JDM Subaru Legacy Blitzen
Discussion
I've been lurking round the reader's car section for a while now, so I thought I'd get my act together and join in.
Apologies for any scoobynet members, a lot of these pictures have been posted there before.
A couple of years ago, having had some issues with ST Fords I needed something that would get close to ticking the important boxes: Fast, reliable, carry family and not be too expensive to run.
So I got this:
A 2005 Subaru WRX wagon. It was a fantastic car, reliable, faster, better handling and more economical than the Mondeo ST220 that preceded it. Although it wasn't very big inside, very noisy and the interior was basic in the extreme. Sadly a few factors combined at the start of the summer (increasing size of children, A14 road works) which meant that it had to go.
I'd really fallen for the Subaru feel and sound. So I did the obvious thing and got the next size up:
This is fairly rare 2006 (generation 4) Subaru Legacy Blitzen with the 2.0 twinscroll turbo and auto box. Leather interior, heated electric seats, TV fitted in the rear, 18" blitzen alloys/mats and body kit. So, nice and comfy but still recognizably a subaru.
The car was based in Scotland, so I put down a deposit over the phone.
When the car turned up I was distinctly underwhelmed, it was filthy inside and out, the steering pump was noisy, the tracking was miles out, there was a hot oil smell from under the bonnet, there was very, very little history from japan, and the paintwork (that I could see under the mud) wasn't in great condition. But underneath it looked almost new and the recent MOT showed no issues so after a bit of haggling I bought it anyway.
I tackled the inside first, it wasn't nice:
And so on.
Crud in every seam and between every piece of trim. Old noodles under the floormats, dodgy smells, plus lots of bizarre japanese ICE, ear rings, random bits of plastic, pens, yen coins and lots of golf club membership cards.
From the ID cards, it appears the Japanese owner was a doctor. Just not a very hygienic one.
About 8 hours of cleaning later the interior felt less of a bio hazard.
So then I got onto the exterior:
My favorite combination of products. Although I'm still at a loss as to why American detail products always smell so odd
As well as being filthy the paint had a lot of small scratches. I had a 99p ebay implus buy in the shed just for this occasion:
The end result was well worth a couple of hours vigorous exertion:
A light dew gave me the chance to show off a bit of beading:
About this time I got the registration back form the DVLA. I was very impressed at how quick and easy it was to register, it look about 10 working days from sending my application off to getting the documents back
The leggy was starting to look a bit more respectable now:
There was still a list of jobs to do.
Front bumper needed re-hanging as the clips at the side were popped out and wouldn't got back.
Wheel arch liner in rear was loose
Needed a good service and check over from a professional Subaru mechanic.
Tracking was out.
Power steering was noisy and oozing (probably the source of hot oil smell.
Japanese Stereo only could gets Radio 2 (but had a minidisc player).
Couldn't work out how to get get TV in rear to work.
Needs re-mapping for UK fuel (but can be run on 99 ron for the time being).
Need to find somewhere that can underseal it (amazing how rust free a 10 tear old car can be when it's from a country that doesn't salt the roads).
Wheels need a refurb.
Apologies for any scoobynet members, a lot of these pictures have been posted there before.
A couple of years ago, having had some issues with ST Fords I needed something that would get close to ticking the important boxes: Fast, reliable, carry family and not be too expensive to run.
So I got this:
A 2005 Subaru WRX wagon. It was a fantastic car, reliable, faster, better handling and more economical than the Mondeo ST220 that preceded it. Although it wasn't very big inside, very noisy and the interior was basic in the extreme. Sadly a few factors combined at the start of the summer (increasing size of children, A14 road works) which meant that it had to go.
I'd really fallen for the Subaru feel and sound. So I did the obvious thing and got the next size up:
This is fairly rare 2006 (generation 4) Subaru Legacy Blitzen with the 2.0 twinscroll turbo and auto box. Leather interior, heated electric seats, TV fitted in the rear, 18" blitzen alloys/mats and body kit. So, nice and comfy but still recognizably a subaru.
The car was based in Scotland, so I put down a deposit over the phone.
