh crap. I'll be in need of new tyres soon too. I'll be hitting them up for a quote.

[duncanm]

Picked up a rear sway bar from the local wrecker the other day.

 

I've only driven to work so far - haven't given it any welly, but there's an noticeable improvement in initial body roll and turn-in.

 

Stock was something like 14mm. Replacement is 20

 

[crjohnson]

good wreckers find! Was it off an Outback or Liberty or other model by change?

[duncanm]

'twas off a liberty, I think.  Found it on their website in a parts search.

 

Mucho dinero saved from new price - more for beer.

[Beckers]

Nice score on the RSB, 

 

I have the same one on my outback, You can notice it, compared to the standard piece of wire !!

[Samwise]

Good upgrade!

 

I need to get one for my Liberty.