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The wheel sensor system on a 1998 Subaru Legacy is directly controlled and monitored by the anti-lock braking system, or ABS, computer. It order to determine which wheels are locking-up, the ABS computer monitors the speed of each wheel individually and compares that speed to the vehicle speed sensor value and the other front wheel. In the event of a wheel lock-up, the ABS computer selectively limits brake pressure until the wheels return to a normal rolling condition. Replacement wheel speed sensors are available for purchase from auto parts stores, Subaru dealerships, and online parts websites.

Instructions

Front Sensor Removal

1

Break the lug nuts loose with a lug nut wrench. Raise the front of the vehicle with a jack and support it with jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and tire.

2

Locate the wheel speed sensor on the inside of the steering knuckle. It is made from black plastic and has a single wire protruding from it that runs up the inside of the strut assembly. Disconnect the sensor connector inside the engine compartment.

3

Remove the bolts holding the sensor harness to the strut assembly with a ratchet and metric socket. Remove the bolts holding the wheel sensor to the knuckle housing with a ratchet and metric socket.

4

Remove the sensor from the housing by gripping the sensor between your thumb and foinger and slowly twisting it back and forth while pulling out of its mounting hole.

Front Sensor Installation

5

Slide the new sensor into its mounting hole on the steering knuckle flange. Insert a feeler gauge between the sensor reluctor wheel and the sensor hole. Press the sensor down into its mounting hole and set the clearance using the feeler gauge. The specified value is 0.9 to 1.4 mm.

6

Install the sensor retaining bolt and tighten it to 17 to 31 foot-pounds using a torque wrench.

7

Feed the sensors wire up to the engine compartment and reconnect it to its primary electrical connector. Position the sensor wire bracket on the strut assembly and reinstall the bracket retaining bolt. Tighten the bolt to 17 to 31 foot-pounds using a torque wrench. Reinstall the tire and lug nuts. Lower the vehicle to the ground and tighten the lug nuts to 65 foot-pounds, plus or minus 7 foot-pounds.

8

Check to make sure that the sensor wire isnt distorted or strangled. Test drive the vehicle to make sure that the sensor operates properly and that no ABS error lights illuminate on the dash board.

Rear Sensor Removal

9

Break the rear lug nuts loose with a lug nut wrench. Raise the rear of the vehicle with a jack and support it with jack stands. Remove the lug nuts and tires. Remove the bolts holding the front seat cushion hinges to the body with a socket and metric ratchet. Lift up the front edge of the seat cushion and detach the rear hooks from back of the seat. Remove the lower seat cushion from the vehicle.

10

Remove the bolts holding the lower-edge of the back cushion to the body. Pull the release strap to release the folding lock on the top of the back cushion. Fold the cushion down toward the body and disengage its retaining hooks. Remove the back cushion from the vehicle. Disconnect the ABS connector thats beneath the rear seat and push the wire through the rubber grommet hole in the body.

11

Slide underneath the rear of the vehicle on a mechanics creeper and remove the bolt holding the rear ABS sensor to the backing plate behind the wheel hub. Remove the bolt holding the sensor wire to the trailing link. Pull the sensor out of the backing plate and remove the sensor assembly from the vehicle.

Rear Sensor Installation

12

Set the sensor wire into position on the trailing link and reinstall the trailing link bolt. Tighten it to 17 to 31 foot-pounds using a torque wrench. Reinstall the ABS sensor into the backing plate and set the gap between the backing plate and the sensor with a feeler gauge; the specified value is 0.7 to 1.2 mm. Tighten the sensors retaining bolt to 17 to 31 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

13

Feed the ABS wire through the rubber grommet and into the cabin, then reconnect the ABS sensors electrical connector inside the vehicle. Set the seat back cushion into position and attach the lower seat cushion hooks to the mounting holes. Fold the seat back cushion up until it latches into position, then reinstall the seat back cushion retaining bolts.

14

Set the lower seat cushion into position and engage the rear latches with the retaining hooks on the back of the seat. Fold the seat down and reinstall the seats retaining bolts. Reinstall the tires and torque the lug nuts to lug nuts to 65 foot-pounds, plus or minus 7 foot-pounds. Lower the vehicle back to the ground, then test drive it to ensure that the sensors operate properly.

