Subaru Outbacks

[Zombie]

I've stayed out of this thread for the most part - I'm a subie fan, I've owned a bunch over the years, some good, some bad, a couple of really great cars as well. I bought a motor from Metric Motors for my wife's old 99 outback when it popped head gaskets at 254K miles. The motor was clean, and appeared to be legitimately JDM - there's an oil separator plate on the back of most of the motors, the JDM ones use a plastic plate, the US version is metal. Metric motors had replaced the head gaskets with high quality cometic units before they delivered the motor to me, but I replaced the rest of the gaskets and the oil separator plate before I installed it. I sold the car a couple of years later to someone on RME when the front diff started whining loudly, and I was beyond bored with the car at that point. I'd recommend Metric motors whole heartedly based on my experience.

 

[Rot Box]

Thanks @SLC97SR5 and @Zombie I gave them a call and wow super-super helpful to the point he was answering all my questions right before I’d begin to ask haha.

He said they’d be more than happy to build me a complete long or short block. New pistons, rods machine work, go through the heads etc etc. He seemed to know the EZ30D inside and out. He said they’re building two (for high hp) right now as we speak.

Anyway I’d be into a long block $3k. More than the car is worth to me unfortunately. I dunno the car is clean (now lol) but I don’t think so. I’ll keep exploring the JDM option. Thanks again fellas.

 

[Rot Box]

Ugh that said $3k is a pretty good price considering the amount of labor and parts that would go into it. I think peace of mind factors into that too. The dude really seemed to know these engines well.

Or spend half that on a JDM engine with ~50k miles and warrantee.

Sorry mindless rambling on my part! Thinking out loud nothing to see here folks.

 

[Rot Box]

I weighed my options and JDM it is. I thought it would be cool to rebuild my engine myself but it just isn’t worth it if I can get a used engine with low miles and a warrantee for ~$1500

JDM 03 to 09 Subaru Legacy Outback H6 3.0l EZ30 Tribeca Lancaster Engine for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for JDM 03 to 09 Subaru Legacy Outback H6 3.0l EZ30 Tribeca Lancaster Engine at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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Being Christmas and all I’m probably going to have to wait until the new year for funding. I asked my daughter how much money she had to contribute to her car fund… $6 she says—that’s all I have 🤔. Oye lol!

 

[Rot Box]

So on the newer Subarus like my wife’s 2016 Legacy 2.5i…. I get a LOT of timing chain slap on cold starts until the oil pressure hits. The oil filter is inverted and sits on top of the engine. The oil drains out of it fairly quickly when the engine is off. So with that in mind cold starts = dry run for a few second until oil fills the filter and pressure hits the engine. Pretty stupid imo.

Found this little gem today. Wonder if it’s worthwhile? It has a check valve in it to keep the oil filter full of oil with the engine off.

Kinda cool a little spendy….

Subaru SS-101-BK Oil Filter Anti-Drain Adapter - Baxter Performance

Our patent pending oil filter adapter contains a full flow check valve that retains oil in the oil filter and oil feed from the pump, resulting in faster oil delivery to the engine. Easy to install and comes with everything you need. Requires oil filter with M22x1.5 threads and will not work...

www.baxterperformanceusa.com

 

[Gary T]

The video mentioned that Subaru had a factory check valve. Wonder if there are any modifications for that?

 

[Rot Box]

The video mentioned that Subaru had a factory check valve. Wonder if there are any modifications for that?

I’m not really sure 🤔 I’m gonna dig into it a little deeper.

I know when I go to change the oil on my wife’s car the filter does not make any mess as all the oil has almost completely drained out. Definitely dry on cold starts you can hear it when the oil pressure hits after several seconds.

 

[Rot Box]

Oh boy…. Well…. Umm… For reasons that would only make sense to us we picked up an Outback Wilderness! I’ve never ever bought a car this new before so I’m still in the can’t sleep at night stage.

I know some of you are rolling your eyes lol but for our needs I think this car will be great.

It’ll be my wife’s daily and a weekend fire road and west desert warrior. Sure is fun when the turbo spools and all four wheels dig in—haha 😎

 

[Thursty]

That’s awesome! I’m hoping when we pay off my truck, my wife is willing to trade in her Outback on a Wilderness. 😎

 

[Tonkaman]

Those things are awesome! Congrats

 

[Rot Box]

Got to know Nessie a little better today! Went a ways out west then a bit north with my son.

