2001 Forrester Oil Change / Tune Up etc.

[Wade]

Sorry for these simple newbie questions,
I am helping out my friend.

She says jiffy lube folks don't like to work on her Subie because it
is a hassle, maybe because of the oil filter placement? Looking in the
engine compartment thought I saw the oil filter on the back of the
block near the bottom, it looked like it would be easy to get to. Is
it?
What about jacking the car up?
My Honda Accord has a perfect jacking point in the center of the car
near the bottom of the radiator, easy to get to.
Looking briefly at her 2001 Forrester, I can't quite tell if there is
a suitable spot to jack up in the center, which I prefer to do, then I
only have to jack the car once, before placing 2 jack stands.
Any thing I need to be aware of?

What about replacing the thermostat? Is it easy to get to?
At 115k, is it smart to replace it now [before it fails], assuming
it's never been replaced?

After a brief look in the owners manual, it looks like the cabin air
filters are easy to replace. Is there a better/cheaper place to get
them, besides the dealer? AutoZone and Advance said no. O'Reilly's
says they are special order for $40. One dealer parts guy said they
were about $40. Napa just quoted me $33.39.

What about replacing plugs, plug wires, and distributor cap/rotor?
Easy to get to? Any special tips I need to know?

 

[johninky]

I would leave the thermostat alone. In 45 years of driving, I have
had exactly one thermostat fail. Replacing it needlessly can cause
more problems if it introduces an air pocket in the cooling system.
this engine has no distributor so no cap/rotor. Don't confuse the
engine oil filter with the transmission filter. Don't know the
location of the engine oil filter on this model but on my older
legacy, the oil filter is located on the right front side of the
engine. When installing new plugs, start them by hand and anti seize
on the threads can save a lot of grief the next time they are
replaced.

 

[Wade]

I would leave the thermostat alone.  In 45 years of driving, I have
had exactly one thermostat fail.  Replacing it needlessly can cause
more problems if it introduces an air pocket in the cooling system.
this engine has no distributor so no cap/rotor.  Don't confuse the
engine oil filter with the transmission filter. Don't know the
location of the engine oil filter on this model but on my older
legacy, the oil filter is located on the right front side of the
engine.  When installing new plugs, start them by hand and anti seize
on the threads can save a lot of grief the next time they are
replaced.

thanks for the info, I'll leave the thermostat alone for now. I
replaced the one on my '99 Accord after it went bad, after 100k or so,
no problems with air pockets. How would you know there was an air
pocket problem?

Yes, I always use anti-seize on the plugs.

 

[Frank]

Sorry for these simple newbie questions,
I am helping out my friend.

She says jiffy lube folks don't like to work on her Subie because it
is a hassle, maybe because of the oil filter placement? Looking in the
engine compartment  thought I saw the oil filter on the back of the
block near the bottom, it looked like it would be easy to get to. Is
it?
What about jacking the car up?
My Honda Accord has a perfect jacking point in the center of the car
near the bottom of the radiator, easy to get to.
Looking briefly at her 2001 Forrester, I can't quite tell if there is
a suitable spot to jack up in the center, which I prefer to do, then I
only have to jack the car once, before placing 2 jack stands.
Any thing I need to be aware of?

What about replacing the thermostat? Is it easy to get to?
At 115k, is it smart to replace it now [before it fails], assuming
it's never been replaced?

After a brief look in the owners manual, it looks like the cabin air
filters are easy to replace. Is there a better/cheaper place to get
them, besides the dealer? AutoZone and Advance said no. O'Reilly's
says they are special order for $40. One dealer parts guy said they
were about $40. Napa just quoted me $33.39.

What about replacing plugs, plug wires, and distributor cap/rotor?
Easy to get to? Any special tips I need to know?

Not sure what the shield under this year's Forester is like but my
'98, you had to remove the whole thing to access oil plug and filter,
PITA. Little easier on my '03 but you still have to open a
compartment on the shield.
I use ramps to change oil and filter.

Cabin air filters are way over priced. I've just washed mine and
others suggest that you could rebuild yourself.
The '98 was easier to access than the '03 where you have to take off
the glove compartment. There is a Russian website with manuals in
English. I'll have to check if they cover your Forester.

