Preparing the SVX for a 2000 mile journey
 

Okay, well most likely my friends and I will take the SVX down to florida from NJ. Right now it's got about 54,600 miles on it so it's coming close to a 60k.

It's a 92 though and I'm pretty sure that everything on it IS original. Everything seems fine about it, and i've had it for about 9 months now, and put 7,000 miles on it with no problems at all, aside from a bad crank pulley.

I'm pretty confident the SVX won't have a problem making it during the journey but I think that maybe I should at least replace the water pump, hoses, and maybe the alternator. I just did the belts (except the timing).

Should i do a 60k service before going to Florida? I think it's a good idea, and I'm well prepared to hand over my bank account to do it. I don't hear any roaring from the back end so I'd rather not touch the rear wheel bearings.

What EXACTLY should be done for a 60k? Is there a scheduled maintenance calendar anywhere for the SVX?

Thanks

-Mike

A 60K for a SVX at our dealership looks like this:

fluid changes:

oil
coolant
brake
power steering
transmission
differentials


parts:

plugs
PCV
fuel filter
oil filter
timing belt
ps belt/ac belt if needed


Even though the timing belt is good for a lot more than the recommended 60,000 miles (I went 85,000 on my last timing belt), you might want to consider having all your belts changed due to age. You'll have to replace them at some point in time anyway, so why not do it before your big trip? Nothing sucks more than having car problems 2,000 miles from home when you're supposed to be on a relaxing trip!

If nothing else I would at least have the car looked over for any obvious problems, such as torn axle boots or an AC belt hanging on by a thread.

Dave

Tell me you have an AFT filter installed. :)

Thanks for the info Red95SVX ......I checked on alldata about the scheduled maintenance for an SVX and you were pretty much dead on balls accurate.

Actually - I don't have an aftermarket tranny filter installed .....just the cooler. Think she'll really eat up some metal during the journey? That would suck

I also have a 92 LS-L. :) but with 208k mikes. The AFT filter I refer to is the Subaru filter. My car did not have one originally and I added it in. My 91 Legacy has the same AFT filter and it was original on the car. It is mounted inside the engine compartment on the wall next to the engine under the battery. Subaru had program to install the filter on the SVX if it did not have one originally. There are many posts on this subject.

The filter grabs all the non-metalic stuff and of course metal also. Some people think, myself included, think it is important for the life of the tranny. You may want to check if it's there.

So I did the preventive maintenance to the SVX myself (still cost a pretty penny though) ..........anyway - I was looking at the way the aftermarket tranny cooler is hooked up and I don't think that it was done right.

The lines go into the stock one (radiator) then out into the Aftermarket one then into the trans again. Aren't they suppose to go in parallel ....like where they're both hooked up so if the stock one clogs there's no problems?

This has gotten me a little worried, and I think I should definitely look into the filter kit as well as a tranny temp gauge. The trans is still shifting just like the day I got it.....nice and smooth with no hesistations.

The SVX begins the journey in about 15 hours ..........

I would be worried if you are still running the original radiator and tranny. One reason the early years had so many problems is the friction material flaking off in the tranny and then clogging the screen in the tranny cooler that is in the radiator.

Later models changed material in the tranny and changed the radiator.

On a 92 with original radiator you definitely want to be either parallel or eliminate the stock cooler altogether.

With 15 hours to go I'd personally just bypass the stock cooler and run only the aftermarket. Especially since you are headign to florida - the tranny is going to cook in the heat.

When you get home it'd be a choice between parallel or keep it bypassed but with either make sure you get an aftermarket filter kit added if you dont already have the tsb filter kit.

well it might not have the original radiator ....but I can't say for sure. Can I pinch the lines with vise grip pliers to stop the fluid from coming out while I do the bypass? I'd hate to drain the tranny once again.

Immortal is right about the radiator getting clogged. Bypassing it entirely for now an routing the ATF through an aftermarket cooler would be a very good option.

i agree. I wound up just putting both the coolers in parallel and installed a filter kit. So far so good and no nightmares. ::thank god::

............less then a couple hours til d day

Hey the car actually made it flawlessly.

Wound up putting 2,751 miles on the car with no troubles aside from an overheating issue .......but it wasn't major.

It was extremely hot in florida, one day we were stuck in traffic and the "outside temp" read 108 degrees (obviously a little wrong) ......well the temperature gauge was about 1/4 above the half-way point leaning towards the H, so i put the heat on which got it back to normal ...........really had me goin though because normally its BELOW half way the whole time.

Wound up taking about 16hrs getting there doing some stopping along the way, and 13hrs getting back home. It was definitely a long drive, but a lot of fun to be in florida and just relax. but i think next time we're flyin!!!!! Maybe I'll post some pics.

i actually got some faith in this SVX now ........definitely had my doubts about the 12 year old car making the long journey non-stop.

I'm closing 100k and have the original everything + no filter + no nothing .... :eek:

...Eeehh, hi guys ...please don't care about putting your glasses on, would ya .. :D

/Sonny :rolleyes:

Glad to hear all went well!

As long as the needle doesn't go in the red, you're fine. You have to expect that every now and then, on a really hot day, in traffic, it's possible the temp gauge will read higher than normal.


As for the outside temp gauge, I suspect that the sensor picks up engine heat when the car isn't moving (or possibly heat from the road).



Dave

I think it's great your SVX did well.

You have a GOOD car. :)

I guess the temperature gauge could've still be in the normal range, but it definitely had me a little worried.

One thing I did notice is that when the temp gauge was a little below half the A/C blew ice cold. When it was half way the A/C was cold, but not as cold ...maybe like 68* instead of 65. When the temp gauge was above half, the A/C was hot and very uncomfortable.

Anyone have that problem?