Passing on hills on the interstate was effortless, X-mode rocks in surprisingly deep snow (still unsure how it works exactly but impressed with whatever sorcery is going on under there) that I failed to get pics of, very comfy seats, quiet and all around fun!

 

[Zombie]

Nice! I really like the new outbacks. I keep going back and forth if I'd go wilderness or touring, but it's a great platform.

 

[TurboMinivan]

X-mode rocks in surprisingly deep snow (still unsure how it works exactly but impressed with whatever sorcery is going on under there)

Activating X-Mode does a number of things simultaneously:

• it changes the front/rear torque split of the AWD system
• it changes the programming of the traction control system
• it changes the programming of the stability control system
• it reduces the sensitivity of the throttle pedal (helping maintain smooth motion over rocky surfaces)
• it activates hill descent control

X-Mode is designed for very low-speed operation. If you have it engaged and exceed 25 MPH, it will deactivate itself automatically. The idea here is that the standard (ie, non X-Mode) setup is better designed for dealing with snowy/slick roads at higher speeds.

FYI

 

[Zombie]

X-Mode is designed for very low-speed operation. If you have it engaged and exceed 25 MPH, it will deactivate itself automatically. The idea here is that the standard (ie, non X-Mode) setup is better designed for dealing with snowly/slick roads at higher speeds.

Not anymore tho... the Wilderness dual mode Xmode stays active up to 45MPH (pretty sure on that - from memory), and has a "Deep snow and Mud" setting with more aggressive wheel spin and stability maps to facilitate clearing tread via additional wheelspin.

 

[TRD270]

Not anymore tho... the Wilderness dual mode Xmode stays active up to 45MPH (pretty sure on that - from memory), and has a "Deep snow and Mud" setting with more aggressive wheel spin and stability maps to facilitate clearing tread via additional wheelspin.

You dare challenge the RME Subaru master!

 

[Rot Box]

Nice! I really like the new outbacks. I keep going back and forth if I'd go wilderness or touring, but it's a great platform.

We were in the same boat. I wanted the Wilderness but didn’t want the price tag since they only came out in 2022…. my wife leaned more towards the Touring.

Found a beautiful 2020 Touring that had everything we both wanted. I was happy she was happy—then I popped the hood. No turbo on this one 😭 Deal breaker for me so we passed and went with the Wilderness.

 

[Zombie]

Oh, you made the right call for sure. I've got the 2.4 platform in my wife's Ascent and it's been great.

As far as challenging the resident Subaru master, sure, I'm in. I do enjoy stirring the occasional pot.

TurboMinivan is absolutely correct about the functions of Xmode, but the Onyx option package on the outback introduced Dual mode, which supports higher speeds with the other benefits of Xmode. I'll fact check myself, since again, I'm going off memory here, but I'm pretty sure the Outback Onyx XT was the first one to get the fancy dual mode Xmode, though the Wilderness might have been the one that got the high speed package... I'ma have to check.

See, I'm also somewhat of a Subaru enthusiast/victim/repeat owner/glutton for punishment/connoisseur/massive massive nerd.

 

[Zombie]

And I'll also chew on my words, since the dual Xmode was introduced on the Fozzy sport. Looks like the wilderness is the first one to get the higher speed stuff package, but it seems it maybe just turns itself back on when you slow down?
Might be only the outback wilderness that has the nigh speed option, but it has it.

So first off, please tell me I'm not the only person to watch this part of this clip and think of "What are you doing, step-bro?" Maybe it's just me? I digress.

This dude clearly exceeds 25MPH with Xmode still doing Xmode things, and I seem to remember Subaru bragging about it in the media releases for Xmode.

 

[Rot Box]

I’ll have to test the X-mode a little more on ours. I know in the deep mud/snow setting mine shuts off over 25mph not sure about the other settings though.

Anyone want to go Subaru-ing? I think the new term for light wheeling is soft-roading…. Oye kids these days 😐

 

[ID Bronco]

And I'll also chew on my words, since the dual Xmode was introduced on the Fozzy sport. Looks like the wilderness is the first one to get the higher speed stuff package, but it seems it maybe just turns itself back on when you slow down?
Might be only the outback wilderness that has the nigh speed option, but it has it.

So first off, please tell me I'm not the only person to watch this part of this clip and think of "What are you doing, step-bro?" Maybe it's just me? I digress.

This dude clearly exceeds 25MPH with Xmode still doing Xmode things, and I seem to remember Subaru bragging about it in the media releases for Xmode.

Uhhhh, he's got "tingles"? What a wimp.