BL (2005-2009)
From SubiWiki
Contents |
Technical
How-to's, Walk-through's, What to do if's, etc
How Things Work
Engine
Details on Subaru's H4, H4 turbo (what's the TMIC for, what type of turbo, what's an up pipe, down pipe, etc) and H6
Differences between LGT, STI, and WRX motors: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1418354
Curiously, the 05 LGT longblock is identical to the 04/05 STI, but they diverged slightly in later years.
Driveline
Details on Subaru's "Symmetric 4 wheel drive" and what's so cool about that, suspension details, etc.
Exterior
Information about things like the mega sunroof on the wagon, how the DRLs work (i.e. reduced voltage, brake lever turns off, etc), and... ummm... other exterior stuff.
Interior
How the auto climate control works, EL display (yes, the gauges are supposed to sweep), various controls (for those that don't RTFM)
Maintenance
Generic Owner's Manual maintenance how-to's, tips & tricks, etc.
Engine Maintenance
Standard stuff like oil change, filter change, etc
Driveline Maintenance
Transmission, diffs, brakes, wheels, tires
Brake Maintenance
Got shudder?
The good news is, you can fix it for free. Bad news is, it will keep coming back. New pads will probably fix it for good though.
Basically what you need to do is: 1) find a twisty road in the middle of nowhere 2) drive it like you stole it for half an hour or so 3) drive it almost-normally until the brakes cool off
During this process, do not allow the car to come to a complete stop with the disc brakes applied. Use the handbrake instead. That's the "almost-normally" part.
The leading theory is that this cooks off the deposits that are causing the shudder. In the meantime try to keep in mind when the rotors are hot, and not stop with the foot brake at those times, as that seems to be what causes the shudder (hot discs + stationary pads = deposits on the rotors).
Exterior Maintenance
OCDetail's section 8^)
Interior Maintenance
How to clean and repair stock stuff inside the vehicle
Modifications
The fun section. How to make your Legacy YOUR Legacy
Engine Modifications
Includes intake, turbo, exhaust, ECU, engine block and heads
The turbochargers listed below are sorted by compressor capacity, with unknown-capacity turbos grouped together at the end. This table is still a work in progress, some data is likely incorrect. Updates are welcome, however please cite your sources when adding or changing information.
See also these compendiums of turbo choices and dyno plots: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1141476 http://www.elementtuning.com/elementhydradynoplots.htm
Engine management options:
| Brand | Fast map switching | Reflash | AVCS control | CEL fix | tweak RPM limit | detonation warning | Launch/FF | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobb AccessPort | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| EcuTek | X | X | X | X | Delta dash monitoring | |||
| TurboXS UTEC | X | X | ||||||
| Enginuity | (soon?) | X | X | X | X | $80 cable + open source software |
Good summary of the above here: http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=476628&postcount=18
Consider this online tool to help choose your turbo:
The engine's BSFC appears to be around 0.55, perhaps slightly lower.
- http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=289576&postcount=1
- http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1402146&postcount=10
Driveline Modifications
Transmission, diff, brakes... but not wheels & tires
Handling Modifications
Tires, wheels, springs, shocks, sway bars, etc
Springs are listed below, in order of how much drop they create. The figures below may vary slightly between wagons and sedans, and it is not clear whether the front drop measurements were taken with USDM or JDM tophats (the JDM sit 3/8" taller than USDM). The stiffness figures come from http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20198&highlight=spring+rate Drop figures come from sources listed below:
And coilovers, in no particular order...
| Brand | Min Drop | Front Rate (kgf/mm) | Rear Rate (kgf/mm) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cusco Zero2 | ?? | 9.0 | 8.0 | http://www.gruppe-s.com/legacy/legsus/cus_zero2.htm |
| Zeal Function XS | ?? | 8.0 | 6.0 | http://www.gruppe-s.com/legacy/legsus/zeal_xs.htm |
| Tein Flex | -0.9 front | 8.0 | 9.0 | http://www.gruppe-s.com/legacy/legsus/tein_flex.htm |
| Tein Basic | -0.7 front | 6.0 | 7.0 | http://www.gruppe-s.com/legacy/legsus/tein_basic.htm |
| Tein Comfort | -0.6 front | 5.0 | 6.0 | http://www.tein.com/cstdamp.html |
| KW v2 | -1.4 front | 7 | 7 | unknown |
| KSport | ?? | 7.0 | 9.0 | http://legacygt.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=126&cat=20&page=1 |
| Megan Racing | ?? | 6.0 | 8.0 | http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-Subaru-Legacy-Coilover-Damper-Kit_W0QQitemZ180077854630QQcmdZViewItem |
| H&R | -1.2 | ?? | ?? | http://www.namotorsports.net/detail.cfm/part_cd/HR54426 |
| JIC FLTA2 | stock | 8.0 | 10.0 | http://www.hopupracing.com/jicflcosule2.html |
"The DMS are of the utmost quality and extremely fine coilovers, but one point to note is that they seem to come setup with extremely long front springs which make it impossible to lower the front more than .5" or so." - BoostJunkie @ LGT
ECU Tuning
Here's how I read or write the ROM with the OpenPort 1.3 cable on my 2005:
- Connect the green connectors in the passenger-side footwell.
- Hit the 'read' or 'write' button in EcuFlash.
- You'll get a dialog box that says to turn the ignition to ON (don't start the car) and then quickly press OK on the dialog box.
(For me, it only works if I do it in the other order - hit OK, immediately turn the car on. But I get the impression that for most people it works best in the order prescribed.)
- Watch stuff scroll past in EcuFlash. It downloads some code to the ECU, then it writes your changes to the flash memory, then it verifies that the data was written correctly.
- While the car is on, and the green connectors are hooked up, the radiator fan will cycle on and off. This is normal.
