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A couple questions

3K views 32 replies 9 participants last post by  Makesnosense 
#1 ·
Hi, I just got here on the forum and have had my 98 outback for a couple months now and was wondering things:
1) the car came from the used dealer with kinda roached five-spoke alloy 15" rims and I have one leaking, but everytime I take it to a tire shop or inspect it myself there's never any visible problem. I've got the tire bead greased and the valve cap dielectric greased (the only thing I had on hand) and no tire shop ever has found a leak from 25-35psi even with a dunk test... Why?

2) I have ALWAYS been a rally fan and I've been wondering since I was about ten how hard itd be to put the full driving systems from a legacy or impreza under a tiny car like a fiesta or geo anything. (Just a query)

3) if I replace my 15" rims with 16's will it get better mileage? Or should I just try a more expensive road tire?

4) this may be the question I catch the most flak for (not that alot think an ipreziesta is a good idea lol). If I put dual exhaust on, will i get better performance or will I just look like a child in a bumper derby?
 
#3 ·
1-Keep looking, it's going somewhere.
2-Very.
3-No.
4-No gains.
5-A hood from a Legacy of the same era has no scoop(yours is not functional anyway).
 
#5 ·
Still, that scoop doesn't do much anything even opened except make the engine dirty by allowing more air/water/etc to enter.

No better MPG unless you go with much lighter wheels and a low rolling resistance tire.
 
#11 ·
Took it to meineke and they said that to could be condensation on the cap and dipstick. Sounds reasonable. But I still doubt it since I when I checked the oil it was just a drop in the stick. My assumption (I know I'm stupid) is that the dealer would have either put oil in it or changed it. Doesn't look like either to me for the tire-colored oil and the amount left plus the shellacked smell.
 
#13 ·
A MT-equipped 98 Outback would get better MPG than an AT-equipped 98 Outback. That was the point I was trying to make.

CVT didn't come until a decade and a half later. . but yes I agree.
 
#14 ·
Would a new or clean maf get me a bit more?

Oh, and I saw a couple of pictures I liked and now I'm considering turning my outback into a ute. I don't really like the brat or Baja. So I think I'm gonna try to cut it down behind the front seats and use alot of the remains metal to make a bed and the glass to barter for other parts like extended roof rack tubes and a de fog gable rear window that's look right. The stock window seems to be a bit big and the wrap around would seem kinda ******* (and the world needs no more) so yeah. Who wants to send the first death threat? Lol
 
#22 ·
Could be a flow problem. New radiators aren't too expensive for most OBWs. You do have a pump belt, right?

And is the engine actually getting hot? Loosing coolant or measured with a thermometer? Or is the sender acting up?

Are you using 50/50 mix?

Running without the Tstat is not a good idea--poor performance running cold too long on startup. Not to mention winter's coming up.
 
#23 ·
The gauge in the car is reading hot. Usually at stop signs and lights if I sit for more the 30 secs and only occasionally. I'm pretty sure it's running low on coolant or just has a pocket. The morons at the shop I gutted the tstat at didn't use the convenient bleeder valve to drain the radiator but instead opted to just remove the tstat and send new coolant allover their floor and on them and eventually into a shop bucket that I probably wouldn't even mop the floor with. Last time it did it was probably the day I posted about it or within five days.

And another question.
Is the trans fluid supposed to have bubbles in it when I check it? Or does that mean
something's wrong?
 
#24 ·
You see bubbles on the AT dip stick? Atf fluid should be measurable cold and hot while idleing. Put it in and pull it out smooth babe. Slight bubbles possibly seen on stick but ideally just a nice cut off of visible fluid.
If the fluid color is anything but a clean red i would flush the trans.
Or do you see bubbles flowing thru the steering reservoir?
 
#25 ·
Ok the reason they are not finding the leak is it is a slight bend in the wheel that only lets air out under stress ie cornering. Had this issue on a bmw once. 16 or 15 inch wheels will not affect gas milage. To much equipment to fit in a small car like that. And as for your wheel issue pm me i have several sets i am not using i will make you a great deal on them
 
#28 ·
And yet another new question. Does anyone make a single loop bumper add-on that comes out ahead of the bumper about an inch? I wanna put three lights on it, an 8" bar led my uncle couldn't use and two 6" round rally lights from one of my grampas dune buggys. I wanna let the people on the road whom I flash n flash begging for them to switch to lowbeams and won't know what it's like. Lol
 
#29 ·
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