When the car turned up I was distinctly underwhelmed, it was filthy inside and out, the steering pump was noisy, the tracking was miles out, there was a hot oil smell from under the bonnet, there was very, very little history from japan, and the paintwork (that I could see under the mud) wasn't in great condition. But underneath it looked almost new and the recent MOT showed no issues so after a bit of haggling I bought it anyway.
I tackled the inside first, it wasn't nice:
And so on.
Crud in every seam and between every piece of trim. Old noodles under the floormats, dodgy smells, plus lots of bizarre japanese ICE, ear rings, random bits of plastic, pens, yen coins and lots of golf club membership cards.
From the ID cards, it appears the Japanese owner was a doctor. Just not a very hygienic one.
About 8 hours of cleaning later the interior felt less of a bio hazard.
So then I got onto the exterior:
My favorite combination of products. Although I'm still at a loss as to why American detail products always smell so odd
As well as being filthy the paint had a lot of small scratches. I had a 99p ebay implus buy in the shed just for this occasion:
The end result was well worth a couple of hours vigorous exertion:
A light dew gave me the chance to show off a bit of beading:
About this time I got the registration back form the DVLA. I was very impressed at how quick and easy it was to register, it look about 10 working days from sending my application off to getting the documents back
The leggy was starting to look a bit more respectable now:
There was still a list of jobs to do.
Front bumper needed re-hanging as the clips at the side were popped out and wouldn't got back.
Wheel arch liner in rear was loose
Needed a good service and check over from a professional Subaru mechanic.
Tracking was out.
Power steering was noisy and oozing (probably the source of hot oil smell.
Japanese Stereo only could gets Radio 2 (but had a minidisc player).
Couldn't work out how to get get TV in rear to work.
Needs re-mapping for UK fuel (but can be run on 99 ron for the time being).
Need to find somewhere that can underseal it (amazing how rust free a 10 tear old car can be when it's from a country that doesn't salt the roads).
Wheels need a refurb.
So, Easy jobs first.
The rear wheel arch trim was loose due to a broken lug on the rear bumper:
5 minutes with a drill and some cables ties sorted that.
The bumper was slightly harder. This clip was pushed out, and the plastic bent so it wouldn't hold.
So I thickened up that section with tape to help the clip grip it, then added a dollop of tiger seal, just in case.
For the stereo I used CBS automotive in cambridge. The standard Mcintosh head tune is pretty good, and already had a AUX input, so the Japanese sat nav was pulled out and replaced with a kenwood unit.
Old Unit.
I also gave the lights a good polish while I was getting the impreza ready to sell:
The rear wheel arch trim was loose due to a broken lug on the rear bumper:
5 minutes with a drill and some cables ties sorted that.
The bumper was slightly harder. This clip was pushed out, and the plastic bent so it wouldn't hold.
So I thickened up that section with tape to help the clip grip it, then added a dollop of tiger seal, just in case.
For the stereo I used CBS automotive in cambridge. The standard Mcintosh head tune is pretty good, and already had a AUX input, so the Japanese sat nav was pulled out and replaced with a kenwood unit.
Old Unit.
I also gave the lights a good polish while I was getting the impreza ready to sell:
More money spent. Tim Farmer (mobile mechanic I recommend to every subaru owner). Gave the leggy a good service and found nothing too wrong. As I suspected The power steering was the source if the hot oil smell, it appears the o ring at the top of the pump is shot, which is probably part of the reason for the noise.
So, I fitted the new o ring (thanks to the FOC part from subaru uk) and fitted new jubilee clips
then it was off to get the tracking sorted.
The first reading wan't good:
but after some work the second was a big improvement:
although there doesn't appear to be any camber adjustment on the leggy. I may have to see what kit is around to resolve that.
So, I fitted the new o ring (thanks to the FOC part from subaru uk) and fitted new jubilee clips
then it was off to get the tracking sorted.
The first reading wan't good:
but after some work the second was a big improvement:
although there doesn't appear to be any camber adjustment on the leggy. I may have to see what kit is around to resolve that.
Edited by Cambs_Stuart on Friday 17th November 15:45
After replacing the o ring on the power steering pump I noticed the fluid level was low, and the pump still a it noisy, so topped it with ATF dextron III and all was good.
