[Guna]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Always change oil when the engine is hot so that it flows out easily.

His logic was, when you flush the hot oil, the engine remains hot and when you pour cold oil, it results in a thermal shock ( which may lead to some crack).

[ajmat]

If you pour small quantities at a time, it should be okay.

Ideally drain engine, exchange filter, then pour the oil in, by then the engine would has dissipated enough heat

[IcarusMan]

Originally Posted by Guna

• Why does engine oil and coolant level go down in the first place assuming there are no leaks)?

Experienced both of these with my Foz. Coolant level in the overflow tank was low but it was fine in the radiator tank itself (right up to the cap mark when cold). I just topped up the reservoir tank with distilled water and it has been at the same level for several weeks. My guess is, some evaporation occurred from the reservoir/overflow tank. Coolant is mostly water, after all, and the pipe cavity on the tank is not airtight.

Could be a leak with the engine oil. I've topped up the engine oil twice in the last 5-6 months with Shell Helix Semi-synth 10W40. First with about 600ml and the second with about 400ml. Thanks to a clutch replacement job, I've finally nailed down the source of the leak. It was not the dummy seal for the turbo oil return pipe as suspected earlier. It's the rear main crankshaft seal. Will post about the clutch replacement experience soon.

[WRXXX]

Originally Posted by IcarusMan

Thanks to a clutch replacement job, I've finally nailed down the source of the leak. It was not the dummy seal for the turbo oil return pipe as suspected earlier. It's the rear main crankshaft seal. Will post about the clutch replacement experience soon.

Wow...@IcarusMan, where was this done?
Are you happy with the work?

Also, if the leak is from the crankshaft seal it did not require engine to be opened up? (sorry if I am sounding like a dummy... because I am :-) in these matters)

1) Anyone got their rear differential serviced?
Any experiences?

2) Anybody using synthetic with their Fozzies?

[Guna]

Originally Posted by WRXXX

2) Anybody using synthetic with their Fozzies?

I have been using synthetic. This time I went with Shell helix Ultra 5W-40. After the oil change the car is ultra smooth.

[WRXXX]

Originally Posted by Guna

I have been using synthetic. This time I went with Shell helix Ultra 5W-40. After the oil change the car is ultra smooth.

Good to know.
did you have to flush the old engine oil when you switched to synthetic first time (I heard that it is some involved process to flush out the mineral oil)

Also, the oil change was at the shell petrol bunk itself?

[Guna]

Originally Posted by WRXXX

Good to know.
did you have to flush the old engine oil when you switched to synthetic first time (I heard that it is some involved process to flush out the mineral oil)

Also, the oil change was at the shell petrol bunk itself?

Oil change was done at Shell bunk itself. When I started using synth ( 3 years back), I think they simply drained the old oil and not flushed it.

[WRXXX]

Originally Posted by Guna

• Should I still go ahead and get the filter changed?

I wonder if you can actually change just the oil filter without draining the oil.
So all in all it might be another oil change work of course without the cost
of the new oil.

When was the oil filter changed last?? I think Subaru Service interval
is around 10k for the oil and oil filter Since you are on synthetic
may be stretch it to 15k? If the filter replacement is due then I would strongly recommend.

Would they have changed the filter if you had one with you?
(I am just trying to understand the reason behind not changing the filter).

[Guna]

Originally Posted by WRXXX

I wonder if you can actually change just the oil filter without draining the oil.
So all in all it might be another oil change work of course without the cost
of the new oil.

When was the oil filter changed last?? I think Subaru Service interval
is around 10k for the oil and oil filter Since you are on synthetic
may be stretch it to 15k? If the filter replacement is due then I would strongly recommend.

Would they have changed the filter if you had one with you?
(I am just trying to understand the reason behind not changing the filter).

You are right, it requires draining the oil to put the new filter. I might as well just wait till another oil change.

[IcarusMan]

Recently changed the clutch on my Forester. Documenting it here because it may be useful to fellow wayfarers...

This replacement was something I'd been meaning to do ever since I bought the car last year, due largely to the stiff nature of the clutch. There'd been a wee bit of clutch slippage in the past month but I thought I'd wait until it gave up completely on me. As luck would have it, my hand was forced just before Diwali when I got stranded on MG Road (!). (Ultimately, it turned out to be not a clutch failure and the effective DIY solution for that issue took all of 10 minutes but we'll save that story for another day...).

Trident Chevy quoted approx 30K for the clutch and ~50k (!) for the flywheel + a lead time of at least 2.5 weeks for parts to arrive. Not gonna happen. I'd been researching about the clutch kit earlier and knew that the Exedy KSB04 sold on Amazon for the 2.5 lt NA Foresters for the US market should fit the EJ20 2.0 lt NA Forester too. The FSM lists *identical* specs for all parameters (clutch type, clutch disc thickness, inner and outer diameter, spline diameter, no. of spline teeth etc) for 2.0 L Non-turbo and 2.5 L LHD Non-turbo. My earlier enquiries with Exedy USA and Exedy Japan and on sf.org weren't fruitful in confirming the suitability of the KSB04 clutch kit for the EJ20 engine. Ordering thru CASS just wasn't an option since that would take at least 3 weeks. So, without "official" blessing I took a calculated risk and went ahead and ordered the kit on Amazon. Shipping was via expedited/priority courier and package arrived superfast: ordered on a Tuesday; package reached Bangalore on Thursday night by DHL but because of the Diwali weekend, delivered home only on the following Monday.

The KSB04 clutch kit is the real deal. Exedy is *the* OEM clutch kit supplier for Subaru. Both clutch cover and clutch disc are made in Japan and are obviously of high quality.