Subaru vehicles have a long history of exhaust problems, and the Outback is no exception. The original exhaust system will last the longest; it is constructed of stainless steel. Aluminized exhaust systems are a common and more affordable replacement option and depending on your geographical region, can last as little as two years. Road salt and other road contaminants can lead to premature wear and tear on aftermarket exhaust systems.

Heat Shields

Raise the Outback on a lift, ramps or jack stands so you can inspect the exhaust system thoroughly. One of the most annoying aspects of all Subaru vehicles is that all the exhaust components are wrapped with insulated heat shields. While the heat shields offer a protection against grass fires in arid regions, it is likely that the shields will become corroded and loosen. Loose heat shields will vibrate during engine acceleration or idling. Use radiator clamps to tighten and re-secure the heat shields to the exhaust pipes they surround. This can be a challenging task depending on the location of the loose heat shield. Subaru Outback exhaust systems employ several components with awkward bends and angles. This may challenge the task of integrating the radiator clamp position in order to tighten the shield and silence the rattle. In the best case scenario, youll be able to effectively apply the radiator clamp around the heat shield and fasten it to the exhaust pipe, but the repair, at best, is a temporary solution to a permanent problem.

Cutting off the heat shields is a more permanent solution, but it is not recommended. It can be illegal in states that endure high forest-fire risks. Other states may mandate the heat shields on vehicles in order to pass the vehicle state inspections.

Flange Connections

Other than the heat shields, the next-weakest links in the Subaru exhaust system components are the flange connections. Inspect the flange connections thoroughly to ensure the gasket between the seamed flanges is not leaking and the flanges are not deteriorated. Its not uncommon if the flange connections between the converters and exhaust pipes thin and weaken from age and normal wear and tear. Once the flanges weaken, they can create an exhaust leak, either because the heat of the exhaust will burn the gasket out or the connection itself becomes too compromised.

You have two options when the flange connections are compromised. Replace the components with the weak flanges and put a new gasket in between, or cut the flange connections off on both components and "buddy sleeve" and clamp the connection. The latter is a more inexpensive alternative if even applicable, but its a short term solution.

Catalytic Converters

Test the back-flow of the exhaust system by plugging the tailpipe of the Outback. Wear a thick safety glove to protect your hands from exhaust heat. Fully clogged converters will compromise the engine operation, since exhaust systems need to disperse fumes from the exhaust. Partially clogged converters can result from a misfired cylinder or cylinders, a compromised oxygen sensor or the lack of maintaining the vehicle. The Outback employs at least three catalytic converters, depending on the year and model series. Regular tune-ups will assist in the longevity of the converters as well as replacing the oxygen sensors at regular scheduled maintenance intervals.

Aftermarket Aluminzed Exhaust Systems

Aluminized systems will not endure as long as original systems. While stainless steel exhaust systems are available as replacement exhaust components, many people find the price of the systems to be too steep. Inspect your aluminized aftermarket systems annually to determine efficiency and durability. Aluminized systems will have weaker piping connections to the converter or system and deteriorate much quicker than stainless steel systems. Be sure to inspect the flange connections of the systems and the piping extensions.

The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size family car in production since 1989. The third generation of this series includes models manufactured from 1998 to 2003. The base model of the 2001 Subaru Legacy is a sedan, and the GT trim level is a wagon. The standard engine for the 2001 Subaru Legacy GT is a four-cylinder 2.5-liter engine with a double overhead cam shaft. The timing belt in this vehicle typically requires replacement after 60,000 miles.

Instructions

1

Remove any components necessary to access the timing belt on your vehicle. Disconnect the mounting bolts for the timing belt guide with a socket wrench if your vehicle has manual transmission. Remove the timing belt guide from the engine block.

2

Remove the center bolt for the idler pulley of the timing belt with a socket wrench. Disconnect the idler pulley from the engine block, and detach the timing belt from its pulleys. Remove the mounting bolts for the tension adjuster of the timing belt, and detach the tension adjuster from the engine block.

3

Hold the tension adjuster with a vertical press and press the adjuster rod to align the hole in the rod with the hole in the cylinder housing for the tension adjuster. Place a 2mm Allen wrench through the holes to hold the adjuster in place.

4

Install the tension adjuster to the engine block with a socket wrench. Connect the belt idler pulleys to the engine block, and torque the mounting bolts to 28 ft. lbs. with a torque wrench.

5

Turn the crankshaft sprocket clockwise to align its timing mark with the timing mark on the oil pump cover. Rotate the camshafts clockwise to align their timing marks with the timing marks on the timing belt cover.

