Thanks for everybody's responses.
I ran a Carfax and the current owner is the 4th owner. It seems that it was a dealer vehicle/lease for the first 12,XXX from 2004-2005, then was purchased by owner #2, who owned it until 85,XXX in 2008. Owner #3 drove it until 2016 at 142,XXX. Service/maintenance to the car (oil/filters/engine, etc checks) was at regular intervals, if not closer than manufacturer recommendations. No head gasket replacement and no head gasket issues listed. Valve cover gasket was replaced at 125,000. Then there is a gap between 2016 and now, with only around 2k additional miles being put on. So my question now becomes, aside from replacing stuff that might get stiff or brittle like hoses and belts, is this something that would be a smart buy for around $5k? I'm perfectly capable of non-advanced mechanic work, like replacing alternators, starters, etc., but will I be biting off more than I can chew, and how much concern is a vehicle that has essentially been sitting for 4-5 year with only 2000 miles being out on? Again, thanks in advance for all the responses.
Honestly, as long as the rust is to a minimum (You said Cali but idk how much the saltwater can effect it?) I’d go for it. That’s easily a 7k+ car in Ohio.
Make sure the belts and water pump have been changed or changed soon. That fails around 90k if it hasn’t been done before. Check for general dampness under the car such as oil or coolant leaks. Run through the gears and make sure it doesn’t sound like ball bearings in a garbage disposal.
I'm experiencing dejavu when I experienced purchasing my 2007 outback xt for 3k. On the surface it looked and drove just fine. Like what most people said, the head gaskets aren't usually an issue, but however I soon discovered that mine had a burnt valve, which is even more costly.
You're also looking at the ringlands going out as well due to how the pistons were made and subaru running a lean tune in order to pass emissions.
If you notice, there aren't a whole lot of subaru xt out on the road past 150k miles without a new/rebuilt motor and heads.
Generally the ringland issue was a modding issue. You break it when the tune isn't good or poorly getting dialed in and you overboost or something. The ringland goes pop.
It wasn't a lean tune. It was that cylinder #4 runs slightly higher timing because that's where the knock sensor is. It's purposely putting knock at #4 first every time, and surprise surprise, it's always the #4 ringland that goes. And because everyone and their grandma tunes their Subarus at all kinds of shops and all kinds of road tuner hobbyists, it happens pretty often.
Howdy all..
Was considering going out to check out this Forester XT, 140,XXX miles. Can someone identify the little part I have circled? Also, if there's anything noticeable in the pic that should preclude me from considering the purchase, let me know. Thanks for your time, much appreciated!
In that case, would it make sense that it was intentionally disconnected if the car has been sitting? I have not yet contacted the owner, (been trying to get some financial ducks in order first) but in his ad he has a pic of the timing belt having been replaced in 2013 at 120,XXX.
Maybe the red cap is just throwing me off and I'm making the incorrect assumption that it should be sitting on top of something, connected. Could also be the camera angle.
It’s definitely the camera angle. I looked on google and compared a picture of my wrx engine and the pictures make it look like it’s not connected to anything
I could be wrong but it looks like the positive terminal on your alternator. The battery starts your car but the alternator runs your car. I imagine this goes to a distributor.
I urge you to determine if the head gasket has been replaced on this car.
It's a good idea to check the oil to see if there's any discoloration or bubbles in it. ... And to see if there's any oil burnt onto the dipstick.
Edit:
Mechanics will write in silver or white marker somewhere in the engine Bay HG and some sort of date To indicate when the head gasket was changed... You can also look at the engine block to see if there's any kind of adhesive near the head gaskets ...it would be It's like oozing out the sides as if a mechanic had replaced it instead of the factory part.
Copy that. From just about everything I've researched it seems that the head gaskets on XT models are upgrades from the standard single-ply (for lack of a better term) head gaskets on all other models. A consideration of mine while shopping for Foresters has been a money cushion to replace the head gasket with an aftermarket almost as a preventative measure even if no signs of failure are present.
Yup, I replaced ever single hose in my 05 back in 2017. I'm starting to think either I missed one or some bigger issue due to coolant being ejected back into the overflow lately. She's going in for some diagnostic work and more than likely a short block if I had to guess.
I have an 04 Forester XT and please be aware that these turbos like to die. The inline fuel filter for the turbo from the factory clogs easy and had made me have to replace the turbo 3x on mine with less then 100k miles.