Had the kit installed at Trident Chevy. Armed with the FSM and a couple of very good DIY tutorials - DIY: Clutch Replacement pictorial and another here Joel's Diy Clutch Install, oversaw the whole install, making sure that everything was done by the book, down to tightening all key nuts and bolts with a torque wrench to Subaru-specified torque values. Full credit to the mechanic, Mr. Y, for doing a first-rate job. He even cleaned up the fuel filter and the IAC valve as a bonus!

The KSB04 kit:


And inside... the Clutch cover box:


Clutch disc box:


The disc:


Disc, up close - Made in Japan:


Clutch cover - quite heavy!:


Clutch cover, up close - Made in Japan:


Clutch cover - other side:


Release bearing, pilot bearing, high temp grease and disc alignment tool:


Release bearing, up close:


There was a set of Exedy stickers in the box too :


Ok, now for some install pix.

Exhaust headers and front section down:


The propeller shaft needs to come down too:


Next gearbox comes down. A shot of the old release bearing seated on the release fork:


The old clutch assembly on the engine:


Old clutch is out and we remove the flywheel too for inspection:

This flywheel is still in great shape - no scouring or uneven wear. It will last for at least another 100000 km.

Old release bearing alongside the new:


Finally, the new clutch is fitted, carefully employing the Exedy alignment tool:


All bolts/nuts on the exhaust headers/pipe, prop shaft, clutch assembly, gearbox and engine pitching stopper were tightened to Subaru specs with a torque wrench.

Kudos to Trident Chevy, especially the Mech, for doing a great install job. Very happy with the new clutch performance. Clutch has become a little softer, pickup has improved noticeably, and the gearshift is a little smoother too.

With a new clutch, the pedal engagement point becomes uncomfortably high. I executed a DIY job with help from the FSM after about a week to adjust the pedal play and it's now perfect.

Originally Posted by WRXXX

Wow...@IcarusMan, where was this done?
Are you happy with the work?
...
Also, if the leak is from the crankshaft seal it did not require engine to be opened up? (sorry if I am sounding like a dummy... because I am :-) in these matters)

Very satisfied with the install work. I had the rear differential oil level checked too. The only fly in the ointment was that the mech forgot to tighten the clutch slave cylinder properly after the job. I discovered and fixed this in another DIY later. Would be great if the workshop had a proper transmission jack. They do have some sort of rudimentary jack but it's mostly muscle power of several men for removing and installing the heavy gearbox. Makes one wince especially during install to see several men trying to shove the box in.

The rear crankshaft seal is right behind the flywheel. The engine doesn't need to be lowered but all that must be removed for a clutch swap needs to come out - the exhaust, prop shaft gearbox, clutch and flywheel. Here's a shot of the seal around the crankshaft:

[WRXXX]

Wow... Nice way to mark the 100th post on this thread. With some really useful information for all the Forester owners...

great write-up @Icarusman

Will definitely need mechanical inclination and FSM studying like you have done to get this executed thoroughly at Trident CASS, I am very happy that forester can live longer in Bangalore :-)

[IcarusMan]

Always nice to get automotive parts in the mail...



Even if it's just a bunch of gaskets/seals/washers/o-rings.


Yep, it's time for a bit of work on the Foz again. The original spark plug tube seals are near giving up the ghost, after 8 years of service. Oil is visible in the plug tube periphery on removing the plug wires, affecting ignition. Looks like this plug leak is quite common on Subies. The famous Boxer-4 growl has been sounding a tad more gruff since about a month. CEL light lit up and mileage went down to 6 kmpl. Engine was running a bit rough, especially at low RPMs.

This time, it's Subaru OEM parts from SubaruGenuineParts.com. Took 17 days to reach me from Bellevue, WA by pony express - USPS + India Post. But am a happy camper because, apart from the very reasonable shipping, there was no other charge. (Heck, after the whopper tax I shelled out for the KSB04, a guy deserves a break, right?) So, here are the parts in the box.

4 spark plug tube seals:




Seal up close:


Valve cover gaskets - for RHS & LHS:


Part number for above (RHS & LHS gaskets interchangeable):


Valve cover bolt washers that also act as seals:


10 of those and these little buggers are pricey at $2.61 a pop. Up close:


Part number for above:


Also got 3 O-rings with this set. One each for joints on AC low + high pressure pipes. The third for a visible leak at the engine oil filler tube neck joint. These are cheap anyway and weigh next to nothing.





What's still missing from the above? Spark plugs, of course. Happily, I got NGK BKR5EGPs from JC Road. This is a platinum-tipped plug and one of a few recommended in the FSM. Rejoice, Foz owners, at last, a Subaru-approved part available off-the-shelf in India .

Made in Japan and imported by NGK India:


An install post will hopefully follow in the next few days, once I can wrangle an appointment out of Trident Chevy . It's a straightforward enough job and I could get it done at just about any workshop but Mr. Y it has to be. Besides, I want to get the valve clearances/lash checked too.

[gotzuk]

@IcarusMan Can you share how much duty was charged for the clutch kit?

[IcarusMan]

Originally Posted by gotzuk

@IcarusMan Can you share how much duty was charged for the clutch kit?

Sure. 30.9 % of (item cost + freight), prepaid at checkout.

[gotzuk]

Originally Posted by IcarusMan

Sure. 30.9 % of (item cost + freight), prepaid at checkout.

Thanks for the info IcarusMan.
I was wondering if you had to pay over and above the precharged duty.
That's a nice price since the shipping is free.
I will be ordering mine shortly.
Thanks again!