However, the morning after a 200 mile trip the power steering made a horrible noise. A quick inspection showed the fluid looked more like thousand island dressing.
I suspect whatever fluid was in there originally wasn't ATF dextron III and it had then emulsified when mixed. So I drained the system, and flushed the pump with a liter of fresh fluid. Now it's much better. Here's hoping the pump isn't damaged.
This is what was in the pump:
However, the morning after a 200 mile trip the power steering made a horrible noise. A quick inspection showed the fluid looked more like thousand island dressing.
I suspect whatever fluid was in there originally wasn't ATF dextron III and it had then emulsified when mixed. So I drained the system, and flushed the pump with a liter of fresh fluid. Now it's much better. Here's hoping the pump isn't damaged.
This is what was in the pump:
They are great value, especially compared to an equivalent year and condition JDM impreza.
This is my first car with an auto box and I'm impressed. It's got three settings. 1. ECO which is fine for traffic but a bit lethargic as the revs are kept low and the boost is restricted. 2. Normal, which is fine, then 3. Sport, which is much more exciting as the ECU allows more boost and revs. You can also use the buttons on the steering wheel or the gear lever to move the the gears sequentially. Using the buttons also puts the car into sport mode; very handy for overtaking.
Full bore launches in sport are very entertaining. A few people have said the gear box was a co-development with porche, but I've no idea how true that is
This is my first car with an auto box and I'm impressed. It's got three settings. 1. ECO which is fine for traffic but a bit lethargic as the revs are kept low and the boost is restricted. 2. Normal, which is fine, then 3. Sport, which is much more exciting as the ECU allows more boost and revs. You can also use the buttons on the steering wheel or the gear lever to move the the gears sequentially. Using the buttons also puts the car into sport mode; very handy for overtaking.
Full bore launches in sport are very entertaining. A few people have said the gear box was a co-development with porche, but I've no idea how true that is
The steering and handling are different as an impreza. It oversteers when pushed (but I've got a thicker rear ARB, mounts and drop links to go on which shold help). There isn't as much feedback through the steering or chassis. Longer term I may add some poly bushes onto the steering rack mounts and see if I can fit the solid UJ/steering knuckle from an STI.
It's much more of a family express than the impreza, more body roll, quieter and more comfortable. But it's still very good when driving in a spirited fashion. Not that I get much chance to do that...
It's much more of a family express than the impreza, more body roll, quieter and more comfortable. But it's still very good when driving in a spirited fashion. Not that I get much chance to do that...
Edited by Cambs_Stuart on Sunday 19th November 08:43
Edited by Cambs_Stuart on Sunday 19th November 08:44
More cash spent. Wheels refurbished and underside sealed (at very good prices) by reed:
https://www.reedautos.com/
I've also been collecting parts:
20mm Whiteline rear Anti roll bar, AVO rear mounts (a number of people who have fitted thick rear anti rollbars have found the standard mounting points fairly weak and fail over time) and a Hayward and Scott straight through center section.
The idea is to try to get rid of some oversteer, plus free up a bit more noise. The parts will be fitted and the car will be mapped at Zen in Earith (a Subaru specialist mapper). I'm not max power crazy, principally a tweak for UK fuel and an increase in drivability, as it feels a bit strangled.
So, Some Shiny Bits:
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/PEjsrkdA.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/0MGbMrne" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/0MGbMrne.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/0MGbMrne" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/0MGbMrne.jpg)
But for some reason I can't post the pictures of the rest...
https://www.reedautos.com/
I've also been collecting parts:
20mm Whiteline rear Anti roll bar, AVO rear mounts (a number of people who have fitted thick rear anti rollbars have found the standard mounting points fairly weak and fail over time) and a Hayward and Scott straight through center section.
The idea is to try to get rid of some oversteer, plus free up a bit more noise. The parts will be fitted and the car will be mapped at Zen in Earith (a Subaru specialist mapper). I'm not max power crazy, principally a tweak for UK fuel and an increase in drivability, as it feels a bit strangled.
So, Some Shiny Bits:
But for some reason I can't post the pictures of the rest...