6

Install the left part of the timing belt onto the crankshaft sprocket, upper left idler pulley, left camshaft sprocket and lower left idler pulley in that order. Hold the lower left idler pulley in place. Continue installing the timing belt onto the lower right idler pulley, right camshaft sprocket and crankshaft sprocket in that order.

7

Align the timing marks for the crankshaft and camshafts if necessary. Pull the Allen wrench from the housing of the timing belt tension adjuster.

8

Install the timing belt guide and fasten its mounting bolts by hand if your vehicle has manual transmission. Adjust the timing belt guide so there is 0.019 to 0.059 in. clearance between the guide and the timing belt. Tighten the mounting bolts for the timing belt guide with a socket wrench.

9

Replace any components you removed in step one to access the timing belt.

Subaru introduced the Outback in 1995, at a time when the SUV market was growing at a rapid pace. The Outback offered the elevated suspension and all-wheel-drive of SUVs without the bumpy rides or low gas mileage of contemporary SUVs. The Outback was the first sport-utility wagon and was highly influential in the development of the crossover SUV wagon. The 2008 Outback came in eight different trims, but the alignment specs were the same for all trims.

Caster

The caster angle is the slope of an imaginary line drawn through the upper and lower steering pivots of a wheel, with zero axis being a perpendicular axis line drawn straight up from the ground through the center of the wheel. For instance, if the steering pivot line passes through the perpendicular line at five degrees toward the rear of the car, then the car has a caster of +5 degrees. If it passes through the perpendicular axis line at five degrees toward the front of the car, the car has a caster of -5 degrees. The ideal caster angle for the 2008 Subaru Outback is +4.92 degrees, but it can range 0.75 degrees in either direction.

Camber

When standing in front of a vehicle, the camber is the angle at which the wheels lean. If the top of a wheel leans in toward the engine block, the wheel has a negative camber. If the top of the wheel leans out away from the engine block, it has a positive camber. The ideal camber angle for the front end of the 2008 Subaru Outback is +0.67 degrees but it can range by 0.5 degrees in either direction, with a cross tolerance of 0.75 degrees. The ideal camber on the rear end is -0.17 degrees, but it can range 0.75 degrees in either direction.

Toe

The toe is the angle of the wheels in relation to the centerline of the vehicle. Most vehicles are designed to toe-in, meaning the fronts of the wheels when angle slightly inward toward each other and the centerline of the vehicle. Perhaps counter-intuitively, this inward angle is give in positive degrees. A vehicle with a toe-in of +1.0 degrees has wheels that angle slightly toward each other. Toe-out, wheels intended to angle away from each other at their fronts, is represented in negative terms and is rare. The ideal toe on the front end of the 2008 Subaru Outback is zero degrees but it can range by 0.16 degrees in either direction. The ideal toe setting on the rear end is -0.13 degrees but it can range by 0.13 degrees in either direction. Again, this is a rare setting, and the negative measurement means that the fronts of the tires should point away from each other at a -0.13 degree angle.

The 1998 Subaru Outback uses two catalytic converters in the exhaust system, one in the front and one in the rear. Theyre attached, so removing them can be done as one unit or by separating them. Both catalytic converters also have oxygen sensors in them; be sure to disconnect the electrical connectors for them or remove the oxygen sensors from the converter entirely before removing the converter from the car.

Instructions

1

Raise the front of the car with a jack. Support the car with a set of jack stands, positioning them under the frame rails.

2

Locate the catalytic converters at the front of the exhaust system. There are three heat shields surrounding the converters; removing the nuts and bolts that secure them to the exhaust is necessary. Use a socket and ratchet to remove the hardware, then remove all three of the heat shields from the car. Set them aside.

3

Locate the oxygen sensor in the front catalytic converter. Disconnect the electrical connector from the wiring harness by pressing the locking tab in on the plug, then separate the two connectors. Move to the rear converter and disconnect the electrical harness the same way.

4

Move back to the front catalytic converter and find the two mounting bolts in the front mounting flange. Remove the bolts with a socket and ratchet. Now move to the rear converter and remove the two mounting bolts in the rear flange. Lower the assembly down and remove it from under the car.

5

Remove the mounting bolts in the flange that connect the front and rear converters together, then separate the two converters. You can separate them under the car and remove one at a time; but it is easier to pull both as a unit, replace the one you need to replace, and reinstall them as an assembly.