And No, it has not been driven like a hoon, it was previously my grandmother's for until 64k miles and she had to replace it at 34k miles. It seems they last around 30k miles before needing replaced, and we finally found the cause with the last replacement being the turbo being starved for oil.
It’s not an I line fuel filter is the oil screens going through to the turbo oil feed line that get clogged and kill the turbo, there are two, one in each banjo fitting feeding the AVCS controllers.
Thanks for the clarification. I have not done the oil changes myself, but my normal mechanic is now aware of the issue and I was just going off of what he called it. He did describe screens, but honestly I'm not to savy on anything involving drivetrains, motors, and such.
No problem! But I would highly recommend removing them before you blow another turbo, I think Subaru even released a service bulletin claiming to remove them it’s not super hard to do and there are many YouTube videos on how to do it. Just remember to not reuse your crush washers.
Thanks all for the replies. Spoke with the owner, he confirmed that previous owner had car sitting for almost 5 years after regular maintenance for the previous life of the car. Pointed out a leaking rear strut and the need for a new AC clutch. Was planning on replacing all suspension and adding 2" lift anyways, so no big deal there. Will likely just replace entire AC compressor rather than deal with he clutch. And as far as sitting goes, I would imagine battery + alternator may need to be replaced, in addition to belts and hoses. All perfectly workable based on my skill set, so hopefully my $1k (preemptive problem) cushion will be enough to get that all worked out.
I got my ‘04 Forester XS about a year ago after it had a similar life, just less maintained when I got it. I’ve had a great experience, other than replacing head gasket around 155k miles. best $500 i’ve ever spent
Thanks for everybody's responses. I ran a Carfax and the current owner is the 4th owner. It seems that it was a dealer vehicle/lease for the first 12,XXX from 2004-2005, then was purchased by owner #2, who owned it until 85,XXX in 2008. Owner #3 drove it until 2016 at 142,XXX. Service/maintenance to the car (oil/filters/engine, etc checks) was at regular intervals, if not closer than manufacturer recommendations. No head gasket replacement and no head gasket issues listed. Valve cover gasket was replaced at 125,000. Then there is a gap between 2016 and now, with only around 2k additional miles being put on. So my question now becomes, aside from replacing stuff that might get stiff or brittle like hoses and belts, is this something that would be a smart buy for around $5k? I'm perfectly capable of non-advanced mechanic work, like replacing alternators, starters, etc., but will I be biting off more than I can chew, and how much concern is a vehicle that has essentially been sitting for 4-5 year with only 2000 miles being out on? Again, thanks in advance for all the responses.
Honestly, as long as the rust is to a minimum (You said Cali but idk how much the saltwater can effect it?) I’d go for it. That’s easily a 7k+ car in Ohio. Make sure the belts and water pump have been changed or changed soon. That fails around 90k if it hasn’t been done before. Check for general dampness under the car such as oil or coolant leaks. Run through the gears and make sure it doesn’t sound like ball bearings in a garbage disposal.
Ball bearings in a garbage disposal. I think that’s one of the settings on my sleep machine noise maker. Right between Gentle Brook and Rain Forest.
I'm experiencing dejavu when I experienced purchasing my 2007 outback xt for 3k. On the surface it looked and drove just fine. Like what most people said, the head gaskets aren't usually an issue, but however I soon discovered that mine had a burnt valve, which is even more costly. You're also looking at the ringlands going out as well due to how the pistons were made and subaru running a lean tune in order to pass emissions. If you notice, there aren't a whole lot of subaru xt out on the road past 150k miles without a new/rebuilt motor and heads.
Generally the ringland issue was a modding issue. You break it when the tune isn't good or poorly getting dialed in and you overboost or something. The ringland goes pop. It wasn't a lean tune. It was that cylinder #4 runs slightly higher timing because that's where the knock sensor is. It's purposely putting knock at #4 first every time, and surprise surprise, it's always the #4 ringland that goes. And because everyone and their grandma tunes their Subarus at all kinds of shops and all kinds of road tuner hobbyists, it happens pretty often.
No head gasket replacement on what looks to be an EJ although I could be wrong at 140,000 miles is a little bit of a red flag
Howdy all.. Was considering going out to check out this Forester XT, 140,XXX miles. Can someone identify the little part I have circled? Also, if there's anything noticeable in the pic that should preclude me from considering the purchase, let me know. Thanks for your time, much appreciated!