Other question on service frequencies can be found on line. Don't pay
attention to dealers as they are out to make a buck and will recommend
stuff more frequently or not needed.

 

[Frank]

Sorry for these simple newbie questions,
I am helping out my friend.

She says jiffy lube folks don't like to work on her Subie because it
is a hassle, maybe because of the oil filter placement? Looking in the
engine compartment  thought I saw the oil filter on the back of the
block near the bottom, it looked like it would be easy to get to. Is
it?
What about jacking the car up?
My Honda Accord has a perfect jacking point in the center of the car
near the bottom of the radiator, easy to get to.
Looking briefly at her 2001 Forrester, I can't quite tell if there is
a suitable spot to jack up in the center, which I prefer to do, then I
only have to jack the car once, before placing 2 jack stands.
Any thing I need to be aware of?

What about replacing the thermostat? Is it easy to get to?
At 115k, is it smart to replace it now [before it fails], assuming
it's never been replaced?

After a brief look in the owners manual, it looks like the cabin air
filters are easy to replace. Is there a better/cheaper place to get
them, besides the dealer? AutoZone and Advance said no. O'Reilly's
says they are special order for $40. One dealer parts guy said they
were about $40. Napa just quoted me $33.39.

What about replacing plugs, plug wires, and distributor cap/rotor?
Easy to get to? Any special tips I need to know?

Not sure what the shield under this year's Forester is like but my
'98, you had to remove the whole thing to access oil plug and filter,
PITA.  Little easier on my '03 but you still have to open a
compartment on the shield.
I use ramps to change oil and filter.

Cabin air filters are way over priced.  I've just washed mine and
others suggest that you could rebuild yourself.
The '98 was easier to access than the '03 where you have to take off
the glove compartment.  There is a Russian website with manuals in
English.  I'll have to check if they cover your Forester.

Other question on service frequencies can be found on line.  Don't pay
attention to dealers as they are out to make a buck and will recommend
stuff more frequently or not needed.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

2001 Forester manuals:

http://subaru-car.ru/left/doc/art/

 

[johninky]

.. How would you know there was an air

pocket problem?

Engine overheats and pops a head gasket and heater blows cold.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

Sorry for these simple newbie questions,
I am helping out my friend.

She says jiffy lube folks don't like to work on her Subie because it
is a hassle, maybe because of the oil filter placement? Looking in the
engine compartment  thought I saw the oil filter on the back of the
block near the bottom, it looked like it would be easy to get to. Is
it?
What about jacking the car up?
My Honda Accord has a perfect jacking point in the center of the car
near the bottom of the radiator, easy to get to.
Looking briefly at her 2001 Forrester, I can't quite tell if there is
a suitable spot to jack up in the center, which I prefer to do, then I
only have to jack the car once, before placing 2 jack stands.
Any thing I need to be aware of?

What about replacing the thermostat? Is it easy to get to?
At 115k, is it smart to replace it now [before it fails], assuming
it's never been replaced?

After a brief look in the owners manual, it looks like the cabin air
filters are easy to replace. Is there a better/cheaper place to get
them, besides the dealer? AutoZone and Advance said no. O'Reilly's
says they are special order for $40. One dealer parts guy said they
were about $40. Napa just quoted me $33.39.

What about replacing plugs, plug wires, and distributor cap/rotor?
Easy to get to? Any special tips I need to know?

You might like to poke around at the following sites;

www.cars101.com

http://endwrench.com/main.php?smPID=HTML::home.html

http://www.scoobymods.com/

www.ultimatesubaru.org

www.nasioc.com

 

[.._..]

The 2001 is already prone to coolant air pockets and blowing gaskets.

Unless coolant change is being done at the same time, I advise against
messing with it.

 

[S]

Hi Wade!

Sorry for these simple newbie questions,
I am helping out my friend.

Looks like you have inherited a Subaru. Congrats. The first gen.
Forry's are super cars; we have two of 'em, a '99, and an '02.

She says jiffy lube folks don't like to work on her Subie because it
is a hassle, maybe because of the oil filter placement? Looking in the
engine compartment thought I saw the oil filter on the back of the
block near the bottom, it looked like it would be easy to get to. Is
it?