- You should get a "success" message from EcuFlash. If you get anything else, follow the instructions from EcuFlash. (I have never seen anything but success, so I can't help.)
- Unhook the footwell connectors.
- Wait 5-10 seconds. (The car will turn over at this point, but will not start.)
- Start car. (Might turn over for a couple seconds before firing up.)
- If the CEL is flashing, or the radiator fan is cycling, double-check those connectors, make sure they're unhooked.
- Drive.
The dashboard will probably read "Err HC" while the read or write is in progress.
Exterior Modifications
Body kits, wings, headlight clearing, debadging, etc
Interior Modifications
Seat replacement, interior lighting, seatbelt chime, etc but not audio
Entertainment System Modifications
Stock radio mods, aftermarket radio install, Cleansweep, speakers, in-car PC, etc etc
Electric System Modifications
DRL disable, HID, other electrical system mods not covered elsewhere
Vendors
Where to go to get the goodies
General Information
Purchasing
Recommendations on what options to get & what not, where to go, etc
Specs
There are many versions of the newly redesigned 2005 Legacy and the changes made for the 2006 model year include: 1.The price increased for all Legacy models 2.The horsepower of the naturally aspirated engine jumps from 168 to 175 3.The gauges have a different font 4.The passenger airbag warning light was moved to front and center of the headliner 5.The word Legacy is now red on the gauge cluster of cars with manual transmissions 6.The center caps of the wheels have the Subaru Logo 7.The headlight housing no longer contains black trim 8.The unlock button on the key fob has a different shape 9.The exhaust system has lower emissions 10.All models come with an immobilizer key 11.The air filtration system has become standard 12.The front brake disc for naturally aspirated models has increased in size 13.The base non-limited GT model has been dropped from the model lineup 14.The Legacy GT Limited wagon and 2.5i Limited models cant be had with a manual transmission 15.A navigation system is offered on the Legacy GT Limited automatic. 16.The Legacy GT Spec B is introduced
Spotting Guide: The main differences between the 2.5i and 2.5 GT models: the 2.5 GT has a hood scoop and 5 spoke wheels, and the 2.5i has smaller wheels with 5 sets of 2 parallel spokes, and no hood scoop.
Legacies in other countries: The european Legacy has no 2.5 liter turbo, instead, the 3.0 liter naturally aspirated engine found on the Tribeca and 3.0 Outback is substituted. Also, there are styling changes made for european models, and a Spec B wagon is offered. In Australia, the Legacy is called the Liberty.
New Model News
Information, pics, rumors of the upcoming models
Warranty Issues
Common warranty issues and what needs to be done by the dealer to fix the issue:
ECU / Cooling Fan
The 2005 models have an issue with the ECU and a cooling fan relay, where the relay control circuit on the ECU fails, causing the car's radiator fans to run constantly. If your fans never shut off, your ECU will need to be replaced (so far they are replacing them under warranty however). If you haven't experienced this problem, have your dealer replace the relay (also under warranty) to prevent it from occurring. Note that if you have a Cobb AccessPort, you should divorce it from the ECU before bringing your car in for this repair. If the ECU is replaced, your AccessPort will not communicate with the new ECU until it has been divorced from the original ECU - which may be in a landfill by the time you realize what's happened.
For more information:
Cruise Control
The A2WC510N ROM may drop out of cruise control under some circumstances. Subaru has released updates which fixes this problem (revisions 521N, 522N), but the updates also introduces a time delay in the wastegate control which can impair turbo spool-up. Some owners have reported that the problem can also be addressed with a thinner washer on the neutral position sensor switch.
For more information:
- http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48638
- http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84403
Service
Places that provide good service / places to avoid
Regional
Regional specific info / regularly scheduled meets, etc
Driving Tips & Tricks
Street Driving
Getting the best mileage, driving in snow, driving in rain, avoiding tickets, avoiding accidents, etc
Drag Strip
Launching, shifting, 1/8 and 1/4 mile time listings
Road Course
Cornering, braking, how to get the most out of the Legacy, track summaries, organizers of track events
Special BL Legacies
Spec B
The 2006 Subaru Legacy GT Spec B is a limited production model with special features that differentiate it from the Legacy GT Limited, and while the 2007 model will be a regular production model, there are key differences between the two. The 2006 changes that make the Spec B special are as follows: 18 inch 10 spoke alloy wheels with low profile sports tires, an exclusive Titanium Silver Metallic paint color, a brick-red leather inerior with matching trim on the floor mats, steering wheel mounted audio controls, a navigation system, a plaque stating which of the 500 Spec Bs the car is, aluminum-alloy pedal covers, and a top of the line Subaru audio system. For the 2007 model, the changes to the 2006 Spec B consist of: a version of the 6 speed manual transmission found in the Impreza WRX STI that replaces the 5 speed manual, an engine and throttle control system called SI-drive with 3 preset modes, new seats featuring blue Alcantara inserts for better grip, and a Torsen limited slip differential. Finally, both cars have aluminum rear suspension control arms, inverted struts taken from the Impreza WRX STI, and stiffer suspension setups featuring Bilstein components, hence the B in Spec B. The 2006 model has an MSRP of around $34,000 and 2007 prices should be announced soon. The main rival of the Spec B is Mazda's Mazdaspeed6 which also features a powerful turbocharged engine and AWD. For pictures and information regarding the 2006 Spec B go here
Racing
Xenonk, Goto, ICY, etc
Show
?Not sure if this would be interesting...?
Ten Foot Pole
As in "wouldn't touch it with a ..."
Owner Section
Owner's galleries, modification lists, stories. If possible, this is a list of registered users that have this particular model of Subaru, and only those that want to be listed (rather than blanket listing all users).