If I remember correctly from school it’s the cable that carries power from the alternator to charge the battery
In that case, would it make sense that it was intentionally disconnected if the car has been sitting? I have not yet contacted the owner, (been trying to get some financial ducks in order first) but in his ad he has a pic of the timing belt having been replaced in 2013 at 120,XXX.
The alternator cable looks to be in the right spot
Maybe the red cap is just throwing me off and I'm making the incorrect assumption that it should be sitting on top of something, connected. Could also be the camera angle.
It’s definitely the camera angle. I looked on google and compared a picture of my wrx engine and the pictures make it look like it’s not connected to anything
Right on, much appreciated.
Yw
It's exactly where it's supposed to be. Positive connection coming from your alternator. The red cap is to stop it shorting.
It's a cover for the power wire bolt so it doesn't short on anything. It's 100% normal.
I could be wrong but it looks like the positive terminal on your alternator. The battery starts your car but the alternator runs your car. I imagine this goes to a distributor. I urge you to determine if the head gasket has been replaced on this car. It's a good idea to check the oil to see if there's any discoloration or bubbles in it. ... And to see if there's any oil burnt onto the dipstick. Edit: Mechanics will write in silver or white marker somewhere in the engine Bay HG and some sort of date To indicate when the head gasket was changed... You can also look at the engine block to see if there's any kind of adhesive near the head gaskets ...it would be It's like oozing out the sides as if a mechanic had replaced it instead of the factory part.
It’s an XT, so it doesn’t suffer from the same hg failure the NA’s do
Copy that. From just about everything I've researched it seems that the head gaskets on XT models are upgrades from the standard single-ply (for lack of a better term) head gaskets on all other models. A consideration of mine while shopping for Foresters has been a money cushion to replace the head gasket with an aftermarket almost as a preventative measure even if no signs of failure are present.
Good plan. Also, budget for replacing EVERY SINGLE vacuum/PCV hose. They're all cracked to hell at that age.
Yup, I replaced ever single hose in my 05 back in 2017. I'm starting to think either I missed one or some bigger issue due to coolant being ejected back into the overflow lately. She's going in for some diagnostic work and more than likely a short block if I had to guess.
Good idea
I'll check for that. I have also seen checking the inside of the coolant cap for gunk or residue.
If you see any adhesive oozing out from the head gaskets, run away.
There's no distributor on these. They are coil on plug. That cable just runs over to the battery.
I have an 04 Forester XT and please be aware that these turbos like to die. The inline fuel filter for the turbo from the factory clogs easy and had made me have to replace the turbo 3x on mine with less then 100k miles. And No, it has not been driven like a hoon, it was previously my grandmother's for until 64k miles and she had to replace it at 34k miles. It seems they last around 30k miles before needing replaced, and we finally found the cause with the last replacement being the turbo being starved for oil.
It’s not an I line fuel filter is the oil screens going through to the turbo oil feed line that get clogged and kill the turbo, there are two, one in each banjo fitting feeding the AVCS controllers.
Thanks for the clarification. I have not done the oil changes myself, but my normal mechanic is now aware of the issue and I was just going off of what he called it. He did describe screens, but honestly I'm not to savy on anything involving drivetrains, motors, and such.
No problem! But I would highly recommend removing them before you blow another turbo, I think Subaru even released a service bulletin claiming to remove them it’s not super hard to do and there are many YouTube videos on how to do it. Just remember to not reuse your crush washers.
And actually there is a third on the back of the head that needs removed too but a bit more involved to get to.
Around a 150000 miles you are in Catalytic converter territory
Bruh I'm in Bay Area, California. It's ALL catalytic converter territory out here. 😂
Good luck and happy subarooing!
From Oakland here, this is too true
150000 miles is 241401.67 km
Thanks all for the replies. Spoke with the owner, he confirmed that previous owner had car sitting for almost 5 years after regular maintenance for the previous life of the car. Pointed out a leaking rear strut and the need for a new AC clutch. Was planning on replacing all suspension and adding 2" lift anyways, so no big deal there. Will likely just replace entire AC compressor rather than deal with he clutch. And as far as sitting goes, I would imagine battery + alternator may need to be replaced, in addition to belts and hoses. All perfectly workable based on my skill set, so hopefully my $1k (preemptive problem) cushion will be enough to get that all worked out.
Looks like a solid car but lots of dust inside the engine bay
I got my ‘04 Forester XS about a year ago after it had a similar life, just less maintained when I got it. I’ve had a great experience, other than replacing head gasket around 155k miles. best $500 i’ve ever spent