Jiffylube?!? Arrgh!

The oil filter is at the front bottom of the engine, just to the right
of center. You will need to remove the plastic under cover to service
it; two 8mm (? 12mm head) screws at the front, two in back, and two
plastic push tabs at either side. Release the tabs by using a small
screwdriver or ice pick to pull out the center pin a bit, and then
remove the whole thing.

What about jacking the car up?
My Honda Accord has a perfect jacking point in the center of the car
near the bottom of the radiator, easy to get to.
Looking briefly at her 2001 Forrester, I can't quite tell if there is
a suitable spot to jack up in the center, which I prefer to do, then I
only have to jack the car once, before placing 2 jack stands.
Any thing I need to be aware of?

Put your floor jack under the cross member, just behind where the back
screws for the under cover are located. You will want to get a
flashlight and verify your positioning the first time, after that,
it's easy. Jack the rear at the rear diff.

What about replacing the thermostat? Is it easy to get to?
At 115k, is it smart to replace it now [before it fails], assuming
it's never been replaced?

At 115K, you will want to verify that the timing belt has been
serviced. This should happen at 105K +/-. I feel that this is fairly
critical; the engine will likely sustain severe damage in the event of
a failure here. Like most things on the Soobie, it's not a terrible
chore, and can generally be accomplished w/o any special tools.
Along with the timing belt, be _sure_ to inspect/replace all of the
idler/tensioner pulleys. It is usually worthwhile to do the water pump
and front main seal at this time; I always install a thermostat, new
hoses, and new accessory belts as well.

After a brief look in the owners manual, it looks like the cabin air
filters are easy to replace. Is there a better/cheaper place to get
them, besides the dealer? AutoZone and Advance said no. O'Reilly's
says they are special order for $40. One dealer parts guy said they
were about $40. Napa just quoted me $33.39.

Take it out, throw it away.

What about replacing plugs, plug wires, and distributor cap/rotor?
Easy to get to? Any special tips I need to know?

If you still have the OEM plug wires, it's time for a new set. Get
quality wires from Bosch or NGK. No such animal as a distributor on
your Forry. Honestly, I don't usually mess with the plugs unless I
think there might be a problem; they seem to last forever. It is quite
common to find engine oil in the spark plug wells, this due to small
leaks in the valve covers. Unless you really are losing a lot of oil
here, just use a rag and screwdriver to clean things up as much as you
have patience for, and don't worry about it. Always use anti-sieze on
spark plug threads. For that matter, use anti-sieze whenever you have
a steel fastener threaded into aluminum.

I don't know what the recommended interval is for AT fluid, but it
can't hurt to change it, if you're in the mood. The Subaru AT uses
ATF, _and_ 90wt gear lube, so pay attention when you go to drain
things. The front drain plug is for the front diff/gear lube; fill and
dipstick are located well forward on the right side of the
transmission cases. The rear plug drains ATF, fill and dipstick are
just ahead of the firewall on the left side of the engine. The rear
diff is straight forward, but you might have to heat the fill plug
(use a propane torch) to get the thread sealant to let go. If the
Forry has an LSD (it will say so on the sticker), it takes a different
fluid for optimal performance. Check out Redline synthetic oil's web
pages for more nfo on this.

Have fun!

ByeBye! S.


Steve Jernigan KG0MB
Laboratory Manager
Microelectronics Research
University of Colorado
(719) 262-3101

 

[mulder]

It is best to avoid Jiffy Lube and similar "quick service" places at
all costs. They are notorious for damaging vehicles by stripping drain
plugs (resulting in total oil loss and engine failure), draining
engine and filling trans by mistake, and other catastrophic errors.
If you can't do it yourself, find a trustworthy repair shop or dealer
that knows what they are doing, preferably one that is familiar with
your specific make and model of car.
Your car does not have a distributor, rather there is a centrally
located coil pack atop the engine. The coil towers should be inspected
for signs of carbon tracking, cracks or corrosion. This can be caused
by bad wires, but once it happens the coil pack may need to be
replaced to prevent any further problems. If the coils look ok the
wires can be replaced as a service item if they are old.

 

[Frank]

http://www.cars101.com/subaru/subaru_maintenance.html