Ahead of the session with the mapper I gave the intercooler a good clean:
IC off:
IC soaking in Carb cleaner:
Under the Intercooler I found evidence of a slight oil leak:
It appears to be coming from under the join between the turbo and the pipe to the inter cooler.
The inter cooler and throttle body did have more oil in it than I was expecting, more than my similar age and mileage WRX. So the oil may be dripping back from the inter cooler, or the turbo pipe may have a small split (but nothing that is effective performance or visible to the naked eye), or there may be an issues with the PCV and too much oil filled crankcase air is being fed back through the inlet, or it may be that it's taken 11 years to get to that point and i shouldn't worry.
It's only a light misting of oil, and it's dry around the turbo oil feed pipe.
So for now I have cleaned up mating surfaces between the turbo and the intercooler pipe, got rid of all the old oil (which should help diagnose where it's coming from), the re-assembled the intercooler and pipework (with a fresh seal in the turbo to intercooler pipe).
IC off:
IC soaking in Carb cleaner:
Under the Intercooler I found evidence of a slight oil leak:
It appears to be coming from under the join between the turbo and the pipe to the inter cooler.
The inter cooler and throttle body did have more oil in it than I was expecting, more than my similar age and mileage WRX. So the oil may be dripping back from the inter cooler, or the turbo pipe may have a small split (but nothing that is effective performance or visible to the naked eye), or there may be an issues with the PCV and too much oil filled crankcase air is being fed back through the inlet, or it may be that it's taken 11 years to get to that point and i shouldn't worry.
It's only a light misting of oil, and it's dry around the turbo oil feed pipe.
So for now I have cleaned up mating surfaces between the turbo and the intercooler pipe, got rid of all the old oil (which should help diagnose where it's coming from), the re-assembled the intercooler and pipework (with a fresh seal in the turbo to intercooler pipe).
So, dropped the car off at Zen (based in Earith) who are a specialist subaru mapper/modder. But do deal with other Japanese models. The plan was to fit the new exhaust section, rear arb, arb mounts and drop links, then re-map it.
Sadly, the exhaust didn't fit, probably as the auto box is a very different shape to the manual. Nor did the avo arb mounts.
However the thicker rear anti roll bar (plus bushes and drop links) is on and the effect is that the big old bus now feels much more balanced.
Sadly, the exhaust didn't fit, probably as the auto box is a very different shape to the manual. Nor did the avo arb mounts.
However the thicker rear anti roll bar (plus bushes and drop links) is on and the effect is that the big old bus now feels much more balanced.
So.
A trip to Hayward and Scott so get the exhaust sorted.
Then handed the car back to Zen.
The transformation is amazing. Whereas the car previously felt a bit strangled and needed a decent right foot poke to get moving now it's responsive and eager and a real joy to drive.
Really happy with it now.
Still to do.
1. Power steering still noisy.
2. Burning oil smell in stationary traffic. Probably rocker cover gaskets.
3. Need to work out how to fit the AVO mounts.
When it was on the ramps at H&S I had a trial fit and I think the hole spacing is about 20mm out. If I either re-drill or slot the holes then I should be able to fit them.
4. Find a good PDR chap as there are a few dents that need pulling.
5. Fit new discs/pads.
6. Idle when cold still a bit quick so that may need attention.
A trip to Hayward and Scott so get the exhaust sorted.
Then handed the car back to Zen.
The transformation is amazing. Whereas the car previously felt a bit strangled and needed a decent right foot poke to get moving now it's responsive and eager and a real joy to drive.
Really happy with it now.
Still to do.
1. Power steering still noisy.
2. Burning oil smell in stationary traffic. Probably rocker cover gaskets.
3. Need to work out how to fit the AVO mounts.
When it was on the ramps at H&S I had a trial fit and I think the hole spacing is about 20mm out. If I either re-drill or slot the holes then I should be able to fit them.
4. Find a good PDR chap as there are a few dents that need pulling.
5. Fit new discs/pads.
6. Idle when cold still a bit quick so that may need attention.
markiii said:
did you get any further looking at the sti steering knuckle/
Good point. I'd forgotten about that. I don't want to sound like a fair weather car tinkerer, but I'll probably have a look into that when it's not so cold. I'm a bit old to be scrabbling under the car in the winter.. Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff